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Last post 4 years ago by clintCigar. 23 replies replies.
Tobacco's from around the world
CelticBomber Offline
#1 Posted:
Joined: 05-03-2012
Posts: 6,786
So I was browsing some tobacco leaf site's and I noticed there are a lot of countries that grow tobacco that I never hear about. I was surprised to read that there are tons of Tobacco's grown in Africa, the Middle East, India, China etc but never hear about them. Has anyone ever smoked any of these tobacco's? Is there a good reason I've never heard of them or is it just bad marketing on their part? Is there a whole world of cigars from other parts of the world worthy of attention but they just don't get the press? Wondering if there is a box of cigars out there that doesn't speak Spanish that might be worth the time and because we never hear of them might be cheaper?
Pudding Mittens Offline
#2 Posted:
Joined: 08-15-2016
Posts: 1,291
CelticBomber wrote:
So I was browsing some tobacco leaf site's and I noticed there are a lot of countries that grow tobacco that I never hear about. I was surprised to read that there are tons of Tobacco's grown in Africa, the Middle East, India, China etc but never hear about them. Has anyone ever smoked any of these tobacco's? Is there a good reason I've never heard of them or is it just bad marketing on their part? Is there a whole world of cigars from other parts of the world worthy of attention but they just don't get the press? Wondering if there is a box of cigars out there that doesn't speak Spanish that might be worth the time and because we never hear of them might be cheaper?

A lot of that stuff is used in pipe blends. Syrian and Cyprian latakia, Turkish, Orientals, etc.
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CelticBomber Offline
#3 Posted:
Joined: 05-03-2012
Posts: 6,786
Pudding Mittens wrote:
A lot of that stuff is used in pipe blends. Syrian and Cyprian latakia, Turkish, Orientals, etc.
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Huh guess they don't have the right leaves for rolling. Are they considered good quality tobacco's for pipe smoking? Wonder if they ever get used as long filler in cigars I have smoked....
ZRX1200 Offline
#4 Posted:
Joined: 07-08-2007
Posts: 60,606
Ummmm.....

Cameroon????

Also many “Virginia” tobaccos are grown in Africa as well.
clintCigar Offline
#5 Posted:
Joined: 05-14-2019
Posts: 4,682
All of the Cameroon wrappers are African. AF Hemmingway series, RP Vintage 1979, 2003, Nub Cameroon are the ones I've had off the top of my head.
Thunder.Gerbil Offline
#6 Posted:
Joined: 11-02-2006
Posts: 121,359
There are Chinese cigars. They are wretched. I don't recommend trying one unless "Gargling with sulfuric acid " is on your bucket list. Somewhat certain their export is banned by the Geneva convention and a few UN binding resolutions.

I think that if the other countries had a cigar that was worth a shit, you'd have heard about it by now.

Africa grows some excellent wrapper leaves. Cameroon leaf is used by many manufacturers. Heck, Fuente uses it on their signature Hemingway and 8-5-8 lines among others.
Pudding Mittens Offline
#7 Posted:
Joined: 08-15-2016
Posts: 1,291
CelticBomber wrote:
Huh guess they don't have the right leaves for rolling. Are they considered good quality tobacco's for pipe smoking? Wonder if they ever get used as long filler in cigars I have smoked....

Yes, stuff like Syrian and Cyprian latakia and orientals and Turkish are some of the highest quality pipe tobaccos. There is also perique, but that's made in the USA (by a special process and is awesomely flavorful).

They're almost never used in cigars. I'm not sure if it's because the leaves aren't suited to rolling (too small for long filler, not flexible enough, whatever) or another reason. They HAVE been used in cigars rarely, for example I believe the Drew Estate Natural line of cigars (now renamed Larutan because the FDA doesn't like the word "natural") used some of them. But again, almost never.

Except for Cameroon (Africa) and Sumatra (Indonesia, when not grown in Ecuador instead), of course. Those are widely used in cigars.

Why those and not the others? There may be good reasons, or it may simply be tradition.
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CelticBomber Offline
#8 Posted:
Joined: 05-03-2012
Posts: 6,786
clintCigar wrote:
All of the Cameroon wrappers are African. AF Hemmingway series, RP Vintage 1979, 2003, Nub Cameroon are the ones I've had off the top of my head.



Ya know, I don't know why I never made that connection.... Now that's it's been pointed out I'm like "Duh!"
jjanecka Offline
#9 Posted:
Joined: 12-08-2015
Posts: 4,334
Italy and Greece make good cigar tobacco. Riste Riatevsky, the owner of Ja Sum Kral cigars has contemplated using tobaccos grown in Macedonia for his blends.

