B&M Bulk Aromatics

[admin]

I have an interesting observation about aromatic blends I find in brick & mortar specialty tobacconists.
When it comes to aromatic blends we have either all been warned, or learned the hard way to be cautious of "cheap drugstore tobaccos". We have learned that often times they are inferior tobaccos being covered up by a sugary-coating that smells good in the package, but delivers a bad smoking experience.
They usually burn very hot and wet. You get tongue-bite, crappy taste, gurgling and moisture that may even end up as bitter disgusting tobacco juice in your mouth.
However, I have been enjoying some private-label aromatic blends from tobacconists.
I picked up some basically "no-name" bulk blends from three different local places and they have all been good experiences. It seems like these are actually high-quality tobaccos that just happen to have some flavoring (casings) added to them. I guess there are different quality levels of casings too.
I certainly have experienced the really crappy, wish you had never lit it drug store aromatics, but the private-label aromatics from real tobacconists, Like Edward's Pipe & Tobacco in Tampa are quite enjoyable.

 

[python]

B&M's sometimes do have some really good house blends. I never have a problem trying a pipe tobacco house blend.

 

[dunendain]

Just out of curiosity, what does brand of bulk does your local B&M carry? My closest one has Lane. I buy 1Q occasionally because as a bulk aromatic, it is hard to beat. Taste like Captain Black Royal, but I like it better, and most people love the room note.

 

[rs422]

Parklane Tobacco has some nice aromatics blended in store.

They sell samplers for trying blends.

Worth looking into if you like aromatics.

 

[jonesing]

As to house blends in general, to me they fall into 2 categories.
There's the "I have a dozen blends from my distributor that I paste my label on" shops and the "I did that" tobacconist.
Usually if it's a case of the shop who pretty much takes whatever the sales guy offers them it's junk. Shops that choose their private label suppliers or better yet blend some of their own are going to typically have better stuff.
And it seems to me that a really fine retailer will have some non-aromatics in their arsenal as well.

 

[sapo59]

The closest B&M to me sells Milan tobacconist blends, just basic aromatics and english blends. They are marked up considerably.

 

[dunendain]

I am lucky that about 30 min. away in Sherman Oaks, I have a B&M, Cigar Warehouse, that carries bulk English, Balkans, Virginia Flake and Vapers. Not the typical store that just carries the standard Aros.