Pipes
The Ultimate Guide to Good Pipe Tobacco
Alsbo, Peter Stokkebye, W O. Larsen, Orlik and Virginia Special Light
are made by Orlik Tobacco Company A/S of Denmark
Raw Tobaccos and Grades
Most pipe tobaccos
are composed of several different kinds of raw tobacco, and in each raw
tobacco there are different grades.
The names of the
raw tobaccos are common knowledge, but the grades are determined by the
tobacco companies. At Orlik Tobacco Company there are about 120 different
grades available.
The grades are based on:
- the tobacco
leaf's position on the plant
- the leaf's degree of ripeness
- the colour of the leaf
- the smoke from the leaf - its strength, aroma, roundness and purity
The Orlik Tobacco
Company is known in the industry for frequently purchasing the most expensive
raw tobaccos. They want high quality with exactly the taste and strength that
the individual tobacco mixture demands. It takes at least
10 years of daily work in a raw tobacco department to learn about grading
them. But the raw tobaccos themselves, referred to her as basic tobaccos, you
can get to know in a couple of minutes.
Virginia Tobaccos
Virginia tobacco is the most widespread basic tobacco. Virginia is named
after the State of Virginia in USA, where this tobacco was first grown. Today
Virginia tobacco is grown in many other countries. The other important growing areas
for Virginia tobacco are southern Brazil, Zimbabwe and China. Virginia tobacco leaves are 20-50cm
long and light golden to dark mahogany in colour. The leaves are harvested one by one when each
is ripe, and dried in hot air. Virginia tobacco has a high content of natural sugar. The taste is
characteristic and has a naturally sweet and aromatic taste, which varies with the degree of ripeness.
In their pure state, some Virginia tobaccos with a high natural content of sugar can seem a bit sharp
in taste when they are smoked. Virginia tobaccos vary in strength from very mild to medium, depending on where the leaf is
positioned on the plant, and on the local growing conditions.
Burley Tobaccos
Burley is the other main basic tobacco used in pipe tobaccos. Burley tobacco
originates from the State of Kentucky in USA, which still accounts for a large
part of world production. Among the other important growing areas for Burley
are Malawi, Mexico and southern Brazil. Burley tobacco
leaves are 20-50cm long, the colour varying from light brown to very dark
brown. When the middle leaves are ripe, the whole plant is harvested and then
air dried. The aroma of Burley tobacco is dry and aromatic, rather like chocolate.
Burley tobacco's stronger character is due to the low content of sugar in the leaves.
Accordingly, Burley tobacco is dried naturally in air for a month, away from sunlight.
The taste of Burley tobacco is relatively strong, full and dry. The taste changes if the
tobacco is roasted at very high temperatures. In this way the tobacco's fine aroma comes out fully,
and the taste and strength become round and full, almost nutlike.The same process
is used to draw out the fine tastes nuances in coffee.
Oriental
Oriental tobacco originates from the eastern Mediterranean. Today, the
best quality leaf is grown in Turkey and Greece. The leaves of
Oriental tobacco vary in size and shape, from small heart shaped leaves of 2cm
length to larger arrow shaped leaves of 15cm length. The colour of
Oriental tobacco leaves varies from light golden to dark orange, but certain
types have leaves of a dark greenish hue. Oriental tobacco
is typically very mild in strength with a slightly sweet and strongly aromatic
taste. The strong aroma is developed because the tobacco is grown in very dry conditions; the tobacco
plant forms a layer of wax on the leaves to prevent them drying out. This layer of wax contains natural aromatic oils.
Oriental tobacco is picked by hand, leaf by leaf. After harvesting the leaves are hung in
garlands and dried in the sun.
Latakia
Latakia tobacco originates from the Syrian port of the same name, whence
it was shipped to Europe in olden times. Today Latakia tobacco is mainly grown
on Cyrpus. Latakia tobacco is an oriental tobacco which, after drying, is smoked over special woods. This
gives the tobacco a smoked and highly characteristic aroma. During the process the colour darkens to black.
The strength is mild, but the powerful aroma often causes smokers to confuse the strength of
taste with the strength of the tobacco.
Kentucky
Kentucky tobaco originates from the State of Kentucky in Eastern USA.
Today most of the world's production of this tobacco comes from Kentucky and
Tennessee. Kentucky tobacco is also grown in Indonesia and south east Africa.
The leaves of Kentucky tobacco are 30-70cm long, and have a uniformly dark brown colour.
The strength varies from medium to very strong. The relative strength of Kentucky tobacco
is due to extensive mulching of the soil under the tobacco plants to obtain
leaves which are thick and very oily. Kentucky tobacco
is otherwise grown and dried as for Burley tobacco. After drying, Kentucky
tobacco is smoked in a similar way to Latakia, but not so intensely. Besides
its smoky flavour, the taste is very full and slightly sweet.
Perique
Perique is the rarest of the basic tobaccos used in pipe tobaccos. Perique is only
grown in one place in the world; St. James's Parish in the state of Louisiana in south eastern USA.
Only a few barrels of this tobacco are produced each year.
During the growth of Perique tobacco, the tip of the plant is nipped off so that the plant concentrates
all its juice and aroma in the relatively few but large remaining leaves. Perique tobacco's strength and aroma
is the strongest of all basic tobaccos. After drying and hand stripping of the central leaf stalk,
the tobacco leaves are placed in old barrels which have formely been used for storing bourbon whiskey. A special liquor
is added to the tobacco leaves, which are packed under high pressure in the barrels. Here they are stored for
several years before the tobacco is ready for use.
Black Cavendish
Black Cavendish is the only basic tobacco which is not grown, but made in
tobacco factories from other basic tobaccos. Black Cavendish can be made from
Virginia, Burley and other air-dried tobaccos. Production takes
place either by adding a liqour to the tobacco, after which it is
simultaneously pressed and heated, or by treating it with steam and warming it
up simultaneously. The tobacco turns completely black as a result hence the
name. It also becomes milder, with a rounder and sweeter taste. The black
colour shouldn't tempt one into thinking that it is a stronger tobacco. Black
Cavendish is in fact the mildest of all the basic tobaccos. Black Cavendish is
named after an English sea captain, who originated the production method in
the 16th century.
Alsbo Tobacco
Alsbo Cherry
The remarkable Dane with the pleasant cherry aroma. A blend of bulk cured
Black Cavendish, fine Burley Tobaccos and Golden Virginia grades. Deliciously
flavoured with a combination of black and wild Cherry aromas - a unique
combination created from one of our very old recipes.
Alsbo Black
This very mild blend is characterised by the Black Cavendish tobacco refined
by our secret process. The blend is then complemented with a touch of light and
bright, sweet Virginia leaf. Alsbo Black has a delightful vanilla type flavour,
giving an extremely pleasant taste and room-note.
Alsbo Vanilla
The remarkable Dane with
the unique vanilla aroma. Bright and mild Virginia Tobaccos blended with our
super mild Black Cavendish create a mixture of outstanding quality. Our smooth
vanilla flavour adds extra character and a perfect balanced taste and room note.
W. O. Larsen Tobacco - Selected Blend
No. 32
This very special blend consist of the finest lemon and orange coloured
Virginia tobaccos from the best districts in the USA and Zimbabwe. Rolling the
tobacco into bars is a work of art. The rolls are pressed square, cut and
finally packed by hand.
C.GARS Ltd now offers a full range
of pipes, pipe rests and pipe tobaccos
Click here to check out the complete range