Abstract: The aroma components in mainstream smoke particulate matter of cut tobacco strips from different stalk positions dried under different methods and intensities were determined by heart-cut multidimensional gas chromatography-mass spectrometry.The experimental data were categorized by principal component analysis and cluster analysis.The results showed that:1) Solanone,3-hydroxy-β-damascone,neophytadiene,dihydroactinidiolide dominated the first principal component,as did indole,furfural,quinoline,2-methylpyrazine in the second principal component.2) On the basis of relative amounts of the aroma components,the cut strips from each stalk position dried under different methods and intensities could be grouped into three categories.For the upper leaves,the three categories were cut strips dried by cylinder drying under low or medium intensity and by pneumatic drying under medium intensity,those dried by cylinder or pneumatic drying under high intensity,and those dried by pneumatic drying under low intensity separately.For the middle leaves,the three categories were cut strips dried by cylinder drying under medium or high intensity and by pneumatic drying under low intensity,those dried by pneumatic drying under medium or high intensity,and those dried by cylinder drying under low intensity separately.For the lower leaves,the three categories were cut strips dried by pneumatic drying under medium or high intensity and by cylinder drying under high intensity,those dried by cylinder drying under low or medium intensity,and those dried by pneumatic drying under low intensity separately.It is recommended that for obtaining cigarettes of an ideal flavor style,cut strips should be dried by proper means under proper intensity according to the characteristics of tobacco leaves.