REVIEW-ARCHIVES-ISSUES

   Now, there are a lot of paper brands out there and many companies know how to make great papers although Rizla are especially noted for their very neutral taste (except for, of course, their licorice brand). Most of the world's cigarette paper marketing thrust nowadays is directed at young adults and involves cute artsy covers with bright electric colors. Most have the same options available such as cut corners, perforations, extra length, extra width, special fibers, flavors, etc., and most cost about the same. (Two to three time as much as filtered cigarette tubes, by the way.)

   As far as papers to roll your tobacco in, Rizla's are every bit as good as any brand in the world and perhaps more consistent than most in gum quality (you lick - they stick). Rizla has, to date, avoided the ultra campy packaging (their website is really cool, though) and relies on reputation and quality for their market share. The Rizla website is a hoot. Visit it at www.rizla.com.

   So if most papers are so similar, why would we bother to look at papers at all? Well, during the coming months we would like to show you the cool artwork and wild designs as well as some truly bizarre papers manufactured, in limited quantities, around the world. You will also see some real classics and collectibles that we have found. It really is fun stuff and some of the artwork is outstanding. It is important to note that many RYO smokers do find various papers, for a variety of reasons, to be their favorite. Join us next time for a tour de force of the wacky world of rolling papers.

JANUARY / FEBRUARY 2000

   The group of papers HBI sent us passed all of our tests handily (basically rolling and smoking) but we found unique characteristics among them that made for interesting conversation and hopefully, an interesting review. So now let's take a look at six different papers which we can honestly urge you to try should you discover them at your favorite shop that handles such things.

   The Sawah, an ultra thin paper from the orient (China, we believe), is extremely soft and easy to roll. Unlike most papers of this sheerness, it is not as translucent as one might expect. 77mm (25.4mm/inch - you do the math) in length it is a bit long for some hand rollers like the automatic rolling box, I found this to be my favorite because of its soft luxurious feel. Like all the papers in this review, the gummed area was sufficient for a good seal. Some papers are actually manufactured without a gummed edge, but I have had little luck getting those to hold tobacco properly.

   Next in line is the Smoking Brand of rolling papers from Spain. The thin papers are pretty translucent, thin and well made. With a length of 78mm they are also too long for some rollers like the Rizla Automatic Rolling Box which, by the way, we review this time in our Rollers section. (Clicking the link at left will open a new window, which you can close when finished and be right back here.) However, there are many longer rollers now available, so you need to check at the time of roller purchase which papers are ideally suited for a given roller.

   Many of the papers sent to us by HBI were made by Mascotte, a French company with quite a large following in Europe. These were all exquisite papers. The larger ones are 110 mm in length and really sheer and translucent. Just beautiful, and though they come with various cover colors and designs, these extra long papers appeared to be identical. A smaller version is also available in 70mm which fits the Rizla Automatic Rolling Box perfectly. This particular paper is not nearly as sheer as the larger ones but is very nicely made nonetheless.

   Of the many papers supplied to us by HBI, The Brownie Original distributed in the US by the Brown Sack Trading Company of New York City is unique among papers I have seen in the last few years. Many years ago, we used to be able to find a dark "chocolate" paper that felt and looked almost like vinyl paneling with flags on it (I have no idea what it was actually made of - and I don't think I want to know, but it tasted good). It was definitely unusual but not this unusual. This German paper is actually made from tobacco and tastes unbelievably good as part of a cigarette. The paper almost looks like it was made from a pressed tobacco leaf and though I doubt it is 100% tobacco, the tobacco flavor of the paper blends perfectly with the roll inside and were they not so expensive (as you only get 10 papers to a pack, I assume the cost is high), I would consider them over filtered tubes. The long length (100mm) and density of the paper makes for a very mild, cool and rich smoke.

   And what review of cigarette rolling papers would be complete without a paper for the menthol enthusiast. I am not a fan of menthol cigarettes, partly no doubt because when I was in the Army in the late 60's, the only people who seemed to have any cigarettes left the last week of the month before payday were people who smoked KOOL cigarettes. I can still remember that taste and how desperate for a smoke I must have been to lower myself to mooch those. Those who smoked them, loved them and wouldn't think of smoking a non "Vicks" cigarette. Well the fact is, a lot of folks like menthol cigarettes and if they tasted like this menthol paper tastes, I might be persuaded to rethink what is an obviously narrow-minded position. Cool Jays is the name of this paper and let me tell you, they are good enough to eat, like spearmint Lifesavers, sweet and yummy. I am going to roll one up right now and see how they smoke. Umm . . . just like when I had a cold and my Mom put Vicks on my chest so I could breathe better and go to s..l...e....e.....p!

MARCH / APRIL 2000

   The secret to this paper's design is a very thin, steel wire embedded in the bottom edge of each paper that allows the smoker something to hold on to as the cigarette burns down (see picture at right). The wire is high quality stainless steel and is chemically non-reacting, adds no taste, and somehow manages to stay cool. The presence of this wire also seems to stabilize the paper making rolling actually somewhat easier. And considering the fact that the price of Randy's wired papers are very close to that of non-wired papers, you can hardly go wrong.

   A healthy percentage of tobacco shops already carry these papers, but not all. I have yet to find them at Safeway or other mainstream grocery stores. Hopefully, this will change as word spreads of their unique functionality for the RYO market. The "head/paraphernalia" shops that still exist all seem to carry them. Of course, they are available on-line at randys.com

Randy's makes several different designs and sizes including a non-wired variety by the name of Rita's. All of the papers we tried were of excellent quality and though the wired versions are made from a somewhat heavier paper, there was none of that offensive paper taste occasionally associated with heavier rolling papers. In addition to the standard 70mm Randy's paper, they also make a larger (longer) 90mm length known as King Randy's (shown at right) as well as a EuroRandy's that appears to be very similar to the "King."

Private Labels - "Promote Your Company"

Perhaps the most interesting thing about Randy's operation (in addition of course to the sheer uniqueness of their "wired" products) are their "Private Label" papers. Specifically, Randy's will make papers for you with your own design (business logo, info, etc.) right on the cover. For all intent and purposes these papers will look like your own brand. This is, potentially, a great  promotional item for tobacco stores as well as other businesses that would be comfortable with rolling papers as a leave behind "gift" or as an attention getting calling card. Much better than a matchbook (is there still such a thing as matchbook advertising) and certainly useful for those that smoke. With all the fuss over smoking, and the fact that RYO smoking will likely become the only way that many people will be able to afford to smoke at all, the rolling paper should enjoy a consistent popularity and success. We can think of no more unique product to catch the attention of those we wish to attract than with a Randy's, or even better, an RYO Magazine Rolling Paper . . . and . . . that, in conjunction with Randy's, we are working on as these words appear.

MAY / JUNE 2000

 Hemp papers have gained a great deal of popularity over the years because of the "tree-free" nature of this product. They burn very smoothly and, in general, are a little heavier thus making them easier to roll tobacco in, especially heavier or larger cuts. Many of the finest papers are made from rice thus sharing the tree-free exclusivity, but rice papers can be very sheer and the least bit of over-moistening can cause the finished rolled product to be very tenuous. And while there are other hemp papers on the market, Chills takes eco-responsibility one step further with the exclusion of "burning salts" used in some papers to promote burning. Though Chills are naturally slow burning, we have had no problem keeping them lit. It is also noteworthy that Chills is the first papers of their kind to be approved by US Customs (hemp comes from the same general family of plant as does cannabis sativa/marijuana and therefore has at times suffered from foolish import/export regulations both in this country and abroad). 

   Chills, like Randy's (see review in the Rolling Papers section of the May/June issue), control the manufacture of their namesake papers. There are a number of advantage to having this kind of control. First of all, by controlling the manufacturing of a particular paper, a company can better control/maintain its market advantage by producing quantities that realistically fit each of its particular market segments. There are, realistically, no "minimum" or "maximum" quantity limitations and the company can, theoretically at least, produce quantities that it feels are needed of a particular style that might seem to be moving better at any given time. More importantly, it puts the company in the unique position of producing papers for potential and future competitors, providing an even wider market potential.

Chills makes a very nice hemp paper. But often what sells papers is display art, product packaging, logo design and "branding" potential. Papers, with certain exceptions, tend to be pretty much the same especially in the view of the general smoking public and sell based, to a degree, on what is "cool" at the time. Chills understood the art of branding, pretty much from the start, which no doubt goes a long way in explaining the phenomenal growth of this company. Acknowledged as one of the nation's 500 fastest growing companies recently by Inc. Magazine, Chills has already made it a long way up the ladder to the major leagues and quite able to compete with companies that have literally been making rolling papers for centuries. However, it should be noted that, as rolling paper manufacturers increase their market share within the frame work of roll your own tobacco smoking, smoker's will become increasingly more selective as to the quality of the papers they use and the ease with which they can roll their tobacco. The outstanding quality of the Chills hemp should position them nicely for this expanding market. They offer a wide variety of sizes, both in width and length and their visibility on tobacco counters seems to be increasing daily. Plus, they are a fun company, well suited to attract the sometimes fickle members of the 21-35 year old crowd who want to roll their own.

Already, a healthy percentage of tobacco shops already carry these papers, but not all. I have yet to find them at Safeway or other mainstream grocery/drug stores. Hopefully, this will change as these major marketing venues realize and choose to capitalize on the growth of roll your own smoking. Years ago, when there was a head shop on every corner (well, practically) papers like Chills and Randy's would have had a much better shot at the market as those niche retail environments often carried hundreds of brands of papers. Nowadays, only the local tobacco shop has a decent selection of papers and often they will carry fewer than a half dozen brands. As retailers realize that customers want a larger selection and that papers, either for reasons of content, art, or quality, do differ in the tasteful eye of the customer, it is likely that you will see many more fine papers in the "convenience" environment. It would certainly be our recommendation that Chills be one of them.

   One last note. We often mention Chills and Randy's in the same breath. There are several reasons for this. They are both dynamic companies with interesting, high quality products that are taking on the challenge of competing with much larger (and older, more mature) organizations for market share. Chills is a little over 6 years old while Randy's has been making papers since the late 60's (the good old days). With 50 million smokers in the U.S. alone, we think it is good for the smoking public that these younger, smaller companies thrive. Innovation usually comes from the small private sector with big companies, like big boats, finding redirection a tough course. The sheer size (and power) of the cigarette tobacco companies led, in great part, to their problems. We need the smaller companies to make it. Support them. Their innovative styles could likely fuel the next generation of product design, thus encouraging wider availability and an even greater level of convenience for the RYO smoker

JULY / SEPTEMBER 2000

    Republic's pure rice paper offering at right, the French Light, is a very fine (sheer) slightly oversize paper that shares some of the wonderful silkiness of the Ventura above. These papers are especially nice for rolling stronger bodied, finer cut shags like most halfzwares. Its gummed edge and the slightly increased width allow rolling of slightly larger diameter smokes. This is a truly classy paper that, while we have not seen them in the grocery/drug store chains yet, is sure to catch on considering Republic Tobacco's adeptness at securing mainstream shelf space with their other products, namely TOP and Drum tobacco.

 The last of the Republic line of rolling papers we look at this time is a true classic standard that has been around as long as I can remember. They are the Job 1.5's. Republic owns the Job product line and has continued to ensure that this fine line of papers is among the best in the world. The extra width provides a very forgiving roll for the novice and a superior, thicker roll for the more experienced. I have been using Job extra-wides for over 25 years and part of the reason is that they are available almost everywhere papers are sold. They also work extremely well in small hand rolling machines and the extra width serves to make a more rugged stick that can be put in cigarettes cases without falling apart.

