Tobacco Blending Ratios

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Chrislw324

Lurker
Apr 25, 2020
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I've been learning about base and condiment tobaccos and am probably going to order various blending tobaccos so I can experiment around and make my own.
For blends like VaPers, what would you say would be the typical ratio of virginia to perique? 50/50? 75/25? 90/10? I know I can make a blend whatever I want and it's all preference, but do you ever find VaPers that are 70% perique and 30% Virginia? Or english blends that are 70% virgina, 10% latakia, and 20% oriental?

Anyone have a good source for blending recipes?
 
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seanv

Lifer
Mar 22, 2018
3,108
11,131
Canada
I have no source for recipes but I do know perique should be applied carefully. Check out C&D bayou morning and poplar camp for heavy perique content.
 

Chasing Embers

Captain of the Black Frigate
Nov 12, 2014
45,249
119,245
but do you ever find VaPers that are 70% perique and 30% Virginia? Or english blends that are 70% virgina, 10% latakia, and 20% oriental?
"The Beast" had 60% perique, and "Black Frigate" is a Virginia/Oriental with latakia far in the background. Mac Baren's discontinued "Latakia Blend" was so inaccurately named that you had to be looking for the latakia to know it was there.
 
May 2, 2020
4,664
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Bayou Morning is 25% Perique, at least according to C&D, if that helps give a frame of reference. 50% or higher Perique content in a VaPer would not be for the faint of heart, or new smokers IMHO.
If you are mixing in small quantities, you can play around and experiment though, without much fear of ruining a big batch. Sounds like a fun quarantine activity.
 
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danimalia

Lifer
Sep 2, 2015
4,482
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Bayou morning is 25% Perique as indicated and is considered a rather heavy Perique presence. I suspect most VaPers are in the 5-15% range though C&D Exclusive is 50% and is probably the heaviest Perique content commercially available! I think Jackknife Plug is 20% Kentucky according to Jeremy Reeves and is probably similar or perhaps a bit heavier than something like ODF. With English bends I think your ratios would not be uncommon for lighter English or Scottish type blends, but latakia content can really vary. I would imagine 0-15% for light, 15-30% for a medium, and 30-50% or more for a full would be about right
 

F4RM3R

Part of the Furniture Now
Nov 28, 2019
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Canada
It all depends what you like. Experiment!!

Perique is usually around 20% with Virginia. Less for lighter blends and more will kick things up a notch.

English blends run anywhere from around 10% - 40% usually. Less for the lighter English and 30-40% for heavier blends. Virginia can be 30-50% of a blend and orientals around 20-30%.

I usually use Virginia and oriental in equal amounts but i also add perique and Kentucky to my English blend and also use stoved black Virginia, so I prefer to use a little less Virginia since the black stoved has more flavour and sweetness.
 

Sonorisis

Part of the Furniture Now
Dec 24, 2019
855
4,587
Some recent tobaccos I've smoked have suggested to me that the characteristics of the Perique and Aging of the Virginias have a lot more to do with the outcome than the ratios.

In the last couple of months, we've gotten some outstanding VaPers with high quality, aged Perique and Virginia that reveal the affect of quality tobaccos on the ultimate blend.

The type of Perique (spicy vs. fruity), the type of Virginia, and the fermentation, curing, pressing of the Virginias seem to be the key to achieving and particular end-product. More so than the ratios.
 
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