SmokeStack
Well-Known Member
Has anyone ever made pipe tobacco in flake form? If so, how?
How to prepare flake pipe tobacco?
- Thread starter SmokeStack
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My thread on making Black Cavendish includes the technique for making flake (which I subsequently rub out, to become shred). The dimensions of the flake depend on the thickness of the pressed block of leaf, and the width of the "fingers" of block that you cut. Each finger is then cut into flakes.
http://fairtradetobacco.com/showthread.php?637-Making-Black-Cavendish-Pipe-Tobacco
Bob
http://fairtradetobacco.com/showthread.php?637-Making-Black-Cavendish-Pipe-Tobacco
Bob
Aaron
Well-Known Member
I can't believe I hadn't seen that thread before. Thanks Bob. I'm gonna have to try that.
SmokeStack
Well-Known Member
Thanks Bob. I was interested in making a flake Balkan blend. I was going to use different leaves such as Yenidje, Latakia, and Yellow Orinoco. After stemming the leafs, I was going to weigh out the leaves in the correct portions and layer the leaves (alternating to keep consistency) and then press them. After pressing, I can then slice the pressed leaves into flakes. Am I on the right track? Any suggestions?
BTW does anyone know where to purchase whole leaf Latakia?
check Whole Leaf Tobacco.com You might consider rolling your desired blend of leaves, treated as you like in very high case, into tight cigars and allowing them to dry a bit. Then you can slice off disks and rub them till you get the consistency you want to put in your pipe.
John
Whole leaf Latakia is available somewhere in the US, since C & D and McClellan both use it. Perhaps Don might get a lead on some for a subscription purchase, if the min quantity isn't too high.
As for blending, my inclination is to shred first, blend next, then consider making a press cake with the blended shred.
Bob
As for blending, my inclination is to shred first, blend next, then consider making a press cake with the blended shred.
Bob
I'll look into locating some Latakia
'
That would earn a final grade of 'A' for Cyprian Latakia; an 'A+ for Syrian Latakia.
Bob
SmokeStack
Well-Known Member
I have always wondered why Latakia came from either Cyprus or Syria. Among pipe smokers, Syrian Latakia is especially sought after since the Syrian government has placed restrictions on the wood used to make Latakia. Can't Latakia be produced here in the U.S.? You would think that material used to make Latakia can be located from other places in the world besides Cyprus or Syria.
The wood used to make Latakia is a matter of some debate. In the documentation I have found, some key components are brush from a variety of Mediterranean live oak, fine branches of Myrtle (not crepe myrtle), and some unidentified varieties scrap wood. Some folks have suggested that pine is used, but I have never been aware of a turpentine odor from Latakia. The "soapiness" on the tongue is, I believe, due to the live oak.
There is also the matter of tobacco variety. Early authors identified rustica varieties as "Latakia tobacco," even accompanied by a sketch of an obvious rustica plant. But these authors generally never set foot in the Middle East, and only saw and touched finished Latakia in England or the US. A tobacco company document from the 1970s (I believe) described a "yellow Smyrna" variety as that being used to produce Latakia. Tabakanbau sells a seed named peremochetz as Latakia tobacco. I suspect that the name is made up. There is an ARS-GRIN accession (Pi349332) from the Soviet Union in 1966 named "Peremozhetz 83'". The clue here is that the word is not Turkish or even Russian, but rather Ukranian, meaning "winner." So this is an unlikely varietal source for Latakia.
Latakia is fire-cured for 3 or more months. Having fire-cured some Shirazi leaf for 1 month myself, I have the impression that such prolonged exposure to wood smoke pretty much ablates any hint of varietal flavor and aroma. So I would guess that anyone with the time and suitable woods to run a smoker (or fire-cure barn) for 3+ months to produce a single batch, could probably make creditable Latakia, regardless of the Oriental variety used.
Syrian Latakia only returned to the world market over the past half-dozen years, following a hiatus of 15 to 20 years. With the war there now, Syrian Latakia will surely become impossible to find. Cyprus, at least at the moment, is not engaged in active armed conflict, though many Cyprian Greeks and Cyprian Turks would undoubtedly like to change that. So Cyprian Latakia is most likely going to be the only Latakia available.
