Taken from here: http://thepipesmoker.wordpress.com/tobaccos/
Virginia: -red / black / lemon / orange / orange-red – Virginia is by far the most popular tobacco type used in pipe tobacco today. About 60% of the American tobacco crop is Virginia. Virginia is the mildest of all blending tobaccos and has the highest level of natural dextrose (sugar), which basicly gives it a light sweet taste. Virginia is used in virtually all blends, is a good burner and aids in lighting.
The mildest of all blending tobaccos, it has the highest natural sugar content. Used in virtually all blends as it is a good burner and aids in lighting. It imparts a light sweet taste when used in moderation
Pure Virginia tobacco is best known from flake types. Dunhill’s Light Flake is a very good example. Medium in strength and rather sweet in taste. Several blends by Rattray comes into mind. Marlin Flake being a rather heavy member of the family, but still very sweet. The Danish manufacturer A&C Petersen has the Blue Caledonian. Mild to medium in strength, and a nice pure taste of Virginia tobacco.
Bright – From the Carolinas
Burley: Burley tobacco is the next most popular tobacco for pipe tobacco blending. It contains almost no sugar, which gives a much dryer and fuller aroma than Virginia. Burley is used in many aromatic blends because it absorbs the flavorings. Burley tobacco burns slowly and is a cool smoke, which makes it a nice addition to blends that tend to burn fast and strong. – “white burley” – a natural tobacco taste with a soft character that will never “bite.”
The technical term for Burley is “air cured”. This air curing is done in large open barns, by the natural air flow, for one or two months. The color is ranging from light brown to mahogany.
Pure Burley blends are mainly produced by U.S. and Danish companies. Blends like Blue Edgeworth, Old English and Half-and-Half are classic examples. The latter being slightly flavoured. Burley is also the main ingredient in most of the Danish McBaren blends.
Spice tobacco: Spice tobacco is actually not one type of tobacco, but rather a broad variety of more special types, used in small amounts to create an interesting blend. These would include Oriental, Latakia, Perique and Kentucky among others. Most of them are frequently used in English blends.
Oriental: A variety of tobaccos, grown in Turkey, the Balkans, and Russia. The best known types are Izmir, Samsun, Yenidji, Cavella and Bursa. A common characteristic is a dusty, dry and sometimes slightly sourish aroma. Some of them are also used in “exotic” cigarettes from Egypt and other Arab countries.
Yenidji: From Northern Greece. A spicey but smooth tobacco with a unique taste.
Latakia: Latakia is the result of a curing process involving fire curing the leaves over controlled fires of aromatic woods and fragrant herbs. Probably the most well known spice tobacco. Mainly grown in Cyprus and northern Syria. After the leaves are harvested and dried, they are hung in tightly closed barns and smoke-cured. Small smouldering fires of oak and pine fill the barn with smoke, and covering the leaves with smoke particles. Latakia was “discovered” when a bumper crop resulted in surplus, and the excess tobacco was stored in the rafters. The peasant farmers traditionally used wood and when short of wood camel dung for cooking and heating in the winter. The smoke cured tobacco’s unique flavoring and taste was discovered the following spring.
Latakia produces a very rich, heavy taste, with an aroma that has a “smokey” characteristic . Latakia is an indispensable ingredient of traditional English mixtures. The content can vary from a few percent to about 40-50%, or even more. A few smokers like it at 100%. This would tend to be harsh, not because Latakia is a strong tobacco, but because it burns and tends to dry out your mouth and throat. Both Dunhill and Rattray have a number of blends that contain Latakia. Dunhill 965, Early Morning and London Mixture are from Dunhill, and Red Rapperee and Black Mallory from Rattray. Seven Reserve from Rattray has a moderate content of Latakia, and might be a good introduction to these kind of blends. Bengal Slices is unique – a flake tobacco with a moderate to high content of Latakia. A very lovely blend if you like Latakia.
