Well today may be the last day that I can post about the Spanish Folly snuff I have been working on, without having tried the real Spanish Jewel, but thanks to the silent action, and the unbelievable generosity of Poo-Diddy, I should know what it is like tomorrow. The snuff I have been making has shown great promise, and there have been plenty of learning curves too! I have three great base snuffs that have several properties in common with the reports I have read about the original. It has a great sweet tobacco taste. It will make your nose run. Not that I like this, but the original SJ did the same thing. It has a sour after drip. Again like the original. It has big nicotine hit. But I know there is more there and I have been working to make it available for uptake. Also the Rustica Alkaloids produce a unique glow. I have been using a 50/50 mix of Toque Rustica, and Mapacho Indian Rustica. The Spanish brandy and honey were used in two different batches, one light and one heavy, producing a light and dark snuff, while a large amount of base tobacco was retained as a control. The raw base tobacco has undergone a curing/mellowing due to it being ground up fine and pressed together in a air tight glass jar. Some tricks I learned are to sharpen the blade of a coffee grinder to a razors edge to get a super fine snuff, that and lots of time with the mortar and pestle, I do know that the finer I grind it, the harder to take, but the harder it kicks. The Rustica tobacco is a unique taste, that has a lot of promise, but it also causes problems such as nose running and an after blow sour note. I have used a smidgen of Bicarbonate with some, and also tried some glycerine, both substantially change the character of the snuff. I have had good luck with blending the different resulting snuffs together to reach a happy medium, The only thing I regret is that it takes time for the snuff to develop, and patience is hard to come by. So hopefully tomorrow I will have a sample to try, and then I have some reality checks to make. It is really a long shot that this snuff can ever be duplicated, but I do know that if some one where to grow Rustica in the right climate, and do a good job of leaf selection, that a wonderful snuff can be produced from it. It has been very interesting to watch a disappointing mealy base tobacco turn into a whole different animal as it ages, and it continues to surprise me in its development. So tomorrow will probably have me eating humble pie and throwing the whole mess into the back of the drawer for a while, but the journey has been quite an education.
I am very excited to hear the results of this, Whalen. I’m sure you will have a much easier time now that you have to original to compare it to. Not to say the process will be easy, but at least you won’t have to rely on the opinion and tastes of others for comparison. Good luck, and please update us when you have news!
Holy crap Whalen thats dam good news. I’m sure it will be a great snuff. Let us know how it goes.
Sorry it was meant to be a whisper.
Whalen I’m am indeed impressed. Please keep us posted. Snifs
This is my first post on SH (I’m a long-time lurker). If the unlabeled smashbox that Whalen sent me (with the tin of snus) contained his Spanish Folly, I must say that I think it is very good snuff. If it is not S.F., I hope he will PM me what it is, because I would buy more (half of the contents are already gone, and I just received it this morning. best wishes B
Good luck Whalen. I’m sure I’m not the only one that sincerely hopes you can pull this off. When you’re ready to distribute some samples I’ll be first in line. Oh, and enjoy the spanish jewel. Look forward to hearing your thoughts after you’ve tried it.
“B” indeed that is my “Folly” snuff! I had wondered if I labeled it. That batch was from the darker one. Enjoy!
Sounds good!
I don’t see any reason not to, Roderick. That would be really awesome.
Roderick, we are waiting for it!!!
From Snus on: Roderick, I really do not care for the smell of the Jewel, but you of all people could duplicate the Nicotine uptake level of the Rustica, and you have to know what a large group of snuffers are chasing that kind of snuff, witness NTSU. I for one cannot wait for a strong Rustica snuff from you, and wonder why the Toque line is rather mild nic wise, I mean Quit does not come close to the levels we enjoy. The jewel certainly has it and that quality alone is so rewarding. You already know that the smell is not the draw in the Jewel, it is the buzz that pleases. And anyone quitting smoking is looking for this, the Toque Rustica snuff would be the ultimate quit blend. Spanish Quit would be on my must have always carry list. I am but a humble home snuff hobbyist, I spend way too much time grinding and experimenting, the process is a real pain due to learning the hard way, I have a real new found respect for your craft, and really enjoy your product. I just want to find the best way to make that nicotine in the leaf available, That is the true genius of Mr. LLUIS VINYETS SALABERT.
I’ve ground 100g of Rustica this afternoon. I’ve decided not to mix it with any other snuff but rather work on it by adding brandy, honey etc. In my opinion we won’t be able to replicate SJ because the tobacco we use comes from another region. If we can get hold of Rustica which was grown in the same area as where the SJ tobacco comes from, it might just be possible. Cuban cigars are what they are because the soil and climate is perfect for the purpose of growing tobacco for making cigars. Just as Ceylon produces excellent tea, France good wine, Citrusdale lovely oranges, Rhodesia and Rustenburg perfect pipe tobacco, Taiwan fake watches, so does Spain produces the perfect Rustica for snuff!! It’s the tobacco which makes the difference.
Yes, but, very good things are created out of the origin of the original. I don’t think the type of ground has as much to do with this as maybe the breed of plant/curing process.
Well, I´m not a professor of agriculture, I´m only working in tobacco wholesale and have to believe what the “experts” tell me constantly when it comes to cigars (and no, they don´t even sell it, so don´t have a reason to talk bs): the difference between the cuban cigars and all the other central american ones is the soil. The climate is pretty much the same, and the processing standards, except in the showcase factories for tourists (90% is manufactured in homework) are much lower. So the cuban cigars should, by all reasons, be inferior in taste. Truth is, they taste much better. The cubans don´t use any secret tricks that wouldn´t have been tried to duplicate, but the soil there is unique.
its definately the soil.
I do not want to mix the Rustica with other tobacco because I might initially get close to SJ but eventually the taste will change. What I mean by that is, as the snuff matures, the added tobacco might take on a quite different character which will turn the taste away from SJ. I would rather only work with Rustica and as it matures, it might become “more SJ”. I’m quite happy with what I’ve got so far. It might not taste like SJ but I do have a nice, strong snuff with a good nic hit. I’ve have a couple of batches now with different amounts and types of brandy in it. I’ve also added some bicarbonate of soda to one batch and I will see how that one turns out. I will most probably be the last one to receive my SJ and by that time my mixtures should be tastable to compare.
Roderick that would be Awesome of you to do so! That would be the best new years gift! Dont get me wrong I really like Spanish Gem! But it would be that much better with more of the locker room/sock smell. I would definitly buy bulk in that!
Roderick, please if you want to tweak SG, please call it something else and sell it as something else. I think SG is an outstanding snuff and want it to stick around. Maybe a Rustica SG and just call it Rusty Spaniard or something sily.
I’m with Xander on this one. Leave Spanish Gem the way it is and create another name for the tweaked version.