The consensus is that thin leaf makes a better cigar wrapper than thick leaf. Why is that?
A cigar wrapper serves several functions:
It is the final three functions that are directly influenced by the thickness of the wrapper leaf. If it is strong (tensile strength) and stretchy, the wrapper--same for binder--can compress the filler into a round contour that is steady over the length of the cigar. And if it does not tear, it will seal out air passage across the surface of the cigar.
http://phys.org/news/2013-10-secret-math-biologists-uncover-leaf.html
A recent study (from UCLA) of the difference in cell structure between thin and thick leaves of numerous plant species found that a general rule applies.
While the number of cells and number of cell layers are the same, thicker leaves have larger cells and thicker cell walls. "This means that if a leaf has a larger cell in one tissue, it has a larger cell in another tissue, in direct proportion, as if you blew up the leaf and all its cells using Photoshop." This is why thick lettuce has more "crunch" than thin lettuce.
Cell walls, which are a carbohydrate structure unique to plants, and not present in animal cells, are relatively stiff. The softer attachments between cell walls of adjacent cells serve as hinge points. Because the smaller the cells, the more "hinges" there are over a given expanse of leaf, the greater the ability of the thinner leaf to stretch without tearing.
My own conjecture regarding tobacco leaf is that the attachments between cells are weakest in the bottom leaves, and strongest in the upper leaves. So we have two factors working against one another, when it comes to tensile strength, as we progress from the bottom to the top of the stalk. At the very bottom, we find leaf with the maximum flexibility, but the weakest attachments between cells. At the top, the leaves have the strongest attachments, but the least flexibility.
The sweet spot seems to be leaves from the middle 3/4 of the stalk, where leaves have solid attachments between the cells, yet small enough cell size (thin enough leaf) to possess numerous hinge points.
Of course, cigars can be wrapped with leaf from all stalk positions, but doing so with leaf from very low on the stalk, or very high on the stalk, must be accomplished with minimum stretch, yielding a not so tidy appearance or air occlusion.
Shade-grown wrapper, which is always thinner than sun-grown of the same variety, will yield leaf with more numerous, smaller cells--stretchier leaf with greater tensile strength. Sun-grown wrapper gives us some wonderful maduro and oscuro cigars, but the wrapper is always more difficult to apply nicely.
Bob
A cigar wrapper serves several functions:
- taste
- aroma
- visual appeal
- tensile strength (how much pulling force is required before it tears)
- stretch
- occlusion of air passage
It is the final three functions that are directly influenced by the thickness of the wrapper leaf. If it is strong (tensile strength) and stretchy, the wrapper--same for binder--can compress the filler into a round contour that is steady over the length of the cigar. And if it does not tear, it will seal out air passage across the surface of the cigar.
http://phys.org/news/2013-10-secret-math-biologists-uncover-leaf.html
A recent study (from UCLA) of the difference in cell structure between thin and thick leaves of numerous plant species found that a general rule applies.
While the number of cells and number of cell layers are the same, thicker leaves have larger cells and thicker cell walls. "This means that if a leaf has a larger cell in one tissue, it has a larger cell in another tissue, in direct proportion, as if you blew up the leaf and all its cells using Photoshop." This is why thick lettuce has more "crunch" than thin lettuce.
Cell walls, which are a carbohydrate structure unique to plants, and not present in animal cells, are relatively stiff. The softer attachments between cell walls of adjacent cells serve as hinge points. Because the smaller the cells, the more "hinges" there are over a given expanse of leaf, the greater the ability of the thinner leaf to stretch without tearing.
My own conjecture regarding tobacco leaf is that the attachments between cells are weakest in the bottom leaves, and strongest in the upper leaves. So we have two factors working against one another, when it comes to tensile strength, as we progress from the bottom to the top of the stalk. At the very bottom, we find leaf with the maximum flexibility, but the weakest attachments between cells. At the top, the leaves have the strongest attachments, but the least flexibility.
The sweet spot seems to be leaves from the middle 3/4 of the stalk, where leaves have solid attachments between the cells, yet small enough cell size (thin enough leaf) to possess numerous hinge points.
Of course, cigars can be wrapped with leaf from all stalk positions, but doing so with leaf from very low on the stalk, or very high on the stalk, must be accomplished with minimum stretch, yielding a not so tidy appearance or air occlusion.
Shade-grown wrapper, which is always thinner than sun-grown of the same variety, will yield leaf with more numerous, smaller cells--stretchier leaf with greater tensile strength. Sun-grown wrapper gives us some wonderful maduro and oscuro cigars, but the wrapper is always more difficult to apply nicely.
Bob