Hey pipe people...Being new to pipe smoking I'm still trying to figure out what tobaccos I like and which ones I don't. The trouble is that most tobaccos are blends, and that makes it hard to tell what I'm tasting. Is it worthwhile to buy unblended tobacco like just straight perique, or straight latakia, cavendish, Virginia etc...To get an idea of how each tastes? McClelland sells a few "blending" tobaccos that I assume are for people who make their own blends. Also if this is a good idea, does anyone know of an online store that sells a sampler of the basic tobaccos? Thanks guys.
unblended tobaccos
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Absolutely worth it! That's how I learned about the different types and how they taste. Its the best way to understand what's in a blend. As I try my hand at blending for my own desires in a smoke I find this base knowledge indispensable. Look thru our "Site Sponsors" list to the left of any page and you will find what you are looking for. There are sites which also sell tobacco by the leaf and uncured. Note that some tobacco called for instance a Blending Perique from one supplier can be different from another calling it the same thing.
Just a little advise to remember straight perique an latakia are blending tobacco really not mean't to be smoked by there selves. A few curious people try it an then theres your hard core smokers that will. It could really ruin your day an smoking enjoyment. Careful! an Welcome.
I think once I recover from the holiday wallet drain, I'll get a little tasting pipe for this purpose. Thanks for the help.
If nothing else, you can buy an ounce of whatever for around $2.00 +/-
http://www.pipesandcigars.com/pipe-tobacco/blending-tobaccos/
This information from Pipes and Cigars, My Own Blend is useful
Perique
About the component:
Perique is a slowly-fermented tobacco that is only made in St. James Parish, Louisiana. It has what is commonly referred to as a “plum and pepper” flavor. It has an assertive flavor that can be overwhelming.
Blends well with:
Perique goes well with Virginias and unflavored Burleys, and it can add depth and sweetness to Latakia-based blends. It can also be used sparingly to add some body to aromatics, and seems to work best with fruit flavors.
Cautions:
Because the flavor and spiciness can be very aggressive, it can be noticeable when as little as 5% is used in a blend. It works best in the 5 to 15% range, although some strong blends use up to 25%.
Perique has a high nicotine content. If you are sensitive, Perique should be used sparingly, or avoided completely.
Other notes:
Perique is a chameleon. The resulting flavor will change radically based upon what it is blended with.
Latakia
About the component:
Latakia is an earthy, smoky tobacco that’s made by hanging Turkish leaf over open, aromatic wood fires. Though it has a strong and pungent aroma, the flavor is woody and campfire-like.
Blends well with:
Latakia goes well with almost any other tobacco.
Cautions:
It can clash with very sweet tobaccos, and may cause a muddled aroma when used with many aromatics.
It burns very slowly, so it’s best when blended with Virginias, Orientals, and Burleys so that it’s more likely to stay lit.
Other notes:
Orientals tend to amplify the flavor and aroma of Latakia, bringing it to an incense-like state. When used in smaller amounts, Latakia can add body to a blend without dominating the flavor.
Yellow Virginia
About the component:
Yellow Virginia is sweet and tangy, with citrus and tea-like notes. It is the sweetest natural tobacco among our component selection.
Blends well with:
Yellow Virginia goes well with almost any other tobacco.
Cautions:
It can burn hot by itself. Other tobaccos such as Burley, black Cavendish, and Latakia will help it burn a little cooler.
Other notes:
Its natural sweetness makes this Virginia useful whenever a blend might feel dull or heavy.
Red Virginia
About the component:
This Virginia consists of orange and red leaf. It has a toastier and less sharp flavor than Bright Virginia, with a bit less sweetness. This is one of the most commonly used base tobaccos.
Blends well with:
Red Virginia pairs well with almost any other tobacco.
Cautions:
It can burn hot by itself. Other tobaccos such as Burley, black Cavendish, Perique, and Latakia will help it burn a little cooler.
Other notes:
Its natural sweetness makes this Virginia useful whenever a blend might feel dull or heavy.
Toasted Burley
About the component:
Toasted Burley delivers some of the nutty flavor of White Burley, but the toasting eliminates much of the sour edge. The flavor can be compared to a roasted pecan.
Blends well with:
Toasted Burley blends well with almost any other tobacco.
Cautions:
It has a fair amount of nicotine, although the toasting makes it a bit lighter.
Other notes:
Toasted Burley is excellent for lightening the intensity of other tobaccos while adding a nice, toasty note.
White Burley
About the component:
White Burley is naturally high in oils and low in sugar content. It has a nutty (think walnut) type of flavor, and burns slowly and coolly.
Blends well with:
White Burley blends well with almost any other tobacco.
