Blending
Tobacco blending - tools (e.g. scales), methods, and favorite custom blends.
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- Re: Blending a McClintock Red into a McClin
- Posted by Kendall Leonard on Wednesday, 28-Nov-2007
What do you think ? Maybe add 50% windsail ? or American Spirit US Grown ? I have lots of McClintock Red, but I love the light, so it would be nice to convert it myself. Any Ideas ?
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- making a McClintock Red to McC light ?
- Posted by kendall leonard on Wednesday, 28-Nov-2007
sorry the above is " how to convert McClintock Red Into McClintock light ?" do you think it's just a matter of adding 50 % or so more bright verginia ? or is there something in the red that is not in the light at all ?
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- Re: making a McClintock Red to McC light ?
- Posted by Dano on Thursday, 29-Nov-2007
I had to chuckle, excuse my ignorance :)
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Why?
Would you want to convert Mc Red to Mc Lite?
I mean after all.... all you have to do is just BUY the Mc Lite!
Same price... OR maybe the point is an alchemy lesson? :)
- Re: making a McClintock Red to McC light ?
- Posted by Dano on Thursday, 29-Nov-2007
Ok sorry.... I didn't notice that you had all this Mc Red and didn't like it anymore and wanted to ... convert :)
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My best suggestion would be take it back to the store and exchange it.
My second best suggestion would be to actually go and get some Mc Lite and blend it with the Mc Red :) It's going to be a whole lot cheaper than blending it with Wind Sail, and you already like the Mc Lite :)
My third best suggestion would be get some of those Rizla Blue Charcoal tubes. They pretty much turn anything into 'Lite' :)
- Re: making a McClintock Red to McC light ?
- Posted by kendall leonard on Thursday, 29-Nov-2007
it sounds like you might not know what makes the mcClintock light different from the McClintock red. most of the time in the premade world a light version of a full flavor brand is just lighter, or just a watered down version of the same FF blend with a row of holes in the filter. McClintock light is nothing like that, as is most lights in the MYO/SYO world. McCtk light is a different blend all together. It is sweeter, nuttier and brighter. Some say it's not really a light at all, like the name might have you think it is. smoking a McCtk red with a light tube is a red that's hard to get a good draw off from. It tastes to me like it has much more bright and sweet Virginia in it, and maybe a nice toasted burly for the nutty part of the taste. blending it with tobacco i have on hand will not make it cost more since it's all going to be smoked up anyways. McCtk light should have a different name since the blend is so different from the red. I was hoping someone would have some ideas. I have a few ounces of my second attempt curing as I type. it is
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McCtk Red 33.6 grams
Bali shag red 33.6 g
Ramback Balkan 15.8 g
Two Timer 15.8 g
one tbl spoon of
McMasters Scotch for extra moisture for curing.
then a heavy weight pressing down on the blend for a week or so
to get the flavors to marry up nicely. the scotch might be the thing that makes the blend not taste like McCtk Lt, oh well, it will still be good. i have plenty more McCtk Red to convert to the light. about a pound more
- Re: making a McClintock Red to McC light ?
- Posted by Dano on Monday, 03-Dec-2007
Yo Merlin!
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If you think that adding Bali Red, RB Balkan not to mention 2 Timer to McRed is going in the direction of making it Mc Lite... all I can say is... You Must Be Joking! :)
That's like saying If You Chop Up A Scotch Bonnet & A Jalapeno and mix them together you get a Sweet Red Pepper! :)
Not to say that the mix you're playing with won't produce a tasty smoke, it just won't even come near Mc Lite.
And just as an aside, if you're going to use Scotch in your blending potions... try not to use cheap well water. McMasters is a a cheap 80 proof scotch. McMasters is to scotch what the Yugo was to automobiles :)
- Re: making a McClintock Red to McC light ?
- Posted by kl on Thursday, 06-Dec-2007
Yo Merlin ?
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Why the name calling, sarcasm and elitist condescending attitude ? Don't you think that it would be more appropriate to offer blending options (in your opinion) than to make a penis size contest out of a simple question in a forum ?
I don't think this question insulted anyone.
Maybe I'm wrong. Maybe your ego is very important to the quality and usefulness of this forum.
Do you really think that the scotch should be some elite high dollar scotch just to spritz one time on some tobacco you said was all low end tobacco anyways ? that doesn't make sense to me.
It's always been funny to me how some people will frequent a simple subject forum like tobacco then talk like (in the forum) some elite autocratic master far above another person they never talked to before. I believe this sort of thing will just drive people away from this forum and maybe even the MYO scene.
What ever happened to common courtesy ?
- Re: making a McClintock Red to McC light ?
- Posted by Dano on Thursday, 06-Dec-2007
Right up front I'm going to mention, It's not what you say, it's how you say it! Everything I've said was with a smile.
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As for the Scotch.. the answer is Yes! I do think that one should use something other than 'Well Water'. The Reason? Being a Chef since the Last Supper, I've found, that the end result is only as good as the ingredients that you use.
You think I'm talking above him? His original question was misunderstood by several people, myself included. I'm no blend master & I'm no authority on anything here. I don't subscribe to this namby pamby diversity / inclusion / OH please walk on egg shells way of speaking.
You ask ... What ever happened to common courtesy ? I ask, What ever happened to the people that can take a joke? :)
(I guess they became democrats :)
- Re: making a McClintock Red to McC light ?
- Posted by kl on Thursday, 06-Dec-2007
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If I had the good stuff scotch and the well water scotch I would spritz the tobacco with the well water scotch cause it's just going to dry up then be smoked. I would drink the good stuff. but I don't drink, so the McMasters scotch would be an old bottle just hanging around the house with nothing else to do, I would not waste the money on good stuff at all. you would do the same.
There is a difference between humiliating someone and joking :)
What about at the end of this thread, you could have answered the last question to you, and showed the OP that you are civil after all.
P.S.
The original question was only misunderstood by 2 people not several, yourself included first. Oh, almost forgot :)
- Re: making McCtk Red into McCtk light ?
- Posted by kendall leonard on Thursday, 29-Nov-2007
Q "My best suggestion would be take it back to the store and exchange it."
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A the light is on back order
Q "My second best suggestion would be to actually go and get some Mc Lite and blend it with the Mc Red "
A I cant see how that would work, the blends are too different. you would have to blend in so much light to over power the red that it wouldn't be practical.
Q "get some of those Rizla Blue Charcoal tubes. They pretty much turn anything into 'Lite' :)
A we already covered that one. the blends are too different.
- Re: making McCtk Red into McCtk light ?
- Posted by Kerry on Thursday, 29-Nov-2007
You are adding Scotch for moisture and aren't sure that it will change the taste? Try distilled water. Scotch has a very distinct taste and I am pretty sure isn't a component of McLt.
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Maybe try 15.9 grams of Ramback Balkan in the next blend.
Yes, tongue was firmly planted in cheek for the above comments.
However, Dano made some very good suggestions.
- Re: making McCtk Red into McCtk light ?
- Posted by kendall on Friday, 30-Nov-2007
Kerry : I don't think you read my post very well.
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I said : "the scotch might be the thing that makes the blend NOT taste like McCtk Lt, oh well, it will still be good.
Any of the things in the blend might be the thing that makes it NOT taste like the Mc light. And i said the scotch might be one of them. I have used scotch many times. I know it will change the taste. Nothing i said sounded like I wasn't sure that it will change the taste. I even said "oh well, it will still be good" and it will. this was just a small amount, I started with only 33 grams (that's just what was in that one small bag). I have a pound to convert.
please explain this comment :
"However, Dano made some very good suggestions."
why would you say something like that ?
- Re: making a McClintock Red to McC light ?
- Posted by Mike on Monday, 03-Dec-2007
This is a perfectly lagit blenders question posted in a blenders forum. You two guys are making it sound like it's a doumb question, and i cant for the life of me figur out why ?
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Take the tobacco back ? thats the best blenders answer you got ? or add more McLt to the Mc red ? that sounds like a joke
Anyways :
Mc Lt tastes to me like it has much more Sweet Virginia in it than the red, (the red being much more fuity smelling will make it hard. Maybe air it out first) But i bet more virginia is not all it will take. try two timer for the nutty taste and ramback balkan in same equal amounts to the virginia. I know it sounds like all the other blends but I bet it's a close start.
- Re: making a McClintock Red to McC light ?
- Posted by Dano on Monday, 03-Dec-2007
It may well be a legit question but the answer is, it's an exercise in futility! And here's why.
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He said he likes the Lite, has a bunch of the Red and wonders how to make the Red taste like the Lite. Mc Lite is probably the 'Litest' SYO tobacco on the market. To bring the Red down to the Lite taste, you are going to have to blend it with a much lighter tobacco And/Or stuff it onto a lighter tube. Using Windsail to mix with might be a good idea but Windsail isn't 'Lite' and is light years away from tasting like Mc Lite. Using tobacco's like Bali Red, RB Balkan or 2 Timer which are all heavier than Mc Red isn't going to make it taste like Mc Lite either.
