Frequently Asked Questions About Whole Leaf Tobacco

Over time, we have compiled a list of questions that have been frequently asked by our customers. This list will continue to be updated as we find out exactly what our customers are curious about before making a purchase with us.

It is our goal to provide a high quality product with a high level of customer satisfaction. If you have a question that's not currently on this list, feel free to contact us! We always love to hear from our customers.

Can you ship your tobacco to territories outside of the USA?

Yes, we ship all over the world! For more information, please visit our International Shipping page to learn about the international shipping process and how to place an order.

What type of tobacco do you recommend for chew?

Most customers purchase a Dark Air Cured tobacco for this purpose. We have several different types, so it just depends on what you are looking for. Here is a partial list of our most popular chewing tobacco types:

Most customers recommend using the Dark Air Cured (LL) just because it’s reduced in price. The price is reduced because the leaf will have imperfections, such as holes, so it isn’t considered wrapper quality tobacco. Since you aren’t wrapping with it the imperfections won’t be an issue and you get to enjoy the reduced pricing!

Other leaves that some customers have used for chew include:

One other thing to note is that you should always rinse leaves before preparing chewing tobacco.

Approximately how many whole leaves are there in a pound?

The number of leaves in a pound will always vary depending the tobacco leaf's thickness and size. Pounds can range from between 15-25 leaves for our thickest and largest leaves, to over 100 leaves for our smaller and thinner tobacco leaf varieties (think shade leaf).

What is the difference between a fronto leaf and other tobacco leaves?

Based on our understanding, what makes a fronto leaf a fronto are a few basic qualities that a specific type of tobacco leaf must have. 1) It must be a whole tobacco leaf variety, 2) it must be a dark tobacco leaf, and 3) it must be a well priced tobacco leaf. With that in mind, many of our tobacco leaves can actually be used as a fronto leaf! For a list of popular fronto leaves, visit the fronto leaf section of our website.

Approximately how many cigars can I roll out of a pound of tobacco?

Although this is one of the most common questions we receive, it is also one of the hardest to answer. It really depends on the size of the cigars you roll, your cigar rolling technique, and personal preferences. It can also be confusing because different leaves can be used for different parts of the cigar. You might have one type of leaf for a filler, another leaf for a binder, and yet another tobacco leaf for a wrapper. If this was the case, you would ultimately have 3 pounds of tobacco leaf, not just one. With all of this information in mind, I think it's fair to say that you can roll AT LEAST 10 to 20 cigars out of one pound of tobacco.

Can your tobacco be categorized as seco or ligero?

The different varieties of our tobacco leaves come from all different parts of the tobacco plant, so our selection includes a bit of everything.

Do you sell tobacco seeds?

Yes! As of May 2013, we sell a variety of tobacco seeds. To find seeds, use the dropdown menus above for each application.

Is your tobacco by the pound "All Natural"?

Yes, our tobacco by the pound is 100% all natural, and comes directly from farmers in most cases. They undergo no special chemical processes, and are handled with great care before they get sent to our customers.

Are your tobacco leaves "Certified Organic"?

Yes! A small selection of our leaves are in fact certified organic. For a full list, please visit: https://www.leafonly.com/tobacco-leaf/organic-tobacco-leaf

As for our other leaves, they are considered "all natural", but are not not technically certified organic. This is because in order to grow high quality tobacco leaves in most regions, certain growing methods must be used that include the use of pesticides occasionally.

Did you know: Tobacco is actually used as an organic insecticide for certain pest types?

Is your tobacco by the pound cured and fermented?

Yes, most of our tobacco leaf by the pound has been cured and fermented. It's important to keep in mind that tobacco leaves are fermenting and curing on their own naturally over time, especially with the change of ambient temperature and seasons.

What do I do if my tobacco leaves arrive dried out?

Believe it or not, tobacco leaves are actually meant to be stored dry and reconstituted with water when ready to roll. We do however mist all of our tobacco leaves prior to sending an order, and even go as far as packaging it in a bag (with holes) to retain the moisture. So generally speaking, your leaves will arrive moist. If they do arrive dry, simply moisten the tobacco with a spray bottle, wet towel, or another method before handling them too much. They will absorb the water like a slow sponge and be ready to work with in no time!

Are green or white spots on my tobacco mold?

Green spots on leaves are a natural discoloration that occurs during the curing process (Unless it is fuzzy and growing ON the leaf, which is more rare). This usually happens when there isn’t enough ample air flow to the leaves. This can be because the leaf was folded in on itself, or because it was in the middle of the bale. Discolorations are most common with cigarette tobacco types, but you will occasionally find them on other tobacco as well.

