Cigar Blending 101

[Wicky]

Whereas I've always enjoyed fine cigars, I've never thought about how they give so much pleasure. Rob's new customs got me thinking. What fashion of blends make up our favorite cigars? I'll start by comparing say... Bolivar and Ramon Allones. Both full bodied but very different. And this obviously applies to all the marques, but what blend of leaf makes a Full/Sweet cigar (Boli) vs. a Full/drier cigar (R.A.)? And conversly, a Medium/Sweet cigar (H Upmman) vs. a Lighter/ Fruity cigar (Punch/La Gloria). Besides Ligero and Seco, what other % of the plant is used to determine a trademark flavor? And does the wrapper leaf really make a marked difference in overall flavor? Personnaly, I can tell a big change in flavor when the wrapper happens to come off and I smoke just binder and filler. A nerdy question granted, but what do you guys think? Inquiring minds want to know!

[Colt45]

Rob's wrapper exchange experiments have shown that wrapper definitely plays it's part in flavor. Ratio of tobaccos used is obviously important

in overall character of flavor, but what part of the island and which farms the tobacco comes from is also of some import.

Then take into consideration that each growing season and harvest is unique, the decisions necessary in any given season as to how the tobacco

is grown and processed, blended, tasted - all to try to maintain some kind of flavor consistency. It seems quite the daunting task.

[El Presidente]

Whereas I've always enjoyed fine cigars, I've never thought about how they give so much pleasure. Rob's new customs got me thinking. What fashion of blends make up our favorite cigars? I'll start by comparing say... Bolivar and Ramon Allones. Both full bodied but very different. And this obviously applies to all the marques, but what blend of leaf makes a Full/Sweet cigar (Boli) vs. a Full/drier cigar (R.A.)? And conversly, a Medium/Sweet cigar (H Upmman) vs. a Lighter/ Fruity cigar (Punch/La Gloria). Besides Ligero and Seco, what other % of the plant is used to determine a trademark flavor? And does the wrapper leaf really make a marked difference in overall flavor? Personnaly, I can tell a big change in flavor when the wrapper happens to come off and I smoke just binder and filler. A nerdy question granted, but what do you guys think? Inquiring minds want to know!

Blending is a base formulae taking but taking into consideration the quality / qualities of product in hand (wrapper/binder/volado/seco/ligero). Adjustments need to be made from time to time.

"Sweetness/milk coffee/cream" I get from seco. Differing qualities of Seco enhance the characteristics. I have played around getting a Dieux profile by going almost 2/3 rds and 1/3 Seco/Volado. Got close but not there. No doubt regions from where the Seco/Volado/Ligero are pulled also have certain characteristics. soils differ in regions and even within regions some finca's have better access to irrigation than others. It all makes a difference.

The wrappers have a big "influence" in the final flavour (my opinion). In the testing we have done changing wrapper types on core blends (where we know the blend is the same, same roller, same tobacco rolled same day), the final outcomes have been quite remarkable.

I think it is fundamentally wrong to say a wrapper imparts 10-20-30% to the flavour of the cigar. A wrapper can/does filter and transform the core blend entirely.

Add rosemary and garlic to roast lamb. Even without the Rosemary and garlic you know you are eating roast lamb but when the rosemary and garlic are present and of high quality, rubbed in perfectly and evenly...it transforms the dish to a whole new level.

Has it affected the dish 10 %, 20% or 100%?

[Wicky]

Given all the variables, It is remakable that year after year they can get the blend/flavor pretty much the same. With complexity.

Thanks for the insight fellas!

[gk404]

Fantastic info Rob. Thank you.

[Leopolis Semper Fidelis]

Blending is a base formulae taking but taking into consideration the quality / qualities of product in hand (wrapper/binder/volado/seco/ligero). Adjustments need to be made from time to time.

"Sweetness/milk coffee/cream" I get from seco. Differing qualities of Seco enhance the characteristics. I have played around getting a Dieux profile by going almost 2/3 rds and 1/3 Seco/Volado. Got close but not there. No doubt regions from where the Seco/Volado/Ligero are pulled also have certain characteristics. soils differ in regions and even within regions some finca's have better access to irrigation than others. It all makes a difference.

The wrappers have a big "influence" in the final flavour (my opinion). In the testing we have done changing wrapper types on core blends (where we know the blend is the same, same roller, same tobacco rolled same day), the final outcomes have been quite remarkable.

I think it is fundamentally wrong to say a wrapper imparts 10-20-30% to the flavour of the cigar. A wrapper can/does filter and transform the core blend entirely.

Add rosemary and garlic to roast lamb. Even without the Rosemary and garlic you know you are eating roast lamb but when the rosemary and garlic are present and of high quality, rubbed in perfectly and evenly...it transforms the dish to a whole new level.

Has it affected the dish 10 %, 20% or 100%?

I wonder if the "rosemary and garlic to roast lamb" analogy can be used. R&G are totally different in taste to the lamb itself, but the wrapper is tobacco, just like the filler is. I remember reading somewhere that Cuban tobacco experts claimed that the wrapper contributed less than 10% to the overall taste. Of course the outer leaf of the cigar imparts taste to the lips...

