Leaf orientation when rolling?

[DWC]

What is the orientation of the leaves when rolling? Is it always with the tip of the leaves toward the foot of the cigar? From the few videos I've seen, this seems to be the case.

The reason I ask, is that I've heard some people say it is done this way because the tips are finer and tend to smoke a little milder. This is why cigars seem build in strength as you smoke them. I've also heard people say cigars are intentionally loaded with different tobaccos at the tip or foot to change the characteristis of the cigar as it smokes.

I don't believe the second statement at all. From what I've seen and know they use full leaves the full length when they roll. The first part about tips up is a 'maybe' in my mind.

Can any one provide any facts to confirm or deny such allegations?

Dan

[Pedro2486]

I did see a you tube vid the other day with Timothy Torres I think talking about rolling while making some customs. It looked like he had all the leaves tip up and I'm pretty sure he mentioned this as how it's done. I'll have a hunt and see if I can find a link

[Pedro2486]

Found a couple. His manner irks me a bit for some reason, still I enjoy his vids. From googling his history he seems to have a fine pedigree as a roller

[Smallclub]

Tip at the foot, definitely. But if you cut a churchill or a DC in 2 halves, there's very little difference in strenght between the 2 "half-cigars"…

[DWC]

Interesting videos. Thanks for posting.

I noticed after he bunches the whole leaves, he tears them in half, joins the two bunches not quite to the same height. Then he tears the excess overhang from the bottom and puts it at the tip, then the overhanging tip is torn and added to the bottom. I assume this is done very intentionally to make a more homogenous blend.

Which kind of confirms what I've assumed about the strength building during a smoke coming from the smoke being 'filtered' thru the cigar as it smokes, changing the characteristics. Not from stacking the leaves different end to end.

Also a byproduct of any combustion process is water, which, I assume changes the rh of the tobacco as a cigar is smoked. It always seems to me the cigar gets a little wetter as it goes along. This probably has more of an effect on flavor than I originally thought.