Questions from the floor for next Hamlet Masterclass

[El Presidente]

 

I will be filming the next Hamlet Masterclass next week as I arrive back home this weekend. 

We have a general theme but always welcome questions from the floor. 

Post up those cigar related questions that have always perplexed you.  

[oneizzzz]

So this question is more related to Cuba than the Nudies.  But it has to do with blending and Hamlet might be the man to answer.

To the degree that they are successful in doing this, how does Cuba maintain a consistent flavor profile for each respective Marca?  Does Partagas, Upmann, Sancho Panza, etc... source their tobacco from specific fields which produce a specific flavor?  Or is it all just general Cuban tobacco and the ratio of seco, volado, ligero varies?

[Chas.Alpha]

I’ve never understood the timeline from the green leaf in the field to the cigar in the box. How long does it hang on a rack, cure in a bale, etc.

[Chibearsv]

I’m curious about the plan for Nudies blends. Since N1 is being re-released with a new blend, is that a plan for all Nudies?  When do you determine that the flavors are where you want them to be (or try) to keep them consistent year over year?  Or will they all be a work in progress?  I know Hamlet said he has to re-blend each crop to attempt consistency but if that process leads to something magical but different, does that put the prior profile in the trash?

[99call]

Salt in a cigar?       I'll put myself out there for asking a thick cigar question. 

Salinity in a cigar.  Where does it come from?  a slightly sweaty rollers hand?  Tobacco fields that have slightly more coastal proximity, or simply the tobacco itself. 

I have some sort of deranged romantic notion that Sancho Panza tobacco is given it's unique profile by crashing ocean mists driven inland to the fields. 

[99call]

I've always enjoyed the robust earthyness of JLP, and sometimes you see quite nice wrappers. is it impossible to make premium cigars out of Vuelta Arriba tobacco,   is it all sub-standard grade in his opinion, does it offer anything unique?  

[PigFish]

The importance of draw to taste. A correlation, if one is thought to exist (by anyone but me)?

TY, Piggy

[djrey]

In terms of flavor what country is producing tobacco the closest to Cuba? I know the new Canonazo has no Nicaraguan leaf. Nicaragua was deemed to be "the king" of the tobacco world in quality by many. Is this changing? Without spilling too many secrets I would love to know where some of this tobacco is coming from. What soil conditions, climate etc  is creating this.

[99call]

1 hour ago, PigFish said:

The importance of draw to taste. A correlation, if one is thought to exist (by anyone but me)?

TY, Piggy

Ray I found it very interesting that in the last video Hamlet said, his ideal was a cigar was one that had a draw restricted to the point that the first draw was slightly ungenerous in its smoke output, but that the second was much more giving.     I found this very interesting, and seems to correlate a great deal with much of what you've said in the past on your youtube channel. 

 

 

[MrBirdman]

4 hours ago, Chibearsv said:

I’m curious about the plan for Nudies blends. Since N1 is being re-released with a new blend, is that a plan for all Nudies?  When do you determine that the flavors are where you want them to be (or try) to keep them consistent year over year?  Or will they all be a work in progress?  I know Hamlet said he has to re-blend each crop to attempt consistency but if that process leads to something magical but different, does that put the prior profile in the trash?

I asked this in the last masterclass - don’t have a timestamp but it’s in the second half. My recollection of the response is that if they feel they can improve upon the blend, they’ll update it; but they won’t reblend just for the sake of it if the new blend isn’t an improvement. 

[GoodStix]

Like so many others, love Cuban tobacco but too often disappointed with overfilled cigars that don’t draw well.  It’s arguably Cuba’s vulnerability relative to world competitors gaining market share.  Would like to learn: Just how hard is it to get the fill/roll right?  (for common vitolas, not specialties or even skinnies)  What exactly is involved to avoid overfilling?  IF Cuba ever chose to improve, how difficult would it really be to achieve?  Would like to hear Hamlet’s expert take on it please.

[Chibearsv]

4 hours ago, MrBirdman said:

I asked this in the last masterclass - don’t have a timestamp but it’s in the second half. My recollection of the response is that if they feel they can improve upon the blend, they’ll update it; but they won’t reblend just for the sake of it if the new blend isn’t an improvement. 

Appreciate the answer, that kind of doesn't jive with what Hamlet said earlier about having to re-blend every year just to make the flavor profile consistent.  What's the intent?  To keep the flavor profile consistent, or a work in progress?  That may have been a better way for me to phrase it.  I'm toying with the idea of buying up more N1 right now since I love 'em but I don't want to do that if the new blend is something special that I'm going to prefer.  I'm just wondering if that's the way it will be for all the nudies.

[SCgarman]

11 hours ago, 99call said:

Salt in a cigar?       I'll put myself out there for asking a thick cigar question. 

Salinity in a cigar.  Where does it come from?  a slightly sweaty rollers hand?  Tobacco fields that have slightly more coastal proximity, or simply the tobacco itself. 

I have some sort of deranged romantic notion that Sancho Panza tobacco is given it's unique profile by crashing ocean mists driven inland to the fields. 

In a related "salty" manner, Old Pulteney single malt Scotch whisky is akin to Sancho, and you can taste a distinct salty note in the finish. Is  it in the malt? Water? Inquiring minds would love to know!

[alephilmac]

11 hours ago, 99call said:

Salt in a cigar?       I'll put myself out there for asking a thick cigar question. 

Salinity in a cigar.  Where does it come from?  a slightly sweaty rollers hand?  Tobacco fields that have slightly more coastal proximity, or simply the tobacco itself. 

