Shag varieties are the best

Shag varieties description

Shag varieties. Rustic tobacco, translated from Latin - makhorka, a herbaceous plant.
The name comes from the name of the city famous for its tobacco industry.
The main regions for growing makhorka in Russia are the southern regions.
The main advantage of the plant is that it adapts to any soil and to any climate.
Dry leaves contain up to 20% citric acid.
Dried tobacco leaves are not only smoked. They are also used as a remedy. Tobacco neutralizes snake venom and disinfects wounds.
It is used by shamans in their rituals.
Some people think that makhorka is the lowest grade of tobacco. You are wrong! It is an independent plant close to tobacco, one of its varieties. There are a lot of varieties and varieties of shag.

Let's consider some varieties of shag.

Crimean makhorka

It is one of the best varieties, the selection of which was carried out during the years of the Soviet past.
- Undemanding to the type of soil.
- Easy to cultivate.
- It is only required to pick flowers during the growing season.
- The growing season is short.
- Better to grow through seedlings.
- Can be planted starting from May.
- Nicotine content up to 9.2%.
- From one bush, you can get up to 60 grams of the finished product.

Serebryanka

- Flowering begins 30 days after planting.
- The bush is not high, reaching a height of up to 1.3 meters.
- Has a ribbed stem.
- Susceptible to disease.
- Leaves are dark green. The bush can produce up to 10 leaves.
- Material weight from a bush is about 60-70 grams.

Lemonikha

- Yellow color.
- Flowering starts after 44 days.
- The number of technical sheets - up to 15 pieces.
- The amount of nicotine - up to 5%.
- The bush can give up to 70 grams of finished product.

Samara

Very hard to the touch. Can be mixed with other types of tobacco as it is very strong.
Best used for those who like to smoke a pipe.
The variety surprises with its low price and high quality.

Mopacho

In Peru, it is considered sacred tobacco.

- Not pretentious and grows in any climate and on any soil.
- More than a meter high with large leaves.
- You can plant both in early May and June.
- Can be grown indoors.
- Nicotine content is very high up to 15-20%.
Use should be approached very carefully. You can get a burn of the mucous membrane, a violation of the nervous system, hallucinations.
Remember, this is a ritual tobacco used by shamans. It is best to mix it with other, lighter varieties of tobaccos.

Eletskaya

- Grows in the southern and central regions of Russia.
- The fortress is average.
- Productivity is average.
- Pleasant aromatic taste.
- Watering is moderate.
- Doesn't require special attention.

A bit of history:
One of the first factories in Russia was established in Yelets by the Decree of the Imperial Court. She brought her owners big profits.
Supplied to the royal court. Paid to the Russian treasury more than a million rubles in excise taxes.

Stamper

- Originally from Turkey.
- The leaf is large.
- Average fortress.
- Possesses a bright taste and rich aroma.
- Gives a sweetish smoke when smoked.
- The variety is rather late-ripe.

Makhorka varieties Yellow 106-109

- These two varieties of makhorka are similar to each other. 106 matures earlier.
- From the beginning of planting to flowering, it takes about 40-45 days.
- From the beginning of flowering to ripening 40-50 days.
- Grown by seedlings.
- There are not many leaves, about 8-10 pieces.
- The mass of the finished dry product from one bush is about 40 grams.
- Early planting gives more yield.
- Has a tendency to defeat pockmarked and sore.
- Plant height 0.7-0.8 meters.

There are many varieties of tobacco. Below are the varieties suitable for our climate:

Virginia 202

A variety of the Krasnodar Institute of Tobacco and Makhorka. Early ripe, picks up strength and aroma very well. Resistant to many diseases. High in carbohydrates. Adapted to growing with little or no watering. Very reliable, unpretentious.
This variety belongs to dark Virginias, which have a darker mahogany hue, rich aroma and medium strength. At home, a fire dryer can be replaced with a solar one. Drying in a greenhouse or between window frames gives a good result; in the heat, the main thing is to provide humidification with the help of containers with water. The longer the processing and fermentation of a Virginia leaf takes, the darker, aromatic and rich it becomes. Even in our conditions, this variety stably grows up to two or more meters and has a leaf size of about seventy centimeters, second only to Burleigh in these indicators. The ripening period is medium late, but with timely planting, it ripens perfectly by the end of September. When ripe, the leaf acquires a pronounced marked yellowness. The planting scheme is traditional: 70x30 cm.

