Tobacco Processing

Selecting the right blend of tobacco is the first step in cigarette production. Our experts use their detailed knowledge to carefully select the blend of different tobacco types (such as Virginia, Burley, and Oriental) and leaf grades are used in our cigarette brands. The tobaccos are selected to maintain the consistency and distinctive character of each brand.

In addition to tobacco, which is the main ingredient in all of our cigarettes, other ingredients are added to many of our brands. Some ingredients, such as humectants, help maintain the moisture and pliability of the tobacco leaf. Others contribute to the taste and aroma of the tobacco leaf smoke.

After the tobaccos are blended together, the tobacco blend is finely cut before it passes through a drying cylinder to reduce moisture. When the moisture reaches an optimal level, the blend is ready for cigarette manufacturing.

 
The tobacco leaves that Emerald Industries selects for the production are grown in countries all over the world: U.S.A, Brazil, Mexico, Italy & Turkey are the biggest suppliers of tobacco leaves to the Group.

Different Cigarette Blends:

American Blend

American blend is the most popular cigarette blend across the world, as an overwhelming majority of cigarettes belong to American blend. This blend comprises flue-cured Virginia tobacco, air-cured Burley tobacco and sun-cured Oriental tobacco mixed in certain quantities, ranging from one brand to another, but usually it is 50% of Virginia, 35-40% of Burley and 10-15% of Oriental tobacco. The brand mixture can vary depending on the customers' taste, which is different in almost every country.

 
One of the determining features of the American blend is the inclusion of reconstituted tobacco and expanded stems.

 
These increase the filling value, reduce tar and nicotine delivery, improve the balanced burning rate, maintain the overall flavor (taste, smell and feel), and are important to get the desired balance of the blend. In American blend cigarettes, each of the three tobaccos it contains has a determining role to play:

 
Role of Burley
The role of burley depends on the processing of such through an adequate casing and toasting operation. The operation is crucial to developing any American blend cigarette of international standard.

 
Role of Oriental
The role of oriental is to provide a slight aroma with a smooth taste.

 
Role of Flue-Cured
It is the main contributor to the sought-after flavor. The role of flue-cured is largely dependent on the combinations of the selected Full Flavor, Medium Flavor and Filler grades.

 
English Blend (Virginia)
English Blend contains almost only flue-cured Virginia tobacco, with no flavoring ingredients. For this reason, cigarettes belonging to this blend are sometimes named Virginia cigarettes. This blend is popular in the United Kingdom, Canada and several other countries.

 
Oriental Blend
The base tobacco for Oriental blend is Oriental tobacco, which is mixed with Burley or Virginia tobaccos, providing a rich flavor and sweetish-spicy taste.

 
German Blend
German blend is similar to American Blend in its composition, but contains higher amounts of Oriental tobacco. In addition, cigarettes belonging to this blend have a smoother taste since they do not have so many flavoring ingredients as American-blend cigarettes.

 
Turkish Blend
Turkish blend is based on Oriental, Burley and Turkish tobaccos, which in combination give a rather vivid taste and tangy flavor.

 
Moldavian Blend
Moldavian blend features a mixture of Virginia, Oriental and Burley tobaccos in specific proportions.