Whole Leaf Blend Exclusive Cellaring

[crusader]

Curious as to how many here are exclusively cellaring whole leaf blends vs. the other way around.

I have been doing my own cigars for about a decade but have never mixed for the pipe. I have also been feebly trying to build a Cellar but the output of cash drives my accounting brain mad.

Are those of you out there given up more or less on the tinned leaf for the whole even maybe continuing random favorites. Part of me thinks it's silly to spend so much even though I am highly susceptible to all of the accoutrement of pipe smoking.

 

[Ahi Ka]

Given you are already rolling your own cigars, you will have an excellent starting point when it comes to packaging, storing and processing raw tobacco.

I’d honestly say the answer depends on what you like about pipe smoking. If I were in your shoes, I’d purchase one of the WLT sampler boxes, maybe throw in some other varieties which are not included and then have a go at blending using the natural pipe blends thread on the FTT forum for inspiration. If you find it successful, then keep at it, or purchase blending tobaccos.

In terms of making a mix, I’d let your cigar knowledge guide you. Get the rough portions you need and roll into a stick (press if you want to develop the Virginia components tangy sweetness) and then slice into coins. You can then even slice through the entire batch horizontally and you’ll end up with a fairly even thicker ribbon cut known as “bob’s chop”.

 

[crusader]

Given you are already rolling your own cigars, you will have an excellent starting point when it comes to packaging, storing and processing raw tobacco.

I’d honestly say the answer depends on what you like about pipe smoking. If I were in your shoes, I’d purchase one of the WLT sampler boxes, maybe throw in some other varieties which are not included and then have a go at blending using the natural pipe blends thread on the FTT forum for inspiration. If you find it successful, then keep at it, or purchase blending tobaccos.

In terms of making a mix, I’d let your cigar knowledge guide you. Get the rough portions you need and roll into a stick (press if you want to develop the Virginia components tangy sweetness) and then slice into coins. You can then even slice through the entire batch horizontally and you’ll end up with a fairly even thicker ribbon cut known as “bob’s chop”.

Thanks! I've been a member of FTT for many yrs under the name joe1977 and have seen you there along with a few others.

I have had my wlt cart filled with all of the "pipe" selections for a couple of months now. Just have not pulled the trigger yet. Keep going back and forth on whether to do wlt or tinned as my budget would evaporate if I did both and the Cellar would not get very far.

 

[Ahi Ka]

What sort of blends do you like smoking? If they are heavily cased or topped, a cellar of whole leaf may never scratch the itch. I know @Humblepipe has great success making his own blends from commercial blending tobaccos

 

[Humblepipe]

What sort of blends do you like smoking? If they are heavily cased or topped, a cellar of whole leaf may never scratch the itch. I know @Humblepipe has great success making his own blends from commercial blending tobaccos

I have also been inspired to attempt blending whole leaf/unprocessed tobacco thanks to @Ahi Ka. I cased it per Ernie Q's method and then topped it with Jack Daniels. I am going to cellar it for at least 6 months before evaluating how I did 40% Bright VA, and 60% 2 types of Turkish (which smelled heavenly), We shall see.

 

[crusader]

What sort of blends do you like smoking? If they are heavily cased or topped, a cellar of whole leaf may never scratch the itch. I know @Humblepipe has great success making his own blends from commercial blending tobaccos

Ranking them it would go English, Burley, Virginia to once in a blue moon aro.

 

[Ahi Ka]

Check out the Latakia blending matrix on FTT and that will give you some ideas of what english style blends are possible using whole leaf.

I rarely smoke English blends so I can’t comment on how they stack up compared to commercially available stuff. But I did make a Scottish style blend a couple of years back and i occasionally dip into the jar, it has mellowed nicely and I do enjoy it.

As for burley, I sold 90% of my burley blends I had cellared once I started growing my own. I love burley and the joy of smoking something I grew, especially when I’m after a simple or somewhat mindless smoke, far outweighed what I could get from whats commercially available. That said, I prefer my burley rougher, tobacco and earthy forward rather cavendish processed and topped.

