Need insights on all the different cuban blends

[cckandb24]

I was wondering if anyone with more knowledge could enlighten me. To me Cuba is a very small country and the prime growing regions are even smaller, so how can so many different blends for 20 or so brands be made and have it so each brand has its own distinctive characteristics. I have always wondered this when smoking a Cohiba and how they get those specific grassy flavors each and everytime and you rarely experience that taste in any other brand. I just cant figure out the blending process. Does Partagas, Hoyos, etc tobacco only come from one certain farm for each brand to have the different characteristics.

[cigcars]

Quite possibly you can find your answer in Theo Rudman's "Complete Pocket Guide to Cigars," Fourth Edition, June 2001. It's only (I believe still) $14.95 and 400 pages. This very handy, very convenient and concise book gives nearly complete info on ALL cigars from ALL countries and goes into extensive info about the various soils, climates, and some blending info about our Cubans and others.

The next best concise, handy dandy publication would be Perelman's Pocket Cyclopedia of Havana Cigars, 3rd Edition. Though a bit dated (2005), it also goes into much soil and blending info and this publication is exclusively about Cuban cigars.

[shrink]

You may be able to gain some insight from this website, that provides detailed photos of the processes in which tobacco is aged and prepared for rolling:

http://www.gavd.com/...es/archivos.php

It's in Spanish, but not too hard to negotiate. Look to the far right of the home page, under "Busqueda". Under "Categoria" scroll up to "Moja", then click on the blue and white magnifying glass to the right. It will open a library of photos, which you can click on individually, or use the arrow beside each photo to proceed to the next. You will see a series of pictures that appear to show cured tobacco leaves being washed, dried, sprayed with colored liquids, and then placed in humidifiers prior to being delivered to the rollers. It is my impression that the distinct flavors of the different marcas cannot be accounted for entirely through the blending of native tobaccos, but is accentuated by chemicals which are infused into the tobacco during these processes.

Does anyone know if this is true, or false?

[Stalebread]

(snip)It is my impression that the distinct flavors of the different marcas cannot be accounted for entirely through the blending of native tobaccos, but is accentuated by chemicals which are infused into the tobacco during these processes.

Does anyone know if this is true, or false?

I'm not sure which photo you're talking about in which they spray with colored liquids. However, if true, wouldn't it negate what I, and I suspect many others, have believed about Cuban cigars?

That is, that they are a natural product in which flavors evolve from the use of various primings from various strains from various farms from various years, without the use of chemical additives, or natural or synthetic flavor enhancers.

This is a powerful idea you bring up here, Shrink. I'm eager to hear more about it from the FOH community.

[Smallclub]

…accentuated by chemicals which are infused into the tobacco during these processes.

Does anyone know if this is true, or false?

False. btw, where are the empty packings (tins, cans, bags) of these "chemicals"? Why are the employees in the "moja" room protected from water and not from chemicals?

[Smallclub]

Does Partagas, Hoyos, etc tobacco only come from one certain farm for each brand to have the different characteristics.

Yes but which leaves from which vega go to which blend must be a well kept secret. There must be a reason for this is not documented in any book…

[MPS]

Yes but which leaves from which vega go to which blend must be a well kept secret. There must be a reason for this is not documented in any book…

It is my understanding that blends have nothing to do with which vega they come from.

[Smallclub]

It is my understanding that blends have nothing to do with which vega they come from.

It has A LOT to do with the different vegas… Each vegas Finas de Primera (elite farms) has its specific terroir and savoir-faire…

[Colt45]

This may not be exactly what you're looking for, but may be of interest just the same:

Link

[MPS]

It has A LOT to do with the different vegas… Each vegas Finas de Primera (elite farms) has its specific terroir and savoir-faire…

Who told you this?

[CaptainQuintero]

There are only three primary colours, how many paintings are there in the world?

[Smallclub]

Who told you this?

Books… Davidoff, Ch. del Todesco, tons of articles, interviews of vegueros in l'Amateur de Cigare and other magazines…

More recently, Habanos SA in the booklet "Tradition of a Perfection"…

I'm surprised that you have to ask. You've never heard about terroir?

