they are all marketing terms. They don't have any solid legal meanings. Just means that is how the person who is selling you the tobacco wants you to look at it. Kind of like musical genres. Legally you can call anything jazz if you want to.
Is it aromatic?
- Thread starter Coreios
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@K.E. Powell I wouldn’t use the word ‘Artificial’ in describing Aros, unless it was a Synthetic Artificial man made ingredient.
The Aros I smoke, and have smoked, all had Natural Ingredients added.
I mentioned before, look at it this way. Compare all the natural flavor profiles found in various leaf; VA, Burley, Latakia, Orientals, etc.., and a topping/flavor that is added, that is not found naturally in these leafs profile, tends to be an Aromatic.
But, the problem, with some blends, with toppings that are very lightly applied, might not come across to some as an Aro, or be labeled an Aro, and what you typically see with some pipe smokers, is the thought that Aro always imply something richer/heavier in that flavoringl
I recently bought John Aylesbury Sir John’s Flake Virginia. This is listed everywhere as a Straight VA, but it’s not, it has a fruit/floral added flavor, and no one knows what it is, but this is not naturally found in a VA, at least not to my knowledge. This could honestly be classified as an Aro, because it has an ‘Added Flavor’.
www.tobaccoreviews.com
So, said a simpler way, any Added Flavors, should be considered an Aro.
It was mentioned a while back, about how many of Germain’s blends, especially in regards to their Esoterica lineup has a lot of Aros in it, listed as Straight.
This makes me think, had all these Unicorns out there, were actually listed correctly as Aros, their sales and popularity would be nothing. But it does seem quite odd, how there are so many so called Upper Class blends, floating under the radar as straight when they are not.
The Aros I smoke, and have smoked, all had Natural Ingredients added.
I mentioned before, look at it this way. Compare all the natural flavor profiles found in various leaf; VA, Burley, Latakia, Orientals, etc.., and a topping/flavor that is added, that is not found naturally in these leafs profile, tends to be an Aromatic.
But, the problem, with some blends, with toppings that are very lightly applied, might not come across to some as an Aro, or be labeled an Aro, and what you typically see with some pipe smokers, is the thought that Aro always imply something richer/heavier in that flavoringl
I recently bought John Aylesbury Sir John’s Flake Virginia. This is listed everywhere as a Straight VA, but it’s not, it has a fruit/floral added flavor, and no one knows what it is, but this is not naturally found in a VA, at least not to my knowledge. This could honestly be classified as an Aro, because it has an ‘Added Flavor’.
updating via yoast
www.tobaccoreviews.com
So, said a simpler way, any Added Flavors, should be considered an Aro.
It was mentioned a while back, about how many of Germain’s blends, especially in regards to their Esoterica lineup has a lot of Aros in it, listed as Straight.
This makes me think, had all these Unicorns out there, were actually listed correctly as Aros, their sales and popularity would be nothing. But it does seem quite odd, how there are so many so called Upper Class blends, floating under the radar as straight when they are not.
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When I hear the term aromatic, I think about a flavoring added to the tobacco that was either sprayed on or mixed into it. Dark fired tobaccos and Latakia and Perique develop their flavors through the process of either fermentation or smoke. Aromatics get their flavors added very quickly and in a process that does little to change the chemistry of the leaf itself. Yes, all of the above processes add a sense of flavor. However, dark fires, flu, Perique, and Latakia all develop their flavors through a lengthy process.
in the world of flavored moonshines versus aged bourbon we see something similar.
in the world of flavored moonshines versus aged bourbon we see something similar.
It's threads like this that make me glad I just enjoy smoking tobacco without thinking about it.
Since it is fairly well known in piping circles that all blenders at least put a little topping on their blends I've quit worrying about it. I do like a number of blends that have a little booze as the topping.
Here’s a great analogy…
Haunted Bookshop is the equivalent of a cup of strong, black coffee. Only a blend of ground coffee beans and boiling water. If my black coffee tastes too bitter, an old trick is to add a tiny pinch of salt. You won’t taste the salt, it mellows the coffee and takes away its bitterness. The salt equates to a casing. Now, some people will point their fingers and say, “See! Something was added! That makes it aromatic!” No. No it doesn’t.
