Tobacco Family x Components

Log in

SmokingPipes.com Updates

New Cigars




PipesMagazine Approved Sponsor

PipesMagazine Approved Sponsor

PipesMagazine Approved Sponsor

PipesMagazine Approved Sponsor

PipesMagazine Approved Sponsor

Status
Not open for further replies.

readix

Lurker
Oct 3, 2018
23
0
I've started this hobby a few months ago and I picked up a few tins of tobacco without even knowing more about the tobacco components or families..

Yesterday I was watching one of Muttnchop's videos where he was talking about tobacco components and I finally found out more about why I don't like Latakia.. It made me think of trying other tobacco blends and find the right one.

I was reading an article on Smokingpipes.com about tobacco components, but there was not a word about tobacco family. Could anyone explain to me the difference between tobacco family and components? I am a bit confused.
Thank you.

 

sablebrush52

The Bard Of Barlings
Jun 15, 2013
19,623
44,833
Southern Oregon
jrs457.wixsite.com
I don't know if this is exactly what you are asking for, but I'll give it a shot.
Components are the different varieties of leaf and flavorings that are combined together to form a single blend.
Families, if I understand your reference correctly, are the types of blends. Straight Virginia blends are composed from Virginia tobacco leaf. Va/Pers are composed of a blend of Virginia leaf with Perique added. Va/Burs are a type of blend that features Virginia and Burley, where the Burley takes on a more prominent role than it does in other Virginia blends. Typically you won't encounter Oriental leaf or Latakia in blends defined as Virginia blends.
Then there are the Oriental/Balkan/English blends which will always contain Oriental leaf and often Latakia, which is blended to a Virginia base. These tend to be more strongly flavored than Virginia blends due to the Oriental and Latakia content. Sometimes these blends have Burley and Perique as components in the blends.
The largest selling family, by far, are Aromatic blends, which are largely thought of today as flavored blends, like cherry and vanilla flavored blends. Many other flavored blends are not considered aromatics, really for no more reason than that the amount of added flavoring doesn't override the flavors of the component tobaccos and thus define the flavor for that blend.
There are many other families of blends, American, Scottish, Virginia/Oriental, Va/Per/Bur, etc, etc. You can get an idea of the range by using the search engine at Tobacco Reviews and open a search by type of blend. You'll see an extensive listing of families.

 

crashthegrey

Lifer
Dec 18, 2015
3,810
3,566
41
Cobleskill, NY
www.greywoodie.com
Besides the names of components, all of these other terms are a bit fluid, so read them but know what components you like. Cosmic could tell you that even the names of components are iffy, but at least it is somewhat consistent. I hope what sable discussed is what you meant by family. Otherwise I am at a loss.

 

readix

Lurker
Oct 3, 2018
23
0
I think I mostly understand.. Mostly..

I'm still a little bit confused, though. It might be just a detail, but I'll try.

If the tobacco has as a family Virginia and as a component burley it means that the Virginia is the base component of the tobacco and has a smaller amount of burley mixed in? And vice versa?

I'm just still lost a little because of these two as they are both in the 'family'.

 

sablebrush52

The Bard Of Barlings
Jun 15, 2013
19,623
44,833
Southern Oregon
jrs457.wixsite.com
If the tobacco has as a family Virginia and as a component burley it means that the Virginia is the base component of the tobacco and has a smaller amount of burley mixed in? And vice versa?
That's a fair way to conceive of it. We tend to define the blend by its dominant component. Many Virginia blends contain some Burley to bring out some of the flavor characteristics in the Virginias used and to round out the blend's overall flavor. Most "straight Virginia" blends are just that, straight Virginia. But they can sometimes have a little bit of Burley, or Maryland, toppings, or whatever, and still be considered as a straight Virginia blend. Definitions are anything but clear and clean. So going by what is the predominant component is a good way to go.

 

readix

Lurker
Oct 3, 2018
23
0
Thank you very much!

I've got one more question. I just wanna be sure.

If I read well enough, orientals are sun cured and Latakia is smoked. I don't like that smoky taste at all. So oriental tobacco without latakia will neither taste nor smell like smoke, right?

