Allowing A Blend To "Meld"

[Storm_Crow]

I get the idea behind pressing a mixture. I can see how that might marry the flavors as the oils of the various leaves intermingle under pressure.

On the other hand, I often hear of folks letting a blend just "sit" as a way to do the same thing...just a few different tobaccos mixed loosely together. I'm somewhat skeptical of what this actually does to meld the flavors of the various baccys in a blend, but I was hoping someone might be able to shed some light on whether this practice has any real effect...and why?

 

[alfredo_buscatti]

One aspect of pressing tobacco to encourage melding is that, obviously, the different strands of the tobacco are much closer together than they would otherwise be. Whatever chemical changes that are produced by putting the blended tobacco in a jar, melding increases by the tobaccos proximity, facilitating chemical interchange.

 

[mark]

Although contact of the loose strands of tobacco may not be ideal, as with compression, they are still in contact and volatile oils, moisture and toppings/casings will travel,,,at a slower pace, but the blend will homogenize eventually

 

[cigarstorejay]

I think, as with people, the longer the tobaccos hang together, the more comfortable they become. They will grow and mature together, thus providing a more complex and interesting smoke. Maybe mellowing, maybe strengthening who knows?

Like Nike, Just do it.

8)

 

[smokey422]

C&D used to offer pressing of their blends for $2/lb. I haven't visited their website lately to see if they still do it or if the price has gone up. I know some of their blends, like 970P Pirate Kake come already pressed.

Smokey