Thermal energy absorbers for tobacco heating products

A smoking article, comprising:

• an outer wrap circumscribing at least a portion of the smoking article, wherein the smoking article is defined by an upstream lighting end and a downstream mouth end;
• a carbon heat source positioned proximate the lighting end;
• a tobacco material positioned downstream of the carbon heat source;
• and
• a thermal energy absorber at least partially positioned between the tobacco material and the carbon heat source,
• wherein the thermal energy absorber is in the form of a plurality of particles that are at least partially commingled within the tobacco material, wherein the smoking article is configured to produce a visible aerosol, and wherein the thermal energy absorber is configured to decrease a crest temperature of the smoking article by about 50° C. to about 500° C.