Stoniversity: An homage to a unicorn
I'll admit it. I'm a fan of Stonehaven. It's good stuff.
I've had it fresh, and had some aged. Both tasty.
However, I'm not going to pay aftermarket prices for it, and I've only been able to score one 8oz bag a few years ago - most of which is aging in a couple 1/2 pint jars in my cellar.
I've been tempted to crack one open on several occasions, but I just can't bring myself to do it yet! I want it to get some more age on it.
So, I decided to try to find a substitute.
Well, research has lead me to determine there is no substitute; and close approximations (like Germain dark flake) are just as hard to find as old Stoney!
On to option two; trying to MAKE a substitute. Research continued.
I reviewed my notes on Stonehaven; and read many other reviews, jotting down notes about tobacco, toppings, flavor profiles, etc.
After tallying up the scores, I came to the following basic conclusions.
Known:
Treacle topping
Dark Virginia/ air cured Burley mix
Hard pressed
Aged
Common notes:
Chocolate (58x)
Dark fruit(2x) (Fruit (20x), plum (3x), prune (1x), dark cherry(3x), fig (16x) )
Treacle (14x)/Molasses (17x)
So, I started researching tobaccos and found a few articles in the same vein as my research.
These led me to try Peterson University flake. It is a VaBur, and it already has a plummy topping.
So, I acquired a couple tins for experimentation.
Here is my first experiment.
Process:
Lay out and dry Peterson Flake for a day.
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After a day (lightly covered with tin foil), I put it in the oven at 170 degrees while preparing the topping.
Top with a Treacle/alcohol topping (Mix Golden Syrup 50/50 with Molasses. Dilute with a splash of bourbon and some vodka until thin consistency.)
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Let that dry in the cooling oven while mixing ribbon tobacco.
Mix 1 part cherry tobacco with 4 parts chocolate ribbon tobacco
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Layer flakes with small bit of cherry/chocolate tobacco
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Place in ½ pint mason jar and seal.
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Stove (<220) for 2 hours by simmering in low boiling water, add more water as needed.
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Let sealed container sit for about a week.
(At first, the flakes were very moist, after the stoving)
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(After a few days, they looked really nice!)
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Separate flakes and ribbon.
Store flakes in mason jar
Final Product:
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I opened the jar this morning, after letting them rest for a week after stoving.
The smell was interesting. Definite cocoa and treacle notes from the jar, with a burley earthiness. Very sweet smelling.
After having a flake out to dry a bit, it smells of leather, chocolate, very mild dark fruit. Much of that initial sweet smell has dissipated. The flake sitting out on my desk smells amazing!
My initial smoke was just a quickie to get a general idea of how it is developing.
I like it.
Smooth, mild chocolaty burley notes. The sweetness from the treacle is evident, but not overwhelming.
I'll give it a more in-depth smoke this weekend.
Now I need some more Stonehaven to comparison smoke!!
