R.j. Reynolds Tobacco Company

Bruce R Bullings

Thomas A Perfetti

Jerry W Lawson

Gary R Shelar

Cigarettes having high nicotine content tobacco cut filler are rendered smooth smoking and palatable by incorporating an organic acid additive therein. For example, a cigarette having a cut filler with a blend nicotine content of greater than 2 percent has at least one organic acid additive incorporated into the cigarette in an amount of greater than 1 percent. Smooth smoking cigarettes yielding good tobacco taste and minimal off-taste are provided when the majority of the organic acid additive is levulinic acid. The levulinic acid can be in a dissociated and/or nondissociated form. For cigarettes having filter elements, at least a portion of the levulinic acid can be present in the filter element. Alternatively, cigarettes can have at least a portion of the levulinic acid provided in the form of nicotine levulinate. Cigarettes having high nicotine content tobaccos and levulinic acid and cigarettes having a salt such as nicotine levulinate incorporated therein can exhibit low FTC 'tar' to nicotine ratios while providing a smooth, palatable and flavorful taste.

Cigarette

Cigarettes having incorporated therein a salt such as nicotine levulinate exhibit low FTC 'tar' to nicotine ratios while (i) having a smooth, palatable, flavorful taste, and (ii) providing smoking satisfaction to the user. The cigarettes do not exhibit a harsh or irritating character; and do not exhibit a non-tobacco or off-taste.

Salts provided from nicotine and organic acid as cigarette additives

Rare or specialty cigar-type and pipe tobaccos can be uniformly applied within a blend of smokable material for use as cigarette cut filler. The rare or specialty tobacco is divided into a finely divided powder, suspended in liquid, and applied as a casing to one or more relatively major components of the blend. This invention provides for cigarette cut filler having low (e.g., less than about 5 weight percent) amounts of unique tobaccos contained uniformly throughout.

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Winston-Salem, NC, United States of America

Bruce R Bullings