  Let's now take a look at some of the Gizeh line of rolling papers. This company is making serious in-roads in the U.S. to match their already huge presence in Europe. The first paper we look at is the Gizeh Hanf extra-wide paper. Similar in size to the Job 1.5, this fine hemp (Hanf we're told being German for Hemp) offering has not only a beautiful cover, but a really nice paper inside. Haven't seen them much in this country yet, except in those places that carry a truly wide, diverse selection on rolling papers. Wider hemp papers are harder to find although several on-line outlets have them and they are certainly worth looking for. With the growing popularity of hemp products, these papers should start attracting the attention of the die-hard handroller before this year's end.

   Also from the Gizeh line is their more traditional selection of papers available in several sizes (widths), thicknesses, and lengths from 70 to 110 mm They are pictured at left and below, and are certainly worth the effort to find and try them. The blue packages are extra fine (sheer), the red covers being heavier paper and the green ones being the popular and utilitarian cut-corners instituted years ago by Zig-Zag. We especially like the latter cut-corners as they make the ends of the roll join much smoother than the more traditional square cuts. Let us know if you have a paper you would like reviewed. Whether the artwork makes it special or the paper itself, we are always looking for the unusual.

OCTOBER / DECEMBER 2000

   Hemp is another story. We have yet to find a hemp paper that doesn't specify HEMP emblazoned somewhere on the packaging. So with this little bit of trivia in mind, let's first take a look at some papers this time that are definitely HEMP. Zeek papers appear to be an independent paper making company. They have their own website and there is no mention of a parent manufacturing company, although in many cases today, the papers of many are made by only a few companies. We have not been able to get their website to come up in quite a while. We got our samples from HBI (www.herbalbar.com) and found the papers to be of high quality although a bit sheer for our tastes and a bit small and therefore less forgiving when handrolling. They work great in the rolling machines and impart no unwanted flavors to the smoke. We are told that they will soon be widely available as HBI is promoting them rather strongly.

   While we are on the subject of paper taste, we have noted here before that the taste of a paper is usually better the less there is of it. Reminded of some of the colored papers one could find in the 70s and some that still persist today, I would only say that they are suitable only for substances other than tobacco. Certain herbals and other "substances" have such a pungent aroma or require only a few puffs to achieve the desired "effect" that a bad tasting paper may go unnoticed. The camouflage papers at right are a good example of this thinking. They, I suppose, look cool, especially for the Ted Nugent School of Survivalist whackos, but you can definitely taste the dyes in the paper and they detract significantly from the taste of good tobacco. They are well made and for other smoking materials are probably going to be quite popular. The point is, if you are looking for a good tobacco paper, pick the whitest, purest paper you can find, made of flax, rice or hemp, no decorations, and only those flavors you wish to add. In that way it will be the tobacco that you taste, not the dye. 

   If additional flavor to your tobacco smoke is what you want, their are a number of flavored papers out there. One of the nicest is the Cool Jays mint paper. It has more of a spearmint taste than most menthol paper. It is sweet and delicious. There are also many flavors of papers available including the whole spectrum of fruity flavors, chocolate, vanilla and the like. Be warned that dark papers, like the chocolate, often have additional dyes in them to achieve the dark color and can be overpowering in distracting from the taste of your fine tobacco.

    We have reviewed the Brownies and Golden Wrap tobacco papers before but it bears repeating that while these 100 mm papers are becoming very popular and are very well made, they tend to be expensive and more importantly, because they are actually made of tobacco by-products, they will increase the strength of your smoke significantly. In fact, they take a rather mellow tobacco like McClintock and create nearly a cigarillo flavor, not quite cigar-like in strength but certainly more powerful than the tobacco inside would indicate. I happen to like them because they look cool and make for a nice long-lasting smoke that need not be inhaled to be enjoyed, but they do mask and intensify the actual flavor of the tobacco rolled inside. When used with a filter, they tend to be Sherman-like and in most cases, if you are using good quality RYO tobacco, the final product will exceed the Sherman in the quality of the overall flavor. The finished product will be stronger however, and tend to give one a pretty good buzz. We're told that many people like that!

  The Sativo brand of hemp papers, also provided by HBI, are really nice papers that tend to be very sheer. If you like very sheer papers and can find these, we would concur with your decision to use them. They add no flavor whatsoever to the tobacco smoke, but because of their sheerness, they tend to sound crunchy when you are rolling them. They are wonderful additions to flavorful tobaccos like Samson and Gaulouises halfzwares and the only thing I had trouble with is that they are very small papers. Great for machines but not for my hand-rolling abilities. The two versions shown appear to be identical except for length and are well gummed so the hold together nicely. Remember that hand-rolling is an art form that takes practice and that because of the varying lengths of papers out there, you are probably better off when using a machine to get a wide one (like Rizla's 110mm roller) that can roll any length of paper. That way you won't have to be quite so careful when selecting paper width and the variety of brands and designs of papers you can use will be much greater.

JANUARY / MARCH 2001

   Zig Zag papers ( www.zigzag.com ) are perhaps the most well known papers in the world. They have been lauded for years for their consistency and quality and offer a number of design and sizes to meet the varying demands of the hand rolling public. From the originals I remember from the 60's, at left, to the various burning properties of their slow and fast (free) burning offerings, ZigZag really does enjoy an immense visibility at nearly ever general merchandise store in the US.  We cannot say enough about the viability of the company and its accesibility to it customers through their web site and their customer service organization. I can't imagine they get too many complaints but they always seem to answer our reader's questions and concerns promptly and comprehensively.

   There is one issue however, that really burns me up when it comes to ZigZag products and that is, we are beginning to hear of knock-offs or counterfit Zig-Zag papers and find that of concern mainly because of the way it could possibly damage a great company and cause the consumer to get less than a quality product. The knock-offs are easily recognized by looking on the back of the pack to see if they are made by the North Atlantic Operating Company of Louisville. If they do not contain those words, they are counterfit. If you find such bogus papers, let us know or go to the ZigZag web site and email them with your findings, including where you purchased the fraudulent papers. We're told that these imitations are of substandard quality and are no less expensive that the authentic ZigZags. It is in everyone's best interest to weed out these and other purveyors of copyright and trademark infringed products so that good companies like ZigZag get their fair share of the market. I can't imagin a world without ZigZag papers. They have become part of our culture and need to be honored as such.

Complimentary Papers

    When you buy pouches or tins of rolling tobacco you usually get free papers. Surprisingly, many people still buy papers in addition to their tobacco purchase. One might ask why (as we did) so we began examining carefully the so-called complimentary papers that come as part of the tobacco package. And you know what, they are all pretty darn good. Most are a little on the thick side for the connoisuer who usually prefers a more sheer paper, but they all seem to work quite well and have little or no added taste components that interfer with the tobacco taste. They are all very similar and may likely be made by the same company. Some tobaccos like Top and Bugler and even Roll Rich come with some pretty funky papers. But brands like those shown here have papers that are nearly, if not every bit as good, as the ones you purchase. Again sheer they are not, but otherwise, they work just fine and save you the additional buck or so if you are on a tight budget. In the long run you probably will need to by more papers as they do not always roll all of the tobacco in the pouch, but we thought you would like to know, especially for those who are hand rolling rather than injecting under the incorrect notion that it is less expensive. The point is, if you buy papers as well as tobacco, injecting is less expensive. For instance most good rolling papers cost between $1 to $2 for a pack of 30 to 100 leaves, while tubes cost around $2-$3 for 200. So depending on the brand of papers you like and the prices you have to pay, you can see where tubes and therefore injection smoking may be less expensive (for tobacco at least). However, if you like strong, euro-style tobaccos like the Blue versions of Bal, Samson, or Gauloises, Drum, or even Jester, hand or machine rolling is often a better fit as you can control the diameter of the stick and the thinner the stick the milder the smoke. Of course some people like to fall over after a smoke. I prefer the vertical.

APRIL / JUNE 2001

  Also from the same company and importer comes an outstanding hemp rolling paper known as Hempire. These things fly out of our store and we have yet to have a negative comment either there or from our readers. They are not too thin, nor too thick and are priced reasonably with great packaging panache. Completely neutral in flavor with just the right amount of gum, these hemp sheets come in 1.25 and 1.5 width sizes, each 78mm long. The display box, which comes free with each box of papers, (as most papers do) is really a very good attention-getter in POS positions.  We have found the 1.25 width to be more popular as the rolling public in our area seems to be pretty adept at hand rolling. The wider ones are more suited to the novice roller or to those who want a really FAT cigarette. Again, a very good keystone product with very good supply lines and availability.

    Every so often HBI (see ad below) surprises us with yet another sampling of rolling papers. We have reviewed dozens in the past two years from this single source. They really do have just about every paper imaginable. This time it was the ZEN paper shown at right. These papers are all 1.5's and unusually smooth and silky for a pure hemp paper. They are made in Spain. They have cute little Zen sayings which for true believers are probably nice little reminders for "Zen and the Art of Smoking". Perhaps a bit much, but the papers are outstanding and are priced right in the same range as most premium papers and less than some of the bigger names. We have yet to find a paper from HBI we did not like, save the very popular (on college campuses) Camouflage design and one Watermelon flavored offering that had too many seeds. The more ink on a paper, the more the taste is affected, so we tend to like papers in their purer form. We are not in the majority on this issue, especially with the younger crowd, so retailers know your audience (clientele) and let them dictate, to a reasonable degree, what you stock. Your personal preferences in a retail environment might end up costing you profit

JULY / SEPTEMBER 2001

   Recently we received several sample boxes of papers from Music City Marketing, Inc. ( http://www.musiccitymarketing.com ) of Nashville, Tennessee. The papers known as OCB's, is a brand that has been around for some time in Europe, especially in the gumless (meaning no adhesive - not a dental term) market as a competitor to Club Modianos. These newer premium papers are manufactured by the Bollere company whose watermark clearly appears on the paper. Music City negotiated for the sole US distribution rights for this premium, gummed version of these high quality papers with Republic Technologies, owner of Bollere and Zig-Zag European (the US branch of Republic Technologies is Republic Tobacco of Glenview, Illinois, makers of Top, US Drum tobacco, Job, French Lights - one of our favorites, and Ventura Whites, as well as the full line of other JOB and TOP products). As you can see it is not a straightforward journey to track down the makers of most papers as often the distributor and country of origin is the only information one can glean from the packaging. For some reason Music City declined on distribution rights until January, 2002 for the better known OCB gumless papers (Republic currently still has them) but, as we prefer gummed papers anyway (as do most of our readers), we were eager to get a look at the new OCB Premiums and are willing to wait to see what Music City presents (including packaging changes, if any) with regards to the OCB gumless at this year's end.

   As stated repeatedly, since we feel the product packaging seems to be rather important to any paper's retail success, when we opened the box and found the incredibly beautiful laser-cut, holographic OCB logo shining out at us, we were quite impressed. The scanned graphics of these papers can not begin to do justice to how beautiful the packaging is. These are without a doubt among the most strikingly packaged papers we have seen to date. The OCB logo is a holographic laser-like cut that is breathtaking in its reflective capabilities and you can see an OCB pack or display from several hundred feet away (given proper light and angle, of course).

   The papers come in two sizes. A one-and-a-half and a one-and-a-quarter width both 78 mm long. These very sheer rice papers burn evenly without any hint of taste or burning additives. The Bollere watermark adds class to the design and the papers have a firmness that, even though they are sheer, makes for a tough paper worthy of the most challenging of rolling tobaccos. Although the packages contain only 32 leaves (pretty much standard) we feel that the paper will do well. The bottom line is that this is an exquisite looking paper of the highest quality and the packaging will literally knock your lights out!