Perique: Perique is a Red Burley type of tobacco, grown and processed in St. James, Louisiana near New Orleans. Perique is a rare, slow burning, strong-tasting tobacco. Production is small, so its value is quite high. Perique is cured like Burley, but for a shorter time. There after the leaves are put in large oak barrels under heavy pressure, which will squeeze some juice out and make the whole thing ferment. Once in a while the leaves are taken out for a period and then repacked and refermented. This process takes at least one full year. Some times even longer.The aroma of a tobacco treated by this method is full bodied. The nicotine content is overwhelming, thus Perique can not be smoked by itself.
Due to its full-bodied nature, Perique is used on a limited basis in blends. About 5 % in a blend is the maximum. It is usually blended with Virginia to give it more body. Escudo is a good representative of a Virginia blend with Perique. Dunhill’s Elizabethan Mixture is a very nice example of Virginia mixed with a touch of Perique.
Kentucky: This is actually a specially treated Burley tobacco, produced in Kentucky. Unlike Burley, Kentucky is fire-cured. Its aroma is not as heavy as with Latakia, but very aromatic and unique. The nicotine content tends to be rather high, and therefore it is used in limited amounts.
Drama: From Macedonia – is a strong flavoring tobacco. A little bit goes long way.
Havana: Cuban and other cigar tobaccos are used in a limited range of Virginia blends and mixtures.
Cavendish: Cavendish is more a method to treat tobacco than a type. English Cavendish uses a dark flue or fire cured Virginia which is steamed and then stored under pressure to permit it to cure and ferment for several days to several weeks. When done well, this tobacco is really fine stuff. Cavendish can be produced out of any tobacco type (mainly Virginia’s and Burley’s are used). The original English Cavendish is produced out of Virginia tobacco, which is slightly flavoured and heated under high pressure. This will give you a very dark, black tobacco. A few English Cavendish blends exist on the market – Rattray’s Dark Fragrant and Black Virginia plus McConnel’s Maduro.
Cavendish is a process of curing and a method of cutting tobacco leaf; the term does not refer to a tobacco, but a type of manufacturing process. The processing and the cut are used to bring out the natural sweet taste that is a characteristic of Virginia tobacco. This process will create a tobacco very light in taste, quite mild and easy to pack.
The modern version of Cavendish is generally much more flavoured. The natural taste of tobacco is almost gone. The flavouring is also called “Casing”. This is the term used when you add a considerable amount of additives to the tobacco. This is usually done by producing a fluid mixture of sugar, liquorice or any kind of aromas in which the tobacco is soaked. The goal is to produce a sweet and smooth aroma. Modern Cavendish tobacco comes in numerous flavours, cherry, vanilla, rum, chocolate, strawberry, coconut …….and many other flavors.
Tobacco Classifications
Air-Cured: These tobaccos are dried naturally, sheltered from sunlight in large barns. The drying is carried out on the whole plant or as individual leaves. Sugar is the by-product of this three month drying process.
Dark Tobaccos: These tobacco plants are very mature and developed at the time of picking. The leaf is subjected to a second fermentation process. These leaves are used to make cigars.
Fire-Cured: Akin to Dark, its natural drying is completed by a wood-fired fumigation (oak is used by the traditionalists).
Sun-Cured: Almost all of Oriental Tobaccos are cured by this method. Oriental Tobaccos are grown in Greece, Turkey, Bulgaria and adjoining countries.
Tobacco Variants and Their Characteristics
Tobacco Variants and Their Characteristics
in goes your eye out
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Capn Jimbo
- Rum Evangelisti and Compleat Idiot
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What a brilliant post!
And shame on me for not reading or appreciating this much earlier. Like Dai - and although I'd smoked pipes some 30 years ago, it's fair to say that I never came to either understand nor fairly appreciate these components of the nearly endless blends being sold.
Back then it was Middleton's Cherry Blend for the dumbest of reasons - the girls liked it and nearby people would often comment, asking "What IS that you're smoking?". Such is youth and ignorance. Now that I've picked up a couple of cob pipes, and on da'Rum's recommendations bought some MacBaren's Navy Flake, along with the what is apparently the most smoked 'baca in the world, 1Q by Lane.
It's clear to me now that beginner's need time to both break in their pipes, and to smoke enough to begin to enjoy whatever they started with. It's at that point that da'Rum's fine post above begins to be interesting.
Just like rum, I wanted to understand these basic components...
