Have I missed any blends with cigar leaf?

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Blackhorse

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I posted this listing in another thread. I didn't list the blending stuff that a number of manufacturers have. But I'm working my way through the list and wanted to make it complete. Help me out!

Blends that include cigar leaf:

John Patton (via 4-Noggins): Storm Front, Hodge Podge & Latakia Junction
Russ Ouellette (via Pipes & Cigars): Stogie, Virginia Spice & Strike Force
Cornell & Diehl : 412A: Billy Budd, 420: Habana Daydream, Purple Cow, Grey Ghost & Billiard Room
Pipeworks & Wilke: Churchill
Robert Lewis: 123 Mixture
Fox: The Bankers
Peretti's: Cuban Mixture & Blend 500
McClelland: Dominican Glory & DG Maduro
GLP: Robusto & Key Largo
Tambolaka: Tambolaka
Iwan Ries: Canadian Plug
Robert McConnell: Various, for Blending...and others as well, not listed.

The blends that I know pretty well and would recommend are in bold face.

If anyone out there knows of others, please let me know, as I'd like to get together a comprehensive listing.
 
You've got more than I would have come up with. I'd really like to know your opinions on each, and at least which ones you like vs those you don't.

Cigar leaf is very hit-or-miss in pipe tobacco. When it works, it works very well, but when it fails, which is more common, it's very one-dimensional.

Billy Bud is champs for me.
 
Looks like a pretty comprehensive list to me, but as many blends as there are available, I wouldn't be surprised if there were more. I agree on the Billy Budd, it is my preferred one.
 
Slight error on my part. I'd forgotten to bold the blends like I said I had.

Note: What I look for in a cigar blend isn't a blend that (a) tastes like a cigar (cause there isn't one) but a blend in which the cigar leaf significantly enhances what is already there, or (2) a blend where even though the cigar leaf might not be able to be detected...is just damn good!

Now, a couple of you have already id'd Billy Budd as a top choice. I regret to say that it's not for me. It has FAR too much latakia in it for my enjoyment. I seem to have delevoped a sensitivity to the "L" weed and can only tolerate blends in which it plays a subtle, condimental role.

My favorite blends with cigar leaf are as follows:

My Number One: Storm Front. Two Burleys and Cigar Leaf. Starts 'Burley sweet' and burns quickly to the mid-point with TONS of smoke. Very easy to ignite and manage. Needs frequent light tamping til mid-point. Then it 'darkens' re: the flavor profile and goes to the end with an almost 'Dark Gawithian Goodness'.

Others: Stogie: not as sweet on the start as Storm Front, but a related profile. Excellent. Churchill: Very nutty-Burley at the start and shifts profile like the prior two. Cuban Mixture and Peretti's 500 are of a kind as they contain a range of tobaccos that are very high quality and offer balance from start to finish. The Cuban mixture is very engaging and keeps your interest with that weave of flavors thing. The 500 is more of a codger type outdoor blend. The Bankers is an interesting blend in which Latakia is condimental - I used to LOVE it, but it's faded down my list due to the discovery of the others listed as well as it's latakia component. Pipe smokers are, if anything, fickle! lol

Last Note: As many, many pipe guys LOVE Billy Budd...many of you will likely prefer some of the other options listed. As always, explore, play, enjoy yourself in whatever way suits your preferences. It's all OK.
 
Compton's of Galashiels - Cuban Blend
Hermit - Antique Pressed Cigar Leaf
Hermit - Extra Vintage Cigar Leaf
C&D #526 chopped cigar leaf

The C&D is a blend of burley and cigar leaf, meant for blending I suspect. The Hermit's will have to come from someone's cellar, and they are heavy on the Latakia. Compton's is a long wait for shipping as some of the blending leaf is often out of stock. I think I waited 6 weeks or so last year. Maybe 8 weeks. It's got quite a bit of Latakia also.
 
Thanks for the list, I need to try the ones I've missed. I love cigar leaf blends and Peretti Cuban Mix is my favorite since the demise of Dunhill Mr. Alferd's Own. Billy Bud is my second favorite. I'm still not sure about Stogie; its nice at first but after the half bowl mark all I taste is dark or fire-cured burley, and with a name like Stogie, I expected a more significant cigar leaf presence.
 
