A smoking article (10) incorporates a liquid release component (20), the liquid release component comprising a sustained release liquid delivery material comprising: a closed matrix structure comprising a cross-linked polymer matrix defining a plurality of domains; and a liquid composition that is trapped within the domains and is releasable from the closed matrix structure upon compression of the material. The force/displacement curve (30) obtained upon compression of the smoking article (10) at the location of the liquid release component (20) in a force/displacement test comprises a plurality of local minima (32) in the force level over a range of compression of at least 1 mm, wherein each of the local minima (32) corresponds to a reduction in the force level of at least 1 Newton.