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BlueCollarBastard
Master
in Tobacco Talk
Hello All! I know it's been a long time since I've posted anything. I have a few questions. I like aromatics. And black cavendish. I've been wondering what the other styles of tobacco are like before i purchase them. Main thing is i don't want to smell like an ashtray or it taste like I just licked one. I've heard perique is peppery and has a bite. To me, I probably wouldn't like that one. Virginia I think I would like. But I don't know. Orientals, Latkia, burley, etc. I have no idea. I want to experiment with more styles and flavors. Thanks in advance.
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<<AROMATIC BLENDS
What makes a tobacco blend an aromatic? By current standard, that would be a blend with enough of a top-dressing (added flavoring) that it will become noticeable in the room note. The most common types of tobacco used in aromatics are Virginia, Burley and black Cavendish (which is actually a process and not a tobacco, but I digress…). The base tobaccos are usually cased with some kind of sweetener (molasses, invert sugar, maple sugar, among others). The casings are normally water-based, so after casing the tobacco is run through a chamber to reduce the moisture level.
After that, the tobacco is sprayed with an alcohol-based flavoring (top-dressing). This is what imparts a particular aroma. Commonly used flavors are vanilla, caramel, maple, fruits, and chocolate among many others. The reason that top-dressings are alcohol-based is so the manufacturer doesn’t have to re-dry the tobacco in the heated chamber. By using alcohol, all they have to do is let it sit open for 1 to 2 days, and the alcohol will “flash off,” leaving just the flavoring behind.
So, if you’re curious about how they can make some pipe tobaccos smell so mouth-wateringly good, now you know how aromatics are made.>>
<<More About Aromatics
Aromatic pipe tobaccos comprise one of the most contentious topics among pipe smokers. Among enthusiasts, they’re almost universally derided for a variety of reasons. But this is still, far and away, the largest-selling segment of pipe tobaccos, especially if you include the OTC's. When you look at the all-day pipe smoker, this group of blends dominates. If someone buys 5 lbs. of McClelland’s 5100, they’re probably cellaring, but if someone buys 5 lbs. of 1-Q, that’s probably what they’ll be smoking for a couple of months or more.
Some of the issues that many people have with the genre, so here we go…
Aromatics are created to cover up poor quality tobacco. I’d like to say that this is categorically untrue, but that would be a lie. There certainly are heavily top-dressed blends that are a means to making use of lower quality leaf. But there are a number of aromatics that use top-shelf tobacco, and you can generally figure out which ones are, because they tend to be more delicately flavored to allow the top-dressing to enhance, not mask, the underlying leaf.
Aromatics are overly moist and will gunk up your pipes. Again, this is certainly true of some blends, but there are many that don’t fall into this group. My own Hearth & Home Signature Series Berry Nice is a very aromatic black Cavendish with a lot of berry flavor, but it is actually dry to the touch. This is because no humectant (a moistening agent) is added to it. Humectants, not flavorings, are usually the culprit with overly-moist tobaccos.
Many people say that they don’t smoke cased tobaccos at all. You may think that this is a true statement when in actuality it’s probably not. Almost all Virginias and Burleys have some kind of casing added to make them more palatable. What you may really mean is that you don’t smoke tobaccos that have been top-dressed. This is an area of confusion for many, if not most pipe smokers. Casing has a subtle influence on flavor, and usually very little influence on aroma. Casings are applied early on in processing, and the tobacco is dried back to a normal level using heat. Top-dressings are applied at the end, and use alcohol or some other carrier to infuse the tobacco, which is then allowed to dry naturally. Top-dressings don’t impact flavor very much at all, but they are what you smell when someone is smoking an aromatic.
Aromatics are heavily chemical-laden. Again, this is not always true, but it can be. The thing is, there are a number of non-flavored or minimally-flavored blends that contain some additives. Humectants are often added to keep tobaccos moist, regardless of whether they’re flavored or not. Most tobacco is treated with an antifungal or antimicrobial to keep mold from forming, and as I mentioned before, most Virginias and Burleys are cased, regardless of whether the blend is an aromatic or not. In any case, all of the additives used are tested and considered safe for the purpose, or they wouldn’t be used. Where some of the confusion comes from is the laundry list of additives used in cigarettes, but pipe tobacco is a far different story.
