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NVWUaHS
ALL ABOUT
TOBACCO
MILTON M.SHERMAN sg00zZ9osiL
Milton M. Sherman has spent more
than thiety years in the tobacco
business. After leaving the Uni:
versity of Wisconsin, he went to
work for The American Tobacco Co.
In their sales division. in 1939, he
jalined Frank Riggio, formerly na
tional sales of manager of Ameri
canto launch one of the first
successful "king size” clgarottes in
‘America. His career was inter
rupted by World Warll, when he
served in Africa, India and China,
rmovingup in rank from private to
major. He resumed his afliation
ALC ALSOUT
with Riggio Tobacco Corp. afterthe
warand has since held executive
sales positions in the packaging
industry and mast recently with
‘one ofthe country’s most prestii
us tobacco retail and distribution:
organizations. Mr. Shermari who
Ways "W UO Aq OD9VEOLLNOSY TIV
“4:
isknown as Milt wherever tobacco 655.7
preduts aro mad or hs 3
written this fascinating and defini = Pipes
ee ices
men and tobaceo consumers, Fi
alike, will find increased enjoyment Cigarettes
How to buy a pipe
How to blend tobacco
How to smoke a cigar
The sare of tobacco products
Inthe products, about which there
is much misinformation and much
litte known tact TORACCS INS’
ALL ABOUT
TOBACCO
MILTON M. SHERMAN
PUBLISHED BY
SHERMAN NATIONAL CORP.
42s Park Avenue South, New York City
6800Z29S1L. 0600ZZ9S1L
G3h-7
Ss
Special Limited 1st Bdtion
© Copyright 1970 by Sherman National Corp.
{All Rights Reserved under International and
Pen-American Copyright Conventions
‘Tobacco was used as a medium of exchange on the North American cons
Uinent as early a8 1819 and through the 1700's. Fragments of the "money"
ave bear found trom tine to ine, bul ts phtoytaph shows the oly
complete roll vor found. It was dlacovered Ina trunk, amang George H600ZZ9SLL
Contents
Acknowledgment
Introduction
Parpose
‘Tonacco
T American Leaf Tobacco
II Processed Tobaccos
IIT Oriental (Turkish) Tobaccos
IV How Tobacco Is Flavored (Cased)
V_ How Tobacco Is Cut
VI_ How Tobacco Is Manufactured
‘VII_ Blending Pipe Tobacco
VIII How Pipe Tobacco Is Manufactured and Pack-
aged in the United States
IX Pipe Tobaccos Manufactured in the United
Kingdom
X Pipe Tobacco Manufactured in Holland and
Denmark,
(contents continued)
-4 vi Be
xi
xiii
10
18
1
2
37
41
50
35
60 contents
Ciganerres
XI
XI
' Poss
xm
} XIV
xv
Cicans
XVI
XVI
XVIII
Z600Z29S1L.
How Cigarettes Are Manufactured in the
United States
How Cigarettes Are Manufactured in the
United Kingdom
How Briar Pipes Are Manufactured
How to Buy a Pipe
Meerschaum and Other Types of Pipes
All About Cigar Leaf
‘How to Smoke a Cigar
‘The Care and Humidification of Tobacco
Products
-4 vil pe
6
78
99
17
ug
Acknowledgment
‘Tur information in this book was compiled over a period of
‘more than two years. In my search for accurate material, I
discovered that, while many books have been written about
tobacco, its growth and history, very few of chem contain
the concise information that the average consumer or even
tobacco man might wish to have readily at hand.
‘The many years that I have spent within the tobacco busi-
ness have afforded me the opportunity to meet those individ-
uals who are among the acknowledged leaders of the industry.
Enlisting the help of these people through personal interviews
and correspondence, in addition to many hours of research
in various libraries, has enabled me to assemble the information
in this book.
T wish to acknowledge, with the utmost appreciation, the
help and encouragement that has been given me by the follow-
ing persons and their companies, listed as follows alpha-
betically:
a ik £600Z29S1L
ACKNOWLEDGMENT
Marvny Buoont (Tobacco Merchants Assn.)
Dick Di Meota (Comoy's of London)
Daviw Froreutt (David P. Ehrlich Co.)
Matooum L, Fuziscuen (R.T.D.A.)
Marrrew J. Forses
Gattaner Dvrenvationat. (London, England)
Monnis Gantentavs (Kaywoodie Pipes Inc.)
Jack Gavwor (Phillip Morris Inc.)
Gene Grosta (Jon's-St. Louis)
Davi Goes (Murray Sons & Co. Ltd.)
Jenny Goopwtan (Mile High Cigars—Denver)
Ronext De Gran (J. & A.C. Van Rossem)
Dowato Gneca (Faber, Coe & Gregg, Inc.)
‘Tuomas Ketty (Faber, Coe & Gregg, Inc.)
Invinc Krantz
Henry Lavieres (Dr. Grabow Pipes)
Srawuzy Levi (Iwan Ries & Co.)
Gronce. W. Macoy Sa, (Phillip Morris Inc.)
Bruce McCtenanan (Faber, Coe & Gregg, Inc.)
Jemry Nacten (The Pipe & Tobacco Council)
Awtuony Recensnure (Bayuk Cigars Inc.)
Da. Mortimer J. StamMELMAN (Atmos Products)
F. J. Trust (Fries & Bros.)
Roser B, Watxer (American Brands Inc.)
Hat Werrueiveer (Socotab Tobacco Co.)
‘Mornis L. Wormaw (Bayuk Cigars Inc.)
Edited by Nett Lovwacan
Drawings by Setene Func
eae
Introduction
Stvce the day in 1613 when John Rolfe married Pocahontas,
countless billions of pounds of tobacco have been sold and
consumed by millions of people who haven't the slightest, or
perhaps only the slightest, idea of whae they are consuming.
‘Yer, whenever a new tobacco product—be it pipe tobacco,
cigars or cigarettes—is produced, packaged and put on the
marker, the average consumer will invest his money to per-
sonally ascertain whether or not the claims of the manufac-
turer are true,
‘Another oddity about the industry is that there are less
than ten major pipe tobacco and cigarette manufacturers and
only six major cigar companies in the United States, in whose
hands lie the secret formulae that make loyal customers out of
50 million Americans. Since our discussion centers on such
highly individualistic areas as taste, aroma and habit, ic is
remarkable that so few tobacco'companies completely satisfy
the smoking needs of so many.
