Are Darker Wrappers Always Better?

[Havanaaddict]

Light wrappers almost everytime and every brand!!! Especially like the Prez said Cohiba/LGC/HDM/Juan Lopez but when it comes to Partagas especially DNo.4 without a lighter wapper I don't get that palate coating that I love from this cigar!!!

[vinnyvega]

I love when cigars with light wrappers here go on clearance.

[treberty]

1 taste bud out of every 10???? I'm not that good to say "hmmm that wrapper tastes like 10% of my overall taste experience."

The wrapper leaf only accounts for 8-10% of the overall taste/flavour of the cigar. Most of the flavours come from the filler.

[Smallclub]

The wrapper leaf only accounts for 8-10% of the overall taste/flavour of the cigar. Most of the flavours come from the filler.

You've already posted this assertion. Again, please define "8-10%" of a taste.

[vinnyvega]

I get 16.9% from most cigars under a 46 ring gauge.

[Orion21]

I have had equally great cigars with both types of wrappers. What is most important to me, when wrappers are concerned, is that the leaf is not too thick. I see this much more often with maduro wrappers on EL cigars. Those thick maduro wrappers are almost flame retardant and I do not enjoy them. Ideally, I want a thinner wrapper with a nice sheen and a velvety feel. All my most memorable cigars had those qualities in common. The original release BHK 52's probably had the most perfect wrappers I have ever seen. They were lighter in color, but looked and felt like they were kissed by the gods. Aside from the SCDLH O'Reilly book cigars I haven't seen wrappers like those on any regular product cigars. The 2013 BTO Siglo VI's have come close, but they have a reddish hue and aren't as velvety.

[ethernomad]

I have had equally great cigars with both types of wrappers. What is most important to me, when wrappers are concerned, is that the leaf is not too thick. I see this much more often with maduro wrappers on EL cigars. Those thick maduro wrappers are almost flame retardant and I do not enjoy them. Ideally, I want a thinner wrapper with a nice sheen and a velvety feel. All my most memorable cigars had those qualities in common. The original release BHK 52's probably had the most perfect wrappers I have ever seen. They were lighter in color, but looked and felt like they were kissed by the gods. Aside from the SCDLH O'Reilly book cigars I haven't seen wrappers like those on any regular product cigars. The 2013 BTO Siglo VI's have come close, but they have a reddish hue and aren't as velvety.

You just made my mouth water!

[treberty]

That wasn't true the first time you posted it. Posting it again doesn't make it true now either

You've already posted this assertion. Again, please define "8-10%" of a taste.

That's the consensus in Cuba, when you talk to CDH managers, torcedores... and I agree (not forcing anyone to share my opinion): I believe that flavours are not greatly impacted by the wrapper leaf when you smoke a Cuban cigar - because of the higher complexity of the fillers, IMO. The % is not the point - could be a little more, a little less. It's just a rule of thumb in this case.

For other terroirs the wrapper can provide much more flavour vs the filler - up to 20% even 30% according to some. DR cigars would be a good example.

There's a good site http://www.cubancigarwebsite.com/info-production.aspx that provides some good info... you can look up the "Tobacco Plant" section.

Cheers!

[ethernomad]

In situations where a "touch up" is warranted, I can taste the difference between pre and post lick of the flame. And not just a burnt flavor.

But back on topic, it looks like most people prefer light, oily wrappers except on a handful of marcas. Hearing all this feedback makes me feel better about the meager menagerie I have resting.

[coug28]

Almost created a topic similar to this but figured I’d search out old ones first. I had my own opinion prior to reading through the the comments here, and I too, absolutely prefer certain brands to be lighter in color - Cohiba/Trinidad/Hoyo jump out to me the most….Quai being another, but haven’t yet smoked the new releases, just the older ones. 

 

others I prefer rosado - Upmann/Partagas/RASS etc

 

The nicest and most preferable brand IMO to have darker sheened wrappers (excluding ELs, y’all lovers can have these lol), is Montecristo. Seems to lend itself and more befitting of the flavors of the Monte blend - chocolate, cream, earth etc. 

 

Those are my .02 anyhow. 9 outta 10 times, give me the lighter wrapper on a cigar. Suits my tastes better, whether psychological or otherwise. 
 

And figured this was a worthy topic of a bump, so hopefully an interesting read for others who also missed this years ago . 

[Mickey D]

I have 2 boxes of Monte 2. One with darker wrapper, one with the lighter standard Colorado wrapper. The lighter has a better flavor. 

[LLC]

To answer the question , no. 

[coug28]

20 minutes ago, LLC said:

To answer the question , no. 

100% Agreed.

my topic was going to be more along the lines of ‘what brands do you prefer wrappers to be lighter vs darker’. But didn’t want to duplicate what’s already been discussed and there was a good bit of that already in here…thus, here we are  

[BoliDan]

Dark wrappers either mean top leaf or some sort of modification. NC Maduro wrappers go through chemical treatment, and I hate them. I much prefer light wrappers or rosados. Even on a monte. 

