Alternative Tobacco

About Alternative Tobacco

The alternative tobacco category is a broad one that includes tobacco for smoking as well as smokeless tobacco products. Whether you prefer smoking or chewing, these top-notch products deliver the nicotine hit you’re looking for.

We source our alternative tobaccos from the most renowned brands and importers in the UK and further afield, such as Bayside, Fosters, Nordic Spirit, White Fox, Oliver Twist, Al Capone, JPS Players, and Brookfield. You'll find something for every taste, from old-school flavours to tasty chews and fast, sharp hits.

Dokha Arabic Tobacco

Sourced from Dubai, UAE, and other Middle Eastern countries, Dokha Arabic tobacco is an Arabian blend containing finely shredded, dried tobacco flakes, herbs, and spices. This alternative tobacco is famous for having a higher nicotine concentration than other forms of tobacco. Choose from strengths such as Cold, Warm, or Hot here at the Black Swan Shoppe. Dokha Arabic tobacco is best enjoyed when smoked in a traditional elongated pipe known as a Medwakh.

Shag Tobacco

Shag Tobacco is a pipe tobacco with less moisture content than most Pipe Tobacco blends and is primarily blended from Virginia and Burley leaves. Its smoking character is suited to former cigarette or RYO smokers who prefer a quicker burn and intense flavour than normal pipe tobacco offers. It takes a light much easier than general pipe tobacco and requires less relighting due to the lower moisture content. Shag Tobacco is often confused with hand rolling tobacco as it’s general appearance is similar with the only difference being the cut of the strands. Shag Tobacco is classed and taxed as a Pipe Tobacco and should only be used for this purpose.

Pipe and Hand Rolling Tobacco is defined by the thickness of it’s strands and anything with a thickness below 1.5mm is classed as Hand Rolling Tobacco. The majority of Hand rolling tobacco is generally cut between 0.8mm and 1.2mm

Tobacco Chew Bags

Discreet and satisfying without the fire hazard, tobacco chew bags are a simple way to enjoy nicotine in a smoke-free way. The name can be a little confusing, as not all the tobacco chew bags you’ll find here at the Black Swan Shoppe contain tobacco. That said, they all contain nicotine, whether it’s nicotine alone or in the form of finely cut tobacco. Choose from a range of flavours and strengths.

Tobacco Chewing Bits

Another smokeless alternative tobacco option, tobacco chewing bits are small pellets of tobacco designed to be placed inside your mouth, between your cheek and gum. Once in place, the pellet gradually releases nicotine and provides a lip-licking flavour for up to an hour. Chew the pellet gently for more flavour. Take your pick of tobacco chewing bit flavours such as Fresh & Cool, mint, strong liquorice, aniseed, and original.

Tobacco Leaf Wraps

Tobacco leaf wraps are natural leaves that make a great alternative to traditional rolling papers. Also known as blunt wraps or cigar wraps, these can simply be a raw leaf that has been fermented and prepared for rolling or it can be processed tobacco that has been formed into a pre defined shape and texture for a specific burn rate. s. You can use them to make hand-rolled cigars or cigarettes filled with your choice of rolling tobacco or herbal smoking blends. This premium alternative tobacco product offers you a slow-burning, aromatic smoke every time.

Tubing Accessories

When most smokers in the UK think of hand-made cigarettes, they naturally think of rollies. Cigarette tubing accessories take the concept of making your own cigarettes to the next level. We stock plain and menthol flavoured empty slim and regular king size cigarette tubes as well as tubing machines that make the process quick, clean, and above all, easy. Save money and enjoy a personalised smoking experience with our superior tubing accessories, whilst maintaining that refined appearance of a tailor made cigarette.

Tubing Cigarette Tobacco

One of the lesser-known alternative tobaccos, tubing cigarette tobacco or volume tobacco, is convenient, cost-effective, and customisable yet for some reason hasn’t quite taken off in the UK as it has in the rest of the world. If you want an alternative to manufactured cigarettes or you enjoy rolling your own, this type of tobacco could be the answer. Some Tobaccos in this category are actually marketed as Hand Rolling Tobacco’s but we have selected them for their tubing characteristics. The dry, fine, consistent cut of this product is perfect for filling empty cigarette tubes with the help of a tubing machine. Choose from options such as Amsterdamer, Ashford, Auld Kendal, Elixyr, and Natural American Spirit.

Twist Tobacco

Twist tobacco or rope tobacco is renowned for its rich, robust flavour. This versatile alternative tobacco is usually hand-spun into a thick rope or lanyard that you can enjoy in two different ways. One of these is to slice or bite off a chunk and place it inside the gum (confusingly referred to as chewing), the other is to cut a slice and rub it into a pipe for smoking. Here at the Black Swan Shoppe, you’ll find black twist, which has a smoky aroma, and brown twist, known for its strength and stout smoke.

No matter your preferences, we have alternative tobaccos to suit your discerning tastes.

Alternative Tobacco FAQs

What is alternative tobacco?

Alternative tobacco is an umbrella term for a range of products other than regular pipe or hand-rolling tobacco. These products include chewing tobacco, Dokha Arabic tobacco, tubing tobacco and accessories, shag tobacco, tobacco leaf wraps, and twist tobacco.

Do you actually chew, chewing tobacco?

The term chewing tobacco is unhelpful as you don’t actually chew tobacco or chew bags. To chew raw tobacco such as twist, results in a sour, bitter and wholly unpleasant release of moisture from the tobacco, which is high in Nicotine and will have your head spinning and likely feeling un-well. It is not uncommon for users of twist or chewing bits to give an initial grind between the teeth to activate the process and release nicotine sooner.

A chew bag is designed to stay in the bag. Chewing the bag is likely to rupture it and leave you with pieces of tobacco floating around your mouth, which at the least will be unpleasant

Do you swallow chewing tobacco or chew bags?

Simply No, tobacco should not be consumed. Due to the modern world and lack of Spitoons, we strongly advise against spitting your chewing tobacco across the bar and recommend putting it in the bin when you have had enough.