Licorice as an additive to cigars. The good, bad and ugly

[ArizonaDave]

No additives in WLT are certainly an advantage for Don. I'm really enjoying the addition of the 'Royal Yacht'. However, I wonder what's in their 'secret blend' ?

Additives in pipe tobacco...

"Flavorings- There are two types of flavorings used in tobaccos. The first type is called a casing. Pretty much any blend that contains Virginia or Burley tobaccos have been cased. These flavorings aren’t used as much to add taste or aroma as to mitigate any negative properties of the raw leaf. Burley, for example, has a bit of a sour note, so sweeteners may be added, such as molasses or licorice, mixed with water and steamed into the tobacco. The sweetener won’t be noticed very much, but it keeps the tobacco from becoming unpalatable. Once the casing is applied, the tobacco then needs to be dried out a bit."

http://www.talkingtobacco.com/2012/09/additives-in-pipe-tobacco/

BTW... I see this 'steaming process' in videos processing Cuban cigar tobacco.

You brought up a good point here!
I'm not sure we need to add an iron or steam press to our line up, unless someone is doing a show/s. As you know, I've used alcohol with success as flavoring. A Rum and Vanilla extract mixed has a nice smoothing effect, and can be sprayed on lightly onto the filler. Also, per a suggestion of yours a while back, I used Kentucky Bourbon on Nic. Habano Seco, and it had a wonderful smoothing effect.
There are other alcohols that can be used, but takes a little experimenting.

I guess it comes down to personal preference, and what someone is in the mood for.

 

[BarG]

The addition of licorice root extract has been my latest experiment and takes the cigar to a whole new level. It's really fantastic. Super smooth and tasty. No detection of any flavor just a great improvement overall. I've tried many toppings with poor results until now. A mellow, slightly sweet woody flavor that enhances every leaf for the better. Removes harshness in a big way and has NO flavor of licorice what so ever. (most licorice candy is flavored with anise) The cigar is amazingly good.

The bad news is that licorice root when it is burnt produces several nasty chemicals. Benzene being one of the worst one. Licorice is used in cigarettes and not looked at favorably.

The argument could be made two ways. The positive side would be that 4 cigars a week would be much less benzene than a pack a day cigarette smoker. The other negative side of the argument would be that I'm voluntarily increasing toxicity levels that really isn't necessary other than enhancing the flavor. But this is why we smoke, isn't it? For the flavor? This is why cigarette companies do it.

Since cigar smoking isn't the most healthy thing to do in the first place adding a known carcinogen to the mix may not be the wisest thing to do even when done in moderation.

Since I'm not inhaling the smoke are the benzene levels so low that the added risk is minimal? According to the FDA the acceptable level of benzene is zero. I don't have the answer. Certainly benzene is present even in the air we breath or car exhaust or filling your gas tank but intentionally adding it to my cigars as well as some other toxic chemicals??? May not be the best thing but, on the other hand, it certainly makes for a more pleasurable smoking experience.

Makes me wonder what cigars I've been smoking that have this added already. You know, the ones that are super smooth and woody with slight sweetness. I may have been smoking them for years and don't know it. The tobacco from WLT is not treated with licorice(I don't think it is) so it has an advantage at the sacrifice of some smoothing and flavor.

What say you?


From the FOPH about licorice...

http://www.bag.admin.ch/themen/drogen/00041/00618/13196/13208/index.html?lang=en

I say I smoked store bought chemical laden tobacco for 40 + years before growing my own , so you be the judge, do you want to continue natural or additives.

 

[BarG]

That could be!
I like the natural tobacco's Don has, so I'll stick with them. Although, I really like what you've done with Pipe tobacco in the Cigars! I tried the Prelep, and LOVE it in a blend, kind of has a pipe quality to it.

I have been smoking no additives at all for 3 yrs. now and decreased the amount I smoke By 1/3 and when I make my blends I never cough on that first cig. in the morning with my coffee. Aging your your tobacco, kilning your tobacco , and using as few chemicals as neccessary to produce your tobacco seem to be a plus as far as smoothness goes. Flavor is all personal preferance. I like natural.

 

[ArizonaDave]

I've actually had a change of heart. I think I just might try this a couple of times just to see what the big deal is.