Virginia Gold

Virginia is the sweetest tobacco in the world. It is mainly used in the bag of manufactured cigarettes (70% of the whole bag is the base) and pipe mixes. The variety is native to America, Virginia. It is currently grown throughout Western Europe and Russia. Golden Virginia is the easiest to grow, adapted for central Russia, since it has resistance against tobacco diseases (tobacco mosaic disease, etc.). Also very good for beginners (easy to control maturity). It is best grown in the open sun rather than in the shade. As the leaf turns yellowish green, it is removed. Gives a very large yield of raw materials. Medium late variety, ripens by mid-August. It grows quickly, loves moderate watering. The bush is "dense". The length of the leaves reaches 60-65 centimeters or more. The stem is thick, about 4-5 centimeters in diameter. The bush is 200-220 centimeters high. Flowers from pale Pink to bright Pink. The seeds are small. The smoke aroma of this variety is bright, with a slight sourness, fruity-sweet due to the large amount of sugars. Burning is excellent. The fortress is average. Fire drying is recommended (duration is about 4-5 days) after which the leaf acquires a light yellow, light brown color, but in our conditions it can be replaced with solar, with a complete loss of chlorophyll. The longer the drying time, the darker and stronger the leaf becomes, with a rich aroma. For the full disclosure of the taste, fermentation is required, the more the better (from six months to a year).

Herzegovina Flor

Tobacco with a unique taste and aroma. People call it "Stalin's Tobacco".
Has achieved popularity due to its highly productive, taste and aromatic qualities, as well as medium-moderate strength. Great for smoking in a pipe and filling cigarettes. It is used both in various bags and separately.
In cultivation, it is unpretentious, reaches a height of more than one and a half meters. The leaves are some of the largest for the semi-aromatic type. Due to the instability of the variety, under certain conditions mutations with a height of three meters are observed. Such giants were popularly called the Duke, however, it has not yet been possible to consolidate such a useful property.An important feature of the variety is that it does not tolerate accelerated and artificial fermentation and fully manifests all its qualities only after at least six months of aging. Landing scheme: 70x25.

Ducat Crimean

Crimean tobaccos have always been highly aromatic. And in the Middle Lane, they showed themselves from the best side. Plants are large. Leaves up to half a meter long. Easily fermented.
Dukat Crimean is very popular among domestic amateur tobacco growers. It is unpretentious in cultivation, rather early maturing. The bush is low, but dense, the leaves are up to fifty centimeters long, the correct oval shape. Unlike other varieties, the leaves ripen before the color appears, so they start harvesting from July. The readiness of the sheet is determined by the appearance of a light yellow border at the edges. Combined sun-shade drying is applied to the variety. One of the features of Dukat is that it does not tolerate accelerated and artificial fermentation. This variety was originally bred for cultivation on the territory of the USSR, and therefore it is quite resistant to climate conditions even in Central Russia, although it loses a little in aroma in the north.
Planting scheme: 70x20 cm.

Kentucky Barley

Kentucky Barley tobacco naturally has a pleasant nutty flavor. This compares favorably with other varieties of tobacco, which must go through a difficult and long way of fermentation before use, especially difficult for beginner tobacco growers.
Burley is the # 1 tobacco used in the cigarette industry. In the United States, it is grown primarily in eight states. Approximately 70% is produced in Kentucky.

What characterizes this variety? Burley is low in sugars, high in essential oils. The nicotine content in the leaf varies from average to very high levels. Many lovers of this tobacco call Burley a chameleon - Burley is able to "dissolve in a tobacco mixture, absorb the aroma of the environment - tobacco of other varieties." Indeed, Burleigh is capable of accepting 20-25% of its own weight of flavorings. Canada at one time limited the import of Burley cigarettes due to the high content of flavors.

This strain by its nature contains a high percentage of nicotine. In our conditions of central Russia, he does not gain much nicotine, and this is also ideal for growing.

