My Pipe Tobacco Concoctions

[Chaukisch]

I figured I'd make a thread about this so I can get into more detail and people can ask questions and give opinions, all without disturbing the What Are You Smoking thread.
So please feel free to ask if a question comes up, I don't have any secrets and want this to be as transparent as it can get,
simple sharing. Maybe it will move someone to start making their own blends from raw tobacco leaves. I'd love that!
It's very satisfying and as easy as cooking up a good meal if not easier.

Let's start with something finished, my coffee blend. I already posted most of the process in the WAYS thread so a little recap first:

About 25% Burley, 30% Kentucky and the rest is Latakia Virginia Bright. The tobacco strips were soaked in strong and sweet coffee, 100% Arabica beans that were freshly ground and brewed up. Wrapped up in a leaf of Virginia Gold Lemon, then parchment paper and finally cling wrap.
It was under about 250kg/550lb of dead weight pressure for four days. Flakes were cut and roasted, they didn't hold together very well and rubbed themselves up. I don't have those pictures anymore...

This was already a very decent smoke but I wasn't satisfied. The whole thing went into a jar and was soaked with more and even stronger and sweeter coffee, left for a few days in an environment with constant equal temperature.
(I never wrote anything down so far). Everything was regulary shaken and stirred up until today.

This is the finished coffee blend right after the roasting which took a good 15 minutes.
Just look at that dark-gone-black Burley in there! I bet it'd also make a great chewing tobacco, maybe even a snuff with some additonal oils.



It went into a jar while still warm, I'll sample it later but I don't see why I wouldn't like it. The smell from the jar is just great! "Caffeinated tobacco", let that roll off the tongue. What's not to like? Simple procedure, great outcome.

I'll have another beer and then I'm ready for the next post, the second and probably final saucing of @halfdan 's Clay King blend.
And this time it's personal!

Of course I'll post about future blends from the very beginning.
And please, always feel free to ask or give an opinion about anything. That's what I'm looking for, not shoulder patting!
Next post coming up...

 

[ThermionicScott]

As someone for whom tobacco processing and blending is largely a dark art, I love reading this kind of stuff!

There's also a great, long-running thread on the Fair Trade Tobacco forums: Pure Tobacco Pipe Blends You Can Make

I stumbled across it when trying to learn more about the differences between tobacco varieties.

 

[Chaukisch]

The "Clay King" blend... So far the most expensive blend I've done.

Recap:
Viking mead from Haithabu, infused with lemon peel and soaked over night.
I took this to spray down the nicest Virginia Gold Lemon leaves I have around.
It left an aroma but it I consider it a failure. Never go light on the sauce and never use a cold one!

The soaked leaves were wrapped in parchment paper and pressed under about 170kg/375lb of dead weight pressure for one whole week. This produced some pretty good flakes that held together much better.
Still, you probably want at least two full weeks of pressure for a really good flake. Or really heavy pressure.
After pressing and cutting the flakes went into a jar for probably a week or more, all still pretty moist.
I roasted and jarred them.

Now it's time for a second saucing. The same mead went into a pot, together with peels of a whole (no wax layer but still washed) lemon and some good scoops of additional honey. I simmered and reduced the mead and peels down for about half an hour before adding the honey. Honey hates heat!
I used the lemon juice to mix it with sugar and hot water, it's a great drink for this time of year. And that single damn lemon cost me a whole damn buck. What the hell?

Anyway, here's the batch of previously soaked VA, with English and Danish style Black Cavendish.
All together in the soaking jar. I'll soak it all, I don't take prisoners anymore. If it's too much I can always mix it with more Black Cavendish or straight VA.



All of it went in, with lemon peels and all, I'll take them out tomorrow or the day after. I got some sauce left.
I thought the mead alone was already too sweet. This thing has additonal honey but I could drink it all day long.
That lemon zest, you guys! Incredible taste! I got three drinks in front of me right now and the kitchen was absolutely shambalized to a sticky mess. I had to commit a neatness and clean up, it took longer than the rest of the procedure.

Anyway, this will soak for a bunch of days. I'll report back.



Now this will turn out great, I can already tell. I should've done this from the beginning.
I'll taste this and the coffee blend next sunday. Stay tuned!

Right after that:
Roasted sesame and peanut with sweet Ceylon tea, maybe some spices. It's going to sauce up some of my Oriental leaves. It'll be an experiment, a first version of what I plan to call "Golden Fez".
I love the spicy taste of the Orientals and I want to make something that really puts a turban or "golden fez" on your head while smoking it.

Stay tuned!

 

[Chaukisch]

As someone for whom tobacco processing and blending is largely a dark art, I love reading this kind of stuff!

There's also a great, long-running thread on the Fair Trade Tobacco forums: Pure Tobacco Pipe Blends You Can Make

I stumbled across it when trying to learn more about the differences between tobacco varieties.

I haven't seen that one before, thanks! I still haven't tried any flue cured tobaccos, there's a lot to taste and learn even before getting into sauces.

 

[Chaukisch]

I promised @halfdan a little update on his Clay King blend. Here it goes:

I just spent a good hour roasting this and it's still moist. I'm going to let it dry in the air now because I'm already cringing when I think about the next electric bill.
Nonetheless, it smells delicious. The Danish style Black Cavendish is still pretty strong, the aroma got even stronger after roasting but there's finally a note of honey and lemon in there as well.
The color is darker than I wanted it to be, shouldn't have pressed the Virginia.
None of that for the next batch!




So far so good I'd say. I'll report back when everything is dry enough to smoke well, perhaps tomorrow or the day after. I'm pretty excited to dig in and finally have a taste.

 

[The Clay King]

I promised @halfdan a little update on his Clay King blend. Here it goes:

I just spent a good hour roasting this and it's still moist. I'm going to let it dry in the air now because I'm already cringing when I think about the next electric bill.
Nonetheless, it smells delicious. The Danish style Black Cavendish is still pretty strong, the aroma got even stronger after roasting but there's finally a note of honey and lemon in there as well.
The color is darker than I wanted it to be, shouldn't have pressed the Virginia.
None of that for the next batch!

View attachment 185175
View attachment 185182

So far so good I'd say. I'll report back when everything is dry enough to smoke well, perhaps tomorrow or the day after. I'm pretty excited to dig in and finally have a taste.

@Chaukisch Looking good !
Would you say it looks golden enough for the Clay King???
I can't really tell but I'm glad you got the honey and lemon flavours.
Looks a delicious smoke!

 

[Chaukisch]

@Chaukisch Looking good !
Would you say it looks golden enough for the Clay King???

It got quite dark but I'm sure it'll look pretty good with some of the straight Virginia mixed in.
The next batch will be closer to what I imagined but I'll send you this one first and get another going afterwards.

I can't really tell but I'm glad you got the honey and lemon flavours.
Looks a delicious smoke!

Smells great, too. I hope it'll be dry enough soon.