 

[Smokin Harley]

The addition of licorice root extract has been my latest experiment and takes the cigar to a whole new level. It's really fantastic. Super smooth and tasty. No detection of any flavor just a great improvement overall. I've tried many toppings with poor results until now. A mellow, slightly sweet woody flavor that enhances every leaf for the better. Removes harshness in a big way and has NO flavor of licorice what so ever. (most licorice candy is flavored with anise) The cigar is amazingly good.

The bad news is that licorice root when it is burnt produces several nasty chemicals. Benzene being one of the worst one. Licorice is used in cigarettes and not looked at favorably.

The argument could be made two ways. The positive side would be that 4 cigars a week would be much less benzene than a pack a day cigarette smoker. The other negative side of the argument would be that I'm voluntarily increasing toxicity levels that really isn't necessary other than enhancing the flavor. But this is why we smoke, isn't it? For the flavor? This is why cigarette companies do it.

Since cigar smoking isn't the most healthy thing to do in the first place adding a known carcinogen to the mix may not be the wisest thing to do even when done in moderation.

Since I'm not inhaling the smoke are the benzene levels so low that the added risk is minimal? According to the FDA the acceptable level of benzene is zero. I don't have the answer. Certainly benzene is present even in the air we breath or car exhaust or filling your gas tank but intentionally adding it to my cigars as well as some other toxic chemicals??? May not be the best thing but, on the other hand, it certainly makes for a more pleasurable smoking experience.

Makes me wonder what cigars I've been smoking that have this added already. You know, the ones that are super smooth and woody with slight sweetness. I may have been smoking them for years and don't know it. The tobacco from WLT is not treated with licorice(I don't think it is) so it has an advantage at the sacrifice of some smoothing and flavor.

What say you?


From the FOPH about licorice...

http://www.bag.admin.ch/themen/drogen/00041/00618/13196/13208/index.html?lang=en

I for one would not add licorice ,I just dont like it and the added info about benzene would really be a no-no. I have to wonder and have many times ....keeping in mind smoking is not healthy BUT, given the natural tobacco leaf vs a heavily processed stick ...is tobacco in its natural state really that bad for you ,sure theres nicotine. I mean look at those cuban master rollers or growers, those guys look ancient and most of them have smoked pure tobacco since they were kids. Have any of them ever had cancer or even health issues connected with smoking.

 

[ArizonaDave]

I for one would not add licorice ,I just dont like it and the added info about benzene would really be a no-no. I have to wonder and have many times ....keeping in mind smoking is not healthy BUT, given the natural tobacco leaf vs a heavily processed stick ...is tobacco in its natural state really that bad for you ,sure theres nicotine. I mean look at those cuban master rollers or growers, those guys look ancient and most of them have smoked pure tobacco since they were kids. Have any of them ever had cancer or even health issues connected with smoking.

Oh, I hear you. My grand parents grew their own in TN, and lived a long time with no problems. I just figured if I had one or two, it might not hurt in the long run. Then again, no additives are the best in the long run.

 

[deluxestogie]

...look at those cuban master rollers or growers, those guys look ancient...

It's difficult to film the ones who didn't survive.

Bob

 

[Gdaddy]

Oh, I hear you. My grand parents grew their own in TN, and lived a long time with no problems. I just figured if I had one or two, it might not hurt in the long run. Then again, no additives are the best in the long run.

Perhaps there are some additives that aren't harmful and can enhance the flavor. The FDA does mention that one of the big negative sides of additives is that it make the tobacco taste better and you'll smoke more. Like adding spices to food makes it taste better and you eat more.

It's interesting that when additives are mentioned in cigars that's looked down upon as being bad for you. Yet many of these same people smoke pipe tobacco laden with all kinds of stuff including licorice and molasses and they don't give that a second thought. Like it's ok in pipe tobacco but not cigars.

If you can treat a cigar with an additive that improves flavor yet remains undetectable then you've got something. Cigar smokers seem to be very sensitive to any foreign flavors.

 

[Lorenzai]

It seems that inhaling smoke from anything is harmful. Tobacco gets a sort of undeserved bad rap for causing all sorts of ailments when it's really just smoke in general that is the problem. I read an article about lesser developed countries that's primary source of heating their homes is wood fire and how their lung cancer rates are much higher even among non tobacco users. Burning something causes/creates carcinogens, whether it's a wonderful blend of additive free tobacco, or your hot dogs that you like a little char on. It seems to me that genetics play the biggest roles in who gets sick and who doesn't.

