And on the other hand, I am also a success.
THE FAILURE
Alas, the club blend is off the table at present, because what was once one of my favourite small tobacco companies has in the last two years been chained by new corporate linkages, and is no longer the same friendly family run enterprise it used to be. Plus people have been put in place to interfere and throw stones.
I had hoped to get a blend I devised years ago produced by them, and the local pipe-club was already set to trumpet "our achievement" to all and sundry, as well as make suitable noise, but having been presented with only the possibility that it would be a one time production run, not available for retail, just shipped to us after payment for us to Gollum-like gloat over ("my precious, my precious"), I decided that they weren't suitable for this project -- or this project was not suitable for them -- and I thanked their people for all their efforts (hmmph!), and ended the discussion.
So for the foreseeable future, there will be no club blend.
I have failed, I have nothing to offer the boys.
I am disappointed in that company.
As well as myself.
THE SUCCESS
Back in May I started working with several flue-cured blending tobaccos, and after very pleasing results with three Virginias and some Turkish two months ago, today I concocted a blend containing two Virginias, Turkish, and Burley. The first bowls were very rewarding, and it smells quite heavenly. Quite possibly it might need no tweaking whatsoever.
It's far too early to tell for certain, though. I shall have to wait a few weeks for everything to stabilize, and for numerous trial smokes to tell me whether it has just the right balance. Patience is required.
In the meantime I'm smelling my finger tips.
Dang man, this is jes' wunnerful!
An ancient fragrance!
Each experimental pipe blend is naturally related to several potential further blends. How it smokes and smells will show one over time what went right, or in what direction to go.
The key test is always whether one makes it again.
But I think this one might be perfect.
I may need pom poms.
TOBACCO INDEX
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