About Tobacco – FAQ
Due to laws strictly forbidding the display of tobacco products in public please contact THE SESSION or login here if you are interested in our products.
TOBACCO
Our tobacco is fine-cut tobacco and can be used with roll your own cigarettes or with pipes. There are two main types of tobacco, roll your own (RYO) and pipe tobacco. These two types are from the same plant, but differ in appearance, moisture, and scent. If you’ve never tried both types you may not be able to tell a difference. However, each type has its own unique characteristics.
Q: How much does your tobacco cost? How do you sell it? In grams or packs?
A: For rolling tobacco, used with rolling papers and filters, the price range is 200-400 baht depending on the quality of the tobacco and weight per pouch. Pipe tobacco ranges between 350 to 1800 baht. Some limited editions of pipe tobaccos will go up to 4500 baht.
We sell our tobacco in its original package in pouches or tins.
Q: How many types of rolling tobacco do you have?
A: We have many types of tobacco that we categorize by flavor and non-aromatic flavor.
Q: Why is rolling tobacco here pricey?
A: Most tobacco found in Thailand is cheap fine cut tobacco harvested in northern Thailand. The rolling tobacco sold in The Session is all high quality imported tobacco from Europe and America. Due to high tax rates on imported tobacco products our prices are raised as well.
Q: Do you have rolling tobacco that taste like Marlboro or LM?
A: Many local Thai tobacco brands market their product as having the Marlboro or LM flavor but not The Session. Our products are unique with their own blend.
Q: What’s the different between rolling tobacco and cigarette?
A: They are essentially the same. Cigarettes are ready to smoke while rolling tobacco needs rolling paper and filters to create the cigarette. Rolling tobacco can be customized by the smoker themselves.
Q: Why it is so hard to find imported tobacco?
A: The ratio of imported rolling tobacco to smoker is quite low in Thailand. Most people in this country consume cigarettes and locally harvested rolling tobacco. Unlike in western countries, RYO tobacco is more commonly used here than cigarettes, that is why imported tobacco is generally sold in tourist destinations.
Q: Where can I buy rolling tobacco in Bangkok?
A: Places where tourist frequent such as Silom (The Session Shop-pipes, cigars, and tobacco shop), Siam (Paragon Department Store-liquor corner inside gourmet supermarkets) Yak Ratchaprasong (Davidoff Shop inside Gaysorn plaza- specializes in pipe, cigars and tobacco with its own label), Sukhumvit, Nana, Khaosan (7/11 convenience stores, Foodland supermarket-limited choice of products & mini kiosk in those areas ) Seacon Square Department Store (Vapourhouse -pipes, cigars, and tobacco shop)
Q: What is the best selling rolling tobacco?
A: Being a best seller does not guarantee you will like the product. It all depends on the individual’s taste. Many Thai people enjoy flavored tobacco such as cherry, strawberry, mango, Vanilla, Apple and grape. Western people often enjoy well known non-aromatic brands such as Golden Virginia, Drum and the recently popular brand, RAW. RAW comes in 4 types of non-aromatic flavor with different strengths to each type.
Q: Can I use rolling tobacco instead of pipe tobacco to smoke a pipe?
A: It is okay to do that but we would not recommend it. When you fill the bowl of a pipe with dried fine cut tobacco the tobacco will be burnt out within a couple minutes. The Japanese Kiseru pipe, however, does well with rolling tobacco.
Q: Can I use pipe tobacco in roll you own tobacco (RYO)?
A: Pipe tobacco is quite loose and moist, especially some brands such as Borkum Riff or Captain Black. When trying to wrap this tobacco the stickiness can become a problem. Lighting the tobacco can also be a burden as it takes more time to light than regular rolling tobacco. We would suggest a mix of rolling tobacco and pipe tobacco at a ration of 2 to 1, to decrease the moisture along with using a thick rolling papers such as Rizla red or green, Gizeh, red or dark green, or Domingo. You can also use other papers but will want to double or triple wrap them.
Q: Isn’t smoking a pipe the same as smoking any regular tobacco, cigar and cigarette?
A: Rolling your own tobacco and cigarettes are the same. You can smoke them the same way while cigars and pipes are another story. The portion of tobacco contained in cigar and pipe tobacco (for regular sized pipes) is many times more than cigarettes, so if smoke goes into the lungs, inexperienced smokers may get super high and get a hang over after smoking.
Q: Which pipe tobacco is the best?
A: Once again one’s favorite product may not be another’s favorite product. It is important that the smoker himself/herself likes it, no matter if the tobacco is cheap or expensive, loose cut or curl cut. Describing your preferred smoking style and favorite smells is a great way to match product with expectations.
Q: What is your best selling pipe tobacco?
A: This question is a lot easier to answer than the previous question. The long lasting, best-selling, pipe tobacco in Thailand, especially among Thai people, are the cherry flavor pipe tobaccos such as BORKUMRIFF CHERRY CAVENDISH (Red Cavendish) 50 g and CAPTAIN BLACK CHERRY(Captain black Red) 42.5g. For foreigners, customers seem to look for non-aromatic pipe tobacco or tin packed premium tobacco. Of course, premium products always come with premium price but cost is often a secondary factor for those concerned about quality.