Makhorka Moscow

A subspecies of tobacco, which differs from Nicotiana tabacum in smaller growth (up to 120 cm) and greater strength. Rustic tobacco got its botanical name for its ubiquity and ease of cultivation. Almost no care is required for her, with the exception of edging and pinning. The peculiarity of this variety is that it is tobacco for those who were late to plant other varieties in early spring. It is not too late to plant a makhorka even in June, and directly into the soil, that is, in a seedless way, and it is guaranteed to yield a harvest by September. However, in order to obtain high-quality raw materials, it is still better to plant it with seedlings, but two to three weeks later than tobacco. Unlike tobacco, makhorka is completely unpretentious and grows calmly from the southern regions up to the Arctic Circle. Another feature: the makhorka is cut off with a whole bush and thus dried. In order for the languor to begin right at the root, a few days before cutting, plastification is used, that is, the stem is cut in half. When cooking shag, the stem (badyl) also matters. When crushed, it is added to the fermented leaves to reduce the strength. Thus, tobacco can be smoked separately, but many people prefer to add it to various tobacco blends to give them a special aroma (especially pronounced in this variety), and Virginia tobaccos are also strong. Even for non-smokers, tobacco has a use as a pest and moth control agent. Planting scheme 50-70x20 cm.

Maryland - Maryland Tobacco

Maryland is one of the three main varieties of the American subspecies of tobacco, just like Burleigh is a non-Virginia Merilyan variety. Ranks third in terms of planting in the United States, and is grown in other countries. This tobacco has been grown in Russia since 1828.
The "Maryland" tobacco is a light variety. The color of the finished raw material is dark brown.
The taste is restrained, has a fine texture and excellent flammability. Used for all traditional French flavored cigars and cigarettes. The amount of nicotine is low. Light, light, air-dried.
High-yielding, early ripening. Disease resistant.
It is unpretentious in cultivation, it easily adapts even to the climate of central Russia, although it does not reach the results at home here. On average, plant height in our climate is 1.8 meters, leaf length is up to 50 cm. Mid-season, flowers are released relatively early. In the case of edging, it gives a lot of stepsons and needs to be removed. Better than many varieties, it is resistant to tobacco diseases, which is important for self-cultivation. The leaf is dense, normally green, needs to be stewed, but erupts relatively easily. Shadow cured tobacco. Fermentation or aging is highly desirable for full flavor development. The planting scheme is traditional: 70x30 cm.

Holly 316

Late-ripening form, intensive type of leaf maturation. Low in nicotine. From planting to maturation of the leaves of the last breaking 120 days.
The shape of the plant is cylindrical with protruding leaves. The leaf is sessile, long, broadly elliptical, light green. Technical leaves 30-37. The variety is mid-late, skeletal type. The beginning of flowering on the 108th day, the maturation of the leaves of the first tier on the 80-85th day. The variety is resistant to peronosporosis, tobacco mosaic virus. The inflorescence is round, medium compact. The pommel is slightly pointed. Leaf swelling is average. The edge of the leaf is even or very slightly wavy. The corolla of the flower is light pink. The nicotine content is 1.0-1.5%, the Shmuk number (the ratio of carbohydrates to proteins) is 3.0.

Turkish Refectory

It got its name from the name of the Turkish city of Trabzon. Resistant to unfavorable growing conditions. Ripens quickly.
Turkish has long been successfully acclimatized to Russian and Ukrainian conditions. And successful zoning is far from the last thing for growing tobacco. It is quite possible that due to long-term cultivation in our humid climate and rich soil, it reaches incredible sizes for a typical Oriental (up to three meters in height, according to Ushakov), but it is also quite likely that this is a hybrid that successfully combines high productivity of American varieties with oriental aroma and sweetness. In any case, it is not worth chasing the size and re-fertilizing Turkish: due to the excess of nitrogen, it becomes very strong and loses in aroma. But with proper cultivation, the variety has a rich, independent aroma with chocolate notes and an average strength. When smoked, it gives off white thick smoke. Turkish can be used in a pipe and roll a monotabac, but it works best in a bag of skeletal American varieties. Easily gritty and does not require special fermentation. And although now Turetsky is gradually being replaced by foreign varieties, it still remains very popular among gardeners. Landing scheme according to Ushakov 100x70 cm.

