Best tobacco for flavor extraction

[Str8vision]

I have limited experience extracting tobaccos flavored with fruit notes. The ones I do remember trying (Peach Cobbler, Cherry tobacco(s)) all failed to yield acceptable flavor. I had much better luck creating "hybrids" by flavoring NET using concentrated flavorings (like Lotus Blueberry and TFA Juicy Peach).

I prefer extracting Vanilla and or Caramel flavored tobaccos (like Molto Dolce and Vanilla tobacco(s)). I've had good success extracting those using PG and using Ethanol but their flavor changes over time. Creating hybrids by flavoring NET with Vanilla, Caramel and various "other" flavorings works better. Hybrid NETs seem to be more stable over time.

 

[nostradadus]

Reporting on Nicotiana Rustica (Leaf Only) ~

...just don’t go there! This single varietal tobacco leaf extracted into a dank, bland, and somewhat reminiscent flavor of every “stock” TA on the market. I was hoping it would at least be a good mixer extract... nope. I never really liked TA’s to begin with, so this PG extraction will take an unglamorous trip down the sewer system.

On a brighter note... I caught up with @usr/ about his extraction of Vincent Manil's La Brumeuse Semois. His still sits, unfiltered, in a dark cool cabinet; one day, he’ll get around to it when life allows.

I have done a PG maceration, warmed at 125*F for 8 hours... looks dark and tasty so far. I have high hopes for the La Brumeuse, since I lean towards a hearty burley vape. Something tells me, I’ll be mixing it with equal portions of a Virginia, Cavendish, and/or Perique extract to smooth things out. But, I’m crossing my fingers for a straight 15% mix in my base. We shall see!

 

[beachbumcm]

nost, thanks for the info. If I asked for a quintessential burley, would you recommend one? Not fire-cured...lightly toasted perhaps, but it must be pretty much free of fire curing for my tastes. Do any of you have any recommendations? Thanks!

 

[beachbumcm]

and a noob question...if one is doing a standard PG cold maceration, is there any benefit to starting it out with the warm bath for 8 hours like you describe? Why are you doing it, for instance? Thanks for any tips.

 

[nostradadus]

a quintessential burley

I don’t know about “quintessential”, since after 3+ years of producing my own NET, I’m still finding burley blends which are new and tasty to me!

Your tastes may wildly differ from mine... but, finding that burley blend you like can be a challenge, but also enjoyable. However, to answer your question... so far, from the blends which I’ve extracted, the C&D Haunted Bookshop seems like one which would foot the bill. It is one of my fall back, all day NETs.

Cornell & Diehl Haunted Bookshop 2oz | Buy Cornell & Diehl Pipe Tobacco at Smokingpipes

Another blend which is burley heavy, but has a soothing Va/Per to boot, is D&R Picayune. I’ll never be without this one in my stash.

Daughters & Ryan Picayune 40g | Buy Daughters & Ryan Pipe Tobacco at Smokingpipes

Out of stock at SP, but you can pick it up by the ounce at P&S. I typically wait and buy it from SP when in stock... I like supporting the smaller, customer oriented vendors.

Daughters & Ryan Picayune - Pipes and Cigars

Over time, I've found that tobacco doesn’t have to be expensive to be tasty as a NET extraction.

Eventually I want to try a couple of the specifically burley, C&D Burley #1,2,3,4 blends here:

Cornell & Diehl Burley Flake Pipe Tobacco | Buy Cornell & Diehl Burley Flake Pipe Tobacco at Smokingpipes

More later on the “heat bump” start & why...

 

[Str8vision]

I've been enjoying a C&D Constellation hybrid RY-4. To premixed/aged Constellation NET base I add homemade Madagascar vanilla bean extract (VG base), along with Holy vanilla and FW salted caramel concentrated flavorings. Even shake-n-vape this combination yields the best RY-4 I've ever encountered. When allowed to age/steep for a month this hybrid is truly the crème de la crème.

 

[nostradadus]

C&D Constellation

I have a sample of that from a NET bud of mine which I have yet to mix. Does the Latakia take a back seat to the other leaf in the blend?

I’ve also been toying around with the idea of making a hybrid or two with some of the less flavorful extraction which are in my stock; i.e. D&R Cockstrong or Ryback Regular.

They’re ok, but need a little help.

 

[Str8vision]

.....Does the Latakia take a back seat to the other leaf in the blend?....

No, in my extractions of Constellation (hot ethanol) latakia is the dominant tobacco element...at first. While I like latakia I only enjoyed Constellation more after vaping enough of it to become de-sensitized to the taste of latakia. I no longer fully taste it, the flavor for me is that of a robust premium VaPer (Virginia, Perique) with a hint of Cavendish.

