Tobacco Flavor Taste: Light & Mildly Sweet
Curing Method: Flue-cured
Description: Virginia tobacco has a naturally sweet taste and the pleasantly sweet aroma of caramelized sugar. The tobacco leaves are large, ranging in color from lemon yellow to orange or even mahogany, depending on the stalk position.
History: Virginia tobacco was created by accident in 1839, when a slave in Virginia named Stephen inadvertently fell asleep while overseeing the fires lit in the barns to dry the harvested tobacco. He had entered the barn when the leaves were bright yellow, then recharged the fires so the leaves could continue the drying process until they were their usual brown.
But his falling asleep allowed the fires to flare up, creating a sudden drying heat that fixed the bright yellow color onto the leaf. The bright yellow color was accompanied by the pleasant, sweet smell of caramelized sugar – and a huge success with the French women who had just started smoking at the time. Its popularity continued to grow over the years, making Virginia one of the most common tobaccos in the world today.
Note: In North America, blended cigarettes typically use the three main tobacco types: Virginia, Burley, and Oriental. Popular blended brands include the Philip Morris International brands Marlboro, L&M, and Chesterfield.