What's in This Blend?

[hawke]

I have a blend a local friend gave me which was put together by a tobacconist at a store too far from me to go to. I'd like someone to allow me to send them some and take a stab at what tobaccos are in it. I dont have much of it, less than 1 oz but willing to send out as much of it as it takes for analysis.
Id put it in the aromatic category with a sweet taste. Mostly brown tobacco with some dark ribbons, probably Cavendish or Perique. No trace of Latakia.

 

[lestrout]

hawk - our Morley's Pipe Club in Philly is meeting Thursday. If you tuck several grams in an envelope, I can enlist the members, who have a lot of experience among them, to decode the blend for you. Then I can take it to the Lehigh Valley PC at the end of the month and if RussO shows, we can really zero in on it.
hp

les

 

[hawke]

Great! PM me an address Les

 

[papipeguy]

hawke, lestrout is the go-to guy for type of stuff; a very knowledgeable person on blends.. I will be at the next LVPC so I look forward to Russ giving his opinion.

 

[hawke]

Mailed it guys, Thx!

 

[lestrout]

hawk - the mystery blend arrived yesterday but I was at the shore. When I pulled your envelope from the mailbox today, even without opening the letter, I could smell the prominent vanilla easily. Morley's was last Thursday, so that part of the project didn't take place as planned. So I went to the Haverford Tinder Box, and opened the letter there. The first jar I opened was TB's 1Q, labeled Wilshire. The smell and appearance of the blends are very very similar.
I have about 1200 blends on hand in my cellar, and have tasted close to 2000 blends, but I guessed that 1Q was a likely bet. Curiously, I have never puffed 1Q, since I gravitated to Lats within weeks of my pipe initiation in 1961. (I, however, have puffed 79, Cherry Blend and quite a few OTCs, because I started with them before I discovered the Dunhills).
Jim, who is a longtime puffer at the TB, sniffed and looked at your blend, and he thought of other possibilities such as Chartwell among the several dozen TB jars. He came around to my original guess, although we think it is possible your friend's B&M may have added something to 1Q to customize it.
I need to calibrate myself on 1Q for a few bowls before I try puffing your stuff. The Lehigh Valley PC will meet in a week and hopefully RussO will show. John and several other members have a lot of experience themselves and we will puff the control Wilshire and then the mystery blend and try to decide what it consists of.
hp

les

 

[hawke]

GREAT! Thx so much. Im sure its fun to use your skills and experience on such endeavors. I could never do it. My taste and smell senses are numbed cause Im a lat lover myself. My friend who cant stand the latakia is more of a sweet aromatic kind of guy, but this blend he had seemed to interest me. Like you related to in a way, I like to smoke a milder flavored tobacco to re-tune the taste buds from time to time. I can clean out the Kirsten or Falcon real good removing any ghosts and get a fresh smoke to accomplish this. I really dont dedicate pipes like I should I guess.

 

[papipeguy]

Oh goodie a taste test next Monday. We like those and I'm looking forward to it.

John

 

[hawke]

Hey, Ive got another one for you guys to decipher. This one was gifted to me and I have a fair amount of it to send. Its dark and looks like a flake that was partially rubbed out. Lots flake pieces still in it. Nice flavor that Ive not tasted before and quite sweet. Id have to say the sweetest flake Ive smoked yet. Burns cooler than any Ive smoked before too.
McClelland was hinted as a possibility.

 

[condorlover1]

Hawke if you have been smoking Condor I am surprised you can taste anything! I have not tasted any interesting food since 1984 or there a bout with the exception of the odd 'ring burner' of a curry.

 

[hawke]

Hahaha, yea that and Latakia. Ive eased off of the bold flavors to be able to appreciate them more. Ive smoked some Lane IQ and a local blend called Wood Duck as well as other various Virginia flakes sipping them. Re-tuning my taste buds down a notch.
I think Ive figured out the above post blend. Its McClelland No. 2015 Virginia Flake and Perique. Im 90% sure.

 

[lestrout]

hawk - I've enlisted the Lehigh Valley PC to decode your first blend tonight. I (we) are game to try on this maybe 2015.
hp

les

 

[lestrout]

Yo hawke - Werner @LVPC is an experienced 1Q puffer - he keeps it by the pound. We've concluded that your mystery mix is mostly 1Q, mixed with some bright VA, possibly something like MacBaren's Virginia No.1. It is lighter and sweeter than the Wilshire we tasted it against. Actually, though I'm not an are puffer, I rather prefer your mix. Your friend's B&M might be onto something.
hp

les

 

[hawke]

Great! I'll pass the info along to him. Thx so much!

Last week my friend told me the B&M said it was their best seller.