The problem then is this: apparently (with the exception of perhaps the components of Virgina and burley, most tobacco seems to be packaged as a blend (just like rum). Fortunately, da'Rum has listed a number of good blends that illustrate the types. Here's some more that were featured in a catalog I received from "Pipes and Cigars", from whom I'd ordered the MacBaren's.
In this catalog they offered some nice "Sample Packs of Three" for pipe smokers that wish to understand how a particular component works. Each pack contains three samples, expressing the named component in three strengths -mild, medium and full fashion. In this fashion the smoker apparently can learn how that component works.
The Step-Ladder Samplers
Perique
Mild: H&H Signature LJ Heart Virginia
Medium: Sutliff Private Stock Golden Age
Full: Escudo
Virginia
Mild: McClelland Mat. VA No. 27
Medium: Dunhill Flake
Full: H&H Marquee Virginia Memory
Cavendish
Mild: Ole Shnanadoah Barrel No. 76
Medium: Sutliff Private Stock Black Swan
Full: H&H Signature Berry Nice
Latakia
Mild: LEO
Medium: H&H Marquee Magnum Opus
Full: Dunhill NIghtcap
Burley
Mild: Sutliff Private Stock BRG Mixture
Medium: H&H Signature Classic Burley Kake
Full: C&D Burley Flake #1
Aromatic
Mild: Sutliff Private Stock French Quarter
Medium: H&H Signature Egg Nogg
Full: Drew Estate Harvest on Hudson
The samplers have various list prices totalling around $36, but are sold for $19.95 for the three tins, which seem to be from 1.5 to 1.7 oz each.
Some questions...
To da'Rum:
What do you think of these samplers? Do you think that these "Step-Ladder" samplers are a good way to understand the components? And last, how would your recommend approaching this learning? Any particular order, etc.
A big thanks. In rum I know what I'd recommend and why (mostly a historical development, but holding the Navy until last), but pipe smoking? I haven't a clue.
******
http://pipesandcigars.com
And shame on me for not reading or appreciating this much earlier. Like Dai - and although I'd smoked pipes some 30 years ago, it's fair to say that I never came to either understand nor fairly appreciate these components of the nearly endless blends being sold.
Back then it was Middleton's Cherry Blend for the dumbest of reasons - the girls liked it and nearby people would often comment, asking "What IS that you're smoking?". Such is youth and ignorance. Now that I've picked up a couple of cob pipes, and on da'Rum's recommendations bought some MacBaren's Navy Flake, along with the what is apparently the most smoked 'baca in the world, 1Q by Lane.
It's clear to me now that beginner's need time to both break in their pipes, and to smoke enough to begin to enjoy whatever they started with. It's at that point that da'Rum's fine post above begins to be interesting.
Just like rum, I wanted to understand these basic components...
The problem then is this: apparently (with the exception of perhaps the components of Virgina and burley, most tobacco seems to be packaged as a blend (just like rum). Fortunately, da'Rum has listed a number of good blends that illustrate the types. Here's some more that were featured in a catalog I received from "Pipes and Cigars", from whom I'd ordered the MacBaren's.
In this catalog they offered some nice "Sample Packs of Three" for pipe smokers that wish to understand how a particular component works. Each pack contains three samples, expressing the named component in three strengths -mild, medium and full fashion. In this fashion the smoker apparently can learn how that component works.
The Step-Ladder Samplers
Perique
Mild: H&H Signature LJ Heart Virginia
Medium: Sutliff Private Stock Golden Age
Full: Escudo
Virginia
Mild: McClelland Mat. VA No. 27
Medium: Dunhill Flake
Full: H&H Marquee Virginia Memory
Cavendish
Mild: Ole Shnanadoah Barrel No. 76
Medium: Sutliff Private Stock Black Swan
Full: H&H Signature Berry Nice
Latakia
Mild: LEO
Medium: H&H Marquee Magnum Opus
Full: Dunhill NIghtcap
Burley
Mild: Sutliff Private Stock BRG Mixture
Medium: H&H Signature Classic Burley Kake
Full: C&D Burley Flake #1
Aromatic
Mild: Sutliff Private Stock French Quarter
Medium: H&H Signature Egg Nogg
Full: Drew Estate Harvest on Hudson
The samplers have various list prices totalling around $36, but are sold for $19.95 for the three tins, which seem to be from 1.5 to 1.7 oz each.