Flavorings contribute to tongue bite. This has more to do with the individual and how he or she smokes than the casings and top-dressings. In fact, one of the reasons to use a casing is to help minimize bite. Some top dressings may cause discomfort for certain people based on body chemistry and the way they smoke, while others won’t be affected at all. If the statement were absolutely true, then there are blends that no one would smoke, but a lot of the tobaccos that have a reputation for bite are enjoyed by a wide audience.
People only smoke aromatics to please the people around them. There are plenty of pipe smokers who rarely smoke around anyone else, and the majority of them still smoke aromatics. The truth of the matter is that aromatics are best for people who enjoy a mild flavor but who smoke too hard or fast to be Virginia fans. Those who like sweetness but puff fast or hard would never get away with regular Virginias.
Non-Aromatic Blends
This is a “catch-all” category. Basically, if a blend isn’t an aromatic or an English blend, it’s lumped into the non-aromatic group. This broad grouping includes a variety of blend types including Virginia, Virginia/Perique, Burleys, Virginia/Burleys, and semi-aromatics. The main distinction here is that there are no top-dressings applied, or that the top-dressing is light enough that it doesn’t have much of an influence.
Among these might be some blends that include Latakia, but it’s usually added in such a small amount that it’s more of a background component. Besides the Virginia and Virginia/Perique blends, a number of our “house” blends fall into this category, such as Hearth & Home Marquee El Niño, and the Signature Series’ Freight Train, Stogie, and Steamroller.
Flavor profiles in this grouping can range from delicate and sweet to bold and spicy. For anyone in the area, the aromas may be mildly pleasant to inoffensive, although some that contain dark-fired Kentucky or dark Burley in significant amounts might fall into the “That stinks!” group.
Because this is such a broad collection of blends, they can be very cool to fairly hot-smoking, especially in the case of Virginia-based blends. Extra slow smoking is strongly recommended for these blends, not only to save your tongue, but to coax the maximum flavor out of these sugar-laden tobaccos.>>
<<ENGLISH/Oriental BLENDS
A lot of polite, if contentious, discussions have been held in recent years about the accuracy of the use of “English” to describe certain pipe tobaccos. The moniker has become common usage though, so for the sake of brevity, we’ll refer to any blend which uses Latakia as the dominant note as an English blend.
Latakia begins as a Turkish Oriental varietal called Smyrna. These leaves are hung in barns on the island of Cyprus, and a smoldering fire is started on the floor of the barn. The smoke from the aromatic woods eventually permeate the tobacco, turning it dark brown to black, depending upon how long it hangs there. When burned, the tobacco gives off a campfire-like aroma, and imparts a similar flavor, although there are also some savory and spicy elements as well. The smokiness can easily dominate a blend.
Other common elements in an English blend are Virginias and Orientals (which includes the subset of Turkish tobaccos, as well). When Orientals are the secondary note, they’re often referred to as Balkans, but we’ll still keep them under the English blend category.
When Cavendish (especially black Cavendish) is added, the blend might be called a Scottish blend, and if Burley is added in any significant amount it becomes an American/English. Some blends may also include dark-fired Kentucky and cigar leaf.
The primary characteristics of these blends is that signature smokiness and a tendency to smoke slowly and coolly. While the flavor might delight the pipe smoker, the pungency of the Latakia might not please the noses of standers-by, so pick your smoking venue wisely.>>
<<What’s The Deal With Latakia?
Latakia is one of the most famous pipe tobacco components, but it’s definitely a love-it or hate-it thing. For some people, it’s the elixir of the gods and for others it’s foul, rank and acrid.
