Soil Cured Pakistani Tobacco

[bazungu]

So today in the lab, somehow we ended up discussing the topic of growing and curing tobacco (Not that odd since we are a plant biology lab). I found out that one of my colleagues from Pakistan is from a family of tobacco farmers. He told me the way they cure the tobacco is by digging a big hole in the ground, covering it with the stems of the tobacco on which the tobacco leaves are placed. On top, more stems are placed and it is then completely covered with more soil, left to ferment for a couple of week. It is then dug out, twisted into ropes and then placed upon a layer of more dried tobacco stems to dry in the sun.

Next time he goes to visit his home, he will try to bring me some of the ropes!
Has anyone ever heard of this kind of curing where tobacco is placed underground to ferment? I wonder if SG or G&H sources any of these tobaccos since they use quite a bit of Indian tobacco.

 

[cachimbero]

This way of curing tobacco is traditional in the Isle of Ibiza, in Spain. The tobacco is called "pota ibizenca" and it is said to be very strong.

 

[cosmicfolklore]

It sounds labor intensive. I’ve never heard of it, but it might explain Pakistani cigarettes. ::

 

[didimauw]

I've heard of people burying meat in dirt, so why not tobacco...

 

[dcon]

bazangu, is that tobacco destined for bidis or pipe tobacco?

 

[weezell]

I'll try some! :D They ferment perique in stumps and kegs...

 

[bazungu]

Interesting to hear that they use this method in Spain as well! He told me that most of the tobacco seems to be for the 'hookah/sisha' as well as for cigarets, I do not know if it is also used for bidis. He told me they grow different cultivars but I am not sure if they are all processed this way or not. I will try to get some more information.

 

[cachimbero]

A picture of Pota Ibicenca:
Link

 

[PaulTheScandinavian]

@Cachimbero, Thanks for this piece of information,I must assume they still do widely grow Tabacos Negros (Dark)Type Maryland in Spain and on the Iles de Canaries mostly for Cigarette and Ryo Tobacco production

 

[cachimbero]

Unfortunately, "black tobacco" is slowly disappearing. When I started smoking (17 yrs old) a pack of Ducados was a third of a pack of Marlboros. Right now it is more expensive. New smokers prefer to start with the much easier taste od american style cigarettes. Those cigarettes and that tobacco are grown in Spain and production is more expensive than wherever they make Marlboro. Most of the tobacco in the Canary Islands is grown for cigars although some of it makes its way to cigarettes (Coronas and Gener being an example). There used to be a brand "Habanos" which was made with leave from Vuelta Abajo region in Cuba. Excellent cigarettes. Now they are called Herencia de Habanos. They are very interesting to smoke (no need to inhale) if you can get hold of them. They are said to have been Zino Davidoff favourite cigarettes.

 

[hawky454]

A guy on another forum buys this style of tobacco very cheap and smokes it almost exclusively.

 

[PaulTheScandinavian]

@Cachimbero, Thanks for this piece of information,I'm noticing this same is happening in France, but Yes,back then when I mainly smoked cigarettes the Spanish ones were on the top of my preference list,good stuff and still today when it comes to Tabacs bruns(dark tobaccos) Spanish product is probably the best one can get in EU

 

[mso489]

Most interesting. Pretty potent I suspect. My sister sent me some air cured burley from Haiti and it was pretty harsh.