Clove cigarette, as the name says, packs a punch with a blend of tobacco and clove spice. That creates a sensory journey like no other and gives smoking a new meaning altogether. From the narrow streets of Indonesia to the expansive smoking lounges across the globe, clove cigarettes have a story to tell. Let’s be all ears to it.
What is a Clove Cigarette?
Simply put, a cigarette made of tobacco and a grounded clove and clove oil blend qualifies to be a clove cigarette. It can also contain cumin, cinnamon, and nutmeg to create a one-of-a-kind aromatic smoking experience. Often referred to as a Kretek, the clove cigarettes originate from Indonesia, home to the clove tree (Syzygium aromaticum).
- Suggested Reading: Herbal Cigarettes 101: Pros, Cons & Brands
Ingredients:
| Component | Percentage |
| Tobacco | 60% to 80% |
| Ground Clove Buds & Clove Oil | 20% to 40% |
| Additional Spices (optional) | Cumin, Cinnamon, Nutmeg |
- Suggested Reading: Top Cigarette Brands in India: Stats, Reviews, & More
Appearance:
| Dimensions | Longer and slimmer than regular cigarettes. Length may vary |
| Color | Typically brown or tan, with variations based on the inclusion of cloves and other spices |
| Filters | Some have filters, while others may feature a unique cork-style tip or remain unfiltered |
Smoke:
| Thickness | The clove content leads to a thicker and more intense smoke |
| Texture | Usually smoother than traditional cigarettes, less harsh & easier to inhale |
| Residue | May leave a lingering aroma on clothing and surroundings after smoking |
- Suggested Reading: The Best-Kept Secrets About Organic Cigarettes
Flavor & Taste:
| Spicy Undertones | Clove buds and oil make for spiciness and a warm and distinctive undertone. |
| Sweet Notes | Carry a subtle sweetness to provide a contrast to the bold tobacco flavor |
| Complexity | A blend of tobacco, cloves, and spices results in a layered and complex flavor profile |
| Aroma | A rich aroma for a tingling sensation and an olfactory delight |
- Suggested Reading: Sweet Cigarettes: The Good, The Bad & The Ugly
Other Traits:
| Price | Clove cigarette price is more than regular ones due to unique ingredients & manufacturing process |
| Health Effects | Just as addictive and harmful as regular tobacco cigarettes |
| Regulations | Banned in the US and much of Europe due to high youth appeal and lack of health warnings |
| Target Customers | Marketed to youngsters due to their sweet taste disguising the effects of smoking |
| Trivia | The name, kretek, is derived from the sound of burning cloves |
- Suggested Reading: Deep Down of the Tobacco Companies in India
Clove Cigarette: The Magic of Cloves
Clove has been a flavor enhancer and a trusted ally in traditional medicine for ages. Besides jazzing up your food, it comes to the rescue against oral issues, tummy troubles, and even that stubborn cough. Plus, it can induce uterine contractions and calm the nerves. Its essential oil isn’t just for fragrance but can also hedge against free radicals.
| Therapeutic Uses | Oral diseases, dental complaints, nausea, vomiting, cough, diarrhea, dyspepsia, flatulence, stomach distension, pain relief, gastrointestinal spasm, uterine contractions, nerve stimulation |
| Folk Medicine Uses | Diuretic, odontalgic, stomachic, tonicardiac, a condiment with carminative and stimulant effects |
| Essential Oil Benefits | Fragrance, flavor agent, dietary antioxidant |
- Suggested Reading: World’s Top Cigarette Brands: Revenue, Market Share & More
Clove Cigarette: History
Kreteks have a long evolution history. Originating as traditional medicinal use to becoming a symbol of nationalism and a popular cigarette category globally, kreteks have come of age. Here’s the timeline.
1880s:
A native of Kudus, Haji Djamhari, created hand-rolled cigarettes with clove oil, dried buds, and tree sap to alleviate his chest pains. Word spread as the product became available in pharmacies as “clove cigarettes” with medicinal claims.