  Also from the same original company (Republic) comes an new outstanding hemp rolling paper known as Tribal. These things fly out of our trial store and we have yet to have a negative comment either there or from the few readers who have found them. They are not too thin, nor too thick (as a matter of fact they are the sheerest of any hemp paper we have seen to date) yet plenty strong. They are nominally (about standard) priced with great packaging panache. Completely neutral in flavor with just the right amount of food-grade gum, these hemp sheets come in a full range of sizes from single width, one-and-a-quarter, one-and-a-half, to king-size. The king-size is of special interest as few pure hemp papers come in this size (CHILLS, etc). Hemp king-size papers are ideal for rolling long smokes with 100mm plus rolling machines like the Rizla 110mm roller, the new Zig-Zag 100mm roller and such because hemp papers tend to be a little stronger, and thus are capable of giving the finished product a look not unlike a thin, unfiltered manufactured cigarette. Absolutely wonderful for smoking the more heady tobaccos like European halfzwares and tasty Turkish blends. The wider ones are more suited to the novice roller or to those who want a really FAT cigarette. Again, a very good product with potentially very good supply lines. We have yet to see them in the mass distribution channel but expect them very soon (any day now, as a matter of fact) to find that path. As we received a number of boxes to test we were able to make them available for our trial store customers and the reaction, as we said, has been outstanding. These papers can be found immediately at a retail online outlet that is operated by a relative new division of Republic's larger operation designated as RT's Specialty Marketing ( http://www.allinthepapers.com ).

  We have been advised that Zig-Zag has a new King-Size French-Orange. Since it is well known that we really like king-size papers, we eagerly await receipt of said paper for closer examination. Given Zig-Zag's historic quality, you don't need to wait for us. We are confident it will be of the highest quality. *UPDATE: Just as we finished writing this the new papers arrived at our office. This has been an unusual period for us as much of what is looked at in this issue arrived very late. They are every bit as nice as expected as are the new Zig-Zag 100 mm rollers we will also review in this issue's Rollers section.

Another interesting entry (though it has been around for awhile) is CHILLS Papyrus paper. Nearly a double wide and 78mm in length, this is a beautifully decorative paper. We are usually somewhat leery of highly decorated papers as many of them add flavor (mostly unwanted) to the tobacco smoke. This is obviously due to the extra dyes and inks necessary to the design. This paper however seems to have little or no added taste and as we said is spectacular in appearance with its Egyptian hieroglyphic theme. They are priced about the same as other premium hemp papers and certainly make a vivid statement in public. Rolling is enhanced by their thicker nature and the gum seems to be just right with no excess to turn off the more puritan of smokers. Seems to us this would make a pretty interesting tube design for the artsy crowd who prefer make your own to roll your own smoking. CHILLS makes such a wide variety (incredibly so) of smoking accessories that it would seem logical for them to get into the tube business. They certainly have the innovative flair for design and with a very good following among young adults demographed in the 21-35 year old market, their contribution could certainly spice up the rather mundane, albeit functional, world of filtered cigarette tubes.

    And finally we give a look at what is, to our way of thinking, one of the most controversial of papers we have ever come across. The controversy lies in perception and claims of quality as demonstrated by the near religious fervor with which many people view these papers. If you haven't already guessed, we refer to the Club Modianos. Now these are admittedly VERY good quality papers (no doubt) and I remember well using them many many years ago. I never did like the idea of a non-gummed paper, as rolling was not one of my major talents, but their sheerness made hand rolling with them actually pretty forgiving. What has bothered me personally for a long time is the excessive price of these papers and the elitist nature/attitude of their users, not unlike the MacIntosh computer crowd of the early 90's. For heaven's sake, computers are tools not religious icons and tobacco rolling papers are envelopes to BURN tobacco in (ideally at least). So what is the big deal? Well the SD Modiano Club is a VERY sheer paper. Devotees point to the flash test (lighting the paper unrolled and seeing how fast it vaporizes and how much ash it leaves). Now the Club does this little feat quite neatly but so do the very sheer Tribal papers reviewed above as well as many other very sheer papers like some Gizeh and Rizla. While we do not want added chemicals in our papers to slow down their burning, we really don't see the logic of testing the efficacy of a smoking material by how fast it burns. (A Ping-Pong ball burns pretty quickly, too and leaves little residue - not a good smell though - not good at all). We look for clean burning, yes, but not necessarily burning speed. The residue left after burning is ash. Simple logic should point the fact that the thinner (more sheer) the paper, the less ash will be left after combustion. Many tobaccos do much better with a leisurely lower temperature burn anyway and as long as there is no unwanted taste and the paper is substantially pure and made from hemp, rice or flax, there are many lower cost papers we personally enjoy every bit as much as we do the Club. We note that HBI, the huge rolling paper distributor located in Glendale, Arizona often has these papers priced specially for retailers in quantity so you retailers reading this might give them a try if you want the product but have trouble justifying the price to your customers. ( http://www.herbalbar.com )

   Perhaps the aficionado-like preference for non-gummed papers came from a time when some paper makers allegedly used chemical adhesives or glue (like from horses) instead of the more common vegetable-based gums of today. Perhaps it is pure snob appeal for those who can roll a cigarette without the obviously wusful (new word?) need of adhesive. Perhaps it is the fact that the box that the packs come in say made in France though the individual packages inside say made in Italy. (What the hell, that's pretty close, geographically, I suppose). Perhaps MY problem really is that they remind me of optical lens cleaning papers (which I admit to having used for rolling more than once in times of youthful and/or fiscal desperation) or their uncanny resemblance to the hair curling/permanent papers (I think they were called Toni) my mom used to use that still creep me out every time I think about them.

   We at RYO Magazine are all for the ceremony of smoking as it lends itself well to moderation and concern about the quality and purity of what you are smoking. And don't mistake our criticism of these papers as an assault on their quality. What bothers us most is the perception by their users that anyone who doesn't use them, first off, must not know how to "really" hand roll and secondly must have little or no taste for the finer things. Now my grandfather could roll a Bull Durham cross-cut in a Prince Albert paper with one hand while fly fishing with the other hand. Good story but that's Rolling.

OCTOBER / DECEMBER 2001

    The Mascotte Special is a standard thickness single width paper that burns evenly and slowly with no added chemicals to either retard or enhance burning. Completely without any added taste, they likewise make the rolling experience, whether hand or machine, easily successful. Excellent quality gum is no doubt a great part of the reason for their ease of use. The beautifully tasteful Green is identical in every way to the Special except that is a cut-corner version. For those of you who don't know what that means, it simply consists of a 45 degree cut at the bottom of each side of the paper. The logic in this design is that at the end of the rolling process, not having the extra paper at the bottom makes for a smoother finished roll. Finally the Mascotte single width 70mm that really stands out as really different is the Blue (Bleu - These papers are made in France after all - at the Gizeh Factory). This paper is very sheer, much like the King-sized papers we reviewed last year and that are seen at the top left of this article. This gummed beauty burns as nicely as the un-gummed Club Modiano which gets so much attention and and the Bleu costs a whole lot less. In fact all of these papers are priced right at or below competing brands and since you get more leaves per pack, represent a clear bargain.

   Arriving late but still just in time for this article was a newly packaged (red-white-blue)  King-Size (97mm) that is also an Extra Wide. (Width being measured from top to bottom as opposed to length being horizontally). These wider papers facilitate large diameter smokes as well as enhanced ease of rolling for beginners who need more paper to get it all to stick together.  With about the same sheerness factor as the Specials and thus less sheer than either the other Mascotte King-sized mentioned above or Gizeh's Blue King size, we find this paper ideal for rolling those long, luxurious halfzware sticks that last and last while giving a great amount of pleasure without all the dizzy.  All in all, the entire line of Mascotte products provides a solution for nearly every smoker and we would not be surprised to see Mascotte filter tubes appear in the near future to complete the menu.

   Last issue we reviewed the Republic Tobacco's Tribal Hemp extra sheer papers. While nothing new in this line comes to mind, we did feel it fair to mention that these papers have sold extremely well in our experimental store. We know of no other hemp paper of this sheerness and our customers lap them up. We still are having trouble getting them from many distributors and hope the demographic data published here will soon remedy this situation. Until then, they are still available at http://www.allinthepapers.com and have our unqualified endorsement.

   As with various tobaccos, we find variety to be a real bonus to the MYO/RYO experience. No one tobacco will always dominate our tastes or that of our readers and likewise there are many fine papers to choose from. The subject of "flavored" papers comes to mind any time one thinks of variety and one of the most pleasant surprises in that category is Rizla's Liquorice papers. I guess the main surprise for me was that I am not a fan of liquorice candy. As a matter of fact I hate it! So it took me quite a while to try these and to subsequently stock them in our little store. However, upon trying them I found them to be wonderful with little actual liquorice taste. Mostly they have a sweetness that really enhances certain tobaccos and my customers are crazy for them. By the way did you know that the rolling and pipe tobacco industry uses/buys far more Liquorice than the candy industry. Interesting to say the least.

   And one final late "flavored" entry which has us fascinated is Kardel Blunts from The Sable Group. As to the category of "Blunts", we have had many requests to review them and to see how well they work with premium rolling tobaccos. We will do just that in our next issue. In the meantime here is the information on these handy and delicious tobacco wrappers. Keep in mind that Sable is the exclusive distributor outside the continental US. In other words, a number of distributors in the US handle them including Sable, HBI, etc., but outside the continetal US, Sable is the source.

  If you have a rolling paper that we have missed (there are probably quite a few) and that you feel is worthy of a review, let us know. If you are a manufacturer of such a paper, send us some. We don't pretend to know everything and are daily and gratefully surprised by new items. Go to our Contact page and email, write, or send us your samples. We value our readers for the incredible resource that they are. - the ed.

JANUARY / MARCH 2002

   Small shops, especially in high tobacco tax states simply cannot make enough profit on tobacco alone. Hence given the growing popularity of blunts, we felt it time to test some and see if they really do make a reasonably legitimate fit in the tobacco store environment. Now before we go further, most of what follows immediately is of a personal nature but I think necessary to this discussion.

   Back in the 60's and 70's when I smoked a variety of herbs - hell, lets call a spade a spade, - POT, I would never have considered mixing tobacco with that substance. The two just don't go well together and a tobacco wrapped joint seemed plainly distasteful to me. The quality and hence strength of grass way back then was nowhere near as robust as that available today, so while a large stick might have been more of a necessity then, than today, larger papers regardless of what they were made from, were still seldom the answer for me. Also, the incredibly powerful strains available today are expensive and the idea of rolling up $50 worth of herb in one stick, for a bunch of friends who already can't find their ass with both hands, seems ludicrous. Simply, I guess I just don't get the aesthetic attraction or the economic viability of such methods.

   However some of the blunts we tested with TOBACCO actually provided a pretty nice smoking experience. I no longer smoke the devil weed, not because I am particularly against its use, but I simply cannot tolerate the effects as they relate to my ability to function intellectually. In fact, though I believe that legalization of marijuana might have some positive ramifications, especially in terms of tax revenue dogma, I do know too many younger people who use it much too often and consequently spend too little time with more creative, productive activities. (It seems for some to have much the same reality numbing effect as TV and video games). This should be, as adults, their choice however, and as is always important to this magazine, we should emphasize here our dislike of government's propensity to regulate our personal behavior especially when it affects only ourselves. In much the same way that we disagree with glass pipes being classified as drug paraphernalia based solely on the material from which they are constructed, we feel that, if blunts can be shown to provide an enhanced tobacco smoking experience, their use for other activities should effectively be deemed irrelevant. After all, you can smoke illicit and even dangerous substances in a briar tobacco pipe or ANY rolling paper or in rolled up tin foil for that matter. Some truly legitimate rolling paper products that contain varying degrees of tobacco have already found a significant tobacco user audience. We have reviewed both Golden Wraps from Republic Tobacco and Brownies and found them to be pleasurable media for tobacco rolling especially if you are looking for a little stronger, more cigarillo-like smoking experience.

