Tobacco Types and Blenders

[Storm_Crow]

Do you match certain blending houses with certain tobacco types?

I ask because perhaps a year ago, the first non aromatic I really enjoyed came from McClelland; it was a VA.

I decided that I like VA tobacco, but avoided burleys since I associated them with cigarettes which I dislike, and latakia since the first lat blend I tried was a bomb.

Sampling VAs from other blending houses, I couldn't find one I liked. I became very disheartened with C&D for instance, finding their VAs very harsh compared to McClellands rich and smooth VAs.

It wasn't until I finally wandered into the world of lats and burleys that I started to appreciate other blending houses. C&D has some wonderful lat blends, whereas MCclellands lats haven't done much for me. Likewise I find C&D burleys to be outstanding. Still, live VAs, C&D aromatics fall flat for me, and I lean towards Boswells and P&W, as well as McClelland and one or two others for these.

Are certain blenders your go to for one type of tobacco, and other blenders for another?

 

[Kapnismologist]

You have pretty much hit it on the head for the two major American boutique blenders (i.e., McClelland is known for their VAs and C&D for their Burley blends + Latakia blends with the GLP line they manufacture). I would add to this Altadis as associated with aromatics (and cheap packaging). On the European side, I would add: SG = flakes; G&H = plugs; Orlik = a little bit of everything; and K&K = (well, K&K, I only associate with the Rattray's portfolio, but they manuf. a lot of other things).