Some questions...
To da'Rum:
What do you think of these samplers? Do you think that these "Step-Ladder" samplers are a good way to understand the components? And last, how would your recommend approaching this learning? Any particular order, etc.
A big thanks. In rum I know what I'd recommend and why (mostly a historical development, but holding the Navy until last), but pipe smoking? I haven't a clue.
******
http://pipesandcigars.com
Mostly I can't comment on those tobaccos because 90% are American blends that don't have the tax clearance to be sold in Germany.
Cornel &Diel, Home and hearth, Mc Clelland are unfortunately only things of tales for me. I very rarely hear bad things about any of them.
I can say that Perique is one of those tobaccos that has benefited from scarceness and bulldust. Perique is a condiment tobacco and if it is not blended well with others it will be an unpleasant experience.
I'm not sure how it could be stepped up to Escudo though as Escudo is (for me only anecdotally) a perfect blend of Virginia and Perique (VaPer). If full means try some lesser VaPer blends so you can truly appreciate how it should be done then fair enough.
Virginia can be a hit and miss and is purely personal preference I have smoked Dunhill Flake and it's excellent it would be lovely with a nice Barbancourt 5 star
Cavendish is dependant on the toppings. Full stop.
Hard to disagree with Dunhill Nightcap as a Latakia recommendation a fantastic tobacco and a true English. Although Latakia is a tobacco that has an abundance of blends that are excellent . As Latakia is a smokey bbq camp fire man's smoke it can take a bit to get acquainted with so a step up of blends that gradually raise the Latakia percentile could be a good idea. Grab a peaty scotch or a cup of lapsang su chong for this greeat smoke. I sit here and smoke a bowl of Hollys discovery http://www.tobaccoreviews.com/blend/147 ... -discovery
as I type.
Burley can kick your arse in the nicotine stakes so stepping up might be a good idea as well although I'd wholeheartedly suggest Solani aged Burley flake. It's just great.
So after that waffle I'll answer more succinctly
Q;
Q;
Q;
Cornel &Diel, Home and hearth, Mc Clelland are unfortunately only things of tales for me. I very rarely hear bad things about any of them.
I can say that Perique is one of those tobaccos that has benefited from scarceness and bulldust. Perique is a condiment tobacco and if it is not blended well with others it will be an unpleasant experience.
I'm not sure how it could be stepped up to Escudo though as Escudo is (for me only anecdotally) a perfect blend of Virginia and Perique (VaPer). If full means try some lesser VaPer blends so you can truly appreciate how it should be done then fair enough.
Virginia can be a hit and miss and is purely personal preference I have smoked Dunhill Flake and it's excellent it would be lovely with a nice Barbancourt 5 star
Cavendish is dependant on the toppings. Full stop.
Hard to disagree with Dunhill Nightcap as a Latakia recommendation a fantastic tobacco and a true English. Although Latakia is a tobacco that has an abundance of blends that are excellent . As Latakia is a smokey bbq camp fire man's smoke it can take a bit to get acquainted with so a step up of blends that gradually raise the Latakia percentile could be a good idea. Grab a peaty scotch or a cup of lapsang su chong for this greeat smoke. I sit here and smoke a bowl of Hollys discovery http://www.tobaccoreviews.com/blend/147 ... -discovery
as I type.
Burley can kick your arse in the nicotine stakes so stepping up might be a good idea as well although I'd wholeheartedly suggest Solani aged Burley flake. It's just great.
So after that waffle I'll answer more succinctly
Q;
A; I can't comment on the brands much but in some areas not bad.What do you think of these samplers?
Q;
A; Yes, but you'd be hard up finding someone with a perfect list for you. I think there is something to be said for some of it but in the case of VaPer, Burley and Virginia just buy the best you can and you'll sort the characteristics out yourself easily.Do you think that these "Step-Ladder" samplers are a good way to understand the components?
Q;
A; I'm not sure, I'll have to think on it.how would your recommend approaching this learning? Any particular order
in goes your eye out
Ok, I though about it. My opinion is no.