White spots on the leaves are also a natural discoloration that is common on cigarette leaves. They occur when the leaf is fully mature, and in many circles, is a farmer's clear sign that the tobacco is ripe and ready to be picked. Some farmers will pick the leaves before the spots occur for aesthetic purposes, but others wait so that the leaf reaches its potential maturity.

Mold on tobacco leaf stems is normal and to be expected. It usually is contained to ONLY being on the main stem, but can also be on the leaf itself from time to time. Unless excessive, it can simply be washed off or can be cut around or discarded.

How many packs of cigarettes can I make from 1 pound of tobacco?

Each pound of whole leaf tobacco will yield you approximately 1.5-2 cartons of cigarettes. This is dependent upon how well the tobacco is striped from the stems.

Is it normal to have bugs and/or dirt on my tobacco leaves?

Tobacco is an agricultural commodity, just like fruits, vegetables, rice, seeds, and grains. Every leaf is unique, and some will have discolorations, holes, spots, dirt, and other naturally occurring issues. All of these things are common, and to be expected when working with whole leaf. Even sorted fruits and vegetables that make it into the store may have pieces that are less desirable. You can cut around those pieces, wash them off or discard them completely. While we don’t sort through the thousands of tobacco that we have in stock, if while we are packaging an order and see something that doesn’t belong, we absolutely take it out, but from time to time, you may encounter natural issues such as these.

What do you recommend "low grade" tobacco for?

Low grade tobacco is tobacco of inferior quality that is not fit to be sold as a regular grade. This can happen for a variety of reasons, including tobacco that has been dropped on the floor, broken, discolored, dirty, etc.

Most customers who purchase low grade tobacco use it for ceremonial purposes, to practice rolling cigars, use as a natural insecticide and/or purchased by industrial companies.

I ordered 1 pound of tobacco. Why after shredding does it weigh less?

This is mostly due to the stem weight, but can also be due to the removal of pieces that are less than desirable. Overall, you should still end up with plenty of tobacco after shredding.

If fronto is considered a wrapper, why is the quality not wrapper quality at times?

Fronto leaves are intended to be as close to wrapper as possible, but for customers that want Dark Air Cured tobaccos, those are NOT known for their wrapper quality. Darker, thicker leaves sustain more wind damage during the growing season and just aren't able to be 100% wrapper like some of the thinner fronto leaves. If being wrapper quality is more of a concern than the thickness or harshness of a leaf, you're better off choosing a thinner leaf like the QB-52.

Do you offer wholesale pricing on your tobacco?

Yes! Wholesale pricing starts at 10 lbs and up. Pricing is tiered, so the more you order, the cheaper it is by the pound! You can mix and match tobaccos, as long as the total weight is 10 lbs or more. Each leaf is priced differently, so wholesale pricing can be found here: www.leafonly.com/wholesale.

What is the difference between an affiliate and wholesaler?

When you are an affiliate, you hand out a unique promo code to potential customers. When those customers place an order, they enter in your unique promo code and receive 5% off their item total and you receive 5% commission on the item total! It’s that easy!

A wholesaler purchases in quantities of 10 lbs and up and re-sells the tobacco in their store or to other stores. If this is something of interest to you, please check with your state’s Department of Revenue Services for policies, regulations and licensing that is required by your state.

For more information, please click here.

How do I roll my own cigar using your leaves?

Because we carry whole tobacco leaves, you would need to prep the leaves before rolling your own cigars. Some leaves are best used as a wrapper, and others can be used as filler. There are different methods to process the filler. One is simply removing the center vein, and using the 2 halves of the tobacco leaf as filler. You may want to use more than one leaf if you decide to go with this method. We have some videos and additional instructions in our Resources section, and have found a vast array of information regarding this topic on the internet.

After rolling cigars, what do I do with them? Do they go right to the humidor or something else?

Once you have rolled your cigars, the general rule of thumb is 1 week out, 2 weeks in.

What this means is that after you have hand rolled your cigars, the leaf and your cigar will usually be noticeably moist. If you were to transfer these directly to your humidor, there would be opportunities for mold to grow. Therefore, recommend that you store your fresh sticks DRY and OUTSIDE OF A HUMIDOR for 5-7 days. This gives them ample time to release moisture and dry out entirely. After this period, place your cigars into your humidor for acclimation. It usually is 10-14 days before they are at the proper moisture level and have settled enough to properly smoke. Remember, most cigars are AGED as well, so you may even want to leave them in your humidor longer then that!