Time for an update, it's 60 days of fumigation, almost half of the leaves are dark brown with possible less smoked areas. The other half, they are smoked somewhat superficially, which is why the next time the enclosure is unsealed, I will change the position of the leaves, that is, I will move the less colored ones to the most favorable places. I will continue with the smoke for another 10 days.
Latakia production at home
- Thread starter GIL
- Start date
PressuredLeaf
Well-Known Member
Belle-Beast
Well-Known Member
Can't wait to hear how it all turns out! I am a Latakia junky! I start to get real edgy if I have not had my Latakia in a few days and I am not kidding about this either. It's crazy... as soon as I roll a cig with the Latakia and fire it up my angst is gone.
I have never been a typical cig smoker in the sense that I had to have the same brand or blend every day so I am really enjoying the whole leaf experience and all the options it opens up. Not to mention the money I am saving not buying American Spririt Tobacco at 60 a can that held less than 6 ounces.
I have used herbs in my cigs throughout the years so trying new tobacco leaf and creating new blends has been an amazing experience.
I'll have to look and see if you have any other post up about this project. I know I read about somebody on here trying to make Latakia at home perhaps that was you too. Idk but I'll check!
If you figure this out and nail it I might have to propose! lol
I have never been a typical cig smoker in the sense that I had to have the same brand or blend every day so I am really enjoying the whole leaf experience and all the options it opens up. Not to mention the money I am saving not buying American Spririt Tobacco at 60 a can that held less than 6 ounces.
I have used herbs in my cigs throughout the years so trying new tobacco leaf and creating new blends has been an amazing experience.
I'll have to look and see if you have any other post up about this project. I know I read about somebody on here trying to make Latakia at home perhaps that was you too. Idk but I'll check!
If you figure this out and nail it I might have to propose! lol
I reached the 70th day of smoking. I was going to stop here, but I'm not happy with the color of some leaves. These leaves were added a little later, after I realized that there were some empty spaces. The other leaves have a suitable color (almost black, with possible brown areas). So I don't know what to do; take the leaves as they are? to continue at least one more week?
I would prefer the second option, but I have to wait until Wednesday to receive a new batch of twigs. All the leaves will benefit from some more smoke - I know that - so I'm open to any suggestions if anyone reads this.
They paint a picture in the weak setting sun with the weakest leaves.
I would prefer the second option, but I have to wait until Wednesday to receive a new batch of twigs. All the leaves will benefit from some more smoke - I know that - so I'm open to any suggestions if anyone reads this.
They paint a picture in the weak setting sun with the weakest leaves.
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Today is 75 days of smoke. I'm done. In the last 5 days I added some mastic resin in addition to the mastic, which made the smoke smell very good. I did this because it seemed to me that my sprigs of mastic would not be sufficiently aromatized. It was a good thing because the smell of the leaves went from "smoke" to "latakia and smoke"
A little over a kilogram of leaves, which brings me to the price this tobacco sells for in Europe. I don't have the courage to do a test, although I am very curious about the taste of this tobacco, not until the strong smell of fum. The leaves came out quite wet, so I spread them out on a tarp to dry.
A little over a kilogram of leaves, which brings me to the price this tobacco sells for in Europe. I don't have the courage to do a test, although I am very curious about the taste of this tobacco, not until the strong smell of fum. The leaves came out quite wet, so I spread them out on a tarp to dry.
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I don't know if I will repeat this process, but anyway some conclusions to help me or others;
- the leaves placed in a horizontal position
-only use leaves from the middle of the stem or above (they are thicker)
- the addition of mastic resin considerably improves the final flavor
This is an experiment, but I am convinced that going through the whole process (minimum 90 days) leads to spectacular results.
- the leaves placed in a horizontal position
-only use leaves from the middle of the stem or above (they are thicker)
- the addition of mastic resin considerably improves the final flavor
This is an experiment, but I am convinced that going through the whole process (minimum 90 days) leads to spectacular results.
And I.
I took a pair of scissors and cut up 60/40 Latakia and a 2020 crop sun dried Virginia leaf. I filled a medium sized pipe and lit it, after the first smoke, what I suspected (hoped) was true. It tastes like Latakia. It's so close that only people with a lot of experience will notice some differences. It's still raw, harsh and fishy on the tongue but it's normal (I guess), it needs aging, a lot of aging.
I don't use Latakia very often anyway, so I'll store it and forget about it.
I repeat; although the smell is not quite the same, the taste is good.
I don't use Latakia very often anyway, so I'll store it and forget about it.
I repeat; although the smell is not quite the same, the taste is good.
