Indonesian Tobacco

[El Presidente]

Indonesia grows some excellent tobacco but has had a negative rap over the years. 

Good background article from James Suckling here. Worth a read. 

https://www.cigaraficionado.com/article/tobacco-mecca-7361

https://en.tempo.co/read/1513927/5-leading-tobacco-producing-regions-in-indonesia

5 Leading Tobacco-Producing Regions in Indonesia

Translator: 

Dewi Elvia Muthiariny

 

Editor: 

Petir Garda Bhwana

5 October 2021 12:13 WIB

0 COMMENT

 

 

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Indonesia is one of the largest tobacco producers in the world. To tobacco farmers, the plant is even deemed as green gold.

Indonesian local tobacco is renowned for its high quality. In fact, it is the most sought-after commodity in the international tobacco market. Referring to the Agriculture Ministry’s page pertanian.go.id, here are five best tobacco-producing regions in the archipelago:

1. Temanggung, Central Java

Temanggung is one of the biggest tobacco producers in the country. Located in a highland that stretches from the slopes of Mount Sumbing to Mount Sindoro, the small town is known as a tobacco 'paradise' with its famous Srintil tobacco.

2. Deli, North Sumatra

Since the colonial era, Deli has been known as one of the world's best tobacco producers. Karl J. Pelzer, author of Toean Keboen and Peasants: Colonial Politics and Agrarian Struggles (1976), names Deli as 'Dollar Land'.

The combination of seeds, climate, and soil types in the area produces tobacco with savory aromas and tastes. Its tobacco is also used as a cigar wrapper.

3. Lombok, West Nusa Tenggara

Lombok is a very fertile area for tobacco farming. In certain seasons, the fields are full of green tobacco leaves.

Senang tobacco is one of the most popular and sought-after by kretek or clove cigarette smokers. The tobacco that has a fragrant aroma in an ivory color thrives in Senang Hamlet, Suntalangu, East Lombok.

4. Madura, East Java

Pamekasan Regency is one of the largest tobacco-producing areas in Madura with a land area of 31,251 hectares spreading over 13 districts. Most Madurese tobacco is absorbed by cigarette manufacturers as the main raw material for cigarettes and as a mixture of kretek cigarettes.

Madura is famous for its Campalok tobacco, which is quite rare because of the limited farming land in Jembengan hamlet, Bakeong Village, Guluk-guluk District, Sumenep.

5. Jember, East Java

Jember is quite well known as one of the main tobacco-producing areas in Indonesia. The type of tobacco that is widely grown in this area is Besuki na-oogst tobacco. In addition to its distinctive aroma, this tobacco is famous for its elasticity to become a cigar wrapper, and that's why it is famous in the international market.

[oneizzzz]

It's cool to read about the boom times of an industry.  I didn't know anything about Indonesia/Indonesian Tobacco.  When folks see a gold mine somewhere and start swinging for the profit fences.

Especially fascinating when it involves organic goods, since it's so hard to predict quality.  So much of it then comes down to marketing, who was quickest on the draw, and who has the most money.  It seems good that Cuba has a monopoly on its own tobacco.  Sovereign dignity or something like that. Maybe that's a romanticization - considering what I've read on FoH about Cuba's woes.

Can anyone recommend threads/articles about the history of the centralization of the Cuban cigar industry?  I only know the basics.  Was there a time when Cuba thought of selling their unrolled tobacco to foreign companies?  If so, what stopped that?

[Bijan]

3 minutes ago, oneizzzz said:

Was there a time when Cuba thought of selling their unrolled tobacco to foreign companies?  If so, what stopped that?

They did sell to the US. The cigars were called clear Havanas.

Don't know the entire history but the embargo definitely would have ended it if it had not ended before then.

 

[Meklown]

12 hours ago, El Presidente said:

Indonesia grows some excellent tobacco but has had a negative rap over the years. 

 

Personally i've had a few Indonesian cigars and I feel that the negative rap is warranted 🤣

Though to be honest, I don't feel like I've had enough to have a definitive pov

[El Presidente]

1 hour ago, Meklown said:

Personally i've had a few Indonesian cigars and I feel that the negative rap is warranted 🤣

Though to be honest, I don't feel like I've had enough to have a definitive pov

I have had a few. 

Tambo (the ones i have had) are good. Creamy. They would suit many. 

[Nino]

22 hours ago, El Presidente said:

3. Lombok, West Nusa Tenggara

Lombok is a very fertile area for tobacco farming. In certain seasons, the fields are full of green tobacco leaves.

Senang tobacco is one of the most popular and sought-after by kretek or clove cigarette smokers. The tobacco that has a fragrant aroma in an ivory color thrives in Senang Hamlet, Suntalangu, East Lombok.

Nice, been to Lombok and loved the hospitality of the people there and their easy going spirit. Shattered by the earthquake disasters recently.

Never seen tobacco in Lombok, but i was south in Kuta ( NOT the Bali Kuta ! ) and north in the small islands Gili Air, Gili Meno and Gili Teranwangan..... No water, no electricity back then, just a small hut and sleeping in my Sarong for 10 days- LOVED the islands !!

Wrote a small travel guide for Lombok back in 1985 but it's in German 🙂

Apa kabar, baik ? Bagus - Selamat jalan dan terimah kasih.

[RDB]

I spent a couple of months travelling in Indonesia in 1994. Cool place, apart from the brutal political oppression, obvs. I enjoyed those foul kretek cigarettes. I reckon each one had the tar of three or four full-strength western ciggies. 

