Though the original Latakia of Syria, a necessary ingredient of many classic mixtures of yesteryear, and the now more common Cyprian leaf, share a name and a curing technique, these two tobaccos are quite distinct from one another, each having unique qualities, and very different personalities.
Syrian Latakia is produced from the long, narrow leaves of the plant known as "shekk-el-bint." After harvesting, the leaf is sun-dried, then hung in barns to be smoked over smoldering fires of local herbs and woods, imparting the characteristic smoky aroma and distinctive flavor. Shekk-el-bint is a strong tobacco, possessing a hefty dose of nicotine which is partially responsible for the robust "body" of the smoke. After the long curing process, the leaf is a deep mahogany/brown color, with a pungent, earthy, slightly sharp, smoky aroma reminiscent of driftwood campfires on the beach. Its very assertive flavor is spicy and somewhat tangy; perhaps one could even consider it tart, and it can easily dominate a blend if used in large measure, prevailing over all but the most robust Virginias. In small amounts, it mingles delicately with its cohorts; in large quantities, it tends to elect itself to high office. Smoked straight, it becomes downright dictatorial - sensory overload occurs quickly, and the tangy aftertaste lingers on the tongue. It can also create spinning rooms for those not accustomed to or tolerant of large doses of nicotine.
Syrian Latakia's island cousin from across the Mediterranean begins life as as a plant of the the small leafed Smyrna, or Izmir variety. This is a Turkish type tobacco, containing little nicotine, and known for its delicately sweet flavor and excellent burning characteristics. The harvested leaf is air-cured in sheds, and then fumigated in a manner similar that used for Syrian Latakia. The finished product is nearly black, with a deeper, darker aroma than the Syrian counterpart. Its flavor, in comparison, presents less piquancy, and a rounder, less focused smokiness. Its notable sweetness is unlike that of a matured Virginia, or a flavored aromatic, but somewhat more sneaky, coming in to camp under cover of darkness. Though more gentle than Syrian in its nature, Cyprian Latakia can nevertheless be opaque, overwhelming more delicate tobaccos if used in very large measure. A similar sensory overload to that of the Syrian variety occurs if Cyprian is smoked straight, sans Hollywood special effects, though the aftertaste is somewhat more ephemeral.
Each of these tobaccos provides a distinct and unique color on the blender's palette, and with Syrian Latakia's long absence, many hues in the spectrum of English style mixtures have been all but missing. That the supply line is once again open is truly exciting news for the lover of these sophisticated tobaccos, as it expands and extends the range of possibilities for creating new blends, while simultaneously affording the opportunity to perhaps revive some of the classic blends of the past.
