Aromatic Blends

Aromatic blends are the family of pipe tobaccos to which non-tobacco flavors and scents such as vanilla, cherry, caramel, rum, or coffee are added. Aromatics are considered by far the largest segment of world pipe tobacco sales; thanks to a pleasant room note and a soft, sweet profile, the category is known to be a frequent choice both for beginners and for smokers who would rather not bother the people around them.

What Makes a Blend Aromatic?

Flavoring is done with two distinct techniques: casing, applied to the leaf at the start of processing, and topping, sprayed on at the very end. Casing, whether or not a blend is aromatic, is applied to nearly all commercial pipe tobaccos and is meant to support the tobacco's natural flavor; what actually makes a blend "aromatic" in the true sense is the topping, whose scent is pronounced. The exact composition of the solutions used varies from producer to producer and is mostly a trade secret. Details of both techniques are covered in the entry on casing and flavoring.

The backbone of aromatic blends is formed by Cavendish — black Cavendish in particular — and Burley: these low-sugar, absorbent leaves hold the casing well. Some amount of Virginia is often added as well, to give the blend body and natural sweetness.

History

The tradition of flavoring tobacco reaches back centuries: according to accounts, sailors softened the tobacco they carried with rum and molasses; the sweetened tobaccos sold under the name "honeydew" in the 19th century are also products of this tradition. The lightly aromatic style familiar today, however, was popularized at mass scale in the 20th century by Danish producers — not an invention, but a triumph of dissemination. Mac Baren, founded in Svendborg in 1887, is regarded as the pioneer that combined American-style blending with European craftsmanship and introduced this style to both Europe and the US. On the other side of the ocean, postwar America's cherry-flavored mixtures sold on drugstore shelves and sweet Captain Black-style blends — that is, codger blends — cemented the type into mass culture.

Two main branches are historically distinguished:

• Danish style: Vanilla-, caramel-, and fruit-forward; sweet and soft in character.

• Lakeland style: Floral, scented blends associated with England's Lakeland region.

Smoking Characteristics and Debates

Aromatics' best-known trait is a room note that people nearby also tend to enjoy. The flavor that reaches the smoker's own palate, however, often stays fainter than that scent; the classic criticism that they "don't taste like they smell" is the type's standing point of debate.

Technically, the most commonly cited issue is a wet, hot burn: casing and moisture-retaining agents such as propylene glycol can raise the burning temperature and, with careless smoking, increase the risk of tongue bite. Slow smoking and letting the tobacco dry a while before packing are the known countermeasures.

Finally, aromatic blends are considered not to benefit from aging: community experience holds that the toppings fade within a year or two, and the blend begins to lose its character along with them. For this reason it is recommended that aromatics be smoked fresh rather than left to sit for a long time.