Chewing Tobacco In Iloilo.?

[Sander Martin]

Bit late now, but i did see some chewing tobacco in Molo Mansion Kultura shop.

[robert k]

You can make your own chewing tobacco from tobacco sourced at the public market but it takes work.

 

 I started with the tan leaf, not yellow, not dark brown, hand shredded and put in the blender to chop fine. Then I added salt boiled (add a Mentos mint or wintergreen candy while boiling if you like the flavor) it and allowed the water to evaporate to the consistency that I sought constantly stirring at the end then add baking soda after it has cooled. Do not add baking soda while boiling the tobacco. Be careful adding the salt and baking soda as too much of either and it will make you sick.

 

I'm told that the temperatures never get high enough for the carcinogens to form (as in Swedish snuss). I also didn't ferment the leaf (takes 9 months to a year and can easily spoil or even catch fire) so it didn't have an ammonia or spoiled taste as you often find with an American snuff. One batch I made turned out exactly like Copenhagen long cut. I'm not giving exact measurements as what you like will be subjective. Less is more when it comes to salt and baking soda. If you make a batch too strong, throw it out and start over, mixing it with a new weak batch wont work.

 

You can make some chewing tobacco by reducing (boiling) apple juice by half and soaking tobacco in it. Filipinos seemed to like it, I gave some to a guy trying to quit smoking. You aren't going to be able to make something like Beechnut because you need to smoke the tobacco over a Beech fire requiring a smokehouse and well, Beech wood.

 

In the end it was too much trouble and I just salted the tobacco to taste and chewed it as is. It takes a long time to break down. A chunk will 4 hours to a full day.

 

The purpose of the salt and baking soda beyond flavor is that you won't absorb nicotine in the presence of acid. Salt and baking soda neutralize acid in your saliva. Chewing natural leaf doesn't stain your teeth as much as commercial chewing tobacco.

 

I believe there was a tobacco shop in Manila that was willing to ship Skoal anywhere.....for 800php a can plus shipping, when they have it in stock which I gather was mostly never. At 800php per 1.2 ounce can, I would just become a hermit for a month and quit.

 

Pricing, you are pretty much on your own. The leafs I liked were also favored for rolling up cigarillos. They started wanting 15 php per leaf about 14 inches long by 7 inches wide. I eventually negotiated it down to 10php. I heard of a guy on Cebu who said he was paying 25 php per leaf. My habit cost me about 200 php every 3 weeks.

 

I hope this may help someone in the future.

[Tukaram (Tim)]

Have no idea if the pharmacys there will have them but maybe you could search for those nicotine patches that they use for those trying to give up smoking. That would or should get you through your flight.

Wouldn't those patches taste funny?  Sorry....

 

 

Not tobacco related... but where did all the Iloilo people come from all of the sudden ha ha

 

...we should do lunch :tiphat:

[Dave Hounddriver]

search for those nicotine patches

 

Or vape juice (for e-cigs)

[robert k]

 

Have no idea if the pharmacys there will have them but maybe you could search for those nicotine patches that they use for those trying to give up smoking. That would or should get you through your flight.

Wouldn't those patches taste funny?  Sorry....

 

 

Not tobacco related... but where did all the Iloilo people come from all of the sudden ha ha

 

...we should do lunch :tiphat:

 

I have been to Iloilo a handful of times but I lost your number. :thumbsup:

[gerrysanders]

 

 

Have no idea if the pharmacys there will have them but maybe you could search for those nicotine patches that they use for those trying to give up smoking. That would or should get you through your flight.

Wouldn't those patches taste funny?  Sorry....

 

 

Not tobacco related... but where did all the Iloilo people come from all of the sudden ha ha

 

...we should do lunch :tiphat:

 

I have been to Iloilo a handful of times but I lost your number. :thumbsup:

 

There is a Swede up here in Angeles City that makes snus and sells it for 350 a can.

It's not bad. It is sometimes a bit salty.

They do sell Skoal in the money changers, SM Mall, and a few other places locally in Angles.

The problem is the Skoal is always old and tastes horrible as does the Copenhagen, and Timberwolf.

It's too bad....  they have it but you won't want it as I mentioned above.

[brmpipes]

I was able to find skoal cherry in SM mall in Iloilo just before I left. It was 340p per tin. Yes it was older stock ,but got me through the long flight back to Vancouver. I had typed this all before I left Philippines, but of course internet went down and couldn't post. Couldn't believe It when I came across it. Life is good.