Tobacco Leaf Blending for Cigarettes

As a first time customer, one of the first things you'll want to do is smoke a little of each individual leaf type to get a feel for how it will work in your blend. When putting the components of your blend together, it's a good idea to work in small units of measurements to start. At this stage, a small food scale is important, but not necessary.

The second step is to decide on a base. Generally only one type is needed, but with Virginia flue-cureds, mixing two or more of them often produces a more ideal blend. Brighter VFCs are used for a sweet, top-note, but should be balanced by darker, more bottom-noted leaf. Finding a blend that cuts down on tongue bite is important, though Aged or Un-aged Burley can be brought in if you wish to retain that aspect of your smoke. (Try a blend of American VFC 2012 + Brightleaf VFC Smooth)

One technique to get a more "standard" cigarette blend that you might be more accustomed to is to use a store bought blend as a base - though this might take away from the uniqueness of your own blend depending on your ratios.

Another method used to reduce the harshness of tobacco is ‘stoving’ or toasting. This can be done by adding moisture to your tobacco and lightly toasting it in an electric stove or toaster oven. There are many methods to accomplish the same affect, which is to lightly toast or heat off some of the strength in whole leaf blends.

Care should be taken with the cut of the various tobaccos. Constituents of radically different sized cuts will tend to separate. In general, finer cuts encourage consistency and pack easily, but tend to burn hot, which takes away from the flavor. Courser cuts burn slower, and should be incorporated into a blend. As always, balance is the key.

Taking notes throughout this whole process is crucial. If possible, use percentages. A typical percentage for a spice tobacco would be somewhere between 5-20%, while a percentage for a base tobacco could be 50% or higher. Also remember that a blend that tastes good at first may taste radically different over time, as the blend ages and marries.

Do not restrict your blends! There are many other tobacco leaves that can be used to add spices or seasonings to your smoke. Dark Fire Cured, Dark Air Cured, Shade Leaf, Oriental, Latakia, and Perique are just a few tobacco types that can be used in small quantities to produce unique flavors in your blend. Start blending on a small scale so you can mix and match as many as possible and get the portions exactly the way you need it. Also be sure to try the stoving/toasting method, as it changes the characteristics of the leaves and gives you a few more blends with the leaves you already have. For an added spice or to really change up your blends, try out our Tobacco Flavoring, such as menthol or vanilla.