Do Oriental varieties need to be kilned?

[DonH]

I tied up some of my Smyrna #9 into hands tonight. I took 1/2 leaf from the 3rd priming batch and shredded it and smoked a cigarette of it just to see. It was extremely smooth and good tasting. Had that incense aroma to it. It had been hanging for no more than six weeks. Do Orientals traditionally need aging? Kilning? I know for American varieties, un-aged can taste harsh. But this didn't. Got a touch of a headache, though, so I am wondering if some compounds need to be aged out

 

[FmGrowit]

Any type of tobacco can be cured by methods employed by any other tobacco type. You will get different cured leaf results from each curing type you perform.

Flue cured Burley will not produce a Flue Cured Virginia...for example. A Fire cured Oriental will produce something similar to a Latakia. Air cured Fire cured will not have any "Fire Cured" qualities what so even...regardless of the name of the type.

Oriental tobaccos are Sun Cured. If you don't Sun Cure your Oriental, you end up with pot luck.

 

[istanbulin]

Yes, orientals needs fermentation too. Turkish grown orientals were previously aged or naturally fermented for 1 to 2 years. This aging directly depends on weather changes. Each year ageing starts in April and ends in September (active phase is about 3 months each year). Leaves should be 14-15% humid and humdity should be about 75-80% due to lack of a heater and temperature controller, temperature changes from 75 to 95 F. This slow fermentation called natural fermentation.
Costs (labour, stroage, etc.) of this natural fermentation are very high. So for years, guided fermentation (kiln) is prefered. Orientals fermentation doesn't need to be long as other varieties. 8 to 10 days will be enough under conditions of 70% humidity and 105 to 130 F temperature.

 

[DonH]

Any type of tobacco can be cured by methods employed by any other tobacco type. You will get different cured leaf results from each curing type you perform.

Flue cured Burley will not produce a Flue Cured Virginia...for example. A Fire cured Oriental will produce something similar to a Latakia. Air cured Fire cured will not have any "Fire Cured" qualities what so even...regardless of the name of the type.

Oriental tobaccos are Sun Cured. If you don't Sun Cure your Oriental, you end up with pot luck.

Understood, but my question boils down to why does my recently air-cured Smyrna taste good with no aging?

 

[istanbulin]

Understood, but my question boils down to why does my recently air-cured Smyrna taste good with no aging?

Because most oriental leaves contains less proteins and other compuonds (e.g. oils, nicotine, etc.) than others. This cause more smooth smoke without fermentation but fermentation improves their taste.

 

[DonH]

Because most oriental leaves contains less proteins and other compuonds (e.g. oils, nicotine, etc.) than others. This cause more smooth smoke without fermentation but fermentation improves their taste.

That makes sense. I am definitely going to age it because I have a good supply of aged Oriental on hand.