Other than the highest sugar content known, any other info?, anyone grow it, smoke it?
Randy B
Randy B
Anyone know much about "Copan" tobacco?
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Randy,
I smoked some of Don's Copan. It's eye-popping just cured and aged. (I tried a bowl of it straight, in my pipe. Yeeowwie!) After kilning, it was much more smokable, still pretty potent, but the taste mellowed out. The aroma remained distinctively rustica. It might be handy for a minor blend element.
Bob
I smoked some of Don's Copan. It's eye-popping just cured and aged. (I tried a bowl of it straight, in my pipe. Yeeowwie!) After kilning, it was much more smokable, still pretty potent, but the taste mellowed out. The aroma remained distinctively rustica. It might be handy for a minor blend element.
Bob
So, by having a really high sugar content you wouldn't in any way relate it to a Virginia (Bright Leaf) type?
alas.. I know not what the distinctive aroma of rustica is like!
Randy B
alas.. I know not what the distinctive aroma of rustica is like!
Randy B
I would say that Copan is a "primitive" N. tabacum, that is to say, has not undergone extensive agronomic development. It's probably a quite ancient variety. The veins of the cured leaf appear to be somewhat splayed (like a grape leaf), as I recall. I have the impression that high sucro-ester is associated with a thick, rubbery texture in the cured leaf, as well as the need for prolonged aging. With kilning, the stickiness and much of the thickness go away.
HOWEVER, I've smoked way more Cuban Montecristos than I've smoked leaves of Copan. You should pick-up some Copan from Don, and see what you think.
Bob
Bob
HOWEVER, I've smoked way more Cuban Montecristos than I've smoked leaves of Copan. You should pick-up some Copan from Don, and see what you think.
Bob
Bob
Maybe after I win the contest for best looking Teck 1 shredder I'll have Don send me some as my prize 
Back in the 1970s, I was living in and old two-story brown-shingle house in Berkeley, CA. The house, which had survived the big 1906 earthquake, was built in 1903, I think right about the time those crafty Germans were building that Teck 1. One day, the bulb at the top of the inside stairs burned out. I climbed up a step ladder with a spare bulb, and removed the white globe cover. Well...the light bulb socket was one that hadn't been manufactured for 50 years at that point. To change the bulb, I had to replace the fixture. It's like looking for an A-cell or B-cell battery. Take care with that baby, Randy.
Bob
Bob
Tom_in_TN
Well-Known Member
Off topic: In the 1970's I was living in Antarctica in a Quonset hut, perched on a hill with a lovely view of McMurdo Bay.
Back on topic: In the opinion of the learned members here, are "primitive" N. tabacum varieties treasured? That is to say, since they have not undergone extensive agronomic development, and are most likely quite ancient, that many of these plants have a high sucro-ester?
Back on topic: In the opinion of the learned members here, are "primitive" N. tabacum varieties treasured? That is to say, since they have not undergone extensive agronomic development, and are most likely quite ancient, that many of these plants have a high sucro-ester?
The sucro-ester level is unrelated to the USDA Class of "Primitive." The ancient strains often contain genes that have been bred out of more developed strains. When Granville Wilt became a significant tobacco disease in the US in the 1930s, the USDA sent "Agricultural Explorers" throughout the world to acquire every tobacco variety they could find. Of the nearly 1000 accessions produced by that endeavor (most of which are still maintained in the ARS-GRIN geneplasm bank), only a single variety (I think from Ecuador?) was found to be Wilt resistant. It was used as the basis for genetic experiments that yielded all subsequent Granville Wilt resistant strains in existence today.
Some "undeveloped" strains, like the ZMA strains from Zambia, make wonderful cigar filler with interesting and unique tastes. American cigarette smokers have usually never tasted the taste of pure tobacco. Most smokers of commercially available "premium" cigars have tasted only a couple of dozen varieties of cigar leaf. It's like a spice rack with only salt and pepper. There's so much more out there.
The "Primitive" varieties may be god-awful, or they may be fabulous. I think that's why I seem to plant a greater number of varieties each year than in the previous year. So many varieties...so little time. I'm approaching 64. If I plant 50 new varieties every year, I would not have tried them all if I lived to 100.
Whew! How did I get started on that?
Bob
Some "undeveloped" strains, like the ZMA strains from Zambia, make wonderful cigar filler with interesting and unique tastes. American cigarette smokers have usually never tasted the taste of pure tobacco. Most smokers of commercially available "premium" cigars have tasted only a couple of dozen varieties of cigar leaf. It's like a spice rack with only salt and pepper. There's so much more out there.
The "Primitive" varieties may be god-awful, or they may be fabulous. I think that's why I seem to plant a greater number of varieties each year than in the previous year. So many varieties...so little time. I'm approaching 64. If I plant 50 new varieties every year, I would not have tried them all if I lived to 100.
Whew! How did I get started on that?
Bob
Tom_in_TN
Well-Known Member
Bob, you are doing fantastic research and growing-out so many varieties, the intent is not so much a question as to a 'high sucro-ester' content, rather the intent here is to 'flesh-out' why or which varieties will give us a 'Primodal Taste' if you catch my intent?
"Some 'under-developed' strains, like the ZMA strains from Zambia, make wonderful cigar filler with interesting and unique tastes" .... There's so much more out there....So many varieties...so little time. I'm approaching 64. If I plant 50 new varieties every year, I would not have tried them all if I lived to 100."
Yeah, I hear that. I'm approaching....an advanced age too, so I will concentrate of growing some 'Oots' this season and passing the fruits of my labor onto those who are advancing the work.
Let me know if there are certain varieties that need to be 'grown-out' under 'less than accepted agronomical or advanced techniques'.
All the best to you, Bob.
"Some 'under-developed' strains, like the ZMA strains from Zambia, make wonderful cigar filler with interesting and unique tastes" .... There's so much more out there....So many varieties...so little time. I'm approaching 64. If I plant 50 new varieties every year, I would not have tried them all if I lived to 100."
Yeah, I hear that. I'm approaching....an advanced age too, so I will concentrate of growing some 'Oots' this season and passing the fruits of my labor onto those who are advancing the work.
Let me know if there are certain varieties that need to be 'grown-out' under 'less than accepted agronomical or advanced techniques'.
All the best to you, Bob.
The FTT seed collection currently has about 30-40 untested varieties. These are seeds obtained directly from GRIN and have not been grown by any member. Sadly however, a member attempted to germinate a couple of these varieties without success and there's no way of knowing if the remaining untested varieties are viable until they are tested.
If anyone has an interest in growing any of the listed GRIN germplasm, let me know and I'll put a list together. I might be able to pull some strings and get some of what we think are "important" varieties in advancing the cause.
If anyone has an interest in growing any of the listed GRIN germplasm, let me know and I'll put a list together. I might be able to pull some strings and get some of what we think are "important" varieties in advancing the cause.
That's pretty funny!.. I'm only 52 years old but I would not consider 64 to be "advanced age"
Tom_in_TN
Well-Known Member
Right...I meant living to an advanced age means gaining wisdom, but at the expense of some physical limitations.
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