Rancho Tobacco - Fine Cut

The name Rancho Tobacco represents a tobacco brand by J. van Horssen BV, offering finely cut tobacco (fine cut). The brand provides four distinct blends or flavors:

• Rancho Zware (black packaging): This blend consists solely of dark tobaccos and is the strongest variant of Rancho Tobacco.
• Rancho Halfzware (blue packaging): As the name suggests, this blend is made up of equal parts dark and lighter tobaccos.
• Rancho Blonde Shag (yellow packaging): A blend belonging to the "Lichte Shag" category, it is very mild and light in flavor.
• Rancho American Blend (red packaging): This blend comprises a classic American mixture (American Blend) primarily made of Virginia, Burley, and Oriental tobacco.

Why the Name "Zware Shag" (Heavy Tobacco)?

The term "Shag" today encompasses German terms like fine cut, rolling tobacco, or stuffing tobacco.

Zware Shag is a dark and very intense tobacco. The term "Shag" originates from the Dutch language. Given the Netherlands' historical role in tobacco trade and processing due to its colonies, "Zware Shag" became globally recognized as a term for strong and loose tobacco used in cigarettes.

Additionally, there is Halfzware Shag, a lighter and milder tobacco than Zware Shag, commonly found in Europe.

As a third variant, Lichte Shag is a slightly lighter tobacco with a very mild taste.

Fine Cut? What Kind of Tobacco Is It?

Fine cut tobacco refers to finely shredded tobacco with a size of less than 1.0 cm. This type of blend is particularly suitable for cigarettes, as the fine cut allows it to burn quickly.

Today, this rolling or hand-rolled tobacco is primarily used for self-made cigarettes. In the past, it was also used as pipe tobacco for so-called Shag pipes (pipes with a shallow, round bowl).

You can find some of these pipe tobaccos here: Fine Cut Pipe Tobacco

American Blend

The most common tobacco blends consist of the American Blend. This American mixture typically consists of 60% Virginia, 30% Burley, and 10% Oriental tobacco. However, the ratio varies from blend to blend.

Virginia tobacco is a generic term for all large-leaf, light-yellow, and sweet tobaccos, which are high in sugar content. Contrary to the name, this tobacco does not primarily come from Virginia in the United States. Today, hundreds of varieties are grown worldwide, with new ones emerging each year. Virginia tobacco (like Burley) grows in medium-heavy, fertile soils commonly found in Germany. Virginia varieties make up the majority of German tobacco production today.

Virginia tobacco in the industry is not fermented but subjected to alternating humidification, drying, heating, and cooling processes. This is called "Aging" (maturing) and "Redrying" (similar to roasting).

It is often sauced and flavored, meaning it is treated with a solution of sugar and aromas before being dried again. Aromatic substances are added to the tobacco, giving it a distinctive taste and smell. Nowadays, both natural aromas like rose petals, clove wood, honey, or molasses and artificially produced aromas are added. Burley tobacco, which has a high proportion in American Blend mixtures, absorbs many flavors during saucing.

Oriental tobaccos complete the American blend and contribute spices or flavor-enhancing tobaccos (dark varieties like Geudertheimer, Kentucky). These tobaccos are among the most versatile and serve as the raw material for the pleasantly aromatic, mild, and sweet Oriental cigarettes. As part of the blend, they harmonize the smoking flavor and, due to their high sugar and aromatic oil content, slow the burn rate. Most Oriental additions in today's blends come from China, the world's largest tobacco-growing country.

Cigarettes without Oriental tobacco and made solely from Virginia would burn too quickly.

Dark Tobacco

Cigar smokers in particular, when they occasionally switch to cigarettes, tend to prefer dark tobacco. It contains a high proportion of low-sugar, relatively heavy tobacco, offering a very spicy and slightly alkaline taste. Well-known cigarette brands in Germany for this type included Roth Händle and Reval. Popular brands for rolling tobacco include Drum, Javaanse Jongens, Van Nelle, and Schwarzer Krauser Nr. 1.