Blend testing

[blisscigarco]

Regarding that raisin smell...
Read an interesting thing the other day. Guy was talking about the typical "smells of the stages of fermentation." They were like, Grass/Hay, then something like paper processing, then raisin, then tobacco. He said until you get to "tobacco smell" the fermentation is not complete and the tobacco won't taste good or burn well. The reason I thought this was interesting is that I've so far experienced at least four different dark wrapper leaves that "smelled wonderfully of raisins" but wouldn't burn for shit, and when they did burn didn't taste good. Got so that if a leaf smelled wonderfully of deep rich raisins I knew I could just chuck it in the dumpster and save some time and energy. Or, best case, store it for a year and hope it gets enough slow-mo fermentation to get usable.

 

[webmost]

aka Jorge

 

[Jim D]

Glad you enjoyed, sorry about the NC part. I do try to duplicate the Cuban profile as best I can. I have kept one or two of these for myself to test at 6 months and one year and I'll let you know how it evolves.

So inquiring minds want to know..
How were they at 6 months and a year?
What's the magic recipe?
PS: this was for the Cristales

 

[TheReMixologist]

Which habano seco? I have found that while a stick will smoke and be enjoyable at 5 days, two months or more rest to allow the flavors to meld and the rh to equalize will provide a much better experience and can definitely affect the flavors. I have stopped trying to "judge" blends young, but I will still "test" them when I just can't stand to wait. That wrapper can be very spicy and somewhat harsh young, time will just make that stick better and will smooth it out.

When a blend tastes great upon fresh burn it will be fantastic after hibernation. A good fresh burn will be great and a so so burn will be somewhat nice I try to aim for great fresh burns because most people don't wait during rolling events... but I always tell them... if they put it to sleep awhile then it will be fantastic. Folk don't listen I can always tell the true aficionados... they say I'm taking it home and putting it up for awhile. Then I give them humidor instructions. Always nice to get someone willing to wait.

 

[TheReMixologist]

Lots of talk about Fire cured... if any of the rollers here want to try my version... let me know... pay the shipping and it's yours for the tasting. I know webmost tried it and he's not a fan ... but if you're not a fire cured fan at all no blend will work for you. Each palate is unique. I believe my version is excellent and I'd put the flavor profile up against a blind test of other FC blends any day

 

[TheReMixologist]

Yooooooooooooooooo... @webmost... what is it? Is this that block you were telling me about? It's seriously heavy! I've never seen anything like this before! I'ma take a video Were the steel rods used to hold the blocks together the way they do brick buildings? How old is it? The blades are tight too... never saw anything like them! THANKS Man... cool bomb!

 

[BrewinHooligan]

Lots of talk about Fire cured... if any of the rollers here want to try my version... let me know... pay the shipping and it's yours for the tasting. I know webmost tried it and he's not a fan ... but if you're not a fire cured fan at all no blend will work for you. Each palate is unique. I believe my version is excellent and I'd put the flavor profile up against a blind test of other FC blends any day

When I get my stuff together I'm taking you up on this. I've been toying with the idea of adding an English blend pipe tobacco to a cigar

 

[webmost]

Yooooooooooooooooo... @webmost... what is it? Is this that block you were telling me about? It's seriously heavy! I've never seen anything like this before! I'ma take a video Were the steel rods used to hold the blocks together the way they do brick buildings? How old is it? The blades are tight too... never saw anything like them! THANKS Man... cool bomb!

Try that super sharp knife with the cutting block. Totally different experience for cutting leaves. Slices with a light touch. I reckoned that and the mini chavetta might be right up your alley when you're doing detailed work. I'm really getting into my block. Something about raising the rolling surface a couple inches up off the working surface that really does the trick. Leave it to the gals who rolled hundreds a day, day after day, year after year, to have it figured out.

 

[blisscigarco]

So inquiring minds want to know..
How were they at 6 months and a year?
What's the magic recipe?
PS: this was for the Cristales

I don't seem to have any re-taste notes. My blending notes are:
---------------
4g seco, 3g viso, 5g ligero, filling out with seco.
(33/25/42)
House mojo on binder and filler
---------------

 

[Jim D]

I don't seem to have any re-taste notes. My blending notes are:
---------------
4g seco, 3g viso, 5g ligero, filling out with seco.
(33/25/42)
House mojo on binder and filler
---------------

Thank you, just wondering which seco, viso, ligero.....

 

[blisscigarco]

Thank you, just wondering which seco, viso, ligero.....

Probably Jorge. There was a period right around that time when that's all I had for a couple months; which would explain why i didn't bother to name it. Nowadays if I was gonna mix that formula i'd probably use LO Honduran seco, WLT Nica Habano viso or Corojo Viso, and maybe WLT Dom ligero. With a NHS binder.

 

[derektherockstar]

Lots of talk about Fire cured... if any of the rollers here want to try my version... let me know... pay the shipping and it's yours for the tasting. I know webmost tried it and he's not a fan ... but if you're not a fire cured fan at all no blend will work for you. Each palate is unique. I believe my version is excellent and I'd put the flavor profile up against a blind test of other FC blends any day

How much fire cure do you use? I want to get some with my order next week. LO has light fire cured and a dark fire cured wrapper. Which do you go for?
If I missed that earlier in this thread I apologize


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[derektherockstar]

So another thought is what is the mildest lightest blend you guys have ever come up with. I want to share my rolls when I get a stock pile but not everyone is as wild about cigars as I am.


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[blisscigarco]

So another thought is what is the mildest lightest blend you guys have ever come up with. I want to share my rolls when I get a stock pile but not everyone is as wild about cigars as I am.


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Honduran seco puro is a sure-fire winner for that. Mild and delish.

 

[derektherockstar]

Honduran second puro is a sure-fire winner for that. Mild and delish.

Awesome thanks I'm so stoked you responded I've watched a ton of your videos!!!


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[Hopduro]

Awesome thanks I'm so stoked you responded I've watched a ton of your videos!!!


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Blake you're a celeb!

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[derektherockstar]

Blake you're a celeb!

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Hahah ya I was being a dork there for sure
You tryin to laugh like cigar rolling celebrities aren't pullin in groupies like Van Halen in 84


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[blisscigarco]

Awesome thanks I'm so stoked you responded I've watched a ton of your videos!!!


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Thanks. I'm always happy to hear someone has watched my vids! I hope you found them helpful.

 

[Dominican56]

I had a thread like this over at the forum @blisscigarco created. I will be posting my new blends and tasting notes and encourage everyone else to do the same to create a sort of blend library. We can have an idea of how a blend will taste, but it amazes me how differently certain leaves taste in different combinations.

Today I smoked a test blend at my wife's grandmothers house after Easter dinner. I didn't have my blend sheet with me so I had no preconceived notions on what to expect, all I knew was that it was wrapped in PA broadleaf from LO.

Flavors remained pretty constant the whole way through. Loads of dark chocolate, cream, cinnamon, nutmeg, and hints of vanilla with a red pepper loaded retro. I thought for sure my Piloto cubano viso was in the blend but I was way off.

This was 1 leaf Nica criollo seco from LO, 1 leaf corojo viso from WLT, 1 leaf criollo ligero from WLT, and bound with Dom binder from LO. Absolutely loved this stick and will be sure to have it in a regular rotation. Curious how it performs with different wrappers now.

It looks good

 

[Jim D]

So I grabbed a short stogie for walking the dog tonight and my son says "Wow! Dad that cigar, it smells like spicy pretzels!"
Of course my notes for this one were "scraps with mojo"...