   Now there is one other issue we would like to address before we actually share with you what we found when using blunts for tobacco use. That is: How are these thing going to be taxed? We have talked with a number of state revenue departments on this issue and the consensus is that in most cases if a product contains tobacco, no matter what percentage, it qualifies for a state tobacco tax levy. The actual constituent tobacco percentage of all of the blunts we tested is unclear. The packaging certainly gives one no indication of degree of content other than stating that most are made from tobacco by-products. Only Miami Blunts are said to be made from pure tobacco leaf. We did not find this leaf to be of particularly high quality, certainly not like a "good" cigar wrapper (Connecticut Shade or Broadleaf for instance) but nonetheless the wrapper was superior in actual tobacco flavor from the other blunts tested. Randy's (of Randy's Wired Papers) is planning on a true Connecticut Shade leaf blunt cut to 70-78mm to be marketed very soon. When we receive this new product we will immediately update the information here. Still there is no clear cut decision on how even these true 100% tobacco wraps will be viewed by various state and federal revenue agencies. I suspect they will be taxed along with and at the same rate as other tobacco products like rolling tobacco, or pipe tobacco, or more likely, cigars. (Some states now have different tax schemes for cigars).

   The various blunt manufacturers are making a pretty concerted effort to sell these things as a means to making one's own cigarillo/cigars, but we have yet to find any blunt rolled with even great tobacco to even come close to duplicating the pleasure that even an economy grade tobacco shop cigar can provide. Having said that, the experience is, in all fairness, quite different as when the blunt is filled with a good cigarette tobacco, one can inhale and enjoy the tobacco flavor quite nicely. Of course this depends to a large degree on which blunt you choose and it is this subject that we will expand on during the remainder of this article.

   There are many characteristic one might look for in the ideal blunt for rolling tobacco, but with the obvious exception of flavor quality, we found that the thinner the blunt, the better the experience. This is based mostly on the fact that thinner blunts lend themselves well to rolling in a hand rolling machine and thus are more effective in creating a very consistent, professional looking smoke. This consistency in the stick is of special import as it enhances the flavor and smoking continuity to such a  point that the final product is in many ways superior to most cigarillo type smokes. The Kardel blunt is our pick for the thinnest and finest for just this kind of experience. Kardels come in a number of flavors but we found the Vanilla and Wild Berry flavors to be the most satisfying. We're told (by a competitor) that this brand has undergone a change in recent months and that the Kardel product used to be a thicker wrap. We haven't seen the old ones so we can't confirm this but suffice it to say that one of the things we have seen and heard from those who sell and use blunts regularly (certainly more the we do) is that thicker blunts are more often more popular in alternative smoke shop environs (head shops) and that many who use blunts for smoking materials other than tobacco seem to prefer the thicker blunts. We will cover later in this article such products but for now let's look closer at what can be accomplished with a thin blunt like the Kardel. The graphic at left shows a finished stick rolled with this thin wrap and the resulting product smoked quite nicely. There is a certain sweetness to the stick and while the aroma of each particular flavor is not as apparent in the smoke, the taste on the lips is quite pleasant. We did not notice any particular strength added to the tobacco taste, not even as much as the Golden Wraps or Brownies mentioned above. We did notice a somewhat "thicker" taste, in that the flavor that did come through seemed to stick on the palette a little longer than a normal paper, but in general, the very nice looking, easy to roll end product was quite enticing. Kardels, though much the same size as other blunt wraps are, as stated before, by far the thinnest. The dimensions in the graphic at right emphasize the usefulness of this product with any 110 mm roller and the stick we created was done successfully the first time. No blunts we tested had any gum and most come either pre-moistened (some very much so) and wrapped in airtight packaging or need to be moistened with a sponge (the more hardcore rollers are said to use their tongues) to make the roll adhesive enough to stay together. The thinner blunts seemed to need gum less than the thicker ones but many we talked to claimed they had no problem getting any of the blunts in this review to stay together. Again there are those who are more experienced with this rolling media than admittedly, are we.

    The other end of the blunt spectrum comes with the definitely and purposefully controversial name of 420. Now the term 420 has been part of the pot scene for quite a few years and is speculated to come from the police call code for a drug bust. After examining many sites that use the term and attempt to define its origin, we found that no direct relationship exists to any one definition for this code word and, like most urban legends, there are a number of claimants to first use. What is pertinent here is that 420 IS a buzzword for pot and as such, products with this kind of name beg to be viewed as paraphernalia. The blunt itself is a double thickness one and is not easy to use with tobacco. However we found it to be pretty popular among the alternative market shops who we contacted for just such information. The plain (natural) and Honey flavor are the most popular. We are told a name change is in the works but have no date as yet that this will become fact. We must note however that this blunt when lit empty (no tobacco inside) and puffed on did give off a pretty nice tobacco aroma. The most popular blunt we tested was the Royal Blunt shown at right. The flavor, especially the Strawberry, was so good that we enjoyed just holding them in our mouths. Not as thick as the 420 they are still much thicker than the Kardel, which by the way is felt by many who are frequent users of blunts in the alternative market, to be too sheer. I must admit the Royal is of exceptional flavor and very well made. They come in single packs with a small clear plastic straw that is likely used to keep the blunt in a rolled up configuration until ready to use. We could find no other use (well, hardly any) for the straw so we are assuming this purpose to be the most logical. Once moistened (a lot) with a sponge the Royal did become pliable enough to roll with a hand roller and while the stick hung together pretty well, the flavor added to the tobacco inside was much more imposing. The few we gave out to folks for testing seemed to like the natural flavor best but as stated, the strawberry was downright yummy, just not particularly great for tobacco filled sticks (in our opinion only of course). 

   And the last blunt we looked at (though there are a number of others most are similar to this last category) was the 3-In-One. It is of medium thickness and comes in a variety of flavors. Again the thickness (which makes it desirable for the alternative market) was not an advantage for rolling tobacco. If moistened enough however a pretty good stick resulted but the sheer volume of blunt paper-vs-tobacco ratio left little of the taste of the cigarette tobacco we used. The 3-In-One comes as advertised with 3 blunts (shown at right) rolled up in each cellophane package. They are a good bargain with 3 blunts for basically the price of one, but for which market this item will gain an advantage, still remains to be seen.

   Lastly we would like to introduce you to a product that, though not strictly defined as a blunt, was by far the biggest hit with our tobacco customers and even though it is more than a little unusual, it is nonetheless delicious. I speak of Amico Sweet Palm Wraps. Now whether this is a head toy or a tobacco wrap by intent, the efficacy of this item with tobacco is undeniable. We have yet to taste ANYTHING as yummy as this premade hollow tube. It is a very sweet palm (no tobacco here) leaf with an exotic, almost pineapple taste (they call it sweet Jamaican rum) and comes pre-formed with a little wooden stick for poking your favorite tobacco into the tube. This is accomplished rather easily though it does take a little time. But I assure you the time is well spent as the resulting smoke is again, sweet and exotic, and works especially well with halfzware type tobaccos. The stick tastes so good many who tried them simply liked to keep them stuck in their mouth adding no tobacco at all. Perhaps this will become an ideal way to quit smoking as it certainly satisfies the oral fixation element. The end is plugged with a porous woody substance, (lower left - probably palm bark) that one can draw smoke easily through and provides a good chomping bit for those who simply want to hold it in their teeth and suck on the stick. The wrap itself is about 120 mm long and about the diameter of a small petite corona cigar (about 38 ring gauge). They come five to a pack with a poking stick. If you are looking for a unique smoking experience, we recommend them highly. They smell so good they could be used as car air fresheners to the delight of all occupants.

   Which brings us back to the initial thrust of this article which is that retail tobacco shops are going to attract many customers who are looking for supplies other than "traditional" tobacco, pipes and cigars. That doesn't mean you have to become a "head" shop, but don't dismiss out-of-hand the possibilities for profit provided by certain products that have many legitimate uses just because some users find some not so legitimate uses for them. Chances are, the customer looking for these alternatives is also a tobacco user and there is no reason to lose their possible business for tobacco supplies and have them go down the street where they can find the alternatives along with usually inferior, higher priced tobacco products as well.

   One test we applied to many of the products reviewed in this issue (scales, blunts, etc.) was that their sale be reserved for our tobacco customers who had established a pattern of loyal patronage for our more traditional tobacco items. Tobacco users like to experiment as much as anyone and some or even many products normally viewed as headshop items have a very legitimate tobacco use. AND . . .  many of these products can help make the difference between a profitable tobacco business and yet another failure.

    If you have a rolling paper that we have missed (there are probably quite a few) and that you feel is worthy of a review, let us know. If you are a manufacturer of such a paper, send us some. We don't pretend to know everything and are daily and gratefully surprised by new items. Go to our Contact page and email, write, or send us your samples. We value our readers for the incredible resource that they are. - the ed. 

APRIL / JULY 2002 part one

   Last time we covered a number of blunt wraps, some more suited for tobacco use than others. This time we will look at a few new entries and discuss further the future of blunts as a viable tobacco accessory.

   Some of the blunts we tested last time with TOBACCO actually provided a pretty nice smoking experience. One of the finest and more in the tradition of the rolling paper continues to be Golden Wrap from Republic Tobacco (www.allinthepapers.com). This particular paper comes in regular and cognac flavor and is generally accepted as very nice for wrapping tobacco in order to achieve that slightly stronger, cigarillo-like flavor that most of the legitimate blunt wrap market is striving for. They are much less expensive than true blunt wraps and have adhesive strips to aid in their rolling. We have successfully used these products in hand-rollers and can consistently make beautiful brown wrapped cigarettes like shown at above. The fact that they have adhesive is an important part of what we think the blunt market must incorporate to be viewed as a true tobacco appliance. This brings up an interesting subject that we will talk about in a moment, but first we need to revisit the Kardel Blunts we reviewed last time.

   Kardel has made a concerted effort to create a wrap that is specifically for the tobacco market. They achieved this by making their wraps very thin and pliable which aid in their use in hand rollers. We have yet to see a decent looking tobacco cigarette stick made from any true blunt wrap that was hand rolled. Most blunts are too thick to work well in hand rolling machines and they are simply not that easy to work with for finished looking tobacco sticks. The Kardel, as you can see above, makes a very nice stick and adds a bit more tobacco flavor as well as a number of flavorings to the stick. The only thing it lacks is an adhesive strip, but as they come in a sealed pouch and are pretty moist, this is not as big a problem as with some wraps. Still we would like to see Kardel   take the ultimate step towards tobacco specific use by adding such a strip. The Kardel flavors are wonderful and do add a nice ambience to the smoke. We are not great fans of flavored cigarettes but a large market for such things already exists and it is possible that this market can be increased considerably with the right products.

   Randy's (of Randy's Wired Papers ) has finally marketed their new Connecticut Shade tobacco wrapper we alluded to in our last issue and it is a truly outstanding product. They opted not to produce a 70 mm wrap, but instead started with a 79mm and will have a 100 mm soon. This wrap is unlike anything else we have seen on the market. It is a true 100% leaf of tobacco, and some of the finest you will find, even when compared with many premium cigar wrappers. Ken Solomon at Randy's was determined to produce a product that was unique in its ability to make the creation of an authentic small cigar/cigarillo that one could smoke like a cigarette but with the added ambience of a great tasting tobacco wrapper. The samples we received were outstanding. As we said earlier about the Kardel blunt, we feel this wrap would do better to have an adhesive (gummed) strip. We were able to make some really nice sticks but it did take a little time to get them to stick together. I have watched cigar makers create sticks and they use an adhesive substance (don't know what it is) either from a dish or from a sponge like tool when they are applying the final wrapper to the cigar. The Randy's Urban Wrap is a moist leaf, but not as moist as the Kardel and it needs quite a bit of licking or wetting to stick. The sample we show at right was produced pretty easily but an adhesive, gummed edge would make this product instantly acceptable and usable to the vast number of tobacco enthusiasts who are looking for a true upscale tobacco flavor. 