[MPS]

I have heard of it and I thought the same for a while until I learned from someone very knowledgable that this was not the case as far as specifics for blending a cigar. This information is from someone who actually knows the blends. For example the tobacco that goes into a Monte 2 does not come from the same farm each time or region of Pinar del Rio for that matter.

[Habanos2000]

It has A LOT to do with the different vegas… Each vegas Finas de Primera (elite farms) has its specific terroir and savoir-faire…

My layman's opinion would also favor that individual vega, if not the more general area would have a lot to do with the distinct flavors associated certain blends. I can't for the life of me imagine Cohiba's and Cuaba's coming from the same field.

(edit: i would think there would be several vegas that could be the source of a particular part of blend)

[Smallclub]

For example the tobacco that goes into a Monte 2 does not come from the same farm each time or region of Pinar del Rio for that matter.

Obviously, with millions of Monte2 rolled each year…

But think about it the other way: for instance, all the seco leaves from Vega X in region Y go to Hoyo blends; all the ligero leaves from Vega Z go to Bolivar blends, etc.

I remember an interview of Don Robaina where the old man explained that all his better leaves grown under tapados were destined to become Cohiba wrappers…

[MPS]

I can only regurgitate info from a real insider who says that is false. I too asked him about all the books and people claiming this.

Wrapper is just for looks anyway not tatse so the most appealing will be placed on Cohiba and Robaina produces some of the prettiest looking wrapper from any of the farms but in reality he has no idea where his wrapper ends up.

[khomeinist]

Wrapper for looks? Haven't wrapper transplant experiments proven otherwise? I think wrapper shade is a strong determinant of taste.

[mk05]

I know how its done...every year fidel draws a map of cuba. And he picks a chicken. This chicken will run around the map until it poops. That is where the Cohiba filler will be harvested. Then the next time, the binder, then the wrapper.

[MPS]

Wrapper for looks? Haven't wrapper transplant experiments proven otherwise? I think wrapper shade is a strong determinant of taste.

In regards to Cuban tobacco wrapper, binder and volado (capa, capote y volado) only contribute 5% of the flavor in a cigar. The seco and ligero provides 95% of the flavor.

[Colt45]

In regards to Cuban tobacco wrapper, binder and volado (capa, capote y volado) only contribute 5% of the flavor in a cigar. The seco and ligero provides 95% of the flavor.

My own personal findings / belief (I've done my own wrapper removal experiment and reported here) is that the wrapper has a dramatic impact

on overall flavor characteristics.

[MPS]

My own personal findings / belief (I've done my own wrapper removal experiment and reported here) is that the wrapper has a dramatic impact

on overall flavor characteristics.

I believe its mostly psychological. Did you do the tasting blindfolded?

[Colt45]

I believe its mostly psychological. Did you do the tasting blindfolded?

Here's a link to the experiment discussion, if you're interested:

Link

If the difference was subtle, if I really had to search for it, I might consider it placebo - but for me there was / is no doubt.

Take my subjective findings for what they are - the best way to get a feel for wrapper impact would be to try it yourself.

[ramon_cojones]

If the insider "knows" the blends but the blends are different every time, then he actually doesn't know the blend at all!

LOL!!!

[Smallclub]

I believe its mostly psychological. Did you do the tasting blindfolded?

few years ago Rob Ayala conducted experiments on Cohiba Maduro and Cohiba robustos (swapping wrappers) which showed a huge influence of the wrapper on the flavours…

[MPS]

Here's a link to the experiment discussion, if you're interested:

Link

If the difference was subtle, if I really had to search for it, I might consider it placebo - but for me there was / is no doubt.

Take my subjective findings for what they are - the best way to get a feel for wrapper impact would be to try it yourself.

I didn't realize you smoked the cigar without a wrapper. I think when it is stated that wrapper flavor percentage is so small it means the difference between one type of wrapper to the next. I don't think anyone will argue though that 5% is a large taste when the ingredient is foul.