Indonesia is pretty popular for cheaper blends but also they are regularly used in a lot of Davidoff releases.
i have also had Indian tobbacco which is generally lower quality but can be very good.

Phillipines makes a ton of cigars for domestic service. I had a buddy who has family there; he said generally they're not really worth the time, the quality is low. I just want a box from there because I think it would be cool, they're only like 50USD tops.

Peruvian tobacco is very nice. MBombay uses a lot of that.

Still wish Jamaica would get serious about their tobacco crops again.
jjanecka Offline
#10 Posted:
Joined: 12-08-2015
Posts: 4,334
I think most of the poor quality stems from knowledge on how to raise it for that particular region. It's not something where "the soil is bad" or whatever. A good farmer makes it work.
tamapatom Offline
#11 Posted:
Joined: 03-19-2015
Posts: 7,381
I hear it is easy to farm. Just put a seed in the ground.
jjanecka Offline
#12 Posted:
Joined: 12-08-2015
Posts: 4,334
If it was easy more people would be doing it. 😆
madspackler Offline
#13 Posted:
Joined: 03-07-2000
Posts: 3,608
Lots of these countries grow tobacco for cigarettes. The leaves are heavier, less flexible and with more pronounced veins. They chop up well for cigarettes but do not work well for a refined cigar.
danmdevries Offline
#14 Posted:
Joined: 02-11-2014
Posts: 17,375
This is kinda why I love pipe smoking.

There's so many exotic and unique flavors to be had from tobaccos that aren't used for cigars.
Pudding Mittens Offline
#15 Posted:
Joined: 08-15-2016
Posts: 1,291
danmdevries wrote:
This is kinda why I love pipe smoking.

There's so many exotic and unique flavors to be had from tobaccos that aren't used for cigars.

Any of you guys want to try pipe smoking for these extra "not available in cigars" flavors and haven't dabbled in pipes already, buy a Missouri Meerschaum corn cob first. Yes, they're dirt cheap. No, that doesn't mean they're bad. In fact, after trying briar and meerschaum for years, cobs are all I smoke now, they're that good. And cheap. Perfect for beginners too, but great for veterans (e.g. me) as well. Also, read some articles about how to smoke a pipe, buy some good blends with Turkish, Oriental, Perique, Latakia, etc. tobaccos, and off you go.

Me, I still prefer cigars. Pipes, even cobs, tend to be a pain in the ass and keep going out and/or burn too hot, and the "good zone" between those two is very small. With cigars, it's very large.

But hey, try it. With cobs it's cheap to try!
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Dg west deptford Offline
#16 Posted:
Joined: 05-25-2019
Posts: 2,836
CAO has the Italia which I was hoping would be a non Latin option. Being a son of an immigrant from Calibria Italy who was also a cigar smoker. I hoped for greatness but no luck at all!
jjanecka Offline
#17 Posted:
Joined: 12-08-2015
Posts: 4,334
Italia has an Italian wrapper or at least it did at one point.
tonygraz Offline
#18 Posted:
Joined: 08-11-2008
Posts: 20,253
I heard several years back that there was at least one good Indonesian cigar. Never tried one though.
Pudding Mittens Offline
#19 Posted:
Joined: 08-15-2016
Posts: 1,291
Dg west deptford wrote:
CAO has the Italia which I was hoping would be a non Latin option. Being a son of an immigrant from Calibria Italy who was also a cigar smoker. I hoped for greatness but no luck at all!

I'd avoid CAO if I were you. Just my opinion.
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Dg west deptford Offline
#20 Posted:
Joined: 05-25-2019
Posts: 2,836
The Brazilia Gol is the only one I can finish with out hating it. I do have some CAO blacks in the wooden box. May revisit them in a year or so
USNGunner Offline
#21 Posted:
Joined: 05-17-2019
Posts: 4,402
Dg west deptford wrote:
The Brazilia Gol is the only one I can finish with out hating it.


Best cigar ever! Applause
Stogie1020 Offline
#22 Posted:
Joined: 12-19-2019
Posts: 5,335
Pudding Mittens wrote:
I'd avoid CAO if I were you. Just my opinion.
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no love for the Flatheads?
clintCigar Offline
#23 Posted:
Joined: 05-14-2019
Posts: 4,682
I like the Flatheads
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