‘The butcher, the baker and the neighborhood electrician all
oa PE00ZL9SIL
INTRODUCTION
have some knowledge of the merchandise they sell, But of the
more than 1,000,000 retail shops in the Uniced States chat sell
tobacco products, less than one percent of the merchants or
their clerks have any idea what goes into the cigars, cigarettes
and pipe tobacco they are selling. Sadly, most of them do not
care,
‘The tobacconist, or retail specialist, on the other hand, is a
dedicated man, who endeavors to acquire product knowledge,
in order to becter service his customers.
Together, you and I will open the doors of those factories
in Richmond, Durham and Louisville, ake a good look inside,
and perhaps increase our smoking enjoyment by gaining some
knowledge of the tobacco products we use.
‘We will also pay a visit co some of the tobacco counters
around the world and see what the English, Dutch and Danes
have to offer. We will spend some time in those areas where
they grow exotic tobaccos, and iti the course of our travels,
wwe will see how pipes are made and how to buy and care for
them.
‘On the way back co the United States, we'll stop and visi
the cigar makers of the Canary Islands, Jamaica and Florida to
see what happened to that “good five cent cigar.”
~{ oxi pe
Purpose
‘Tue Purpose of this book is to set forth in simple, under-
standable terms how pipe tobacco, cigarettes, cigars and pipes
are manufactured so that the consumer, the retailer and all
‘thers within the industry may increase their knowledge of
the tobacco products they use,
‘We will try not to get bogged down by trying to explain
highly sophisticated methods of manufacturing, or where
certain little-used tobaccos come from, or terms and expres-
sions that are meaningful only to the professionals who actu-
ally buy and manufacture tobacco products.
‘Thousands of private label brands of pipe tobacco, cigars
and cigarettes are sold throughout the United States and each
retailer gives his brand some exotic name to impress the
consumer,
Ie is impossible to discuss all these brands, However, we
should bear in mind that the basic manufacturing techniques
are the same and it is the writer’s purpose to standardize the
usage of words and methods in the interest of clarity.
xiii pe S600ZZ9S1L
7
PeRPoss,
Those engaged in the manufacturing of tobacco in its
various forms spend a tremendous amount of time, talent, and
money, marketing products that chey believe will appeal to
certain segments of the consuming public. Iris not the writer’s
intention to faulechese wanufaccurers or criticize the quality
of their products.
However, in an effort to present this material in terms that
are readily comprehended by the lay reader, over-simplifica-
tion of certain complex processes may have resulted. Hope-
fully, the author's many friends among tobacco manufac-
turers will appreciate any such liberties.
“oxi
TOBACCO g600z29S1L.
CHAPTER
American Leaf Tobacco
Berone we ENtER our first tobacco factory and inhale the
pungent, sweet aroma, et us remember that—
“The factual evidence from botany, archaeology, anthro-
pology, linguistics and the records of all antiquity lead to the
inescapable conclusion: Tobacco is as American as the Indians
‘who presented it to the rest of the world.” (Brooks, 1952)
Today, tobacco is grown in some eighty countries of the
civilized world, all of which can trace their tobacco seed back
to the American Indians.
‘The United States produces and exports more tobacco than
any country in the world and is the world’s third largest
importer, exceeded only by the United Kingdom and Ger-
many. Nearly all of our imported tobacco is Oriental leaf,
used in the manufacture of cigarettes.
While it is acknowledged by tobacco experts that the
‘United States grows some of the finest tobacco used in ciga-
rettes, cigars and pipe tobacco, much inexpensive tobacco is
also grown domestically for use in various products.
ee 2600729511
ALL Anour Tonacco
In this chapter, we are primarily interested in domestic leaf
tobacco used in the manufacture of cigarettes and pipe to-
baccos. Other countries throughout the world grow fine
tobaccos, but the United States is the acknowledged world
leader in the production of high grade leaf tobacco for these
‘ovo purposes.
TOBACCOS GROWN IN THE UNITED STATES
The three important cobaccos grown in the United States
for cigarettes and pipe tobacco are:
1, Burley
2. Virginia
3. Maryland
Burley Tobacco
Barley is grown in eight states and accounts for approxi-
mately 307% ofall tobacco grownin this country.
Some of the finest Burley grades, used in making cigarettes
and pipe tobacco, are grown in Kentucky, Tennessee and in
southern Ohio.
The leaf of the Burley plant grows from twelve to as much
as thirty inches in length. As with any other plant, soil and
climate govern the type, grade and quality of leaf.
To increase the leaf development of Burley, the grower
cuts off the flower buds as the plant matures, a procedure
known as topping. This permits the plant to grow larger and
i improves the quality of the remaining leaves. Burley plants
range in height from five to nine feet, and after topping, the
stall has from16 to 22 leaves.
42
American Leaf Tobacco
Curing
“The primary purpose of curing leaf tobacco is to accelerate
the aging and drying processes under controlled conditions,
‘With Burley cobatco, there are two types of curing em-
ployed: 1. Air Cured Burley and 2, Fire Cored Burley.
‘Air Cured Burley in turn is categorized as either—1. Light
Air Cured, or 2. Dark Air Cured.
‘ir Curing: Approximately 90% of all the Burley tobacco
grown in the United States is air cured, which simply means
that after the tobacco is harvested, it is strung on long poles
and hong in a bam to dry, primarily under natural weather
conditions. This air curing process normally takes from four
to six weeks and is completed when the central vein of the leaf
is completely free of sap.
Fire Curing: In the Fire Curing of Burley, the tobacco is
placed on poles, as before, and hung in a barn for a period of
three to five days. Slow fires of hardwood and hardwood
sawdust are maintained on the floor of the barn until the
tobacco is completely dry. The process can take as long as
forty days if the weather is excessively damp.
Tn addition to drying the tobacco, the Fire Curing process
imparts an unusual smoky taste and aroma to the tobacco.
