Variance in a P2 Mastercase.

[El Presidente]

I often point out the disparity in a mastercase. Even I was surprised today because the mastrcase was ULA NOV 14 and ULA is normally pretty consistent.

Partagas P2 10's.

The Top end of the quality curve

The Bottom end of the quality curve

Same Mastercase ULA NOV 14

[xtcat9k]

Wow, just wow.

[ZAZ]

Wow. Thanks for sharing this. Huge difference.

[skalls]

Night and day difference.

[PuffDaddie]

Night & day wow!

[Kyoung]

That is unbelievable! Lucky to have FOH and avoid the bottom end quality. Thanks Rob!

[maxcjs0101]

I'd still tap that ash.

[El Presidente]

I'd still tap that ash.

E-mail Di...they are yours

[Mr.T]

Yikes!

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[JohnS]

I can just imagine the difference in smoking these, after resting them in my humidor for 30-60 days, from the look of these alone.

[Duxnutz]

Ive had plenty ugly ducklings turn into swans!

Do you think the disparity is the manifesting of the wrapper leaf shortage??

[CigSid]

This is the reason I am so glad that I found this place...

[...]

I'm not as knowledgeable as a lot of guys on here, so my intuition could be based on false premises and if so please don't be shy to comment.

Seems to me wrapper oiliness and darkness is quite affected by binder leaves and binder oil content.

Wrapper is often so thin it is improbable that such a fragile, shade grown leaf be rich in oil and organic compounds. However, binder leaves are often much thicker, with some cigars made using multiple smaller thick plant top leaves instead of a larger thin one. These thicker, sun grown leaves are bound to be richer in oil (produced by the breakdown of organic compounds) which just seep out and wet the wrapper leaf rolled against them.

Does it make sense?

[oliverdst]

Sorry, Rob, second box is fake. You've been scammed!!!

[El Presidente]

I'm not as knowledgeable as a lot of guys on here, so my intuition could be based on false premises and if so please don't be shy to comment.

Seems to me wrapper oiliness and darkness is quite affected by binder leaves and binder oil content.

Wrapper is often so thin it is improbable that such a fragile, shade grown leaf be rich in oil and organic compounds. However, binder leaves are often much thicker, with some cigars made using multiple smaller thick plant top leaves instead of a larger thin one. These thicker, sun grown leaves are bound to be richer in oil (produced by the breakdown of organic compounds) which just seep out and wet the wrapper leaf rolled against them.

Does it make sense?

One of the most beautiful things to do in the cigar world is to look at bundles of wrapper leaf. Great wrapper is silky to the touch, thin, oily and tensile/stretches.

[NCPANTHERZFAN]

Amazing they came from the same factory!

[BigWill]

Wow, I didn't know that they could be that inconsistent in from the same box code.

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[jat]

On a positive note, at least they stick all the sickly green ones in the same box. How would you be opening the lid and finding a mix

[finecigar]

That's incredible to see such a variance- wow! Those in the second box are do lifeless. Thanks for sharing

[smokeyjoe01]

I am a newbie so please excuse my ignorance... can the colour of the wrapper affect the quality of the cigar? Couldn't both boxes be rolled with the same quality filler & taste similar despite the shade of wrapper leaf?

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[treberty]

Even though the wrapper leaf may only account for 8-10% of how the cigar will burn and (most importantly) taste, I still always prefer to buy boxes that have nice, oily wrappers. Why take the risk of smoking a cigar that you know could be better?

So thanks for being our eyes Rob!

[Dbone]

Both wrappers look to be oily, I can't tell construction from a picture though. The main disparity appears to be the shade of the wrapper leaf but I'm not sure how that cooresponds to quality?

[shlomo]

Even the bands in the second box have a different colour.

What makes that bottom box no good? Is it simply a lighter shade? From the pics, that's all I can see. Not sure what all the other posters see...?

[SCgarman]

Agree Shlomo. There are around 70 shades of wrapper color, also some matte and some oily. Rob's preference is obviously for DARK, OILY wrappers. I truly believe cigars are like women and beauty is in the eye of the beholder. Obviously somebody would prefer the lighter shaded wrappers on the bottom box. I would like to see a blind taste test between a cigar from each box and the results as far as flavor and aroma of lit cigars. In my opinion, it might be real hard to tell any difference between the two. I simply do not believe that wrapper flavor influences a cigar with a larger ring gauge much if not at all. Most of flavor comes from filler and binder leaves. Now a cigar vitola like a Mareva with a 42 ring I would imagine wrapper leaf has more influence.

[khomeinist]

Wrappers make a difference. From my experience the Partagas essence is more evident at the darker end of the spectrum. This does not hold for all marcas. I personally prefer colorado claro wrappers for some of the more subtle blends. ERDM for example.