1906:
Kudus resident Nitisemito launched the first proprietary kretek brand “Bal Tiga” and kickstarted commercial production and marketing of clove cigarettes in Indonesia.
1930s:
Commercial manufacturing of branded kreteks began on a wider scale across Indonesia. Nitisemito enjoyed success with marketing innovations like embossed packs.
1960s-1970s:
Kreteks became a symbol of indigenous identity against “white cigarettes” during Indonesia’s early independence era.
Mid 1980s:
Machine-produced kretek volumes surpassed hand-rolled ones as manufacturing technology evolved.
Late 1990s:
Indonesia’s massive kretek industry included 500 manufacturers and employed around 10 million people, becoming a major income source.
2009:
Kreteks faced a ban in the United States, leading to “kretek cigars” with similar attributes being marketed instead to bypass regulation.
- Suggested Reading: Top Luxury Cigarette Brands: Indulgence Redefined
Clove Cigarette: Types
Over the years, kretek cigarettes have thrown up several variants to support different tastes. Here’s your rundown on the most prominent of them.
1. Klobot Kretek Cigarette:
| Origins | It’s the authentic kretek wrapped in klobot (dried corn husk) |
| Uniqueness | Hand-rolled and now rare, still found in rural East Java |
| Preference: | Particularly popular among senior citizens |
The initial kreteks were Klobot kretek. Hand-rolled with dried corn husk, Klobot kretek is the authentic kretek and is increasingly rare now. You have to travel into the heart of rural East Java, where the older folks can be seen enjoying this classic smoke.
- Suggested Reading: Slim Cigarette: Top 10 Facts You Need to Know
2. Hand-Rolled Kretek Cigarette:
| Origins | Introduced in 1913, it was the first mass-produced kretek for commercial use. |
| Uniqueness | Rolled by hand, a practice that continued until 1970 when regulations mandated desks and chairs for factory workers. |
| Timelessness | The hand-rolled variant, lacking a filter, remains a favored choice |
Picture this: workers, seated on the floor, meticulously rolling each piece by hand. These were the hand-rolled kreteks for you. These paper-wrapped cigarettes set the ball rolling for mass-produced kretek for commercial use until 1970 when regulations mandated desks and chairs for workers. Even today, the charm of these filterless cigarettes makes them a popular choice.
- Suggested Reading: Best Cigarette Brands in Pakistan
3. Machine-Rolled Kretek Cigarette:
| Origins | Launched in 1974, marking a significant chapter in Kretek’s history |
| Uniqueness | Equipped with a filter, it resembles regular cigarettes in shape, size, and color |
| Popularity | A booming product that transformed the kretek industry landscape |
Debuting in 1974, the machine-rolled Kretek cigarette changed everything for the Kretek industry. With a filter in tow, these kreteks were similar in shape, size, and color, just like the regular cigarettes. Think of them as the standard Kretek cigarette, as we know them today.
- Suggested Reading: Best Slim Cigarette Brands That Turn Heads
4. Dual Clove Cigarette:
| Composition | It comes in two halves – one with regular tobacco filler and the other with a blend of clove powder and tobacco |
| Visual Cue | The clove-infused section boasts a darker or reddish hue, creating a visual contrast |
| Taste | As you take a drag, the journey begins with the familiar taste of tobacco, gradually transitioning to the exotic notes of clove in the middle section |
Call it the most evolved form of the clove cigarette. Imagine a smoke that unfolds like a story, with not one but two distinct chapters. True to their name, they offer you two flavors in a single stick. One-half of the cigarette carries regular tobacco, while the other half contains a blend of clove powder and tobacco. This creates a visually distinctive two-toned cigarette, with the clove section appearing darker or reddish. You initially enjoy the tobacco flavor, which gradually gives way to clove flavor.
