Baku Pipe Blend Challenge 2022

[deluxestogie]

It's time for another FTT Pipe Blending Challenge: The Baku Pipe Blend Challenge 2022. Open to all forum members.

What better to symbolize the firing-up of a bowl of your new pipe blend than the Baku "Flame Towers"?

1. Create your blend
2. test and adjust the proportions to your taste
3. then post the recipe
4. along with a photo of the blend itself
5. and your tasting notes

...all in a single post into this thread. (Please, no hypothetical blends that you have not prepared and tried.)

What you put into your blend is unlimited. If you like tabasco sauce or pistachio-mint ice cream mixed into your preferred pipe blend, then that's fine. Anything (legal) goes.

This is not a competition. Every participant who gives it a try, and posts to this thread as described above will receive a custom, pdf certificate of participation with their own, personal blend on the blend label. (Printing a second copy will allow you to cut out a 3½" label to use.)

Example of 8½" x 11" certificate, though the blend label here has no recipe.

The Baku Pipe Blend Challenge 2022 will run through March and April, then it will close on 1 May 2022.

Bob

 

[jvnshr]

Wow, I live in Baku. Azerbaijan is considered to be Land of Fire. Some think that it is reference to Zoroastrianism - an old religion that was dominant in the region in the past. National emblem of the country also contains an image of fire.

Another interesting fact is, there is a hill called Yanardag (burning mountain) which burns all the time without an interruption thanks to natural gas seeping to surface. Fire plays a huge role in the culture. During Novruz Holidays every year, people would set fire and jump over it believing that all bad luck of the previous year would burn.

Last but not least, nickname of Baku is City of Winds. As you may guess, it is windy most of the time.

I don't create a pipe blend, but hopefully the information above will be useful for you while creating your own Baku blend.

Javan

 

[deluxestogie]

Bob Flames Out

Bob's Baku Blend

• Trabzon Latakia 12.5%
• Fire-cured Shirazi 6.25%
• Cyprus Latakia 12.5%
• Krumovgrad 25%
• Düzce 12.5%
• Izmir Karabağlar 12.5%
• India Dark Air-cured 18.75%

This blend lights easily. (Ha! It's already half-burnt, before lighting it.) Burn is steady. The smoke is only slightly tingly, and is enjoyable. Considering that I just made up the blend out of the geography of the leaf varieties I had on hand, I am surprised that the pH balance is pretty good on my first attempt. Nicotine is medium, which is predictable from its 50% Basma composition. But the 31+% fire-cured is leaving my tongue feeling a bit ragged.

I would consider this an outdoor pipe blend.

Bob

 

[GreenDragon]

I would consider this an outdoor pipe blend.

Bob

I imagine the Room Note would be quite intense with that mix.

Reminds me, I need to get onto my blend entry!

 

[deluxestogie]

the Room Note

It is measured in units of the Pollution Index.

 

[deluxestogie]

For safety, I smoked my Baku blend in this volcano. The extra-wide briar base allows it to better control any unexpected magma explosions.

Bob

 

[Radagast]

• Trabzon Latakia 12.5%

Where might one acquire this ingredient?

 

[deluxestogie]

Where might one acquire this ingredient?

Obtain seed for Trabzon from Northwood Seeds, plant, grow, sun-cure, then fire for 7+ weeks using appropriate combustible materials, kiln for 2 months, then rest for at least 3 years.

Bob

 

[GreenDragon]

My blend. I drew inspiration from Bob’s latest pipe blend book. This is what I would classify as a bastardized Baltic blend.

Amounts are percent by weight:

Perique (WLT) 29% (I know it sounds like a lot, but it retains a lot of water weight)
Basma (WLT) 21%
Homemade “Latakia” (Basma - WLT) 18%
Beerique (Dark air - WLT) 10%
Beerique (Red Va- WLT) 11%
Lancaster leaf (Home grown) 10%
Bezuki wrapper (WLT) 11%

All leaf was shredded them tossed together to blend. Added a few drops of Rum & Coke for moisture (it was handy). Mixed well, and place in a quart ziploc bag. Blend was pressed in a vice between two boards for a week, then rubbed out and dried.

Flavor is rich and full. You can’t detect the cigar tobaccos, but they give it a subtle boost of flavor. Flavor profile gradually changes as you work through the bowl similar to a VaPer. Room note surprisingly is mild. Nicotine is full - this is definitely an evening post prandial blend. One of my top three blends so far. pH is just right (I lucked out on the first try). Can’t wait to age this a year and see how it changes.

 

[deluxestogie]

Bob's Baku Blend Do-Over-ish

Somehow, my original Baku blend was not immediately used up. It was...perhaps the word is, "brash". I tossed it into a freezer ZipLoc, and decided to press it for a couple of weeks. Since my cheese press resides above a kitchen counter, and is always in my way when the press arm is pressing something, I banished the bag of Baku to a less intrusive location.

It went inside the large skillet at the bottom of this pile of pots and pans, beneath the largest pot. That was two weeks ago. No rum or coke or other casing to glue it together, but simply tobacco in low case.

This looks and feels like a crumble cake. The pouch aroma has softened noticeably.

It readily crumbles into its original, chunky shred. It lights easily, burns well, and presents a smoother smoke aroma. I detect no fruitiness, which is not surprising at such a low pressing force. Still no tongue bite. The Latakia / fire-cured impact is still similar to that of a high Latakia blend, though not quite as taxing as prior to being pressed.

I have courageously smoked this in a normal pipe, in my study. (Actually a no-brainer, since it is raining with a gusty wind outside.)

Bob

 

[deluxestogie]

Only one participant so far. Nineteen days remaining.

Bob

 

[deluxestogie]

I have decided that my Baku blend is not up to the beauty of Baku. Instead, it's more like a perpetually burning, petroleum seep.

Photo: Diego Delso, delso.photo, CC-BY-SA 4.0

Bob

 

[deluxestogie]

 

[deluxestogie]

The Baku Pipe Blend Challenge is still open to submissions (your blends) until May 1. Anybody? Anybody?

Bob

 

[Jb00]

Here is my submission:

6 parts red VA
3 parts Flue cured
5 parts Latakia
2 parts basma
2 parts katerini
2 parts prilep
2 parts dark air cured

This is a very flavorful blend. I find that the Virginia provides a nice sweetness to accompany the intermittent smokiness of the Latakia and the floral notes from the orientals. There is also a hint of dirt/manure-esque flavor that I believe may come from the dark air.

 

[deluxestogie]

And, for Oriental-tobacco-challenged members:

Simplified Baku @Jb00

• Red Virginia 27%
• Flue-cured Virginia 14%
• Latakia 23%
• Oriental 27%
• Dark air-cured 9%

Bob