Wrappers Flashcards
Name two of the Asian cigar wrappers and their original seed variety
Indonesian in Philippines.
Sumatra seed
Name the two main tobaccos that Are grown in the Dominican Republic
Olor Dominicana and Piloto Cubana
Name an African wrapper
Cameroon
Name four Central American tobacco regions
Costa Rica, Honduras, Mexico and Nicaragua
Name the town and Valley in Honduras where most of the tobacco is grown
Danli, Jamastran Valley
What tobacco seed varietals are grown in Honduras
Connecticut shade grown and Corojo shade grown.
Also Cuban seed.
Name two stalk cut tobaccos
Connecticut broadleaf and Mexican San Andreas Negro
Name of the two most famous seed varietals and which one originated from the other
Criollo and Corojo. The Criollo is the original seed. The Corojo derived from the Criollo seed.
Name two of the Brazilian cigar wrappers and their distinction
Mata Fina and Arapiraca.
Mata Fina: The Mata Fina wrapper, in general, has a unique earthy aroma and natural sweetness, different from the typical Maduro flavor profile, which makes sense as this is not actually from the Broadleaf variety (it’s from the Bahia).
Arapiraca: This leaf is grown in central eastern Brazil in the state of Alagoas from the Bahia type. The tobacco is not as aromatic as other Bahia tobacco grown in other regions, but its subtlety makes it an excellent component for cigar making. The Arapiraca wrapper leaf takes its name from the name of the municipality where it is grown.
Who developed the Corojo seed? Where?
Santa Ines del Corojo. There a tobacco farmer named Diego Rodriguez first developed the seed, which was named for the farm (or vega) where it was born. For many years, Corojo proved to be the ideal wrapper leaf for many Cuban cigars.
Who is Christian Eiroa?
Christian Eiroa, the second-generation cigar master who runs Caribe Imported Cigars in Danli, Honduras, is firmly in the camp of those believing that only true, non-hybrid Corojo is worthy of the designation. His Camacho cigars are made entirely of authentic Cuban-seed Corojo and Criollo tobacco grown by his father Julio in Honduras’s Jamastran Valley. “We got our Corojo seeds directly from Daniel Rodriguez, the grandson of Diego Rodriguez,” he says, referring to the seed’s creator. “We have been growing Corojo and Criollo since the 1960s. We refuse to use hybrids and call it Corojo.”
Describe the history of Criollo seed
Though it made its first appearance in the States a tad later than Corojo, Criollo seed actually predates the former by many hundreds of years. By most accounts, it was one of the original Cuban tobaccos that emerged around the time of Columbus. (Original Corojo, in fact, was derived from Criollo seed by natural selection, and this ancient seed is the genetic base seed for both the Criollo 98 and Corojo 99 hybrids.)
Where did the Sumatra seed originate? Where else is it grown?
The Sumatra seed originated in Sumatra, and eventually moved to Ecuador, where it has become incredibly popular. Ecuador provides optimum weather conditions for growing wrapper tobacco, and Sumatra succeeds in the soils of Ecuador. The seed has also been grown in Cameroon, in Western Africa, and now has taken the name of Cameroon instead of Sumatra.
Characteristics of a Sumatra cigar wrapper
The wrapper can be very toothy or silky depending on how it is grown and has a natural sweetness to it which it imparts in the flavor of the cigar.
Difference between Connecticut and ECUADORIAN CONNECTICUT SHADE WRAPPERS
Basically, they’ve taken U.S. Connecticut seeds and planted them in Ecuador. The Connecticut-seed shade wrapper grown in Ecuador has many of the same qualities as the indigenous Connecticut tobacco. It’s generally mild, silky, and offers a sweet aroma, except it is slightly richer in flavor and a bit darker in color.
Nicotine
Nicotine is a naturally occurring organic compound in the same family of substances (alkaloids) as caffeine. Nicotine is found in tobacco plants, and to a lesser degree in tomatoes, green peppers, potatoes, and eggplant*. The general effects of nicotine are biphasic: initially it is mentally invigorating, and then it leads to a relaxing effect.
Taste
Taste, also known as gustation, is the human sense which drives our appetite and protects us from ingesting poisons. We taste with sensory organs [that detect chemicals] called taste buds which are located on our tongue.
Our taste buds are limited to sensing only five distinct tastes:
salt, sweet, sour, bitter, & umami.
1518
Conquistador Hernan Cortez brings tobacco seeds back to King Charles V of Spain.
1492
Christopher Columbus discovers tobacco in Cuba.
1612
Settlers begin to cultivate tobacco in Jamestown, Virginia.
- John Rolfe (husband of Princess Pocohontas) is the first to grow tobacco commercially for export.
- The settlement of Virginia would not have been as successful if tobacco had not been so profitable. In fact, tobacco production had to be curtailed so that ample food could still be grown.