Carlos - I didn't list the ones you mentioned pretty much for the reasons you described...they are either blenders or generally unavailable. It seems to me that there are enough blends that I can't get already. Snarl!

aadelma - Good Point...

I'm still not sure about Stogie; its nice at first but after the half bowl mark all I taste is dark or fire-cured burley, and with a name like Stogie, I expected a more significant cigar leaf presence.
...but first off, I can't be held responsible for your 'expectations' re: more or less 'presence' (lol) and second...that taste of dark fire cured Burley is a main reason that I like those blends...deepened further (as far as my taste buds go) by the cigar leaf. It's like this..I love JackKnife Plug...to make it better I would add a component that 'darkens' it from the Kentucky profile it has...which I've done by adding 30% - 50% rubbed out Gawith Dark Flake (or plug). Good stuff! To each his own. Caveat Emptor.

BTW: There are other cigar blends available at Rich's I think, some of them not on the menu, all of which are high quality, interesting and expensive. You get what you pay for.
 
Aadelma: Suggestion....Try some C&D Engine 99 and just add some of your own favorite cigar leaf. Either cut the end of your favorite cigar and run it through a grinder or grind the butt of a cigar you have not chomped on after removing the ash which is what I have done. Just try some because you may find that you like the result.
 
Many thanks for the Engine #99 suggestion. Of course, I can always add a little more cigar leaf to the Stogie and see what happens. I actually do like it when a burley blend finishes off with a blast of dark burley, but it goes on a bit long in Stogie for my tastes. For anyone who really likes dark burley, I would recommend C&D Burley Flake #4. It is a very stout blend.
 
Well, I got motivated to try the adding of cigar leaf to a high latakia blend today.

Freaking spectacular. Totally correct LI.

So, with that in mind, I may start on a pilgrimage through the various cigar leaf pipe blends listed here so kindly by BH.
 
I agree with the Compton's Cuban Style IMO it is the best cigar blend I have ever had. :shock:
 
Yeah, I've heard very good things about Compton's Cuban Blend. I guess the source is out of Canada and the website says that shipping will be at least 4 - 6 weeks average. It's $27 US per 100 g. plus $12 shipping...and they recommend getting multiple items, etc. to make shipping more 'reasonable'. After a little math it looks like it's about twice the price of 'normal' items available down here in the USofA. But...if it's what you want...
 
Having been redirected to this thread I thought I'd add my tiny bit here.

I recently discovered Habana Daydream by C&D. My first cigar leaf blend, and likely to remain unsurpassed. Beautiful stuff.
 
RURALDEAN - thanks for chiming in here. I too keep reading and hearing very positive comments about Habana Daydream...people seem to LOVE it. One day I'll likely add it to an order.

I had to chuckle at the 'comment line' regarding your poor departed grandpa. Was he laughing maniacally or snoring when he went off the cliff?
 
This is slightly off topic, but, I just received some of GH's Sweet Whiskey rope. It tastes surprisingly 'cigarish' at least to my taste buds.

I haven't the foggiest if there is actual cigar leaf in there, but thought it was worth a mention.
 
Most of those brown twists have a noticable cigar note to them, as well as the Dark Flake and Plug. There's no cigar leaf in it...just a function of the fire curing or whatever it is they do to it to get that slight smokey flavor...it's one of the reasons I love the stuff. The 'Sweet Whiskey' AND the Sweet Rum twists are favorites of mine as the subtle flavoring just takes the edge off the dark goodness...I like the Rum best. You should also try that if possible and the Dark Flake for SURE. To me, those are among the world's best!
 
Three responses:

1) Opinion is different from 'knowledge'.

2) I have no life.

3) Help me, I've fallen and I can't shut up!




In my last order shipped in from Mars I obtained some Cornell and Diehl Blending Cigar Leaf (delivered extremely dry...crackly) and some G&H Kendal Mixed (finely cuttotally straight weed...NO flavors or casing of any kind). Already...using alternating pinches of each as a load a bowl smoked really well. I think I'll play with this and also take some of my sorta dead cigars and maybe do a test between Maduro, Ecuadoran Sumatra and Habano...maybe adding them to a medium cut fairly bland blend will allow some distinction between wrapper flavors in a pipe blend.

Note #2 above. :lol:
 
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