THE TYPES OF TOBACCO WE USE
BURLEY
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Burley tobacco is a light air-cured tobacco used primarily for cigarette production, but also incorporated in pipe tobacco and some chewing tobacco products. It is grown in an eight state belt. Approximately 70% of the crop is produced in Kentucky. The high quality achieved by US burley producers is primarily due to natural curing conditions.
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Burley tobacco is cut from the bottom of the stalk and hung in a large barn with ventilation doors to regulate ambient weather conditions of humidity and heat. It takes about three months to air-cure burley. Fully cured burley is tan to reddish brown in color.
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After curing, burley leaves are stripped from the stalk and segregated by stalk position.
FLUE-CURED (VIRGINIA)
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Flue-cured tobacco is the main flavor component in American, English, and Turkish blends. In the United states, Flue-cured is grown primarily in Virginia, North Carolina, and the coastal plains regions of the Southeast. It is the most widely produced variety in the world. Flue-curing Involves the use of a flue (chimney or stove pipe) that utilizes an indirect source of enclosed radiant heat that promotes the accelerated drying of the stem or mid-rib, and causes the green tobacco to turn from lemon to orange to deep mahogany in color.
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Flue cured tobacco ripens from the bottom of the stalk upwards, so farmers harvest the lower leaves first and cure them in a heated enclosed structure. As the next leaves up the stalk ripen, the farmer repeats this harvesting/curing process two or three times until all of the leaves have been gathered.
Turkish
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Turkish tobacco is a highly aromatic, small leafed variety of tobacco which is sun cured. It has a much milder flavor than other varieties. It is grown primarily in Greece and Turkey.