Flavored Tobacco

While the cigar-smoking purist will always prefer the taste of the natural tobacco, a good many cigar manufacturers have no problem selling cigars that are infused with flavors of all kinds. As with pipe tobacco, cigars can be rolled from leaves that have been steamed and soaked in flavored solutions such as vanilla (as in Vanilla Dutch Master Box) or cherry. Drew Estate cigars - famous for their line of Acid Cigars - are known for their innovations in flavored tobacco that appeal to a wide range of smokers.

Drew Estate Steps Up to the Plate

The Java series of Drew Estate cigars brings hints of cocoa into the mix. They also offer "coffee liqueur" cigars, which can be made to taste like Kahlua, Mudslides, White Russians and other exotic drinks. The Ambrosia series introduces various spices to the tobacco, such as Nectar and Mother Earth. While some pipe tobaccos, such as Borkum Riff, have flavors on the label like Kentucky Bourbon, they are not as pronounced as the Drew Estate line of flavored cigars.

An Alternative to Pipes and Cigars

Another venue for smoking flavored tobaccos is the hookah lounge. A hookah is a water pipe with one or more (usually more) flexible stems protruding from the body, with a large bowl on the top for the tobacco. Hundreds of flavors are available, and hookah lounges have become a major player in the overall tobacco market. This also represents an economical approach to tobacco consumption, as patrons of hookah lounges do not have to purchase the tobacco to keep at home (nor do they face the associated cost of a humidor).

The passion for flavored smoke has even bled over into the e-cigarette market. E-cigs use heat elements to vaporize flavored liquid solutions (some infused with nicotine, some not). The result is a non-combustible way to enjoy the flavor and feel of smoking without the associated health risks of inhaling the smoke from burned tobacco. But, like they say, there's nothing like the real thing.