   With all the talk about adhesive, we have discovered that a patent exists (there are actually dozens of patents on tobacco wraps of one sort or another dating back as far as 1877). Many of the patents we looked at are similar with small variations as to use and assembly. Our interest in the patents of these items was aroused when we were contacted by Robbie Garner of Bozak Corporation who holds the most current patent on an adhesive blunt wrap. He wanted us to try his Bozak Cigarillo Sheet. There is only one newer patent that references blunts, but concentrates more on the little straw or stick that comes with some blunts like BluntWrap USA (who holds this patent). The straw is used to maintain the rolled shape of the wraps and to somehow help you fill the finished roll. Interestingly enough, some of the other patents actually imply a wrap that can be smoked by itself with no filler added. Bozak and Robbie Garner instead concentrated, in his patent, on the adhesive strip and the fact that the wrap would be filled with tobacco. The patent drawings actually show a finished rolled stick. His sheets accomplish this quite nicely. These are not 100% tobacco wraps like Randy's but are tasty and have several flavors in the offing. Frankly, it seems to us that the patent issue in many cases are rather whimsical at best and some are so similar that we are surprised they survived the patent research process. Nonetheless, Bozak's patent addresses specifically the issue of adhesive strips and therefore we would recommend both Randy's and Kardel work with Bozak to create a true tobacco use wrap that will work in hand-rolling machines as well as any rolling paper and that will enjoy the added advantage of a patented design. When a product of this sort is finally produced, we are confident that the tobacco industry will look at the blunt (tobacco wrap) in an entirely different light and the consumer will have a product that is efficacious for rolling their favorite tobaccos with some true panache. 

  HBI continues to produce more and more products (they are so prolific that it is often difficult to keep up with all of their new stuff). Some of their latest include more entries into the blunt wrap market. Their latest blunts are called ZEN Wraps, trading wisely on the successful ZEN name line of products. The wraps are a bit thicker than the ones reviewed above but are much nicer and more effective for rolling tobacco into cigarillo style sticks than most of their competitors. They also, as mentioned, benefit from the ZEN name brand and, therefore, have a built in visibility factor that gives companies great advantage in niche markets. The Berry ones shown at left are but one of many flavors available and they are deliciously aromatic. The Vanilla, Chocolate, Cognac, Honey, Passion (I assume the fruit), and Watermelon are all true to their stated tastes and, if moistened sufficiently, will work in a rolling machine. They are longer than 110 mm so they will have to be cut slightly to fit. Also from HBI are a line of papers we have looked at before, namely Cool Jays. The latest "Jays" are Orange and Raspberry. Both are absolutely delicious to chew on and I am sure that if one likes a sweet, fruity flavored smoke, these will not disappoint. Because of the huge number of products the folks at HBI have created, we suggest you go to one of their websites like  www.zensmoke.com, (see their banner ad at the bottom of this page) so you can see for yourself all of the options. Many online and brick and mortar retailers sell HBI products and they are priced reasonably across the product line.

  In our Filter Tube Section, we covered a new brand of filter tips from The Sheffield Exchange, www.sheffieldexchange.com, their Wilson's of Sharrow brand product. They also have a rolling paper by the same name. While it is a single wide 70mm paper and very bit as good as many other papers, what is remarkable is that this paper will likely come into the market at VERY competitive prices. We have noted in other issues that rolling papers in the US are very expensive when compared with the same products in Canada and Europe. Well, Sheffield evidently intends to do something about that and this new paper is the start of what we hope will be an increasing effort to make US rolling paper prices, at least for the straightforward designs, a little more wallet friendly.

   We conclude this issue's Rolling Papers Section with an update on a product we reviewed last time. We got so much positive (an understatement) email from those who managed to find it, and even more from those who could not, that we felt it necessary to be more specific as to the source. The product is the Amico Sweet Palm Wraps and they can be found at Ziggymart( www.ziggymart.com ). They have the sweetest fruity taste imaginable and are quite well suited for tobacco if you don't mind stuffing your blend into the pre-made tube with the wooden stick provided. I like to suck on them when I am in an environment where smoking is prohibited - you know . . . everywhere, but outdoors. See the previous issue (April/July 2002) for more info and our review of them, or contact Ziggymart at the website above to get them. They are a true taste treat.

  Well that is about it for now. If you have a rolling paper that we have missed (there are probably quite a few) and that you feel is worthy of a review, let us know. If you are a manufacturer of such a paper, send us some. We don't pretend to know everything and are daily and gratefully surprised by new items. Go to our Contact page and email, write, or send us your samples. We value our readers for the incredible resource that they are. - the ed. 

AUGUST / OCTOBER 2002 part two

   Now the Blunt wrap subject that we have focused on over the last few issue is much more dynamic and the products that exist while there are similarities, their perceived intent of use is often quite different. Add to the mix that this segment of the market is now beginning to include real tobacco leaf rather than the"homogenized" paper impregnated with tobacco, wraps of yesterday is starting to make this a fascinating subject.

   A new company by the name of First Fathers is the first to have an all tobacco "Connecticut Shade" or other pristine leaf that is flavored with various aromatics and has an adhesive strip to make for easy rolling. Their product, My Cigar, which is the latest in an ensemble of various names, is a beautiful creation. These leafs are pure tobacco of the highest grade, similar to what is used in fine cigars. The market for such items though small because it is a completely new one, has the potential to expand rapidly given the connoisseur nature of this product. My Cigar leaf comes in many flavors and the list grows constantly. In the future I am sure First Father's (the name refers to the original nature and respect of tobacco that was common at the time our nation was born) will simplify down to a handful of flavors but the ones shown on the leaf at left are the ones we have seen so far. With the adhesive strip (gummed edge) these leafs roll every bit as efficiently as rolling papers but they are considerably more expensive. However given the quality of the resulting product (using great tobacco of course) they are a real treat. We will let you know more as this interesting company grows and likewise let you know where you can find these products. It won't be long that is for sure. The folks at First Father's are very directed and quite confident in their ability to produce these connoisseur quality products in sufficient quantity to satisfy what they believe is going to be a robust market. We tend to agree. the problem Blunts have had has more to do with their perceived reputation as paraphernalia than their efficacy as a rolling medium. In fact HBI is so sure of the future of the Blunt market that they have designed a whole line of rollers intended solely for use with Blunts. (See our Rollers Section for more on this). It will be interesting to see the initial reaction of consumers to these new all tobacco products. Mine was very positive and tolling up some good old Gauloises or Amsterdam Shag in one of these provides a treat unlike anything yet experienced. It is not a cigar (or cigarillo) exactly, as you can inhale the smoke quite easily but neither is it a cigarette. The experience is, as I say unique, and we anxiously await for the next shoe to drop.

   Since this Section was initially intended as a place to review rolling papers, HBI once again has come through with another robust line of papers under the name of Juicy Jays. We have reviewed many of these before and though they are basically the same paper material, the flavors just keep getting better and better. Rather than go into detail about each one, we chose this time to simply show them to you. Why? Well mainly because their flavors are the deal and their flavors are true to their labeling. You want Apple, jeez these things taste better than a fresh apple. I mean literally taste as I chew on each one for awhile simply for the treat to my palette. Smoking them provides each characteristic aroma and really does not effect the tobacco flavor in any adverse way. They are pretty, with killer packaging and there are lot of flavors to choose from. Here are just a few including a beautifully packaged new line from HBI, "Elements" replete with laser etched packaging.

   Lastly let us not forget that the bulk of the rolling papers market remain traditional with powerhouse names such as Zig-Zag, Gizeh, Republic (French Lights, Ventura Whites), OCB, JOB, Joker, EZ-Wider, Chills, and many others. In fact at the NATO show we discovered that Joker, distributed by Robert Burton Associates has a new line of Hemp rolling papers that are the most sheer we have seen to date. The Gizeh Hemp remain a favorite and Gizeh too had a new entry which is a five pack box of papers called "Twister". A great packaging idea (5 books per box). So there are still many incredible papers to choose from in your local tobacco shop or on line at places like www.rollingpaperwarehouse.com and www.zensmoke.com. And buying papers by the box can save you a lot of money in the long run. Just be sure to keep the boxes in cool dry storage areas.

   We are having a CONTEST here beginning in June that will go on for two months. The folks at Rolling Paper Warehouse www.rollingpaperwarehouse.com are sponsoring the contest here for a free box of the papers of your choice, awarded to one winner every two weeks during the months of June and July. You simply have to email us at rpcontest@ryomagazine.com to enter. There are no questions to answer but the contest is limited to those 21 years of age and older. There will be more about this as June approaches but get your entry in early.

WE HAVE OUR SECOND WINNER!!!
We will announce the name as soon as we hear back from the winner and the age verification process is complete. Our next drawing will be July 10th. All non-winning entries will be kept and re-entered in each drawing.

   With all the talk about adhesive, we want to remind our readers of another tobacco wrap mentioned last time. A patent exists regarding adhesives applied to tobacco/paper wraps. (there are actually dozens of patents on tobacco wraps of one sort or another dating back as far as 1877, none of which specifies this particular adhesive design). Many of the patents we looked at are similar with small variations as to use and assembly. Our interest in the patents of these items was aroused when we were contacted by Robbie Garner of Bozak Corporation who holds the most current patent on an adhesive blunt wrap. He wanted us to try his Bozak Cigarillo Sheet. There is only one newer patent that references blunts, but concentrates more on the little straw or stick that comes with some blunts like BluntWrap USA (who holds this patent). The straw is used to maintain the rolled shape of the wraps and to somehow help you fill the finished roll. Interestingly enough, some of the other patents actually imply a wrap that can be smoked by itself with no filler added. Bozak and Robbie Garner instead concentrated, in his patent, on the adhesive strip and the fact that the wrap would be filled with tobacco. The patent drawings actually show a finished rolled stick. His sheets accomplish this quite nicely. These are not 100% tobacco wraps like First Father's but are tasty and have several flavors in the offing. Frankly, it seems to us that the patent issue in many cases are rather whimsical at best and some are so similar that we are surprised they survived the patent research process. Nonetheless, Bozak's patent addresses specifically the issue of adhesive strips. Bozak intends to market their true tobacco use wrap as a cigarillo sheet, that will work in hand-rolling machines as well as any rolling paper and that will enjoy the added advantage of a patented design. When a product of this sort is finally mass produced, we are confident that the tobacco industry will look at the blunt (tobacco wrap) in an entirely different light and the consumer will have a product that is efficacious for rolling their favorite tobaccos with some true panache.  

  Well that is about it for now. If you have a rolling paper that we have missed (there are probably quite a few) and that you feel is worthy of a review, let us know. If you are a manufacturer of such a paper, send us some. We don't pretend to know everything and are daily and gratefully surprised by new items. Go to our Contact page and email, write, or send us your samples. We value our readers for the incredible resource that they are. - the ed.

WINTER / SPRING 2003

   Now, the Blunt wrap subject, that we have focused on over the last few issues, is much more dynamic and the products that do exist in this general category, while there are similarities among them, have qualities and perceived useage that is often quite different from one another. Add to the mix that this segment of the market is now beginning to include real tobacco leaf rather than the"homogenized" paper impregnated with tobacco and you have a subject that will continue to be of interest. Recently, we received a new "wrap" from BluntEZ. This one differs from all of the others we have seen in that it is a whole tobacco leaf, and a very high quality one at that. They come in various flavors though we've only seen the vanilla. Each leaf varies a bit in size and shape but not in quality. These wraps are downright delicious.

