Latakia (tobacco)

Latakia II by William Michael Harnett, c. 1880

Latakia tobacco (Arabic: تبغ اللاذقية) is a sun-dried and smoke-cured tobacco product. Its origins come from Syria and is named after its major port city of Latakia, though large production has moved to Cyprus due to recent strife within Syrian borders. Latakia was potentially discovered by accident when a bumper crop resulted in surplus tobacco. The farmers stored the excess tobacco in the rafters of their home; which at the time was an effective way of preserving food stuffs until the following spring. This process of low temperature smoke curing over several months or more is one of the defining factors of its complex aroma.

Latakia when burned, has a characteristic wood smoke aroma accompanied by floral sweet undertones. Latakia is traditionally found within pipe tobacco blends, although some avant-garde cigar and cigarette producers use it as well. The majority of pipe blends use Latakia as a condiment, a tobacco that does not represent the majority of the blend but is instead used to add complexity and to control its burn rate.

Overview of Oriental tobacco

Oriental tobacco being sun-cured

Tobacco grown within the arid desert climate of the Middle East is known in the tobacco industry as Oriental Tobacco. Compared to the tobacco plant most commonly grown in the western world (Mostly using the Nicotiana tabacum variety) which is 6ft on average and has up to 24 forearm-sized leaves, oriental tobacco plants (which generally consists of Nicotiana rustica though Nicotiana tabacum is used as well) are roughly 2-3ft in height with up to 100 palm-sized to hand-sized leaves. However, though most Oriental Tobaccos are traditionally made using Nicotiana rustica, Latakia traditionally uses the larger leaf size of Nicotiana tabacum; although still producing a smaller leaf size compared to those grown in western countries. though this is tradition, this will vary due to the fact that modern Cyprian latakia is commonly made from Nicotiana rustica where Syrian Latakia is made from Nicotiana tabacum

Syrian Latakia

File:Shekk-el-bint tobacco drying in syria.jpg

tobacco being dried to produce latakia pipe tobacco.

File:Latakia drying on the ground.jpg

harvested latakia being dried on the ground in the sun.

There are many debates on the specific type of tobacco seed or variety used to produce Syrian latakia and the cease of production within Syrian boarders has made it difficult to say for certain that one seed is valued more than another. Moreover, there is a physical difference in the same varieties grow within farms at higher elevation in the hills as opposed lower elevations in the plains; with the latter producing larger plants than the former. However, There is a common consensus that latakia was first produced using a variety of Nicotiana Tabacum called shekk-el-bint (a variety with narrow leaves with a length of ten to twelve inches), though some refer to the Yayladag variant as the original. the sun-curing process differs from normal Oriental production as the leaves are not stitched together. The leaves remain on the stalk of the plant and are kept whole, including the flowers. they are then either hung between trees are simply laid on the ground to dry over a period of three or more weeks. from there, they are moved to store houses before being purchase by brokers to finish the smoke-curing process, sometimes called fumigation.

Fumagation is carried out in the mountains of Syria inside of simple barns (or smoke houses) made of brick or block with earthen floors and no ventilation. The tobacco is hung inside on rafters and fumigated using one or two fire pits dug into the ground. There is more debate on which species of woods and brushes are used for this process ( though Aleppo Pine, Turkey Oak, Valonia Oak, and Lebanon Cedar are commonly used). It is also commonly thought that some processors use a variety of material found growing near the barns and do not make a particular recipe or blend. Once fumigation is completed, the rough latakia is rehydrated, bulk packaged, and sent to the port of Latakia. the process of fumigation and later hydration increases bulk weight by ~15%.