A good selection of tobacco seeds here:

Growing tobacco at home is no more difficult than any other culture. The main difficulty is post-harvest processing, so that it becomes fragrant. But this is quite doable. So, if you smoke, you can start cultivating tobacco - this will save you money and get quality products.

If you seriously intend to grow this plant at home, then you are probably interested in the question of how many varieties of tobacco there are in the world. More than 100 varieties are cultivated all over the world today.And they were started by only two: "Virginia" and rural tobacco. Virginia has become the basis of many quality varieties of our time. Rustic is still used for low-quality cigarettes.

Fragrant varieties of tobacco

In addition to the already mentioned high-quality variety "Virginia", today there are several more especially rich aromatic varieties. For example, Burleigh. The color of this tobacco is brown with a matte shade. Drier and denser than Virginia due to lower sugar content. In cigarettes, it is supplemented with all kinds of sweeteners. Grown in the USA, Mexico and Malaya.

Another spicy variety of smoking tobacco is Latakia. It is actively used to create English smoking blends. Her aroma is always in the lead in all compositions. The plantations of real high-quality "Latakia" today remain only in Syria and Cyprus.

The best varieties of tobacco to grow in the room

It is preferable to choose the varieties of tobacco in accordance with with the region of residence. For example, for the North Caucasian and West Siberian regions, it is better to grow the following varieties:

• "Trapezond Kubanets";
• Trapezond 162.

In the central regions, varieties grow better:

• "Cigar 17";
• "Bryansk 91".

For the Central Black Earth Region choose Trapezond 15.

Almost all tobacco grown today can be divided into two types: Nicotiana tabacum and Nicotiana rustica, their hybrids are also found. Usually for the manufacture of cigarettes I use a combination of several varieties of tobacco. The basic ones include only 7 varieties that are used to make high-quality cigars, cigarillos and cigarettes.

Virginia

This variety is the most common and popular for cigarettes. It has a sweetish taste due to its sugar content (up to 20%), moreover, it has a fruity aroma, which will not leave indifferent fans of scented tobacco. The color of the leaves is usually called sunny (it has a bright orange color), and there is also a lemon shade. Thanks to this color, "Virginia" can be easily distinguished from other species. Now "Virginia" is the main component of any tobacco.

This species can be grown where the climate favors it. But at the moment, the best location for growing the Virginia variety is Africa, or rather the country of Zimbabwe, Brazil and some American states (Both Carolina, Georgia). It has already been said above that this variety contains a large amount of sugar, but nicotine in it, if we take the average component, is 2%.

The Virginia variety goes through the traditional processing method. In order to preserve the color and its taste, a special steam dryer is used. Steam drying, or in other words smoke drying, is an artificial drying that is used to dry most types of tobacco. The process involves drying the leaves using chimneys through which hot air enters the barn. This type of drying is considered fast. It gives the leaves a yellow tint. After drying is over, the leaves are left in the shed for several days so that they have time to absorb the remaining moisture from the air. If you thought that this is all, then it is not so. After the leaves have passed all the main drying stages, they are transported to the tobacco factory, where they will be aged for several more years. As soon as the aging process comes to an end, the leaves are separated from the stems and prepared for sale, that is, they are distributed according to quality and color.

Burleigh

The main difference between this species is its nutty taste. Burleigh is brown, but also red. Unlike from the variety "Virginia" that was described above, "Burley" practically does not contain sugar, but nicotine in the composition of as much as 4%. Due to the low sugar content in tobacco, it is often saturated with sweeteners so that it does not give off strong bitterness during use.The lack of sugar is expressed by the firmness and dryness of this Virginia variety.

The described type of tobacco takes the silver line in terms of content in tobacco mixes, of course, after the variety "Virginia". It is grown mainly in the USA and Mexico.

The leaves reach the desired condition by natural drying, that is, only the collected tobacco leaves are hung in a well-ventilated barn and there they already reach the desired degree of humidity, and natural ventilation of the room (wind) helps them in this. This is followed by the traditional aging, splitting and sorting process.

Latakia

This variety is the leader among "spicy" tobaccos. It is said that its scent cannot be confused with any other species. The cultivation of "Latakia" is currently only taking place in Cyprus.