Cult Blood Red Moon equates to a cup of coffee with 8 teaspoons of sugar, two splashes of cherry syrup, a dash of chocolate syrup and other artifice. The latter…is an Aromatic.
I’ve never met a child who took his first sip of black coffee and smiled. Copious amounts of sugar and cream will be required to mask the flavor.
Most new to the pipe are drawn to heavily topped aromatics.
Later, as we adjust our tastes, we fall somewhere between these extremes. There’s nothing wrong with that; smoke what you enjoy!
Haunted Bookshop is the equivalent of a cup of strong, black coffee. Only a blend of ground coffee beans and boiling water. If my black coffee tastes too bitter, an old trick is to add a tiny pinch of salt. You won’t taste the salt, it mellows the coffee and takes away its bitterness. The salt equates to a casing. Now, some people will point their fingers and say, “See! Something was added! That makes it aromatic!” No. No it doesn’t.
Cult Blood Red Moon equates to a cup of coffee with 8 teaspoons of sugar, two splashes of cherry syrup, a dash of chocolate syrup and other artifice. The latter…is an Aromatic.
I’ve never met a child who took his first sip of black coffee and smiled. Copious amounts of sugar and cream will be required to mask the flavor.
Most new to the pipe are drawn to heavily topped aromatics.
Later, as we adjust our tastes, we fall somewhere between these extremes. There’s nothing wrong with that; smoke what you enjoy!
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Today’s young wine consumer enjoys more residual sugar resulting in a sweeter than traditional wine.
Wine makers adjust to what sells and that’s fine.
However, if they fail to tell me on the labeling….
Tobacco doesn’t share this problem.
Despite all of the spirited discussion, I believe we all know what is an aromatic and what isn’t and everything in between. Tobacco Reviews are honest and pipe smokers an honest lot.
Find and smoke what you enjoy.
Wine makers adjust to what sells and that’s fine.
However, if they fail to tell me on the labeling….
Tobacco doesn’t share this problem.
Despite all of the spirited discussion, I believe we all know what is an aromatic and what isn’t and everything in between. Tobacco Reviews are honest and pipe smokers an honest lot.
Find and smoke what you enjoy.
Well written response that I enjoyed reading. Thank you.
Don't get to hung up on the semantics, smoke what you like. Now days Aromatic generally means flavored/topped with something that person sitting next to you gets more enjoyment out of than you do. There are even aromatic English blends, they are topped AND have latakia/Orientals, they're called crossovers and I personally love them. Lane HGL, Edward G Robinson, Iwan Reiss 
Blue (Frog Morton was a crossover). While I don't usually smoke aros or English I LOVE aro English , go figure...
Blue (Frog Morton was a crossover). While I don't usually smoke aros or English I LOVE aro English , go figure...
Jeez... this question always turns into a debate. The confusion is that there are lots of conversationalist use of the term aromatic when we discuss tobaccos. Because anything with a smell can be said to be aromatic, because that's what the word means. But, people can debate on here all that they want about this or that tobacco being aromatic or not. Debate till you're blue in the face. BUT IT DOES NOT MATTER. We do not get to decide how tobaccos are categorized by the tobacco industry.
The tobacco industry says that if the tobacco is "topped" with an added flavor, it is "aromatic." (period)
If flavors are added early on in the processing of the tobacco, like casings or Cavendishes (or latakia for God's sake) it is not an aromatic. It actually has very little to do with how the tobacco tastes or acts when you pop the tin open. It is merely an industrial term used by the companies to mean that toppings have been added last or latter in the process.
Make your witty arguments. It's actually entertaining, but it also just confuses the issue for new pipe smokers. And, it is not helpful at all. Every arm chair quarterback out there has their own passionate debate about this. But, it's all ego and wittiness, but the bottom line is that we consumers can't just say, this or that is now going to be labelled aromatic. Go tell C&D, MacBaren, or STG that latakia is aromatic till you're blue in the face. It's fun to watch, like a train wreck. It's interesting. But, you're just not going win this argument.
