The word "Cavendish," when applied to pipe tobacco, seems to intrigue the American pipe smoker. It is also a confusing word, probably because Cavendish is a description of both a type of pipe tobacco and a manner in which tobacco is cut.
Cavendish pipe tobacco has been growing in popularity in recent years, to the extent that today, even a few American tobacco companies are manufacturing it. There is no tobacco grown anywhere in the world that is known as a Cavendish tobacco.
The basic process in the manufacture of a Cavendish tobacco is to impregnate the leaf with a great quantity of casing sauces. The taste factor, rather than the aroma, is the primary concern of the manufacturer, and each processor may use different types of equipment and different methods to achieve this end.
The tobaccos used in the manufacture of Cavendish may be Virginia, Burley or Maryland, or any combination of these three types. In the process, the tobaccos are heavily cased with any or all of the following flavors: rum, maple, sugar, chocolate, licorice, honey, fruit and a few more that individual manufacturers may find on the chemists' shelves.
The creation of a Cavendish tobacco varies from country to country and from manufacturer to manufacturer. We will only discuss those areas from which the most widely known Cavendish tobaccos originate -- The United States, The United Kingdom, The Netherlands and Denmark.
Cavendish Manufactured in the United States:
In order to get the tobacco to accept the required amount of casings, it may be dipped (especially the Burleys) into a casing sauce or heavily sprayed with flavoring sauces. The tobacco is then allowed to bulk for a period of time, so that the tobacco and casings are wedded, after which it may be subjected to pressure. It can take weeks or months until the blend has properly accepted the casing materials. The color of the processed Cavendish ranges from a light brown to black, depending on the leaf and casings used.
Cavendisb Manufactured in the United Kingdom
The English manufacture their Cavendish only with a heavier grade of Flue-Cured Virginia tobacco. The tobacco is placed in molds and subjected to heavy pressure for three to four days. The pressure exerted on the processed tobacco causes the natural oils to rise, and because of the heavy natural sugar content of the Virginia leaf, the tobacco develops a sweet taste. Most of the Cavendish produced in Great Britain is then cut and incorporated into a blend.
Cavendish Manufactured in The Netherlands and Denmark
The Dutch and the Danes employ a slow manufacturing method, first steaming the tobacco to open the pores and then casing it very heavily. The tobacco is then placed in molds and subjected to pressure until a cake is formed. The cake completes the process and can be cut into bars and again into smaller pieces.
Black Cavendisb Tobacco
The unusual Black Cavendish is a processed tobacco that each manufacturer prepares in a different manner. The two important steps employed, however, in all manufacturing of Black Cavendish are: 1. The dipping of the tobacco into various casing (flavoring) sauces (usually licorice) and 2. The steaming of the tobacco, which turns it black. Black Cavendish tobaccos can be manufactured from either Burley or Flue-Cured Virginia leaf. Usually, the heavier and darker leaf grades are used. Since this tobacco is heavily impregnated with flavorings, the taste is naturally influenced by the type of flavorings used.
Black Cavendish tobaccos usually have a slightly sweet taste and can either be smoked straight or incorporated into a mixture. Variations of the long cut are generally employed for better burning qualities.
Black Cavendish Manufactured in the United Kingdom
The Black Cavendish tobacco manufactured in the United Kingdom is made from the heavier and darker grades of Flue-Cured Virginia tobacco. As we will point out, the use of additives is severely restricted in the United Kingdom, so that the usual method of processing this tobacco is to "sweat" and steam it, causing it to turn black. The tobacco is then placed in a mold and subjected to pressure for one to several days. During this phase, additional steam may be applied. Eventually, a cake is formed, which is cut into bars and then sliced to the desired thickness. The result is a very mild, slightly sweet tobacco that can be smoked straight or incorporated into a blend.
Cavendish Cut Tobacco
The term "Cavendish cut" simply means a type of cut that is between a long or ribbon cut and a heavy fine cut.
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