Cautions:
Because it burns slowly, the use of Virginia in a blend that contains White Burley can help avoid the need for relights. Burley is naturally higher in nicotine, so it shouldn’t dominate the blend if you’re especially sensitive.
Other notes:
The somewhat neutral flavor makes it ideal lightening the flavor of a mixture.
Oriental
About the component:
Oriental tobaccos are higher in oils than Virginias, but are lower in sugar. They have an almost floral taste, similar to sweet herbs, and a musty undertone. Though they can smoked straight, they’re wonderful in combination with other tobaccos.
Blends well with:
Orientals blend well with Virginias and Latakia. They can also be blended with other tobaccos, but the flavors can clash with aromatics.
Cautions:
Their naturally richer flavors can dominate when used in excess of 30% of a blend.
Other notes:
Orientals are what makes a Balkan-style blend what it is. The small-leaf, air-cured varietals amplify the flavor and aroma of Latakia to become almost like incense.
Toasted Black Cavendish
About the component:
Black Toasted Cavendish is made of Burley which has been lightly sugared and then gently toasted to caramelize the sugars, adding a mellow, brown sugar flavor. It can be used whenever some sweetness is desired, without the sharpness sometimes associated with Virginias.
Blends well with:
Black Toasted Cavendish blends well with almost any other tobacco.
Cautions:
Black Toasted Cavendish can exhibit a bit of bitterness if too much is used in a blend.
Other notes:
The soft, round sweetness of this tobacco works well in non-aromatic Burley blends to help offset some of the sour characteristics. It also adds a bit of body and mellows out Latakia blends.
Black Cavendish
About the component:
This black Cavendish has been toasted, then steamed and sweetened to create a richer, sweeter tobacco that is used in many aromatics.
Blends well with:
Black Cavendish blends well with any aromatics, and with Virginias and Burleys.
Cautions:
It doesn’t work well with Latakia or Perique. For blends containing Latakia or Perique, it’s best to use Black Toasted Cavendish instead.
Other notes:
It burns slowly, so it can be used to sweeten and to slow down the burn of a blend at the same time. It can also mellow out sharper, sweeter aromatics.
Dark Fired
About the component:
Dark Fired is a strong, Burley-like leaf cured with hickory smoke that will add body and a strong nicotine presence to a blend.
Blends well with:
Dark Fired pairs well with Virginias, Burleys, Latakia, and Perique.
Cautions:
Its bold character will not work well with most aromatics. Its high nicotine content should be considered, and it is not recommended to exceed 20% in a blend.
Other notes:
This tobacco is so robust that even stronger-tasting leaf like Perique and Latakia can be overwhelmed when too much is used. Even when a small amount is used, it’s easy to detect Dark Fired, as it will cause a “catch” in the back of the throat.
http://www.pipesandcigars.com/pipe-tobacco/my-own-blend/
http://www.pipesandcigars.com/pipe-tobacco/blending-tobaccos/
This information from Pipes and Cigars, My Own Blend is useful
Perique
About the component:
Perique is a slowly-fermented tobacco that is only made in St. James Parish, Louisiana. It has what is commonly referred to as a “plum and pepper” flavor. It has an assertive flavor that can be overwhelming.
Blends well with:
Perique goes well with Virginias and unflavored Burleys, and it can add depth and sweetness to Latakia-based blends. It can also be used sparingly to add some body to aromatics, and seems to work best with fruit flavors.
Cautions:
Because the flavor and spiciness can be very aggressive, it can be noticeable when as little as 5% is used in a blend. It works best in the 5 to 15% range, although some strong blends use up to 25%.
Perique has a high nicotine content. If you are sensitive, Perique should be used sparingly, or avoided completely.
Other notes:
Perique is a chameleon. The resulting flavor will change radically based upon what it is blended with.
Latakia
About the component:
Latakia is an earthy, smoky tobacco that’s made by hanging Turkish leaf over open, aromatic wood fires. Though it has a strong and pungent aroma, the flavor is woody and campfire-like.
Blends well with:
Latakia goes well with almost any other tobacco.
Cautions:
It can clash with very sweet tobaccos, and may cause a muddled aroma when used with many aromatics.
It burns very slowly, so it’s best when blended with Virginias, Orientals, and Burleys so that it’s more likely to stay lit.
Other notes:
Orientals tend to amplify the flavor and aroma of Latakia, bringing it to an incense-like state. When used in smaller amounts, Latakia can add body to a blend without dominating the flavor.
Yellow Virginia
About the component:
Yellow Virginia is sweet and tangy, with citrus and tea-like notes. It is the sweetest natural tobacco among our component selection.
Blends well with:
Yellow Virginia goes well with almost any other tobacco.
