Tobacco .

Introduction :-

        The tobacco plant is grown commercially for its leaves and stems , which are rolled into cigars , shredded for use in cigarettes and pipes ,processed for chewing , or ground into snuff , a fine powder that is inhaled through the nose . Tobacco products contain nicotine , an addictive drug .

                              

      Cigars and cigarettes are some of the tobacco products demanded by guests in a restaurant . It is the sommelier's responsibility to serve cigars and cigarettes to guests . However , most hotels and restaurants discourage smoking in public areas and do not sell tobacco products . Some hotels have smoking zones with named such as ‘ Cigar Terrace ’ or ‘ Tobacco corridor ' , for smokers to enjoy their cigars or cigarettes without being frowned upon by non - smokers . 

         A well - stocked bar will always have a good selection of cigars of all types .

                

Tobacco is grown in China , India , Java , Borneo , Sumatra , Japan , Central South Africa , and many other countries .

Although cigars are made in many parts of the world,the best cigars come from cuba and are named after its capital , Havana . Tobacco is grown all over Cuba and the finest ones come from Vuelta Abajo ,Partidos ,Remedios , and Oriente . All four of them produce fine - quality tobacco cigar leaves , but the best quality comes from Vuelta Abajo .

           After tobacco is harvested , it is cured , and aged to improve its flavour . There are four common methods of curing tobacco . 

   They are as follows :-

          • Air curing 

          • Flue curing 

          • Fire curing 

          • Sun curing 

Air curing :-

          It is carried out in well - ventilated barn , where the tobacco is air - dried for six to eight weeks . Air - cured tobacco is low in sugar , which gives the tobacco's smoke a light , sweet  flavour , and it is high in nicotine . This method is suitable for making cigar .

Flue curing :-

            In this method , tobacco is kept in an enclosed barn heated by hot air from flues . The tobacco is not directly exposed to smoke . This method produces tobacco that is high in sugar and has medium to high levels of nicotine . It is the fastest method of curing , requiring about a week . It is suitable for all kinds of cigarettes . Virginia tobacco that has been flue  cured is also called ‘ bright tobacco ’ , because flue curing turns the leaves gold , orange ,or yellow .

Fire curing :-

           In this method , smoke from a low burning fire on the floor spreads and passes through the leaves . This gives the leaves a distinctive smoky aroma and flavor . It take takes about three to ten weeks and produces a tobacco low in sugar and high in nicotine . It is suitable for pipe Tobacco , chewing tobacco ,and snuff .

Sun curing :-

           In this method , tobacco is dried uncovered in the sun . This method is used in Greece , Turkey and other Mediterranean countries to produce oriental tobacco . Sun cured tobacco is low both in sugar and nicotine . It is used in cigarette .

         The cured tobacco are tied into small bundles of about 20 leaves , called ‘ hands ' , and then packed into larger bundles called ‘bales '  . The bales are carefully aged for 18 months to three years to improve the flavour and reduce the bitterness of tobacco .