Most Fire Cared Burley comes from southern Kentucky
and northern Tennessee,
Light Air Cured Burley: The larger, thinner middle leaves
of the Burley tobacco plant are those most desired for the
manufacture of fine pipe tobacco and excellent quality ciga~
rettes. The top and bottom leaves are used in the manufacture
of snuff, plugs, twist and inexpensive brands of pipe smoking
tobacco,
nd ALL AnoUT TOBACCO
American Leaf Tobacco
i
9600Z29S1L
‘The outstanding characteristics of Light Air Cured Burley
are:
1, aleaf with a thin to medium body;
2. acolor range from light yellow to reddish brown,
The top grades of Light Air Cured Burley, which are
yellow, are referred to as “White Burley.” This grade was
accidentally grown in southern Ohio in 1864 ftom tobacco
seed known as “litle Burley.” This top grade Burley has a
fine texture, excellent burning qualities and the ability to
absorb large amounts of casings and flavorings. Today, more
than twenty countries over four continents grow “White
Burley” tobacco.
Dark Air Cured Burley: The principal characteristics of
this tobacco are:
1, amedium ro heavy-bodied leafy
2, a range in color from light to dark brown;
3. very mild taste with little or no aroma;
4, moderately cool smoking quality.
Dark Air Cured Burley is used mosdy for chewing to-
bacco, plugs, snuff and inexpensive brands of pipe tobacco.
‘Usually referred to as “Kentucky Burley,” the lower grades,
cor heavier leaves are used in some tobacco mixrures to give the
tobacco blend more “body.”
Fire Cured Burley: Apart from its slightly smoky raste and
aroma, Fire Cured Burley is moderately cool smoking, even
though it is a much “heavier” type of tobacco. Its limited
production is essentially for the same use as Dark Air Cured,
that isin che manufacture of plugs, rwists, snuff, ete.
te
How Burley Tobacco Is Used
Little or no sugar is found in the chemical composition of
Barley tobacco, a condition enabling it to absorb great quan-
tities of flavorings or casings. Since practically all cigarertes
and pipe cobaccos manufactured in the United States are
flavored, Burley lends itself readily to use in these products.
‘Also, because of the neutral taste and aroma of Burley, it
blends quite easily with all types of tobaccos and assumes the
taste and aroma of the tobacco or the flavorings with which it
isblended,
Straight Burley tobaccos, flavored with casings, are easily
obtainable at any tobacconist that sells bulk tobacco or in
packaged form under various brand labels. There are many
grades, types and tastes of Burley available,
Numerous pipe tobacco brands manufactured in the
United States are referred to as mixtures, meaning that two or
more types of tobacco are blended together to get a desired
smoking effect. The majority of these domestic mixtures have
‘Burley base and in some brands the Burley content is as high
as 80%, Different grades of Burley can be employed in a
mixture to achieve certain results,
Virginia Tobacco
John Rolfe was the first man in the English colony of
Jamestown to envision the commercial opportunities that
tobacco offered. In 1612, he planted his first tobacco crop and
in 1618, he shipped to England 20,000 pounds, making to-
bacco an important factor in-the economy of the colony. It
became the major product with which to barter goods from
England.
er 6600Z29S1L
ALL ABouT TOBACCO
The dark, coarse leaf that John Rolfe first found was
difficult to smoke. Tt was eventually supplanted with leaf
grown ftom seed imported from Spanish Trinidad. The so-
called Bright leaf that became the favorite of European mar-
kkets was not discovered until 1838 when one of the Slade
brothers in Caswell County, North Carolina, or one of their
slaves, accidentally discovered a new curing method that
turned the leaf a bright yellow.
Today, Flue Cured Virginia tobacco represents 57% of the
entire tobacco crop in the United States and is grown in the
following “belts,” comprised of six states:
(Old Belt—Virginia and North Carolina
Middle Belt—North Carolina
Eastern Belt—North Carolina
Border Belt—South Carolina and North Carolina
Georgia Belt—Georgis, Florida and Alabama
Virginia tobacco is harvested by the “priming” method in
which the leaves are hand-picked, two to four leaves at a time,
‘when the tobacco is ripe. The process is repeated four to six
times, until the stalk has been picked clean.
Flue Curing
Practically all Virginia type tobacco is Flue Cured. After
the tobacco is harvested and strung in barn-like buildings, ic is
heated by wood, coal or oil, with a system of large pipes or
flues carrying off the gases. Very special care is taken to
assure that the tobacco is not affected by thesmoke.
The Flue Curing process induces chemical change in the
tobaceo-aging and drying the leafunder controlled tem-
perature and humidity conditions.
Flue Caring takes from four to six days. The night preced-
6
i
|
‘American Leaf Tobacco
ing the day on which the tobacco is to be taken down, the
ara door is left open and the floor sprinkled with water. This
js done to let the leaves absorb just enough moisture so that
they can be handled without breakage,
‘There are many grades of Virginia tobacco, and while the
greatest amount of it is Flue Cured, smaller amounts of
heavier, coarser grades ace Fire Cured, to be used in the
‘manufacture of suff, twist and plugs,
Outstanding Characteristics of Virginia Tobacco
1. The leaf ranges in length from twelve to thirty inches
and in this respect only is similar to Burley.
2, The color varies from light yellow to dark brown, after
the curing process.
3. Virginia type leaf contains fewer natural oils than Burley,
4, The leaf is thin to medium in thickness, yet to be fuller
bodied than Burley.
5. The chemical composition of Virginia tobacco includes
a significant quantity of sugar and the leaf is regarded as
quite sweet. .
6. Because of its sugar content, Virginia leaf does not take
to casing or flavoring as readily 2s does Burley.
7. Virginia tobacco has a mild flavor,
In conimon with all plants, Virginia tobacco’s character-
isties are determined by the soil and conditions of climate
where it is grown. The finest grade is considered to be
Virginia Bright and the top grades of Virginia Bright are
determined by the position of the leaves on the stalk, and by
the quality, color and body of the leaf. The large leaves at the
center of the stalk are the finest,
Se ad 00L0zZ9s1L
ALL ABOUT TOBACCO
Light colored Fine Cured Virginia tobacco is used pri-
marily to manufacture high quality cigarettes and pipe to-
bacco. The darker, heavier grades of Flue Cured have a
strong taste and are employed in the manufacture of smuff,
owist, etc.
