Burley tobacco questions!

[Armstrong-Joshua]

I recently purchased some Kentucky Burley. I tried smoking a little with Virginia and it was so strong I felt like I was stoned. I mainly wanted burley for the flavour my favourite is Virginia. WLT burley is definitely different than the burley you’d get in blends at a cigar store. It seems to me way stronger. Can anyone else relate to this or have similar experiences with Burley?

 

[deluxestogie]

Burley (real burley) has a higher pH (more alkaline) than flue-cured Virginia tobaccos. Because of that increased pH, more nicotine is absorbed. You can do any one of the following:

• blend it (start with 50:50) with Virginia
• cook it into Cavendish for blending
• kiln it @128°F for 8 weeks to tame it
• dump the commercial chemicals into it

Bob

 

[Armstrong-Joshua]

Burley (real burley) has a higher pH (more alkaline) than flue-cured Virginia tobaccos. Because of that increased pH, more nicotine is absorbed. You can do any one of the following:

• blend it (start with 50:50) with Virginia
• cook it into Cavendish for blending
• kiln it @128°F for 8 weeks to tame it
• dump the commercial chemicals into it

Bob

Really 50/50? That seems high. It’s nice to get a buzz but I think the most I will add to a blend is 10% for now. I’ll have to try some more and play around with recipes. I found it much different than burley at the store. Way higher nicotine content!

 

[ChinaVoodoo]

Not to turn my nose up too high at Canadian tobacconist stock (only slightly elevated), but I think you're experiencing real burley for the first time. The only commercial burley I've had that was any good was Semois from Belgium.

You'll get used to it and you'll never be able to go back. Consider this a bitter red pill.

 

[furryfreek]

I agree with CV. I was quite put off the first time I tried whole-leaf Burley but I warmed to it a great deal in time. I did have to learn to pace myself with it, though. It can be a creeper . On more than one occasion, I've finished a smoke feeling fine and, a minute or two later, not so good. I think any high pH baccy can have that effect but Burley also burns extremely well. Sometimes too well.

 

[deluxestogie]

Really 50/50?

 

[Armstrong-Joshua]

I agree with CV. I was quite put off the first time I tried whole-leaf Burley but I warmed to it a great deal in time. I did have to learn to pace myself with it, though. It can be a creeper . On more than one occasion, I've finished a smoke feeling fine and, a minute or two later, not so good. I think any high pH baccy can have that effect but Burley also burns extremely well. Sometimes too well.

I didn’t feel sick but I felt like I was stoned on pot almost. I’ve never experienced that with tobacco. I’ll be sticking with my Virginia’s and maybe added a little Burley to some blends.

 

[Armstrong-Joshua]

I dunno from the smoke I had half and half seems like it’ll get me blasted lol maybe I just got a high nic leaf.

 

[deluxestogie]

BLEND it. That alters the pH and the nic absorption.

 

[Alpine]

Half and half is no longer available where I live . This is no less than disappointing: it was one of the few commercial pipe tobaccos I really appreciated ( together with McBaren mixture, park lane, Kentucky bird and trinciato comune).
It had a hint of cherry/nutty flavor I really liked, at a very reasonable price.

pier

 

[furryfreek]

I didn’t feel sick but I felt like I was stoned on pot almost. I’ve never experienced that with tobacco. I’ll be sticking with my Virginia’s and maybe added a little Burley to some blends.

Oh, I didn't mean feeling sick literally; just sorta' ill/wrong feeling. I know that buzz you mention and have been silly enough to go chasing after it once or twice. Sounds like you know when enough's enough, though. You'd know exactly what I meant otherwise.