I used the funds from culling my burley stash to stock up on Virginia and VaPer blends.

 

[Humblepipe]

I re-read the initial post again and wanted to add something. I have been blending for 2-3 years and and during that time stopped purchasing tins altogether. It's been an amazing learning experience, as I now understand (had no clue previously) the profile of most of the major varietals. I also enjoy my own blends a great deal. I am know Ernie Q. in terms of my ability to be sure. As Ahi Ka mentioned, I purchase commercial tobacco in bulk. A lot of it is generic "blending tobacco". I usually purchase from U.S.-based Pipes and Cigars. Evidently, a number of forum members here dislike P&C, but I have not had any issues with them. My process has evolved over time, but I now follow Ernie Q's formula for casing:

Ernie Q on casing, pressing, and blending

(moderator note: copied from the home tobacco press thread.) Okie dokie. I’ve left the ‘that there terbaccy Elves in charge of guarding your orders at the shop and have a bit more time to talk about pressing etc. First things first...and I CANNOT stress this enough. Every tobacco you buy...

pipesmokersdens.com

I also typically add a topping... always some form of alcohol; bourbon, cognac, etc. I do not do it to save money, but it is very inexpensive compared buying tins.

 

[makhorkasmoker]

Reading this thread with interest. I smoke almost exclusively straight blending tobaccos, that I buy in bulk, mostly from c&d. I keep considering making the jump to whole leaf tobacco. The main thing that interests me is the availability of orientals and some unusual cigar leaf in whole leaf form, but I’m also curious about those whole leaf burleys—how they compare to c&d’s dark and white

 

[Ahi Ka]

Reading this thread with interest. I smoke almost exclusively straight blending tobaccos, that I buy in bulk, mostly from c&d. I keep considering making the jump to whole leaf tobacco. The main thing that interests me is the availability of orientals and some unusual cigar leaf in whole leaf form, but I’m also curious about those whole leaf burleys—how they compare to c&d’s dark and white

As far as I’m aware WLT use the same supplier of leaf as C&D.

Whole leaf burley is much closer to C&Ds dark burley, if not more earthy. I had to stove and then press my WLT burley to make it resemble the burley I was more accustomed to in pipe tobacco as opposed to a more of a cigar vibe.

It’s worth mentioning, that if you are going to process some whole leaf and remove the stems, you are going to lose about a 1/3 of the advertised weight. With perique and orientals you can use the stems, and depending on how you cut some Virginia you can use them too.

Edit: I should add I purchased whole leaf in 2020 and haven’t since. What is currently available could be different. The Virginia varieties have really developed in flavour just by sitting in jars.

 

[makhorkasmoker]

As far as I’m aware WLT use the same supplier of leaf as C&D.

Whole leaf burley is much closer to C&Ds dark burley, if not more earthy. I had to stove and then press my WLT burley to make it resemble the burley I was more accustomed to in pipe tobacco as opposed to a more of a cigar vibe.

It’s worth mentioning, that if you are going to process some whole leaf and remove the stems, you are going to lose about a 1/3 of the advertised weight. With perique and orientals you can use the stems, and depending on how you cut some Virginia you can use them too.

Thank you. You've given me some guidance on this before! I noticed the last time I was at the Whole Leaf site they had "aged burley." I also see just "burley," which I guess is unaged and rougher. Occasionally, i see "red tips." With the exception of the red tips, which from my understanding is "ligero" or the uppermost leaves, I always wonder: where on the plant did this this burley, aged or unaged, come from? I believe C&D's "dark burley" is the upper leaves and some mid leaves, and their "white" is made up of the mid and lower leaves. I believe C&D's dark has been piled like cigar leaf and the white is simply air cured... But I do not know any of this about the whole leaf's burleys... And I hesitate to order because I have found that I'm pretty sensitive, when it comes to burley. Five brothers, which is supposed to be dark burley with bird's eye, bites me--hard. I do not know if this is because it hasn't been aged much, or if the secondary fermentation has been light, or what, but I can hardly smoke the stuff. And while I smoke C&D's white burley, I use it only as a blender, in small amounts. Straight, I find it harsh and unpleasant. Sooner or later I'm sure I'll just order some whole leaf burleys and see how it goes...