‘The tremendous growth of filter cigarettes in recent years
has brought about increased use of the darker grades of Flue
Cured tobacco in an effort co get more tobacco taste through
the filter.
Although there are a number of varieties of Flue Cured
tobacco, generally associated with the area of a state or region
where they are grown, a consumer would find it difficult to
differentiate one grade from another.
Matured Virginia Tobacco: This is a manufactured phrase,
created for the purpose of implying that the Virginia tobacco
used in a particular brand his been aged. The fact of the
matter is that all Virginia type tobacco is usually aged in
‘warehouses for two co three years before being processed for
‘manufacturing.
Maryland Broadleaf Tobacco
Maryland Broadleaf tobacco grows only in the state for
which it was named and is usually referred to as Eastern
Burley.
‘The annual production of Maryland Broadleaf is only 38
million pounds a year, which represents less than 2% of the
total poundage of domestic tobacco grown. Extensive use of
Maryland tobacco, therefore, is curtailed
The principal use of Maryland tobacco is in cigarettes since
it blends well and has ideal burning qualities. Some Maryland
tobacco is used in the manufacture of pipe tobacco and some
8
American Leaf Tobacco
js used as “filler” tobacco for cigars. It is interesting to note
that a Swiss manufacturer has placed on the market a cigarette
brand that is made exclusively from Maryland tobacco.
Curing: Maryland tobacco is harvested by the stalk-cutting
method and is Light Air Cured in a manner similar to Burley.
Characteristics of Maryland Tobacco
1. Maryland tobacco has a large leaf, ranging in length
from 12 to 30 inches. The width ranges from 6 to 15
inches.
2. Maryland tobacco leaves are thin,
3, The burning qualities of Maryland are the most ideal of
all domestic tobaccos.
4. Maryland is quite neutral in taste and aroma,
. Tt accepts casings or flavorings readily.
6. Maryland blends well with other tobaccos, This is the
reason itis used chiefly as “filler” cobacco in the manu-
facture of pipe tobaccos and cigarettes,
Note to Pipe Smokers
If your pipe tobacco blend burns too slowly, the addition
of 2 small amount of Maryland tobacco should correct the
situation.
‘Also, if your pipe tobacco blend is a little “heavy,” a small
amount of Maryland, or even of Burley, thoroughly mixed,
will tend to give your blend a milder character.
9 Forozzeci
CHAPTER
II
Processed Tobaccos
PERIQUE TOBACCO
‘Tue process of curing Perique tobacco is unique, its history
dating back to the Choctaw and Chicasaw Indians, who lived
in what is now known as St. James Parish outside of New
Orleans,
Pierre Chenet, a Frenchman, discovered the Indians making
tobacco, improved the process, and emerged with a tobacco
named after his nickname, Perique,
Grown only in a small area near New Orleans, Perique is
believed to be a Barley type of tobacco.
Curing
No other tobacco is cured in che same manner as Perique.
After the plant is cut, each stalk is hung separately across the
curing barn, In eight co fourteen days, when the leaves have
wilted and yellowed somewhat, they are stripped from the
4 10
Processed Tobaccos
stall, formed into small rwists and packed in casks under great
pressure until they turn black,
‘At three different intervals during the aging or curing
period of approximately nine months, the tobacco is taken out
of the cask, loosened, and then put back in the cask again,
under pressure. Ic is cured in its own juice, fermenting under
pressure until it is ready for the market place,
Outstanding Characteristics of Perique
1, Iradds a spicy flavor to all tobacco blends.
2. Ir adds aroma to all blends,
3, Perique tobacco burns slowly.
4. Ie is without “bite,” although it is far too heady to be
smoked straight.
CAVENDISH TOBACCO
The word “Cavendish,” when applied to pipe tobacco, seems
to intrigue the American pipe smoker, It is also a confusing
word, probably because Cavendish is a description of both a
type of pipe tobacco and a manner in which tobacco is cut.
Cavendish pipe tobacco has been growing in popularity in
recent years, to the extent that today, even a few American
tobacco companies are manufacturing it.
There is no tobacco grown anywhere in the world that is
known as a Cavendish tobacco. The basic process in the manu-
facture of a Cavendish tobacco is to impregnate the leaf
with a great quantity of casing sauces, The caste factor,
rather than the aroma, is the primary concern of the manufae-
turer, and each processor may use different types of equip-
‘ment and different methods to achieve this end.
do ee zorozzosL.
ALL aout TOBACCO
‘The tobaccos used in the manufacture of Cavendish may be
Virginia, Burley or Maryland, or any combination of these
three types.
Tin the process, the tobaccos are heavily cased with any or
all of the following flavors: rum, maple, sugar, chocolate,
licorice, honey, fruit and a few more that individual manufac-
turers may find on the chemists’ shelves.
‘The creation of a Cavendish tobacco varies from country
to country and from manufacturer to manufacturer. We will
‘only discuss those areas from which the most widely known
Cavendish tobaccos originate-The United States, The
United Kingdom, The Netherlands and Denmark.
Cavendish Manufactured in the United States
In order to get the tobacco to accept the required amount
of casings, it may be dipped (especially the Burleys) into a
casing sauce or heavily sprayed with flavoring sauces. The
tobacco is then allowed to bulk for a period of time, so that
the tobacco and casings are wedded, after which it may be
subjected to pressure, It can take weeks or months until the
blend has properly accepted the casing materials. The color
of the processed Cavendish ranges from a light brown to
black, depending on the leaf and casings used,
Cavendish Manufactured in the United Kingdom
The English manufacture their Cavendish only with a
heavier grade of Flue-Cured Virginia tobacco.
‘The tobacco is placed in molds and subjected to heavy
pressure for three to four days. The pressure exerted on the
4 e
Processed Tobaccos
tobacco causes the natural oils to rise, and because of the
heavy natural sugar content of the Virginia leaf, the tobacco
develops a sweet taste, Most of the Cavendish produced in
Great Britain is then cut and incorporated into a blend,
Cavendish Manufactured in The Netherlands arid Denmark
‘The Dutch and the Danes employ a slow manufacturing
method, first steaming the tobacco to open the pores and then
casing it very heavily. The tobacco is then placed in molds
and subjected to pressure until a cake is formed. The cake
completes the process and can be cut into bars and again into
smaller pieces.