He didn't present this as an academic blending question, more like a plea for help with being stuck with a tobacco that he really didn't like. In that vein it's perfectly Legit to suggest blending the Lite & Red together and using a lighter tube.
Now, if reason refuses to dawn on this subject, I suggest that you take the Mc Red, add a few sprigs of Mint and wrap it in a Virgins Panties for a week. :) It may not taste like Mc Lite, but you'll have one hell of a good time trying to find a Virgins Panties :)
- Re: making a McClintock Red to McC light ?
- Posted by kendall on Monday, 03-Dec-2007
when you say it like this, I understand your logic, but dont agree on a few points. like Ramback balkan being heavier than mc light, to my taste it's about the lightest tobacco i have smoked in a long time, (when smoked by it's self it is much lighter than Mc light and i agree that 2 timer and windsail are less light but RB balkin tends to really make things lighter, to my tastes that is ) I agree that trying for an EXACT match might very well be an exercise in futility, Heck, Something anywhere close would be fine or not at all would be fine too, after all i could just smoke it the way it is. The question WAS ment as an academic blending question for sure. I didn't know of a better way of asking. I did have a strong feeling it wassn't comming across the way it was ment. and I said so a few times. I'm not trying to save money. I have just about every kind of tobacco on hand one could want (About 18 kinds), just to have a little fun blending and smoking a veriaty while wroking on a computer all day. This is a cool forum and that was about the only question I had, thats not worked out on my own as of yet. your 2nd responce has usefull info that will help and I thank you for spending the time on it, you didn't have to and you did anyways, thats very cool.
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this question has been way over worked and is now totaly ruined :)
- Re: making a McClintock Red to McC light ?
- Posted by O RLY on Tuesday, 04-Dec-2007
Did I just read Dano say that
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"Ramback balkin is heavier than Mc Red" ???
Ramback Bulkin is an Ultra Light if it's anything. Tons lighter than Mc red.
Tastes are a subjective thing but I would never say that Bali Red is heavier than Mc Red. D&R's Two Timer is maybe just as heavy as Mc red.
Quote:
"Windsail isn't 'Lite' and is light years away from tasting like Mc Lite"
Burley alone is light years from tasting like a Marlboro or a camel but it's in there all the same. This is true with almost all other blends. Blends are quite different than the sum of their parts.
I think you might be able to air out that mc Red to reduce the apple smell and give it try. Pause at each step and compare side by side with the Mc light. You can get it close.
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[O.o]
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-"--"- O RLY
- Re: making a McClintock Red to McC light ?
- Posted by kendall on Tuesday, 04-Dec-2007
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This worked pretty good
1 part Mc Red (aired out a bit)
1 part Ramback Balkan (to lighten it up)
1 Part Danish Export (to add the sweet and nutty notes of Mc Lt)
it's just a touch lighter than Mc light and quite close in taste. I smoked them side by side. I didn't give the blend time to meld together yet like I should. It's a little too pricey to do on a large scale. Reg. Mc Light is cheaper then this blend (only 18.00 per/Lb). I think I will only do it on a small scale and keep most of the red alone and smoke it as is for something different after all :)
Mc light is not very light to me. As lights go, Penhooker light, Danish Export, Ramback Balkan, Turkish Export, The 3 Castles and Bali Light are much lighter than Mc Lt, too my tastes.
(I'm a 30 year smoker so maybe i can't taste crap anymore :)
these are the only other lights I have on hand right now to compare lightness too. The 2 Turkish blends are so light I can't smoke them alone at all.
BTW. This post is meant as a contribution to a blending forum only
- Re: making a McClintock Red to McC light ?
- Posted by Dano on Tuesday, 04-Dec-2007
Ok Ok Ok! :)
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Now that you mention it I have to admit that you are entirely right. The RB Balkan (imho) is an airy ethereal smoke that is at the other end of the spectrum in relation to Mc Red. When I typed that I was probably thinking about one of the Ramback's or maybe Ryback's.
The tone of his question led me to assume he was unfamiliar with MYO and the question sounded like the one we all asked when we started, I smoked Marlboro's, what tobacco do I buy that tastes like it? :)
Since he has all these tobacco's around, and he's just grooving in the blending world my thoughts are, he'll never turn Mc Red into Mc Lite but he'll probably come up with some interesting and tasty smokes. Ultimately, everybody likes what they like and despite the fact that my wife actually likes the Mc Lite, I find it rather pedestrian. From my point of view, one shouldn't be trying to turn something into Mc Lite but into Mc Virgina :)
- Re: making a McClintock Red to McC light ?
- Posted by O RLY on Tuesday, 04-Dec-2007
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I didn't see your newest post (disclaimer) when I posted my newest post.
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[O.o]
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-"--"- O RLY?
- Re: making a McClintock Red to McC light ?
- Posted by kendall on Tuesday, 04-Dec-2007
trying to turn something into into Mc Virgina would be even harder. it's not so much of a blend as Mc Lt is. I still have 2 1/2 cans of Mc Virginia anyways.
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I'm not at all unfamiliar with MYO , it's just the way you took it. I gave 3 examples of possible blends options in the first question since it is a blend forum and all. I also posted an attempt at something just nice and even spritzed it with scotch which is not just like Mc Lt and still got sarcasm for Not trying to get it exactly the same. (not by you) But lets not make too much of a simple question and ruin the whole point of this forum.
Thanks again for your contribution on this way over worked post :)
- Re: making a McClintock Red to McC light ?
- Posted by O RLY on Tuesday, 04-Dec-2007
I'm not sure what you mean anymore ?. I agree with your May 13th review, but not your Dec 3rd. Don't you agree they contradict each other ?.
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Quote : dec 3rd
Using tobacco's like Bali Red, RB Balkan or 2 Timer which are all heavier than Mc Red isn't going to make it taste like Mc Lite either.
On May 13th 2007 you said this about how light Ramback balkan is:
Quote: may 13th
" RB Balkan is the lightest smoke D&R makes, a real lite smoke"
Posted by Dano on Sunday, 13-May-2007
"I made an order last week and got a cup of the Ramback Balkan.
So here's what I think. First, when I opened the cup, the color is... eye catching. It's like pumpkin with bright yellow in it. I don't know what you call the cut but it's like the rest of the Ramback. It injects just fine and it really doesn't smell like anything in the cup.
My first impression was... Whoooo... this is a Lite smoke!
I've tried all of D&R's offerings labeled 'lite'. (Venguer, Roland etc.) and none of them are anywhere near 'lite'. I mean, I like the Roland Lite, and the Venguer is ok but certianlly both are nowhere near being a 'lite' smoke.
Let me put it like this, you light up, inhale, you don't feel anything in the lungs, it's like you didn't inhale, then... you get this very subtle taste on the tongue, on the exhale you get that subtle oriental/Virginia taste.
I was a McClintock Virgina smoker and made this last order in the hope of getting some of the new Roland Gold but let me say straight out, this new Ramback Balkan is excellent! A Home Run! I had no idea it would be like this.
This is the lightest smoke D&R makes, a real lite smoke, but at the same time it has such subtle flavor that anybody that likes Virginia tobacco is gonna love this.
I got a couple of pounds of Windsail Platinum in this order and believe me, i stuffed the cup of Balkan and kinda regretted ordering the Platinum (which I like). "
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[O.o]
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-"--"- O RLY
- Re: making a McClintock Red to McC light ?
- Posted by Dano on Tuesday, 04-Dec-2007
No, it's not a contradiction at all. First, earlier today I said I mistyped about the RB Balkan being heavier than the Mc Red, saying that at the time I made that post I was thinking about either Ramback or Reyback. (regular or Gold in both cases as it may be) I conceded that point, but I maintain that the other 2 tobacco's mentioned are as strong or stronger than the Mc Red. Lets be real, Bali Shag, no matter what color the pouch is, is today, a crap pedestrian tobacco. It's the pouch staple of the cheap smoke shops along with Zig Zag, Bugler & McClintock.
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Secondly, I stand by my May post about the Ramback Balkan. As I said in my last post today, it's an airy & ethereal smoke and I find it quite nice. However I was talking about it in relation to other D&R offerings. I wasn't comparing it to low end commercial blends like McClintock Light or Red. You know perfectly well that D&R Tobacco's that carry the 'Lite' label are anything but in comparison to tailor made smokes.
And in closing :) I applaud your due diligence in digging out ancient posts but you should have tuned the 'Way Back' machine to the comments I made about McClintock Light, how I stuff it for my wife on a daily basis while mentioning that the only reason I can find as to why she likes a smoke that tastes like a Burning Leaf my be related to a fall she took as a young child, out of a tree :)
- Re: making a McClintock Red to McC light ?