Suggested Reading: Women’s Choice: The Best Female Cigarette Brands in India
Clove Cigarette: Popularity
While kretek cigarettes dominate smoking preferences in Indonesia, they are gaining traction globally. As of 2020, they constitute 1.8% of the cigarette market, with an estimated 25 million smokers outside Indonesia.
Kreteks Popularity: Indonesia
| Statistic | Data |
| Tobacco Usage in Indonesia (2018) | 34% of Indonesians aged 15+ used tobacco |
| Clove-Mixed Tobacco Smokers (2014) | 73% of tobacco smokers in Indonesia |
| Preference for Kreteks in Indonesia | About 90% of smokers prefer kreteks |
- Suggested Reading: All Cigarette Name List: A Full Spectrum
Kreteks Popularity: Globally
| Global Market Share | Approximately 1.8% |
| Global Kretek Smokers | Estimated 25 million people |
| Popular Countries | Malaysia, Singapore, Brunei, the Philippines, Australia, Netherlands, Germany, United States |
- Suggested Reading: List Of Cheap Cigarette Brands in India with Price
Clove Cigarette: Legal Status:
In the 2000s, kreteks found themselves in a legal and political tug-of-war. A proposed 2009 U.S. Senate bill wanted to ban all cigarette flavors, save for menthol ones. Why? Well, some argued it was to protect the big tobacco players from a little too much competition. Yet, despite the heated debate, several U.S. states went ahead to ban clove cigarettes.
Fast forward to 2009, and the Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act decided that flavored cigarettes, including kreteks, had to go. Even though menthol cigarettes got a pass, kreteks were left out in the cold, no longer legal in the U.S. starting September 2009. However, some tried to sell them as “kretek cigars” to dodge the regulations.
Indonesia wasn’t too thrilled about it. In 2010, they took the matter to the World Trade Organization, arguing that the ban unfairly targeted kreteks while letting menthol cigarettes, mostly made by U.S. companies, off the hook. Their point? Menthol had a 43% share of the U.S. youth market, while Kreteks had less than 1%, making the ban seem a bit lopsided. In 2012, the WTO bought into the argument and ruled in Indonesia’s favor.
But here’s the kicker: it’s still a bit fuzzy how this ruling plays out in the real world of U.S. legislation. So, as of now, kreteks are still navigating some pretty tough hurdles to make their way into American hands.
- Suggested Reading: Most Expensive Cigarette in India
Clove Cigarette: “Benefits” and Concerns
A clove cigarette is a tango of flavors, but a deadly one.
Perceived Benefits:
More on health concerns later, but first the “benefits.”
1. Eugenol Magic:
Cloves boast eugenol, a natural analgesic that can help relieve pain. It’s a popular belief that puffing on clove cigarettes could bring a brief respite from pesky toothaches or irritating sore throats.
2. Antioxidant Arsenal:
Cloves pack a punch with antioxidants, compounds that combat oxidative stress and might hedge the body against the wear and tear caused by oxidative stress.
Note that, these are “perceived benefits,” not backed by scientific evidence.
Concerns:
Now, before you light up a clove cigarette in anticipation of potential benefits, a reality check is due. Here’s what research tells us.
1. More Tar & CO:
As per the Nicotine & Tobacco Research report (2021), the clove cigarette has a thing for packing more tar and carbon monoxide than regular smoke. That exposes you to an increased risk of cancer and other deadly conditions.
2. Undisclosed Ingredients:
The clove cigarette brands don’t spill the beans on what’s in them. The Toxicology Research reports the presence of clindamycin (an antibiotic) and octodrine (an amphetaminic stimulant) in Kretek cigarettes. These unexpected guests make kretek cigarettes in India and elsewhere more dangerous than the regular ones.
3. Health Issues Galore:
The PubMed Central report (2021) equates the damaging effects of clove cigarettes to the regular ones. It directly linked Kreteks to asthma, oral diseases, heart issues, and even heart attacks.
- Suggested Reading: World’s Best-Selling Menthol Cigarette Brands
Clove Cigarette: Manufacturing Process
Special cigarettes involve a special manufacturing process. Specifications might vary from one brand to the other, but here are some common elements in the process.
