Tiyo Tabac Haitian Leaf

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mso489

Lifer
Feb 21, 2013
41,210
60,433
My sister took a wedding trip to Haiti and brought me back a hand made pipe and two

plastic bags of tobacco, which looked like rope but is actually tobacco leaves tightly rolled

and tied in a knot and dried, cured and aged. I approached this with intense curiosity and

some caution. I smoked a first bowl (my only bowl so far) in a Group 2 Ewa French bent

churchwarden (Iwan Ries). In Haitian Creole, tobacco is called Tiyo Tabac, and it seems to be

burley. Haiti apparently does not have a commercial tobacco for export (so far as I know) but

grows a crop for Haitian use. It comes with no discernible moisture. I portioned it into a

bowl with scissors. It is full strength but subtle with a nicotine kick, but provides a smooth

smoke -- I worried about it being rough and harsh, but I don't find that. It makes a good smoke

on its own, and may mix well with a mild Virginia like McC 5100, black Cavendish, and/or other

blends. This is not just like anything else, but is an interesting adventure outside the usual

tobacco repertoire.

 

papipeguy

Lifer
Jul 31, 2010
15,778
35
Bethlehem, Pa.
Very interesting, mso. I have a friend from the pipe club who is moving to Haiti this summer for a 3 year stint with his church. They're helping with the rebuilding going on there.

I'll tip him off to this and see if he can find it.

Thanks for the post.

 

mso489

Lifer
Feb 21, 2013
41,210
60,433
The pipe is very primitive, roughly carved out of some kind of indiginous wood, and the bowl lined with

what looks like tin can material to keep it from burning up, with the band out of the same recycled metal.

Don't know as I'd smoke this one, but it is an interesting artifact. Yes, it is designed for tobacco and

modeled after European pipes, a straight billiard. Photos from Haiti show men and women enjoying

pipe smoking.
Incidentally, the merchant who sold the pipe didn't have any tobacco. The tour guide, who was a sort of

miracle worker in navigating the remote areas they visited, had to go and procure the tobacco and bring

it back to them. I sniffed very carefully to make sure that what I had was indeed tobacco. These are just

five or six leaves, but they take up a lot of room because of the air folded into the leaves. The cost is almost

nothing, but your friend may have to ask a Haitian friend to buy it from a farmer. I don't think it is marketed

much. My sister payed extra just to tip the guide for his effort.
Update. I knew there was a nicotine buzz when I smoked my small bowl of this leaf, but then a profound

veil of sleep descended over me. I mean I really wanted to lie down and snooze. I didn't, and after I fixed

something more to eat, I feel fine. But the nicotine is substantial. This is one of those late evening tobaccos,

and to be smoked in small quantities. Whew.

 

blueeyedogre

Lifer
Oct 17, 2013
1,552
30
I'm heading to Jamaica next week and I hope I can find some different tobaccos there but not getting my hopes up. At best I'm hoping to find some cigars I can shred into a blend.

 

blueeyedogre

Lifer
Oct 17, 2013
1,552
30
Blue, you can count on being offered something to smoke in Jamaica. Do yourself a favor and don't leave your compound.

Lol I've heard that I can expect some of that to make an appearance but not to worried. I have a good "don't f*%k with me" face. Funny part is I'm in charge of the drug testing where I work. 8)

 
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