How to Make Clove or Kretek Cigarettes

Get some loose tobacco and whole cloves. Depending on the amount of spice you want to use, the ratio between the two ingredients varies from 1:3 up to 2:3.If you overdo it with the cloves, the mixture will not burn properly. If you can find it, use Ceylon spice which has a different flavor and scent.

Prepare the nails to add to the tobacco. In reality, it is the dried flower;you have to cut it between the sepal (the small four-pointed crown) and the petals, which are the small ball at the end.If you are patient and use a sharp knife, you can get an incredibly clean cut. If you like the end part of the nail (the petals), you can also skip this step.

Don't worry if the ball breaks into two or three parts, there is no problem. The characteristic sound of burning kretek is actually emitted by the crackling petals;this is why you want to keep the ball intact or at least only briefly broken.The very name of the cigarette (kretek) is onomatopoeic. You can coarsely grind the entire nail, the cigarette will still crackle nicely.

Take the calyx portion (sepal) and place it in the mortar, grinder or between the floor and a stone. Use the tool at your disposal to crush the spice;Unlike the petals, you have to finely pulverize the stem to make it burn properly. Djarum Black brand cigarettes have a high content of finely ground cloves;to obtain a similar product, grind the spice for about 20 seconds in an electric coffee grinder.

Mix everything with the tobacco of your choice. At this stage, you need to pay attention to proportions;try mixing one part spice with three parts tobacco. If you use a machine that rolls cigarettes and injects the mixture, don't worry about mixing the ingredients first, but pour one part tobacco, one part crushed cloves and another part tobacco into the tank to create three layers.

Finished! However, if you want to flavor the mixture, which is what most kretek companies do, you need to take some additional steps.

You can take almost any liquid (coffee, tea, rose water, orange blossom, vanilla extract, almond extract and alcohol) to get great flavor! Then choose the product you prefer and add it to the mixture respecting a ratio of approximately one part liquid to 8 parts dry product.Everyone develops their own specific "recipe", so don't be afraid to do some experiments by varying the doses.Pour everything into a bowl;the final flavor does not only depend on the proportions between the ingredients, but also on the resting times and the drying technique.

Let the mixture sit for 1-3 hours, or longer if you can. The dry product absorbs aromas during "soaking".

Sprinkle tobacco on a cookie sheet to dry in the oven with only the light on. Stir the mixture occasionally to ensure even drying;the time required varies, but the tobacco should be a little "crunchy" at the end of the procedure.

• Alternatively, you can place the mixture in a bowl made of Pyrex or other heat-resistant material and place it on top of a fondue kit.Remember to stir the tobacco often, as this method uses higher temperatures and makes it dry more quickly;It may seem strange, but the technique works!
• The last option is to air dry the mixture, but this takes time.

Enjoy the finished product. Don't be surprised if the mixture turns darker after adding a colored liquid;at this point, all you have to do is roll the cigarette or fill the pipe.Happy smoking!

If you have decided to use a machine with an injector, avoid the cheap ones. When choosing pre-rolled papers, opt for Vera Cruz Nocturne (they are brown, almost like Djarum Special cigarettes) or Vera Cruz Midnight (they are black, almost like Djarum Black).By adding a pinch of ground nutmeg you can get a similar flavor to Djarum Black cigarettes.If you really love sweet flavors, know that the latter have filters previously dipped in water and saccharin.Saccharin is available in supermarkets in tablet form, you just need to grind them up and dissolve them in water.Wait until the cigarette has dried overnight before smoking it.