[griller]

46 minutes ago, BoliDan said:

Dark wrappers either mean top leaf or some sort of modification. NC Maduro wrappers go through chemical treatment, and I hate them. I much prefer light wrappers or rosados. Even on a monte. 

100% agree. I avoid NC maduros, and have been sorely disappointed in maduro-esque wrappers on Havanas. On the Cubans the maduros seems to be fireproof, too. Give me a lighter or Rosado wrapper every time...

[Connoisseur Kim]

For me, the darker the wrapper, the higher chance of facing asbestos fireproof wrapper based on my Partagas LE 17 Series No. 1 review (it had typical LE Colorado Maduro wrapper). Also, the Maduro CCs seems to be too sugary for my taste (had Cohiba Maduro 5 Genios from Kenfessions Comp in the past; preferred H. Upmann Connie A over Cohiba Maduro 5 Genios). So, I generally prefer the CCs with either Colorado Claro or Colorado wrapper.

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[Cigar Surgeon]

Just adding to the discussion for the NC piece. The wrapper tobacco is typically 50 - 60% of the overall flavor profile, not 20%. That number is going to vary drastically based on the ring gauge (smaller ring gauges that number jumps substantially).

One of the fun experiments Henke Kelner used to do was give two cigars and have you taste them. The two cigars are exactly the same blend, except that the wrapper and the binder are reversed. Just the reversal of the wrapper and binder changes the flavor profile drastically and a group of tasters will show a significant preference for one cigar or another. Some manufacturers also do an exposed foot which allows you to smoke the filler and binder to get a sense of the profile before the burn line gets to the wrapper.

As far as Cubans go, I couldn't say, I haven't had the fortune of playing around with Cuban tobacco blending. 

Edit: As far as NC Maduros being 'chemically treated' we already went through that discussion several times. There is a lot of bad information out there on NCs.

https://www.friendsofhabanos.com/forum/topic/148368-why-are-nc-cigars-almost-all-madurooscuro/

Here's the megathread:

https://www.friendsofhabanos.com/forum/topic/148306-jorge-padron-talks-about-dark-and-oily-wrappers/

Here's specific information about how Maduro can be achieved in the NC world:

https://www.friendsofhabanos.com/forum/topic/148306-jorge-padron-talks-about-dark-and-oily-wrappers/?do=findComment&comment=1072716

 

[Tstew75]

I always reach for lighter, assuming they are oily. As Prez stated, the 3 exceptions are Boli, Monte & Party. No to thick, dark wrappers...also not a big fan of mottled, tho I know they can be good.

The prize boxes in my collection are Rosato...I'm giddy when I open a blind box to those. #cherries 🍒

[saltbox]

3 hours ago, Cigar Surgeon said:

Just the reversal of the wrapper and binder changes the flavor profile drastically and a group of tasters will show a significant preference for one cigar or another.

Interesting. Any theories as to why? Combustion differences caused by placement?

[Cigar Surgeon]

34 minutes ago, philipl said:

Interesting. Any theories as to why? Combustion differences caused by placement?

When I asked Henke about it I didn't get much of explanation other than 'that's just one of the interesting things about tobacco blending'. Sometimes it seems as much art as science.

[PigFish]

Can’t judge a good cigar by the wrapper!

 I am just wondering what happened to a bunch of the old members? -🐷

[MrBirdman]

6 hours ago, Cigar Surgeon said:

 

Just adding to the discussion for the NC piece. The wrapper tobacco is typically 50 - 60% of the overall flavor profile, not 20%.

 

This confuses me because one would think NC and CC would be similar in this regard. But what I hear from people with a lot of knowledge in CC is that the wrapper is generally much less of the flavor. 

If that’s indeed the case, is this difference down to blending, growing, or something else that’s different about how NC are made?

[Cigar Surgeon]

25 minutes ago, MrBirdman said:

This confuses me because one would think NC and CC would be similar in this regard. But what I hear from people with a lot of knowledge in CC is that the wrapper is generally much less of the flavor. 

If that’s indeed the case, is this difference down to blending, growing, or something else that’s different about how NC are made?

I think it just comes down to a wider variety of tobacco types being available for wrappers on NCs and fillers. Even taking your run of the mill NC Connecticut, the wrapper is still 40 - 50% of the flavor profile, despite a classic CT being quite mild. 

The number of flavor combinations are almost overwhelming. 

[soutso]

On 8/23/2021 at 6:53 AM, PigFish said:

Can’t judge a good cigar by the wrapper!

 I am just wondering what happened to a bunch of the old members? -🐷

We are in the background, watching, always watching ....

[PigFish]

11 hours ago, soutso said:

We are in the background, watching, always watching ....

Glad to see you brother! Hope things are well with you. Been reading some of your tribulations with the 'police power' over there and I have been a bit concerned.

Crazy world! Love ya' mate! -R