Basics: Pipe Tobaccos and Pipe Tobacco Cuts

“They speak English in What?”

--Jules, Pulp Fiction

To the beginning pipe smoker (and many experienced ones), pipe tobacco terminology can be more confusing than the ret-conning done by Saw V. In a continuing effort at clarity, here are the basics of pipe tobacco and pipe tobacco cuts:

Burley is used in most blends. It has a nutty and subtle flavor. In aromatic blends, it is sometimes pressed and flavored, making it a Cavendish, as in Captain Black. It’s used in English blends to give balance and a hint of natural tobacco taste. When smoked as it‘s unflavored self, burley doesn’t smell too memorable, but this wonderfully adaptive blend component forms the base of many tobacco blends.

Black Cavendish is a catch-all name for burley that has been pressed and flavored with a sweet, sort-of-vanilla topping. Every (decent) tobacconist has at least one Black Cavendish blend; it’s very easy to smoke, flavorful but not overwhelming, and the room aroma is pleasant. All tobaccos in this category are black and flavored, but differ by manufacturer in moisture content (how “wet” a blend feels) and taste. A Black Cavendish may feel dry and smell of raisins (Toasted Black Cavendish from Altadis) or may be moist enough to stick to your hand and have the scent of French vanilla icing (Vanilla Black Cavendish from McClelland). In a blend, this can be used as a primary ingredient in an aromatic, or to give just a hint of sweetness to a primarily English mixture.

Virginia tobaccos have dedicated fans that insist Virginia is The One True Pipe Tobacco To Rule Them All. In it’s most common form, this pale-yellow leaf tastes woody and slightly sweet. Virginia can be “stoved”--exposed to very high heat in processing. This darkens the tobacco, and brings out even more of Virginia’s natural sweetness. They are used to add a bit of body and sugar to English blends, and are used in aromatics to compliment and enhance the blend’s flavors.

Latakia (“Latta-keya“) smells like the smoke from a campfire. That is how it was traditionally produced--leaves were hung from a barn’s rafters, and a fire was lit well under them, so the leaves absorbed the smoky goodness. Today, many large producers might take shortcuts like latakia “flavoring“--but hopefully not. The ultimate English tobacco, latakia is a hallmark of “serious” non-aromatic blends. It lends an earthy, meaty, savory richness when used in moderation in a mixture; but if too much is used, all other flavors are blotted out. Think of latakia as fresh-ground black pepper--a dash good, a handful too much.

And then there’s Perique (“Per-eek”), a true oddball tobacco. Ask your local (real) tobacconist to let you smell this stuff right from the bulk bag--it’s something every pipe smoker should try once. Because perique is the only tobacco that is fermented--yes, as in fermenting a pickle! Genuine perique is made by pressing the tobacco (a special strain grown correctly only in St. James’ Parish, Louisiana) and letting it stew in its oils and juices for a long length of time. Perique is used in tiny amounts in English blends for a bit of a spicy kick. Do not smoke perique by itself--doing this has been compared to, only half-jokingly, having a lobotomy. I shit you not.

And on the subject of having your brain cut out (“Isn‘t that what your blog does?”), the cut of a pipe tobacco is important due to how it affects the burning qualities and aesthetics of a blend.

The most common cut in pipe tobacco is the ribbon cut, also called long cut and sometimes shag cut. Ribbon cut is the narrow, thin, shoelace-width cut that you’ll find in some respect in nearly all mixtures, and in cigarette tobacco. It burns very easily due to its thinness and length, but can burn a bit too quickly for some smokers. The ribbon cut is also very common in Cavendish blends for easy puffing. Most popular blends, like Apple and Captain Black, are ribbon cut.

Flake cut tobacco looks a bit like a thin chip of wood (flake is also a type of pressed blend, which is another post). A very light, flat cut, it slows burning and gives a blend the visual appeal of a dash of color, for example with Virginia tobacco cut into flakes. The broader plane of this cut also adds more flavor than a ribbon cut, as there is more surface area to burn. McClelland uses Virginia flake in several mixtures.

Like a flake cut, cube cut slows burning but has even more surface area than a flake. So, it adds even more flavor and provides a leisurely smoke. The flavor and subtleties of burley are truly brought out in this cut. This is also the most difficult cut to produce of the three cuts, needing special pressing and cutting equipment, and several layers of burley, to produce a quality cube. This cut is somewhat rare, but is in Uhle’s Perfection Plug Burley and Blend 300.

There’s always more to know about pipe tobacco, and reviewing basic tobaccos and cuts is a good starting point. Now you can even try mixing your own blend--but easy on the perique.

Okay, so Detective Hoffman was really with Jigsaw the whole time….

Twitter: @thepipebit