Production Step |
Description |
| Tobacco Blending | It all kicks off with blending quality tobacco leaves to achieve the desired flavor profile |
| Clove Mixture | The manufacturer mixes ground clove buds and clove oil and sometimes throws in other spices to spice things up |
| Rolling | The blended mixture is meticulously rolled into cigarette paper to ensure an even distribution of tobacco and spices |
| Drying | Clove Cigarette undergo a drying process to eliminate the excess moisture, crucial for maintaining proper consistency |
| Packaging | Finally, it’s time to pack it up for distribution |
- Suggested Reading: World’s Best Cigarette Lighter Brands: A Definitive Guide
How to Craft a Clove Cigarette at Home?
Yes, it is possible to handcraft a clove cigarette at home in a few simple steps.
Ingredients:
| Looseleaf tobacco | Whole cloves | Clove to tobacco ratio: Varies from 1:3 to 2:3 |
Steps:
| 1 | Cut cloves into petal balls and leftover stem pieces with a sharp knife |
| 2 | Leave the petal section largely intact, or break it into large chunks |
| 3 | Powder the leftover stem using a mortar/pestle or grinder |
| 4 | Mix tobacco, intact petal pieces, and powder as per the chosen ratio |
| 5 | Let the liquid absorb for 1-3 hours then dry on a baking sheet on low heat |
| 6 | Stir periodically while drying until crisp |
| 7 | Use a quality injector machine and tubes to roll cured tobacco-clove blend into cigarettes |
Notes:
- Dip filters in a sweet solution for extra sweetness
- Avoid artificial flavors to keep the experience authentic
- Add liquid extract (coffee, tea, etc) to flavor the tobacco mix
Suggested Reading: Top 10 Best Disposable Vape Brands in 2024
Clove Cigarette Takeaways:
A clove cigarette stands out for its unique blend of tobacco and aromatic spices. The distinct taste, coupled with innovative features like dual flavors, make the Kretek cigarette a go-to option if you are keen to elevate your smoking experience. However, the next time you light up; take a moment to rethink your decision. Regular cigarettes, herbal cigarettes, organic cigarettes, kretek cigarettes, or anything else sold to you as cigarettes – all of them are a health risk. It’s not easy to give up smoking but you have to. Remember, life is more precious than your cravings.
Clove Cigarette: FAQs:
1. What is a clove cigarette?
A clove cigarette, kretek, or kretek cigarette, is a cigarette with a blend of tobacco, grounded cloves, and clove oil. Some might contain cumin, cinnamon, and nutmeg for a more complex flavor profile.
2. Are clove cigarettes banned anywhere?
Yes, clove cigarette faces a ban in the US and much of Europe. It’s essential to be aware of local tobacco laws and restrictions.
3. Are clove cigarettes and herbal cigarettes the same?
No, clove cigarettes and herbal cigarettes are two different things. Clove cigarettes still contain tobacco and can cause addiction and health issues like regular cigarettes. Herbal cigarettes, on the other hand, mimic smoking with plants and botanical mixes, without tobacco. Smokers often use herbal cigarettes as a nonsmoking aid.
4. Are clove cigarettes addictive?
Like traditional cigarettes, clove cigarettes contain nicotine, which is an addictive substance. Smoking any form of tobacco product can lead to nicotine dependence.
5. Is Clove cigarette safe?
No. Kretek cigarettes in India and elsewhere are equally or more dangerous than regular cigarettes, causing cancers, heart issues, respiratory problems, and other deadly conditions.
Suggested Reading:
Feature Image Courtesy: Azerbaijan stockers on Freepik
A wordsmith, avid traveler, rationalist, brand loyalist, sports-freak, and an independent researcher, Rohit has authored 18000 writeups for some of the leading online and offline publications in the past 10 years. He digs into information, weaves narratives, and distills complex subjects into engaging content.