The American Blend???

[milehighpiper]

I am enjoying a bowl of L.J. Peretti’s Cuban Mixture while reading the reviews on tobaccoreviews.com. I came across one reviewer who referred to it as “... a true American Original”. Got me thinking and wanted to ask you fine lot: What pipe tobacco blend, currently available, would you choose to represent an American Blend? I would like the feedbback for two reasons. First, to simply see what blend you choose and secondly to begin my search for the “American Blend” that I can’t live without.
Thanks!

 

[ashdigger]

I would try Missouri Meerschaum-American Patriot. Its described as an "American English".

 

[lordofthepiperings]

I'm not exactly sure what an "American blend" would be. Maybe America is mostly known for its OTC blends, so a cased Burley blend?

 

[georgebmcclelland]

In my mind, regardless of what's considered what, a true American blend would be one containing any or all amounts of Virginias, Burleys, Kentucky Dark Fired, Perique, and absolutely nothing else. Very little or no flavoring and a good kick of nicotine. Stout, strong, and very slightly sweet. US grown and blended. Something you can smoke while you stand on picket duty along the Rappahannock before marching straight into the guns.

 

[sasquatch]

In tobacco circles, "American" or "American English" is a burley base, probably some va, light casing, and a little latakia. So things like 4noggins "Harvest Moon" would fit that.
The keystone for me would be Peretti D-9575. That "is this a tobacconist or a bookshop?" sort of smell...musty and wonderful.

 

[chilipalmer]

The answer is burley. There is no more iconic American pipe tobacco than burley. From there, I think you would need to cull through the available burley blends to narrow down the best representation of the epitome of American blend. Also, there's likely to be some worthy discussion as to whether aromatic classics should be considered. I vote no. For a truly classic American blend, I think you have to choose between straight burley and untopped or very mildly topped burley blends. The other yardstick is classic American blends aren't over-strong. I know this is subjective, but, it does disqualify powerhouse blends like C&D Big 'n' Burley. Off the top of my head, I'd put the following in the final group to pull from:
Sir Walter Raleigh/Granger/Prince Freakin' Albert

Sutliff Edgeworth Ready Rubbed Match/Lane Ready Rubbed

Sutliff Walnut Match/H&H Chestnut

Sutliff Revelation Match

Sutliff Holiday Match

Carter Hall/H&H Chatham Manor

Sutliff Match Barking Dog

Sutliff Match Briggs Mixture

Edward G. Robinson

Iwan Ries 3 Star Blue

Velvet
If you really want to consider aromatics, I'd go with:
Sir Walter Raleigh Aromatic

Sutliff Match Bourbon Street

Sutliff Mixture No. 79

Sutliff Fox & Hound

Half & Half

Captain Black White

Heine's Blend

Kramer's House Aromatic

Paladin

Lane HGL

Lane 1Q

Lane RLP-6
There are a ton of modern mixtures that would be good to think about, but, to me, since they're new, they are not really iconic in themselves, but, are tributes to the iconic blends, kinda like a brand new Shelby Cobra. It's not as great as an original, but, it's still pretty damn cool. Some to consider:
C&D Junkyard Dawg

C&D Epiphany

C&D Americana

C&D Briar Fox

C&D Pegasus

C&D Old Joe Krantz

C&D Haunted Bookshop

C&D Morley's Best

C&D Old Court

Daughters & Ryan London Dock

Daughters & Ryan Two Timer

Drucquer & Son Inns of Court

E. Hoffman Distinguished Gentleman

Sutliff Count Pulaski
Cheers,
Chili

 

[crashthegrey]

I'm with Chili. I'd probably be tempted to narrow it down to Edward G. Robinson.

 

[ashdigger]

Crash, isn't that an American English?

 

[crashthegrey]

Haha. Maybe. And also an aromatic. But very burley forward, nutty, and a pleasant room note. Which defines an American classic style to me.

 

[crashthegrey]

But if we are serious, let's get some deertongue blends on this list. :nana:

 

[canucklehead]

I would say "American" blends IMO would be burley based and offered in your choice of pouch or tub.

 

[chilipalmer]

Deertongue? Deertongue! Egad! Capon! Charlatan! Bounder! Great horney toads!
In all seriousness, there is C&D Crooner, but, what old time American blends featured it? I know that Carolina vanilla was widely used, but, do we know of any blends in particular that featured it, or, are we left to presume that any old blends with a vanilla essence would have contained it?
Cheers,
Chili

 

[philobeddoe]

Captain Black White has the quintessential American pipe tobacco smell and Prince Albert is probably the most identifiable American pipe tobacco brand of all time.

 

[milehighpiper]

Wow! As usual, an overwhelming response full of awesome information. I will do some research tomorrow and come back for more!

 

[chilllucky]

Rustica from a stone pipe.

 

[crashthegrey]

Yes, deertongue was slipped into almost all vanilla blends. It has a distinct aroma, and when I first started smoking it I realized it was the smell set into the walls of all those tobacco shops which had been around for 100 years.

 

[Civil War]

Bourbon - The quintessential American blend.
I'd probably go with something like Seattle Pipe Club’s Potlatch: black cavendish, burley, Cyprian latakia, bright Virginias, Turkish, Orientals and Acadian perique. A little bit of something from all over, like our immigrant heritage.

 

[cosmicfolklore]

I think any tobacco without crap added to it is quintessential American. I mean, it all started here to begin with, and then the Germanic peoples added sweet fruity stuff to it, the Turks cultivated new strains and smoked their tobaccos in camel dung before putting it into their pipes, and the English added bath salts.
So, any tobacco without any of that, is quintessentially American. ::

 

[economistandfisherman]

Carter Hall...

 

[milehighpiper]

I will be trying some C&D blends tonight, specifically the Haunted Bookshop and whatever else my shop has. I would love to have companies put out their version of the American Blend and we all get to try them and through a series of votes, we settle this once and for all!