Cut the way the are, (or uncut, if you will), leaves an interesting situation for the user. You can either cut them up and fill with tobacco for various sized smaller smokes, or use the whole leaf filled with tobacco for a unique cigar-like flavor while using cigarette tobacco as filler thus retaining the mildness needed to inhale the smoke. I suppose you could obtain more authentic cigar filler as well and make a real cigar, and, in fact, such filler-like tobaccos are starting to appear and though these "homemade" cigars would not nearly be of the quality of a fine aged cigar, they could be a rather interesting and certainly enjoyable alternative.

   However, there is another way to enjoy these delicious leafs, and that is to simply moisten them a bit and roll them up tightly with NO other tobacco inside. The wrapper on any good cigar lends a great deal of the taste to the finished product. Therefore, a stick that is pure wrapper should give one an exceptional quality smoke as the filler in most cigars is much lower grade tobacco and not only adds to the strength of the final smoke but detracts from the luscious flavor of the wrapper itself.

   So we tried just that - rolling the leaf itself with no tobacco inside. The result, after a bit of experimenting with how to best accomplish this, was to say the least, outstanding! The final stick, after a few bungled tries is shown at right. We let it dry and then trimmed it a bit, but this final stick held together quite nicely even without adhesive and the flavor and aroma rivaled anything we have tried short of very expensive Cubans or high end "Vintage" or "Reserve" series name brand cigars. The draw is easier obviously because there is no filler, but if you roll it tight enough, the burn is very even and the stick lasts at least as long as a similar sized apertif cigar. Our best attempt was pretty attractive, the others looking more like the rough sticks in a Clint Eastwood "spaghetti" western. Even the worst looking ones of the bunch were savory. Now I know you cigar enthusiasts are going to find this hard to believe, so all I can say is spend a buck (that's the anticipated retail price of these wraps) and try it for yourself. You will be somewhere from surprised to amazed at the tasteful aesthetics of the finished product.

   Part of what makes this leaf so good (in addition to the fact that it is very high quality leaf) is the fact that the packaging is likewise superb. The sealed foil package is impervious to drying environmental forces and these little packets, with the leaf folded approximately in quarters, will fit in any pocket or back pack - or even purse, and stay in very good shape through even rather aggressive adventures. In fact, once the weather cooled here a bit and it turned into hiking season, I carry several of these with me and make a good smoke as I feel the need. The stick will last all day with normal puffing, occasionally putting it out, as I tend to smoke all cigars this way. Again, the packaging is important not only for initial storage but for those who are going to cut these leaves into small segments and roll tobacco sticks. The pouch is a resealable zip lock. Once you tear off the perforated top, the package becomes a mini-baggie but its foil construction and well designed "zip" lets in no air whatsoever. Each pouch is about the outer dimensions of a pack of cigarettes but the foil pack is thin so you can stuff several dozen of these into a very small space. You get one leaf per pouch and, as I said, one leaf will last me most of an entire day of enjoyment.

  This product is an interesting nuance to a market that is striving to create pure tobacco wraps that are cut to cigarillo size, like the First Father's and Bozak products below. These are designed to fill with tobacco and while the First Fathers is incredibly high quality leaf and has adhesive, the Bozak is a reconstituted tobacco product with adhesive to aid in keeping everything stuck together. Even though not pure tobacco, the sheerness of the Bozak makes for a very tasty smoke. The rectangular cut First Fathers with adhesive is pure high quality leaf. All of these products signal the emergence of a very interesting new segment of the RYO industry. Both Bozak and First Father products can be used effectively with normal hand rolling machines while the BluntEZ is more suited for hand rolling though, if cut properly, they too will work in a roller. You have to get them pretty wet to stick together when using a roller but even without a lot of moisture first, hand rolling a full sized BluntEZ leaf was pretty easy and after the roll is complete, wetting the whole stick with water or saliva will keep it together. We like all of these products and hope they gain the legitimate attention of the tobacco retailer for the legitimate tobacco products they are.

   To return to the subject of traditional rolling paper briefly, we thought we would show you more from the seemingly never-ending supply of interesting items from HBI. We have long contended that rolling papers often sell based on the xterior design of the packaging as much as for what is inside. Years ago, when one could find a "head" shop on every corner, the design of paper covers was an art form in and of itself, much like fruit crate labels. Wild designs like these that existed back then are increasingly difficult to find. We happened to be looking through the new HBI catalog and were amazed to find several striking examples of just that sort of artwork. We thought it would be nice to share these works of art with you. Many are pure eye candy while some contain papers that are truly different - like corn straw-based Smoking Maiz. Some of these brands have been around for centuries but are hard to find nowadays. Leave it to HBI to resurrect these wonderful products and make them available for distribution once again to the US rolling paper consumer. Enjoy the art.

   It is important to note here that while HBI is the largest rolling paper distributor on the planet, they also manufacture many brands including their ZEN, Elements, and others. Even of more interest, based on the large amount of email we receive regarding private label papers, is that HBI is now actively pursuing the Private Label business with short run capabilities (1,000 packs minimum). Until recently, such small orders for custom papers in interleaved packs were simply ignored by most manufacturers. Randy's of San Francisco did and still does make the very short run available to many with their non-interleaved pouch papers but the interleaving process requires sophisticated packaging machinery and the set up alone was deemed too costly to do short runs. HBI has changed finally all of that and we expect a lot of folks to take them up on their proposal. If you are interested in private label papers, go to the HBI web site www.hbiinternational.com or the www.zensmoke.com site for more information. Rolling papers can make a great leave-behind or promotional calling card in certain industries, especially the music business. We have sent a number of readers to Randy's and now to HBI. If you want your name and artwork on your own "brand" of rolling papers, there has never been a better time to do so.

  Lastly, we would like to tell you a little more about a paper we reviewed last time whose innovative packaging is creating quite a stir with consumers. This paper, the "Twister" is from Gizeh, one of the true giants of the rolling paper manufacturing industry. It comes in a five pack that is very economical and easy to transport and maintain the integrity of. These are nice papers, nothing fancy, but fairly sheer and even burning as are all of Gizeh's products. The five pack design of each little box really does protect the papers from moisture as well as crushing and I would be surprised if more makers do not adopt this packaging scheme. Gizeh also has a new low cost Twister tube which we take a look at this time in our Filters section. Gizeh remains on the cutting edge of product development and we can expect this robust German/American company to continue to produce many of our favorites including their popular premium quality Silvertip, Hanf (one of our all time favorite hemp papers), and the silky smooth Sphinx rolling papers.

   We recently received some graphics from Republic Tobacco that highlights their new full flavored line of Golden Wraps rolling papers. These and Brownies were our first experience at papers containing some tobacco (i.e., tobacco wraps) and these initial products probably had a lot to do with the growing popularity of the blunt wraps market. Now Republic has extended their line of Golden Wraps to include some delicious new flavors to compliment their original and Cognac flavors. These include Chocolate, Strawberry (always a favorite amongst rollers) and Coconut. We saw them at the RTDA but never got a chance to really try them out. We expect to receive the whole assortment soon and will let you now how they taste. If they are anything in quality like the Cognac, which is subltle yet aromatic and has a delicious reaction on the palette, we think they will likewise become quite popular. We show a picture of the assortment display logo at left.

   With each issue, we are increasingly gratified at the emergence of new, exciting products of innovative design and packaging. After all, as the RYO/MYO market grows, it is these interesting products that exhibit some flair and style that will help their entry into the mainstream of tobacco enthusiasts. Even more importantly, rolling papers can have a surprisingly positive effect in attracting customers to the tobacco store. Many enthusiasts seek out stores that have a wide variety of papers as it shows a commitment to the whole experience. These often beautiful little items can really dress up the display counter as well, and the variety is almost endless. However, as we made note of before, the pricing of rolling papers in the US is becoming somewhat of an issue with our readers and even some distributors. We hear more and more that prices in other countries are substantially lower than those charged for the same products in the US. Companies like HBI and others are very proactive in getting lines of economical, yet high quality paper products into the hands of retailers and thus consumers. We hope the situation is not a long term problem and has a reasonable and legal (non anti-trust) explanation but even at the current prices, rolling one's own is a true experience in economy and pleasure.  - Doug

WINTER 2004

   One thing is certain in this highly competitive market and that is, there are more than enough brands papers to satisfy even the most discerning of taste or the weirdest of brain fevers. We have written about and shown you literally hundreds of brands over the years but once a month or so, something new always shows up from HBI. So we are gonna start with them.

   Not being a fan of flavored smokes, as even in my "altered consciousness" days, I preferred non-flavored papers. For tobacco presently, I feel much the same way. I like good tobacco and no amount of "flavoring" is going to do anything but distract from the seductive nature of a truly fine blend. However I am pretty set in my ways and my views, most especially when it comes to rolling papers, don't even begin to represent  the majority of the consumer market. HBI has, as mentioned, consistently been sending me new and different papers for a long time and a whole lot of them. To the point that I have trouble fitting them into each new issue. And even though the flavored offerings are not specifically my cup o' tea, I do have a great appreciation for quality products and especially if you are going to flavor something, I insist on quality extracts. Consequently one brand that HBI produces (they both manufacture and distribute) that has consistently made it into these pages is Juicy Jays. And mainly for their sheer audacity and really strikingly yummy flavor.

   Now who'd be kidding whom if you think that I initially believed the name had something to do with someone named Jay. Well the fact is it does, as one of the original principals of HBI used his college nickname for branding this product (as well as the Cool Jays line). Regardless, everyone (other than the few around who are as traditional as I am) that has tried these papers, absolutely LOVE them. There are too many flavors to list them all here and we have shared with you many of the flavors already in the past issues. We want to show you a few more this time but heartily suggest, if you want a real artistic and visually rewarding experience, go to the HBI site where these papers live. Its www.zensmoke.com . After you verify you are of proper age and not an Islamic Fundamentalist, they allow you to view their wares. Click on the flavored papers. Hell, click on all of their papers. You are in for a treat. It will take you an hour or more just to go through all of the cool papers they have there, flavored or not. The Juicy Jays represent the pinnacle in paper flavoring with their "triple dipped" methodology. You can chew these papers for sheer mouthwatering enjoyment. In fact some are so olfactorally strong, like their new "Sizzling Bacon" (I kid you not) that I had to keep them outside of the office.

   Others are equally as pungent though few are as downright visceral as these of porcine variety. And of course each flavor has a distinct graphic design right on the paper. The ones we show in the picture (in case you can't read the small print) are from left to right down, Caramel, Sizzling Bacon, CandyCane, Marshmallow, Fudge (killer), and Butterscotch. The only flavors missing seems to be "Woman", OR "Man", depending of course on which side of the aisle you sit. Their Elements line (reviewed here before) complete with rollers (we'll look at these in the Rollers Section this time, are a big hit and their new Skulls, and Brown Sugar (with even more flavors) we will look at next time. They even have a "Pouched" paper (shown at right) that makes rolling in a windstorm a snap and is of great aid to the novice handroller. Suffice it to say, HBI is incredibly progressive and seems not only to address the needs of the RYO/MYO sector but anticipates the unanticipated as well as anyone in this business. They even have cool Juicy Jays Clocks like the one you see at the head of this page that now hangs in my recording studio. The lime green Neon ring (very bright green light with psychedelic patterns) remains in the off position as it was giving me flashbacks. Totally, man. Were I still to have a store (remember the experiment?) I would have every flavor of these irresistible packets.

