The best ways to smoke require an appreciation for the art of fine tobacco, and part of this appreciation often involves some kind of ritual.
A cigar connoisseur, for example, will not simply smoke a cigar. They will have a ritual of taking one out of the humidor, using a cutter or a knife to slice off the cap to prepare it for an even, relaxing, languid smoke.
Similarly, filling a pipe with tobacco is a very ritualistic process, filled with routine, preparation and anticipation for an exquisite bowl filled with specially selected tobacco blends.
Many people smoke cigarettes for convenience, but there is still a ritual to it, particularly if you prefer to make one yourself with hand-rolled tobacco.
Whether it is about ritual, convenience, or to make the most of your tobacco, hand-rolled cigarettes have a lot of appeal, but which tobacco should you use for them?
The answer will depend on what you want out of your smoking experience, what types of flavour profiles you like out of your smoking experience, and how much you want to personalise your particular blend.
A hand-rolled cigarette, also known as a roll-your-own in the United States, is a cigarette you roll yourself.
It is made up of three basic components:
- Loose tobacco, typically a shag cut, and ideally designed with rolling in mind
- Rolling paper, typically cut to cigarette size
- A filter, which helps control the smoking experience by improving the flavour and reducing the harshness
What makes it so appealing is that a hand-rolled cigarette is extraordinarily versatile and personal, which means that people smoke them for very different reasons.
Some smokers who made the switch to rolling tobacco did so to save money and have greater control over what they smoke; rolling tobacco is typically far cheaper per cigarette than cigarettes, with greater benefits for buying in larger quantities.
For other smokers, it is a matter of avoiding a lot of the damaging additives that can sometimes be included in mass-produced cigarettes. Using loose rolling tobacco avoids many of these problems and lets you make cigarettes as thick or as thin as you like.
Finally, for connoisseurs, the key is quality; rolling tobacco is a unique experience compared to pipe tobacco and provides its own unique hit.
Rolling tobacco is different from pipe tobacco or other loose tobacco in how it is cut, how it burns and the flavours that come as a result.
There are a lot of different tobacco types available, and many of the brands you can buy today rely on one or more of these in careful mixes.
Here are the three main types of tobacco and the flavour profiles that they bring to your hand-rolled cigarettes.
Naturally sweet and smooth, with a burn profile that makes it easy to get an even burn, Virginia tobacco is as standard and classic a flavour for rolling tobacco as the Connecticut Shade leaf is for.
As it is aromatic, light and remarkably sweet, Virginia leaf tobacco is a common favourite either on its own or paired with other rolling tobaccos.
By contrast, burley tobacco is typically more robust in body, earthy in flavour and denser in burn, designed to add strength and fullness to a hand-rolled cigarette, particularly given the strength of the experience it provides.
Known for its spicy aroma, oriental tobacco is unique, distinct and complex, often providing the accent to a hand-rolled cigarette. Because of its unusual flavour profile, it does not tend to be rolled on its own.
You absolutely can blend these different types, and a lot of very popular rolling tobacco brands today are blends.
However, you can also blend different blended products together to find the perfect balance of flavours, such is the beauty and precision of hand-rolled tobacco.
There are countless amazing rolling tobacco brands out there, but we have opted to showcase five which provide a diverse range of flavours and are suitable for everyone, from beginners at rolling cigarettes to those looking for a fresh, bold new flavour.
A premium blend focused on a pure, natural smoking experience, Pueblo Classic is predominantly made up of sun-ripened Virginia tobacco grown without pesticides or chemical fertiliser.
This gives it an authentic smoothness, making it easy to roll, even in how it burns and with a rich, mild earthy flavour.
A British tobacco gem, Auld Kendal is a full-bodied blend made primarily from only the finest Virginia leaf out there. Auld Kendal Gold is widely acknowledged to be one of the very best hand-rolling tobaccos available… so it’s an absolute must-try.
The original additive-free blend, American Spirit provides a long, satisfying smoke thanks to its carefully-selected Virginia leaves which provide a mile, sweet note but a remarkably full body.
Probably the first brand that comes to mind when you think of rolling tobacco, Golden Virginia is well-known for its sweetness and particularly rich flavour.
Whether you enjoyed its mild flavour, its accessibility or its remarkably complex potential for blending, Golden Virginia has remained a favourite for decades.
An artisanal choice that comes from smaller Virginia tobacco farms, Cutters Choice is easy to roll, easy to burn and has the mild, rich flavours characteristic of the Virginia leaf.
