For tobacco retailers, offering a wide variety of pipe tobacco blends can be intimidating. But the qualities and characteristics of some common varietal tobaccos can help you figure out the aromas and flavors that a pipe tobacco blend offers.
The Blends
A typical pipe tobacco brand has one of two broad categories:
l Aromatic blends
l Non-aromatic blends
As you might have guessed, consumers prefer the aromatic blends by far, since most people enjoy sweet aromas. Aromatic blends help beginner pipe smokers to sustain their interest in this hobby. Familiar aromatic scents include cherry, chocolate, maple, nougat, rum, vanilla, and whiskey.
These exotic flavors and aromas come from the top flavoring or casing which manufacturers use in each tobacco blend.
Non-aromatic blends also have flavoring enhancements. However, the flavoring is so light that you may barely notice them. Non-flavored Burley blends, Virginia blends, and blends of Virginia and Perique (VaPers, according to the smoking community) are non-aromatic blends.
Non-aromatic blends may be heavy, spicy, and bold, or just plain mild and sweet. These tobaccos are replete with high natural sugar levels that allow them to burn hot in a pipe. The smoker must smoke them slowly to avoid tongue-bite and to savor the tobacco's natural essence.
The Varietals
There are various pipe tobacco types every smoker should be aware of. They come from different parts of the world and have distinct, exciting qualities.
Burley
The most common varietal tobacco is pipe blends. American-grown barley is mostly from Kentucky and Tennessee. Without flavors, burley is mild and nutty, with a hint of bitterness.
Burley adds body to a pipe tobacco blend because of its thicker leaves. It burns slowly too, which is suitable for many blends.
But Burley is a common base for many aromatic blends. It absorbs casings and flavorings quite easily.
Cavendish
Not a tobacco variety, but a processing method. Mostly used with Virginia or Burley, though any other leaf will suffice. Sir Thomas Cavendish, the scientist, discovered that dipping tobacco leaves in sugar vented a milder smoke.
Oriental
Found in countries in the northern and eastern Mediterranean, these have a highly aromatic fragrance. Latakia is the most popular, which is also a method that cures tobacco over fires burning fragrant woods such as juniper, pine, and yew.
The tobacco absorbs the smoke, lending it a peppery, smoky aroma and flavor. Most Latakia now comes from Cyprus. It is usually too strong and is preferred to flavor specific English blends.
Other tobaccos include Perique and Virginias.
Conclusion
The world of pipe tobacco makes for an endless yet exciting study. Many pipe tobacco brands use the tobaccos and processes we've considered here, flooding the market with a wide array of options for the seasoned and beginner smoker. Among brands worth trying is the Good Stuff Pipe Tobacco from Smoker’s Outlet Online.
Original Source: http://bit.ly/2PJpy5d