- Posted by kendall on Tuesday, 04-Dec-2007
Dano :
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What do you smoke on a daily basis ? or even for a change now and then ? you got me wondering when you said " tailor made smokes " I totally agree with your low end rating of the above tobaccos
Myself, it's quite a few D&R offerings straight and blended with some of Stokkebyes private stock (the tall 10.6 oz tins) The casings of the stokkebye blends get to me after a while.
P.S. My wife is a total smoke Nazi. I'm lucky if i can smoke at all in the house, and it's winter outside.
- Re: making a McClintock Red to McC light ?
- Posted by kendall on Tuesday, 04-Dec-2007
I should have said it more like this
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quite a few D&R offerings straight and blended.
and sometimes some of Stokkebyes private stock
- Re: making a McClintock Red to McC light ?
- Posted by Dano on Friday, 07-Dec-2007
Yoho Kendall,
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I used to smoke the Mc Virginia exclusively on a daily basis but now that it's gone I've switched to S.J. Rimboche and Rowland Gold. Every month I'll order a big bag of both, smoke through the SJ, then the Rowland.
I have a high regard for D&R's tobaccos. I've tried all of them except for maybe the menthol blends and the Cock Strong. I find all their blends interesting and distinctive. Since their Roland Gold is supposed to be the Mc V replacement, I hope they tweak it some. It's a little off on the exhale, but still pretty good :)
That's not to say that I don't like other companies tobacco's. I find the Stokkebye London and Danish to be interesting. Purists might gag but I find the Tops Wildfire Line to be pretty tasty, especially the Strawberry and Vanilla. By this I mean, not as a daily smoke but strictly as an after dinner or change of pace smoke. (Women like the smell of those too :)
I like a good clove smoke also. But there's ALWAYS a problem if you order it online. It's either the tobacco is dried out, the cut isn't conducive to being injected into a tube or the vendor puts it in a common baggie in which case your entire order is going to reek of cloves! It's a bigger problem than you want :) So on that score, I'll just pick up some tailor made clove cigs, once or twice a year when I find myself in a local smoke shop.
And to be completely honest, I ran out of smokes between my last order and had a can of Bugler Gold in the background (I had some other stuff, Windsail blah blah blah but I turned to the Bugler). I'm not a burly smoking guy, and I only had to smoke it until UPS showed up the next day, but, it turned out to be not so bad and IF I had to go to a smoke shop while waiting for my order to come in, I'd probably choose that over other offerings.
Happy Holidays To You & Yours!
- Affordable Digital Scale
- Posted by Dash on Thursday, 27-Sep-2007
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I picked this up at Big Lots for only $12.00 Weighs in grams and ounces and has a tare function and timer. Increments of 1/10 ounce or 1 gram. 9 volt battery not included.
- Ultralight N2P Blend
- Posted by Alist on Saturday, 15-Sep-2007
This blend is for ultralight newbies who have purchased several brands as their first steps into SYO, yet found some of them too nasty to smoke. I call it the Nasty to Palatable (N2P) Blend;
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1 part Gambler Ultralight
3 parts Farmer's Gold Ultralight
3 parts Rave Ultralight
3 parts Rave Menthol Light
The first two ingredients are nasty, in my opinion, with the Gambler being VERY nasty and the Farmer's Gold being somewhat nasty. (Farmer's Gold ultralight is rather bland and tasteless and leaves an odd aftertaste like lawn clippings, however faint that aftertaste might be.) I don't use Gambler in a proportion greater than 1 part out of 10, since it has a biting aftertaste which I truly don't care for. The Rave ultralight and menthol light are very decent on their own. Their flavors are strong enough to mask the first two ingredients, so the blend ends up making a rather smooth and tasty smoke, while remaining ultralight.
- Layering instead of blending.
- Posted by Dash on Friday, 07-Sep-2007
Just wondering if anyone else has tried this. I haven't had much luck with blending, especially with tobaccos that are cut differently. I use a supermatic and I'll fill the chamber 1/2 or 1/3 full with one tobacco and then fill it the rest of the way with something totally different. Like 1/3 of Sagamore Virginia, 1/3 Look out Milde, and then 1/3 Norwegian shag. I've come up with some real interesting smokes.
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- Re: Layering instead of blending.
- Posted by Michael on Saturday, 08-Sep-2007
Dash,
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Yes, I layer different tobaccos. Mostly to make Gambler smokable, once in a while I'll add some halfzware to a good blend for a change.
- Re: Layering instead of blending.
- Posted by Hua Kul on Saturday, 08-Sep-2007
I've also tried layering, usually with just a touch (maybe 10%) of a nice flavored pipe tobacco. The way much pipe tobacco is cut lends itself well to layering rather than trying to keep it homogenously mixed in a blend. It always goes in the chamber first.
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--Hua Kul
- Re: Layering instead of blending.
- Posted by Matt on Saturday, 08-Sep-2007
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What are some of the pipe tobaccos you're using? Are you using any blends like Perique or Latakia? I've got some great pipe tobaccos on hand but haven't yet been adventurous enough to use them with cigarettes.
- Re: Layering instead of blending.
- Posted by Hua Kul on Saturday, 08-Sep-2007
Actually I'm still using the first tobacco I tried, a maple rum flavor. Not too sophisticated but I don't know a lot about pipe tobaccos yet. As long as I keep it minimal it doesn't overpower the taste but just adds a nice flavor note. It doesn't seem to add much harshness, maybe just a touch, but as I wrote I only use maybe 10%.
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--Hua Kul
- Re: Layering instead of blending.
- Posted by Dash on Monday, 10-Sep-2007
I didn't have any pipe tobacco on hand but I wasn't adventurous enough to try this either. Yesterday after work I picked up a few ounces of pipe tobacco, burley light without a bite and a couple of latakia blends. I tried the burley first, probably didn't even use 10%, just a few strands with some straight virginia. It really kicked it up a notch flavorwise. It was great. Then I tried the latakia, it wasn't so great. A representative from the homeowners association came over and told me if I ever stunk up the neighborhood like that again I'd be moving. This opens up a whole new world of experimentation. There are over 2000 pipe tobacco blends. Looks like I'm going to have to build on to my stuffing room.
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- Re: Layering instead of blending.
- Posted by Michael on Monday, 10-Sep-2007
Had to laugh at the homeowner rep coming by. How much latakia did you use?
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- Re: Layering instead of blending.
- Posted by Dash on Monday, 10-Sep-2007
Not very much, probably around 10%. Have you ever smoked latakia? I can see where it could grow on a person tastewise but the room aroma leaves a lot to be desired.
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- Noob question
- Posted by easymo on Friday, 18-May-2007
I have read that tobacco is very absorbent in terms of surrounding moister,oder, flavors, etc. Is there anything that you could add to a humidor that would make a tobacco less harsh? The reason I ask, is that I also read that the purpose of casings and such was to deal with harshness in part.
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- Re: Noob question
- Posted by Kerry on Friday, 18-May-2007
There is only so much that hydration can do to "smooth out" a harsh tobacco. Some tobaccos will never "smooth out" no matter how moist you make them and at some point they won't stuff worth doody at a high enough moisture level.
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If you have a tobacco that is extremely harsh, you really have about 2 choices:
Throw it away or blend it with higher quality tobacco until it is gone. Then, never buy it again!
- Re: Noob question
- Posted by easymo on Saturday, 19-May-2007
The reason I brought this up was that I bought a pack of American Spirit organics just to see what the tobacco was like. I could not make it through a whole cigarette. God awful taste, and harshness. I tossed them in a corner and forgot about them. Then I read how to make a humidor. In my case a Tupperware box, with sliced orange in it. Just for the heck of it I tossed the American Spirit smokes into it. I was astonished by the change it made. It made them FAR smoother, and I could even taste a hint of orange. This got me wondering if the tobacco absorbed some of the fruit's sugar as well as moister. And if it mellowed the smoke out somehow.
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- Re: Noob question
- Posted by Johnny Jentle on Sunday, 25-Nov-2007
My guess would be the tobacco wouldn't absorb sugar except by direct contact with the orange slices. Moistening a harsh dry tobacco, however, should be enough to smooth it out.
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A warning - some have advised against putting things like orange or apple slices in a humidor. It encourges the growth of mold and other undesirable things. Stick with water, and maybe add artificial flavorings, if you want to experiment. A few drops of artificial orange flavoring on a damp sponge might improve the taste of some tobaccos. But, personally, I'd be leery about flavoring tobacco.
- Re: Noob question
- Posted by kendall leonard on Sunday, 25-Nov-2007
You Said : "Is there anything that you could add to a humidor or just to the tobacco that would make a tobacco less harsh?"
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Get it wet with your fav brandy or whiskey or whatever (capt. Morgan works great). Let it set for a day in a plastic bag folded up tight and then dry it out. It will be very smooth. Works on the toughest stuff
- If you get a chance try out this blend
- Posted by James on Wednesday, 16-May-2007
I find it to be pretty awesome.