   So we mentioned a number of the other greats in the paper business at the top of this article. Zig-Zag is probably still the most requested tobacco paper. They seems to be everywhere including the hard to break into general merchandise environments where only TOP and Bugler dare to tread. Gizeh papers, especially their Hanf Hemp line, remains one of my all time favorites. And of course RBA's Rizla and E-Z Wider, their sheer new Joker Hemp we looked at a couple of issue ago (there's and EZ Wider Hemp now as well that is a very luxurious offering and we'll talk more about that in the Review Section of this issue) all have significant followings and a lot of general merchandise store exposure as well. However, when it comes to flavoreds, with the exception of the RIZLA Licorice, a truly exquisite 100mm brown paper that is sweet and just flavorful enough to soften tobacco bite, only Republic Tobacco has a substantial competing offering for those looking for something extra - like flavor. Their Golden Wrap line, which we wrote about last time, continue to bridge the gap between Blunts, Pure Tobacco Leaf Wraps and rice, hemp or flax papers. And they have a whole new lineup of flavors that are really tasty. Now with Golden Wraps, as the paper itself contains a certain amount of impregnated tobacco, you wind up with a bit stronger smoke, not quite a cigarillo, but depending on the tobacco used, sometimes darn close. The addition of a lovely palette of flavors has made these papers something quite special. Our favorite is the new Coconut (may sound a bit weird but it works). It has kind of the same effect on tobacco that Vanilla does which means it is a helpful companion for a very smooth, lightly sweetened smoke. The Chocolate and the Strawberry are extremely flavorful as well and, like the Juicy Jays, these flavors are realistic and are created using extremely high quality flavor extracts. Golden Wrap Originals are still our favorites for the reasons stated at the beginning of the article, but their Cognac was an immediate hit when it was introduces well over a year ago. An interesting fact about the Golden Wrap papers (officially called a tobacco wrap) and other thicker papers like them including the Rizla Licorice mentioned above is that they are much easier to roll with using a roller. By hand, thinner finer papers are generally easier to manipulate and these more sheer papers are not always easy to get working in a typical hand roller. The thicker wraps style are ideal for hand rolling machines. We'll show you a video in the NEW Multi-Media Section under Hand Rollers, that produced the sample at right.

   Though we have a world-wide readership (some 100 countries are represented in e-mails) we get a relative small number of international samples. We do get some and in fact have helped bring a number of items to the US market after seeing them first here for review. While we hear from retailers frequently world-wide, there are only a few retailers who actually send us products they are excited about. However one such exception is a man named Johnnie from the UK. He has a shop and an online tobacco and accessory business and always seems to be on top of the current trends regarding products across the Big Pond. His company, Roll-Ups ( www.roll-ups.co.uk ) operates in an environment in Britain that is even more regulated than here in the US. They don't have the MSA over there, but simply tax the hell out of everything. Johnnie, from time to time sends us interesting brands we have not seen on this side, brands that are popular in Europe and Britain (not the same thing in case you didn't know). He does ship certain non-tobacco items to the US market and provides some really unique product lines, ideally suited to the collector in us all as well as functional items that have not made their way to the US market. Visit his site and get a taste of some of what we are missing in the US and conversely, what they in the UK are missing from us. This truly is a global market and even with pretty Draconian regulations regarding free enterprise when it comes to tobacco itself, the accessories market is fairly wide open and should be explored. Lots of fun stuff in the world, and even with all the negatives one might wish to dwell upon, there is no greater friend to this country than Britain. We have long contended that rolling papers often sell based on the exterior design of the packaging as much as for what is inside. Years ago, when one could find a "head" shop on every corner, the design of paper covers was an art form in and of itself, much like fruit crate labels. Designs like these above, while not as edgy as many of the both older designs and newer ones as well, have a certain flair to them and should occupy a place in the history of this product. Enjoy the art of Rolling Papers

SUMMER 2004

   One thing is certain in this highly competitive market and that is, there are more than enough brands of papers to satisfy even the most discerning of taste or the weirdest of neuro disorders. We have written about and shown you literally hundreds of brands over the years but once a month or so, something new always shows up from HBI. So we are gonna start with them. They have added even more flavors to their Juicy Jays (it is tough to keep up) and we recommend you go to their Zensmoke site to see them all. (www.zensmoke.com) At right above are a few, but new ones include Tequila, Mellow Mango, and Cinnamon Hearts. There's 22 "Triple Dipped" flavor treats in all and they come in, 1¼, 1½ width and a new king size length as well. Even in the 60s and 70s where rolling papers were everywhere, there was never such a huge selection of flavors. The Juicy Jays, as we've said many times, are really tasty, even just to chew on. While not quite breath mint potent, they are as mouth watering as their names imply (including for some folks, the Sizzling Bacon, which I'm still not sure of - but hey, I'm older and more traditional than the typical flavored paper users - so forgive me). All in all, the HBI Juicy Jays selection is at the top of the heap in terms of variety and sheer numbers of sweet, flavorful papers.

   However, their success has not gone unnoticed, as has neither the success of Republic's Golden Wraps shown at left. The GW's were extremely popular in our experimental store of a few years back and that was with only the, then new, Cognac and the smooth Original available. With all the new flavors (Peach, Strawberry, Coconut, Chocolate) and with the tobacco-like ambience added to the paper itself, these wraps make the perfect king-size cigarillo for those that want an aroma that attracts rather than repels. In fact, the resurgence of flavored papers may have much to do with the controversy over ambient tobacco smoke. These papers really do mitigate the staleness that can be attributed to some blends of tobacco's aromas and they add a sweet nip to the lips as well. The Golden Wraps, again, are different than other rolling papers in that they are tobacco wraps and contain at least a small amount of tobacco residue impregnated in the paper and are thicker than most other papers. With a gummed edge and stiffer structure, they are really easy to roll into very long elegant sticks. And they are really luxurious for a casual, aperitif-like smoke. Were I a rolling paper kind of guy, which I am occasionally, these are pretty hard to beat. Even tougher, is the decisions that are now necessary with all the newer flavors, textures and sizes, including some blunt wraps which take the experience to a whole new, if ill-defined, level. We'll get to blunts in a moment, but first let's continue with the smaller papered goodies.

   It seems that the competition is heating up over flavored papers (and flavored tobacco to some degree) and three companies are pushing the envelope even further. HBI we'll cover last, as some of their newer products are not quite rolling papers, not quite blunts. Most surprising to me was Republic's newest flavor offerings in a more standard non-tobacco wrap format. With their unique Golden Wraps, I assumed they felt pretty comfortable with their ownership of the "wrap" market. Well I suppose they still do, but they've now come up with some downright delicious flavored papers to compliment their newest TOP Wildfire flavored tobacco blends. We look at these really palette stimulating tobaccos this time in the Tobacco Section and our readers have been responding with a lot of praise, even long before we introduced them here. They are still the only rolling tobaccos we know of that actually transmits the flavor to the tongue itself and even the inhale is far more gentle, yet flavorful, than most flavored tobaccos. The Peach Wildfire was a huge hit a recent NATO show.

   Their newest offering (besides the Top-O-Matic of course) is their line of "WildFire" rolling papers. These are the perfect 1&1/4 wide, 79mm length that most people seem to prefer and the flavors are incredible. They are served up retail in a cello pack to preserve their flavor on the shelf and this rolling paper packaging innovation is an idea that really works. It works with menthol tubes and it works with tobacco. So it's no surprise it works as well with flavored papers. So far we've only seen three flavors (which is more than likely plenty - with something for everyone). They are Blueberry Frost, Vanilla Cream, and Sunrise Strawberry. And, of course, the papers themselves have the colorful imprint of the fruit or flavor element on each them. The Vanilla Cream really makes a pretty, visually mellow stick, while the other two really jump out at you especially with such vivid colors that result in a stick you can see from a good ways afar. No faded watermarks here. This is real graphic art, as pretty as most holiday decorative paper. The flavor again is without compromise and, like the Juicy Jays, I can suck on these puppies like candy. They impart a nice flavor to the tobacco as well and, when used in conjunction with their Wildfire tobacco, the sensation is solid and lasting. I've said many times that flavored tobaccos and papers are not my primary interest as far as a smoke. Well, it's getting harder to stick to that - as it was (as a matter of fact) with the Golden Wraps.

   There is something about the Sunrise Strawberry (done really right) both in terms of tobacco and paper that really works for me. Damn!! The Vanilla Creams are like you fell into a See's Candy store and mix that with the New York Vanilla Wildfire Tobacco and you vanilla nuts are going to be really happy. This is good stuff and may be the best vanilla flavor (including all the buttery richness as well) I've experienced outside of a candy store. For those who really like the experience of flavored tobaccos and papers, I can't think how you could be disappointed. Really quite amazing even for a traditionalist. Republic, with quite a few recent innovations, is (as we mentioned in the Injector section where we reviewed their new Top-O-Matic) absolutely grounded in the RYO/MYO sector and their dedication to producing products that excel is really to be admired. They are such a large company that I suppose they could take things for granted with TOP tobacco and a few papers and still practically rule the general merchandise market shelves, but they haven't rested on their laurels. The Wildfire combo, with or without the Top-O-Matic, is a "winner" by any measure of such terms. What is even more important is that their already significant penetration into general merchandise environments is going to spread the word of MYO/RYO to a significantly greater degree. Just be careful to keep the Vanilla Creams away from the "sweets" in tobacco store candy counters to avoid confusion by those older folks with good noses, but poor eyes. Yes, tobacco shops have candy displays for adults. We did. Imagine See's Candy Chocolate Cremes and great tobacco in one store - oh my - OINK!!

   Not being too much of a fan of flavored smokes, the new RBA flavored offerings may appeal to others of my particular ilk as well. They call them their "Wild Berry" and these papers, in both the EZ-Wider and Joker lines, are much more subdued in their flavor presentation. Actually, it appears the gum itself is the only flavor bearing element. These papers are white, which does lend a more traditional look and with that, the flavored gum does add a bit of flavor to the smoke and aroma of the stick. Its an interesting approach in that these papers make a nice stick that, from all appearances, is a regular roll your own, but with the subtle aroma that makes a nice, lightly fruity finish for both the smoker and those exposed to the smoke. They used flavors of raspberry, blackberry and blueberry to make up the "Wild Berry" ambience.

   Again, as not everyone is into heavily flavored tobaccos or decorative papers, these will find their own market, perhaps quite a large one. The packaging is typically first rate as expected and seen from other RBA rolling products such as regular EZ-Wider, Club, Rizla, Joker, and El Rey (I personally have not seen the El Rey rolling papers, but I am, of course, familiar with their tubes). Not having the printed fruit on the paper may, to a very minor degree, lessen the coloring of the taste of the papers that printing might add. However, the papers above, both the Juicy Jays and the new Top Wildfires, neither seem to have any ink flavor anyway. Certainly nothing like some of the flavored papers of old whose ink presence was overwhelming. I remember especially American Flag and Black papers that were like sucking on an inkwell. None of these new offerings detract from good tobacco and when used with flavored tobaccos, the experience for those who like this kind of dessert approach to tobacco will be most rewarding.

   Now before we get into blunts (yes, again we will do this), there are some other papers that are more traditional that we've known about for awhile but had not had the chance to try. The first brand name is Pure Hemp. These are, as the name implies, pure hemp papers. They are quite beautiful, clean, pure, and completely neutral with a touch of the warm overtones that hemp supplies to the hand-rolled smoking experience. They are also pretty sheer which make for a paper that is more transparent than the traditional rice or flax papers most RYO folks are used to. This sheer transparency carries over to the smoking experience as well, with almost no taste whatsoever transferred to the tobacco. HBI distributes these in the US (not many brands they don't), but in Canada another company, Natural Emphasis, handles them. They are available at most smoke shops and if they are not at yours, we strongly recommend you try them. One of the nicest hemp papers available anywhere in the world and, as you can see, the package design is really classy as well.

