BLENDED

Blended tobacco leaf is typically made up of three main tobacco leafs most commonly but not restricted to Virginia, burley and oriental tobacco leafs. The leafs used in blends are chosen to complement each other.

A good base is needed for blended tobacco leafs. Generally only one type is needed, but with Virginia flue-cureds, mixing two or more of them often produces a more ideal blend. Brighter Virginia Flue Cureds are used for a sweet, top-note, but should be balanced by darker, more bottom-noted leaf.

There are many other tobacco leafs that can be used to add spices or seasonings to a blend. Dark Fire Cured, Dark Air Cured, Shade Leaf, Latakia, and Perique are just a few tobacco types that can be used in small quantities to produce a unique blend.

Virginia

This is, probably, the most commonly used type of tobacco for blends. Its basic characteristics are: sweet, toasty, citrusy, tea-like (will vary depending upon where it’s grown, the colour of the leaf, the way it’s processed and other factors.

Burley

Burley is high in oils and low in sugar and has the ability to add a nutty, earthy, and sometimes a spicy note. The darker the Burley, in most cases, the deeper, fuller and more lively. Burley is a fairly cooler when burning due to the low sugar levels, but it is one of the stronger varieties in terms of Nicotine content.

Oriental

This is a trickier area as the different strains of these tobaccos have widely varying characteristics. Some are very deep, rich and musky, whereas others are lighter, sweeter with herbal or floral notes. Oriental leaf has an incredible impact on the blend. Among the Orientals, some of the better known include: Izmir, Smyrna, Xanthi, Bashi Bagli, Yenidje, Basma, Drama, Samsoun and Katerina. Overall, there are 40+ strains of these tobaccos, and Latakia is made by hanging Oriental leaves in a building with wood smoke.