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1 part Bali Shag - pulled apart
1 part D&R Ramback Gold
1 part D&R Vengeur
1 part D&R Green River Perique
Mix Well
Try a bit more Ramback or Perique to experiment.
For an added flavor try the above with some D&R Two Timer
Full Flavor but Smooth and Spicy
- Re: If you get a chance try out this blend
- Posted by kendall leonard on Sunday, 25-Nov-2007
You did'nt say which Bali Shag ? red, blue or light ? they are worlds apart.
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- Re: If you get a chance try out this blend
- Posted by kendall leonard on Sunday, 25-Nov-2007
Using the Bali red it is too light for me. Using the Bali blue is quite tasty, it's like Rowland regular without the cocoa. I really like the toasty smooth taste
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- Wintergold + Rowland
- Posted by Dan S on Sunday, 29-Apr-2007
if you blend
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Wintergold and Rowland
Would it taste like Peppermint Patty?
: )
- Re: Wintergold + Rowland
- Posted by Smokin n Jokin on Sunday, 29-Apr-2007
Which peppermint patty do you mean. Pearson or York? :)
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- NY Grrl's current mix
- Posted by cheap & chippy chopper on Friday, 27-Apr-2007
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8 parts Windsail Platinum
8 parts Ramback
3 parts Wintergold
1 part Rowland
dang, it just rocks. :-)
- Hard To Beat Blend
- Posted by Smokin n Jokin on Friday, 27-Apr-2007
1 cup Sagamore Virginia
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1 cup Windsail Platinum
2/3 cup Two Timer Gold
1/3 cup Ramback Gold
But then I like Virginias.
- D&R Blend / Planning Excel Worksheet Availabl
- Posted by Michael P on Sunday, 22-Apr-2007
If you'd like to explore possible blends while developing a tobacco order, you might get ideas from an Excel spreadsheet I whipped up for the fun of it. (Yes, I know - get a life ;))
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While this is focused on a D&R order, you could easily use it for any tobacco brand(s) you like. Have used it for a L'il Brown order of various Peter Stokkebye tobaccos.
My email is mpeila03@sprintpcs.com if you'd like me to send you a copy of the spreadsheet.
- Re: Blending RESOURCE LINKS
- Posted by Clarence W. Walker on Sunday, 08-Apr-2007
I have placed a few links on my blog for those who have an interest in blending tobaccos that I hope you may enjoy:
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[link]
- And the winner is.........
- Posted by smokin n jokin on Thursday, 18-Jan-2007
Until I get my D&R order anyway.
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After trying 24 plus different brands I've settled on the following blend.
8 parts Lanes Golden Virginia
4 parts McClintock light
2 parts Norwegian shag
1 part Turkish Export
There isn't any premade that can even compare to it.
Whatever I end up with it will definately have some Norwegian shag and some kind of turkish blend in it. I've tried all of Stokkabye's tobacco and they are were good but left me a little ho-hum except for Norwegian shag and Turkish export.
- 2 that I tried
- Posted by Craig H on Wednesday, 14-Mar-2007
Thanks to all who have put in blending ideas. Thought I would throw my .02 in!
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The two I am enjoying at the moment are...
50% Ramback Gold
25% Rowland Light
25% Windsail Plat.
Also I may have got the next idea or the blend from ryo mag...(read so much I can't remember).
50% Ramback Gold
50% Ryback Gold
I found both of these very good tasting but the Ramback Gold and Ryback Gold I thought was awesome. My wife has been smoking it also and she just keeps talking how great it is. (both of us are ex marl / winston light smokers) It is a little hard to get these two blended but I think it is well worth it.
The best to all!
- BLENDING 101
- Posted by Clarence Walker on Tuesday, 13-Mar-2007
As in so many areas of our lives today, even in the tobaccos we smoke there is a considerable amount of mis-information and misunderstanding. Even worse, what most consumers would assume to be tobacco may well be tobacco stems that have been shredded and expanded, as well as any of countless hundreds of chemicals and other adulterants added to promote burning, maintain moisture, or add whatever side affects may be desired for taste, such as the use of ammonia for "kick". Not too surprisingly, some even add nicotene. In most industries there used to be severe penalties for articially meddling with natural ingredients such as in the laws in Europe that prohibited anything other than water, barley, hops and malt in good beers or cutting flour with anything other than wheat flour. Back then, one was subject to losing a hand if they were caught with sawdust in their flour. Is sawdust too dissimilar from some of the tailings, sweepings and expanded tobacco in some of today's cigarettes?
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The very name English blend derived from the prohibition of anything other than pure tobaccos in pipe tobaccos. Personally, I believe that we could learn a lot from some of these past demands for quality. A least smokers of yesteryear knew what they were smoking. Imagine a truth in labeling law that required the listing of the real ingredients in commercially made cigarettes!
However, even in the realm of custom made blends few understand what is really in those pouches. If we did have more of an understanding of the basic component, we would be better able to consistently blend flavorful, aromatic smokes. For example where is that "Virginia" tobacco coming from?
The following will give a rough idea of just how many states produce "Virginia":
State Acres 1,000 lbs.
Burley
Kentucky 185,000 419,950
Tennessee 46,000 94,760
Virginia 11,000 22,605
Ohio 9,700 18,915
North Carolina 8,200 17,999
Indiana 6,400 13,440
Missouri 2,600 5,928
West Virginia 1,700 2,720
Total 270,600 596,317
Flue-cured
North Carolina 276,000 621,640
South Carolina 51,000 109,905
Georgia 43,000 103,845
Virginia 40,000 84,800
Florida 6,900 19,044
Total 416,900 939,234
Flue-cured and burley
United States 687,500 1,535,551
Source: Crop Production, 1990 Summary, USDA/NASS, January 1991.
Even the fine tobaccos produced inthe state of Virginia may be bright leaf, burley, fire cured or sun cured, four distinct types. This, of course, assumes that one knows that even the variety that produces this bright leaf may lead to red, black, dark, lemon, orange or orange-red and that doesn't even address other casings or cuts that lead to Cavendish. In truth, the tobacco companies actually obtain bright leaf tobacco from Africa, China, South America, India and elsewhere.
But, what about hte other incredible styles such as the Turkish or Balkan blends that add so much to your smokes. Even among those you have Xanthi, Komotini, Drama, Serrus, Samsun, Izmir, Latakia and others. While we're at it, don't forget the Perique, one of the most delicious of the "spice"tobaccos. So, what's in your pouch?
So often today we are combining proprietary, prepackaged, premixed blends that very few actually know what they are smoking. Real blenders do. Next time you are preparing to develop your own blend consider statring with the basics, the actual tobacco varieties themselves, and then taste each one, savor its flavor, enjoy its unique aroma, actually learn the characteristics of that unique variety. Is it hot on the tongue, does it dry the mouth, is there a residual sweetness, is it harsh and cloying, will it drive others from the room? After you have smoked that specific variety, what is the residual impression after a few minutes?
Blending fine tobaccos is not too dissimilar from tasting fine wines or creating a new microbrewed beer. Once you have familiaried yourself with each unique variety of tobacco and remembered those impressions, you will be far better able to consider them as ablend while savoring the characteristics of each.
[link]
- Re: BLENDING 101
- Posted by Smokin n Jokin on Tuesday, 13-Mar-2007
Most of the time I'm lucky if I can tell if it's mentholated or non-mentholated. The latitude and longitude that it was grown at, what kind of hand lotion the person that harvested it used and what they had for breakfast, and so on would be of absolutely no interest to me.
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- Re: BLENDING 101
- Posted by cheap & chippy chopper on Thursday, 12-Apr-2007
Clarence, I'm a-resonatin' with your profound interest in the fine points of all things Tobacco.
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I am newborn in the study. My first surprise two days ago was that Turkish (in the form of Ramback) is utterly wonderful. I thought it would be nothing more than a curiosity.
Second surprise: in these two days since delivery of my first-every MYO baccy order, I've created four blends that amaze and delight me. The latest this morning:
40% London Export, 40% Ramback, 20% Wintergold.
I challenge anyone to create a softer, yet fuller-flavored, yet milder, more ... mysterious... and yet 24/7 smokeable mix than this one.
Blending skills must be based on a something akin to the art of cupping: the ability to discriminate toward the best while perceiving all angles of each gem in a taste.
~ girl with new toys
- Latakia
- Posted by Clarence W. Walker on Tuesday, 13-Mar-2007
Anyone else experimenting with adding a small amount of Latakia to your blends. I have found that it adds an incredible new dimension and depth. Top this in in English style blend with just a tiny spitz of Cognac and let it meld for a few days to enjoy a delicious smoke.[link]
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- Re: Latakia
- Posted by Matt on Tuesday, 13-Mar-2007
Latakia is an acquired taste for sure. While I haven't tried it in a cigarette blend, I have smoked it in different pipe tobacco blends of various quality. I'd say Dunhill's Early Morning Pipe would be a great start for the beginner as something like Dunhill's Nightcap or Butera's Pelican would blow the first-timer away.