1676
The “Cigar” is born in Sevilla Spain where thousands of laborers give birth to the cigar industry.
Air-Curing
The curing process used for Cigar tobaccos (Dark Air-Cured) and also for Burley tobaccos. After being harvested, cigar leaves are hung in pairs in Curing Barns/Casas de Tabaco for approximately 50 days. During air curing, leaves lose their Chlorophyll and 85% of their humidity.
American Market Selection (AMS)
This terminology refers to Double Claro colored cigars which were popular in The United States during the middle 20th Century.
Broadleaf
Broadleaf is a dark tobacco varietal family popular for producing wrappers leaves that are enormous, resilient, and thick. These leaves are ideal for creating a Maduro colored wrapper. Broadleaf wrapper is not Primed, but rather the whole plant is stalk-cut when it matures.
Centro Fino
The third level of leaves from the top of the corojo plant between the centro gordo and centro ligero leaves.
Centro Gordo
The second level of leaves from the top of the corojo plant just below the top corona leaves.
Centro Ligero
The leaves on the third level from the bottom of the corojo plant, between the centro fino and uno y medio leaves. Not to be confused with the criollo plant, where the term Ligero refers to the top leaves which are exposed to the most sun.
Corojo
Developed in 1930s by Diego Rodriguez
Derived from the Criollo seed through selective breeding
Named after its birthplace, the farm Santa Ines del Corojo in the Vuelta Abajo region
Premiere wrapper for Cuban Cigars until 1990s
Primarily grown under shade for wrappers
Produces 8 to 9 pairs of leaves
Praised for its dark brown (colorado) color, uniformity, thin veins
Criollo
Cuban tobacco plant (seed varietal) grown under direct sunlight and used for Fillers and Binder. Produces 6 to 7 pairs of leaves: Ligero, Seco, Volado, (all fillers) and Capotes (Binders).
Flue-Curing
The Curing process which applies high levels of heat, in an enclosed space, to tobaccos. The heat dries out the leaves and fixes the sugar content of the tobacco. This technique is most commonly used on Virginia varietals which have naturally high sugar levels.
Habano Seed
A traditional Cuban seed varietal family that has been hybridized and cross-bred to create many new modern varietals. Traditional Habano Seed is still used to produce many cigars throughout Central America. See Other Cigar Varietal Families.
Jamastran Valley
A famous cigar tobacco growing area in the South Eastern part of Honduras near the Northern Nicaraguan border.
Ligero
One of the 3 basic types of filler leaves of the Criollo plant: Seco, Volado, Ligero. Ligero leaves are from the top of the plant and are exposed to the most sun. Ligero leaves are known for being dense, rich, and robust.
Olor
A variety of Dominican cigar tobacco which has large leaves and is commonly used for filler and binder. Olor tobacco can have a distinctly dry flavor, or drying effect on the mouth. Olor is also the Spanish term for “Smell”.
Oscuro
The blackest shade of tobacco leaf; but not necessarily a Maduro. Typically Mexican and Brazilian leaves can achieve this color without going through the additional “Maduro” fermentation.
San Andres Negro
The most famous Mexican cigar varietal grown in the San Andres Valley. San Andres Negro is a Stalk-Cut tobacco, which produces excellent Binder and Maduro Wrappers. Due to the toughness and resilience of the leaf, it holds up well during the extra fermentation required to produce Maduro Wrappers.
Stalk-Priming
As with priming, this process involves harvesting approximately a pair of leaves per week, but starts at the top and works down the plant. In addition, leaves are picked with a small piece of the stalk in tact, holding the leaves together.
1827
Don Jaime Partagas establishes Flor de Tabacos Partagas y Companía on the edge of Old Havana
1959
Fidel Castro takes control of Cuba and announces that individual cigar brands are a thing of the past. The exodus of Cuban cigar makers begins…
1966
Birth of the famous Cuban Cohiba brand: created for Fidel Castro and later given away to V.I.P.s and Diplomats
Nicotiana
“Tobacco” refers to Nicotiana tabacum; one of over sixty species in the botanical genus Nicotiana. The original strain of Tabacum (tobacco) has never been found growing in the wild, yet it is the most widely grown non-food crop plant on earth.
Fermentation
Fermentation is the natural organic process that accounts for the majority of change and distinction in cigar tobaccos. Fermentation or “working” (trabajando) the tobacco is like a natural slow “cooking” process whereby the tobacco heats up under the pressure of its own weight. Carefully controlling the temperature cycles and tobacco humidity allows the tobacco to slowly expel (or sweat out) the ammonia and impurities in the leaves.
