My First Mix Update - The Mixmasters Were Absolutely Right

[gord]

Right on every count!

At last post, I had whittled down my basic English mix from 4:1 (plain tobacco - Latakia) then 5:1, and then finally 6:1 which I was happy with. One of the Mixmasters (I dub Thee All Mixmasters and shall beckon Thee by name in future posts) said to put the jar aside for a day or two and the Latakia will infuse further.

Others concurred, and suggested many other things that were of great value, such as just mixing up a pipefull and other gems of wisdom. I listened to all, and yesterday lit up a bowl of 7:1 which had been infusing for a couple of days, dutifully rotated, opened and sniffed while doing so.

The odor of the Latakia intensified with sitting, as I was told it would. Frankly, I was happy with the 6:1, which was lat forward, but not too much. The 7:1 is really balanced, and while the lat is there, it's not in-your-face. I love it and will smoke it. In many ways, it (to me at least) outshines the Traditional English from TobaccoBarn that I was doing the regular afternoon smoke with. Now, I have two similar, but different, Englishes.

I'll stay there, and will only decrease the lat when the Oriental Leaf comes, as was also suggested by a Mixmaster.

Thanks! I've got a bunch of good teachers!

I will be returning with two more mix projects. One the Oriental, and the other a hopeful mimic of a favorite that is no longer available. Your expertise will be required. Thanks again.

 

[gord]

Well, there is an update. I'd start a new thread but I think it belongs here. This rolling your own has some weird sides.

Background here: A couple of months ago I bought two bags of Smoker's Pride Whiskey tobacco. Reason? Well, I knew I was going to be making my own English and you know the story. It's in this post. I was toying with the idea of buying one bag of Whisky and one bag of Rum flavoured. Would seem to be more authentic, but even though I am half English and the other half Polish, I like neither (and never have) Vodka or Rum. Not even the flavourings in cakes or whatever. The only booze I ever drank was Bourbon and Scotch. I paid tribute to the limey bastards on my Dad's side with the occasional G&T in the summer. So Whiskey x 2 it was.

I was NOT counting on the Whiskey to be as delightful as it was. My friends and especially Mike, loved it and I'm glad i still have over a pound of the stuff. I love it, too. Give it a try! Smooth and almost gentle.

So, here's the gist of the matter. A couple of nights ago, I decided, after trying the 7:1 plain tobacco with latakia, I'd try the same with the Whiskey tobacco. Measured out the 7 parts of Whiskey tobacco with 1 part of lat, and let it steep in the jar for two days, rotating it.

Lord in Heaven, a monster was created. Yeah, the Lat was there, but it did something with that whiskey flavouring (the Smoker's Pride specs says it's just their regular blend with a whiskey flavour added)

Well, this superadditivity, contrainment, or whatever it is, created a great morning tobacco that has such a hit to it, the mixture doesn't even need perique. It's slam, bam between the eyes. I love it but it's NOT going to be a hit with the crowd like the plain whisky tobacco was. Not a hope in the world.

I think after doing my three attempts at mixing, I will cease and desist. Just get back to smoking the pipe and working on my techniques.

Any one of you mixmasters out there have the faintest idea what transpired? I'm all ears. The second jar (a smaller one) looks and smells the same.

 

[OzPiper]

Sounds like you inadvertently created an Islay blend

 

[anotherbob]

Sounds like you inadvertently created an Islay blend

Islay snus is incredible and not sure if it's even still available or not.

 

[minerLuke]

Well, there is an update. I'd start a new thread but I think it belongs here. This rolling your own has some weird sides.

Background here: A couple of months ago I bought two bags of Smoker's Pride Whiskey tobacco. Reason? Well, I knew I was going to be making my own English and you know the story. It's in this post. I was toying with the idea of buying one bag of Whisky and one bag of Rum flavoured. Would seem to be more authentic, but even though I am half English and the other half Polish, I like neither (and never have) Vodka or Rum. Not even the flavourings in cakes or whatever. The only booze I ever drank was Bourbon and Scotch. I paid tribute to the limey bastards on my Dad's side with the occasional G&T in the summer. So Whiskey x 2 it was.

