Types of Pipe Tobacco

"All information in this section was extracted from Richard Carlton Hacker‘s excellent The Ultimate Pipe Book, highly recommended for the pipe novice and connoisseur alike.

Pipe tobacco can be divided into two categories: English and Aromatic.

English tobaccos are generally pure, unadulterated mixtures of specific types of tobacco plants, usually Latakia and other Oriental varieties. English tobaccos generally taste and smell stronger than aromatic blends and are often the choice of the connoisseur. Two good examples of English tobaccos are Balkan Sobranie and Dunhill My Mixture 965.
Aromatics are tobaccos blended with some form of flavouring agent which enhance the taste of the tobacco and provide a fragrant aroma. These have historically been more popular in the US, though their popularity is growing in Europe and the UK through such brands as Clan, Amphora, Borkum Riff and Troost. Aromatics are usually blended with a Burley or Cavendish base and are normally much milder than English tobaccos but they sometimes have the annoying habit of burning wet, leading to a build up of moisture in the pipe.

The main blending tobaccos are:
>Virginia - a bright yellow tobacco which, when smoked, has a pleasantly sweet, woodsy taste.
Burley - The leaves are a light yellowish green to yellow brown and it is an extremely light tasting tobacco. This lightness, combined with its unique ability to absorb the flavourings which are often added to aromatic tobaccos make Burley an excellent host and binding agent.
Latakia - A distinctively Oriental tobacco, which is only grown in northern Syria. It is dark brown to black in colour and has a rich heavy taste. Latakia is often found in good quality English blends.
Perique - another dark, mysterious tobacco grown only in a small area of Louisiana. It has a strong distinctive taste and aroma.
Maryland - Grown in the state from which it takes its name, rich brown Maryland is often blended with lighter tobaccos such as Burley.
Turkish - A group of various strains grown in Greece which burn well and have a range of slightly aromatic flavours. Turkish tobacco appears in a few of the more exotic blends.
Cavendish - The generic name for tobaccos which have been flavoured with sugar, maple or rum, heated and pressed to give a darker colour. This process gives it a heavy-sweet and mild taste when added to other tobaccos. Cavendish is notably used in Dutch and Danish tobaccos."

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