Tobacco raw materials: tobacco leaves that have undergone post-harvest processing and are intended for the production of tobacco products.
Cigarettes contain mixtures of various types of tobaccos and sub-tobacco components. Sub-tobacco raw materials include: reconstituted tobacco, rolled veins, exploded veins. Such raw materials allow for the regulation of nicotine and tar content in tobacco products, along with a significant reduction in overall costs. The basis of tobacco raw materials consists of three main groups of tobacco: Virginia, Burley, and Oriental.
Climate, region, plant features.
These main types of tobacco are further divided into subgroups depending on where the tobacco is grown. Tobacco raw materials are usually grown between 40° north latitude and 40° south latitude. Tobacco farms can be found in more than 30 countries, including Argentina, Brazil, China, Greece, Italy, Malawi, Mozambique, Tanzania, Spain, Turkey, and the United States.
For a specific tobacco blend, the next step is to choose which part of the plant (top or bottom) to take based on characteristics related to the perceived quality of the tobacco, including color, maturity, and uniformity. These subgroups are called “varieties” of tobacco.
One tobacco processing plant can produce several varieties of leaf. The sensory, physical, chemical, and visual properties of a tobacco variety are typically determined by the position of the leaves on the plant. For example, leaves in the upper part of the plant are more exposed to sunlight than those in the lower part, and generally contain higher levels of nicotine and other alkaloids.
The leaves are purchased from growers, sorted into classes, and sent for threshing to separate the stem and lamellar parts of the leaves. The threshing process also allows for the control of moisture content, which is important as the tobacco is stored for several months to mature.
The chemical composition of the leaf can vary widely depending on the type of tobacco, soil, and environmental conditions in which it was grown.
Tobacco Group: Virginia.
Virginia (Lemon Virginia, Bright Virginia, Red Virginia, Matured Virginia, Black Virginia, Gold Virginia, Brown Virginia, Stoved Virginia, Yellow Virginia, Orange Virginia) tobacco is often referred to as “bright tobacco” and is characterized by its golden-yellow to dark orange color. Virginia is a large group of tobaccos with varying sugar content, usually dependent on the color – the brighter the tobacco, the higher the sugar content, and the darker the tobacco, the lower the sugar content. It is the most popular type of tobacco leaf used today, accounting for 60% of tobacco consumption worldwide. Virginia, or flue-cured tobacco, is named after the American state where it was first cultivated.
This type of tobacco grows particularly well in subtropical areas with light rainfall, such as Georgia, Virginia, and the Carolinas in the USA, Southern Brazil, Zimbabwe, Argentina, China, India, and Tanzania.
Flue-curing is a thermal process that creates a dry, controlled product with reduced mold risks and promotes chemical changes that enhance sensory quality. It also results in color changes in the leaves. The drying process takes a week. Virginia tobacco has a light, bright aroma and flavor. Virginia tobacco can contain a wide range of nicotine levels – from 1% to 3.5% – and has relatively high levels of natural sugars – from 5% to 25%. Virginia is a mild tobacco leaf that naturally has a high sugar content. Virginia has a low tar content. A block of Virginia tobacco provides a sweet taste, fruity aroma notes of varying intensities, and olfactory richness to the blend. The Virginia tobacco group provides a slightly acidic smoke environment.
Tobacco Group: Oriental.
Oriental, also known as Eastern tobacco or Turkish tobacco, is the smallest and most hardy of all types of tobacco. The name “Turkish” refers to the Ottoman Empire, which controlled the historical production areas until the late 19th/early 20th century. Over time, Ottoman farmers developed their own method of growing and consuming tobacco. Historically, it was mainly cultivated in Thrace and Macedonia, now growing in Bulgaria, Greece, Republic of Macedonia, and Turkey, but is also cultivated on the Black Sea coast, in Egypt, and in South Africa.
Oriental tobacco is very aromatic. It has small leaves, which are harvested leaf by leaf, similar to Virginia tobacco, and is sun-cured outdoors. These conditions, along with high planting density and the appropriate Eastern variety, create an aromatic composition when smoked. This is amplified by sun-curing. An Oriental blend can contain up to 100% sun-cured tobacco found in traditional Turkish cigarettes. Many early cigarette brands were made primarily or entirely from Turkish tobacco, but today its main use is in pipe blends and as an essential type of tobacco in cigarette blends. Characterized by medium sugar content, low nicotine levels, and high levels of essential oils. They are usually used as blends of several varieties and give the blend a characteristic tangy aroma with a spicy-sweet taste and nutty notes. They are also used to give the blend smoothness, thanks to the appropriate pH hydrogen level, in a moderately acidic environment. Raw materials of the Oriental tobacco group have a yellow and light brown color, with rare tobaccos having shades of greenish-olive color.
Burley tobacco group.
In the field, Burley is slightly lighter than Virginia’s green leaves. This is due to heavier soil and more fertilizers. The highest quality Burley is grown in American states such as Maryland and Kentucky. It is also cultivated in Central America, Malawi, Uganda, Indonesia, Argentina, Brazil, and Italy. After harvesting, the Burley tobacco group undergoes air-curing. Air-curing is a method that creates a dry product with controlled characteristics, minimal risk of mold, and promotes chemical changes that enhance the organoleptic quality of tobacco. Burley ranges in color from light to dark brown. The dense leaf buries almost without natural sugars remaining after air-curing, which takes up to two months, giving it an almost cigar-like taste. Typically, a cigarette containing only Burley tobacco will produce a sensory irritating smoke.
In the field, Burley is slightly lighter than Virginia’s green leaves. This is due to heavier soil and more fertilizers. The highest quality Burley is grown in American states such as Maryland and Kentucky. It is also cultivated in Central America, Malawi, Uganda, Indonesia, Argentina, Brazil, and Italy. After harvesting, the Burley tobacco group undergoes air-curing. Air-curing is a method that creates a dry product with controlled characteristics, minimal risk of mold, and promotes chemical changes that enhance the organoleptic quality of tobacco. Burley ranges in color from light to dark brown. The dense leaf buries almost without natural sugars remaining after air-curing, which takes up to two months, giving it an almost cigar-like taste. Typically, a cigarette containing only Burley tobacco will produce a sensory irritating smoke.
Based on three types of tobacco: Burley, Virginia, and Oriental tobacco groups, as well as processed tobaccos such as reconstituted tobacco, burst vein or rolled vein analog, tobacco technologists build a tobacco blend – a recipe that is adhered to throughout the production of the tobacco product.