2401.20.85.10 - Flue-cured

This HTS classification, 2401.20.85.10, specifically covers "Flue-cured" unmanufactured tobacco. Flue-cured tobacco is characterized by its unique curing process, where it is dried using heat from furnaces or stoves in enclosed, well-ventilated barns, with the heat source not in direct contact with the tobacco leaves. This method results in a lighter color and a milder, sweeter flavor profile compared to other curing methods. This category falls under unmanufactured tobacco that has been partly or wholly stemmed or stripped, and then further processed by threshing or similar methods.

The distinction of this classification lies in the specific flue-curing method, differentiating it from its sibling categories which represent other types of stemmed and threshed tobacco. For example, it is separate from "Burley," "Maryland," and various "fire-cured" types, each of which undergoes distinct curing processes impacting their chemical composition, color, aroma, and ultimate use in tobacco products. While all are stemmed, stripped, and threshed or similarly processed, the defining characteristic here is the controlled, indirect heat curing.

As a leaf node, HTS 2401.20.85.10 does not have further subcategories. Its specific inclusion under "Other" at multiple levels indicates that it represents a distinct category of processed tobacco not specifically itemized in preceding codes within the 2401.20.85 range. Its classification is further refined by its adherence to additional U.S. note 5 to Chapter 24, which may outline specific import requirements or further descriptive criteria for entry into the United States.