Back to the subject of cigarette tobacco...from whence does this Latakia come from that you've been blending?
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- Re: Latakia
- Posted by Clarence walker on Tuesday, 13-Mar-2007
I use Latakia that comes sin a small black tin. I'll have to check the maker. Really made for a pipe, but just a bit in blend with a light Cavendish and something to lighten the load a bit such as Rowlands Light is wonderful
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- Re: Latakia
- Posted by cheap & chippy chopper on Thursday, 12-Apr-2007
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Having discovered I'm a Turkish addict, dang I want to know this maker.
Clarence? :-)
- Re: Latakia
- Posted by cheap & chippy chopper on Thursday, 12-Apr-2007
"I'm a Turkish addict"
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yikes. should have written "heavy-duty aficionada of Ramback so far" but I guess I opted for brevity (for once.... enjoy it while you can, LOL).
- Re: Latakia
- Posted by Clarence Walker on Thursday, 12-Apr-2007
Once you're hooked, you're hooked, so be wary of great Turkish/Balkan/Latakia etc! Some GREAT Balkans coming later this month. To be announced later! I have begun blending the best Va I can find, Canadian, and a good Turkish as a smooth base in equal amounts, then a bit of light halfware & a small touch of Burley for more body, and a bit of Latakia (to taste) with a good peppering of Perique (Lousianna, not Kentucky). DELICIOUS![link]
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- try this mix
- Posted by adam on Monday, 12-Feb-2007
i mixed 5 parts windsail platinum with 4 parts two timer to 3 parts ramback its really tastes good give it a try. this is a really good web site ive learned alot just figured i would share.
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- Re: try this mix
- Posted by Captain U-96 aka Mike on Monday, 12-Feb-2007
It all depends on your taste at any particular time. I use 12 Grams Ramback, 10 G Windsail Platinum, and 6 G Two Timer. As a variation, try 14 G Ramback Gold & 14 g Venguer Platinum. You may also like equal parts Ramback Gold, and Two Timer. All of these blends, including yours, are tasty deviations from straight product. Then, there's Athey, 60% and 40% Ramback etc. Or, McClintock Full Flavor & 50% Ramback Gold! I don't think boredom is likely. Mike
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- Re: try this mix
- Posted by adam on Monday, 12-Feb-2007
thanks for the recipes i love trying new blends out im new to this and it blows the pre mades away.
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- Re: try this mix
- Posted by Captain U-96 aka Mike on Monday, 12-Feb-2007
Adam, I don't know how daring you are, but let me suggest a tobacco to work with. Try Five Brothers Smoking Tobacco out. You'll need to re-hydrate it to you liking, and will probably want to add some Ramback. This tobacco is the most potent I have ever smoked, even more potent than Cockstrong! Mike
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- Re: try this mix
- Posted by Smokin n Jokin on Monday, 05-Mar-2007
I haven't tried your mix yet but was just thinking. Seeing as how just about everything out there is a blend of virginia, burley and oriental why not just get a good golden virginia like Sagamore platinum gold or Lanes golden virginia, D&R's two timer burley and some turkish like ramback or RYO's turkish and just keep tweaking the blend until you end up with what you like.
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- Re: try this mix
- Posted by scott johnson on Monday, 05-Mar-2007
Someone on this forum posted before about their mix of D&R's Windsail, Two Timer, and Ramback in equal parts. I'm sure it would be tasty. I wish D&R had 6oz can available for sale. I just can't afford to buy 3 14oz packages at a time. And I don't think the 3.5oz tubs are that good of a deal, though I might order some to try the before mentioned mix.
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sj
- Re: try this mix
- Posted by michael on Sunday, 30-Sep-2007
SJ,
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You don't have to afford 3 bags at once, if you can come up with the scratch for a bag of Two Timer Gold and a bag of Ramback, you have the makings for an awesome smoke, I am having a blast mixing different proportions, smoking them at random, throughout the day surprising myself with tasty smoky treats.
- Re: try this mix
- Posted by Dash on Sunday, 30-Sep-2007
Been there, done that. I'm not a big fan of turkish tobacco. Two Timer and Ramback are ok by themselves but as far as I'm concerned they ruin anything you mix them with, especially a high quality bright virginia.
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- Cheap scales for blending tobacco
- Posted by Kerry on Wednesday, 08-Feb-2006
I have read the article(s) in RYOmag about nifty (and expensive) digital scales he recommended for use in blending tobacco. Of course, like so many of you I am sure, I balked at spending so much money on scales that cost so much even if they are capable of weighing within 1/10 of a gram accuracy. I mean, if my personal blend is off by a whole gram one way or the other, is that going to make THAT much difference? No!
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About a month ago I was perusing the local Deal's which sells "cheap" merchandise for $1 or less. I found two spring based scales for the kitchen. One was a table top model similar to cheap mail scales and the other was designed to be a hanging scale. Both scales were adjustable for "zeroing out" and had markings for both grams and ounces. While in the store I tested both scales using other products in the store to test accuracy from fractions of an ounce up to one pound. Needless to say, neither scale was exceptionally precise, but the one designed as a hanging scale was pretty close on all weights I tried.
So, I took the risk and spent the $1 plus tax and bought it.
Long story short, it has made a big difference for me in obtaining consistent blends for my 1-1-1 blend of Ramback, Windsail Platinum and Two-Timer. Now my three bags empty out at the same time and the taste and quality of the blend is very consistent. Just wanted to let y'all know that you don't have to be accurate to the tune of a $100 plus digital scale. A very cheap kitchen or postal scale can be very useful and save a lot of money!
Kerry
- Re: Cheap scales for blending tobacco
- Posted by Tim Aydt on Thursday, 09-Feb-2006
I purchased a cheap digital postal scales off eBay for about thirty bucks. Accurate to .2 of an ounce.
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- Re: Cheap scales for blending tobacco
- Posted by Kerry on Friday, 21-Sep-2007
I don't know why I didn't reply to this back when it was current, anyway...
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I don't need a scale to be accurate to .2 of an ounce. I mean, unless you are blending really small amounts of tobacco, that much won't make a difference.
The cheap scale provides me a consistent, if not accurate, measure of my tobacco so that my blends are uniform. By "not accurate" I only mean that I wouldn't trust it to show a true ounce or fraction of an ounce. However, it does work well as a "consistent" measure. Heck, I don't even need numbers on the scale, just weigh points for consistency.
My $1 cheap scale provides the latter in spades and then some!
- Cocksail Platinum
- Posted by Roger Miller on Sunday, 16-Apr-2006
Just blended Cockstrong+Windsail platinum(50/50).Very Good.May Be my new blend.The Cockstrong+S.J.was interesting.The C/S is pretty potent by itself,but using it as a blender with about any of the D&R tobaccos has been awesome!Anyone else use C/S in their blends?I'll keep a can of C/S in my stash at all times,in case anything ever gets boring!
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- Re: Cocksail Platinum
- Posted by Captain U-96 aka Mike on Monday, 12-Feb-2007
Let me suggest Five Brothers Smoking Tobacco! If you like CS, you'll be surprised when you try FB. Of coarse, you'll probably have to rehydrate it to your liking, but it's worth it. Mike
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- Ramback gold blending mate
- Posted by rom on Saturday, 11-Mar-2006
Thinking of ordering some Ramback gold, and from what I've read I'm afraid it might be a little light for me. Whats good to bring this blend up in strength and still have it taste good?
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I usually mix a little halfzware in my blends to give them some "bottom", would that work tastewise with Ramback Gold, or should I try Cockstrong or Two Timer or what?
- Re: Ramback gold blending mate
- Posted by Rob on Sunday, 12-Mar-2006
I think IF you like the 'full strength' Ramback go that way-that was just toooo much Turkish for me but I enjoy the Turkish taste very much in Ramback Gold (60%Ramback 40%Virginia.) (in fact I ordered another five pack pouch Friday nite---ok ;-) maybe it was 3-4 in the morning but the Knob Creek bourbon was sure a treat!let me tell ya folks it dont take much of that yummy nine year 100 proof to sit back & enjoy). I would think any halfzware that you like would mix well & remember D&R has that also in the RYback that I would compare to the new Drum with a little more birdseye which is a good sign,they also did the same treatment as the other GOLDs & now RYback Gold is out. I recieved a sample of two timer with my last order & was very impressed with the full non biting woodsy flavor that it had. Either way we MYO/RYO folks cant go wrong! IF something is too strong-just ad something else lighter & move on!!!
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Even though its not a halfzware I would say give Peter Stockkebye London export a try, alone & to blend.
Sorrry to the webmaster here about my bourbon remarks here & previous A. Fuente cigar remarks in previous posting but they all just meld into one big fluffy pillow when I start to write. Greetings from the Northwoods!!!
