Hello everyone, this is my first post here. I just picked up pipe smoking recently. I prefer tobacco with no additives, as I'm very particular about what I choose to put in my body. Consequently, the only tobacco I've used thus far is Natural American Spirit Roll-Your-Own cigarette tobacco, as I know they don't add anything to the tobacco, and they farm it, process it, and package it naturally. Now, there is a cigar store I have a good opinion of near me, that is the only one nearby that keeps their tobacco humidified properly. They sell pipe tobacco, which they say is very good quality pipe tobacco, but they ship it in from Europe; mostly the Netherlands and thereabouts. I'm wondering what the likelihood of that tobacco being full of additives other than flavoring would be, since they don't know, being that they buy it in bulk and it comes without labels or anything of the like that would indicate it's contents as far as the subject at hand. Any help on this subject would be very much appreciated. Thank you in advance.
European Pipe Tobacco: Additives or No?
- Thread starter GrasshopperMan
- Start date
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Great tobacco rarely comes without labels. If you have a great product you want people to know about it. I’d be wary.
Most if not all tobacco has some sort of additive, largely sugar and water. Flavourings are often but not always added.
Most if not all tobacco has some sort of additive, largely sugar and water. Flavourings are often but not always added.
Yep, as Karam says most pt will include additives. You have some brands with minimal stuff added, though: C&D's do not add casing or topping to Opening Night, Bayou Morning, Red Carpet, Sunday Picnic, Burley Flake #1-4, Haunted Bookshop, Pegasus, Oak Alley, Star of the East, Joie de Vivre, Pirate Kake, Billy Budd and others. Samuel Gawith's FVF is said to not have any added flavours. MacBaren's HH range uses the minimum additives, too.
The German federal government also has an online database of pipe tobacco ingredients, which you can check:
service.bmel.de
The German federal government also has an online database of pipe tobacco ingredients, which you can check:
Navigationspunkt Tabakzusatzstoffe-Datenbank
Die Internetseite des Bundesministerium für Ernährung und Landwirtschaft
service.bmel.de
Well...I think its important to go deeper and decide exactly what kind of additives are a problem. Its not like smoking is healthy. Also, all additives are not made by a mad scientist somewhere in a lab coat who likes chemicals with 9 syllable names. Some additives are likely no worse than the tobacco itself. Im no expert but Id rather smoke good tobacco with some natual additives than crap tobacco that tastes like a cardboard box. Also what is legal for parasite and other farming control is far less strict than what can be added in the blending house.
And you can't just go adding anything you like, its fairly controlled and any flavourings have to abide by regulations i.e food grade usually
No offense meant but these are the types of things beginners worry about. Smoking isn’t healthy and if you’re looking for unadulterated tobacco you might want to consider getting whole leaf and doing your own processing.
GLP Union Square is a Virginia flake that is about as close to unadulterated as commercial pipe tobaccos come.
I would hardly call myself a beginner, but some of us seek out unadulterated tobaccos for different reasons. Healthier tobaccos never crossed my mind. I just happen to be able to taste casings. As mentioned this is why some companies offer unadulterated tobaccos. Everyone is different.
And, just because it is cased, and I can taste it, doesn't necessarily mean that I avoid it altogether. Hell, I even smoke an aromatic every now and then. But, most of the time, I would prefer something uncased, for just the flavors of tobacco.
However, I would encourage anyone to give growing tobaccos a shot. I've done it, and there is something rewarding to smoking something that you made yourself.
3 Sails is the most natural shag I’ve found (I like shag cut) and I still need to familiarize myself with more of the c&d line. I’m always interested in what you have to say and I’m glad you chimed in. I also like a bunch of the c&d blending tobaccos. I’m always on the look out for plain/natural tobaccos.
I’m not sure where you can order from but this is one brand that might fit the bill.
www.smokingpipes.com
Tabac De La Semois Pipe Tobacco | Buy Tabac De La Semois Pipe Tobacco at Smokingpipes
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I should maybe clarify. I'm not necessarily looking for unflavored or plain pipe tobacco, quite the opposite in fact, just tobacco that doesn't have unnecessary ingredients added to it that contribute greatly to health issues such as formaldehyde and things of that nature. You know, things that typical American cigarettes usually have. Also, the tobacconist said that the pipe tobacco they offer from overseas isn't labeled with the ingredients. They know what the brands are and such. I appreciate all the suggestions offered so far. Keep them coming!
Thank you, this is my mindset. I'd like to keep the formaldehyde out of my body, thank you haha
Since I am rather new admittedly, what are casings and topping?Yep, as Karam says most pt will include additives. You have some brands with minimal stuff added, though: C&D's do not add casing or topping to Opening Night, Bayou Morning, Red Carpet, Sunday Picnic, Burley Flake #1-4, Haunted Bookshop, Pegasus, Oak Alley, Star of the East, Joie de Vivre, Pirate Kake, Billy Budd and others. Samuel Gawith's FVF is said to not have any added flavours. MacBaren's HH range uses the minimum additives, too.
The German federal government also has an online database of pipe tobacco ingredients, which you can check:
Navigationspunkt Tabakzusatzstoffe-Datenbank
Die Internetseite des Bundesministerium für Ernährung und Landwirtschaft
Actually, formaldehyde is not added to cigarettes. You're probably referencing those commercials in the 90's that used to list all sorts of awful things found in cigarette smoke. But, actually no formaldehyde is (nor has ever been) added to the tobaccos. Formaldehyde is actually a natural byproduct of burning sugars, so almost all cased pipe tobaccos will have that as a biproduct in the smoke.
Cigarette tobacco is no more adulterated with additives than any cased tobacco. Those nasty things listed were things found in the smoke, not the tobaccos. Actually, if you smoked formaldehyde, it might not be found in the smoke, as it would become another form when burned.
Those commercials were meant to trigger reactions, and to trick us, somewhat.
You're not really any safer choosing pipes over cigarettes, except that we don't usually inhale pipe smoke, but we do inhale it once it is in the air around us (secondhand smoke), so YMMV
Formaldehyde | RIVM
Formaldehyde is an organic compound formed through natural processes in the environment and in the (human) body, where it is released through metabolic processes. Formaldehyde is also produced and used in various branches of the chemical and pharmaceutical industry. Formaldehyde is found in...
I've not investigated this, but Big Tobacco must at least add something to cigarettes that makes them keep burning. All RYOs that I used to smoke -- mainly Three Castles, sometimes Drum, and when I was broke, super cheap prison grade leaf whose brands I don't remember -- would self-extinguish when you don't puff on the cig. Similarly, pipe tobaccos self-extinguish. Dark Star is flame-proof.
Conversely, Big Tobacco brands like Marlboro, Camel, etc, will keep burning to ignite bed sheets, sofas, carpets, etc. Maybe this has changed but they have to add something to keep them burning.
I used to smoke Drum, and it always came very wet in the tin. Pre-rolled cigarettes, in a paper pack, on a shelf for a week isn't as wet.