Tobacco Talk

Mystery Review: March 2026

March 30, 2026 by Tyler Caldwell

Welcome to another episode of Mystery Review, our monthly series in which our panel of experts attempts to identify a mystery tobacco. For March's edition, our guest Inquisitor is Steve Norse of Vermont Freehand. Will his mysterious submission leave us bewildered, or will we correctly guess the tobacco he's presented to us? Join us ... Read More

The Barrels That Built An Industry

March 27, 2026 by Truett Smith

3 Comments

Humans have enjoyed tobacco for literal millenia — just years ago researchers found evidencethat prehistoric peoples chewed tobacco seeds. However, its trade is a comparatively much more recent venture. Native Americans were known to carry pouches of tobacco for personal consumption and bartering, but there isn't any evidence of widespread tobacco trade ... Read More

Tobacco Selections: Cornell & Diehl Palmetto Balkan 2026

March 25, 2026 by Kayla Ivan

2 Comments

Cornell & Diehl's latest Small Batch, Palmetto Balkan, returns, and Jeremy Reeves, Head Blender of C&D, shares some insights about the blend and the unique varietals utilized to achieve the experience of smoking long-lost Syrian Latakia. ... Read More

10 Blends for the Spring Season

March 20, 2026 by Kayla Ivan

6 Comments

t's that wonderful time of the year where the weather starts to mellow and nature begins to bloom — that's right, it's spring! For the dedicated pipe smoker, warmer weather also means more comfortable outdoor smoking in the yard or on your patio. With that in mind, it's time for another edition ... Read More

Smoking 100-Year-Old Pipe Tobacco with Steve Norse

March 13, 2026 by Shane Ireland

13 Comments

In today's special episode, we have a once-in-a-lifetime experience to share with you: Steve Norse of Vermont Freehand joined us in our roundtable and opened an over 100-year-old tin of Cope's Bond of Union for us to smoke. Join us as we dive into this ultra-aged tobacco and share our thoughts on the oldest tin of tobacco ... Read More

Top 10 Best-Selling Aromatic Tobaccos

March 11, 2026 by Kayla Ivan

97 Comments

Updated for 2026. romatic blends, unlike Virginia, English, or Burley mixtures, aren't defined by their particular components. Instead, Aromatics are characterized by their flavoring and distinctive room note, a categorization that can be somewhat misleading for newcomers. While it's true that many tobaccos ... Read More

Tasting Notes: Steamworks 2026

March 3, 2026 by Shane Ireland

1 Comment

Welcome to another episode of Tasting Notes. I'm very excited today, as I usually am when I sit in this chair. I am revisiting an old friend and honestly, one of the most impressive and my personal favorite tobaccos that's been released ... Read More

Tobacco Selections: Cornell & Diehl Small Batch Steamworks

February 27, 2026 by Kayla Ivan

7 Comments

In this Tobacco Selections video, Jeremy Reeves is excited to share the return of Cornell & Diehl's Small Batch: Steamworks for 2026, available on Tuesday, March 3 in limited quantities. ... Read More

Mystery Review: February 2026

February 25, 2026 by Alan Britt

1 Comment

Welcome to another episode of Mystery Review, our monthly series in which our panel of experts attempts to identify a mystery tobacco or cigar. For February's edition, our guest Inquisitor is John McElheny, Pipe Specialist at Smokingpipes. Will his mysterious submission leave us bewildered ... Read More

A Closer Look at Flue-Cured Tobacco

February 20, 2026 by Kayla Ivan

14 Comments

Flue-cured leaf, more commonly known as Virginia tobacco, is the most popular tobacco family in our industry. It is also the largest tobacco crop in the United States, making up about 90% of tobacco production. Flue-cured is mild, naturally sweet, and excellent on its own or combined with other varietals, like Burley, Perique, and Orientals. Today ... Read More