Carolina Leaf in Pipes, What About It?

mso489 · Aug 27, 2018

I've lived in North Carolina since 1972 and have watched the tobacco industry slowly transform -- decrease in output, go from auction house sales more to contracts, etc. I always associate Carolina tobacco with cigarette manufacture. But it is used in pipe tobacco, not with a big billing like Kentucky dark fired or Virginias, but mentioned here and there from time to time. All of the blends or single-leaf descriptions of Carolina pipe tobacco have said it is extremely mild, or in a blend, it has the effect of making it more mild. I've never tried it as pipe tobacco, or blends featuring Carolina leaf. Can anyone educate us a little more on Carolina tobacco as a pipe tobacco, either single-leaf or as a blending leaf? Is it genetically similar to Virginia leaf, or an entirely different item?

crashthegrey · Aug 27, 2018

Interested in any answers.

Chasing Embers · Aug 27, 2018

It's a mild bright Virginia with flavors of tea and hay. Blends well with Yenidje.

mso489 · Aug 27, 2018

"Embers, sounds pretty good. Does anyone do a Carolina/Yenije blend? Or, I wonder why not. Maybe some of what is billed as Virginia varietal is grown in Carolina? Thank you for the info.

Chasing Embers · Aug 27, 2018

Does anyone do a Carolina/Yenije blend?

Not to my knowledge. I use the Carolina Flake Cut from P&C and Yenidje leaf I got from Leaf Only when they used to carry it.

Chasing Embers · Aug 27, 2018

It takes well to most orientals I've blended it with, though the orientals must be used in small proportions otherwise they over power the Carolina.

cosmicfolklore · Aug 27, 2018

Duane, where did you hear that this was a brightleaf? The only variety I know with the name Carolina is a light burley, as in the burley used in BLWB.

I have been googling "Carolina Bright leafs" in seed varieties and in products, but I see no evidence that this is a brightleaf. Just curious.

Chasing Embers · Aug 27, 2018

I honestly can't remember. I have it written down in a notebook I keep for tobacco comparison. I'm thinking it was from TR when I was looking for the same answer Tom was looking for.

Chasing Embers · Aug 27, 2018

Trying to find it again myself. Here's one listing from TR, though not the one I found before. Orange and Lemon Carolinas in the description but Virginia in the contents.

cosmicfolklore · Aug 27, 2018

That's a good estimation. But, usually when a brightleaf has been flue cured, it is merely sold under the blanket term, "Virginia." I know that there is a burley seed sold under the term Carolina, but even in that, it isn't told what the seed stock is from usually.

When I saw Tom's post it made me wonder if there might be a cigar leaf or specialized leaf like the Maryland leaf. So, I was looking, but couldn't find anything on that either.
Maybe Jitter will chime in.

davek · Aug 27, 2018

Sorry if my input is of little use, but I purchased some Connecticut leaf from leaf only and did not care for it. It was billed as "American mild cigar flavor" or such like. It was mild, and it hearkened to some cheap cigars I've smoked, but in a pipe it just tasted bitter. All cigar leaf is bitter but I guess the other flavors make it all OK. I added some to a large jar of scraps and leavings and anyone who wants it can have it. (it's all whole leaf, no store-bought pipe tobacco)

cosmicfolklore · Aug 27, 2018

Davek, as deliciously irresistible as you made that offer sound... I find myself resisting the urges that you set in motion. : puffy

:

davek · Aug 27, 2018

Yeah, not the most well thought out offer. Guess I should have said... "I did not find Pennsylvania leaf to work as well in a pipe as a cigar. The lack of subtle nuances caused the earthiness to be too forward."
Hey, I'm a whole leaf kinda guy and I like a full tobacco flavor. But it's gotta be just right nonetheless. Whatever that is.

swilford · Aug 27, 2018

That's a good estimation. But, usually when a brightleaf has been flue cured, it is merely sold under the blanket term, "Virginia." I know that there is a burley seed sold under the term Carolina, but even in that, it isn't told what the seed stock is from usually.

When I saw Tom's post it made me wonder if there might be a cigar leaf or specialized leaf like the Maryland leaf. So, I was looking, but couldn't find anything on that either.

I can't speak for every use of it, but mostly people are talking about virginias that happened to be grown in the Carolinas (or specifically, probably, eastern North Carolina). NC grows more virginia leaf than does Virginia. When C&D has referenced Carolina in names (though never varietals) it was speaking to the regional origin for the tobaccos, not the varietals.
For Carolina Red Flake, it happened to be a distinctive crop/batch/grade that made it interesting. All of the tobacco in that particular lot from a fairly small area in eastern NC. We thought that was cool. We called it Carolina Red Flake.
I guess what I'm saying is that it's best not to infer too much taxonomy from things that are usefully descriptive--like a tobacco name--but not necessarily useful from a taxonomy perspective.
Sykes

Chasing Embers · Aug 27, 2018

See, sometimes I know stuff! :nana:

cortezattic · Aug 27, 2018

McClelland produced a tin called Eastern Carolina Ribbon, which was all Virginia leaf. They described it as a bright Virginia ribbon, but that doesn't necessarily mean the same thing as the term "Virginia Brights".

cosmicfolklore · Aug 27, 2018

Duane, I was very careful not to infer that I thought you were wrong. I was just as curious myself. So, the blending Carolina LINK is most likely a Virginia? I can "get" that.
When I was researching seed stock and talking to farmers about curing and pipe tobacco, I was interested that most had no idea what a Red Virginia was, until I found someone who works for the cigarette industry. There is definitely a disconnect, as Sykes points out, between the names of seed stock, what farmers call their product, and what pipe companies call the leaf in their product. However, within each level of tobacco "production" (for lack of a better word), they seem to stay consistent.

Chasing Embers · Aug 27, 2018

Duane, I was very careful not to infer that I thought you were wrong. I was just as curious myself.

I hate that text has no vocal inflection, I was funnin' ya. :mrgreen: I just wish I could find the original article that I read that from. Usually I write down word for word a tobacco description for later reference.

cosmicfolklore · Aug 27, 2018

I knew you were goofin' me, but when dealing with the Pirate Captain, I like for everyone else to know... I don't want to get boarded, you know. :wink:

Chasing Embers · Aug 27, 2018

:rofl:

Carolina Leaf in Pipes, What About It?

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