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For all intents and purposes, all pipe tobaccos are based on three different families- Virginia, Oriental and Burley. A great many different sub-species and variations on these primary "Varietals" exist. Burley is an air-cured tobacco grown primarily in Kentucky, with seven or so other neighboring states producing the rest. Other Burley producing countries include Brazil and Africa (both produce a very fine rich leaf which, sadly, is not readily available to American blenders).Before harve …

For all intents and purposes, all pipe tobaccos are based on three different families- Virginia, Oriental and Burley. A great many different sub-species and variations on these primary "Varietals" exist. "Condimental" or "spice" are uniquely processed tobaccos used to accent a or entirely change the character of a blend. They are not something easily produced by the home or small scale blender, but luckily all are readily available. Latakia- Originally produced in the Latakia port city of …

For all intents and purposes, all pipe tobaccos are based on three different families- Virginia, Oriental and Burley. A great many different sub-species and variations on these primary "Varietals" exist. Today we get to know "Virginia" tobacco.Named after the state where it was first cultivated, Virginias are characterized by their high natural sugar content and light  sweet flavor which some call "grassy" or "hay like".They  Naturally light in taste and flavor, and carry a medium …

This week a federal judge ruled in favor of the FDA in a lawsuit challenging thier regulations against the premium cigar industry. From Cigar Aficionado-....A ruling just in from Washington, D.C. upholds much of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s stance against the American premium cigar industry, striking down most of the arguments made by the three main lobbying groups in their fight against FDA regulation. At the same time, the ruling judge expressed his displeasure with the FDA’ …

A properly broken-in pipe smokes sweet, cool and dry. Follow these simple steps to make that break-in period a breeze!Moisten the Bowl. A pipe is wood, and wood burns! We want to coat the pipe with hard resins from the tobacco which will in turn protect the pipe from burning out.You can simply dip your finger in some water and rub the inside of the bowl, but a simple mixture of 25% honey and 75% Rum will really help propel the formation of "cake" (the hard, dry coating that comes with time and p …