- Re: Ramback gold blending mate
- Posted by Kerry on Tuesday, 14-Mar-2006
Cockstrong has a very distinct flavor which might take away from the Turkish. You will have to try Cockstrong by itself to see for yourself.
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Two-Timer is a good blender and will add strength in tar and nicotine without taking away from the Turkish. You will end up with what would probably be considered more of an "American" blend, but quite good!
My personal blend is equal parts Ramback, Windsail Platinum and Two-Timer. Haven't tried the Gold versions. I guess I still like blending my own from scratch.
In any case, you won't be let down with any D&R product for quality tobacco. You just have to sort through and find what you like best.
- Re: Ramback gold blending mate
- Posted by Kev on Thursday, 16-Mar-2006
I can't suggest a Ramback blend but I'll agree with Kerry on Cockstrong since it's been my every day smoke (not blended) for about a year. The Charbon tubes mellow it. My second favorite is straight Two-Timer though it would be good for blending. The Two-Timer Gold is nice by itself and shouldn't overpower Ramback.
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If you desire something light but subtle then Penhooker Light might be nice. It's the spouses choice but I blend it with Arango Vanilla for her. Even the spouse who prefers lights will steal some of my Cockstrong since the Charbon tubes tone it down.
- Re: Ramback gold blending mate
- Posted by rom on Wednesday, 22-Mar-2006
Thanks for the suggestions everybody, I tried the two-timer and its a good smoke with ramback gold. I have also tried about 15-20% rowland with it and its a good smoke too, reminiscent of camel filters with rowlands chocolaty flavor. Next I'm going to try some halfzware, maybe drum, which I've always liked in small proportions in a blend.
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- Re: Ramback gold blending mate
- Posted by kendall l on Sunday, 25-Nov-2007
Stokkebye's Stockholm is a great blending mate for all things Turkish. it adds a Rich Smooth bottom without covering up the Turkish. I would put about 10% Stockholm in if you DON'T want to taste stright Stockholm in the blend but just a richer, smoother effect. OR add about 20% if you DO want to taste the sweetness and other soft tones it has under the louder smooth and rich flavors. Also, Two Timer is always a good additive. You could look at Two Timer as kind of a magnifying glass for the other tastes in a blend. it burns at a higher temp than the Turkish which helps bring the other flavors out stronger
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- blending with hand mixer
- Posted by william phillips on Monday, 26-Dec-2005
I have been blending 1 part Mclintock 1 part southern cross full flavor for some time using the old tried and true method. is there a better and easyier way you bet! iv been using a Kitchen Aid Hand Mixer this past week with unbelivable results.use on the slowest speed and aprox one quater LB of tabacco, blends in about a minute.Just had to share my find with this great fourm
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- Re: blending with hand mixer
- Posted by GuntherMP5 on Sunday, 16-Apr-2006
Doesn't blending with a kitchenaid hand mixer chop up the tobacco finer?
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I already have issues with the end tonnaco being to fine and packing to tight but I would like to fine a better way than mixing by hand and eye. I have a balance now but would like to speed up the mixing as that is probably the most time consuming. I do a 75/25% Windsale Platinum/Ryback mix, so you have a regular cut with a fine cut shag type tobbaco.
Any help in speeding up the mix would be appreciated.
- Rowland + Ramback Gold = Wow
- Posted by V.B. on Saturday, 12-Nov-2005
On impulse, I blended Rowland and Ramback Gold about 50/50 (I don't have scales). The result was even more attractive than Rowland blended with pure virginia (e.g., Bali Golden or Danish Export). The Turkish aroma/flavor together with the natural sweetness of high grade Windsail from Ramback Gold mixed with (and reduced) the cocoa flavor of Rowland, yielding an extremely well-integrated 'bouquet': distinctly 'American', yet also richer and subtly more 'exotic' than what I could ever get from mass-produced cigarettes. I can't say if this blend is close to Camel - I haven't smoked that brand more than just a few times many years ago (was too strong for me). But I found it irresistably flavorful, smoother than straight Rowland and more satisfying/richer than Ramback Gold on its own.
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- A Great Tobacco Blending Resource!!!
- Posted by Mikey on Wednesday, 01-Mar-2006
Hey, am new to MYO, and as like Oriental and Latakia-spiced experience, found myself looking at the pipe tobacco resources on web to see good possible 'kickers' for D&R's Ramgate (Turkish blend) and Windsail Platinum (bright, flue-cured Virginia) based offerings.
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Check out tobaccoblending.com, get into their advanced search engine, select CUTS: Ribbon, Shag and RECOMMENDATION: Recommended, Highly Recommended. Often you'll get complete breakdowns of tobaccos as well as a resource for highly recommended shags and ribbon-cuts you can blend with your ciggy tobacco.
So far, the manufacturers that seem to stand out consistently in offering likely 'spicy' blenders for the above D&R stuff are McClelland, Uhle's, GL Pease, Paul Olsen, Peter Stokkebye and Cornell & Diehl.
BTW, several burley-based tobaccos, e.g. Peretti, with interesting 'spices' (10% or less Syrian Latakia, Cyprian Latakia, Perique, Black Cavendish) for you Burley Lovers and Blenders.
Thanks for this site; very educational!
- A Couple Of Blends Using D&R
- Posted by MAJ on Saturday, 11-Feb-2006
This is a variation of a blend I saw on RYO Magazine, http://www.ryomagazine.com.
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All the the tobaccos are from D&R, http://cigarettetobacco.com.
50% Vengeur
25% Ryback
25% Ramback
The Vengeur has enough burley, etc. to give the blend an American taste, but you can still taste the Fire-Cured from the Ryback and Turkish from the Ramback. The Ryback is a pain to blend, but it was worth it.
With the new blends from D&R mixed with Mark Ryan's new Windsail Platinum, I am now smoking this blend.
34% Vengeur Platinum
34% Ryback Gold
32% Ramback Gold
This contains about 40% Windsail Platinum already mixed in with the three tobaccos. It is much lighter with a sweeter taste due to the Windsal Platinum.
- Current Favourite Blend
- Posted by JD on Friday, 04-Nov-2005
After mixing and matching a bit, I finally settled on (at least for the past week) this blend:
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40% Windsail Platinum
20% Two-Timer
15% Ramback
25% Penhooker Light
I blend the first three together first since they have a similar cut, then lightly toss with the Penhooker Light (a thicker, more coarse cut...sounds like I'm making a salad.) I like to blend a carton's worth at a time and keep it sealed at a *slightly* elevated moisture level for about a week and a half or two weeks before drying and stuffing into El Rey Lights (that's about how long it takes me to go through a carton). The flavours and aromas seem to meld together nicely this way, and it beats the snot outta the Marlboro Lights I wasted far too many years smoking. ;-)
- Re: Current Favourite Blend
- Posted by mikep on Wednesday, 22-Mar-2006
FYI, this blend is very much like a 1979 Marlboro, which is about 40% flue-cured virginias (about 8% of which is 'puffed'), 25% burley, 13% Turkish, the rest tasteless sheet and stem filler. The Penhooker Light as a filler seems like a good idea.
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- Re: Current Favourite Blend
- Posted by JD on Wednesday, 22-Mar-2006
That's the closest I could come to an old-timey Marlboro Light (circa early-mid 70's as you say), and the El-Rey light tube seems to really smooth it out. I wouldn't even bother to attempt to replicate the crap they put out these days. ;-)
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- Re: Current Favourite Blend
- Posted by JD on Wednesday, 22-Mar-2006
Lately I've gravitated towards a blend of 60% London Export with 40% McClintock FF in an El-Rey light tube. The delicate maturity of the London Export is enhanced wonderfully by the slightly sweet, almost fruity quality of the McCLintock FF. Good stuff.
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- Re: Current Favourite Blend
- Posted by mikep on Thursday, 23-Mar-2006
What's your take on the difference between Bali Red and London Export? Right this moment (ciggy hanging out of mouth just like my jazz playing days when you could play and smoke), I'm smoking 40% McClintock FF, 30% Bali Red, 30% American Spirit US Grown. Interesting...sweet with a bit of a growl (the AS US Grown).
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- Re: Current Favourite Blend
- Posted by JD on Thursday, 23-Mar-2006
The London Export, at least in my opinion, is fair milder with a far duskier aroma than the Bali Red. I buy a pouch of BR now and again to experiment with blends, but it never grabbed me much on it's own.
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- Re: Current Favourite Blend
- Posted by mikep on Thursday, 23-Mar-2006
Found some 'old-timey' blend info on tobaccodocuments.org; companies had to release internal blend/chemical analysis of cigs during lawsuit.
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Interesting that many blends during the 70's had a 2-1 ratio of burley to turkish (not counting the bits and bobs in the rubbish). Lucky Strike was 23% domestic flue-cured virginia, 23% imported flue-cured virginia, 20% air-cured burley (5% domestic & 15% imported), 9% Turkish, the rest reconstituted rubbish.
