The Burley-21 variety tobacco plant...most versatile tobacco and easiest to grow.
When I first started growing tobacco I wish someone had of recommended the Burley 21 variety. It is the most forgiving plant to the novice as well as being the most versatile tobacco. This tobacco is easy to grow because it is the most disease resistant tobacco available. The dreaded tobacco Mosiac virus that attacks most tobacco plants does not seem to effect this variety. I am including a link that explains the fungus mold resistance and back crossing that stabilized this amazing plant which was not the modern GMO gene splicing, but through cross pollination in the 1960s. The parent Burley plants this comes from date around 500 years old, all the way back to Columbus days and maybe even further back, but that is all the history we have on this plant when it was first used in society.
This amazing variety is a staple in the pipe tobacco industry. It does not get much better with age like Virginia does due to it's much lesser sugar content than Virginia, but it does wonders for making some awesome aromatic pipe tobacco blends because of it's ability to absorb flavorings and extracts without getting all sticky and gooey which reduces tongue bite. Burley tobacco can burn slowly and is a cool smoke if air cured extensively in dark barn rafters. Then it can make a nice addition to blends that tend to burn too fast and strong. It also can be found in some of the most popular pipe tobacco blends. It can be air cured, pressed or made into twist. Burley-21 can be fired or steamed and made into twist tobacco like Samuel Gawith Black XX twist or the Sweet Maple twist. I have a recipes for making the sweet maple twist from Burley-21 if anyone wants me to post it. The shade grown Burely 21 can even be used for cigar wrapper & binder if it is grown in medium brown sandy type soil with good drainage or the sun grown leaves can be used to make cigar fillers. In some famous brand cigars like the flavored box pressed cigars it is used to not only absorb more flavorings, but to slow down the burn rate on the middle filler part of the cigar. The Burley-21 grown in darker soils with more humus than sand have a more of a nutty/chocolate note and a fuller strength and taste.
I still love my Habano 2000, Cuban Criollo 98 and Florida Sumatra tobacco varieties as nothing can replicate the famous cigar flavor these varieties have to offer, but as for versatility and making awesome pipe tobacco the Burely-21 is something I try to grow every year. If you have a bad year with too much rain fall and all your other plants die from root rot or something you will at least be left with some healthy Burley-21. I might add that Burely-21 can vary greatly in strength, taste and appearance due to different zones, humidity and soil conditions.
Here is the link as promised. https://play.google.com/store/books/...d=Yqs0AAAAMAAJ
