Do OTCs have additives?

[loki993]

I tend to avoid OTC pipe tobacco. Basically for the sole reason that I think, like OTC cigars, they have non tobacco additives in the. The thing is I hear people recommend stuff like PA all the time.

So my question is do the OTCs actually have additives in them and if they do what are some tobaccos from other makers that are similar that do not?

 

[Blackhorse]

All tobacco blends have additives in them, my man. :affraid:

Casings are added during the curing process for one, which are sweeteners and the like, sprayed on the leaves prior to and perhaps during the curing process. This is in essence universal. Then when blenders get the leaf they may or may not add their own solutions. Greg Peace wrote a good article about this, or at least commented on it in his blog. A quick google search might locate it. Many blends are advertised or at least described as "all natural" etc., and the tobaccos themselves are indeed natural...but the casings added to them are what they are...and they ARE present. I think that to find a tobacco without these additives (and believe me you wouldn't like it) you have to grow the product yourself, or get it from a grower prior to curing.

So take Prince Albert as an example...as basic a Burley blend as you're likely to find...sure there might be other blends out there that approximate it in terms of cut and flavor...but they too have additives...whether they are blended by GL Peace, Peterson, Cornell & Diehl, McClelland, Mac Baren, Peretti, McCranie, Pipeworks and Wilke, Gawith (both sides of the family), etc., etc., etc.

Honestly, I wouldn't worry much about the issue, as firstly you can't get away from it, and second, they only enhance the smokability of the blends. They won't hurt you...and have been a tradition for hundreds of years. The only one I'm not sure about is Tambolaka...and it's in a class by itself.

After that, it's all a matter of personal taste preference. Some love American aromatics with their added flavors and PG and all, others prefer the Gawith 'strong dark' Brit badboys...and everything in between. Smoke what you like and don't worry about it, it's all good.



By the way...the same thing is true of cigars...from White Owls to Pepins. :twisted:

 

[DrumsAndBeer]

As Blackhorse mentioned Greg Pease discusses this a bit within the FAQ's section of his webpage - http://www.glpease.com/FAQ.html

He addresses additives or casings in the "On Tobacco" section. Scroll down some more and be sure to read the "Some Popular Myths" section. This portion is very informative on the subject, or should I say misnomer of smoking only natural tobacco.

 

[mark]

I think that to find a tobacco without these additives (and believe me you wouldn't like it) you have to grow the product yourself, or get it from a grower prior to curing.

I can confirm homegrown can be pretty harsh. Aside from cellaring for an extended period to mellow it out, a spritz or two can calm it down.

 

[billmess]

does anyone have more info on tambo? I've been wondering if it had any additives at all.


Bill

 

[Rob_In_MO]

MMMMMMmmmmmmmmm Propylene Glycol... :shock:

 

[jefe1037]

MMMMMMmmmmmmmmm Propylene Glycol... :shock:

I sprinkle a little MSG in my Borkum Riff for good measure... learned this from Kyle

 

[loki993]

Interesting I didn't know that. It does make sense though I suppose. I guess my biggest worry is added nicotine or other things like that. Basically all the crap they put in cigarettes and those nasty OTC cigars you can get. Especially as a former cigarette smoker that kind of ting concerns me.

So I suppose some PA is worth a go?

 

[williamcharles]

PA is good but get some Carter Hall too. You won't be sorry.

 

[loki993]

PA is good but get some Carter Hall too. You won't be sorry.

Looks good. What about Half and Half? That looks pretty decent to me

 

[monbla256]

I tend to avoid OTC pipe tobacco. Basically for the sole reason that I think, like OTC cigars, they have non tobacco additives in the. The thing is I hear people recommend stuff like PA all the time.

So my question is do the OTCs actually have additives in them and if they do what are some tobaccos from other makers that are similar that do not?

If your really worried about that stuff, ALL tobacco has additives starting with the chemical stuff used by the growers of the tobacco to produce a crop! Youv;e been consuming "additives" in most everything you use since the day you were born if you live here in the US. Why worry about this now?

