Ribbon Tobacco
Ribbon-cut tobacco is the most common form for smoking mixtures, offering an even burn, easy packing, and balanced flavour. It’s also the simplest cut for manufacturers, requiring less labour than plugs, flakes, or ready-rubbed varieties.
Ribbon cuts age faster than other forms, with noticeable changes in the first year but minimal differences afterward unless stored for many years. Virginia-based blends show the most transformation, while Cavendish-heavy mixes age poorly, and Latakia blends evolve more subtly.
Long-term aging can enhance flavours, though most change occurs in the first year as microbes process sugars and oxygen levels decrease, slowing further chemical reactions.
Shag Tobacco
Shag is a finer-cut ribbon, pressed briefly before being cut to a very fine thickness. Blends are first pressed into a square form before cutting, as ribbon-cut tobacco can't simply be sliced finer.
Shag ages like ribbon cut, with most changes occurring in the first year and slowing afterward.
Ready Rubbed Tobacco
Ready rubbed tobacco is made by loosely pressing a blend into a flake, then cutting and partially rubbing it out. It serves as an intermediary between ribbon-cut mixtures and full flakes.
Some manufacturers tumble the tobacco or fully produce flakes before breaking them apart for a ready-rubbed option. Methods vary, with some relying on mechanical processing and others incorporating hand-rubbing.
Plug Tobacco
Plug is a pressed block of uncut flake tobacco, allowing the user to choose their preferred thickness when cutting. It offers a more hands-on, rustic experience for those who enjoy the ritual of pipe preparation. Cutting a plug with a knife adds to the satisfaction of the smoking process.
Flake Tobacco
To make a flake, the blended tobacco must first be moistened to ensure proper pressing without crumbling. Some manufacturers use sugar casings or binders for cohesion. The tobacco is then loaded into a form and pressed under high pressure for a set time before being cut into bars and cross-cut into flakes, usually by machine.
Moisture levels must be carefully balanced—too dry, and the leaf breaks; too wet, and excess moisture squeezes out, stripping flavonoids. Ideally, moisture falls between 22-25% to maintain integrity during pressing.
Flakes age better than ribbon cuts due to reduced air exposure, allowing complex fermentation to develop flavours over time. As natural sugars break down into alcohol and CO2, the tobacco sweetens and mellows, enhancing its character over several years.
This is a condensed version of a full article on: https://www.smokingpipes.com/smokingpipesblog/single.cfm/post/know-your-tobacco-cuts
