Method of flavoring and aging smoking material and smoking article manufactured using the same

Abstract

An embodiment of the present disclosure provides a method of flavoring and aging smoking materials, the method including: adding a flavoring, which is diluted in a base solution, to a smoking material; and aging the smoking material, to which the flavoring is added, under constant temperature and humidity conditions.

1 . A method of flavoring and aging smoking materials for constituting at least a portion of a smoking material portion of a smoking article, the method comprising:
 adding a flavoring, which is diluted in a base solution, to a smoking material; and   aging flavored smoking material under constant temperature and humidity conditions.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein, in the adding of the flavoring, a sum of weight of the flavoring and weight of base solution is in a range of 1% to 20% of total weight of the smoking material. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the weight of the flavoring and the weight of the base solution are each in a range of 1% to 10% of the total weight of the smoking material. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising, between the adding of the flavoring and the aging, adjusting moisture of the flavored smoking material so that the moisture of the flavored smoking material is in a range of 15 wt % to 35 wt %. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the aging is performed for a period in a range of 7 days to 25 days under a condition of an internal temperature in a range of 60° C. to 80° C. and an internal relative humidity in a range of 20% to 40%. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the smoking material is tobacco leaves in which a total sugar content is in a range of 20 wt % to 40 wt %. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the flavoring includes at least one of a vanilla concentrate, a chocolate concentrate, maple syrup, a dried prune concentrate, a cocoa concentrate, a pine flavoring liquid, a cinnamon flavoring liquid, and a red wine flavoring liquid. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the flavoring is the vanilla concentrate, and the base solution may be alcohol. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the flavoring is the chocolate concentrate, and the base solution is water. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 preconditioning the flavored and aged smoking material;   primarily moisturizing the preconditioned smoking material by adding at least one of propylene glycol and glycerin thereto;   cutting the primarily-moisturized smoking material;   drying the cut smoking material; and   secondarily moisturizing the dried smoking material by adding at least one of the propylene glycol and the glycerin thereto.   
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein:
 the preconditioning is performed at a temperature in a range of 90° C. to 110° C.;   the drying is performed at a temperature in a range of 100° C. to 120° C.; and   the weight of the propylene glycol added in the primary moisturizing is smaller than the weight of the glycerin added in the primary moisturizing, and the weight of the propylene glycol added in the secondary moisturizing is larger than the weight of the glycerin added in the secondary moisturizing.   
     
     
         12 . Flavored and aged tobacco leaves for constituting at least a portion of a smoking material portion of a smoking article, the flavored and aged tobacco leaves are made using the method of  claim 1 . 
     
     
         13 . A smoking article comprising:
 a smoking material portion of which at least a portion is filled with the flavored and aged tobacco leaves of  claim 12 ; and   a filter portion disposed downstream of the smoking material portion.   
     
     
         14 . The smoking article of  claim 13 , wherein the smoking material portion is filled with a mixture of 15 wt % to 35 wt % of the flavored and aged tobacco leaves, 5 wt % to 25 wt % of tobacco leaves that are not flavored or aged, 15 wt % to 35 wt % of toasted tobacco leaves, 1 wt % to 20 wt % of reconstituted tobacco leaves, and 15 wt % to 35 wt % of expanded tobacco midribs.