2401.30.70.35 - Fire-cured Kentucky and Tennessee 🖩

This HTS classification, 2401.30.70.35, specifically designates fire-cured tobacco originating from the Kentucky and Tennessee regions of the United States. Fire-cured tobacco is a type of unmanufactured tobacco that undergoes a specific curing process involving smoke from burning hardwoods. This method imparts a distinct smoky flavor and aroma to the leaves, which are typically harvested for use in pipe tobacco, chewing tobacco, and certain cigar filler. The curing process involves hanging the tobacco leaves in barns, where they are exposed to controlled smoke for several weeks.

This category distinguishes itself from its siblings primarily through its specific geographical origin and curing method. For instance, while "Flue-cured" (2401.30.70.10) and "Burley" (2401.30.70.20) also represent unmanufactured tobacco, they utilize different curing techniques (air-cured for Burley, and heat circulated through flues for flue-cured) and may have different regional associations. Similarly, "Dark air-cured Kentucky and Tennessee" (2401.30.70.40) represents a different curing method within the same geographical area, highlighting that the curing process is a critical differentiator in classification.

As this node is a leaf node, there are no further subcategories to introduce. The classification concludes at this specific level, signifying that the combination of unmanufactured tobacco, tobacco refuse, other (general category), other (further refinement), and other (final designation), combined with the specific processing of fire-cured Kentucky and Tennessee, is sufficiently distinct for tariff purposes. The focus here is on the precise identification of this particular type of unmanufactured tobacco based on its unique curing method and origin.