Black Cavendish Tobacco
The unusual Black Cavendish is a processed tobacco that
each manufacturer prepares in a different manner.
The two important steps employed, however, in all manu-
facturing of Black Cavendish are:
1, The dipping of the tobacco into various casing (flavor-
ing sauces (usually licorice) and
2. The steaming of the tobacco, which turns it black,
Black Cavendish tobaccos can be manufactured from cither
Burley or Flue-Cured Virginia leaf. Usually, the heavier and
darker leaf grades are used.
Since this tobacco is heavily impregnated with flavorings,
the taste is naturally influenced by the type of flavorings used,
Black Cavendish tobaccos usually have a slightly sweet taste
“EB e010zZ9siL.
ALL AouT ToBacco
and can either be smoked straight or incorporated into
mixeure,
Variations of the long cut are generally employed for
berter burning qualities.
Black Cavendish Manufactured in the United Kingdom
The Black Cavendish tobacco manufactured in the United
Kingdom is made from the heavier and darker grades of Flue-
Cared Virginia tobacco.
‘As we will point out, the use of additives is severely
restricted in the United Kingdom, so that the usual method of
processing this tobacco is to “sweat” and steam it, causing it
toturn black.
The tobacco is then placed in a mold and subjected to
pressure for one to several days. During this phase, additional
steam may be applied, Eventually, a cake is formed, which
ccut into bars and then sliced to the desired thickness,
‘The result isa very mild, slightly sweet tobacco that ean be
smoked straight or incorporated into a blend.
Cavendish Cut Tobacco
‘The term “Cavendish cut” simply means a type of cut tha:
is between a long or ribbon cut and a heavy fine cut. These
are discussed in the chapter on cuts of tobacco.
‘The type of cut of any tobacco is determined by the
manufacturer on the basis of what he believes will give the
best burning qualities to the tobacco. If he wishes to give +
special name to the method by which he cuts his tobacco, I
for one will not fault him.
~e
Processed Tobaccos
v LATAKIA
‘The internationally famous Latakia tobacco was named after
the Syrian town of the same name, a coastal city lying
opposite Cyprus on the Mediterranean Sea,
Today, Syrian Latakia enjoys a very small share of the
world tobacco market, situation chat was broughr about by
4 number of factors, including a lack of suitable woods and
herbs with which to cure the tobacco.
During the great days of Turkish cigarette consumption in
the United States (from 1900-1917), Latakia was used in
many cigarette brands to “spice” the Turkish blends. With
the rise in popularity of the domestic cigarette blends, from
1917 to the present, Latakia use declined, and is found prin-
cipally in smoking tobaccos.
‘With the continuing growth (since 1964) of American and
English pipe tobacco consumption (incorporating Latakia
into various mixtures), Syria is now in the process of trying
to revive her Latakia production. Most of the Latakia hat is
processed today comes from the island of Cyprus, near the
eastern end of the Mediterranean, Latakia is also being pro-
duced in Greece, ina small way.
To set matters straight, there is no natural tobacco leaf that
is grown that is known as Latakia,
Cyprus Latakia
Almost all of the tobacco used in the processing of Latakia
tobacco comes from a Smyrna-type seed which grows into a
tobacco plant that is known as “"Yellow Cyprus.” The color
ie vOLOZZ9SIL
ALL AnouT TomAccO
of this leaf ranges from yellow to brown and grows to a
‘maximum length of six to seven inches.
Curing Cyprus Latakia
‘The Yellow Cyprus leaves are harvested by de-stalking
them and stringing them on long poles, to be hung in a
tobacco shed. The leaves are smoked over open smoldering
fires, made from mountain shrubs, small pine trees, myrtle or
other fragrant woods. When pine is used, workers must be
careful that too much tar does not accumulate on the leaf
which would damage it, When the Yellow Cyprus has been
fully smoked, it urns from its normally light color to a dark
brown or black and it is then that its known as Latakia.
The thin midrib is not removed. Tt has the same excellene
smoking qualities a the leaf.
Syrian Latakia
‘There are three main varieties of Syrian Larakia, ranging
from a grade that is black and strong in flavor to a grade that
is light and aromatic and has the taste of 2 fine liqueur.
Syrian Latakia is derived from a tobacco leaf known as
“shekk-el-bint.” The leaves are ten to twelve inches in length
and quite narrow. Each plant has from fifteen to twenty
leaves, plus a number of flowers. At harvest time, the plant is
cut and the leaves, plus the flowers, are laid on the ground to
dry in the sun. When the drying process is complete, the
leaves and flowers are taken to storehouses, where they are
smoked for a period of 13 to 15 weeks. The smoke is derived
from burning a combination of woods and herbs, which influ-
cence the eventual taste of the leaf.
16
Processed Tobaccos
When the smoking process has been completed, the to-
bacco is known as Latakia and is referred to by the Syrians as
“Abourihm,” which means king of flavor.
The Characteristics of Latakia Tobacco
1. Latakia is an Oriental tobacco, not a Turkish type.
2. Latakia is aromatic.
3. The texture of Latakia leaf, ranging from medium to
heavy, is considered best for pipe tobacco blends,
4. The taste is smoky. The English refer to it as having a
plum pudding taste.
5. Latakia is slow burning.
6, Latakia “spices” and accentuates the flavor ofall obaccos.
7. Syrian larakia is woodier than that from Cyprus because
of its larger leaf and stem construction,
Care must be taken to avoid blending Latalia with any
fruit-flavored aromatic tobaccos, The Lataka, being a natural
aromatic, will reject the casing and still overwhelm the other
tobaccos and flavorings,
Smokers adding five percent of Latakia to any tobacco
blend will find that they have a sufficient amount to give the
blend a distinctive Latakia taste, It is recommended that the
pipe smoker experiment with blends containing from 1% to
3% Latakia before he ventures further.