I was NOT counting on the Whiskey to be as delightful as it was. My friends and especially Mike, loved it and I'm glad i still have over a pound of the stuff. I love it, too. Give it a try! Smooth and almost gentle.

So, here's the gist of the matter. A couple of nights ago, I decided, after trying the 7:1 plain tobacco with latakia, I'd try the same with the Whiskey tobacco. Measured out the 7 parts of Whiskey tobacco with 1 part of lat, and let it steep in the jar for two days, rotating it.

Lord in Heaven, a monster was created. Yeah, the Lat was there, but it did something with that whiskey flavouring (the Smoker's Pride specs says it's just their regular blend with a whiskey flavour added)

Well, this superadditivity, contrainment, or whatever it is, created a great morning tobacco that has such a hit to it, the mixture doesn't even need perique. It's slam, bam between the eyes. I love it but it's NOT going to be a hit with the crowd like the plain whisky tobacco was. Not a hope in the world.

I think after doing my three attempts at mixing, I will cease and desist. Just get back to smoking the pipe and working on my techniques.

Any one of you mixmasters out there have the faintest idea what transpired? I'm all ears. The second jar (a smaller one) looks and smells the same.

I have been surprised with strength/nic even with milder blends I smoke daily. I think it could br some kind of a random body chemistry thing. I would try another couple bowls of that 'Smoky Whiskey' blend and see if you notice it again.

I have both Smoker’s Pride Whiskey and Latakia but never thought to combine them. I think I may have to try it! I like mixing in just a little bit of lat with Mac baren Scottish Mixture to cool it down and add a bass note.

 

[gord]

I have been surprised with strength/nic even with milder blends I smoke daily. I think it could br some kind of a random body chemistry thing. I would try another couple bowls of that 'Smoky Whiskey' blend and see if you notice it again.

I have both Smoker’s Pride Whiskey and Latakia but never thought to combine them. I think I may have to try it! I like mixing in just a little bit of lat with Mac baren Scottish Mixture to cool it down and add a bass note.

I will do that in the morning and let you know.

 

[gord]

I have been surprised with strength/nic even with milder blends I smoke daily. I think it could br some kind of a random body chemistry thing. I would try another couple bowls of that 'Smoky Whiskey' blend and see if you notice it again.

I have both Smoker’s Pride Whiskey and Latakia but never thought to combine them. I think I may have to try it! I like mixing in just a little bit of lat with Mac baren Scottish Mixture to cool it down and add a bass note.

Did as you said. Smoked a bowl of the new mix in the morning. As a matter of fact, two bowls. I always smoke a small pipe in the morning because I like to keep my smoke short in the AM. Did one with a straight briar bowl, and one with a longer stemmed cherry bowl. I never smoke two bowls in the am.

Same thing! Doesn't seem to be a random body chemistry thing.

I used a cherry bowl for the second smoke and the effect was even more pronounced. I'll probably dedicate a cherry bowl to this smoke, because it has more of a tendency to ghost than briar. And I love this new blend!

Will I be making this mix again?? YOU BETCHA!!

It takes the pressure off my dwindling stock of TobaccoBarn Rockwell, and the only other morning smoke I had, Backwood's Buttered Rum, which is the only buttered rum blend I can hack (mentioned above I don't like rum flavouring of any kind, ) . . . . cause this, like most Backwood's products, is raunchy to start with and hits you with a blast of something that may be perique. And this is a favoured tobacco of mine for precisely this reason. I envision those two comic moonshine characters (from L'il Abner, if I remember correctly) as running this company. And I'm not complaining.

I'll be definitely dedicating a small bowl cherry pipe to this mix. Thanks for your comments!

They were most appreciated. And FYI, I dubbed these guys "Backweeds" a while back. Love them!

 

[khiddy]

Well, you got me, I ordered a bag of the Smoker's Pride Whisky to see for myself. It's cheap as chips, so what do I have to lose?