The aroma of this tobacco is peculiar - masculine, has a similarity to the aroma of incense. Because of its peculiar smell, this variety is not suitable for everyone, but in England they love it very much and add it to almost all tobacco mixes. These mixtures contain 40-45% of this tobacco. If you are interested in trying pure Latakia tobacco, then do not forget that this is a saturated tobacco that burns poorly and dries out the nasopharynx. Those wishing to appreciate the taste of this variety simply have to try the following tobacco mixes: LondonMixture or EarlyMorningPipe from Dunhill tobacco company.

Drying of the leaves, after harvesting, occurs in the sun (naturally), and then the leaves are brought to the desired state with a dense stream of smoke emanating from a burning tree, which completely covers the leaves with soot. Usually oak or pine is fired. As a result, it turns out, a kind of hot smoked tobacco. Drying lasts several months until the tobacco leaves are completely blackened.

Parik

This variety is very rare, but unusually fragrant. It has a black color and a firm structure that very much resembles leather, it goes well with a delicate and pleasant aroma. The aroma combines the scent of compote, while the aroma is intense, which is even felt by people standing nearby. This type has a high content of nicotine and, as a rule, it is used in mixes, but with the addition of no more than 5%.

Oriental

The name of this species speaks of its origin - the Eastern Mediterranean. His homeland is Cyprus, Greece and Turkey. It is cultivated there to this day. Countries from the Balkan Peninsula have also begun to cultivate this species.

Now about the properties. There is less sugar in this form than in Virginia. Due to the small amount of sugar in tobacco, it has a sweet and sour taste and a dry herb smell. This combination cannot be confused with another type of tobacco. Very often this tobacco is used in English-style blends such as OrientalMixture.

Tobacco leaves, after being harvested, are dried in the sun. In tobacco mixes, it is easily recognizable due to its greenish-yellow hue.

Kentucky

This variety is a specially processed type of another variety of tobacco, which was described above - Burleigh. Its production is carried out in the state of Kentucky (USA), in Malaysia. The main difference in obtaining this variety is that, unlike Burley, which is air-dried, this one is fire-dried. Yes, it does not have the same smoky aroma as Latakia, but it has a peculiar taste that is quite distinguishable, which makes it special. Also, this variety contains a high amount of nicotine, which, as everyone has already guessed, involves the use of a small amount of it in mixtures. It is not recommended to use it in its pure form.

Cavendish

This variety is an independent species though, and is made by a mix of Virginia and Burley varieties, which are specially processed. When creating this type of tobacco, other types can also be used, such as, for example, in Dutch mixes.

A bit of history.Cavendish is the name of the famous captain of English descent. One day, returning from the Caribbean to England, there were many empty rum barrels on the ship. For the captain's reasons, it was unreasonable to transport empty barrels and ordered to put tobacco in them. Upon arrival home, it became known that aging in wooden barrels is only good for him. The tobacco was saturated not only with rum - the heat and natural ventilation of the room during storms made it not only soft, but also fragrant. Thus, it follows that the cargo has gone through the splitting process more than once, being in barrels under pressure. This process reduced the level of nicotine in the tobacco and freed itself of all volatile compounds. This is how a new species appeared - the Cavendish.

Today the American type "Cavendish" is made by the abundant addition of molasses. That is why tobacco has a combination of caramel aroma. It is necessary to clarify that not all types of Cavendish, which was based on "Burleigh", are saturated with flavorings. Natural tobacco, for example, is made in the state of Kentucky. In addition, most of the Cavendish varieties created on the basis of Virginia tobacco are natural. No additives or flavors are used in their manufacture.

Black Cavendish is also made from Virginia, which gets its name from its black color, which is obtained through special processing. It is possible to dry tobacco both by air method and in drying chambers - not fundamentally. An interesting fact is that the preparation of natural "Cavendish", obtained from "Virginia", takes place more than once fermentation, and then it is folded in dark rooms for storage. Moreover, this species will have to be stored longer than others. As a result, "Black Cavendish" is an aromatic and soft-tasting tobacco variety with a bright spicy aroma. In order to increase the saturation, manufacturers deliberately increase the temperature during fermentation.

No British blend is made without Cavendish tobacco.

There is a huge variety of tobacco varieties in the world, and in this article you learned about the most basic of them.