Bunching
Bunching is the process of combining the filler leaves (tripa) of tobacco (usually 3 to 5 varieties) and covering them with a binder leaf (capote)
5 different Bunches
Book, Accordion, Liebermann, Figurado and Entubado
Corojo 99
Original Corojo, in fact, was derived from the Criollo seed by natural selection, and this ancient seed is the genetic base seed for the Corojo ‘99 hybrid.
Where is the corojo 99 leave mostly grown nowadays
Corojo was first grown in the fertile Vuelta Abajo region of Cuba, and was originally developed by Diego Rodriguez. Now it is grown almost entirely in Honduras in the Jamastran Valley, as well as parts of western Kentucky.
Name six versions of the Corojo seed
Costa Rican, Corojo 99, San Andres, Honduran, El Corojo, Nicaraguan Corojo 99
Which country gross primarily Corojo seed. Give a cigar example
Honduras. Camacho. The Honduran-grown version is very spicy, lots of pepper and wood with underlying earthiness. One problem with Honduran Corojo is that it is nearly flame retardant.
Describe Nicaraguan Corojo ‘99 and name to cigar makers that use it
Nicaraguan grown version of the Ecuadorian transplant of the Corojo ‘99 plant, this is most famous in the Tatuaje line by Pete Johnson and Pepe Garcia.
The general effects of nicotine are…
Biphasic
Having two distinct and often seemingly contradictory effects; in the case of nicotine consumption, the effects of both mental alertness and physical relaxation are biphasic.
1895
Cuban Leader of Independence, Jose Marti, incites revolution against Spain by sending the message of insurrection from the U.S. to Cuba rolled in a cigar.
How is the Nicotiana Genus organized, down to it’s Variatels?
Nicotania Genus - Nicotania Tabacum - Splits into Dark and light Tobacco.
Light: Burley, Orientals, Virginia
Dark: Criollo, Sumatra - Criollo 2006 - Corojo, Habana, Criollo 98
Explain Shade Grown
This growing technique refers to tobacco grown under cheesecloth (or similar fabric). The process shields out excessive sun and produces a lighter, silkier, and more consistent appearance that is highly valued as cigar wrapper. The most popular, beautiful, and expensive Shade Grown wrappers are grown in the Connecticut River Valley in the USA.
Soil elements that effect our cigars
Nitrogen, Potassium, Magnesium
How is the Cameroon leaf grown, and what is it mostly used for? Explain appearance.
Sun grown, mostly used for wrapper leaf. These wrappers have a luscious dark brown color, often with an attractive reddish tint. They are fuller flavored, and can have a unique “toothy” or grainy texture: traces of the toothy texture are still visible on the cigar ash after it is smoked.
Which country is known for its own variety of wild Nicotiana, Copaneco, it is also regarded as an ideal place to grow Cuban and Connecticut seed varietals for premium cigars
Honduras
Today, Connecticut shade-grown and corojo shade-grown tobaccos are cultivated extensively throughout what country and region
Honduras, near Danli in the Jamastran Valley
The two most popular seed varietals grown in Ecuador are..
Connecticut and Sumatra
Semilleros
Nurseries where seeds germinate for approximately 45 days before being transplanted to the fields.
Name the three Irregation methods
Drip, spray and canal
Picked (primed) leaves are tied in pairs, hung on lathes (cujes) and placed high up in curing/drying barns for approximately how long?
50 days
After about 50 days in a curing barn, the leaves have released their ___ and much of their ____ (_%): causing them to turn___
Chlorophyl. moisture, 85%, brown
Gavilla
Also known as a “Hand”, these are bunches of tobacco leaves held together by string, which help organize the tobacco for fermentation and añejamiento.
Usually 1st Fermentation
Burros
2 Stage Fermentation, Burros are the 4 to 6 foot tall piles of tobacco which constitute the most intense Fermentation period. Unraveling and re-piling occurs at critical temperature points so the tobacco will not “burn out”. In other countries, the term Burro can refer to any Fermentation pile.
Originally, the _____ brand was the only Cuban cigar to undergo a 3rd fermentation
Cohiba
3rd fermentation
This fermentation took place in barrels at lower than usual temperatures.
Añejamiento
Simply put, this is the aging process; the very slow process of natural decomposition - which occurs at lower humidity and temperature levels than Fermentation. During Añejamiento, tobaccos slowly release ammonia, impurities, and develop.
Cigar Añejamiento
Occurs after the cigars are rolled, while they are curated by your Tobacconist, in your personal humidor, all they way up until they are smoked.
Which wrapper leaf is often referred to as a Brazilian Maduro, but is a little less sweet and a little more light and earthy than a “standard Maduro”?
Arapiraca
The word Criollo means…
Criollo” simply means “native seed,” so a cigar described as having “Dominican Criollo” or “Honduran Criollo” may have no connection to the original Cuban seed or the current popular hybrid, Criollo 98.