Cautions:
It can burn hot by itself. Other tobaccos such as Burley, black Cavendish, and Latakia will help it burn a little cooler.
Other notes:
Its natural sweetness makes this Virginia useful whenever a blend might feel dull or heavy.
Red Virginia
About the component:
This Virginia consists of orange and red leaf. It has a toastier and less sharp flavor than Bright Virginia, with a bit less sweetness. This is one of the most commonly used base tobaccos.
Blends well with:
Red Virginia pairs well with almost any other tobacco.
Cautions:
It can burn hot by itself. Other tobaccos such as Burley, black Cavendish, Perique, and Latakia will help it burn a little cooler.
Other notes:
Its natural sweetness makes this Virginia useful whenever a blend might feel dull or heavy.
Toasted Burley
About the component:
Toasted Burley delivers some of the nutty flavor of White Burley, but the toasting eliminates much of the sour edge. The flavor can be compared to a roasted pecan.
Blends well with:
Toasted Burley blends well with almost any other tobacco.
Cautions:
It has a fair amount of nicotine, although the toasting makes it a bit lighter.
Other notes:
Toasted Burley is excellent for lightening the intensity of other tobaccos while adding a nice, toasty note.
White Burley
About the component:
White Burley is naturally high in oils and low in sugar content. It has a nutty (think walnut) type of flavor, and burns slowly and coolly.
Blends well with:
White Burley blends well with almost any other tobacco.
Cautions:
Because it burns slowly, the use of Virginia in a blend that contains White Burley can help avoid the need for relights. Burley is naturally higher in nicotine, so it shouldn’t dominate the blend if you’re especially sensitive.
Other notes:
The somewhat neutral flavor makes it ideal lightening the flavor of a mixture.
Oriental
About the component:
Oriental tobaccos are higher in oils than Virginias, but are lower in sugar. They have an almost floral taste, similar to sweet herbs, and a musty undertone. Though they can smoked straight, they’re wonderful in combination with other tobaccos.
Blends well with:
Orientals blend well with Virginias and Latakia. They can also be blended with other tobaccos, but the flavors can clash with aromatics.
Cautions:
Their naturally richer flavors can dominate when used in excess of 30% of a blend.
Other notes:
Orientals are what makes a Balkan-style blend what it is. The small-leaf, air-cured varietals amplify the flavor and aroma of Latakia to become almost like incense.
Toasted Black Cavendish
About the component:
Black Toasted Cavendish is made of Burley which has been lightly sugared and then gently toasted to caramelize the sugars, adding a mellow, brown sugar flavor. It can be used whenever some sweetness is desired, without the sharpness sometimes associated with Virginias.
Blends well with:
Black Toasted Cavendish blends well with almost any other tobacco.
Cautions:
Black Toasted Cavendish can exhibit a bit of bitterness if too much is used in a blend.
Other notes:
The soft, round sweetness of this tobacco works well in non-aromatic Burley blends to help offset some of the sour characteristics. It also adds a bit of body and mellows out Latakia blends.
Black Cavendish
About the component:
This black Cavendish has been toasted, then steamed and sweetened to create a richer, sweeter tobacco that is used in many aromatics.
Blends well with:
Black Cavendish blends well with any aromatics, and with Virginias and Burleys.
Cautions:
It doesn’t work well with Latakia or Perique. For blends containing Latakia or Perique, it’s best to use Black Toasted Cavendish instead.
Other notes:
It burns slowly, so it can be used to sweeten and to slow down the burn of a blend at the same time. It can also mellow out sharper, sweeter aromatics.
Dark Fired
About the component:
Dark Fired is a strong, Burley-like leaf cured with hickory smoke that will add body and a strong nicotine presence to a blend.
Blends well with:
Dark Fired pairs well with Virginias, Burleys, Latakia, and Perique.
Cautions:
Its bold character will not work well with most aromatics. Its high nicotine content should be considered, and it is not recommended to exceed 20% in a blend.
Other notes:
This tobacco is so robust that even stronger-tasting leaf like Perique and Latakia can be overwhelmed when too much is used. Even when a small amount is used, it’s easy to detect Dark Fired, as it will cause a “catch” in the back of the throat.
http://www.pipesandcigars.com/pipe-tobacco/my-own-blend/
Thanks Jacks I think that is exactly what I will do...Dave I think I like Latakia VA blends...Frog Morton is my current favorite, but I also really like G.L. Pease Embarcadero. Both of these tobaccos have a lot of Virginia tobacco, but I'm not sure if that is what I like or if there is some other quality. I have not tried a Perique blend yet, I was thinking about getting some Frog Morton on the Bayou, but it is hard to tell how much Perique is actually in that.
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