mellowing tobacco with spirits

[chuditch]

I am sure someone else has done this but don't recalling reading it here on the site.

Tobacco that I had fermented and was enjoying I had a little experiment with and was quite surprised and impressed.

I already liked my tobacco not the most exotic of blends being my first try growing so Cowboy Light and Golden Light and had found that using the Vera Cruz tubes greatly influenced my enjoyment of my cigarettes over the cheap tubes I started with. (my preference is the black Midnight ones and can tell the difference between the different papers by Vera Cruz)

I allowed my shredded tobacco to dry to low case around 8 to 10 percent then placed it in a sealed plastic container with a small glass of scotch about 25ml. In the enclosed environment it took on moisture from the scotch to raise it to 18 percent which it has held.

Removing some and allowing it to reduce back to 12 to 14 percent then loading my tubes was amazed at how mellow it now tasted. The tobacco removed from the container had a slight hint of scotch to the nose but the enjoyment of the smoke was in my mind impressive.

I didn't spray or drip scotch over my shredded tobacco I just let it evaporate from the glass and be taken up by the tobacco in the container.

I recommend it being worth a try.

My next attempt will be with either cognac or rum.

 

[SmokesAhoy]

I think you already hit it with scotch, it's all downhill after that. Whiskey and tobacco are like peas in a pod hehe

 

[chuditch]

I think you already hit it with scotch, it's all downhill after that. Whiskey and tobacco are like peas in a pod hehe

yes I agree a scotch and cigar but a brandy and cigar is the hight of decadence lovely to sit there with you brandy balloon or cognac glass (yes they are different)

And there are quite a few cigars on the market brandy or cognac flavoured and I am sure there are some rum ones as well

 

[Planter]

The greatest such effect I had with an Armagnac. I added about 10% to a jar with ribbon-cut Oriental leaf, which I found too dry and somewhat harsh before. Forgot about it for 6+ months. It really took the Armagnac aroma on (means the smoke tasted and smelled like it).
Cognac, whisky, rum should work well, too, although I never tried that kind of long-term soaking with it. What I'm sure about is that the quality of the spirit matters here, so if you want to experiment with it, don't be mean. Take a spirit you really like, only small amounts are needed anyway.

 

[chuditch]

Totally agree there not much is needed. I found a great affect after just 24 hours so can imagine the uptake after 6 months. Smoking ours as cigarettes but there is a slight hint of scotch to the tobacco when you sniff it but the mellowness is what impressed me.
And I like a nice Armagnac as well, different distillation procedure and a different finish to a cognac is so nice to be able to swap style of spirit and enjoy the differences.
Something I just thought of is that a scotch from a first fill sherry barrel makes a good cigar scotch so wonder if a blend of scotch and sherry in a shot glass and allowed it to mature? Ahh more experimentation needed .

The greatest such effect I had with an Armagnac. I added about 10% to a jar with ribbon-cut Oriental leaf, which I found too dry and somewhat harsh before. Forgot about it for 6+ months. It really took the Armagnac aroma on (means the smoke tasted and smelled like it).
Cognac, whisky, rum should work well, too, although I never tried that kind of long-term soaking with it. What I'm sure about is that the quality of the spirit matters here, so if you want to experiment with it, don't be mean. Take a spirit you really like, only small amounts are needed anyway.

 

[Planter]

a scotch from a first fill sherry barrel makes a good cigar scotch

Interesting. I did not try that, but found that red wine has a notable smoothening effect. Also concentrated grape juice in small amounts. I guess that tannins and acidity play a role here.


One thing I'm wondering about is the effect of ethyl alcohol on tobacco aging. Some commercial pipe tobaccos with propylene glycol casing do age well over a number of years.


Casing with good spirits seems to prevent mould reliably over a long time, while keeping the tobacco moist. At the same time, the few studies I found on this matter indicate that ethyl alcohol deactivates enzymes like oxidase.


Does anybody have experience with aging tobacco in spirits over 1+ year?

 

[chuditch]

That is interesting Planter. And I think something that I will try this coming year when mine grow and are harvested, dried and out of the kiln. I have cigar tobacco seedlings and cigarette seedlings so will I think do that exact experiment with some of both leaves. Take them to below 10% moisture then raise it to 18% with a variety of good spirits and vacuum pack.

 

[burge]

brandy would work as well tobacco will take on the flavor of the substance its in ie a apple slice etc. One good way to naturally flavor a tobacco would be to get a keg and store the tobacco in it it will absorb the flavor.