What would be your 2022 Holiday Blend?

[Buffalo]

Good morning fellow pipers!

I saw this morning the Rattray's Winter Edition has been released here in the states, albeit hard to snag as they always seem to be. It got me to thinking, what would myself and other smokers want in a Holiday blend? And is that a blend we could concoct from existing blends or available leaf. So no McClelland virginias or Syrian Latakias.

I would think for this occasion, something semi-aromatic would be called for, but maybe not, maybe it is a hearty English blend, or perhaps it is a crossover blend. If you were able to design a blend especially for this season, what would it be? I look forward to your ideas! And who knows, maybe this will turn into a project where we mix up a big batch up and send it out to those that participate!

 

[SBC]

Different people do have different ideas (or multiple ideas) of what makes a "holiday" tobacco.

Most commonly we think of something aromatic which employs the sorts of flavors traditionally used in western European, English, and American holiday desserts

But, McC's Christmas Cheer was always a single origin VA.

I could certainly imagine somebody associating latakia with the woodsmoke of the winter season.

So, yes, there will be a variety of answers.

Here's another consideration --
Just because a person likes a flavor and associates it with the season, doesn't mean that he likes that in his tobacco.
I happen to like the traditional European flavors of Christmas. I like the idea of capturing this in a tobacco, in theory. But the unfortunate reality is that I don't love most aromatic tobaccos. (There are exceptions.)

One Christmas inspired aromatic that's available year round that I think works extremely well, is Boswell's Christmas Cookie. It burns like a champ and is not difficult to have taste like it smells. With technique, many aromatics can finally taste something more like they smell -- but the technique bar is lower for this one -- many even newer smokers could enjoy this one for what it is.

 

[HawkeyeLinus]

These get the most play Thanksgiving - Christmas.

Wilke Santa's Blend

Storyteller's Pipe The Holly King

Sutliff Cringle Flake and Christmas Spice

 

[isaac]

Only three come to mind currently

Sutliff Cringle Flake series
The Country Squire Figgy Pudding


In the old days..

McClelland Christmas Cheer

 

[fireground_piper]

Jolly old st Nicholas and we three kings have been my favorite the past couple of years.

 

[cosmicfolklore]

I will be smoking whatever I have open for the holidays. I'm not a fan of things scented like Christmas stuff.

 

[DanWil84]

The k&k aromatics that are made for brands that have a holiday blend like Rattrays or Vauen are not really highly regarded. I'm not picky on tobacco, but I had a sample of some Easter tobacco supposedly infused with some eggnog type of liquor, it was disgusting. Bremen Pipesmoker does a review of the k&k holiday tobaccos twice a year on YouTube, maybe he does it again this year.

My holiday blend would be anything I've open or I would pop a special tin I have or smoke a certain cigar, but nothing particularly christmas themed.

 

[Egg Shen]

I have the Rattray’s Winter Cheer, an eggnog aromatic, and We Three Kings. Also whatever I feel like even if off-theme.

 

[Chasing Embers]

Christmas Cheer, English Chocolate, Golden Days of Yore, and We Three Kings here.

 

[blackpowderpiper]

This holiday season will be highlighted by some Cringle Flake 2019, some Christmas Cheer 2000, maybe a few bowls of Jolly Old St Nicholas and whatever else strikes my fancy.

 

[JOHN72]

It is a very violent date,Christmas is chaos. I may end up smoking the children's cereal in the neighbor's garden.

 

[SBC]

It is a very violent date,Christmas is chaos. I may end up smoking the children's cereal in the neighbor's garden.

While somebody pees his pants while crying on your shoulder until you kick his arse like a fresh cauliflower?

 

[JOHN72]

Well, seriously now. I will probably end up smoking Condor and Amphora Full.

 

[urbanpiper]

The '20 version of Peretti's Yuletide was the perfect holiday blend for me.

The worst part about discovering that is I only have less than 2oz.

At the time it was my first go with that blend and I didn't know that each Yuletide release was different. I thought it was like Thanksgiving Day that was the same every year.

So if anyone has some laying around let me know

 

[jerry]

I saved some Peretti Thanksgiving Day from last year, and I’ll be smoking it through the season.

 

[Peter Turbo]

Pretty much LJP Thanksgiving Day from now until xmas. Then its Cheer and Cringle Flake for a couple weeks until I move back into a normal rotation.

 

[warren]

Seasons, holidays, etc. are not allowed to complicate my smoking. Currently I have three blends on my desk. I simply select one, the closest?, stuff, light and smoke. Again, I keep my smoking simple.

 

[AcesAndEights]

Thinking I’ll be trying Thanksgiving Day and Figgy Pudding this year.

 

[huntertrw]

A 2013 tin of McClelland's Holiday Spirit.

 

[huntertrw]

Thinking I’ll be trying Thanksgiving Day and Figgy Pudding this year.

O.K., but just remember what Pink Floyd said, "If you don't eat your meat, you can't have any Pudding!"