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PressuredLeaf
Well-Known Member
GIL,
Did your contact mention anything about aging or fermentation in Latakia? I’ve read some old documents from some pipe tobacco importers who mentioned something interesting. They noted that when bulk purchasing Latakia from individual farmers, they had to be careful during storage and shipping as if the tobacco was bailed too high it would heat up. Too big of a pile and too much heat would break down the tobacco.
Outside of Latakia, tobacco fermentation is very important. I always assumed the smoking process would deactivate the fermentation mechanisms, but it seems like this may not be the case. I’m wondering if the fermentation/aging contribute to the mellowing of the harsh edges on the newly fired Latakia.
Did your contact mention anything about aging or fermentation in Latakia? I’ve read some old documents from some pipe tobacco importers who mentioned something interesting. They noted that when bulk purchasing Latakia from individual farmers, they had to be careful during storage and shipping as if the tobacco was bailed too high it would heat up. Too big of a pile and too much heat would break down the tobacco.
Outside of Latakia, tobacco fermentation is very important. I always assumed the smoking process would deactivate the fermentation mechanisms, but it seems like this may not be the case. I’m wondering if the fermentation/aging contribute to the mellowing of the harsh edges on the newly fired Latakia.
I made a large batch of "Latakia" in 2019. It has been resting now for 5 years in low case, within a vapor-proof bag. I opened the bag this evening to take a sniff. Subjectively, its aroma has changed very little, if at all, during that time. It has not been under pressure, though the leaves were carefully flattened and stacked.
The leaf is convincingly, mostly black.
Bob
The leaf is convincingly, mostly black.
Bob
PressuredLeaf
Well-Known Member
Interesting. If 5 years of bag aging didn’t really do much, I wonder if the bulk Latakia fermenting was more about homogenizing crops from all the small farms.
PressuredLeaf
Well-Known Member
Well, this thread inspired me to take a shot at Latakia.
I’m moving in the next few days to an actual house with a small backyard. I’m going to put a tobacco garden and take out all the stupid xeriscaped gravel features. I wasn’t sure what I wanted to plant at first, but after some tinkering and this thread I’ve settled on Xanthi and yayladag.
As fumigation goes I’ve been testing on a previous crop of prilep. Mastic is definitely the key here, but I have also tried adding various amounts of Myrtus communis leaves and dried bay laurel leaves and stems. I don’t think bay laurel is the right profile, but a small amount of Myrtle (<30% by weight) in mastic produced a really Latakia ish smoke. I’m no where near complete in terms of total smoking time, but the post fumigated tobacco smells like a sharp and slightly more sweet perfumey Latakia. My next task is to hunt down some Aleppo pine twigs.
The other thing I’m experimenting with is compressing the aroma ingredients into pellets to prolong smoldering time. A 15g pile of mastic twigs burns up in about 10 mins or less. The same 15gr pressed into a dense plug smolders for a little over an hour. Hopefully this will limit the total amount of material I need.
I’m moving in the next few days to an actual house with a small backyard. I’m going to put a tobacco garden and take out all the stupid xeriscaped gravel features. I wasn’t sure what I wanted to plant at first, but after some tinkering and this thread I’ve settled on Xanthi and yayladag.
As fumigation goes I’ve been testing on a previous crop of prilep. Mastic is definitely the key here, but I have also tried adding various amounts of Myrtus communis leaves and dried bay laurel leaves and stems. I don’t think bay laurel is the right profile, but a small amount of Myrtle (<30% by weight) in mastic produced a really Latakia ish smoke. I’m no where near complete in terms of total smoking time, but the post fumigated tobacco smells like a sharp and slightly more sweet perfumey Latakia. My next task is to hunt down some Aleppo pine twigs.
The other thing I’m experimenting with is compressing the aroma ingredients into pellets to prolong smoldering time. A 15g pile of mastic twigs burns up in about 10 mins or less. The same 15gr pressed into a dense plug smolders for a little over an hour. Hopefully this will limit the total amount of material I need.
Interesting idea, I'm curious how it works.
PressuredLeaf
Well-Known Member
So far, it seems to be working well. I’ve tried grinding the twigs in a food processor before pressing and leaving everything intact. Qualitatively, it doesn’t seem to make a difference in combustion time or aroma.
Here is the press mold I’m using to make the plugs. It’s 25mm ID and I squeeze it with a shop press. A 15g plug take about 70-80 minutes to smolder away and leaves a white ash. Interestingly, when the plug is lit with a torch it’s aroma isn’t very agreeable. After the torch is removed and smoldering commences it changes to very pleasant incense (Orthodox Church style) smell.
I would like get a larger mold at some point because this can only hold about 20gr of compressed material practically.
