Tobacco types

[CaptainAubrey]

I would like some info on tobacco types from the point of what makes a pipe, cigar, or cigarette tobacco variety and how to tell which category a variety falls in. I know some fall in multiple, like turkish and oriental but maybe some are specific. This probably is large question so maybe you could point me somewhere to reduce my ignorance. BTW, http://www.tobaccoworld.org/ seems inert.

 

[Knucklehead]

Understanding Tobacco Jargon: A Guide to Industry Terms

Terminology used by tobacco growers and the tobacco industry can be vague and misleading to those not familiar. Explore our glossary of tobacco terms.

wholeleaftobacco.com

 

[deluxestogie]

Scan the seed listing from Northwood Seeds.
Read our New Growers' FAQ, linked in the menu bar. It also discusses classes.

The secret is that USDA "use classes" for tobacco were created to reflect how specific varieties were used commercially during the late 19th century. Actual tobacco varieties represent a continuum of nicotine strength, sugar content and floral aromas. I've made cigars from every variety. I've made pipe tobacco from cigar varieties. I've made pipe blends with every variety imaginable. Don't bother to consider statements that assign food aromas and tastes to tobacco varieties. That's all fantasy, and the inventions of marketeers for commercial tobacco products. For me, the primary consideration is the resulting pH (acidity) of their combination.

Flue-cured varieties and Orientals will produce excellent tobacco when either sun-cured or flue-cured. Burley varieties are uniformly awful when processed either of those ways.

Try some varieties for your own uses, and decide what you prefer.

What is your goal?

Bob

 

[CaptainAubrey]

Thanks for the post Bob. Thanks for reminding me of the FAQ. I saw it but suffer from advanced CRS. Therein is a list of seed providers. Before I found this forum I mainly used https://victoryseeds.com/collections/tobacco. I like their product as the packets have a ziplock seal, plus the tobacco seed is in another smaller sealable bag inside the larger.

My goal is mixed. I like mild cigars but I like pipe tobacco much more. However for a delivery system at this time I like cigars. I like a sweet taste but nothing that screams a particular flavor or is too fruity. Now I find out that pipe tobacco may be aromatic or not as well. So much to learn...

I have several plants but the name markers faded on many of them. I pulled of broken and low leaves and air dried them. Then I used the cavendish notes from this site. Since I don't have any wrappers yet I put it in a pipe. It tastes mostly like cigar tobacco and compares with Black and Mild.