However, there are a great many smokers who have accus-
tomed their palate to Latakia and there are many private
Blends and 2 few commercial brands manufactured in the
United States that contain 40% to 50% Latakia,
In the United Kingdom, many brands contain large per-
centages of Latakia in their blends but the taste is subdued by
the addition of generous portions of Smyrna tobaccos.
“oe SOlozZosiL.
CHAPTER
Ill
Oriental (Turkish) Tobaccos
Born the tabacconist and the consumer feel that when they
have unlocked the mysteries of Oriental cobaccos, they have
reached a plateau that only a few experts walk upon. They are
right. The subject is fascinating, the terms exotic and con-
fusion is rampant, But after you read this chapter, you will be
able co walk up to any expert, expound at length and say,
“Linow what I'm talking about.”
Some of the confusion about Oriental tobaceos stems from
the experts, for they refer to all Oriental tobaccos, with the
exception of Latakia, as Turkish tobacco, though Turkey is
only one of the countries of origin.
All Turkish tobacco is commonly classified as either aro-
matic or semi-aromatic tobacco, and most of the poundage
that is sold throughout the world comes from the following
countries:
1, Turkey
2. Greece
18
COMPARATIVE SIZES OF LEAF TOBACCO
1
2
a.
4
rian)
Cavalla (Turkish)
1. Samsun (Turkish)
5. lamir (Turkish)
D
5. Kanth (Turkdsh) 90L0ZZ9SLL
ALL AuouT TosAcco
3. Yugoslavia
4, Balgaria
5. Russia
‘The major groups of aromatic Turkish tobaccos, as stared
by Frederick A. Wolf, of Duke University, are:
1, Xanthi
2. Kavalla
3, Smyrna or Femir
4. Samsun
Each group derives its name from the city or production
center from which it comes, and within each group, there are
numerous varieties,
‘The exact identities of each type of Turkish tobacco are
further complicated by the fact that similar tobaccos can be
obtained from geographically different regions; and yet in
a single region, more than one type of tobacco may be grown.
Ie should be pointed out that because of the shifting popt-
Jation in the Macedonian areas due to wars and changes among
the ruling factions, the peoples of Greece and Turkey im-
migrated to new areas and set up communities named after
those they left. Therefore, there is mach similarity in the
names of cities and towns in both Greece and Turkey—names
that also refer to the tobaccos they produce,
To avoid getting bogged down with technical differences
between the many types and grades of Turkish tobacco, we
will highlight only the principal Turkish tobaceos used in the
United States and The United Kingdom.
Practically all Turkish tobacco has its origins in a single
strain of tobacco seed, and depending upon geographical loca-
= 20 Be
Oriental Tobaccos
tion, soils and weather conditions, the plant produces a rela-
tively small leaf that is highly-prized throughout the world by
cigarette and pipe smokers.
"The outstanding characteristics of Turkish cobacco are:
1, Leaves vary in size from approximately 1% inches in
ength and width to six inches in width and length
2. Leaves have a fine, elastic and almost invisible vein sys-
tem, that is generally free of wood tissue. This means
that Turkish leaf tobacco will cut evenly and will not
crumble,
3. Turkish tobacco varies in color from golden yellow to
nut brown, depending upon the geographical area in
which itis grown,
4, There isa very low nicotine content in Turkish tobacco,
Dr. Frederick Wolf attributes this to the scarcity of rain
and available nitrogen in the growing areas.
The “strength” of a tobacco is dependent on its nicotine
content, Therefore Turkish tobacco is regarded as very
mild, without harsh and irritating properties.
5.
GREEK TOBACCOS
‘The important Greek tobaccos, used in the United States, are
Basmas, Katerini (Samsun Seed) and Bashi Bagli.
Basma
Basma tobacco is considered by the experts to be the finest
aromatic tobacco in the world. They refer to it as “the king
of tobaceos.” Grown exclusively in Greece, and principally
in Western Greece, it accounts for approximately 35% of the
country’s tobacco crop. The word Basma comes from the
Turkish word meaning “to compress.”
oe LoLozZ9siL
ALL ABOUT TOBACCO
The outstanding characteristics of Basma tobacco are the
following:
1, Small leaves and fine vein system.
2, A variety in color from golden yellow to deep brown,
depending on where it is grown.
3. Very elastic and velvery to the touch.
4, An exceptionally sweet and refreshing taste.
5. Excellent burning qualities.
Xanthi
Xanthi tobacco is a grade of Basma, coming from the area
of Xanthi, It has the same outstanding qualities as Basma and
the same variety of color, Ie also has a very strong but pleasant
aroma,
Djebet
Djebel tobacco is another variety of Basma, It comes from
the mountainous northern region of Xanthi. Although Djebel
is similar co Xanthi tobaccos, it does have smaller and thinner
leaves, and its color is lighter. Djebel tobacco has a milder
aroma than Xanthi and even better burning qualities.
Maballa (Mabala)
Mahalla is still another type of Basma tobacco that has
thin, almost circular small leaves. These leaves have a very
light, sweet caste fine burning qualities and almost no aroma.
Mahala tobacco is grown in an area near the city of Kavalla
(Cavalla) and is considered to be excellent for high-grade
pipe tobacco.
42
Oriental Tobaccos
‘Dubek (Dubec)
‘Another variety of Basma tobacco, Dubek, originates in
the Macedonian region of Greece. It has a light yellow leaf
that is very aromatic and very sweet to smoke. Dubek tobacco
js generally used to spice pipe tobacco blends.
Kovalla (Cavalla)
Kavalla tobacco has a larger, darker leaf than either the
Xanthi or Izmir (Smyma) type tobaccos, although it is
similar to Xanthi, Depending upon the crop, it can be much
more aromatic than the Xanthi types. It is considered a
medium type of Basma by the experts.
Tenidze (Yeniji)
Jenidze tobacco is a Xanthi type tobacco that is reddish
brown in color and has a more distinet, stronger taste, with
litle oF no aroma.
Trebizond (Trebizon)
‘Trebizond tobacco is a Bashi Bagli type of tobacco, grown
in central and western Greece. The term Bashi Bagli comes
from the Turkish word meaning “tied head,” which is the
way the leaves are packed.