A step up regime like this would be of some use but not a lot. The difference in styles, blends, strains, toppings and casings vary too much.
I would suggest either finding pure tobacco types ie just virginia or just burley, perique, cavendish etc and smoking them as is. This would be one of, if not the best way to train yourself into picking the parts up in a blend.
Also plugs and ropes, should not be overlooked these are rich blends that are far more pure in tobacco taste than ribbon cuts or even flakes.
A step up insofar as what is written above in Jimbo's post would not be the best way for someone to learn the varietal flavours of tobacco. It would help a bit but may also lead to confusion and false conclusions.
A step up regime like this would be of some use but not a lot. The difference in styles, blends, strains, toppings and casings vary too much.
I would suggest either finding pure tobacco types ie just virginia or just burley, perique, cavendish etc and smoking them as is. This would be one of, if not the best way to train yourself into picking the parts up in a blend.
Also plugs and ropes, should not be overlooked these are rich blends that are far more pure in tobacco taste than ribbon cuts or even flakes.
A step up insofar as what is written above in Jimbo's post would not be the best way for someone to learn the varietal flavours of tobacco. It would help a bit but may also lead to confusion and false conclusions.
in goes your eye out
-
Capn Jimbo
- Rum Evangelisti and Compleat Idiot
- Posts: 3550
- Joined: Mon Dec 11, 2006 3:53 pm
- Location: Paradise: Fort Lauderdale of course...
- Contact:
I bow to the Minor God...
d, I'm beginning to get what you mean. Just like rum, it seems that most of the tobacco for sale are sold as blends of one kind or another, and again like rum, blended to sell or in some cases I'm sure, to dispose of a less than stellar component.
I'm glad to learn that plugs and ropes are richer and purer, and your link to the McClelland bulks was amazing, as this provides a source to buy the most used components (eg Virginia, burley, latakis, et al in various pure, or strongly influenced forms). Best yet, you can buy small and economical quantities to play with, maybe even try constructing your own "blend".
Thanks for taking the time and effort.
d, I'm beginning to get what you mean. Just like rum, it seems that most of the tobacco for sale are sold as blends of one kind or another, and again like rum, blended to sell or in some cases I'm sure, to dispose of a less than stellar component.
I'm glad to learn that plugs and ropes are richer and purer, and your link to the McClelland bulks was amazing, as this provides a source to buy the most used components (eg Virginia, burley, latakis, et al in various pure, or strongly influenced forms). Best yet, you can buy small and economical quantities to play with, maybe even try constructing your own "blend".
Thanks for taking the time and effort.
My recommendations for you are as follows:
Squadron Leader (Samuel Gawith)
Navy Flake (Mac Baren)
Presbyterian Mixture
Erinmore Mixture (not tried the flake yet)
Give these a go if you can get some samples. My favourite so far is Squadron Leader with Presbyterian and Navy Flake running a close second.
Squadron Leader (Samuel Gawith)
Navy Flake (Mac Baren)
Presbyterian Mixture
Erinmore Mixture (not tried the flake yet)
Give these a go if you can get some samples. My favourite so far is Squadron Leader with Presbyterian and Navy Flake running a close second.
-
Capn Jimbo
- Rum Evangelisti and Compleat Idiot
- Posts: 3550
- Joined: Mon Dec 11, 2006 3:53 pm
- Location: Paradise: Fort Lauderdale of course...
- Contact:
All suggestions appreciated...
Unfortunately, we speak from different geographical locations which also affects availability, not to mention the usual beginner's confusion and being in a bit of hurry. So what I did was to use the Pipe & Cigars list of "step ladders", plus the above, checked them out on the Tobacco Reviews site, threw a dart at the page and tried to come up with examples that I believed would be "medium" in terms of fullness with the type of tobacco.
My choices:
Burley:
Prince Albert: very old time codger's tobacco, Burley based with some Cavendish by Middleton. Economical.
Carter Hall: also an oldie by Middleton Burley with some Virginia. Economical.
H&H (Home and Hearth) Classic Burley Kake: two different burleys with Virginia for sweetness, on Pipe & Cigars step ladder for Burley. Moderate price.
