Tubos & their non-tubo counterparts?

[BrightonCorgi]

Are the blends for tubo cigars in certain instances different than their non-tubo counterparts?

[Chibearsv]

So, are you asking (for example) if a P2 is blended differently than a tubo P2?  Not that I've ever heard of, but I can't say I have any knowledge other than hearsay.  However, I think you may get a different smoking experience due to the added cedar and storage difference if you leave them in the tubos.

[MrBirdman]

2 hours ago, BrightonCorgi said:

Are the blends for tubo cigars in certain instances different than their non-tubo counterparts?

No. Tubos have a reputation for having uglier wrappers but in my experience they’re like all Cuban cigars - hit or miss. The differences in flavor are down to the factors @Chibearsv mentions. Some cigars are for me tubo-only - they benefit that much. Others are merely “meh.”

[DeeBeezy]

3 hours ago, MrBirdman said:

No. Tubos have a reputation for having uglier wrappers but in my experience they’re like all Cuban cigars - hit or miss. The differences in flavor are down to the factors @Chibearsv mentions. Some cigars are for me tubo-only - they benefit that much. Others are merely “meh.”

Give us examples please. I have refrained from tubos in recent years 

[zacca]

My immediate answer is “no,” the blends are supposed to be the same. But it’s actually an interesting question if you think about it from a blender’s perspective.

If tubos tend to impart more cedar character, you could imagine scenarios where that’s desirable for a given profile and others where it isn’t. So I’d say there’s a non-zero chance some adjustments could happen in theory.

That said, it would require a lot of forward planning and consistency from blenders and factory managers, so in practice I suspect most are intended to be the same blend, even if they may age or present slightly differently because of the packaging.

[Puros Y Vino]

From what I've been told touring El Laguito and the La Corona factory, the cigars that end up in tubos are the odds n ends that didn't have enough matching wrapper shades to be in full boxes. Doesn't make them less, just this one cosmetic requirement to have each box look uniform, which makes sense.