Disappointed in Maryland 609, maybe my expectations were too high...

[DreadApache]

I got some Maryland 609 last month. I smoked it straight, has a huge tongue sting but no throat hit. Mixed it with Virginia and except for the sting didn't add much strength. I was under the impression it would be like burley but a bit milder. It's actually a lot milder. All I get and enjoy from it is the nice aroma and taste but it feels weak. I had been smoking red burley tips for almost a year and developed a real taste for the strong, almost savage raw burley strength, I believe I may have done things backwards smoking burley first and Maryland after. Any suggestions on how to use Maryland properly to make it shine? I just got an order from WLT that has my all time favorites red Virginia and dark air. I'll have to try and mix some Maryland in as a filler to use it up.

Without a doubt I'll be buying some burley next time around. I made two blends today which taste good but are missing that throat hit from the burley to make them exceptional.

Blends I did today:
1- 25% bright leaf 25% red leaf 25% Maryland 20% light fire cured 5% dark air.
2- 50% red leaf 25% bright leaf 25% dark air.

Both are missing throat hit and I'm realizing as I'm writing this I need some burley asap.

 

[deluxestogie]

For my pipe blends, Maryland's advantage is that it does not shine. It offers a subdued aroma and medium nicotine strength, allowing other components of a blend to predominate. I also enjoy it when made into Cavendish for blending. My motivation in blending is to avoid both tongue bite and throat hit. I do not inhale the smoke.

Bob

 

[DreadApache]

I ended up changing up the ratios and combining some ideas and was able to make a smoking blends that hit like I want it.

For strong smoke I made 25% dark air, 25% light fire cured, 50% red Virginia.

For a light smoke and using up my Maryland I did 50% bright leaf Virginia, 50% Maryland 609. I was inspired by an old promotional video I recently saw made by Chesterfield company and they mention at one point that the secret to their exquisite cigarette is 50/50 bright leaf and Maryland.