In the 20th century, smokers made hand-rolled cigarettes because during and even after the war there were not enough cigarettes for everyone. I had to roll cigarettes with my hands from the newspaper. As a rule, they smoked samosad or shag. Difficult conditions spurred creative folk thought, and a Russian variety of hand-rolled cigarettes appeared, the so-called "goat's leg". This is a very special modification, the manufacture of which is a whole art. Rolling cigarette masters took a piece of newspaper, and it didn’t matter what shape it was, and made a unique product that consisted of a mouthpiece, forearm, joint, breech and plug. In general, the design of the "goat's leg" is very similar in structure to a smoking pipe.
What makes people smoke cigarettes?
Today, the "goat's leg" is already history, although there are probably craftsmen and lovers of self-garden smoking somewhere in the distant outback. Now rolling a cigarette is not a sign of poverty, but rather an indicator of style.
Rolling cigarettes with your hands, both young people and experienced smokers find it verybusy business. They are convinced that there is nothing better than it, made from good tobacco. And saving is also important: even with the purchase of excellent tobacco and high-quality paper, products are cheaper than purchased good cigarettes.
Another plus for savings and quality can be considered the ability to make a cigarette from such tobacco, which is most preferable. You can even prepare a unique tobacco blend that best suits the taste of the smoker.
Therefore, lovers of rolling cigarettes with their hands, both men and women (yes, the fair sex is no exception) do not give up this activity, although it is much easier to buy a factory pack of tobacco products.
How to roll a cigarette by hand?
Properly rolled cigarette is an exclusive product. This is a special ritual - rolling and smoking a cigarette that requires time and attention:
- Take a pinch of tobacco in one hand, a strip of tissue paper in the other. Moreover, the edge with the applied layer of glue should be on top and clearly visible.
- The paper is held with the thumbs, and the tobacco is evenly distributed with the index fingers.
- Between the thumbs and forefingers, paper is folded together with tobacco and twisted. You should get a round cigarette.
- Turn off the edge, moisten the glue with the tongue and seal the cigarette.
- Excess tobacco is removed from both ends of the cigarette, inserted into the mouthpiece or smoked directly without it.
Usethe mouthpiece is preferable, because without it, tobacco enters the mouth when smoking.
You can twist hand-rolled cigarettes with a filter, both with coal and with an ordinary one. The carbon filter cleans the smoke better, but it loses some of the tobacco charm, which many do not like. When rolling a cigarette, the filter is placed inside the paper along with tobacco.
Which tobacco is better?
You can use any type of tobacco, even pipe tobacco, for rolling cigarettes, but tobaccos with large cuts and high burning temperatures are not recommended. Connoisseurs especially appreciate Dutch tobacco brands such as VAN NELLE, HALFZWARE, DRUM, SAMSON.
In order to enjoy pipe tobacco in rolled cigarettes, it is cured before use, scattering a thin layer on a napkin, and dried for 10-15 minutes.
Tobacco for roll-your-own - regular, thin-cut cigarette. The only difference is the presence of a subtle aroma, which is absent in cigarette tobacco.
Tobacco is divided into categories:
- zwar - strong fire-cured Kentucky tobacco, 100% dark;
- halfzwar - semi-light-semi-dark tobacco, a 1:1 blend of rich Kentucky and Golden Virginia;
- mild - blend of Burley and Virginia tobacco with 10% Oriental tobacco (mild);
- extra/ultra mild - the same blend as mild, but with an even more pleasant and mild taste.
The main varieties of tobacco are: Virginia, Oriental, Burley, Latakia. They differdifferent composition of substances, processing methods and different taste. Roll-your-own tobaccos are usually flavored blends of different types of tobacco.
How to store tobacco?
When improperly stored, tobacco loses its taste. To avoid this, and it was pleasant when smoking, drying should not be allowed. Otherwise, the tobacco will crumble and taste harsh.
Tobacco must be stored in its original packaging, pouch or plastic bag.
If tobacco does dry out, it is scattered on a sheet of paper or a wooden board, slightly moistened, kneaded with hands and dried.
Tips for beginners
Those who decide to join the ability to roll and smoke cigarettes need to be patient - it takes a lot of time and practice to learn how to do it quickly and efficiently.
Rolling cigarettes with dirty hands is not allowed, it is not only unhygienic, but also considered blasphemy in relation to centuries-old traditions.
Rolling cigarettes are not made in advance, nor are they rolled or smoked in transport or on the go.
Paper should be rice or sugarcane paper, and the thinner it is, the better the final product will be and provide a natural feeling from excellent smoking.