‘The leaves of Trebizond are medium to large and the color
of the leaf is bright, reddish yellow. Trebizond tobacco has a
strong, sweet taste but litle or no aroma and is considered a
fine “filler” type tobacco. It also has a higher nicotine content
than other varieties of Greek tobacco,
48 80F0ZZ9S1L
Katerini (Samsun)
Named after the Samsun district of Turkey on the Black
Sea, Samsun tobacco has a small, heart-shaped leaf that is
golden in color. The tobacco has a very pleasant taste and
a delicate aroma, Tt also has excellent burning qualities and
is considered by some experts to be equal in quality ro the
Basma-type tobaccos.
TOBACCOS GROWN IN TURKEY
The three principal tobacco growing areas of Turkey are:
1, The Aegean zone—Izmir
2. The Black Sea zone-Samsun Bafira
3, Marmata and Thrace—Brussa
It should be remembered that within each type there are
several grades and also that the tobaccos that bear the same
names as their Greek cousins are quite similar and have the
same basic aroma, nicotine content and burning and other
qualities,
Leaves are hand picked, and the top leaves of the plant,
which are the last to mature, are considered the best, while
the middle and bottom leaves are said to be inferior.
Smyrna (Izonir)
Imi tobacco constitutes approximately 60-70% of the
entire Turkish tobacco crop. It has a very small leaf with a
small vein construction and a low nicotine content. The
color varies from light green to pale gold and it is very
~ e
Oriental Tobaccos
sweet and lightly aromatic. It is excellent for blending because
it “marries” with practically any other type of tobacco, It
jg the most widely used Turkish tobacco in American blend
cigarettes.
Samsun-Maden
(Samsun tobacco grown in the Black Sea area)
Real Samsun, which cannot be successfully grown in any
other part of the world, is considered by the Turks to be
among the world’s finest tobaccos. It has a small leaf, is light
in color and has an extremely fine texture. It is generally
used in pipe tobacco and in cigarettes of superior quality.
Baffra
Basically the same type tobacco as Samsun, Baffra tobacco
bas small, red or darker brown leaves of fine texture and it
gives off a very pungent odor. It is not quite as fine « tobacco
‘as Samsun and is used chiefly to give flavor and aroma to all
blends.
Trebizond
Trebizond tobacco has large, light red leaves of fine texture.
Its taste is strong and itis very aromatic. The leaves are usually
“copped” in the growing, which adds to their size and to theit
nicotine content. Most Trebizond is grown for local (Turk-
ish) consumption.
TOBACCOS GROWN IN YUGOSLAVIA
Yugoslavia produces many varieties of Oriental tobacco, the
‘most outstanding of which are Prilep, Yakka and Djebel. All
“as 6OL0zZ9S1LL
ALL AnoUT ToBAcCO
three are Basma types and the most popular and widely-
produced is the Prilep variety, which is especially adaprable to
American filter cigarettes. The Yakka tobaccos are more
delicate and are very similar to Greek Basmas. The Djebels are
grown in rather restricted quantities end are very similar to
the Bulgarian Djebels.
TOBACCOS GROWN IN RUSSIA
In areas surrounding the Black Sea, Russia produces Sukhum
tobacco, a strain from the Samsun Seed. Grown in and around
Sulthumi, some experts consider it the finest Oriental grown
anywhere.
TOBACCOS GROWN IN BULGARIA
Bulgaria produces in its Macedonian area Oriental tobaccos
that are similar to the Basma and Bashi Bagli types of Greece.
As in the case of Russian tobaccos, Bulgarian leaf is not a
principal import ro the Unived States.
426
CHAPTER
IV
How Tobacco Is Flavored (Cased)
Tue casmic, or flavoring, of tobacco, together with the
tobacco blend, constitutes the secret recipe in each package of
cigarettes or pipe tobacco. The public's acceptance or rejec-
tion of a new brand will be determined by this combination,
and, needless to say, the at of casing requires great skill.
‘The tobacco leaf is the chief source of flavor and aroma in
any tobacco product, but because tobacco crops vary ftom
year to year, flavoring supplements are necessary to help
‘maintain a consistency in both taste and aroma.
‘Additives to tobacco products can be classified as follows:
1, Flavorings—the individual synthetic or natural flavors
that are added to tobacco to give it a particular taste.
2. Casingsa combination of flavorings plus hygroscopic
agents and fixatives, to keep the casing stable,
3. Top Dressings—additives that are usually one of the last
steps in the manufacturing of tobacco products. Theit
primary purpose isto assist the aroma, although they also
have a favoring impact upon tobacco.
~ 27 OFFozz9stL
ALL ARouT TOBACCO
Flavorings
Concentrated flavorings, as opposed to natural flavorings,
are preferred by most tobacco manufacturers because the
extract, or concentrate, can be manufactured much more
uniformly and is less subject to changes while being stored.
Following are some of the easily recognized flavorings:
Chocolate—Chocolate is manufactured as a nataral product
from the coco bean. However, it may be fortified with
some cocoa which is synthetically produced.
Vanilla—Vanilla can be manufactured synthetically or it
can be used in its natural form.
‘Mentbol—Menthol can also be made synthetically or it can
be used in its natural state, that is distilled from pepper-
mint oil,
‘Rum—Rumn used in tobacco can be either Jamaican or the
New England type. It can also be synthesized,
Fruit—Frait flavors are obtainable in both natural and syn-
thetic form, Natural fruit flavors are extracted from
processed fruit.
Wine—Wine flavors are as varied as the types of wine
available: burgundy, sherry, madeira, ete.
Licorice~Licorice comes from the licorice root and can be
fortified with synthetic chemicals,
Most of these flavorings are so highly concentrated that
some blends use as little as four fluid ounces per one hundred
pounds of tobacco, The amateur blender is cautioned to be
extremely careful in the application of favoring.
4 8 pe
How Tobacco Is Flavored (Cased)
Composition of Casing Sauces
All casing sauces contain a “fixing agent,” or 2 resin type
chemical to assure that the Bavorings will adhere to the leaf
and remain stable until used, In addition to “fixing agents”
casing sauces contain Savorings, water and a hygroscopic
‘agent (or humectants).
