Attempting Salty Dogs or Capstan Plug

[docpierce]

Dear fellow piper/blenders,
My Frog Eye (bright) seems finally ready to blend. Does any one care to suggest recipe ideas to create a navy style plug?
Perique/ Virginia proportions
Ideas on topping- sugar syrup? What else?
How much time in the press?

 

[GreenDragon]

If it were me, I'd use rum as a casing, no topping, and leave it in the press for two weeks.

 

[PressuredLeaf]

If you want some topping, I’ve found a drop of bergamot/ 60g of tobacco really accents the sweet qualities of bright VA. I’ve used liquor and homemade cider as dispersion agents. At first the smell is very apparent, but after about a month or so it’s just sweet rich va smell.


This one is mostly bright VA with some red tips from WLT. I only pressed for two days, but after several months you get a very pronounced darkening, probably due to slow oxidation. Smells like sweet oatmeal and raisins.