 

[minerLuke]

Well, you got me, I ordered a bag of the Smoker's Pride Whisky to see for myself. It's cheap as chips, so what do I have to lose?

It's pretty decent blend on its own and worst comes to worst it makes a great mixer. I've found that true for the whole line of Smoker’s Pride blends.

 

[gord]

Well, you got me, I ordered a bag of the Smoker's Pride Whisky to see for myself. It's cheap as chips, so what do I have to lose?

Nothing at all. It's a great simple mildly flavoured smoke, and doesn't deteriorate at the dottle stage. Let me know what you think.

 

[khiddy]

Nothing at all. It's a great simple mildly flavoured smoke, and doesn't deteriorate at the dottle stage. Let me know what you think.

Will do. I snagged a bag on cigarbid today for $7, so I look forward to doing some experimenting!

 

[gord]

Will do. I snagged a bag on cigarbid today for $7, so I look forward to doing some experimenting!

Just so you know, that bag costs $120 bucks in BC less taxes, and $70 bucks plus shipping and taxes from the Ontario Mohawk Cigar Chiefs store, which is the only legal intraprovincial shipping store I'm aware of in Canada. $7 bucks is, like, Manna dropping from Heaven.

BC had the highest tobacco taxes in the world, so I thought, until one of our Aussie forum members corrected me, and showed that they pay even more. We're #2!! We're #2!!


If I ordered that from a US store and it didn't run the gauntlet, I'd be slapped with about $650 duty. It's by the gram in taxes. Brand doesn't matter. it's all about weight.

 

[OzPiper]

BC had the highest tobacco taxes in the world, so I thought, until one of our Aussie forum members corrected me, and showed that they pay even more. We're #2!! We're #2!!


If I ordered that from a US store and it didn't run the gauntlet, I'd be slapped with about $650 duty. It's by the gram in taxes. Brand doesn't matter. it's all about weight.

Yup !
Tobacco excise in Oz is calculated on weight.
So a ounce of the cheapest RYO is taxed at the same rate as any premium blend

 

[BingBong]

Islay snus is incredible and not sure if it's even still available or not.

When I was very into Mac Baren HH Latakia Flake, for some reason the first 1/4 of a bowl had a serious Islay malt flavour. I still have one pack unopened, must revisit one day.

 

[craig61a]

 

[gord]

View attachment 323145

Oddly enough, you'd think as a profession musician I'd be listening to music in my truck all the time. Nope. In the last 3 vehicles (all trucks) I owned I ripped out all the radios in them. Sound of silence, please. Drove my passengers nuts. They had to develop conversational skills if they wanted a return trip to some of my favorite lakes or hunting spots.

Looked for an erect middle finger salute amongst the icons. Not there. Guess it's not politically correct. Smiling cat was as close as I could get. I'm going to make one up and use it as a jpg insert lol

Edit: okay just did a quick and dirty bird on gimp. feel free to copy and use anytime. Would like to have centered it but coudn't find the tool. It's fun to be childish once and a while.

 

[gord]

Overtesting and taking a break from the pipe for three days. (See new thread)

Final Analysis of the 7:1 mix with Whiskey as compared with 7:1 with Sir Walter Raleigh pipe tobacco:

BIG DIFFERENCE. NOT THE SAME ANIMAL.

And it's not just me. Buddy Mike says the same thing, with the "normal" tobacco being, in his mind, tolerable (He's not a big fan of English mixes).

He descibes the Whiskey mix as "up your alley and rosie red, not mine." Or words to that effect.

Hope other experimenters find the same, as I would hate to think that I'm delusional.

 

[craig61a]

Y u gotta be like dat…

 

[minerLuke]

I think I'm going to mix up a little of this Isle of Islay mix when I get the chance. Might even have to try a teensy bit in the Cherry, hmmm smoked cherry?

 

[gord]

Y u gotta be like dat…

Man, you found it! Now I'll have to search all over again! All that trouble for nothing!