Are green patches on Behike normal?

[dangolf18]

  On 2/21/2013 at 4:38 AM, Shlomo said:

I absolutely understand your point. My point though is that the wrapper is the only part that touches your lips. I would imagine you get far more taste from lips/mouth/tongue as opposed to from smoke being inhaled.

I don't really agree with that. The taste of a cigar comes purely from the smoke. I don't really get any taste from my mouth touching the wrapper.

[maverickdrinker]

Hamlet and I had this discussion in Havana as well. Rob expressed hamlets view earlier. The only thing I will add is that the wrapper takes on more influence in the overall flavour profile as the ring gauge gets smaller due to the ratio between wrapper, filler and binder.

One interesting experiment would to smoke part of a cigar with the wrapper on and then strip it off to see if it actually changes in flavour and if so, how significant was the change.

[IcedCanuck]

  On 2/21/2013 at 12:28 AM, Fuzz said:

Here's the links to the wrapper change experiment Rob conducted:

http://www.friendsof...showtopic=68081

http://www.friendsof...showtopic=68151

Thanks, those are the ones I was thinking of.

  On 2/21/2013 at 1:24 AM, Shlomo said:

We "non-believers" are not exactly non believers in what you say, its just that we think Hamlet is wrong.

x2

[Colt45]

  On 2/21/2013 at 7:00 AM, maverickdrinker said:

One interesting experiment would to smoke part of a cigar with the wrapper on and then strip it off to see if it actually changes in flavour and if so, how significant was the change.

That's the basis for the experiment I tried mentioned above.

[dangolf18]

You taste something but it comes from the cut filler and binder....some comes from the wrapper but in the big picture, flavor comes from smoking a cigar lol. Why not just start sucking on a cigar and when the tobacco gets too wet, bit some off spit it out and repeat.

  On 2/21/2013 at 2:54 PM, Shlomo said:

Of course you do. Put an unlit cigar in your mouth and take a few draws. Heck, put a cigar in your mouth without even bothering to cut or punch it. You'll taste the essence of the cigar right there.

[canadianbeaver]

I was going to make some kind of humorous post about a taste and wrapper flavor using one of those cheesy Backwoods cigars, but the the website has a surprisingly insightful Q&A page about cigars in general. The site is owned and operated by Altadis USA.

http://www.altadisusadomesticcigars.com/connoisseur/judge.asp#aesthetics

The cigar should look good and feel good to the touch. It should have some life in it. This does not mean the color itself so much, although it should not show too many blemishes, but the color of the cigars in the box should be consistent from one to the other. If they are not, then the manufacturer did not do his color selecting properly. What we see when we look at the cigars in a given box is the wrapper, and wrappers, even from the same crop, can vary over twenty or thirty shades of color. So a variance in color is not bad in itself. It's just that a manufacturer who pays attention to detail makes sure that in a given box all the color shades are the same. Also, the cigars should look and feel smooth when you roll them in your fingers. This is just another indication of good construction and reassurance of quality.

How Do The Aesthetics Reflect Quality?

While DRAW and BURN are the most important factors affected by construction, the aesthetics of that construction can provide early warning signs regarding the quality, taste and aroma of a particular cigar. After all, if a company places so little importance on aesthetics, then is it reasonable to expect that it places any importance on quality? Think about it, does a fine wine taste better from a paper cup or from a beautiful crystal glass?

[PigFish]

Interesting thread development! If wrapper leaf is wonder leaf, why not just grow wrappers??? It has always been my belief that the wrapper is just window dressing, chosen to look pretty. It must have taste! It is tobacco.

I too have tested the wrapper experiment. I found them to be a small component of cigar flavor. I smoke mostly robust (not robusto) cigars. There may be validity to the thought that more potent flavors can take greater dilution with lesser effect.

More food for thought. Strength of leaf varies with the height on the plant. Perhaps smaller wrappers harvested higher up on the plant have more of a flavor component. Larger wrapper leaves from you jumbo-dumbo cigars have less!

-Piggy

[PigFish]

  On 2/21/2013 at 5:26 PM, canadianbeaver said:

I was going to make some kind of humorous post about a taste and wrapper flavor using one of those cheesy Backwoods cigars, but the the website has a surprisingly insightful Q&A page about cigars in general. The site is owned and operated by Altadis USA.

http://www.altadisus....asp#aesthetics

The cigar should look good and feel good to the touch. It should have some life in it. This does not mean the color itself so much, although it should not show too many blemishes, but the color of the cigars in the box should be consistent from one to the other. If they are not, then the manufacturer did not do his color selecting properly. What we see when we look at the cigars in a given box is the wrapper, and wrappers, even from the same crop, can vary over twenty or thirty shades of color. So a variance in color is not bad in itself. It's just that a manufacturer who pays attention to detail makes sure that in a given box all the color shades are the same. Also, the cigars should look and feel smooth when you roll them in your fingers. This is just another indication of good construction and reassurance of quality.

How Do The Aesthetics Reflect Quality?

While DRAW and BURN are the most important factors affected by construction, the aesthetics of that construction can provide early warning signs regarding the quality, taste and aroma of a particular cigar. After all, if a company places so little importance on aesthetics, then is it reasonable to expect that it places any importance on quality? Think about it, does a fine wine taste better from a paper cup or from a beautiful crystal glass?

... Lisa that is the essence of my original post.

We accept that cigars are natural products. It is Tabacuba that has the power to make them superior or inferior products. They know that we as customers have understanding. They abuse us by taking advantage of that fact when they make choices such as putting lower quality wrappers on high-line cigars!

I too care more for what a cigar tastes like. But when you are paying up 30 or 40 bucks a stick, should you not expect and get more than the average cigar?

I submit. The BigHillBilly is nothing more than an another regular production cigar that people pay too much for! And Tabacuba, they prove me right every time!!!

I'll be damned if they don't get the box right! The box is likely made offshore!!! What you do get is a nice box!!!

-Cheers -R

[dangolf18]

A while ago I think I was told that there was a special Cohiba release in the late 90's...I believe it was a Cohiba Lancero or CCE that was rolled only using wrapper tobacco.

[Vcool]

So my question after reading through this thread is... what makes a cigar premium? Just the manufacturer's statement? The cost? I mean aside from Rob's PSP/HQ progam as that is specific boxes

[Colt45]

  On 2/21/2013 at 7:54 PM, Vcool said:

So my question after reading through this thread is... what makes a cigar premium?

The term kind of makes me cringe - premium beer, elite quarterback, etc. Someone charges, and people pay, a premium.....

At base level, for me a good cigar is a good cigar, no matter the marketing.