Abstract: Flavorful tobacco extracts are provided by subjecting a moist spray dried tobacco extract to heat treatment. The moist extract is contacted with a sugar and an amino acid, and exposed to a temperature above about 100.degree. C. in a pressure controlled vessel. Resulting flavorful extracts are useful as forms of tobacco in cigarettes and other smoking articles.

Abstract: Cigarettes having high nicotine content tobacco cut filler are rendered smooth smoking and palatable by incorporating an organic acid salt additive therein. For example, a cigarette having a cut filler with a blend nicotine content of greater than 2 percent has a sodium levulinate additive combined with the tobacco cut filler of the cigarette. Smooth smoking cigarettes yielding good tobacco taste and minimal off-taste are provided.

Abstract: A smoking article includes a short, combustible, carbonaceous fuel element in a heat exchange relationship with a substrate carrying glycerin, tobacco extract, and a portion of an essential oil gland bearing plant. For example, fragments of cinnamon bark, lovage root, chamomile flowers or cardamon physically separate from the fuel element provide for a controlled release of a flavor profile during use of the smoking article. Heat provided by the burning fuel element acts to release essential oils from the glands to provide a complex flavor and aroma profile. The smoking article is capable of providing the user with many of the pleasures of smoking by heating but not necessarily burning tobacco.

Abstract: Cigarette rods and filter rods are provided by manufacturing rods from tobacco cut filler and a circumscribing paper wrap, and then subjecting the rods to conditions such that the cut filler undergoes volume expansion while within the paper wrap. For example, the tobacco rods can be exposed to propane under supercritical conditions within a pressure chamber followed by a venting of the gaseous fluid to expand the tobacco cut filler. The resulting rods are very firm, have good integrity, and frequently do not undergo any noticeable visible change. The resulting rods which contain the volume expanded tobacco can be used as smokable rods for cigarettes or as cigarette filters.

Abstract: A cigarette-type smoking article has a short tobacco-containing fuel element, a passageway for mainstream tobacco smoke flow, a flavor source which provides enhanced flavor to the tobacco smoke which passes therethrough, and a mouthend piece. The article is highly air diluted and the air dilution is provided through the periphery of the article as perforations in a region immediately behind the fuel element. Such an article delivers highly flavored mainstream tobacco smoke and relatively low levels of pyrolysis and/or combustion derived wet total particulate matter.

Abstract: Cigarettes having low efficiency filters, rods of cut filler having a low packing density, and paper wraps having a high net permeabilities and low inherent permeabilities can yield good taste, low gas phase mainstream deliveries as well as low amounts of visible sidestream smoke. Typical cigarettes have relatively large amounts of volume expanded flue-cured tobacco materials as cut filler, paper wraps containing magnesium oxide and/or magnesium hydroxide, and relatively high levels of air dilution.

Abstract: Cigarettes have a smokable filler blend comprising 60 to 75 percent tobacco cut filler and 25 to 40 percent of a second smokable cut filler consisting essentially of 50 to 70 percent calcium carbonate, 15 to 45 percent pyrolyzed cotton linters, and 7 to 12 percent polysaccharide binder. The blend is contained in a paper wrapper having a permeability from about 40 to about 75 CORESTA units. Cigarettes normally include a filter element and are air diluted to an air dilution level of from 40 to 65 percent. The smokable blend preferably is blended with a tobacco essence, and the nicotine content of the blend is greater than 2 percent. Cigarettes exhibit resistances to draw between 80 and 150 mm water pressure drop at 17.5 cc/sec. air flow. Cigarettes exhibit FTC "tar" to nicotine ratios less than 9.

Abstract: Cigarettes having high nicotine content tobacco cut filler are rendered smooth smoking and palatable by incorporating an organic acid additive therein. For example, a cigarette having a cut filler with a blend nicotine content of greater than 2 percent has at least one organic acid additive incorporated into the cigarette in an amount of greater than 1 percent. Smooth smoking cigarettes yielding good tobacco taste and minimal off-taste are provided when the majority of the organic acid additive is levulinic acid. The levulinic acid can be in a dissociated and/or nondissociated form. For cigarettes having filter elements, at least a portion of the levulinic acid can be present in the filter element. Alternatively, cigarettes can have at least a portion of the levulinic acid provided in the form of nicotine levulinate.

