Who Is Your Favorite Pipe Tobacco Blender?

[Mike N]

Who is your favorite pipe tobacco blender, and why? Here are a few in no particular order:

GL Pease
Jeremy Reeves of Cornell & Diehl
Steve Willett of LJ Peretti
Ernie Q. of Watch City
Ken Byron of Ken Byron Ventures
Per Jensen
Russ Ouellette
Jon David Cole & Quinn Crawford of The Country Squire

 

[fireground_piper]

The house of C&D is pretty much what I settled on after a few years.

While I do have a bunch of Mac Baren vanillas and HH Va Flake cellared from earlier on, pretty much only buy a few blends from C&D.

I grew fond of D&R just a tad too late or they would be runner up.

I’m guessing I just like that simpler style. I’d trade everything else out if it I could flip a switch.

 

[warren]

Some unknown individual deep in the bowls of some company who came up with IRC's "Three Star Blue." The "unknown blender" of the tobacco world. Most likely dead these many years.

 

[Waning Embers]

Mike and Mary McNiel, Craig Tarler, and John Brandt.

 

[LeafErikson]

Bob Runowski and Craig Tarler.

 

[dottlejockey]

Years ago it would have been Mike McNiel as McClelland produced many of my first faves, among them: 5100, 2015, 2035, St James Woods and Christmas Cheer.

But one that has spanned the test of time would be Bob Runowski; back then my love was for Haunted Bookshop and today it's Pegasus (i currently smoke 1-2 bowls daily).

 

[64alex]

90% of my blends are G&H. Don't know too much about their blenders but IMO they are still the best

 

[Mike N]

Mike and Mary McNiel, Craig Tarler, and John Brandt.

I should have included John Brandt of Wilke Pipe Tobacco in the list above. I enjoy several of his blends, including Churchill and Pickett’s Charge.

Here is a link to a nice article I found on Craig Tarler.

Pipe Dreams

Smoke rolls into Craig Tarler’s mouth like fog, curls around the tongue and cheeks, coats the taste buds with flavor—fruity, spicy, nutty, sweet—then billows out in a fragrant cloud. Tarler started smoking a pipe in college more than 50 years ago. His palm seems made to cup the pipe he carries...

wncmagazine.com

 

[9mmpuffer]

Ted Gage, Fred Hanna, Mike and Mary, GLP, & Russ.

 

[spearheadbill]

Hans Weiedeman

 

[HawkeyeLinus]

@John Brandt - Wilke

I could name some others (like whomever blends Arrowhead for Paul's Pipe Shop, and whomever blends for Boswell's are up there for me, and I love Three Star Blue) but I like a lot of different blends and many from the sources above, but I go with the blender of my favorites and a couple of his are at the very top of my list, tons right behind.

 

[MisterBadger]

Who is your favorite pipe tobacco blender, and why? Here are a few in no particular order:

GL Pease
Jeremy Reeves of Cornell & Diehl
Steve Willett of LJ Peretti
Ernie Q. of Watch City
Ken Byron of Ken Byron Ventures
Per Jensen
Russ Ouellette
Jon David Cole & Quinn Crawford of The Country Squire

Samuel Gawith, whose Oogabooga Twist has continued unchanged since the Upper Palaeolithic Era.

 

[DanWil84]

Hans Weiedeman

+1

 

[Waning Embers]

Here is a link to a nice article I found on Craig Tarler.

I used to talk to him and his wife for hours when I'd call in tobacco orders.

 

[tschiraldi]

I have no idea, but they work at G&H, F&T, Dan, and Peter Stokkebye!

 

[PaulRVA]

Per Jensen
GL Pease
Jeremy Reeves

All three because of blend consistency and blend quality. All three have been fantastic. I don’t really rank one above the other as each has their own uniqueness and each also creates wonderful blends across the board.

 

[jerry]

Ernie Q, the Peretti folks, John Brandt (whom I wish would mail his wonderful blends to addresses in Massachusetts). I also like what Ken Byron does. Come to think of it, I'd also include Uhle's.

 

[Sigmund]

Hans Weiedeman VaPers
GLP Lat blends

 

[Mike N]

Hans Weiedeman

Here is a link to part 1 of a 3 part 2013 interview with him…

Interview with master-blender Hans Wiedemann from HU Tobacco – Part 1. | Dutch Pipe Smoker

dutchpipesmoker.com

and Part 2….

Interview with master-blender Hans Wiedemann from HU Tobacco – Part 2. | Dutch Pipe Smoker

dutchpipesmoker.com

and part 3….

Interview with master-blender Hans Wiedemann from HU Tobacco – Part 3. | Dutch Pipe Smoker

dutchpipesmoker.com

 

[tabakpfeife]

Ernie Q at Watch City