Go tell car producers that hatchbacks are really vans. Go tell the wine industry that fortified wine is really a cocktail. Go tell distilleries that vodka and whisky are the same thing. Go tell the food industry that burritos are really sandwiches. It doesn't mean a thing... but it's fun to watch.
The tobacco industry says that if the tobacco is "topped" with an added flavor, it is "aromatic." (period)
If flavors are added early on in the processing of the tobacco, like casings or Cavendishes (or latakia for God's sake) it is not an aromatic. It actually has very little to do with how the tobacco tastes or acts when you pop the tin open. It is merely an industrial term used by the companies to mean that toppings have been added last or latter in the process.
Make your witty arguments. It's actually entertaining, but it also just confuses the issue for new pipe smokers. And, it is not helpful at all. Every arm chair quarterback out there has their own passionate debate about this. But, it's all ego and wittiness, but the bottom line is that we consumers can't just say, this or that is now going to be labelled aromatic. Go tell C&D, MacBaren, or STG that latakia is aromatic till you're blue in the face. It's fun to watch, like a train wreck. It's interesting. But, you're just not going win this argument.
Go tell car producers that hatchbacks are really vans. Go tell the wine industry that fortified wine is really a cocktail. Go tell distilleries that vodka and whisky are the same thing. Go tell the food industry that burritos are really sandwiches. It doesn't mean a thing... but it's fun to watch.
I actually enjoy them and am drifting more and more to them.
If it smells sweet and pleasant, it's aromatic. Everything else is just pipe tobacco.
Damn dyslexia kicked in...
Thought it was asking Is it romantic?
UGH
Thought it was asking Is it romantic?
UGH
The article illustrates that the aromatic and non-aromatic distinctions aren't precise nor accurate. That's useful to know. Beginning with codger blends, for examples, Granger has some molasses and maybe some anisette, but not enough of either to make you think about those flavorings as its taste. Likewise with Sir Walter Raleigh Original.
Yet there is a vast array of flavored tobaccos that not only have the flavor stated or suggested in the name, but that put the flavor above the tobacco flavor, so that's what you taste first and foremost. Many other "aromatics" are tobacco forward and use flavoring to bring up the tobaccos' flavors and enhance your experience with the tobacco, like properly spiced food where the spices enhance the natural flavor of the foods.
Yet there is a vast array of flavored tobaccos that not only have the flavor stated or suggested in the name, but that put the flavor above the tobacco flavor, so that's what you taste first and foremost. Many other "aromatics" are tobacco forward and use flavoring to bring up the tobaccos' flavors and enhance your experience with the tobacco, like properly spiced food where the spices enhance the natural flavor of the foods.
The one that always bothers me is Mac Baren Mixture: Scottish Blend. In most of these cases folks are arguing why something so clearly topped isn't considered an aromatic - but with Scottish Blend, I've never been able to figure out why it IS. The topping is so subtle (to me) and isn't clearly a definable flavor of topping so it always smokes like a quality codger type blend with a light casing.
If you were to move Scottish Mixture out of the "aromatic" category, where would you put it?
If you were to move Scottish Mixture out of the "aromatic" category, where would you put it?
This is a fun conversation to read. And 35 posts into it there is no definitive answers, at least I don't think there is. And just for more fun, can I throw Lakelands into the mix?
Kidding, kidding.
my .02 - and it's worth much less than that - is anything with a sweet, non-tobacco taste is an aro to me. But I'm pretty simple.
Coreios - what have you smoked that you consider an aro? Or a non- Aro?
Kidding, kidding.
my .02 - and it's worth much less than that - is anything with a sweet, non-tobacco taste is an aro to me. But I'm pretty simple.
Coreios - what have you smoked that you consider an aro? Or a non- Aro?
Most of those Stokkebye 4th Generation aromatics are very lightly topped and it's easy to forget that they are topped. And, then there is PS LTF that tastes like an aromatic, because the coconut was added early on in the cavendish process, but it has no topping at all... so it is not an aromatic.
The industry just has to use some sort of indicator, I guess, and nothing is going to be 100%.
The industry just has to use some sort of indicator, I guess, and nothing is going to be 100%.
Lakelands are aromatics.
Gotcha. I may have missed it, but I haven't seen anything about them in a while. Always good to throw that in the mix just to see what floats.