Abstract: Cigarettes having incorporated therein a salt such as nicotine levulinate exhibit low FTC "tar" to nicotine ratios while (i) having a smooth, palatable, flavorful taste, and (ii) providing smoking satisfaction to the user. The cigarettes do not exhibit a harsh or irritating character; and do not exhibit a non-tobacco or off-taste.

Abstract: In one aspect, the invention provides a simple, readily manufacturable, low tar cigarette with individual puff deliveries similar to those obtained from conventional cigarettes which have a higher total smoke delivery such as a full flavor cigarette. The low tar cigarette includes a tobacco rod segment having a length of 53 mm. or less abutting a filter segment having an overall length of at least 31 mm. wherein the filter segment includes a synthetic fiber filter plug and provides a smoke delivery reduction of at least 55% and wherein the cigarette has an average puff count of 6.5 or less. In another aspect, the invention provides nonconventional smoking articles which have an elongated nonsmokable mouthend portion, i.e.

Abstract: A method and system for effecting sensory evaluation of a smoking product wherein selected smoking parameters are monitored precisely while a smoking product is being smoked ad libitum by a sensory evaluation panelist. The monitored smoking parameters are used to coordinate a sequence of instructions and prompts that is communicated to the sensory evaluation panelist and is designed to elicit sensory ratings from the panelist for the product being smoked. This allows the smoking product to be evaluated with the least possible disruption to the panelist's normal smoking patterns and leads to a better understanding of the smoking characteristics of the product being evaluated.

Abstract: Filter cigarettes can be manufactured in a highly cost effective manner. Filter cigarettes include a tobacco rod having two segments of smokable material. The first segment is positioned at the lighting end of the cigarette and includes expensive, normally high quality tobaccos. The second segment is positioned at the filter end of the rod and includes cost effective smokable materials. A cellulose acetate filter element is axially aligned with the rod and is positioned adjacent to the second segment. Tipping material attaches the filter element to the tobacco rod. The second segment extends along the rod up to about 20 mm past the foremost point which the tipping material extends. The combined longitudinal length of the filter element and the second segment extends up to about 60 percent of the total length of the smoking article.

Abstract: Cigarette rods include four segments of smokable material. First and second segments are positioned at the extreme ends of the rod. The first segment is positioned at the end of the rod to be lit. A third segment is positioned adjacent the first segment, and a fourth segment is positioned adjacent the second segment. The density of the third segment is greater than the fourth segment. The first and second segments can be "dense ends" or "loose ends" relative to the respective adjacent segments. The cigarette rods have a relatively uniform burn rate provided by treatment of the wrapping material of the rod with burn rate suppressants and burn rate accelerators in the positions thereof which overlie the third and fourth segments, respectively.

Abstract: A method and system for effecting sensory evaluations of smoking products are disclosed wherein a plurality of spaced points or segments are designated along an elongated body of smokable material and sensory evaluation panelists are requested to assign an intensity rating for one or more selected attributes as the fire cone reaches each of the spaced points or segments. In a preferred embodiment programmable computer means are employed to lead the sensory evaluation panelists through the evaluation procedure and to receive the assigned intensity ratings and other responses from the panelists.

Abstract: Cigarette rods include four segments of smokable material. First and second segments are positioned at the extreme ends of the rod. The first segment is positioned at the end of the rod to be lit. A third segment is positioned adjacent the first segments, and a fourth segment is positioned adjacent the second segment. The density of the third segment is greater than the fourth segment. The first and second segments can be "dense ends" or "loose ends" relative to the respective adjacent segments.

Abstract: A cigarette, having a tobacco rod consisting of at least two segments. The segment toward the filter end of the tobacco rod has a density at least 20% greater than the fire-end segment. The density differential may be combined with a nicotine differential, such that the fire-end segment has a higher nicotine content than does the filter-end segment. This configuration alters the nicotine delivery of the invention, providing a nicotine delivery either uniform during the last half of the cigarette or at levels reduced from those seen during the first few puffs.