I have some sort of deranged romantic notion that Sancho Panza tobacco is given it's unique profile by crashing ocean mists driven inland to the fields. 

I would also love an answer to this as well. Though I doubt there is one that can encompass it in total.

[KCCubano]

5 hours ago, Chibearsv said:

Appreciate the answer, that kind of doesn't jive with what Hamlet said earlier about having to re-blend every year just to make the flavor profile consistent.  What's the intent?  To keep the flavor profile consistent, or a work in progress?  That may have been a better way for me to phrase it.  I'm toying with the idea of buying up more N1 right now since I love 'em but I don't want to do that if the new blend is something special that I'm going to prefer.  I'm just wondering if that's the way it will be for all the nudies.

I like N1 myself and was thinking same thing. Buy more now or wait to see if I prefer new blend 

[Lamboinee]

Some interesting questions above...Mine are related to rolling, I've always wanted to try it.

On average, how many cigars does a brand-new rookie roller have to roll before they can roll a cigar that smokes at least "ok"?

What's the first vitola that a new roller is usually taught to roll? Is there a training process, or are rollers expected to learn how to roll at home before they apply for the job?

Are there certain types of tobacco that rollers hate rolling? What are they?  Does touching all that tobacco have an impact on your fingers/skin?

What's the next tattoo he is going to get on his journey sleeve?

 

 

 

[Meklown]

6 hours ago, SCgarman said:

In a related "salty" manner, Old Pulteney single malt Scotch whisky is akin to Sancho, and you can taste a distinct salty note in the finish. Is  it in the malt? Water? Inquiring minds would love to know!

Specifically to old pults; the warehouses where the casks go to age is near the coast and through a combination of sea spray / wind, they often find crusting of salt everywhere. Whether that goes into casks nobody really knows ...

But.. there are many other "salty" whiskies (talisker, some islays, etc) that have warehouses far inland but still result in the salty profile. That sort of debunks the storage theory above. 

Sorry for answering but not really answering your question 😅

[MrBirdman]

20 hours ago, Chibearsv said:

What's the intent?  To keep the flavor profile consistent, or a work in progress? 

I see what you mean. I'd also be interested to hear the response.

Rob did mention that, starting with the 2023 Nudies, they will be tying the bundles with a vintage-dated ribbon - which would indicate they expect at least some variation. Then again, if they release an absolute world-beating blend I expect they'll do what they can to keep recreating it (the one variable being getting the right tobaccos - with them Hamlet could probably recreate the blend in his sleep). 

[99call]

12 hours ago, Meklown said:

Specifically to old pults; the warehouses where the casks go to age is near the coast and through a combination of sea spray / wind, they often find crusting of salt everywhere. Whether that goes into casks nobody really knows ...

But.. there are many other "salty" whiskies (talisker, some islays, etc) that have warehouses far inland but still result in the salty profile. That sort of debunks the storage theory above. 

Sorry for answering but not really answering your question 😅

I think I also heard their was a brand that had put their barrels on a mersk container ship, to spend months in the Atlantic getting battered by the sea. Love Old Pultney. One of the best value moves in the UK. 

[Glass Half Full]

My question is about scale.  Granted a lot depends upon the skill and faith in your "batchers" and rollers, but is there a limit to the number of cigars that Hamlet feels can be rolled over a given period (a day?) and still ensure the quality and consistency of his finished product?  

In the last masterclass, many comparisons were made to wine making, but it seems to me that Hamlet's roll in the "mass production" of cigars that he has designed is more like that of a master chef overseeing a production kitchen.  The process to create cigars seems to require so much individual and hands-on effort for each finished product that the potential for variance is high -- and it gets higher and higher with the increasing number of items produced.  Like any production kitchen, there would seem to be a limit to what's possible before variance becomes too large of a risk.   ...Or else the recipe needs to be simplified to reduce the risk, to help ensure consistency.

[Meklown]

I've always wondered; I've heard of people smoking cigars "fresh off the rolling table". Also pertaining to nudies (and maybe other cigars) you guys put them to rest for a period before releasing them for sale. Why's that the case? Can't they be smoked say 3-4 days after being rolled? 

Second question, I may be wrong but I think the leaves need to be slightly wetter than usual during the rolling process to give it elasticity so that it doesn't break. How will that then affect the cigars smoked immediately after rolling? Won't they smoke like cigars stored in too humid conditions (dense draw and generally bitter)? Is the taste profile representative of what the cigar would be like after resting? 

[Ford2112]

I'd like to hear Hamlets thoughts on RH storage  for these new cigars. 

[BurstReynolds]

Pres mentioned a conversation with hamlet on a us visit a while back, said he talked about why so many new world cigars fall flat in the final third. I never caught the payoff on this teaser and I’m really curious. 

[Sir Diggamus]

On 2/23/2023 at 10:00 AM, djrey said:

In terms of flavor what country is producing tobacco the closest to Cuba? I know the new Canonazo has no Nicaraguan leaf. Nicaragua was deemed to be "the king" of the tobacco world in quality by many. Is this changing? Without spilling too many secrets I would love to know where some of this tobacco is coming from. What soil conditions, climate etc  is creating this.

This piques my curiosity as well. I guess I haven't been paying as close attention as I thought regarding this next release. I made an assumption the cigar was a Nicaraguan puro. Some of the best NC cigars recently for me have included blends of tobacco from multiple regions, many of them with some element of the cigar from outside Nicaragua, DR, or Honduras. 

[helix]

Honduras has really stepped up their game regarding tobacco and coffee . Would love to hear Hamlets take on the different CA countries leaf profiles .