[BrightonCorgi]

Hajenus has Indonesian tobacco blended into their cigars.  Makes sense considering their Dutch history.

[Huckleberry]

There was a line of Montecristo, DR not CC, that came out in the late 90s.  I believe they were called Le Cigre de Arts.  Contained beautiful artwork inside the lids of the boxes, and sold art pieces seperately that were gorgeous as well.  Hey Thad, you do know you can't smoke the box right? 

Well the cigars inside were distinguished and they smoked beautifully with a complexity and flavor that continued to improve well past 2010 when I unfortunately smoked my last.  Something at the time that was pretty hard to convince anyone could happen with anything other than a cuban cigar.

Anyway, once these became harder and harder to find, I found myself asking, what in the world made them so much better than any other NC Monte?  Come to find out they were documented to have a special wrapper from Indonesia.  It was an absolutely fantastic cigar, somewhat cubanesque in all qualities, but of course not meeting the extent and style of twang.  

I have no idea why I just shared that information....oh yes, the conversation regarding Indonesian tobacco.

[Edicion]

Went to pick up a bottle of Australian Shiraz for the weekend at a new wine & liquor shop and saw they had pipe tobacco for sale. I asked if they had any cigars too and the guy pulls out a pack of Indonesian cigars. It's the first time seeing these and so honestly I have no clue what they are like. I got the cardboard box of 5. I was not seeing any humidor where they could've come from so I was a bit skeptical if they would be ok or not. Anyway, not talking big money, but still.

To my surprise they came packed in airtight packages "fresh packs" and also conveniently pre-cut in a V shape. 

I haven't smoked one yet, but the first impression of the aroma is that it's very similar to Swedish snus tobacco. If you know what that smells like, this is 100% the same. Very close to a smell of fermented, ammonic, putrid spinach leaves that are close to starting to rot. Which, by the way, is a smell I really like. Snus smell that is. 

I'll post a review later on what they actually taste like. 

[gustavehenne]

20 hours ago, Edicion said:

Went to pick up a bottle of Australian Shiraz for the weekend at a new wine & liquor shop and saw they had pipe tobacco for sale. I asked if they had any cigars too and the guy pulls out a pack of Indonesian cigars. It's the first time seeing these and so honestly I have no clue what they are like. I got the cardboard box of 5. I was not seeing any humidor where they could've come from so I was a bit skeptical if they would be ok or not. Anyway, not talking big money, but still.

To my surprise they came packed in airtight packages "fresh packs" and also conveniently pre-cut in a V shape. 

I haven't smoked one yet, but the first impression of the aroma is that it's very similar to Swedish snus tobacco. If you know what that smells like, this is 100% the same. Very close to a smell of fermented, ammonic, putrid spinach leaves that are close to starting to rot. Which, by the way, is a smell I really like. Snus smell that is. 

I'll post a review later on what they actually taste like. 

Will be interested to hear how you get on. I've visited Jakarta (for work reasons) half a dozen times but never yet tried the local cigars. Kretek cigarettes really isn't my thing - the smell puts me off.

On another note - are the cigars too dry? From the pics the foot looks a bit dry but interested to hear how it does smoke... 

[medzikone]

My friend gave me other day one of these. He bought them in Barcelona. I was really surprised how tasty they were. Nothing special but really pleasant tabacco

[Spaceman Spiff]

Figure I might as well chime in with my (limited) experience with Indonesian tobacco...

A year or two ago I kept hearing good things about Stolen Throne's Crook of the Crown blend (and that is completely aside from Cigar Federation's extra hyped descriptions, haha) but yeah I saw it reviewed well a few places and some folks on various forums seemed to like them, so I ordered 10 toro and 10 robusto.

Amazingly rich, intense and complex - but they have a very distinct dry quality to them. The cigars are comprised of a San Andres wrapper and Nicaraguan and Indonesian fillers and there is indeed Nicaraguan influence in the smoke, probably even predominately so, but there is definitely some extra very interesting complexity that is in addition to the dryness that I really appreciated.

I smoked a few, sent one off to a fellow Nicaraguan fan on another forum and then stashed the rest to age. The other forum member got back to me and said it was way too dry for his tastes but thanked me for sharing. Personally I can enjoy something like a dry wine so long as it compliments the qualities of the wine but I know that's not for everyone.

[Andy04]

On 11/6/2021 at 5:50 PM, stevenhaugen said:

Will be interested to hear how you get on. I've visited Jakarta (for work reasons) half a dozen times but never yet tried the local cigars. Kretek cigarettes really isn't my thing - the smell puts me off.

On another note - are the cigars too dry? From the pics the foot looks a bit dry but interested to hear how it does smoke... 

Next time you are there just walk into any Hero Supermarket and they will sell Dos hermanos in robusto and toro sizes. 

Very decent and remarkably cheap long filler puros.

 

[Luca]

On 10/6/2021 at 9:28 PM, El Presidente said:

I have had a few. 

Tambo (the ones i have had) are good. Creamy. They would suit many. 

A friend holidaying spent ages looking for a place in Indonesia that sells Tambo Cigars. I believe it was called Tambo because it is from the Tambolaka region in Indonesia. Are they still in business?

[Paso]

Tambo cigars still in business and you can easily buy them in Jakarta at any cigar shop/lounge. I have smoked a few.... Well constructed but they have metallic taste which I can't stand. I have tried all long filler hand rolled Indonesian cigars and I did not like them at all. I still have this Tambo cigar in my desktop humidor resting....