 

[Ahi Ka]

I can’t comment on the differences between the C&D blends as I haven’t tried the white, nor have I read up on them. You are probably correct though. I had assumed (maybe incorrectly) that the white burley was sourced from white/light burley varieties, and the dark from others, and in some cases even Kentucky leaf.

I tried to find a seed supply of red/mahogany burley once, but was informed that it may have been once of those terms used by blenders and not by growers. I was told to try burley red tips but haven’t got around to it yet.

WLT burley is sweated/fermented in a kiln btw. I’d be wary of it. Maybe look into a Maryland variety? Or in regards to commercially available burley, have you tried d&r two timer?

Also, do you find perique irritates you as well?

 

[makhorkasmoker]

I got some of my info from c&d’s vids on white and dark burley, which, if I remember well, say white and dark burley both come from the same plant. It’s just where on the plant the leaves come from, and how they’re treated. And I read somewhere—Russ O.’s old blog, I think(?)—that while there once was a variety of burley called “white burley “ nowadays “white burley “ usually refers to air cured leaves from lower down on the plant that haven’t been piled or sweated.

I have been hunting for two timer. It always seems to be out of stock or not offered at all. Will check again.

As for perique I am developing an appreciation!! I’ve been adding small amounts to my usual blend of burley, often with pinches of oriental and dark fired, and I’m liking it lots.

Thank you for the info on whole leaf burleys. I’m gonna keep an eye out for those red tips but pass on their other burleys, try more of their cigar leaf and orientals instead

 

[crusader]

Well, I just ordered all this to get a start in English, va and vapers. We shall see.

Order details​

PRODUCT	TOTAL
Turkish/Oriental Izmir 1 lb. Bag × 1	$19.99
Flue Cured Virginia Red Leaf 1lb × 1	$19.99
Dark Air Cured Tobacco, 1lb. × 1	$18.99
Latakia Leaf Tobacco, 1lb. × 1	$26.99
St. James Perique Tobacco - 1/2 Pound × 1 weight

 

[logs]

I got some of my info from c&d’s vids on white and dark burley, which, if I remember well, say white and dark burley both come from the same plant. It’s just where on the plant the leaves come from, and how they’re treated. And I read somewhere—Russ O.’s old blog, I think(?)—that while there once was a variety of burley called “white burley “ nowadays “white burley “ usually refers to air cured leaves from lower down on the plant that haven’t been piled or sweated.

I have been hunting for two timer. It always seems to be out of stock or not offered at all. Will check again.

As for perique I am developing an appreciation!! I’ve been adding small amounts to my usual blend of burley, often with pinches of oriental and dark fired, and I’m liking it lots.

Thank you for the info on whole leaf burleys. I’m gonna keep an eye out for those red tips but pass on their other burleys, try more of their cigar leaf and orientals instead

I went through a whole leaf phase a couple years back. It was a lot of fun and very informative. Going into it I though VA was going to be the hardest to work with but actually it was burley. I got good results from perique, orientals, latakia, and various types of cigar leaf. VA was a bit tougher because I had to case it, age it, and press it to get beyond the intense grassiness and change it into something palatable. Burley, on the other hand, I was never able to get anywhere. Casing it didn't make much difference, pressing/aging didn't help. It just remained rough and unsmokable. Perhaps steaming/stoving would have worked but I didn't want to deal with it. Eventually I just went back to using bulk dark burley from C&D.

Obviously there are methods of making burley smokable otherwise no one would bother, but none of the bathtub methods I tried we're successful. Perhaps you'll have better luck.