New Pipe Smoker With A Question? Ask an Old Fart

I was reading a bit from The Pipe Smoker's Ephemeris and wondered if any of you old timers could answer a question. The articles I have come across, from 20+ years ago all indicate that Orientals are Aromatic tobaccos and what we now call Aromatics were referred to as Flavored or Topped tobaccos. Anyone remember when this changed or why?

[Nick]

Originally Posted by TheJ

I was reading a bit from The Pipe Smoker's Ephemeris and wondered if any of you old timers could answer a question. The articles I have come across, from 20+ years ago all indicate that Orientals are Aromatic tobaccos and what we now call Aromatics were referred to as Flavored or Topped tobaccos. Anyone remember when this changed or why?

The dictionary definition of "Aromatic"

1. 1 of, relating to, or having aroma: a. a fragrant b. b having a strong smell c. c having a distinctive quality
2. 2 of an organic compound characterized by increased chemical stability resulting from the delocalization of electrons in a ring system (as benzene) containing usually multiple conjugated double bonds compare alicyclic aliphatic - Synonym - see odorous

The term aromatic does not necessarily mean smells good it just means it smells or has an aroma. Any tobacco is aromatic no matter what is done to it. In the pipe world Aromatic seems to generally mean "smells sweet," or smells like it is flavored. It's oversimplification of the word but for our purposes it seems to work.

As for the root of your question I can't exactly explain why or when the use of the term changed but I would think that the above may have some thing to do with it.

Of course I could be completely wrong.

[Mister Moo]

Originally Posted by TheJ

I was reading a bit from The Pipe Smoker's Ephemeris and wondered if any of you old timers could answer a question. The articles I have come across, from 20+ years ago all indicate that Orientals are Aromatic tobaccos and what we now call Aromatics were referred to as Flavored or Topped tobaccos. Anyone remember when this changed or why?

Here read ye the words of JohnnyFlake (as yet an unofficial Old Fart):

"I do recall conversations, about this topic, many years ago. I still have about 20 issues of the Pipe Smoker's Ephemeris and I was skimming through them this morning to see if I could find anything on this topic. I could not!

I do recall that, many years ago, the Oriental tobacco from the Eastern Mediterranean Countries, especially Turkey and Greece, were called Natural Aromatics. Many use to call the Syrian and Cyprian Latakia Tobaccos "Natural Aromatics". I believe the Key Word here is "Natural". The aromatic blends, of today, were always referred to as cased tobaccos years ago. They were never called aromatics back then.

I don't really know when the transition of Cased Tobaccos being called Aromatics actually occurred, but I suspect that is was a slow process of evolution, that probably stared in the 1960's.

I hope this helps a little."