Siena: The Ancient Art of Tuscan Tobacco

With Siena, we wanted to distil the most authentic essence of Tuscany. At its heart is Kentucky Tobacco, a historic and precious ingredient whose cultivation and culture have shaped a significant chapter of the region's identity for centuries.

The history of tobacco in Tuscany has ancient roots. Arriving in Europe in the 16th century, tobacco found fertile ground in the valleys of Valtiberina and Valdichiana. A fortuitous event in 1815 gave birth to a legend: a batch of Kentucky tobacco, fermenting in the rain, released a unique and unmistakable aroma. This is how the famous Tuscan cigar was born, establishing Kentucky as the emblematic variety of the region.

The cultivation of this tobacco continues today following traditional methods. The leaves, of the Nicotiana tabacum L. species, undergo a "fire-curing" process: a slow drying inside sheds, fuelled by the smoke of hardwoods (oak or walnut), which gives the tobacco its characteristic smoky aroma. Subsequently, a natural fermentation softens the bitter notes, developing its complex aromatic bouquet. Siena is inspired by this raw material.

The main varieties of tobacco used in perfumery are Burley, Virginia and, as in our case, Kentucky. Through a process of extraction with organic solvents (hexane or petroleum ether) from the dried and fermented leaves, a waxy concrete is obtained, which is then treated with ethanol to produce the precious tobacco absolute.

The result is a mélange of warm and honeyed notes intertwined with nuances of hay, plum, and earthy hints, on a leathery, spicy, and animalic base that enhances its depth and persistence. The complexity of tobacco absolute is due to a wide range of compounds. 

Among these, megastigmatrienones, also present in Osmanthus, are responsible for the characteristic smell of tobacco, with balsamic nuances of vanilla, hay, and tea; but we also find phenols (Guaiacol, Phenylacetaldehyde) that offer spicy, smoky, and floral notes, diterpenes (Sclareol and Manool) that provide resinous and amber notes, Pyrazines that add toasted and gourmand hints, and other volatile compounds such as Neophytadiene and Benzaldehyde that complete the bouquet with herbaceous, almond, and green notes.

This extraordinary molecular richness is the secret to the mysterious and seductive soul of tobacco, which for centuries has continued to capture the hearts of all who dare to bring their nostrils close to this unique essence.