[CanuckSARTech]

...I think it is fundamentally wrong to say a wrapper imparts 10-20-30% to the flavour of the cigar. A wrapper can/does filter and transform the core blend entirely.

Add rosemary and garlic to roast lamb. Even without the Rosemary and garlic you know you are eating roast lamb but when the rosemary and garlic are present and of high quality, rubbed in perfectly and evenly...it transforms the dish to a whole new level.

Has it affected the dish 10 %, 20% or 100%?

Very well put. I think the example you give should help illustrate it for relative newbies into Habanos.

Running with your roast lamb example, it's also easy to visualize how even though the rosemary & garlic are applied to the outside of the roast lamb, it can and does affect the flavour profile of a taste of meat taken from the inside of the roast, with no direct contact to the spices on the outside. Even granted the different materials used in this example (as in Leopolis Semper Fidelis' post), it shows how, when things are heated and/or in contact with each other for a prolonged period of time, how they can affect each other to varying degrees.

That's what is so intriguing and astounding in this world - how certain plain, natural, sometimes everyday items (garlic, meat, fruits, tobacco, grapes, etc.), in the hands and tastebuds of a master blender, can be put together in such a way that it becomes a living, breathing work of art.

Beautiful.

[CanuckSARTech]

Given all the variables, It is remakable that year after year they can get the blend/flavor pretty much the same. With complexity.

Thanks for the insight fellas!

Yes, very much so. That's definitely why there is so much interest in box codes, production factories, years, etc. - to compare the variables, and see what that ultimate combination is (or, should I say, "could be", as there is always room for change and potential improvement).

[El Presidente]

I wonder if the "rosemary and garlic to roast lamb" analogy can be used. R&G are totally different in taste to the lamb itself, but the wrapper is tobacco, just like the filler is. I remember reading somewhere that Cuban tobacco experts claimed that the wrapper contributed less than 10% to the overall taste. Of course the outer leaf of the cigar imparts taste to the lips...

It is a point of contention even amongst experienced Cuban blenders themselves. Some say 5% some 10% some 30% and more.

I believe it all comes back to definition of what "Change" is.

In the experiments we have done where we have taken identical blends (rolled before us so we can be sure) we changed the wrappers with madure 5 wrappers (Genios wrapper) and Cohiba Siglo VI Wrappers. It "changed" the flavour completely each time.

Now one could say if there is significant flavour change it is a 100% transformation/influence due to wrapper used. To us it was conclusive.

While the wrapper is tobacco just as the filler is:

• the wrapper has different characteristics to the filler. Oil content, elasticity etc.
  
• Wrappers themselves vary in flavour due to quality, growing conditions and plantations/regions from which they are grown.
  

[Wil]

Very interesting thread - I'm interested to learn more. Are there any good books on the topic?

[asmith]

I thought they just put tobacco in one end of a machine and it spat out a cigar at the other end?

[Wicky]

I thought they just put tobacco in one end of a machine and it spat out a cigar at the other end?

word.

[CanuckSARTech]

I thought they just put tobacco in one end of a machine and it spat out a cigar at the other end?

word.

Sacrilege.

[Wicky]

Sacrilege.

[Leopolis Semper Fidelis]

It is a point of contention even amongst experienced Cuban blenders themselves. Some say 5% some 10% some 30% and more.

I believe it all comes back to definition of what "Change" is.

In the experiments we have done where we have taken identical blends (rolled before us so we can be sure) we changed the wrappers with madure 5 wrappers (Genios wrapper) and Cohiba Siglo VI Wrappers. It "changed" the flavour completely each time.

Now one could say if there is significant flavour change it is a 100% transformation/influence due to wrapper used. To us it was conclusive.

While the wrapper is tobacco just as the filler is:

• the wrapper has different characteristics to the filler. Oil content, elasticity etc.
  
• Wrappers themselves vary in flavour due to quality, growing conditions and plantations/regions from which they are grown.
  

Just wondering how the wrappers (and, consequently, the whole cigar) would taste if flavoured with essence of rosemary and garlic?

[CanuckSARTech]

[CanuckSARTech]

Just wondering how the wrappers (and, consequently, the whole cigar) would taste if flavoured with essence of rosemary and garlic?

Oh gawd. No, no, no, nooooo, NO!!!!! Don't even think about it!

See what you've done, Rob?!!??!! You've made me hungry for lamb, and you've made Leopolis think crazy-man thoughts.

[Leopolis Semper Fidelis]

Oh gawd. No, no, no, nooooo, NO!!!!! Don't even think about it!

See what you've done, Rob?!!??!! You've made me hungry for lamb, and you've made Leopolis think crazy-man thoughts.

Lamb flavoured with rosemary and garlic is just divine...seriously, though, the concept of cigars smothered in essence of anything non-tobacco (such as R&G, port, rum, sherry, etc.) is frankly appalling!