As you can well imagine, there are several types of pipe tobacco, all with different characteristics, which I am sure will make you fall even more in love with the fascinating world of slow smoking!
What are the categories of pipe tobacco?
First of all, it is good to know that there is a classification of pipe tobaccos, which distinguishes three rather different broad categories, which you will be able to observe below.
English mixture
English mixture is undoubtedly the best category of pipe tobacco to start with, because it is a really mild blend, especially suitable for the palates of newbies.
English mixture can have various recipes and interpretations, which can differ not a little from each other.
The element that most distinguishes it is the strongly present Latakia, which is often accompanied by Virginia, Oriental and other varieties.
This is a particularly popular blend in afternoon smokes, capable of getting both beginners and experts to agree.
Aromatic tobaccos
Let us now turn to aromatic tobaccos, which have the characteristic of undergoing a special treatment, called "flavoring."
In fact, a series of additives are applied that greatly change the flavor and fragrance of the tobacco.
The additives are mostly natural, such as brown sugar, cocoa, vanillin, essential oils or distillates.
This is probably the category that the neophyte should avoid, because its strong flavors pinch the tongue in no small part, making it particularly intense and, sometimes, cloying to smoke.
Natural tobaccos
The more experienced smoker tends to prefer this category of tobaccos because they are naturally flavored.
Let us be clear: they, too, undergo some treatments during processing, but they are certainly less invasive than "aromatics."
These treatments serve to ensure an adequate level of sugary substances, which is necessary to regulate two fundamental properties, which are moisture and combustibility.
Nowadays it is virtually impossible to come across pipe tobaccos in their pure state or untreated in any way.
What are the types of pipe tobacco?
Now it is time to review the different types of pipe tobacco.
It is definitely important to know the characteristics of pipe tobaccos so that you can choose the one best suited to your needs.
As you can well imagine, there are many blending options, each of which is created with more than one type of tobacco.
At the same time, we can find pure tobacco blends, consisting of only one type of tobacco.
In this article, we will look at the peculiarities of the following tobaccos: Cavendish, Burley, Lakatia, Kentucky and Perique.
Cavendish
There are so many blends that contain Cavendish as an ingredient, especially American, Dutch and Danish tobaccos.
The truth, however, is that Cavendish, by itself, is a blend in its own right.
Generally, it is composed of varying amounts of Burley, Virginia and Orientals, but sometimes Kentucky as well.
To prepare Cavendish, the blend is subjected to a sweetening process, usually based on maple syrup, honey or molasses, ensuring that it is first flavored (with curarine or cocoa) and matured.
Next, it undergoes baking and, eventually, fermentation, so as to achieve a smoother taste.
Finally, the preparation is concluded with a final flavoring based on fruit essences, natural or artificial.
Cavendish is generally marketed in pressed "ready rubbed" form, blended with other shreds, or added into English Mixtures.
Burley
Burley is a light air-cured type tobacco (i.e., the category of light air-cured tobaccos), with a brown/brown-reddish color.
It is characterized by good combustibility and a light consistency.
It also does not have a particularly intense aroma, which makes it perfect for accompanying other flavors, due to the sponginess of the leaf.
Burley is frequently used in flavored blends, being subjected to various treatments, such as roasting and flavoring.
Latakia
Latakia is an oriental tobacco, which is derived from dried plants, that are subsequently placed to smoke through aromatic wood fires.
This process gives it its characteristic dark color and flavor.
Its taste is sweet and, due to the presence of woody fragments within it, combustion is rather slow.
It is a tobacco that is very present in English Mixtures, because it gives a distinct flavor, as well as body and roundness.
Latakia has the peculiarity of aging really well, in fact its fragrances and flavors tend to improve over time.
Kentucky
Let us now turn to Kentucky, which, unlike the previous ones, has a broad and consistent leaf, belonging to the dark-fired class, that is treated by direct fire of strong essences.
The color is dark brown and the intense flavor is reminiscent of wood, always offering a full and unforgettable taste.
It is a rather strong tobacco, not surprisingly used to make cigars such as Toscano, but also to give body to the blend, as in Black Cavendish and English Mixtures.
Perique
Finally, we conclude our ranking of the best pipe tobaccos with Perique, a type of Burley, with the difference of undergoing a lengthy double fermentation process.
Fermentation is achieved by periods of maceration, in which Perique leaves are contained in barrels, previously used for aging Bourbons.
Precisely because of this long process of refining the flavor, it is one of the most expensive and sought-after pipe tobaccos.
The flavor is spicy and intense, even reminiscent of the flavor of some wines.
The appearance is oily and the color is tending to black, with a fragmented texture.
It is a really strong tobacco with low combustibility, which is added in small doses in English and American blends.