‘Hygroscopie agents are chemicals used to control the mois-
ture content of tobacco, They prevent the tobacco from
becoming too dry in dry climate or from “picking up”
moisture in a humid area. The three most widely used agents
are Sorbitol, Glycol and Glycerine,
To further illustrate how a casing sauce is used, some
manufacturers dip their tobacco, while others spray it before
placing it into the blend. The casing sauce may contain all or
part of che following ingredients:
Licorice
Chocolate
Fruit flavors
Gams
Glycerine
Water
After the application of a casing sauce, the tobacco is dried,
bulked and then blended with other tobaccos.
In pipe tobaccos, up to 35% of the blend may be in the
form of casing. In the manufacture of cigarettes, approxi-
mately 10% to 12% of the finished blend is in the form of
casing. In both cases, care must be taken to assure that the
casing will “wed” with the tobacco in the blend.
429 ee FEEOZZOSIL
ALL ABOUT ToBAGCO
Top Dressings
‘As we have noted, top dressings are applied to the tobacco
blend to give it 2 special aroma. Typical top dressing in-
gredients are:
Deertongue—the powdered leaves of the wild vanilla plant,
or its extract,
Tonka—a derivative of the bean from a South American
tree,
Cocoa—from the cocoa bean.
Fine Gut
430
cube cut
Sliced Plug (American)
Flake Cut Unkted Kingdom) Zbbozz9siL
CHAPTER
Vv
How Tobacco Is Cut
‘Tax cur or tonacco is determined by the product to be
‘manufactured: smoking tobacco, cigarettes, cigars or snuff.
The ultimate objective of any tobacco manufacturer (or
home blender) is to obtain a well-mixed tobacco with a
consistent uniformity in taste and a “rate of burn” that is not
too fast (in which case it would probably burn hot) or too
slow (which will obligate the smoker to use a number of
matches).
The burning qualities of any blend are determined by the
following factors:
1, The type of tobacco used. Thin leaved tobacco will
burn more readily than tobacco with heavier leaves.
2, The moisture content of the tobacco. The degree of
dryness, of course, affects the speed with which it burns.
3. The type of cut or cuts used. As a general rule, the
amount of air circulating around the shredded leaf governs
—4 32
ss saree een tebe i ct at
How Tobacco Is Cut
the rate of combustion, The denser the tobacco, such as plug-
‘cut tobacco, the slower it will burn,
4. The amount of casing or flavoring used. The less casing
applied to tobacco, the longer it will burn, Brands made in the
United Kingdom, which contain infinitesimal amounts of
casing by law, are examples of such blends,
Types of Cuts
Among the major pipe tobacco manufacturers in the
United States, four basic cuts are generally used, either singly
or in combination, In the manufacture of cigarettes, a fine cut
tobacco is used for obvious reasons. Heavier or rougher cuts
would tear the delicate cigarette paper.
Before we discuss the various cuts of smoking tobacco, the
reader should know that tobacco is cut with either one or the
other of two types of equipment.
In one machine, with a funnel-shaped slide, leaf is com-
pressed by heavy rollers into “plugs” or “cakes.” These are
then chopped, at prescribed intervals, by a guillotine-like
cutter. After the initial slice is made, the tobacco is again fed
to the cutting knives at a right angle to the original cut. The
second cut determines the size and shape of the tobacco
particles.
In the other type of machine, the tobacco is fed much the
same way, but a set of high-speed rotary blades cuts the
tobacco at designated intervals. The rotary blade method is
generally used by large volume cigarette and pipe tobacco
manufacturers.
The four basic cuts of tobacco are (1) granulated,
(2) cube, (3) shag or long cut, and (4) plug or flake cut
(the English refer co sliced plug cut tobacco asa flake).
43 Be SblozZ9siL.
Granulated Tobacco
Granulated tobacco is cut from stemmed leaf in irregularly
shaped, medium size (%e inch or smaller) flakes. Since this
‘cut of tobacco packs quite well with air spaces berween
particles, it burns slowly and coolly.
Cube Cut Tobacco
Tobacco cut in the shape of a cube (about % inch on each
side or smaller) generally has the same burning qualities as a
granulated cut.
Shag or Long Cut Tobacco
Shag or long cut tobacco is cut from stemmed leaf and may
range from a ninetieth of an inch to a sixteenth in width and in
length from a half inch to an inch. Shag or long cut burns
mach faster than either granulated or cube because more air
‘can circulate throughout the strands of tobacco.
Plug Cut Tobacco
In plug cut, a solid cake of tobacco is first formed and then
sliced, There can be any number of slices to an inch, generally
varying from 15 to 25. Because of the density of the plug or
Aake cut, very little air circulates through the tobacco, and it
burns very slowly.
The following are variations of or other names for the cuts
mentioned above:
meh 4 ee
How Tobacco Is Cut
1, Rough cut. This is a heavier version of the granulated
cut.
2. Crimp cut, This isa slightly smaller cut than the regular
granlated.
3, Fine cut, Usually used for cigarette tobacco, this is a
variation of a long cut. Fine cut tobacco is cut between 30
‘and 40 times to the inch when it isto be used in pipe tobacco
and from 50 to 90 times to the inch when it is to be used in
cigarettes.
‘4. Ribbon cut. This is another wider variation of the long
cut.
5. Cavendish cut. Cavendish is also a long cut, between a
fine cut and a ribbon cut, depending on the manufacturer,
6. Crushed plug. This tobacco is cut at right angles to the
plug and may be classified as a coarser and larger gramulated
tobacco cut (about Se of an inch cubed).
1. Slice cut, This isa slice of tobacco taken off a plug.
8, Ready rubbed. Usually, all plug or flake cut tobacco is
rubbed or broken up in the hands before it is put into the
pipe. A plug tobacco that is broken up in this fashion before
being packaged is referred to as a ready rubbed.
9. Flake Cut (American) is a slightly larger version of a
cube cut tobacco that has irregular shapes ranging in size
from %" to 1” and has been cut from unpressed leaf tobacco.
As arule of thumb, larger and longer cuts are an indication
that the blend is composed entirely of leaf tobacco and is
without stems.
