As a neophyte to the Brothers (pardon me if you know all about this), I have a technique to share that saves a few precious bucks and produces great results. I call this technique sprinkling because it involves taking a small amount of an expensive flavorful leaf (like a real Latakia) and placing a pinch or two on a packed bowl of Virginia. During the charring, just before you tamp and relight, the essence of the sprinkled leaf will be pulled into the bowl and mix perfectly with the well-packed blend. In fact, when you tap out your briar, you get a delightful whiff of the sprinkling tobacco throughout the any unburnt portions of the Virginia and even in the ashes. This is the empirical proof that the experiment works. Enjoy!