Tobacco Cigar Tools

Some industry experts claim that up to 75% of the cigar's flavor comes from the packaging, so make sure you know them well. To pass the test, the wrapper sheets must be thick and have a greasy feel. They should have an even and uniform color with small streaks that extend throughout the leaf. The veins should be thin, not convex, and no defects should damage the leaf.

After all these tests, it is not surprising that the wrapper leaves are carefully grown, aged, and selected ... and often this is the moment when "unscrupulous" manufacturers will try to save money.

Wrappers are actually classified by country of origin, but for most cigar smokers, it is easier to identify wrappers (and their taste) by color than by country.

What affects the color of wrappers? Tobacco leaves that do not have a shadow during growth, acquire a richer reddish hue with stronger flavors. Tobacco grown in the shade, often using gauze, produces light brown / khaki leaves. Darker wraps are often produced at higher altitudes, where exposure to the sun causes the leaves to produce oil as a form of self-defense. The sun also contributes to the production of sugar through photosynthesis. Other dark wrappers may have spent more time on the tobacco plant and aged naturally, or they took longer to ferment.

Types of wraps. Here's what you really need to know:

* CLEANING

Tobacco grown in the shade (protected from strong light by large canopies) usually has a light tan (light). Offers a soft smoke with a neutral taste.

• BROADLEAF CONNECTICUT

From the Connecticut river valley, this leaf grows in the sun, resulting in a thicker, darker, and sweeter layer.

• CONNECTICUT SHADE or SHADOW.

This packing list has taken on a distinctive Golden color under the protective shade of the huge tents in the Connecticut river valley. It is a direct descendant of the hazelwood variety of Cuban seeds.

• COLORADO

The wrapper is dark reddish-brown in color with an aromatic smell and a rich and strong taste.

• COLORADO CLARO

Partagas from the Dominican Republic uses this medium-brown film.

• COLORADO MADURO

Slightly more aromatic than Maduro, the dark brown leaves of Colorado Maduro are present in many fine Honduran cigars, giving them a rich and deep flavor.

* DOUBLE CLARO (also known as CANDELA or AMERICAN MARKET SELECT). The distinctive greenish-green color of Double Claro is achieved by early harvesting of the leaves before they reach full maturity. The quick drying process involves a leaf with very little oil and a very mild taste.

• (EMS)

This term refers to the natural color, usually from light brown to brown. It differs from light or light shades, as well as from Mature or darker shadows. Most sun-grown leaves, EMS offer a mild but rich flavor.

• HAVANA 2000 ™ Relatively new packaging from Cuban tobacco grown in Nicaragua.

• MADURO

Mexican wrappers are often Mature, more textured and veined than light wrappers, with their dark brown leaves. They are often described as greasy in appearance, with a stronger flavor: sweets taste with a unique flavor.

• DARK

The strongest test of all envelopes, Dark, comes from Brazil, Mexico, and Nicaragua. With a dark brown, almost black appearance, these leaves offer a strong fragrance.

So the next time you smoke cigars, pay close attention to the packaging and start finding your personal preferences!