Curing non-oriental tobacco in the sun

[McMardigan]

Hi there,
This year I've grown golden virginia and monte calme, which is a European hybrid of burley. After harvesting I cured all the leaves in a well-ventilated area until they completely dried. As my plants continued to grow I decided to cure the new leaves in the sun. As far as I know, keeping burley and virginia leaves away from the sun reduces the sugar content in them. My question is: will hanging burley and virginia and tobacco in the sun make any difference, or will they become much sweeter and aromatic, as oriental tobacco? Thank you

 

[deluxestogie]

Welcome to the forum. Feel free to introduce yourself in the Introduce Yourself forum.

Sun-cured Virginia results are between air-cured and flue-cured. Unfortunately, burley will likely come out poorly if sun-cured.

Bob

 

[Alpine]

Which Monte Calme did you grow?
As a rule of thumb, sun curing results in a sweeter smoke if the leaves contain high levels of sugar, compared to air curing.
Burleys and cigar tobacco contain very little (if any) sugar to begin with.
Sun curing is the poor’s man flue cure, and I like to sun cure my bright leaf and oriental (if the weather collaborates) but I prefer air curing for burley, rusticas and Maryland.

pier

 

[McMardigan]

Which Monte Calme did you grow?
As a rule of thumb, sun curing results in a sweeter smoke if the leaves contain high levels of sugar, compared to air curing.
Burleys and cigar tobacco contain very little (if any) sugar to begin with.
Sun curing is the poor’s man flue cure, and I like to sun cure my bright leaf and oriental (if the weather collaborates) but I prefer air curing for burley, rusticas and Maryland.

pier

Thanks for your soon response. I'm growing monte calmed yellow.

 

[Alpine]

Mount calme jaune (yellow) is a burley, mount calme brun (brown) is a cigar filler. If I were you, I’d simply air cure it. And, of course, kiln it for at least 4 weeks.
The yellow is on my “grow list” for the next year(s) since it seems to have good resistance to low temps.

pier

 

[McMardigan]

Thank you