INTRODUCTION: The following 7 tobacco types are the basic building blocks used to make nearly all currently available pipe tobacco blends. We offer them individually, as well as in our many different blends. We currently offer over 100 different fine pipe tobaccos available by the ounce, in vacuum sealed 2-ounce tins, in 1-pound bags and in sampler kits with 16 or more different tobaccos.
Virginia: the most popular tobacco type used in pipe tobacco today. It is a good burner and aids in lighting and has the highest natural sugar content. Mild to medium in strength, but due to high sugar content can result in tongue bite if smoked too vigorously.
Burley: Burley is “air cured” in large open barns, by natural air flow for one to two months. It burns slowly and has a cool smoke, which makes it a nice addition to blends that tend to burn fast and strong.
Cavendish: Cavendish is a method of curing and cutting tobaccos and can be produced out of any tobacco type (mainly Virginia’s and Burley’s are used). The process will create a tobacco very light in taste, quite mild and easy to pack. Cavendish is than generally flavored: amaretto, cherry, vanilla, rum, chocolate, mocha, licorice and many others.
Kentucky: is fire-cured Burley, produced in Kentucky. Unlike Burley, Kentucky is very aromatic, unique and powerful (in a good way).
Latakia: Mainly grown in Cyprus and northern Syria. After the leaves are harvested and dried, they are hung in tightly closed barns and smoke-cured over aromatic woods and fragrant herbs. Latakia produces a very rich, heavy taste, with an aroma that has a “smokey” characteristic and is an indispensable ingredient of English blends.
Oriental: differs from other tobaccos in size and character. They have very small leaves and are sun-cured as opposed to the fire, air, and flue cured and often come from Turkey, Bulgaria or Greece. The most popular is ‘Izmir’ (Turkish) which is spicy, a little sour (in a pleasant way) with a buttery sweet finish.
Perique: is a red Burley type of tobacco, grown and processed in St. James, Louisiana. Perique is a rare, slow burning, strong-tasting tobacco. The production process takes at least one full year.
Virginia: the most popular tobacco type used in pipe tobacco today. It is a good burner and aids in lighting and has the highest natural sugar content. Mild to medium in strength, but due to high sugar content can result in tongue bite if smoked too vigorously.
Burley: Burley is “air cured” in large open barns, by natural air flow for one to two months. It burns slowly and has a cool smoke, which makes it a nice addition to blends that tend to burn fast and strong.
Cavendish: Cavendish is a method of curing and cutting tobaccos and can be produced out of any tobacco type (mainly Virginia’s and Burley’s are used). The process will create a tobacco very light in taste, quite mild and easy to pack. Cavendish is than generally flavored: amaretto, cherry, vanilla, rum, chocolate, mocha, licorice and many others.
Kentucky: is fire-cured Burley, produced in Kentucky. Unlike Burley, Kentucky is very aromatic, unique and powerful (in a good way).
Latakia: Mainly grown in Cyprus and northern Syria. After the leaves are harvested and dried, they are hung in tightly closed barns and smoke-cured over aromatic woods and fragrant herbs. Latakia produces a very rich, heavy taste, with an aroma that has a “smokey” characteristic and is an indispensable ingredient of English blends.
Oriental: differs from other tobaccos in size and character. They have very small leaves and are sun-cured as opposed to the fire, air, and flue cured and often come from Turkey, Bulgaria or Greece. The most popular is ‘Izmir’ (Turkish) which is spicy, a little sour (in a pleasant way) with a buttery sweet finish.
Perique: is a red Burley type of tobacco, grown and processed in St. James, Louisiana. Perique is a rare, slow burning, strong-tasting tobacco. The production process takes at least one full year.