1. Air-cured Tobacco
It is normally sheltered from wind and sun in a well-ventilated barn, where air dries for six to eight weeks. Air-cured tobacco is low in sugar, which gives the tobacco smoke a light, sweet flavor, and high in nicotine. Cigar and burley tobacco are air cured.
2. In Fire Curing
In this method, smoke from a low-burning fire on the barn floor permeates the leaves. This gives the leaves a distinctive smoky aroma and flavor. Fire curing takes three to ten weeks and produces a tobacco low in sugar and high in nicotine. Pipe tobacco, chewing tobacco and snuff are fire cured.
3. Flue-Cured Tobacco
This tobacco is kept in an enclosed barn heated by flues or pipes of hot air, but it is not directly exposed to smoke. This method produces cigarette tobacco that is high in sugar and has medium to high levels of nicotine. It is the fastest method of curing requiring about a week. Virginia tobacco that has been flue cured is also called bright tobacco, because flue curing turns its leaves gold, orange or yellow.4. Sun-cured Tobacco
This tobacco dries uncovered in the sun. This method is used in Greece, Turkey and other Mediterranean countries to produce oriental tobacco. Sun-cured tobacco is low in sugar and nicotine and is used in cigarettes.
