Using your own leaf allows you to learn and adapt to your very specific palette. With time and practice, you can find the ultimate experience perfectly designed for you. Your skills and tastes will mature over time, and so will your expertise in the art of hand-crafting your own tobacco blends, but a little knowledge can go a long way as you begin your search.
How to find your perfect blend of whole leaf tobacco
Finding a mixture you can appreciate begins with knowing what you like. It helps to try a wide variety, so you have a broad sense of what flavors, aromas and accents appeal to you. Use that information to decide what combinations would work well. Just because you’ve found your favorites, doesn’t mean they’ll come together for the best product. Sometimes working with a simpler blend works well before you combine your more complex ambitions.
Mixing the right flavors together for the best results
Your base could consist of multiple types, and you’ll want to continue to make sure they work well together. Adding in too many light or dark notes can have your mixture leaning too hard on the spectrum. Pairing the correct lights and darks can give you exactly the tone you’re looking for while providing foundation flavors you can work with.
The base will make up at least half of the final product, so it’s crucial you have a good starting point. The next step is to decide your spice tobacco, which will give the extra flavor that works on top of your base. This portion will provide up to a quarter of your combination.
Time and temper make for the final ingredients
Remember that your pairings won’t remain stagnant. Your tobacco will continue to mature after you purchase it, and once assembled, it can grow and mingle with your other selections. Your experience at first may not mirror your enjoyment after the passage of time, so stay patient as your choices negotiate their own agreements.
Another factor you’ll want to keep in mind is the cut and burn of your whole leaf tobacco. Balance can be crucial for the perfect marriage. While a finer cut may pair well and pack nicely, they tend to burn fast and hot, which can impact the flavor. A wide leaf may burn at a more tempered pace, and could offset more aggressive ingredients.
How to your put combinations above the rest
There aren’t hard and fast rules, but there are always a few more guidelines you can follow. Practice may eventually make perfect, but it can help to remember a few key things as you begin your process:
- Pair related tobacco leaves for your base. If you’ve got a Burley or Virginia flue-cured, it might be best to stay in that family as you perform your search.
- Pick a spice flavor that fits your profile. The notes found in your accents can disrupt your base flavors, or enable them to rise to new standards.
- Know what flavors your selections need. If you want notes of lemon, spice or earthiness, you’ll know to go for an Oriental/Turkish blend. If you need an exotic hardwood with a subtle tanginess, then you can reach for your Latakia.
Once you have an idea of where to start, look to Total Leaf Supply to fill your every need. We’ve been providing the finest whole leaf options from across the globe to make sure your tastes find exactly what they require. Take your personalized place in the grand tradition of tobacco by browsing our selection of all-natural, premium products.
