The cigar wrapper isn't just one more component to a cigar — it carries the majority of the cigar's flavor and nearly all of its aesthetic appeal. In fact, publications like The Cigar Encyclopedia and Cigar Aficionado suggest that the wrapper is responsible for 60% or more of the cigar's flavor and value. With more diverse wrappers being released than ever before, getting a handle on their styles and terminology has never been more important. Fortunately, comprehending these subtleties is easy with a little effort. The following ten points will help you understand, identify and discuss the majority of cigar wrappers available today.
1. The Concept of Veins:
When blind tasting a cigar, aficionados will look at the veins in the wrapper. In the case of shade grown wrappers, the smaller and smoother these veins are, the higher the tobacco leaf quality. The wrapper should be appropriately thick and have an oily feel — suggesting that it is not dried out or brittle. As a rule, cigar wrappers are aged for at least a year or two, and the longer they age the smoother they will smoke.
2. Understanding Shade Grown vs. Sun Grown:
Tobacco plants that are grown specifically for wrappers beneath a shaded tent are called Shade Grown. The reason these leaves are grown in the shade is to keep their surface smoother and prevent the veins from becoming too large. Leaves grown directly in the sun, after all, are forced to become resilient to the heat and grow thick with more veins. In contrast to Shade Grown wrappers, tobacco grown in direct sunlight, called Sun Grown, produces a thick, dark wrapper. If grown correctly, Sun Grown wrappers will have more sweetness.
3. American Market Standard (AMS) Wrappers:
Once popular in the United States, these wrappers are light green and have a sour characteristic. They are sometimes referred to as Candela, Jade and Double Claro. Because of the off-color and sourness, they are out of favor with today's tastes.
4. English Market Standard (EMS) Wrappers:
The English Market Standard has roots that go back to the 19th century and is the benchmark for most cigar wrappers manufactured today. It includes the term Claro, Colorado and Natural (in ascending order from lighter to darker). Wrappers in this group are grown in Cuba, Cameroon and Connecticut.
5. Why are Two Countries Sometimes Referenced?
As the number of creative cigar makers grow, experimenting with growing different tobacco seeds in different regions is becoming more common. It is not unusual to find a wrapper labeled Dominican Sumatra, or Ecuadorian Connecticut. In the case of Dominican Sumatra, it means that the seeds from Sumatran tobacco have been transplanted to Ecuador and grown there. The first country is always the place in which the wrapper was grown, and the second country is the origin of the seed.
Article comments
1 - DrPat
While I am not a smoker, I'm glad Justene picked this post out for the editor's list - it's always interesting to to get an idea of where the jargon comes from!
2 - Temple Stark
Blogcritics' editors liked this one. It's a pick of the week. Congrats. Put the news up proudly on your site.
Here's a link to the rest of this week's picks and the reason why.
3 - Gabriel Nogueira de Matos
100% right, a nice wrapper makes all the difference when buying and smoking a cigar.
4 - Richard
I was recently enjoying a Romeo y Julieta Cigar wit my brother and he mentioned that they use cannibus as one of the ingredients in their cigars. I don't believe this and there is noting on any website that indicates this. Can you close the book on this
5 - Tony
How can you (or any person) claim that the wrapper lends more flavor than the filler (or binder for that matter). You'd have to at least qualify that statement by saying which wrapper. You can't possibly state a candela wrapper would impart 60% of the cigar's total flavor. After reading that statement I quit reading this. It's quacks like you / them that turn people off from trying certain luxury items (like cigars and wine).
6 - high level summary
There are many more reasons why people shade grow wrapper tobacco, you've only listed a few and not the more interesting (like sun spots and diffused versus direct light and what that does for photosynthesis, avoidance of tobacco blemishes, etc).
People reading this article - please take it for what it's worth: a snipet of a high level summary of techniques and knowledge that goes back 100's of years. If you find this article interesting, please continue to research and learn and don't just regurgitate this info.
7 - sr
I would think Monica Wolinsky would be the expert as the cigar aficonado. Is it better with or without a wrapper. Only Bill and Monica know. I love great cigar's just like Rush does. Would hate to see a great smoke wasted on a hoe.
8 - Tommyontime
I agree with SR. Both of us think that Ms. "Wolinsky" could render a rather knowledgeable opinion about wrappers-better with one on or without? Here here to Monica and Bill. Could I freshen your drink SR? Anyhow, a simple test of wrapper influence to taste would be to cut the wrapper off of the first ½ inch of the cigar. Smoke it and note the difference when you begin to burn wrapper. I didn’t believe it either but it is true. I still think Monica should know better.
9 - discount cigars
I had to agree you are perfectly right here. And the 10 things we should know about them are awesome and I agreed with every one of them. Keep posting like this and maybe it will have some impact on more people than just me.
10 - hogwash
i tried the wrapper test, makes no difference. wrapper is purely aesthetic