- Blending question
- Posted by V.B. on Sunday, 16-Oct-2005
I'd like to blend a couple of MYO tobaccos (say 3 oz of each) and I wonder what's the best way to do it. I don't want to end up with 6 oz of shake by having the long cut tobacco crumbled in the process.
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- Re: Blending question
- Posted by Dave L on Monday, 17-Oct-2005
I eyeball quantities and use a pulling and folding technique. Place the shorter cuts on top of the longer and pull and fold/lay the long over the short. Repeat, putting the short stuff that gets away on top of the pile. The short stuff filters down and gets caught in the long. I don't loosen shags first, they get loosened in the process.
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- Re: Blending question
- Posted by V.B. on Monday, 17-Oct-2005
The videos on blending at RYO Magazine website were very helpful. Thank you. Now I can put my stash of D&R Rowland - whose cocoa aroma I find excessively intrusive (fake) - to good use by blending it with Bali Red virginia which I find too neutral. Hopefully I'll get a sort of an American Blend, but of vastly better quality than what I'd get from any mass produced American cigarette.
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- Re: Custom Blends
- Posted by Jay Jennings on Friday, 03-Jun-2005
I am new to custom blending. I know i like clove cigs, but was unable to find ryo clove blends (i've searched the internet and hassled my local tobacco shop). Can anyone give me a detailed recipe for making my own clove blends. I am especially curious about what kind of clove to buy and what to do to the clove before blending it with the tobacco. any help would be much appreciated!
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- Re: Custom Blends
- Posted by Dave L on Friday, 03-Jun-2005
RYOT [had, apparently NLA] a Sagamore Clove Blend. Apparently the Djarum Filtra has been discontinued. RYOT no longer has it but a Google search turns up some possibilities.
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- Re: Custom Blends
- Posted by smoke signals on Thursday, 15-Sep-2005
Try using a grinder to grind up some organic clove ( you can find this at a natural food store ) and blend it into your tobacco. It doesnt crackle and pop like real cloves but it tastes really good. try mixing with a danish tobacco like bali shag red.
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- Re: Custom Blends
- Posted by jeff on Thursday, 15-Sep-2005
Well, this isn't exactly a custom blend, but as an experiment i poured a bit of rum over a pound of dry tobacco and let it dry out for a few weeks. It's quite nice....
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also, in another instance, i sprinkled a bit of amico fine cut mint flavored pipe tobacco into a pile of regular SYO tobacco and while not quite a menthol smoke, the cigarettes had a nice, fresh cool taste.
- Re: Custom Blends
- Posted by Ken on Monday, 02-May-2005
Someone asked about a menthol blend in one of the other forums. I thought I'd share a couple I've come up with it.
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I am still pretty new to this, but I started doing MYO I set out to try and get something that tastes like a Salem from a couple of decades ago. I don't think I have done that yet, but here is what I am smoking now:
-8 parts McClintock menthol
-2 parts McClintock Red
-1 part Bali Red
-1 part McClintock Virginia
I inject into Zen light tubes. The cigarettes are pretty strong, but the menthol is tamed down a bit from straight out of the can menthol.
Another one I have been playing with this week has some promise:
-4 parts D&R Wingate
-3 parts McClintock Virginia
-3 parts Bali Red
The Wingate is pretty powerful stuff, so with the menthol being only 40% of the blend it still has a full menthol blast.
I've been using mostly light tubes because even though I like a strong cigarette, full flavor tubes can get a little overwhelming.
I also have a can of Kite and a bag of H&R menthol that I have not been able to do much with. If anyone has some ideas on how to make these smokable I'd like to know.
- Re: Blending
- Posted by Tim Aydt on Saturday, 02-Apr-2005
It really helps to have a scales to measure out tobacco. A large mixing bowl is required. Once you have measured out the amounts of tobacco you wish to blend, dump it into the bowl and begin by pulling apart any clumps. If you are blending a shag, you will want to pay special effort to pull all the shag apart and not let it clump together again. Mix it by hand like you were mixing flour and sugar together. Keep mixing until you have a homogenous mixture. I then sift out the powdery tobacco with a wire mesh colander. The powdery stuff has a tendency to jam up your machine and make cigs hard to draw through. When that's done you are ready to stuff.
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- Re: Custom Blends
- Posted by Dan K on Sunday, 16-Jan-2005
This may sound really stupid but I like it. I use Lookout Halfzware tobacco. I add to this Timberwolf dip snuff which I dry out on a coffee warmer. The mint and peach flavor I use in a very small quantity in roll your own. I thought it would be really crappy but its not.
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- Using your own ingredients
- Posted by Amanda on Wednesday, 24-Nov-2004
Well, I had this idea of coming up with your own kind of cigarette that doesn't include nicotine or tobacco. Like using pieces of fruit herbs & candies along with juices. But it would taste good and it wouldn't be so harmful to your health. But my question is, what kind of paper can you use at home to make it with instead of the rolling paper you buy? Also, what do you think about this idea? Thanks!!
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- Re: Using your own ingredients
- Posted by Tim Aydt on Thursday, 25-Nov-2004
You could make your own paper, kind of like making fruit leather, or fruit rollups, but I don't think you could ever get it thin enough to work. Various plant leaves could be used, like lettuce, cabbage, etc. They would have to be cured like tobacco, so they would be pliable enough to roll.
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- Re: Custom Blends
- Posted by Dave S on Wednesday, 11-Aug-2004
Hi Gang
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I made a good blend this evening........
1 part Ramback
1 part Bali Blue
2 Parts McClintock Light
2 Parts Cockstrong
Injected into a very cool looking Vera Cruz Nocturne tube....(I'm burning one now)I find any tobacco is good in the Vera Cruz! The Ramback gives my blend that turkish flavor. The Bali Blue gives the blend that smokey taste that I enjoy in a blend. The McClintock which I don't care for alone, is very good for blending. The Cockstrong gives my blend the kick that I crave!
- Re: Custom Blends
- Posted by Tim on Tuesday, 27-Jul-2004
A little history. I was a long time Drum user back when it was imported. When it was no longer to be found on the shelves (in fact if you found some it was usually pretty old=nasty), I experimented with everything and usually found the alternative Dutch shags to be 'reasonable' substitutes...especially Bali Blue. Because we live in a society (the US) where rolling your own in public can be misconstrued as something else (I was told to leave a bar once because of what it appeared to the manager I was doing), I started the habit of rolling my own at home and smoking Camel straights on the road (anywhere outside of home). Out of curiosity (or boredom) I took apart a Camel straight and found the tobacco to be of extraordinarily high quality...quite different than any other Camel 'filtered' brand. In fact if you re-roll it with some quality papers by itself it is perhaps the finest single blend I can think of (per my taste of course). The tubes that RJR uses must be crap. Add some Bali Blue or any other HZware shag at varying proportions and you get equally varying (and quite good) mixtures. Sometimes Camel straights are quite stale so one needs (after testing) to rehydrate them (a slice of apple in an airtight container for 24hrs will do the trick). I don't know what the exact blend is that RJR uses but I've tried every permutation of Turkish blends out there on the market and nothing comes close.
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- Re: Custom Blends
- Posted by Jennifer on Friday, 16-Jul-2004
I placed an order with lil brown. My usual smoke H&R regular along with some H&R light and a pouch of butterly mild shag. The H&R light and the butterfly make a nice combo. In my plastic injector I placed a layer of H&R light and a little butterly on top of that, then another layer of H&R light. I injected that in a zen full flavor tube. Its quite nice. Alone the butterfly is to strong for my tastes. With the H&R I still get the flavor of the butterfly in a much smother and milder smoke. Its nice to have something a little differant every now and then.
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- Re: Custom Blends
- Posted by dave s on Friday, 09-Jul-2004
Hello All.....
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I have a can of McClintock light. It's good tasting tobacco however, it seems to burn hot and tickle the back of my througt. Would using 10% to 20% turkish mello out the smoke? Mayby I could just mix it with some other tobacco. I have a bag of Cockstrong on the way. Perhaps I'll try 50/50 Cockstrong/McClintock. Localy I can get the Sampson Turkish tobacco, Has anyone tried that?
- Re: Custom Blends
- Posted by Kurt Wall on Friday, 09-Jul-2004
As a rule, Turkish tobacco (that's really Turkish and not something else that's had Turkish tobacco waved over it) will mellow out the smoke. I personally didn't care for Cockstrong (it seemed to smother my taste buds), but my dad really likes it.
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- Menthol Customs
- Posted by Tim_Mc on Wednesday, 16-Jun-2004
So... anyone have any good "recipes" for a top notch mentholated cigarette? I've got a new girlfriend that smokes menthols mostly, I would love to show her what SYO can do for her too.
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- Re: Menthol Customs
- Posted by Tim_Mc on Monday, 15-Nov-2004
For those looking for a good menthol, I finally figured out a very very nice blend. I would equate this blend to be most like a slightly less mentholated Marlboro 72.
