So is anyone else doing tbe P&C Fusion Lab blending thing?

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Blackhorse

Blackhorse

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I've got an order on the way from the Pipes and Cigars Fusion Lab. I ordered the following tobaccos:

Lg. Yellow VA Flake
Toasted Burley
Dark Air Cured Burley
Cigar Leaf
Smyrna

If anyone else has their toe in this, let's compare notes! If you don't plan to participate, I'm always open to knowledgable suggestions as to proportions, etc.
 
BH

Guess I'm not up to speed on the Fusion Lab thing. I assume it's meant for home blending and one gets in the various elements in which to do this?

Maybe I should go to their site and check it out? Think I'll do that.

Sure am enjoying that blend you sent me of 5100 Red cake, 5105 Stoved VA, and Perique.


Cheers,

RR
 
I tried my hand at blending about 5 years ago, and it was such a dismal failure that I've yet to get back in the ring. Although my thought has been that most blenders bring a lot more expertise to the table, and that I was satisfied to smoke their efforts, I might try to blend again sometime in the future.

If I did try again I'd get a good scale that can discriminate tenths of an oz. I needed that to do small scale blending and not have concoctions left over that I didn't want to smoke.
 
You're on the right wavelength re: the lab (picture me as I kind of Tim Curry/Gene Wilder combo...white lab coat...crazed laughter). lol

Added benefits are present and spelled out on the site...instant and eternal fame!!! ie. your own custom blend ready for purchase on their site so you and others can buy it. That, plus good quality blending components available for around two bucks per ounce, available in one ounce increments. For blending your own at a low start up outlay, it doesn't get much better.

But AB is right...you do need access to an accurate gram scale so you can keep precise records of your experiments and get good weight proportions back to them. I have the digital postal scale that was a gift from our friend on the far side of Seattle when we did the Herfer's First And Only Annual Pipeweed Pass. Surprisingly, it's startlingly accurate, so I'm covered.

Also, Russ O. has pledged to be available to participating blenders to help get on and keep on track by providing suggestions along the way. That's what sold me. I want a clear target, not a shot in the dark.
 
Blackhorse":ste8v3gu said:
You're on the right wavelength re: the lab (picture me as I kind of Tim Curry/Gene Wilder combo...white lab coat...crazed laughter). lol

Added benefits are present and spelled out on the site...instant and eternal fame!!! ie. your own custom blend ready for purchase on their site so you and others can buy it. That, plus good quality blending components available for around two bucks per ounce, available in one ounce increments. For blending your own at a low start up outlay, it doesn't get much better.

But AB is right...you do need access to an accurate gram scale so you can keep precise records of your experiments and get good weight proportions back to them. I have the digital postal scale that was a gift from our friend on the far side of Seattle when we did the Herfer's First And Only Annual Pipeweed Pass. Surprisingly, it's startlingly accurate, so I'm covered.

Also, Russ O. has pledged to be available to participating blenders to help get on and keep on track by providing suggestions along the way. That's what sold me. I want a clear target, not a shot in the dark.
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From my experience, I'd use both the dark burley and cigar leaf in 5-7.5% quantities to start. I would also add Latakia to my list of blending tobaccos, since I found that it could smooth out a rough blend in small amounts. A minimum of 3-5 days, with several weeks even better, to allow your mixtures time to meld a bit.
 
Oooh! I hear and obey.

Thanks JP! I'll take that advice gladly. Any thoughts on how to handle the supposedly flakey Yellow VA and/or the Toasted Burley?

I'm sure this is rather humerous, but as an experiment I get a quarter pound of each of those and only an ounce each of the other tobaccos...to use like salt & pepper. I had thought about doing the two foundationals in equal amounts at, say 40% each. That's 80% and if the dark burley and cigar are at 5% - 7.5% each that leaves 5% - 10% for the Smyrna and whatever else. If I don't balance the Yellow VA and Toasted Burley via using them in an even proportion, which would you put at the front? And like...60:40?.....70:30? It would help to just have a starting point in a sane and rational direction.

It's already a dedicated blend, name-wise, or I'd do you the honor...not that you'd want it. lol I have a well earned but very dubious reputation for honoring things. Most of my friends head for shelter fast if they detect me warming up in that direction.

