My Journey into Burley Blends

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f4phantomdriver

Starting to Get Obsessed
Jun 23, 2019
180
333
Respectfully, it is not Green River (Burley) Cavendish, but rather a unique Dominican Cigar Leaf Cavendish. I reached out to J. Reeves for clarification on this. With his permission I quoted his response in the Winchester thread linked above
Me too! I asked him also and that was his response. It was cavendished cigar leaf. I bought the unsweetened black Cavendish that is used in Pegasus to add in Pegasus at times. It definitely makes the room note nicer but also makes the pluums of smoke HUGE!
 

f4phantomdriver

Starting to Get Obsessed
Jun 23, 2019
180
333
I love burleys! The tobacco that built this country! I also love Virginias, latakia, Orientals, and sometimes perique, ha ha. I just love it all.
I fell for that, "gotta pick a team" mentality when I fist got to this forum, A Virginia man, or a burley man... but if you set that BS aside and just learn to love exploring all of the different flavors that tobaccos can give you, you will expand your enjoyment of the hobby so much more.
I'm a burley man. But I do like cavendished Virginia too. I'm not big on Latakia, but used very sparingly, like Edward G. Robinson or Epiphany, I like it. But then again, I can smoke up some Middleton's Walnut given the chance lol. I have about eight ounces left that I'm selfishly hoarding until the end.......
 
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Choatecav

Lifer
Dec 19, 2023
1,894
18,324
Middle Tennessee
Before opening this thread, I had very, very few burley blends in my cellar. I was an avowed Virginia and English lover. It wasn't until a great member of this forum (@Grangerous ) did a bit of "bidness" on a birth year Dunhill and he asked about some of my favorites. He listed some of his, one of which was Pegasus, and I told him it was not my cup of tea. He was kind enough to send me a few samples of some of his blends and I tried them.

About this time someone else on the forum made a comment about if you only smoke one type of tobacco, you are depriving yourself of so much of the full spectrum that the pipe can bring to you. So, I kept trying and now I really enjoy my Burleys and probably smoke them 50% of the time.

The moral of this story is not to paint yourself into a box and keep your options open........... nuff said.
 

bobpnm

Lifer
Jul 24, 2012
2,417
30,575
Panama City, Florida
@Choatecav, I may have missed it in the thread. I will mention Uhle’s anyway. My absolute favorite burley blend is Uhle’s Perfection Plug. I find it outstanding! My second favorite is Amphora Burley Blend. It reminds me of the old McBaren London Burley Blend. I’m not a fan of orientals. I am trying to like them. I only like Latakia is small doses. Who knows? May change one day. Luckily, plenty of VA and burley to try!

My first wife would ask me why I started drinking Scotch when I made a face every time. I told her I had feeling it was an aquired taste, like her. Did I mention I have a new wife? I digress, another story for another time……
 

Choatecav

Lifer
Dec 19, 2023
1,894
18,324
Middle Tennessee
@Choatecav, I may have missed it in the thread. I will mention Uhle’s anyway. My absolute favorite burley blend is Uhle’s Perfection Plug. I find it outstanding! My second favorite is Amphora Burley Blend. It reminds me of the old McBaren London Burley Blend. I’m not a fan of orientals. I am trying to like them. I only like Latakia is small doses. Who knows? May change one day. Luckily, plenty of VA and burley to try!

My first wife would ask me why I started drinking Scotch when I made a face every time. I told her I had feeling it was an aquired taste, like her. Did I mention I have a new wife? I digress, another story for another time……
Great comment, Bob. Oh, and thanks for the recommendation on Uhle's.
 

burleyboy75

Starting to Get Obsessed
May 22, 2025
169
333
Ohio
i like burleys very much!! this thread is a great read.

Special place in my heart for Pegasus-first blend to get me sick-wasnt ready at the time. I was reading a book and piping. Time passed, i was puffing fast. Stood up…and fell back down. Puked a little after.

I figured at the time i would never smoke it again. Few weeks went by, i had the hankering. Much more respectful smoke this time and a much better experience. I love the stuff now!
 

filmguerilla

Part of the Furniture Now
Oct 17, 2022
574
3,797
Memphis, Tennessee
I've gotten into burley only recently myself. Being a mostly Oriental/English/Balkan fan, my first experiences with burley were not...good. As is regularly the case, the offending burley was Haunted Bookshop. Then I found H&H Classic Burley Kake and Watch City Waltham. Then both went away. Now I'm slowly finding new blends that I enjoy just as well: Watch City Deluxe Crumb, PS Cube Cut, and G&H American Delight being my new favorites. Pegasus is hit and miss for me; one bowl will be fantastic, the next bitter as hell. But, hey, I'm smoking burley now!
 

Pypkė

Part of the Furniture Now
Aug 3, 2024
868
2,266
East of Cleveland, Ohio. USA
Been smoking a pipe for a little over a year now. I jarred up the half-a-pound of Haunted Bookshop that I bought during the Summer 2024. I am smoking a large bowl of the HB right now, and my experience is nothing at all like it was a year ago. I can't say what it is that I am tasting, other than a pleasant nutty flavor of burley with maybe a hint of pepper and a slight sweet taste. I normally do not perceive perique as pepperiness. I attribute the improved experience more to having learned how to smoke a pipe and the choice of pipe rather than aging the tobacco.
 

Choatecav

Lifer
Dec 19, 2023
1,894
18,324
Middle Tennessee
It seems that one of the keys to getting into burley (or really, good piping in general) is not to approach it like you're trying to suck a golf ball through a garden hose. In other words, take it easy. Not too fast, not too hard, just gently puff on it and don't fear re-lights. Nicotine affects many of us differently and for me, too much, too quickly can be a turnoff. But, you do build up a tolerance.

Stick with soft puffing, a moderate pace and toss in some retro-haling and you will discover some wonderful flavors that you would definitely miss if you stay away from burleys.
 

Choatecav

Lifer
Dec 19, 2023
1,894
18,324
Middle Tennessee
Pegasus, Haunted Bookshop, Old Joe Krantz, Big 'n Burley, Epiphany, Morley's Best from the late "king of burley blends" Bob Runowski are all Hall of Fame worthy imho...

@Choatecav this is you, Chuck? I wish you the best of retirements, stay smokey!
Hey Brando,
No, I'm not Chuck. Must be another person with same last name. However, I'm probably a distant cousin. Welcome to the forum......
 
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f4phantomdriver

Starting to Get Obsessed
Jun 23, 2019
180
333
I have not sampled Semois and I need too; unless what others have said is true… that 5 Brothers is its American equivalent.
View attachment 343821
When a burley fan gets around to cleaning the cabinets.
How is that Uhle's my burley brother? I've been wanting to try the 00 burley from them. For now I've been stocking up on CS Cowboy Coffee and Black and Tan.
 

f4phantomdriver

Starting to Get Obsessed
Jun 23, 2019
180
333
Thank you for that and yes, the exaggerations are even exaggerated. Like Mixture 79. It’s pouch note is pungent but it doesn’t smoke that way.
Love Mixture-79. I have a tub and several pounds in Mason jars sleeping in my cellar. I was very upset when Sutliff closed. There are some match blends they made that were good.
 
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