 

[Ben Brand]

I hear and agree with you Lorenzal. My late father started smoking when he was 16, worked in the gold mines most of his life. Used to smoke a lot, later on the brand (Lexington) wasn't strong enough for him, took out the sigarette tobacco mixed it with strong, crude cheap pipe tobacco, rolled his own siggs with a rizzla machine, he died at the age of 89 of kidney failure, never had canser. What I must add, he never drank alcohol in his life, never touched the stuff.

 

[BarG]

I can absolutely tell you this. Deer don't associate with licorice dippers, they don/t like them , they probably like skunk better. I like licorice dip more than most other dips.

 

[2Baccy]

Thread resurrection time guys. Can anyone supply a link to the proper type of Licorice or Licorice extract to add to chew to for flavour. When I search the net I get mostly tinctures creams candies and so on. Thanks

 

[ChinaVoodoo]

I don't have experience with true licorice; just anise.

I have tried raki. It's like ouzo, but unsweetened, and flavors pipe tobacco well at about 1:1 by weight ratio. I also recently tried Watkins brand Pure Anise Extract, which contains alcohol, water, and anise oil. I did a 1:10 w/w ratio and it was too strong. I think it would work even for trying to duplicate those Avanti cheroots.

 

[2Baccy]

Thanks China I will hafta get googling here I’ve never heard of anise or ouzo but I will check them out. The reason I ask is a local man said he remembers delivering molasses and Licorice in 50 lb boxes to a chew tobacco processing plant in Charlottetown PEI in the early 70’s so I was going to try get my hands on something similar.

 

[deluxestogie]

Anise has a similar flavor and sweetness, when compared to licorice. Anise avoids the potential health risks of the glycyrrhizin that is contained in licorice, and is a wiser choice for a daily exposure like chew.

Bob

 

[ChinaVoodoo]

Thanks China I will hafta get googling here I’ve never heard of anise or ouzo but I will check them out. The reason I ask is a local man said he remembers delivering molasses and Licorice in 50 lb boxes to a chew tobacco processing plant in Charlottetown PEI in the early 70’s so I was going to try get my hands on something similar.

You have probably heard of Sambuca, no? It's an ouzo. In Alberta the government has a website where you can look up literally any alcoholic product that has been imported to the province, and it will tell you every store, restaurant, etc who has it (and their address and phone number). It's great. You should check if your province has it.

 

[2Baccy]

Alright so is anise going to be something I get online in a powdered form? And China yes I’ve had sambuca before are you suggesting I use sambuca to flavour my chew?

 

[deluxestogie]

https://www.lorannoils.com/1-dram-size/anise-oil-natural-0100-dram

 

[ChinaVoodoo]

Alright so is anise going to be something I get online in a powdered form? And China yes I’ve had sambuca before are you suggesting I use sambuca to flavour my chew?

Well, full disclosure, I smoke, and don't chew. But I've used raki, Turkey's unsweetened version of the Greek ouzo, and it was a good pipe tobacco flavoring. Heck, if you don't want to commit to a full bottle, maybe get a shot at the bar and sneak it into some chew and see what you think.

So there are many extracts out there. Usually they are an oil. If you want to extract it yourself, you certainly can. There are a couple sources of what they call anise. One is fennel seed, and I recommend you don't use fennel seed. The flavor is not as strong, and there's a slight grain flavor to it. The other is star anise. It is an Asian, particularly a Vietnamese ingredient, and is exceptionally tasty. To reduce it to a powder might be difficult. You would need a very effective blender or grinder. In fact most recipes for food, you use it like bay leaves; put it in whole, and don't actually eat the leaf. I usually wrap them in cheesecloth, and boil them in soup for an hour, then remove the bag of star anise after so as to not break a tooth by accident.

I don't doubt that there are powders available, but I would want to be sure which anise it is.

 

[ChinaVoodoo]

https://www.lorannoils.com/1-dram-size/anise-oil-natural-0100-dram

This product Bob linked looks really good. And that's star anise in the photo. If you have a shop that specializes in cake/baking ingredients, there's a good chance you could just buy it off the shelf. Barb's Kitchen Center in Edmonton sells the lor Ann product line.