Virginia:
McClelland's Mature Virginia No. 27: pure Virginia, very highly respected, considered a "mild" example by P&C.
Latakia:
Missouri Meerschaum American Patriot: called an English blend with Cavendish, Latakia, Oriental/Turkish and Virginia. Very highly rated, yet also economical. The latakia is alleged to be modest and well balanced.
H&H Marquee Magnum Opus: Latakia, Oriental/Turkish, Perique and Virginia. Rated "medium" Latakia by P&C. Modest in cost and very highly rated.
Cavendish:
Lane Ltd. BCA: from my local tobacconista. A fire-cured aromatic Cavendish, that sells well (and is sometimes mixed with Lane's 1Q). Good ratings, modest in cost.
Sutliff Private Stock Black Swan: another like the above, this time from P&C's list as a "medium" example. Black Cavendish, fire cured and steam processed, aromatic and modest in cost
Perique:
H&H Louisiana Red: two red Virginas with St. James Perique, considered a "mild" example by P&C. High ratings, modest price.
Aromatics:
I took a pass on this category as there really is no defining this as a basic type of tobacco, plus having already smoked Lane's 1Q, the best selling aromatic in the world. That plus the aromatic Cavendish's above, and why bother. Examining "aromatics" is like examining altered rums.
Flat Ass Bottom Line
Hey, these are close enough for government work, eh? I've already started with the Burleys and I'll try to post my impressions. It might be fun for all of us to compare what we have in these various "classes".
*******
http://www.tobaccoreviews.com/
http://www.pipesandcigars.com/search/?q=step+ladder
Unfortunately, we speak from different geographical locations which also affects availability, not to mention the usual beginner's confusion and being in a bit of hurry. So what I did was to use the Pipe & Cigars list of "step ladders", plus the above, checked them out on the Tobacco Reviews site, threw a dart at the page and tried to come up with examples that I believed would be "medium" in terms of fullness with the type of tobacco.
My choices:
Burley:
Prince Albert: very old time codger's tobacco, Burley based with some Cavendish by Middleton. Economical.
Carter Hall: also an oldie by Middleton Burley with some Virginia. Economical.
H&H (Home and Hearth) Classic Burley Kake: two different burleys with Virginia for sweetness, on Pipe & Cigars step ladder for Burley. Moderate price.
Virginia:
McClelland's Mature Virginia No. 27: pure Virginia, very highly respected, considered a "mild" example by P&C.
Latakia:
Missouri Meerschaum American Patriot: called an English blend with Cavendish, Latakia, Oriental/Turkish and Virginia. Very highly rated, yet also economical. The latakia is alleged to be modest and well balanced.
H&H Marquee Magnum Opus: Latakia, Oriental/Turkish, Perique and Virginia. Rated "medium" Latakia by P&C. Modest in cost and very highly rated.
Cavendish:
Lane Ltd. BCA: from my local tobacconista. A fire-cured aromatic Cavendish, that sells well (and is sometimes mixed with Lane's 1Q). Good ratings, modest in cost.
Sutliff Private Stock Black Swan: another like the above, this time from P&C's list as a "medium" example. Black Cavendish, fire cured and steam processed, aromatic and modest in cost
Perique:
H&H Louisiana Red: two red Virginas with St. James Perique, considered a "mild" example by P&C. High ratings, modest price.
Aromatics:
I took a pass on this category as there really is no defining this as a basic type of tobacco, plus having already smoked Lane's 1Q, the best selling aromatic in the world. That plus the aromatic Cavendish's above, and why bother. Examining "aromatics" is like examining altered rums.
Flat Ass Bottom Line
Hey, these are close enough for government work, eh? I've already started with the Burleys and I'll try to post my impressions. It might be fun for all of us to compare what we have in these various "classes".
*******
http://www.tobaccoreviews.com/
http://www.pipesandcigars.com/search/?q=step+ladder
Well you did actually take care of your aro's 
http://www.tobaccoreviews.com/blend/321 ... urley-kake
Looks like a winner with the VA. Smoke slowly!
http://www.tobaccoreviews.com/blend/321 ... urley-kake
Looks like a winner with the VA. Smoke slowly!
in goes your eye out