  The sticks we make from these papers are not only quite beautiful, but they are very easy to use with handrollers. In fact, their neutrality of taste and ease of use makes them ideal for our testing of initial blends of tobacco. Some hemps are thicker and thus easier to roll but have more impact on the tobacco. Some are even more sheer. We've covered a lot of hemps over the years. These we find to be just right for tobacco testing and for the increasingly fewer times I get out of the office and into the backwoods where I tend to roll all of my smokes. While I could carry an injector in a backpack and even tubes I suppose, I really do like to roll nice pure sticks of tobacco when the feeling strikes. I always use a handroller - my hand rolling skills are way too lacking and inconsistent to enjoy any sort of simple or quick enjoyment on the trail, and the more consistent the stick, the better it burns and the more accurate the tobacco flavor. I like a 3/8 inch stick by the way. This size is just right for flavor and mildness using 79 mm papers like the Pure Hemp. They also come in 70mm and King Size (nearly 100mm).

   These papers are among my very favorite for such adventures. (Don't like any of the sweet ones in the woods mainly because the bears really do! - and I tend not to bond well with bears). These papers are manufactured in South America by Miquel y Acostas (spelling) who is a major supplier of hemp papers to the world. HBI now provides another highly interesting paper (as does Natural Emphasis in Canada) from Miguel y Acostas. Brand-named Guarani, they have perhaps the most captivating package design I've seen in quite a while. No flash, just simple and pretty earthtones that really accentuate the natural colors of the Amazon or the US southwest for that matter. They too are hemp, a little more robust than the Pure hemp but are equally outstanding papers. Each packet is a different color but the papers inside are identical. I have received an awful lot of feedback from people who've I've pulled a pack of these out in front of. They are really unique looking with the mellow advantages of hemp used for rolling papers. Very warm and forgivingly mild even with some pretty devastatingly strong halfzwares like the now defunct (in the US) Gauloises.

   No doubt one might get the idea that HBI is involved with nearly every paper in the US. One must remember that HBI not only manufacturers their own lines, but is a distributor also so, the fact is, if they don't make it, they likely still carry it. These Guarani are a first class act. Now a new paper that HBI did come up with is called simply RAW. This is perhaps the most unusual paper to come along in a very long time. The name really says it all but for those who may not get it, these papers are as natural as a paper can be. They are unbleached, natural brown and incredibly sheer to the point of near transparency as you can see from the graphic below. Even though they are sheer to the extreme, they are also easy to roll (again with a roller for me). You can see in the stick above that the tobacco shows right through and were this paper a lighter color you could see each tobacco strand. (Note how the Sharpie pen logo shows through this paper). When you have a paper this sheer, there is no paper taste - none! And being that they are not bleached as most white papers must be to be white, there is not the slightest hint of chlorine. Now most people don't notice the chlorine in most good papers but it is there and once you smoke one of these you may be able to tell the difference. I sure could. (I can't stand chlorine in water and use a water purifier on my taps for drinking and cooking - so I could taste the difference, depending of course on the paper). Anyway these new designs are special, once again showing that innovation is still alive and well, especially so at HBI. Since they sent me the first box, they have changed the font for the packaging. The old script was more edgy, kind of a distressed font look. The new font is more readable and looks less oriental. I guess that mattered to them. Anyway, the RAW brand papers you will see in your store should look like the graphic labeled NEW at left. Really interesting papers. We're not sure if any of the original design got out so we'll show you both at left. Whichever you see, the paper inside may be the most unusual paper you've ever tried. RAW!

   There's one last paper brand from HBI we should look at before it's Blunt-Time. This is their Rollies brand of hemp papers. Of course, they come in a typical interleaved pack 1&1/4 wide, 79 mm in length. These are nice papers. While there may appear to be some redundancy among HBI papers as they have so many brands, the fact is each one is a little different. This is especially the case with Rollies as they not only come in standard forms, but they also (like the RS Rolls we reviewed years ago) come in a ten foot roll of gummed papers. These are nearly double wide (they say 1&1/2s but seem wider) but the real difference is the plastic container they come in. It not only looks really cool but, more importantly, protects the paper roll inside to a greater degree than a cardboard outer. Even more satisfying with this plastic design is the fact that the cutter (shown at left magnified) is sharp plastic and cuts very straight and cleanly. This was one of the most frequent complaints concerning the RS Rolls product, that the paper would tear unevenly (I think HBI has the RS brand as well now - certainly would be no surprise). The cardboard cutter was just too easily bent and worn down after a few uses. Regardless, the Rollies are a superior product, not only 10 ft of gummed wide paper, but in a container that travels better than any other rolling paper I've ever seen, and works perfectly every time. It just goes to show you, there is always room for improvement. From what I considered a bit of a gimmick to a really useful system. The pure hemp papers inside are quite good, fairly sheer and yet strong, one of the real advantages of hemp (in addition to their warm neutral flavor). We take a closer look at a better view of this unique packaging at left, so you can see just how well this container is constructed. Now if your going to carry a roll of papers, the idea is to be able to use all 10 ft (about forty 79 mm leaves worth) of the paper without mishap or waste. Of course you can use your own judgement as to how much paper you pull out, mostly determined by what sized roller you are using, but having a nice clean cut to work with makes an huge difference. And the plastic case exhibits much more in the way of moisture protection, not only from real water like rain, but more commonly from perspiration that papers are subjected to when carried in pockets. Even a slight amount of this perspiration can ruin a paper, especially the gummed edge. Now don't throw these in the river and expect to use them again, but they are incredibly water resistant. This strategy is incredibly more forgiving, and is one that I actually WILL use.

   Once again, HBI has built a better mousetrap and I think the reluctant acceptance of rolls of paper, as being less than useful for most traditional tobacco rolling enthusiasts will be changed to one of wider use. We don't yet know the price point but I suspect it will be in line with what one pays for a similar amount of interleaved papers. This product really does deserve some sort of award for ingenuity and high quality execution.

- BLUNTS -

   Now, as promised we'll take a rather brief look at some new blunt wraps. I have to tell you, I've used only a few blunts in my whole life. While this particular wrap style is incredibly popular, I prefer tubes and then standard rolling papers followed by normal sized tobacco wraps, like the Golden Wraps, for smoking tobacco. That's just me but to be truthful, I do have problems with non-gummed papers not to mention non-gummed blunts. I'm not even quite sure how some of them work so well for so many. Since they have no gum, without a lot of slobber I can't get them to stick together very well. Actually, if you get them quite wet (with water) beforehand, roll your stick and then use a hair dryer to dry it, they really do stick together and thus make an effective cigarillo-like finished product. I'm sure there must be easier ways, but they escape me. These HBI offerings come bundled (in this case) with a plastic clear little straw that keeps the Kingpin blunt rolled up until ready for use. Further, each blunt is packaged in a convenient sealed plastic tube that keeps the blunt fresh until ready for use. It's the part that transcends from ready for use to rolling with them that I have trouble with. Obviously, a lot of folks do not have this problem - as I said, they are incredibly popular. HBI has focused on these products quite a bit in the last year or so, and have two brands which are really quite aromatic and tasty. The brands are Kingpin (a name a bit on the edgy side) and Cyclones which are not an open wrap but rather a cone already formed with a tamping stick to pack the tobacco in with. I can't tell much difference in the homogenized, tobacco-impregnated  paper between the two except for, obviously, a lot of different flavors.

  I suggest you go to the Zensmoke site (www.zensmoke.com) to see all the flavors (we simply can't keep up with all the new flavors) but the graphic here (at above right and at left) basically shows you what you get. Note the plastic straw sticking out of the Kingpin blunt wrap above. It's there to preserve the "roll" of the paper to address the issue of the brittleness of these wraps if they do dry out. Already being rolled makes them less prone to break during filling and final rolling. Some sheets we will see in the near future will come flat and it is imperative that these be kept very moist to allow them the flexibility needed for a reliable roll. They need the elasticity analogous to that of a true tobacco leaf when being rolled, say into a cigar wrapper. Blunts we have looked at in the past have been so dry on occasion that they crumbled when rolling was attempted. The Kingpin and Cyclones are well protected by the plastic case they come in and the Kingpin (since it needs rolling) also has a cellophane wrapper to aid in moisture retention. Still it is probably a very good idea to moisten all blunt wraps before any manipulation of them.

   HBI is justifiably proud of their new line of blunts. There have been quite a few other brands we have seen and some we have reviewed over the last couple of years. Benefiting from those who have gone before, as to what works and what doesn't, HBI's new offering are the best packaged, most thoughtful design yet. These items have only recently been accepted into the mainstream of traditional smoke shops. For a while, the two major tobacco trade Shows, NATO (National Association of Tobacco Outlets) and RTDA (Retail Tobacco Dealers Association) would not allow blunt makers (whose only product was blunts) to exhibit in these venues. That has changed to some degree but there are still concerns that these products are used primarily for things other than tobacco. We've seen first hand that this is not the case, though any rolling paper can be used for things other than tobacco. So can any pipe.

    In concluding this section, let me just say that because of the enormous variety, design, and sheer numbers of rolling paper designs, we would be completely presumptuous to recommend any specific paper. Rolling papers are a matter of taste almost to the degree that is tobacco. Most people buy what they can find. Too many outlets sell limited brands and varieties. These retail stores are really missing a great, eye catching opportunity to bring in new customers and increase their bottom line and propagate and increased interest in diversity. I would recommend all of the papers mentioned on this current page as well as most all we have looked at in the past. Rolling papers are a relatively (compared to tobacco) higher profit product for retailers and even those who are completely convinced thay MYO is their cup of tea, occasionally will use as an occasional treat, rolling papers for stronger, more aperitif-like tobaccos such as strong halfzwares. Papers also make a very convenient way to taste the essence of tobaccos during your first experience with them. While good tubes do not lessen the taste of good tobaccos, there is something much more intimate, using rolling papers, in the relationship between tobacco and the enthusiast. Try a variety of papers even if you are a tube user. You will find they are a refreshing change for the occasional "special" smoke. And they can't be beat for portability and for retailers - profitability.

   Though we have a worldwide readership (some 100 countries are represented in e-mails) we get a relative small number of international samples. We do get some and, in fact, have helped bring a number of such items to the US market after seeing them first here for review. While we hear from retailers frequently worldwide, there are only a few retailers who actually send us products they are excited about. However, one such exception is a man named Johnnie from the UK. He has a shop and an online tobacco and accessory business and always seems to be on top of the current trends regarding products across the Big Pond. His company, Roll-Ups ( www.roll-ups.co.uk ) operates in an environment in Britain that is even more regulated than here in the US. They don't have the MSA over there, but simply tax the hell out of everything. Johnnie, from time to time, sends us interesting brands we have not seen on this side, brands that are popular in Europe and Britain (not the same thing in case you didn't know). He does ship certain non-tobacco items to the US market and provides some really unique product lines, ideally suited to the collector in us all, as well as functional items that have not made their way to the US market. Visit his site and get a taste of some of what we are missing in the US and, conversely, what they in the UK are missing from us. This truly is a global market and, even with pretty Draconian regulations regarding free enterprise when it comes to tobacco itself, the accessories market is fairly wide open and should be explored. We have long contended that rolling papers often sell based on the exterior design of the packaging as much as for what is inside. Years ago, when one could find a "head" shop on every corner, the design of paper covers was an art form in and of itself, much like fruit crate labels. Designs like these above, while not quite as edgy as some of the older designs, have a lot of flair to them and should occupy a place in the history of this product. Enjoy the art of Rolling Papers. Art is a reflection of life and there are many mirrors available.

SPRING 2005-2006

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Last Update : donderdag 22 november 2007 14:26:28