Firstly, Latakia is not a tobacco; it’s a process. Latakia also comes from two areas: the island of Cyprus and Syria. The leaf that comes from Cyprus starts out as a Oriental varietal called Smyrna. It’s harvested and cured in a structure in which a fire burns using aromatic woods indigenous to the area, mostly of the evergreen type. When it turns black, the tobacco is ready for cutting. Virtually all the Latakia on the market currently comes from Cyprus.
The other Latakia, Syrian, is not currently in production. All of the Syrian Latakia being used is from older crops.
The difference between the two types is a matter of flavor profiles - Cyprian is bolder and more aromatic, whereas Syrian is smokier and more delicate. But one thing in particular is similar between them and, next to the flavor is the greatest draw - very cool smoking qualities.
What’s the appeal of a tobacco that has a wood-smoke flavor and aroma? It mainly comes from the combination of other tobaccos and the percentages used. Mixing Latakia with a blend consisting of, primarily, Virginias will produce a sweet, smokiness that approaches a barbeque flavor. As an example, you’ll get a hint of this in Hearth & Home Victorian Stroll. If the blend contains a bit of unflavored black Cavendish, the similarity is even more pronounced.
When Turkish-type varietals become involved (like Smyrna), notes of leather and anise or licorice may come out along with a backbone of mustiness reminiscent of mushrooms. Larry’s Blend is representative of this type of mixture.
The brighter and more floral types of Orientals (Yenidje, Xanthi, Basma and the like) have, in my opinion, the most dramatic effect upon Latakia, bringing out a vibrant, incense-like aroma with a commanding, but very clean flavor. For varying types of blends of this sort, Hearth & Home Marquee Series has three entries that showcase these properties- Magnum Opus, Black House and Fusilier’s Ration.
Today, there are an immense number of Latakia-based tobaccos on the market, many of which are among the most popular blends. They include such favorites as most of the Frog Mortons, many of the G.L. Pease line, such as Westminster, Star of the East, English Oriental Supreme, Balkan Sasieni, Balkan Sobranie, Commonwealth Mixture, and these are barely the tip of the iceberg.
Latakia is referred to as a condimental leaf, as a relatively small amount (less than 10% of a blend) can have an immense impact on the flavor and aroma. That said, a percentage of more than 60% can be found (such as Cornell and Diehl’s Pirate Kake and Hearth & Home Marquee Series Cerberus), and yet the flavor of the other tobaccos can still be noticed.
Although I can’t prove it, I would conjecture that the cool smoking properties of this black leaf has something to do with the smoke particles that coat the outside of the tobacco acting as a type of insulation. Whether that’s true of not, there’s no question that of all the varietals used in pipe tobacco, nothing is easier on the tongue.
As for me, I’ve been a fan of Latakia since day one. After trying a Cavendish for my first blend, my father had me try his tobacco, which was a mild Latakia mixture. Right from the beginning, I was enraptured by the smokiness, how easy it was to puff all day. I’m just glad that I found the pleasure of it early on. If you haven’t tried a Latakia blend yet, don’t be afraid of the pouch aroma; give it a shot.>>
Cavendish can be produced out of any tobacco type but is usually one of, or a blend of Kentucky, Virginia, and Burley and is most commonly used for pipe tobacco and cigars. The process begins by pressing the tobacco leaves into a cake about an inch thick. Heat from fire or steam is applied, and the tobacco is allowed to ferment. This is said to result in a sweet and mild tobacco. Finally the cake is sliced. These slices must be broken apart, as by rubbing in a circular motion between one's palms, before the tobacco can be evenly packed into a pipe. Flavoring* is often added before the leaves are pressed.
Many modern versions of Cavendish are flavored until the natural taste of tobacco is almost gone. The flavoring is comprised of a considerable amount of additives to the tobacco. This is usually done by producing a fluid mixture of sugar, liquorice or any kind of aroma/flavor in which the tobacco is soaked. The goal is to produce a sweet and smooth aroma, e.g., cherry, vanilla, rum, caramel, chocolate, strawberry, coconut, etc.