Wrappers?

asolomon

Hey all, sorry for a newb question but I haven't been able to find a good explanation: what's the difference between all the different wrapper types you hear about? Connecticut, habano, maduro, Cameroon, etc. Would appreciate any tips!

laker1963

asolomon:

Hey all, sorry for a newb question but I haven't been able to find a good explanation: what's the difference between all the different wrapper types you hear about? Connecticut, habano, maduro, Cameroon, etc. Would appreciate any tips!

It's all about the taste. It is difficult to describe them individually, as everyone has different tastes and likes.

Try a few different sticks in each wrapper type from different makers and you will quickly see what i mean and will find a few favorites in the process.

Taste and preferrences tend to change with time, for a lot of cigar enjoyers.

P.S. Welcome to the forums.

j0z3r

Several of them describe a certain strain of tobacco, such as habano, corojo, criollo, or where it is grown such as Connecticut, Sumatra, Cameroon. Maduro describes the extra fermentation process the leaf is put through, maduro means ripe in Spanish. There is a lot of good info out there, and I'm not going to go any further into it because I just don't know, and won't claim to know, all that much. You can find some in depth articles on the subject with a quick internet search.

Amos Umwhat

what they said. Also, try the house-blend sampler for examples of the general taste, I joined COTM and keep notes so when stuff shows up on daily deal I know what I want. Keep the wrapper burning ahead of the body, torch lighters help with this. Welcome, have fun, good luck

xmacro

I'm not 100% on this, and I'm hoping kuzi or maddy or someone can tell you more; but this is what I've learned so far about wrappers (at least what I think I've learned)

40-60% of a cigars taste comes from the wrapper, so it makes a big deal

- Connecticut is a very mild wrapper, typically associated with mild cigars; though on occasion it can be put on a medium or full-bodied cigar (not very common to do this though)

- Sumatra - can't remember what this one tastes like, haven't smoked it in awhile

- Cameroon - a sweet wrapper, makes the cigar taste a bit sweeter; can be typically found on mild or medium cigars, though it has been used on some full-bodied cigars

- Habano - A spicy wrapper; typically found on medium cigars, though it has been used on mild and full cigars before

- Maduro - typically found on full-bodied cigars, maduro is taken from the top-most leaves of the tobacco plant, and thus has received the most sun has received the most nutrients; the result is that it's very flavorful with all those nutrients, as well as having a full body; it has on occasion appeared on medium or mild cigars though, so looks can be deceiving

asolomon

Thanks everyone! Amos, what do you mean by keeping the wrapper burning "ahead" of the body?

xmacro

Think he means that the wrapper should burn slightly faster than the filler in the cigar, creating a cone at the tip of the cigar

Hays

xmacro:

- Maduro - typically found on full-bodied cigars, maduro is taken from the top-most leaves of the tobacco plant, and thus has received the most sun has received the most nutrients; the result is that it's very flavorful with all those nutrients, as well as having a full body; it has on occasion appeared on medium or mild cigars though, so looks can be deceiving

X, this is not entirely accurate. Though the leaf is indeed pulled from a higher priming, it's because they need a heartier leaf for the fermentation process. This extra fermenting actually decreases the expected body of the wrapper leaf - in other words, take the same stick with a natural wrapper and a maduro wrapper, and you will generally find more body in the natural wrapper. As far as this wrapper being used on full-bodied sticks, I'm of the theory that makers use this to soften and smooth out an otherwise very full stick. In any case, the point I'm trying to make is that there are a LOT of mild-medium maduro sticks, and appearance is a very unreliable source of direction (unfortunately).

sightunseen

xmacro:

I'm not 100% on this, and I'm hoping kuzi or maddy or someone can tell you more; but this is what I've learned so far about wrappers (at least what I think I've learned)

40-60% of a cigars taste comes from the wrapper, so it makes a big deal

- Connecticut is a very mild wrapper, typically associated with mild cigars; though on occasion it can be put on a medium or full-bodied cigar (not very common to do this though)

- Sumatra - can't remember what this one tastes like, haven't smoked it in awhile

- Cameroon - a sweet wrapper, makes the cigar taste a bit sweeter; can be typically found on mild or medium cigars, though it has been used on some full-bodied cigars

- Habano - A spicy wrapper; typically found on medium cigars, though it has been used on mild and full cigars before

- Maduro - typically found on full-bodied cigars, maduro is taken from the top-most leaves of the tobacco plant, and thus has received the most sun has received the most nutrients; the result is that it's very flavorful with all those nutrients, as well as having a full body; it has on occasion appeared on medium or mild cigars though, so looks can be deceiving

Wanted to clairfy that maduro simply means that the leaves have gone through extra fermentation, which breaks the leaf down more and releases more sugars. Any leaf that can withstand the rigors of the extra fermentation can be turned into a maduro. I think what you are describing is ligero, which is very oily due to the extra sun it receives. Given its oily nature, ligero does not combust well. The leaf is typically blended with the filler to provide body and that extra spiciness.

