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Tobacco strain selection guide for minimal processing

Knucklehead

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Aaron, You might consider priming lower leaves. This will be earlier in the season so you might have higher humidity. If not you'll need a smaller space to try and humidity control. Plus the stalks you'll be cutting will be shorter and easier to handle and hang. -- John

Good point John. That's how I'm going to do my Burley and Bursa but because the top tier on my drying rack will be 5' off the ground.
 

Randy

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I was re-reading this thread and always meant to ask about White Flower??? I have read about the others mentioned here..YTB Bursa Perquie..etc but have yet found white flower mentioned any were else?is it burley?

Randy
 

Jitterbugdude

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As the story goes.. (subject to modification as time and embellishment goes on...).. FmGrowit was given these seeds by an old man while he was working on a farm. They were part of a several packs of seeds that were kept in a drawer. This particular pack of seeds had no name but when planted the plants had white flowers. The were then knighted "White Flower". They are Burley as far as I can tell.
 

webmost

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Another question from a newb: Could you roll cigars from leaves which were dried but not aged, then box them, and let them age as cigars, rather than as leaves?

Here is my thought: We have a cigar store right nearby which sells empty cigar boxes from their walk-in for a buck. Many of these are well made, attractive, and tight cedar boxes. A couple hundred cigars could easily store on a shelf in the closet that way, secure from bugs, critters, or radical changes in temperature or humidity for a couple years.

Would that work?
 

johnlee1933

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Another question from a newb: Could you roll cigars from leaves which were dried but not aged, then box them, and let them age as cigars, rather than as leaves?

Here is my thought: We have a cigar store right nearby which sells empty cigar boxes from their walk-in for a buck. Many of these are well made, attractive, and tight cedar boxes. A couple hundred cigars could easily store on a shelf in the closet that way, secure from bugs, critters, or radical changes in temperature or humidity for a couple years.

Would that work?
I don't see why not but defer to Deluxe Bob. I'd have a hard time letting them alone that long. :p -·- John
 

Jitterbugdude

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If you rolled cigars from cured leaves that were not kilned/fermented you could smoke them but you would probably have to age them for several years. If you kiln/ferment the leaf you could smoke your cigars right away.
 

deluxestogie

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There are two problems that I would expect from rolling un-aged leaf into cigars, then allowing them to age.

First, leaf loses 10% or more of its dry weight (solids) during the aging or kilning process. So a properly rolled cigar of unfinished leaf would likely end up too loosely packed after aging.

Second, the components (wrapper, binder, filler) of a rolled cigar held in a specific environment tend to take in and give up moisture at different rates. The wrapper will always dry more quickly than the rest, risking spontaneous splitting. With the filler, the open foot always dries more rapidly than the closed head. Although making humidity changes very gradually can minimize this risk, it's still a tricky business.

These are just my thoughts. Since it's just as easy to do the rolling once the leaf is properly aged or kilned, I'm not inclined to risk the time and effort to do it the other way around.

Bob
 

Ashauler

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In the production of non-cuban premium cigars, it's very common for both types of aging to be employed. Typically the aging of the tobacco is expressed in years, and the aging of rolled cigars in days/months.
 

SmokesAhoy

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I think that second aging is just too concentrate aromas. If you smell hanging leaf you don't really notice much, but store it in glass for a week and the aroma is wonderful
 

Matty

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Does anyone know of any Virginias that smoke well sooner than later? I'm trying to figure what to plant for my first grow.
 

Randy

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Ashauler!! Thank you my friend..thats the quote Ive been trying to find on this form for days!! "Typically the aging of the tobacco is expressed in years, and the aging of rolled cigars in days/months. "

Randy
 

dR_wH0

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So I've read all 6 pages so far, and from what I've read, the easier no-kiln - fastest smoke-able variety is YTB ? Mine too is the first time that I'll try planting and want to keep things I have to do at a minimum. One step at a time :)
 

Jitterbugdude

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YTB is good but so is Big Gem and BSS-Maden. Just remember that everyone has a different opinion. Fertilization also plays a roll. Too much nitrogen will increase the harshness and make curing slower. I would plant at least 3 different varieties
 

oceansgreen

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so of my varieties i recieved from a generous member of this site, it seems my Havana (is there a difference between Havana and Havana-142 or am i right in assuming they are basically the same and Havana is just short for the 142?)
and my TN-90 seeds are the only two that have been mentioned as simple so far in this thread

what can anyone tell me about the following as far as being decent with extremely short curing without a kiln?
Maryland 609
Kelley Burley
Lizard Tail
Silver River
Cuban Picante
Briar Burley
White Stock Burley

im assuming with my little bit of knowledge that the two Burleys will be ok for a short curing with out a kiln
the others i have no guess really so any help?
 

DGBAMA

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This will be my first year grow but from reading the last 6 months or so, the Silver River will be one of my varieties too. One of the main reasons is so many mentions of easy/short curing cycle. I beleive Chicken mentioned he has already used up his SR from last year's grow.
 

Boboro

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Seed can be very hard to start if you ant done it before. Big Bonner sells plants if you need a back up plan.
 

Knucklehead

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Burley's tend to be very harsh until aged for a year or kilned. I think YTB is the lone exception, but I could be wrong there. Anybody?

Burley makes up from 35% to 45% of a cigarette so plan to grow some to age. YTB is rather mild so if you like a full flavored cigarette you will need to age some TN90. Instead of selecting strains for minimal processing, which can be a compromise,I chose to buy whole leaf from Don and BigBonner to get me through until I have my own aged leaf. I have no plans to make a kiln, so I will grow 2 years worth my first season, smoke the bought whole leaf for a year, and then I will always have my own naturally aged leaf.
I'm growing TN90 Burley, Virginia and Turkish Izmir for my cigarettes. That's also what Don sells in his cigarette sampler or in individual pounds. I stocked up so I'm smoking the sameblend now that I'll be smoking later when my leaf is ready. I like to experiment with cigars and pipe tobacco, but I'm a one blend man when it comes to my cigarettes.
45% Virginia, 45% TN90 and 10% Izmir makes a great full flavored cigarette.
 

Lakota

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I have found that goldseal special is a nice tobacco. It is mild and smooth after I toast it. I usually blend that with some air cured virginia smoking. I have grown orientals in the past but the other half does not like it so I don't grow any now. If I start to run short of my own grow I order some from BB, I order some of his virginia and burley to blend in. It makes a great cigarette. I do kiln my tobacco after it is shredded in 5 lb bags that I got from FMgrowit, once it is out of the kiln and in the right case I seal the bags for storage. This works well for me.
 
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