Latakia plant leaves cured

[stu]

Im aware that Latakia leaves are harvested cured and as in sort of smoking process. But is this necessary the smoking process or? And is it taste wise better for it to be sun cured?
I noticed about these leaves that are air cured. They taste very bitter and leave a very strong bitterness in the mouth. I'm used to bitter taste as in eating very bitter vegetables and herbs. But this is a another level of bitterness.
I made some blends with Latakia leaves as in either Cavendish and cooking steaming in jars. But the blends in the jar i noticed the bitter taste its very overwhelming maybe one can get used to it . Like bittermelon is very bitter but in a nice way if your used to it at first it also can be overwhelming. But the thing is every time i get some kind of sore throat when i smoke it and only the blend with the Latakia in it i get this sore throat feeling very fast i cannot even finish half a bowl. The smoke itself is not harsh or strong.
My question than is about latakia is it only smokeable after either cavendish or the very long smoking process. I also tried a small sample of 1 bowl with only pure latakia leaves shredded thats where i noticed the bitterness in the blend is from these latakia leaves.

 

[deluxestogie]

First, I will point out that "Latakia" is a fire-cured Oriental leaf, rather than a tobacco variety (even though it is sometimes sold as a variety). Commercial Latakia is usually made from a Basma-type Oriental that is intensely fire-cured over specific firing materials available in the eastern Mediterranean basin. The commercial product is so heavily fire-cured that there is virtually no remaining tobacco aroma—only the aromas (and taste) of the smoke produced during the firing.

That matter aside, if your air-cured leaf is "bitter", then it is not adequately cured. If you had sun-cured it, then it would likely resemble most other Basma-type Oriental varieties. Since your leaf has apparently already fully dried, then you may be able to salvage some smokable leaf by kilning it, or cooking it into a Cavendish. Neither of these will resemble commercial Latakia.

You may want to explore our threads on home-made Latakia, linked in our Index of Key Forum Threads.

Bob

 

[stu]

First, I will point out that "Latakia" is a fire-cured Oriental leaf, rather than a tobacco variety (even though it is sometimes sold as a variety). Commercial Latakia is usually made from a Basma-type Oriental that is intensely fire-cured over specific firing materials available in the eastern Mediterranean basin. The commercial product is so heavily fire-cured that there is virtually no remaining tobacco aroma—only the aromas (and taste) of the smoke produced during the firing.

That matter aside, if your air-cured leaf is "bitter", then it is not adequately cured. If you had sun-cured it, then it would likely resemble most other Basma-type Oriental varieties. Since your leaf has apparently already fully dried, then you may be able to salvage some smokable leaf by kilning it, or cooking it into a Cavendish. Neither of these will resemble commercial Latakia.

You may want to explore our threads on home-made Latakia, linked in our Index of Key Forum Threads.

Bob

Oh like that because i have bought the seeds from a tobacco grower and its been sold as Latakia seeds. The leafs are not green anymore they are cured to somewhat dark gold browish small leaves.
So the plant varies is just an oriental type of plant. not a Latakia. Even if their are seeds being sold as Latakia oriental seeds. So basically you can make from every tobacco leaf type a Latakia even a virginia.
And only these leaves are bitter from all of the Latakia (oriental)plants i had. All the other i have grown are not bitter. I did indeed explore the Latakia process. But was wondering if its smoke able without the trad Latakia process. Because i searched on the internet but i found that even with the commercial Latakia a lot of people experience sometimes a bitter taste or salty tongue.

 

[deluxestogie]

So basically you can make from every tobacco leaf type a Latakia even a virginia.

The variety will determine the nicotine concentration. Commercial Latakia, being made from a Basma-type tobacco, contains a relatively low concentration of nicotine.

Bob