 

[Kyle Weiss]

MMMMMMmmmmmmmmm Propylene Glycol... :shock:

I sprinkle a little MSG in my Borkum Riff for good measure... learned this from Kyle

I can't remember what delightful mixture it was, but my first Propylene Glycol experience was noted when I left a bag of tobacco open to the good ol' Nevada atmosphere for a MONTH (this was back when I was smoking a pipe, but had no idea what I was doing) and noted it was still moist. This disturbed me.

I actually suggested sprinkling a little flake aluminum in your tobacco. :scratch: Didn't I? :king:

8)

 

[docwatson]

Good old Glycerin and Propylene Glycol are Drugstore blends best friends. :lol:

 

[Blackhorse]

does anyone have more info on tambo? I've been wondering if it had any additives at all.

Since Tambolaka is cured in the rafters of the huts of the growers (that's what they say anyway...I think this is a cottage industry kind of thing) and given this is in Indonesia (bug country...big time) I'm thinking that there's gotta be all kinds of bug parts in there...little feelers, antlers, itty bitty feet, chunks of exoskeleton...you know what I'm talkin' about. And lots of bug poop!

Aside from the bug poop, I have no idea. It would depend on aspects of the growing like pesticides, if any. And when the native growers haul it down to the local processing place...do THEY spray it down with something. Again, I have no idea...and I doubt that you can actually find out. The guys that hawk this stuff from over in Malaysia are going to tell you what they think you want to hear...a guess on my part. But then again, it's one of those...'Who ya gonna call?' kind of things.

 

[loki993]

does anyone have more info on tambo? I've been wondering if it had any additives at all.

Since Tambolaka is cured in the rafters of the huts of the growers (that's what they say anyway...I think this is a cottage industry kind of thing) and given this is in Indonesia (bug country...big time) I'm thinking that there's gotta be all kinds of bug parts in there...little feelers, antlers, itty bitty feet, chunks of exoskeleton...you know what I'm talkin' about. And lots of bug poop!

.

ahh bug poop, I've always found it adds a nice flavor to a tobacco.

Do you all smoke the OTC stuff or just go with the "good" stuff?

 

[williamcharles]

PA is good but get some Carter Hall too. You won't be sorry.

Looks good. What about Half and Half? That looks pretty decent to me

I like H&H too but Carter Hall is less apt to bite you. H&H can if you get too energetic with it.

 

[EC Outlaw]

I always keep some Carter Hall on hand. It is a good basic straight burley. Not too much propylene glycol added. And for a long time, it was my tobacco of choice, before I discovered all the other stuff. :lol:

Prince Albert used to make two different cuts; one for pipes, and a finer cut for "rollin' your own", like the old cowboy types. irat:

I was never impressed with Sir Walter Raliegh, though.

Try a lot of different things. And smoke what you like.

 

[Blackhorse]

We all smoke whatever we want. lol



There's a lot to be said for the OTC's like...tradition...and cost...and availability...etc. But for me - I never really was exposed to many of them, so it was what I would call...the regular stuff...from the start. A lot of McClelland and Cornell & Diehl...which I still enjoy (depending).

Bit I think that no matter what you start out with from this point on, the more you get into it as a "hobby" thing the more and different kinds of blends you naturally start trying and you'll move off of the OTC's (still likely keeping them around for an occasional smoke) and into the other blenders items. It's kind of a natural progression that we all go through. And especially if you hang around here...with this or that guy touting this or that blend...we'll make SURE you get exposed to new and different blends! It's our mission!!!!

 

[tiltjlp]

does anyone have more info on tambo? I've been wondering if it had any additives at all.

Since Tambolaka is cured in the rafters of the huts of the growers (that's what they say anyway...I think this is a cottage industry kind of thing) and given this is in Indonesia (bug country...big time) I'm thinking that there's gotta be all kinds of bug parts in there...little feelers, antlers, itty bitty feet, chunks of exoskeleton...you know what I'm talkin' about. And lots of bug poop!

.

ahh bug poop, I've always found it adds a nice flavor to a tobacco.

Do you all smoke the OTC stuff or just go with the "good" stuff?

And what makes you think that American Classic Blends/OTCs aren't "good" stuff too?

 

[Blackhorse]

Hey! It wasn't ME! I didn't say that. It was HIM!