There are pipe shops out there that still blend their own.
Living in Connecticut, I have been dealing with some of them here in New England, mainly The Owl Shop in Worcester, MA and Peretti's in Boston, MA. I talked to Joe, the blender at the Owl Shop in New Haven a few months ago and mentioned one of their newer Virginia blends. Without my asking, he told me right out that it's one they don't blend and get from McLellan. Some shops are pretty forthcoming about what they sell.
There is another tobacco shop here in Connecticut, Chief Catoonah Tobacconists that won a John Cotton throwdown with their Princes Street Mixture at the 2012 Chicago Pipe Show. I found out about them recently and plan on calling for some of their blends.
I'm sure forum members can tell you about similiar shops in other parts of the country, including where you live.
I recently bought a blend from Steve Brooks. House of Calabash is about as boutique a blending house as you can get. I've been thinking of asking him if I can send a sample of a blend I like, to see what he has that's similiar.
The point is that these guys I mentioned and others, including the forum sponsors love tobacco and would be more than happy to discuss tobacco blends with you.
Some of these shops don't have web sites but they will happily take an order over the phone. It's not quite the same as talking to someone face to face, but I have had some great conversations over the phone with tobacconists.
I just read bobpnm's post again. Is there a problem mail ordering tobacco in your state?