 

[nostradadus]

is there any benefit to starting it out with the warm bath for 8 hours like you describe? Why are you doing it, for instance?

Simply put... IMO, it produces a bolder tasting outcome. I like bold.

 

[beachbumcm]

Simply put... IMO, it produces a bolder tasting outcome. I like bold.

how about a warm bath at the end, or the middle, of the sitting period? Like, say, at week 4, week 6, or whatever of a 8-12 week extraction?

 

[checkum]

how about a warm bath at the end, or the middle, of the sitting period? Like, say, at week 4, week 6, or whatever of a 8-12 week extraction?

I think you're missing a key point of these forums. You go ahead and try all those times with a warm bath until you find what "you like." The key here is to have fun trying different tobaccos and styles of extractions to suit yourself, report it and help others enjoy vaping more.

 

[beachbumcm]

I think you're missing a key point of these forums. You go ahead and try all those times with a warm bath until you find what "you like." The key here is to have fun trying different tobaccos and styles of extractions to suit yourself, report it and help others enjoy vaping more.

I appreciate your viewpoint and I agree, but I was really just checking for any replies saying that it's a known thing to not do that, etc. But it looks like that's probably not the case here.

 

[Str8vision]

......I was really just checking for any replies saying that it's a known thing to not do that, etc. But it looks like that's probably not the case here.

It is a thing. People have been mixing heat cycles in with their cold extraction techniques for many years. There seems to be three main variations;

1. A single short cycle of heat (at the beginning of the extraction) followed by a long term cold soak;
2. A long term cold soak with short heat cycles once a week every week;
3. A full heat extraction followed by a moderate cold soak.

There are various reasons people mix hot and cold extraction techniques but two stand out. It expedites the flavor extraction and for some tobaccos it helps produce specific flavor notes.

Hot extraction is risky, it's easy to overcook tobacco (excess temperature and/or duration) but it produces fast results. Overcooked tobacco tastes (or quickly turns) murky and bland. Cold extraction is painfully slow but nearly impossible to mess up, it usually yields the best flavor. Some people theorize that mixing the two techniques is advantageous. Faster results with minimal risk.

 

[nostradadus]

... just checking for any replies saying that it's a known thing to not do that ...

@Str8vision vision laid it out much better than I did!

Every NEThead eventually finds what method works best for their vaping pleasure. It’s all about preference... no right or wrong; rather, what suits your tastebuds.

 

[Str8vision]

.......Every NEThead eventually finds what method works best for their vaping pleasure. It’s all about preference... no right or wrong; rather, what suits your tastebuds.

Exactly!

 

[nostradadus]

@beachbumcm ~ I’ve got a NET bud that uses an ultrasonic heat bump method, cool steep, and then centrifuges the maceration, prior to filtering. His latest extract, which I have sampled, is some stellar Aged Nicaraguan Ligero (Leaf Only).

Would I go to that extent? No... that's his bag. But, I’ll be happy to buy the leaf, send it to him, and chip in on his process costs, just to reap the goodness of his method.

 

[checkum]

Sale @ Pipes & Cigars, 33% off:

 

[nostradadus]

I know I’m a little late to the party, but, I have to say... Dunhill's Royal Yacht is a darn fine straight Virginia. Suitably strong and punchy, yet has that smooth sweetness of a quality Va. I know it falls in the aromatic category, however, I’m picking up nothing of a cased aromatic flavor. Plum, some say? Well, OK... if you say so. Taste is subjective. I don’t taste it.

My process was a simple PG maceration, heat bump at 125*F for 8hrs., cool steeped for 7 months, and filtered to 2.5um; produced 150ml of extract. Mix ratio is 15%... spot on goodness.

This extraction will last me quite a while... 975ml of finished juice... but, fortunately I have 25g of RY cellared for when the jar runs dry.

I went seaching for another comparable Dunhill to cellar before it’s all gone:

Home | Chicago's Pipe, Cigar & Tobacco Store | Iwan Ries & Co.

...didn’t even know these guys existed until yesterday. Got a tin on the way for cellaring purposes ... a good ole Va/Per for the future.

 

[Str8vision]

......I have to say... Dunhill's Royal Yacht is a darn fine straight Virginia....

I don't know exactly what or how they do it but Dunhill does Virginia tobaccos extremely well, best I've tasted. Their Elizabethan mixture was a unique treat, the Virginia tobacco was large and in charge.

 

[nostradadus]

I'll be sure and try the semi oriental 456.

Did you ever get around to giving this a go?

I’ve got a jar on the shelf which is about to get filtered. Hopefully, it will prove to be keep-worthy for mixing purposes.