subject: What To Know About Pipe Tobacco [print this page] What To Know About Pipe Tobacco What To Know About Pipe Tobacco
Pipe tobacco is treated and blended in order to achieve intended flavor that is not possible in other tobacco products. Blends are available using Burley and Virginia tobaccos enhanced by spice tobaccos. Among the enhancement materials are many Asian or Balkan varietals, Latakia (a fire-cured spice tobacco which hails from Syria), Perique, which is solely from St. James Parish, Louisiana, and blends of tobaccos that originate from Africa, South America, or India. Many U.S. blends are traditionally made Burley tobaccos with additives designed to create a smooth flavor, whereas blends found in Britain are derived from natural Virginia tobaccos enhanced with other natural spice tobaccos. More pipe smokers are leaning towards "natural" tobaccos that are aromatically created using artful blending with only specifically selected spice tobaccos and rustic, proven curing techniques.
Pipe tobacco can be purchased in several forms. These forms vary greatly in flavor, which leads to many blends and the ability for smokers to create their own blends. They also vary in the size and shape of the cut. Most pipe tobacco is harsh as compared with cigarette tobacco, which is designed for inhalation. It is also moister and cut larger and coarser. Tobacco cut too finely does not allow for proper airflow and dry tobacco burns substantially quicker with less aroma. Pipe tobacco must be kept airtight in a humidor or secured container to retain moisture.
Pipe tobacco is generally cut into ribbons and some are pressed into flat cakes to be sliced. Others are tightly wound and sliced. Flake tobacco may be prepared in several ways: rubbed out with the fingers and palms until it is loose enough to pack, crumbled, or folded and stuffed into a pipe. Some smokers would rather cut up coarse tobacco, making it easier to pack.
When pipe tobacco is burned, oils from the tobacco vaporize and enter into the "cake" of the pipe. Over time, these oils can become rancid, causing an unpleasant taste. There are several sweetening methods that involve filling the bowl of the pipe with kosher salt, not iodized, and cleaning with alcohol. Some pipe smokers find that regularly wiping out the pipe with alcohol is helpful in preventing the horrid taste. Pipe sweetening products are also available commercially.
The smoke from pipe tobacco, like that of a cigar, is not designed for inhalation. It is brought into the mouth from the pipe, held in the mouth to allow for absorption of nicotine and released without inhalation. It is normal for a pipe to be lit twice or three times. If pipe tobacco is smoked too slowly, relighting is necessary. Conversely, if it is smoked too quickly, it can cause a gurgling sound due to excess moisture, and result in pipe tongue or tongue bite, an uncomfortable burning sensation on the tongue.
