Email of the week. "Tooth"

[El Presidente]

From last week 

 

Good one for members to kick around. I have directed him to this thread. 

 

Hey Rob

I have a question on "tooth". I hear it used  when people describe cigars. I am at a loss as to whether it is the feel of the wrapper, the blotching of oil on the wrapper or maybe both. I think you refer to it as sandpaper or shark?

Sorry for the mixed up question but I am confused. Please help!

[NSXCIGAR]

Fairly extensive discussion here:

 

[ha_banos]

Well that was a conversation killer 😁

[El Presidente]

NSX

"Tooth", as I have always known it, refers only to texture of the wrapper discerned by either tactile feel or a rough look, but primarily tactile feel and is most prevalent in Cameroon wrappers. Also, a wrapper can be free of visually apparent bumps or any other imperfections and actually appear uniform in color and texture but would feel a sandpaper-like bumpiness or roughness to the touch. In my experience I have had plenty of "toothy" or rough-to-the-touch wrappers that had no visually detectable bumps or texture either on the leaf or in the ash.

In fact, the commonly accepted cause for "toothiness" is not raised or convex bumps (which are grain-type bumps) but very small concave pockets that fill with tobacco oils. This gives a unique visual appearance much different from what is called "grain". Here are two contrasting images, the first of "tooth" on the most commonly "toothy" wrapper Cameroon and the other is in image of what is clearly similar to the OP's bumpy ash and wrapper:

http://i149.photobucket.com/albums/s43/nsxgms/cameroon-tooth.jpg

http://i149.photobucket.com/albums/s43/nsxgms/wrapper-grain01.jpg

As is clear in the pics, the bumps in the second picture are much more defined and stand out against the wrapper color and even appear raised and white-ish. The bumps in the first picture appear to be the same color as the wrapper and almost appear to be like "goosebumps" on the skin. 

Here are a few discussions about toothiness and grain vs. toothiness

https://cigarfan.net/2008/08/05/some-thoughts-about-tooth-and-grain/

http://www.puff.com/forums/vb/general-cigar-discussion/90728-what-does-toothy-mean-you.html

 

[NSXCIGAR]

A few snippets from that thread for convenience:

Image of visually apparent bumps or "tooth" on Cameroon wrapper: 

Cameroon wrappers and their inherent toothiness:

https://www.famous-smoke.com/cigaradvisor/5-things-about-cameroon-wrapper

"Grain" vs. "tooth":

...in this case the term "grain" refers literally to wrapper texture, as in the grain of wood, or the expression "going against the grain". The phenomenon of cigar "grain" is different than the grain or overall texture of the wrapper. I agree it's confusing and there could have been a better term for the bumps discussed in this topic than "grain" but that is the name the cigar world gave to this phenomenon.

Fugu explanation of visual "bumps":

...Base of trichomes ("hairs"), usually linked with a glandular cell or cells in the tobacco leaf. Often containing higher mineral contents than the rest of the matter, either stuff the plant needs to get rid of and/or defence against herbivore feeding etc. Not in a particular way related to a certain form of tobacco processing (like e.g. maduro) but just more conspicuous in darker wrappers.

[Edicion]

My cigar today, you can see some of the dots. I don't see them often though. 

[djrey]

Go buy a Padron cigar. You have now experienced tooth.