Hello diamondback.....
Interesting reading thru your blending experiments. Good luck with your endeavors.
I tried making some customized blends but I started with a commercially available mixture, that I liked, as my "base"and then tweaked it by adding other blends/tobaccos until I found nirvana in my pipe.
You mentioned that you wanted a bourbon-type blend. If I were you...I'd buy some sample-size packets of the various blends (those bourbon blends that are mixed by professionals). If you find one that you like, and it's well-balanced, but is just a little too bourbon forward, make it your "base" and dilute it with some Burley, or a less strongly flavored Bourbon blend. Use a small volume measure so you don't waste too much tobacco. For example: 1 part strong bourbon blend mixed with 1- part Burley, or 2- parts Burley...and smoke the samples . Customize the original "professional bourbon blend" to fit your particular taste. profile. Dilute the stronger with the weaker...until.... PERFECTION!
This will eliminate wasting good sipping bourbon, perhaps the possibility of mold from too much moisture/improper storage, aging, casing, flavoring, pressing, etc.
All, just a suggestion. Iv'e used this method when making a few customized mixtures, and had great success making an aromatic English-cigar leaf blend, and a Va-Per/English/Cavendish. I also wrote all recipes down in a little log book, along with my critiques and comments. Both of my tobacco concoctions are a pleasure to smoke, and don't come close to most of the available mixtures that I have purchased over the years. To eliminate any of the self-biased factor, give out small samples of your tobacco concoctions to other pipe-smokers, for some of their critiques. It's a long learning curve, but an enjoyable journey.
Happy blending, and have fun smoking your progeny.
