Question about mixing tobaccos.

[Coreios]

Hi, still kind of new to pipe smoking, so thought I would ask before I did this. Has anyone tried packing a bowl with half of 1 tobacco and half of another? Example; first half of bowl is packed with Sutliff cherry, then right on top of that the second half is packed with Cornell whiskey. Just wondering if it would completely ruin the smoke, or would it transition and be pleasant. What's your experience if anyone's tried it?

 

[The Amish Tyrant]

I make the occasional parfait for a change of pace. Usually, it's an English blend with cherry Cavendish for a smoked cherry parfait.

I also add Five Brothers to certain blends if I want something more stout.

 

[mso489]

Yeah, parfait is the word, like the layered dessert with two or three flavors stacked inside a tall dessert glass dish, same idea. For the tobacco version, a fairly deep chamber would work best, so that stacking is distinct and you can taste the change in flavor.

I admit I haven't done this; I always end up mixing rather than stacking, but some members have reported an interesting experience with doing a parfait. Tell us how it works for you. Convince a few more of us to try it if it tastes interesting.

 

[cigrmaster]

I leave the mixing to the pros and have never mixed blends. I am old and set in my ways so don't necessarily go by me.

 

[Coreios]

I will do. Thanks for the feedback.

 

[Coreios]

Well I did it. I can't recommend it. In my cob pipe, I did the 3 pinch pack method starting with an english blend, followed by a peach cavendish, topped with an amaretto. For the first few puffs it was all peach, then it quickly clashed with the amaretto creating a funky flavor like a dirty pipe bowl. I'm now at the bottom of the bowl and its all english. Won't be doing that again.

 

[anotherbob]

not often but every once and a while. And it's one way to try something different or experiment. To give you an idea of my reaction, I can't remember which blends I've tried this with. The only one I can really remember is if I have a blend that doesn't want to light a thin layer of five brothers on the top will act as kindling.

 

[Coreios]

not often but every once and a while. And it's one way to try something different or experiment. To give you an idea of my reaction, I can't remember which blends I've tried this with. The only one I can really remember is if I have a blend that doesn't want to light a thin layer of five brothers on the top will act as kindling.

Thats helpful advice, thanks.

 

[HawkeyeLinus]

Ouch, I wouldn’t necessarily layer those aros with an English.

I did that with a couple blends a few weeks ago and it was nice.

Was just pondering this afternoon while sorting pipes and tobacco so now I will! Some Sutliff Vanilla Custard under some Wilke Raspberry.

 

[Servant King]

I've done it, but yeah, it's best to plan it, rather than just picking blends at random to combine. Sure, the latter strategy might work out, might even produce a real gem, but it can also produce an experience like you just had. YMMV (Your Mileage May Vary)

If I'm going to make my own concoctions, I will generally keep it simple, like tossing in a trace amount of Cavendish with a burley or a VaBur blend. Just for a little added sweetness. A couple times, I supplemented a couple pinches of Granger with a tiny, rubbed out strip of Sutliff 507-C VA slices, or an even more innocuous VA, like Peterson Sherlock Holmes, for example. But other than that, like cigrmaster said, I pretty much leave the blending to the blenders.

 

[sablebrush52]

Well I did it. I can't recommend it. In my cob pipe, I did the 3 pinch pack method starting with an english blend, followed by a peach cavendish, topped with an amaretto. For the first few puffs it was all peach, then it quickly clashed with the amaretto creating a funky flavor like a dirty pipe bowl. I'm now at the bottom of the bowl and its all english. Won't be doing that again.

Latakia and Peach? I'm literally gagging at the thought of it. Parfaits wok well, but you need a bit more experience with tobaccos, getting the flavors in your head, so that you have some idea of how it will work as a combo. Give it more time. Parfaits are a more advanced practice.

 

[Coreios]

I've done it, but yeah, it's best to plan it, rather than just picking blends at random to combine. Sure, the latter strategy might work out, might even produce a real gem, but it can also produce an experience like you just had. YMMV (Your Mileage May Vary)

If I'm going to make my own concoctions, I will generally keep it simple, like tossing in a trace amount of Cavendish with a burley or a VaBur blend. Just for a little added sweetness. A couple times, I supplemented a couple pinches of Granger with a tiny, rubbed out strip of Sutliff 507-C VA slices, or an even more innocuous VA, like Peterson Sherlock Holmes, for example. But other than that, like cigrmaster said, I pretty much leave the blending to the blenders.

Yeah, I think I will leave it to the blenders too, at least until I'm more experienced.

 

[Coreios]

Latakia and Peach? I'm literally gagging at the thought of it. Parfaits wok well, but you need a bit more experience with tobaccos, getting the flavors in your head, so that you have some idea of how it will work as a combo. Give it more time. Parfaits are a more advanced practice.

You're right, I'm just not experienced enough to do this yet.

 

[KruegerFlap]

I have not tried this but agree with some of the advice given; get some more experience with some different tobaccos and blends and then experiment. You might try starting much more conservative than the aro/English combo, something more like a Virginia blend paired with an Oriental or burley blend. Once you have a good base of flavors going you may be able to figure out an aromatic to throw in the mix that would work with it. Good luck and keep us posted on your results because I for one am interested in what you discover.

 

[HawkeyeLinus]

I looked back and found I had tried some Warped Saint Espresso over some Warped Scarecrow in a nice tall stack -- it worked well. The two aros I tried in the Meer earlier today were okay, but didn't get much out of the "parfait". I think the stack pipe was a positive factor in the previous experiment.

 

[GatorElGato]

If i have a blend I don't like, in my case its Peterson's Sherlock Holmes, I'll create a jar of "Monster Mix" Where I just put a bit of blends I'm not too fond of, then I'll smoke it every now and then. Next i'll grind some of the mix up and put it in a batch of Soap I'm making.

 

[warren]

I've built a parfait a few times when I don''t have enough of one blend for a full bowel but, I much prefer a bowl with one taste.

 

[burleybreath]

I've built a parfait a few times when I don''t have enough of one blend for a full bowel but, I much prefer a bowl with one taste.

[Hmm...no, I can't do it. Too easy.]

That's been my only experience with a so-called parfait. Seems like one would want something bland giving way to something tasty, or vice-versa, rather than two aromatics clashing with each other, or an aromatic burning down into an "English." If anyone, anywhere, gets my drift. Even better, which I intend to do, is to just forget about it.

 

[cosmicfolklore]

Experimenting is good. I like to layer parfaits from time to time. Burleys and Virginias, or virginias and Englishes.
It’s also interesting to pack two pipes with different tobaccos and smoke them side by side. It’s a great way to compare and contrast tobacco flavors.

 

[Coreios]

Experimenting is good. I like to layer parfaits from time to time. Burleys and Virginias, or virginias and Englishes.
It’s also interesting to pack two pipes with different tobaccos and smoke them side by side. It’s a great way to compare and contrast tobacco flavors.

I thought Burleys and Virginias were mainly what cigarettes use? I smoke cigarettes and the guy at my tobacco shop said you can roll your own cigarettes with Burley/Virgina pipe tobacco. He recommended Gambler and American Club. Everytime I've seen it when picking pipe tobacco I've assumed it was trash and avoided it, or if it had other stuff I assumed it was filler. Again though I'm new to pipes.