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Oriental tobacco grows principally in Turkey, Bulgaria, Greece, Yugoslavia, Romania and Italy, and accounts 16% of world tobacco production.
Oriental tobacco is a sun cured tobacco. It gives a mild smoke with very characteristic aroma, and have a great deal of small leaves
Oriental tobacco is a sun cured tobacco. It gives a mild smoke with very characteristic aroma, and have a great deal of small leaves. The finished product ranges in color from yellow to brown, and is strongly aromatic. Resins, waxes and gum exuded by glandular hairs (trichomes) furnish the aroma. Nicotine is low averaging around 1.0%.
Oriental leaf is characterized by its small size, leaf length is 3-10 inches and is 2-3 times the width. Average plant heights are 3-5 ft. The leaves are hand primed, normally sewn on a string, and are dull yellow to rich brown in color. Oriental, or Turkish, is a spice tobacco known for its nutty, somewhat “sweet and sour” flavor.
Largest importers of Oriental tobacco are the U.S., Japan and Germany.
This tobacco derives its name from the area in which it's grown: the Eastern Mediterranean. Each of the varietals, in fact, are named after the towns or regions they come from.
Turkey actually prohibited the export of tobacco seed, and claims Turkish tobacco as a geographic indication because its flavor and color is affected by the soil and air quality around it
Europeans taught the Ottomans how to cultivate and cure tobacco, although over time the Turks perfected their own methods of growing, curing, smoking, and using tobacco.
Thus Yenidje and Smyrna are Greek, Samsun and Izmir are Turkish, Drama is Macedonian, and Xanthe is from the region of Thrace, which is mostly in Greece.
For all intents are purposes this is all one region, united for many years under Turkish rule (hence the interchangeable terms “Oriental” and “Turkish”.)
The best quality Turkish tobacco leaves undergo lengthy treatment and are mildly fermented.
