Sherlock Holmes smokes VA and VAPer / Dr. Watson smokes Latakia and orientals

[cshubhra]

There is no basis ... except that’s what their avatars smoke in my set

 

[cortezattic]

Don't understand...

 

[cshubhra]

@Cortez - Yes … thank you iPhone cannot copy image locations
In my fantasy!!!

 

[cshubhra]

@Cortez - Sir Arthur Conan Doyle probably did not elaborate what these guys smoked - but definitely that's what they smoke at my home.

 

[danimalia]

That's what you smoke in their pipe versions? Holms gets the VAs, and Watson the Latakia/Orientals? Supposedly, Doyle does elaborate on what Holmes smokes. Something about a strong, foul-smelling shag. Supposedly, Holmes was a user of cocaine and opium as well, as detailed in The Case of the Dope-Sick Detective. I am sure there are folks with more knowledge who can recall better than I. :D
Nice pipes!

 

[cshubhra]

@dan - Thank you for liking my pipes
I remember Sherlock Holmes’s cocaine addiction - Unfortunately I did not remember that he smokes a foul smelling tobacco. Latakia perhaps???
Then I got it wrong... should have been the other way round

 

[redglow]

Dr. Watson is quoted as saying, "I always smoke ship's myself." Which, according to "the internet" was a rope style tobacco supplied by the British Navy. Preserved in rum. This could either be chewed or smoked.

 

[cshubhra]

@redglow ... Cool! The closest things I have in my cellar are the Samuel Gawith ropes. I have always smoked the Black XX in my cheapest estate pipe, and the brown rope is cellared before I tasted it.
In order to be accurate to Sir Doyle, then I need to feed Sherlock Holmes Lat Bombs, and Dr. Watson the ropes.
Question Is there a rope available similar to what Dr. Watson smoked?
This smells like a project brewing up!

 

[redglow]

Sounds like a nice project cshubhra! Apparently, these ropes where compared to what we know as "navy" style because of the use of rum to preserve them. I don't have any experience with ropes. But, I'm sure someone here may have some expertise in that style of tobacco.

 

[dino]

Russ Ouellette wrote a wonderful article, eight years ago, in PipesMagazine on this subject.

Here is the link:

http://pipesmagazine.com/blog/put-that-in-your-pipe/the-great-detective-and-his-pipes/

 

[shayde]

I believe the foul-smelling smoke came from Holmes’ habit of saving the dottle on a plate over the fireplace and using it to fill his pipe with when he had accumulated enough.

 

[cshubhra]

@dino It is getting more & more interesting.
So ... Holmes smoked a black shag and Watson smoked a navy rope. At this point ... it looks like a shout out to the master blenders ... create two sister blends ... which we can attribute to Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson! I am sure to buy this pair, but ... the big question remains... will this be a commercial success ?
I would request the master blenders at this point ... If it makes commercial sense ... please make a Holmes/Watson tobacco pair for us please?

 

[cshubhra]

@sasyde Are we willing to do this as well?

 

[dcon]

You might try GH Rum Twist for the navy style rope.

 

[cshubhra]

@Duane - I will definitely try that.

 

[danimalia]

Thanks for the link, Dino. Great stuff.

Watson’s tastes ran to the less powerful Arcadia Mixture (with its fluffy, white ash), or, at times, what is referred to as "ship’s tobacco. I couldn’t find any direct information on it, it may be similar to Schipper’s Speciaal, a ribbon-cut mixture of Virginia, Burley and dark-fired Kentucky, made in the Dutch style. It would have been stronger than Arcadia, but not as heavy as the black shag.

I wonder if the Schipper's Speciaal is similar to the Dutch Halfzwares of today. Shag mixtures of Virginia and DFK. Basically, the Drum, Bali Shag and Stokkebye Amsterdam RYO tobaccos? I used to enjoy handrolling those, and Daughters & Ryan's version, Ryback, is also good, though fairly plain tasting, in a pipe.
Would Holmes' tobaccos bear any resemblence to something like GH&C's Kendal Dark or Dark Birdseye.

 

[danimalia]

So ... Holmes smoked a black shag and Watson smoked a navy rope. At this point ... it looks like a shout out to the master blenders ... create two sister blends ... which we can attribute to Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson! I am sure to buy this pair, but ... the big question remains... will this be a commercial success ?

Hehe. It's a;ready been attempted. McClelland's 221B series. Not sure how successful it was for them.

 

[cshubhra]

@Dani - Cool. Probably not available any more, but I will do some research on them.

 

[elbert]

Holmes only used opium as part of his mask when he was blending in on one case ("The Man with the Twisted Lip"). He used cocaine (a 7% solution injected intravenously) and morphine recreationally. He was a junky; if you'd like to replicate, get the cheapest shag cut you can find without any regard for taste, presentation, tin note, room note, etc. Your only concern will be getting the nicotine past the blood-brain barrier. We're talking floor sweepings here.
And for godsake, man, take the band off your Havana if you want to be accepted by London society.

 

[cshubhra]

@Elbert All good points - noted
Sherlock Holmes used a pipe to ‘think’. The 221B Black Shag mentioned above is possibly correct. ( Or any other stoved Black Virginia in a shag cut)