The opportunity to examine some whole leaf Latakia might reveal something about the variety of the leaf.
Bob
There is also the matter of tobacco variety. Early authors identified rustica varieties as "Latakia tobacco," even accompanied by a sketch of an obvious rustica plant. But these authors generally never set foot in the Middle East, and only saw and touched finished Latakia in England or the US. A tobacco company document from the 1970s (I believe) described a "yellow Smyrna" variety as that being used to produce Latakia. Tabakanbau sells a seed named peremochetz as Latakia tobacco. I suspect that the name is made up. There is an ARS-GRIN accession (Pi349332) from the Soviet Union in 1966 named "Peremozhetz 83'". The clue here is that the word is not Turkish or even Russian, but rather Ukranian, meaning "winner." So this is an unlikely varietal source for Latakia.
Latakia is fire-cured for 3 or more months. Having fire-cured some Shirazi leaf for 1 month myself, I have the impression that such prolonged exposure to wood smoke pretty much ablates any hint of varietal flavor and aroma. So I would guess that anyone with the time and suitable woods to run a smoker (or fire-cure barn) for 3+ months to produce a single batch, could probably make creditable Latakia, regardless of the Oriental variety used.
Syrian Latakia only returned to the world market over the past half-dozen years, following a hiatus of 15 to 20 years. With the war there now, Syrian Latakia will surely become impossible to find. Cyprus, at least at the moment, is not engaged in active armed conflict, though many Cyprian Greeks and Cyprian Turks would undoubtedly like to change that. So Cyprian Latakia is most likely going to be the only Latakia available.
The opportunity to examine some whole leaf Latakia might reveal something about the variety of the leaf.
Bob
Shawn622
Active Member
I am in the process of making several different flake tobaccos. I use this basic recipe. It has variables that you can change to suit your tastes. Try this. I have been using Sweet Brightleaf for the most part. I have made variations using Perique and Firecured, but in a base of Brightleaf and Fluecured virginia. I take a Pound of Virginia and remove the large stem. Then case it with a sugar solution at a ration of !:! sugar to water. I've used theses sugars: sugar, honey, molasses, maple sugar, and brown sugar. you can mix them to your liking, but dilute them with the same amount of water. I find that 2oz of the solution is about perfect for a pound of leaf. I then spray the stemmed leaf with the sugar solution and give it some dry time. When its back to normal case, maybe a little wetter, I press it. I'm poor, so I have been using 2 boards and c clamps to press. I am getting a shop press and a steel mold soon. I leave the tobacco in the press for 12 hours, tightening it every so often if it will tighten. After 12 hours, I pull it out and allow it to dry 24 hours. I then jar it up. If adding Perique or fire cured I find 4oz to a pound is a good mix. With no age at all, it is really good smoke. After some time in the jar I expect it to be even better. Give it a try. It's fun and rewarding. Here are some pix of my first couple of flakes. Happy smoking!!!
DonH
Well-Known Member
I did this last night and it worked great. I sprayed a pipe tobacco blend of whole leaves, Virginia FC, Burley, Dark Air Cured, Oriental, and Fire Cured with a 1 to 1 mix of 4 oz honey and 4 oz water until they were very wet. I let them sit in a ziploc for a couple hours, then flattened them one by one and laid them in a pile with the largest Flue Cured on the bottom. Then I rolled it up as tightly as I could like you would roll the binder for a cigar (haven't done that yet). Then I took another Flue Cured leaf and used it like a cigar wrapper and rolled it up. The honey solution made everything stick together nicely. Then I kept rolling it on a cutting board over and over to get it as tight as possible. I let the cigar, which held 3.5 oz of tobacco and looked like a large dinner candle, sit overnight.
The next morning I sliced it into medallions. I put the medallions in a jar with the lid off to dry a bit, then I plan to rub them out, spray them with whiskey and dry to medium case. I tried one medallion's worth in a pipe and it had a bit of a bite. I think I need to make some Black Cavendish to blend and make it smoother. Flavor's good, though.
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