Once in the hands of processers such as the Imperial Tobacco Company, the tobacco grown in the plains is de-stalked and bulked together with the tobacco grown in the Mountains; the latter retaining its stalk and flowers. The leaves are then further bulked and placed into large vaults for up to 90 days. during this process, the tobacco undergoes fermentation (a common practice amongst tobacco processors throughout the world). This processes eliminates/reduces water content, many harsh chemicals such nicotine, as well as producing new and more complex flavor compounds. After fermentation, the tobacco is placed in frames to be exported. this is usually done in the winter to prevent further fermentation. This increases the difficulty of seed variety identification as plants are mixed together during bulking and fermentation, making it near impossible to distinguish between flavor characteristics and leaf structure of one variety over another.

Syrian Latakia taste and aroma are considered mild, floral, spiced, with wood smoke and tart flavors similar to wine; when in added to a smoking mixture at less than 15%. though blenders suggest that the smoky acridness and tanginess becomes more prominent when in percentages of 35% or more.

Latakia is commonly reffered to as Abourihm or "king of Flavor".

Cyprian Latakia

Work in Progress

As the tobacco leaves mature they begin to exhibit a yellowing at the base of the leaf signifying that it is ready for curing. Once they are harvested they are loosely stitched together. This is necessary to prevent heavy wind from blowing them away (a practice not seen in Western tobacco manufacturing). They are then initially sun-cured like other Turkish tobaccos over wooden dowels placed on a A-frame construction facing the sun. From here, they diverge from traditional oriental tobacco production. They are stored and cured in barns over controlled fires of aromatic pine and oak woods along with fragrant herbs. After 3 or more months of curing during the winter, the tobacco becomes dark, almost black in color, obtains a flexible leather-like texture, and an emits an intense aroma. From there, it is packaged and sent to producers of tobacco products.

Syrian War and the decline of Syrian latakia

The Arab Republic of Syria has had several conflicts since its independence in 1920 and this has made the availability of Latakia tobacco very expensive, causing demand and prices to increase. Many tobacco blend producers sought Latakia grown and produced in many other areas of the Middle East before settling on the island of Cyprus. At first, tobacco was grown in Syria and then shipped to Cyprus to be barn-cured. However, the recent Syrian Civil War halted most if not all of the production of exportable tobacco. Because of this, Cyprus remains as the major grower and producer of Latakia tobacco.

Use in tobacco blends

Latakia is primarily used in making pipe tobacco blends. Of the many categories of blends found through out the world, the most prominent use of Latakia are in those of the English Pipe Tobacco variety. This is so much so that to be considered an English mixture, a blend must contain some percentage of Latakia tobacco. English pipe mixtures became famous for the distinct flavor of Latakia, due to its rarity outside of the Middle East. Because the British Empire had interests within Syria and the surrounding areas, the import of Latakia as well as other oriental tobaccos to the British Isles were common place, but not much elsewhere in Western Europe and the Americas. Because of this, many pipe smokers outside of the British empire (and even within, as many blenders kept their recipes secret) historically knew only of Latakia through the unique taste and smell of the blends they purchased from English merchants. Much like many tobacco blends, the basis of English blends is made of a combination of Virginia Tobacco or Burley Tobacco either by themselves or blended together. Latakia and other Oriental tobaccos are added in small amounts to finish the mixture.

Since the resurgence in pipe smoking in the late 90's and the increase in popularity of non-traditional blends and flavors, latakia has taken on many new roles. Many blenders use latakia is conjunction with warm flavors such as chocolate or vanilla in aromatic blends (tobacco blends consisting of any mixture of tobacco with added natural or artificial flavors) to highlight key notes the blender is looking for. Furthermore, Latakia is no longer relegated to being a condiment tobacco. modern blenders have made successful recipes consisting of up to 50% latakia, though generally regarded as robust blends and not for those who are looking for a lighter flavor. Moreover, Latakia has been used by companies such as Drew Estate Cigars in many of their non-traditional naturally flavored cigars.

Perfume

A modern perfume called Fumerie Turque (Turkish Smoke) was created by French company Serge Lutens, reproducing a fragrance in emulation of Latakia tobacco.

See also

• Types of tobacco