Anyway, thanks again for the help.
 
Storm Crow (BOB member) and I are going to be blending as well. We just received a large order from Pipesandcigars. We kid of ordered a lot of a little. Being new to the whole blending thing I was not sure what direction to take. I figure its a win win situation though. I get to smoke all of my experiments, quality control is very important. :lol:
 
Yea, we've got:

Dark air cured burley
toasted burley
white cube burley

yellow VA
wide cut VA
stoved VA

black cavendish

perique

latakia

cigar leaf

smyrna
turkish

coffee cavendish
maple cavendish
chocolate cavendish
honey cavendish

...I might of missed one or two...

As far as direction, as long as it has cigar leaf we're going in the right direction. I'm tempted to meld alot of different things together, but the more that's added the more challenging I figure it will be to get the flavors to meld and the proportions right. A good blend may very well be a case off keeping it simple.

I've played with a few combos and found the sweet, smoothness I was going for, but the blends I've made so far seem to lack body. Can anyone suggest which baccy might be best for that without making it harsh?
 
Red Va always came off a bit ashy in my mouth, and the dark burlies can get a bit harsh in too great a quantity. Both are recommended for body by Russ. Maybe I'll add some dark burley in there in modest quantities just to round the blend out.
 
Blackhorse":nqkken3i said:
Oooh! I hear and obey.

Thanks JP! I'll take that advice gladly. Any thoughts on how to handle the supposedly flakey Yellow VA and/or the Toasted Burley?

I'm sure this is rather humerous, but as an experiment I get a quarter pound of each of those and only an ounce each of the other tobaccos...to use like salt & pepper. I had thought about doing the two foundationals in equal amounts at, say 40% each. That's 80% and if the dark burley and cigar are at 5% - 7.5% each that leaves 5% - 10% for the Smyrna and whatever else. If I don't balance the Yellow VA and Toasted Burley via using them in an even proportion, which would you put at the front? And like...60:40?.....70:30? It would help to just have a starting point in a sane and rational direction.

It's already a dedicated blend, name-wise, or I'd do you the honor...not that you'd want it. lol I have a well earned but very dubious reputation for honoring things. Most of my friends head for shelter fast if they detect me warming up in that direction.

Anyway, thanks again for the help.
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If it were me, I'd do two blends, using 45% Va and 35% burley in one, and reverse the %s for the other. I'd also play a bit with the %s of the other tobaccos. Mix up small batches so you can decide the mixtures you like best. Another thing I alwas did was smoke a small bowl of each blending component so I knew for sure how each one tasted solo. The real trick, I believe, is figuring out how much of each tobacco to use to end up with the flavor profile you have in mind. It took me over 6 months to work out the best four Virginias to use in my Quadruple Virginia.
 
Excellent starting point. Many thanks.


Now this is a great example of how great BoB is...here I've got my favorite 'world class blender' advising me on process and proportions to make a private blend. Is this seriously excellent, or what?
 
tiltjlp, if you do not mind me asking, how did you approach Storm Front? I love it and would like to hear about it.
 
Lestrade":d3pqz9v6 said:
tiltjlp, if you do not mind me asking, how did you approach Storm Front? I love it and would like to hear about it.
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First off, I named it because while I was finishing the blend, a very severe storm front actually passed though the area. What I had wanted was a burley blend similar to many American Classic Blends, aka OTCs, but with more body, and a distinct difference. Once I settled upon which burleys to use, I tried adding small amounts of Latakia, and then Latakia and Perique, but neither mixture resulted in what I wanted. So I tried adding some McConnell Pure Caribe, and it came very close to what I was looking for, but not quite. So I ordered some cigar leaf from the Blending Tobacco section of 4noggins, and when I added it, it was very close. After letting the last combination meld for about a week, I tried it again, and Storm Front was born.
 
Well, having the advertised benefit of the help and expertise of Russ O. at tbe P & C site for blending guidace, I finally received an ansswer. He had been larking off at some west coast pipe show and had just returned.

Whereas I had requested a starting point in terms of proportions so that my small bags of tobacco and I don't just spin our wheels...what I again received (this was my second request) was a very generic reply...ie. use more of the toasted burley and sweeten ut with the VA...use the others sparingly. Well, I knew that much...but as this is a competition of some kind (that part kinda went over my head, I guess) he has to be rather generic so as not to favor one over the other, etc.