I already know that Latakia is not for me so I want to give a chance to some oriental tobacco, without Latakia mixed in.

 

npod

Lifer
Jun 11, 2017
2,942
1,024
I want to give a chance to some oriental tobacco, without Latakia mixed in.

That is a kind of a tough quest. But not completely unobtainable.
The Grand Oriental series from McClelland really set the benchmark for quality oriental blends without latakia and I cherish my remaining tins of Drama Reserve, Smyrna no.1, etc. These were stellar and truly highlighted the oriental leaf. As for what is easily available now, you might want to try Cornell & Diehl Oriental Silk and G.L. Pease Embarcadero (recommended highly by yours truly). I also love G.L. Pease Temple Bar (but that has perique).
Others to consider with oriental forward minus latakia include C&D Mad Fiddler, D&R Ramback, G.L. Pease Regents flake. Also, G.L. Pease Cairo (perique added).
I'm sure others will chime in with blends I forgot to mention.

 
Before you totally write off latakia, maybe try a few more blends that use it with different components... components just being a word that means "things in which a larger blend is composed of."

Rehardless of the jargon, when latakia is mixed with different leaf, it takes on totally different flavors, not just smokey. It can have an incense-like aroma, it can taste like wet leather, old books, perfume-y, etc, it goes on and on. In fact, I hate the smokey flavored tobaccos, but I love latakia.
Maybe try GLP's Laurel Heights for a chewy leathery latakia. Esoterica or GLP's Ashbury for lots of incense flavors.

SG Bothy Flake is a latakia variety that tastes like fruity chewing gum.
You really have to fully explore a variety, family, genre, etc before you really know whether you like it or not. I always hate to hear folks say that they absolutely hate this or that; with images of a kicking and screaming bratty four year old refusing to open it's mouth to try broccoli comes to mind.

 

readix

Lurker
Oct 3, 2018
23
0
Unfortunately I cannot order more than 1.75 oz because of enormous fees.. Well, I'll maybe try to order one 2oz tin and see what happens. I have H&H's White Knight and C&D's Star of the East.. Tin 1.75oz plus 1oz. Don't really know what will I do with it. I don't want to throw it away but I don't like any of it.

I like Virginias though. Both Capstan Blue and Yellow are good. Peter Stokkebye's Luxury twist flake is good either.

I tried to order tin of A&C Petersen's Escudo which is a Va/Per. Perique's making process is interesting and I think I might like it. It is a lot of tobacco for me since I don't smoke that much so I have to smoke it first, before I order some more. Thank you for tips, though. :)

 
One thing that I have noticed from being on here all of this time is that you never dislike anything forever. You will come back to latakias eventually. So, do not throw it away. There will be a cold evening at some point when your WhiteKnight will hit the spot for you.

Folks that do hate something for a long time, have to work hard at it. But, the rest of us have discovered that our tastes revolve and evolve constantly.

 

timt

Lifer
Jul 19, 2018
2,844
22,729
I'll echo Cosmic here in voting not to write off latakia completely, which I did for a while. When used lightly as a condiment, I can appreciate what it does for a blend by adding some depth. Here lately I've been enjoying some C&D Epiphany which has some lat but isn't taking over everything else.

 

midwestpipesmoker70

Can't Leave
Nov 28, 2011
431
433
IL
And I will echo to not throw anything away. Hang on to it and let it age while you are on your road of exploration. One of these blends could end up being one of your all time favorite blends. I disliked straight Virginias for a long time but I came to my senses and now my favorite blends are virginia, VaBur and VaPers. Don't forget to experiment with each blend with smoking in different pipes and different moisture contents. Dry is not bad.

 

scloyd

Lifer
May 23, 2018
5,941
12,034
[/quote]Certainly never throw out tobacco. Jar it up and try it in weeks, months, years. You never know.
Yep...I don't care much for C&D Golden Days of Yore (Christmas blend). I put in a jar and I'll try it again next Christmas. If I like then, great, if not I can always give it to someone who does.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.