xmacro

^ Much appreciated guys - that's why I keep coming back to these forums; no one knows it all

Amos Umwhat

Keeping the wrapper burning ahead should happen naturally if the cigar is rested and lit properlly. What I'm saying is that sometimes the core of the cigar may be drier than the wrapper, for instance you've put a dry cigar into the humidor and can't wait so you smoke it before its equalized, or perhaps the cigar lit improperly and started burning on the inside faster than the wrapper. When this happens the taste is drastically altered, tastes musty, heavy, chemical. A torch lighter is good at, hmm, sort of peeling back the wrapper with flame until you catch it up. Sometimes I just let it go out, re-clip the tip and start over. This almost always works. Once or twice I've had this issue where it couldn't be fixed, may have been a fault with the leaf during rolling. My first Perdomo Habano burned up the center like it had a fuse stuck in it, no redemption possible. Called C.Com, they replaced it, the next one was marvelous.

kuzi16

Amos Umwhat:

Keeping the wrapper burning ahead should happen naturally if the cigar is rested and lit properlly.

the wrapper and filler should burn at the same time. if you have a cone at the end of your cigar thats usually a sign that you are smoking to fast.

Amos Umwhat

too true, really I'm just talking about a millimeter or so here, not a "cone" of any length, when that happens I stop and adjust as needed, and I should always be able to wait for them to rest, etc. I do try to set it down and let it even up when I realize my ADDHD gets me ahead of myself, still, for others who may be experiencing this, a tiny bit convex is much better than concave. I do not ever mean to represent myself as a cigar expert, just a guy who's been smoking them for 35+ years and has learned what works for me. Speaking of work, I'll work on patience, and surely enjoy better results.

madurofan

What these guys have said so far is pretty much on. In kuzi's signature is a link to his blending 101. Read it.

Krieg

Hays:

xmacro:

- Maduro - typically found on full-bodied cigars, maduro is taken from the top-most leaves of the tobacco plant, and thus has received the most sun has received the most nutrients; the result is that it's very flavorful with all those nutrients, as well as having a full body; it has on occasion appeared on medium or mild cigars though, so looks can be deceiving

X, this is not entirely accurate. Though the leaf is indeed pulled from a higher priming, it's because they need a heartier leaf for the fermentation process. This extra fermenting actually decreases the expected body of the wrapper leaf - in other words, take the same stick with a natural wrapper and a maduro wrapper, and you will generally find more body in the natural wrapper. As far as this wrapper being used on full-bodied sticks, I'm of the theory that makers use this to soften and smooth out an otherwise very full stick. In any case, the point I'm trying to make is that there are a LOT of mild-medium maduro sticks, and appearance is a very unreliable source of direction (unfortunately).

I think maduro wrappers got that full bodied rep back in the 90's when the boom was going on and cigar makers were rushing their maduro wrapper fermentation process. Hence, having a harsher wrapper. When it's done right, maduro wrappers have a nice, smooth sweet character to them.

Krieg

kuzi16:

Amos Umwhat:

Keeping the wrapper burning ahead should happen naturally if the cigar is rested and lit properlly.

the wrapper and filler should burn at the same time. if you have a cone at the end of your cigar thats usually a sign that you are smoking to fast.

hmmm...I still learn something new everyday.

undulac

I love me a habano.

fla-gypsy

undulac:

I love me a habano.

And Corojo, Criollo, Pa broadleaf, etc etc

ljl

fla-gypsy:

undulac:

I love me a habano.

And Corojo, Criollo, Pa broadleaf, etc etc

LOL! I keep having the same problem when I try to figure out my favorite wrapper - I wind up listing all most all of them!

kuzi16

ljl:

fla-gypsy:

undulac:

I love me a habano.

And Corojo, Criollo, Pa broadleaf, etc etc

LOL! I keep having the same problem when I try to figure out my favorite wrapper - I wind up listing all most all of them!

ive been on a maduro kick as of late. i have a hard time passing up the Connecticut broadleaf Maduro on the LFDs.

fla-gypsy

kuzi16:

ljl:

fla-gypsy:

undulac:

I love me a habano.

And Corojo, Criollo, Pa broadleaf, etc etc

LOL! I keep having the same problem when I try to figure out my favorite wrapper - I wind up listing all most all of them!

ive been on a maduro kick as of late. i have a hard time passing up the Connecticut broadleaf Maduro on the LFDs.

I am a sucker for the LFD Double Ligero. I had a 6x60 in that for new Years and man was it good.

Luko

I'm a sucker for anything with an ecudorian sumatra wrapper...but I've really been digging anything with a PA broadleaf lately too...maybe I'm just biased residing here in PA and all.

Fourtotheflush

kuzi16:

Amos Umwhat:

.

.

Im pretty sure that most of what you are looking for is in Kuzi's blending thread.