One thing I DID find of help was to review blends I liked and seek descriptions of ratios for them. Of course, many of my favs are those nasty Brit flakes, and there are some rough proportions cited, but I figured there was so much processing after the blending that it would skew the potential ressults too much. So I picked a blender I like a great deal that often gives some specific starting points (initials JP). Then J looked at a listing kf hisblends and saw that I had chosen component tobaccos that be favored in several of bis blends. Of course, where he might use 4 VA's as the VA, and 2 or 3 Burleys fof the burley base...and I only have one or two as opposed to six or seven...que sera sera. A good starting point has been achieved...thanks to our own membership...

% Tobacco

45 Toasted Burley
35 Yellow VA
10 Dark Burley*
5 Cigar Leaf*
5 Smyrna*

* items will be rotated in strength in initial trials.

All for now, gotta go.
 
Blackhorse":ehjozp5x said:
Well, having the advertised benefit of the help and expertise of Russ O. at tbe P & C site for blending guidace, I finally received an ansswer. He had been larking off at some west coast pipe show and had just returned.

Whereas I had requested a starting point in terms of proportions so that my small bags of tobacco and I don't just spin our wheels...what I again received (this was my second request) was a very generic reply...ie. use more of the toasted burley and sweeten ut with the VA...use the others sparingly. Well, I knew that much before I started and said as much in my requezt for help. So that was worthless.

One thing I DID find of help was to review blends I liked and seek descriptions of ratios for them. Of course, many of my favs are those nasty Brit flakes, and there are some rough proportions cited, but I figured there was so much processing after the blending that it would skew the potential ressults too much. So I picked a blender I like a great deal that often gives some specific starting points (initials JP). Then J looked at a listing kf hisblends and saw that I had chosen component tobaccos that be favored in several of bis blends. Of course, where he might use 4 VA's as the VA, and 2 or 3 Burleys fof the burley base...and I only have one or two as opposed to six or seven...que sera sera. A good starting point has been achieved...thanks to our own membership...

% Tobacco

45 Toasted Burley
35 Yellow VA
10 Dark Burley*
5 Cigar Leaf*
5 Smyrna*

* items will be rotated in strength in initial trials.

All for now, gotta go.
Click to expand...
I think that's a fairly decent starting point. The ones I would suggest playing around with would be to lessen the toasted burley and increase the dark burley for more flavor/body, and increase the cigar leaf in small increments, since too much can dominate your blend. Those five tobaccos should allow you to experiment enough to find out if you have the knack to come up with blends that you will enjoy.
 
I got a follow-up note from Russ saying he had read my post here, bitching about the low level of direction.

(Hi Russ! Ol' buddy ol' pal!)

He also explained why...due to having to be equally fair to all concerned...as it's a competetive thing...a contest. Okay BH...read the copy, then bitch, if needed. So - foot in mouth disease. Pretty common for me. Apologies.

He did provide a bit more direction and since I was right in the middle of mixing various formulae, I started two lines of 'blend potential' one from his comments...one based on John's suggestions. Interesting. Though different, and with a different rationale behind them, both seem to be excellent starting points. (at this point, stated formulas will be a thing of the past) I'll just say that one track ramps up the Dark Burley to enhance flavor...the other cuts it back to minimize harshness.

Hey...this is fun! This is what I was hoping for...bubble, bubble, toil and trouble and all like that.

So at this point I've put together 5 blends...three based on my initial research and the two following the expert advice. I've smoked two bowls each of the last two, one in a small bowled Canadian and one in a Meer. These are 'pre-melding' samples just to get a taste of what they're like 'raw' and to see what, if anything, changes. I plan to let 'em sit a week. Then re-taste.

Some initial impressions: one, that even though present in very small proportions, the Turkish weed really made its presence known; two, that even though the proportion of the Turkish was the same in the two, it was much more forward in kne than the other; three, that even at this very initial point I have a clear favorite (so far).
 
I didn't realize it was a contest. No matter, since my comments are simply my opinion, and are on the open forum for anyone to use or ignore. And yes, using more dark burley will result in a harsher mix, which I feel gives the blend a pleasant edginess.
 
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