The Tonka Bean: An Ingredient So Good It Has to Be Illegal

Log in

SmokingPipes.com Updates

Watch for Updates Twice a Week

PipesMagazine Approved Sponsor

PipesMagazine Approved Sponsor

PipesMagazine Approved Sponsor

PipesMagazine Approved Sponsor

PipesMagazine Approved Sponsor

mso489

Lifer
Feb 21, 2013
41,210
60,433
And The Atlantic article doesn't even mention pipe tobacco blends. I was drawn in by the confusion of the two chemicals too, so I guess I cannot get hugely upset. FDA is loaded with scientists with M.D.'s and Ph.D.'s and both, who should have sorted this out and corrected it long ago.
 
  • Like
Reactions: SBC

karam

Lifer
Feb 2, 2019
2,341
9,012
Basel, Switzerland
The beans may not be legal in the US but I doubt it means their essence used in a tobacco is not.

I’ve been fascinated with tonka beans since smoking 1792, in Europe you can get them at the supermarket, they do wonders in custards and cakes.

Apparently they were very commonly used in pipe tobacco in the past.
This is the reason I like 1792. It has a touch of the bean in it.
A very generous touch too :)
 
Saspirila soda drinks were all pulled in the early 70's because they found that the root was actually poisonous. Root beer used to be made from it also, almost the same taste. But now root beer is made from artificial stuff. Isn't it weird how something can be so deadly, yet we never hear of anyone dying from it?
You'd have thought that if root beer and saspirila were so deadly, that with everyone I know back then was drinking it, why didn't anyone get sick?

Tonka bean, now, it kinda explains why I feel sorta weird after smoking it, ha ha. It's usually me making other people feel weird, ha ha.
 

F4RM3R

Part of the Furniture Now
Nov 28, 2019
567
2,512
38
Canada
Can get them here in Canada without being arrested. They are tricky to find in store but I got some and crush them up and throw them in some bourbon to soak and spray that on blends. It’s nice with English blends, but has a great flavour that can really work with many styles of blends.