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Note:
I use all Daughters and Ryan (D&R) tobacco these days, substitute as appropriate.
1/4 Wintergreen (Wintergold)
1/4 Wingate Full-flavored menthol
1/2 Rowland (Ameriflavor marlboro like mix)
I blend the tobacco by hand and use a non-mentholated tube, typically a Gizeh Silver Light or El Ray Light.
The resulting taste is very complex and very exciting. It has a good hearty menthol taste right off the draw with the bite of the natural wintergreen oils following that. The aftertaste of a draw is wintergreen and (ready?!) CHOCOLATE. I believe the Rowland gives this subtle infusion of chocolaty goodness. It's not flavored and its not overdone. It IS very very tasty though.
Try it and see what I mean. The conventional menthols are a bit too mentholy for a lot of menthol smokers today since many conventional packaged menthol smokes have veered to variations of menthol + mint taste. The wintergreen (Wintergold) solves this taste divergence in a natural way using a golden Virginian tobacco and all-natural wintergreen oils. What adds is a spectacular undercurrent of taste. But smoked alone it doesn't provide enough menthol flavor for the average menthol smoker.
Enjoy.
- Re: Menthol Customs
- Posted by Rick on Sunday, 20-Feb-2005
I am very new to MYO, so have not had the experience with different cigarette tobaccos. I used to smoke a pipe occasionally, but have not for many years. First, let me say that I have been reading a lot and appreciate everyone sharing their ideas and experience in this 'hobby'.
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I previously smoked Marlboro Menthol's and wanted to first duplicate them as a first step. Price was important to me too, and the major push for me to stuff. My local tobacconist recommended Stokers #2 menthol ($16/#). I found this too strong on the menthol for my tastes. I returned and bought another bag of Stokers #2 non-menthol and mixed them.
I like a fairly stiff draw, so 2 pounds of mix yields about 1000 sticks. I stuff with a Supermatic and Premier tubes. Not exactly a Marlboro, but a pretty good smoke at a small fraction of the price.
- Personal Blends and a Tip
- Posted by Kurt Wall on Sunday, 09-May-2004
First, the tip: To get the true flavor from a blend of your favorite tobaccos, create the blend and then place it in a small container for one or two days to allow the various flavors to marry and mingle. If you don't allow the blend to mature this way, you end up tasting the individual components, rather than the blend. I've also found adding moisture during the marrying process and packing the blends into a tight container enhances the blend's flavor and enables the blended flavor to be more complete.
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Personal Blend #1:
1 part Midnight Special
1 part D&R Ramback Turkish
The Midnight Special is a fairly neutral tasting tobacco that burns more readily and evenly than Ramback, whereas Ramback has a full but extremely mild flavor. Together, they taste great, the Ramback imparting a mouth-filling flavor that smooths out the potentially harsh Midnight Special. A very satiny smoke.
Personal Blend #2:
6 parts D&R G.R. Rimboche (Green River Acadian Perique)
4 parts D&R Ramback Turkish
I've written in the Tobacco section about the virtues of S.J. Rimboche (Saint James Parrish Perique). The Green River Perique is comparable. What I like about this blend is that the rich, complex flavor of the Perique blend nicely complements and brings out the subtle flavor of the Ramback. The aroma is delightful. Like my first blend, the fine cut G.R. Rimboche burns better than the Ramback, allowing you to taste the Ramback's undeniable Turkish flavor without having to smoke so hard or getting the stick so hot.
- What I'm smoking this week
- Posted by Puffaddict on Tuesday, 06-Apr-2004
I started blending bali shag turkish with drum about 50-50 at first and it was a pretty good smoke. Then expermented with adding some bali shag golden shag and it was a pretty good smoke too :)
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After a trip to a local tobacco store I blended the following and think I might stick with it a while.
5 parts bali shag turkish
1 part galoises hand rolling tobacco
3 parts drum
2 parts bali shag golden shag
The galoises is for me too strong to smoke alone but adds some strength and character to the blend that might otherwise be missing. All of the blends Ive expermented with so far have been about half bali shag turkish and after trying that tobacco, though its too mild for me to smoke by itself, its become an indespensible part of the blends I make for myself.
I like the blend above well enough that I think I'll stick with it awhile.
- Re: What I'm smoking this week
- Posted by Dave S on Wednesday, 11-Aug-2004
How do you blend the shag tobacco
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- Blending question, bulk tobacco
- Posted by Puffaddict on Monday, 29-Mar-2004
A blending question for you all.
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I recently blended about 1 part durm, 1 part bali shag golden shag and 2 parts bali shag turkish blend. It was by far and away the best cigarette I ever smoked.
Ive decided to try to duplicate this flavor with some less expensive / bulk tobacco and want opinions on how that might be done.
What tobaccos would make good substitutes for the above?
I was thinking D&R Three Sails instead of the golden shag and D&R Rambeck instead of the turkish blend.
Opinions?
- Re: Blending question, bulk tobacco
- Posted by Kurt Wall on Monday, 29-Mar-2004
The Ramback isn't a shag, so I'm not sure how well that would work in terms of its cut. I can't address the flavor comparison between the Turkish Blend and Ramback because I've never tried the Turkish Blend, but I've sure like the Ramback.
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- Re: Blending question, bulk tobacco
- Posted by Dave L on Tuesday, 30-Mar-2004
Bali Turkish is a very nice subtle tobacco, the lightest component of your blend. Ramback is much stronger and would become the dominating component. From what I've read, I would guess Peter Stokkebye Turkish and maybe G.A. Andron's Turkish Special would be closer matches. I don't think I would put Ramback and Drum in the same blend...but you might be interested in Bob's Ramback review (Ramback w/ Bali red/Two Sails).
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- Re: Blending question, bulk tobacco
- Posted by Tim Aydt on Friday, 02-Apr-2004
Although I haven't tried Bali Golden Shag, yet, I made up some cigs the other night that were one part Drum, one part Bali Turkish, and two parts H&R Light. These were smooth, yet strong and flavorful. I currently use the H&R light as a base for all my blends. If I'm in a hurry I smoke it straight and it still has a very good flavor all by itself. Since it is less than $10 per pound, I can afford to spend more on the tobaccos that I blend into it.
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ps. If Three Sails is anything like their WindSail Light it will be hard to stuff and Ramsback will overpower everything you put it with.
- My Wife's Blend
- Posted by Tim Aydt on Friday, 03-Oct-2003
I finally found a blend that my wife likes better than the WindSail Light straight.
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1 part LookOut Vanilla Shag
3 parts WindSail Light
The combination is smoother than either one is separately. The LookOut Vanilla Shag adds just a hint of vanilla flavor.
- My third blend
- Posted by Tim Aydt on Friday, 26-Sep-2003
Unable to find tins of Bali Turkish Shag locally I thought I'd try the Ramsback Turkish as a cost saving alternative, my mistake.
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6 parts Stoker's Number 2 Light
1 part Drum
1 part Ramsback Turkish
Ramsback has a stronger taste, but it is much easier to blend. Different from the Bali, not as pleasant to smoke.
- My second blend
- Posted by Tim Aydt on Friday, 26-Sep-2003
This was an attempt to get a smoother smoke than my first blend and use up the Gambler light I had on hand.
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4 parts Stoker's Number 2 light
2 parts Gambler light
1 part Drum
1 part Bali Turkish Shag
Observations:
Smoother, not as strong. This time I tore the shags into much smaller pieces, making it much easier to blend it all together.
- My first blend
- Posted by Tim Aydt on Friday, 26-Sep-2003
This blend was based on directions found in RYO Magazine. www.ryomagazine.com
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4 parts Stoker's Number 2 light
1 part Drum
1 part Bali Shag Turkish
Observations:
Good flavor. Have trouble getting a homogeneous blend, because the Drum and the Bali Shag tend to clump together, causing a non-uniform flavor across a group of cigarettes made at the same time.
- Ramback and Value Brand
- Posted by Dave L on Friday, 26-Sep-2003
I prefer light tobaccos and Ramback is just to strong for me. Using 3 parts VB to 1 part Ramback was still very much Ramback...Think I'll try just a bit of Ramback with H&R light.
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- Re: ramback w/ flavoring
- Posted by Karen on Monday, 28-Aug-2006
I love Ramback, straight up, no blending. (Of course, I'm not a regular smoker, and have only once smoked a manufactured cig--wasn't impressed and I wondered what all the hubbub was about.) Anyway, thought I'd share an idiea for those who are looking for something a little different--I am thinking about flavoring the Ramback with a bit of homemade vanilla extract, which is essentially vanilla beans steeped in a strong alcohol, usually vodka and/or rum. I added a touch of store-bought vanilla to Ramback and it smells great(haven't smoked it yet). I imagine an even better experience with homemade extract. [link]
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- Re: ramback w/ flavoring
- Posted by Bob on Wednesday, 30-Aug-2006
Whoo dude-smokin' booze? RADical!!!
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