My dominican filler leaf selection...or... The three.

[RUNSUPRIVER]

Dom Volado
Dom Seco
Dom Ligero

I've got a few different wrappers- Ecuador Shade and a couple of Darks.

I've never had these three particular fillers together on the rolling table at the same time.

I need to roll a few sticks for some fishing trips coming up.

I've been "Burned" by Ligeros in the past.

Trying to keep them low 50's and a couple of molded 48's around 5 inches long. (The molded ones are for the fishing trips)

Any suggestions on ratios? Where would you start?

Thanks!

 

[MarcL]

Well, let us know if this helps or not. not sure what you know... you did say "Been away from rolling for a while."

When you say "Burned" your meaning less successful burning, or tastes in your blending?

The idea is to sort your leaves according to thickness, and burn characteristics.

By taking a lit cigar, or fire, and touching it to a leaf, then remove it, and noting the difference how the lit leaf continues to burn. Combustibility.

You'll want to have your less combustible leaves in the center, to allow the outer, more combustible leaves to assist in an even burn.
A well, more complexly constructed cigar will tend to have a pointed ash. A cigar with a consistent leaf choice, will tend to ash strait across.

As far as ratios, you'll have to experiment. But, you'll use something like 2 to 5 times less ligeros than others.

Bob has said, experiment one cigar at a time opposed to a bunch. Great advice.

I'll do 2 or 3 different blends at a time. I have done a bunch at times with, and without success.
I will often blend, with fillers and binders only first, to work towards an idea, before adding wrappers.

I found these interesting.

 

[deluxestogie]

I like the estimates of the number of filler leaves. ("Tripa" is just the Spanish word for "gut," so the term, "filler" is probably more meaningful in English.) The estimates don't seem to take length into account, but it does give a reasonable number.

Bob

 

[Gdaddy]

Varying thickness and size of different leaves would have to be taken into account. It would seem the best way to get the correct amount of leaf is through feeling the size of the bunch in your hand. It's part of the learning process.

My recommendation for the OP's blend would be to do 1/3 of each(Volado,seco,ligero). Roll one and smoke it after it's dry and then balance it to your liking from there.

 

[RUNSUPRIVER]

Thanks for the replies! When I say "BURNED" I meant they were tricky to get right. I have some memories of too much bite/ flavor and some sticks that were so loaded with Nicotine that it was hard to finish.

MarcL- that's an interesting pic. Thanks for Posting! I had wondered about production cigars and ratios.

I don't hear much about Volados. Seems like Seco and Ligeros get all the airtime.

Thanks!

 

[FmGrowit]

The graphic suggests only three stalk positions when in fact there are at least five.

Volado, is the the first priming known as "mud lugs", "sand lugs" or "cutters" in English or in reference to traditional American growing techniques.

Seco, is the second priming or first priming when only three primings of the plant are made (Seco, Viso, Ligero). When only three primings are made, the Volado and Seco are grouped together and sold as Seco.

Viso, The third priming of five primings or the second of three primings.

Ligero, Third priming of three of forth of five.

Corona, Fifth priming of five or forth of three. Most plants do not develop Corona leaves, but when there is a sufficient crop of Corona, these leaves will be harvested separately from the Ligero in a five priming schedule.

I've dealt with some of the biggest cigar tobacco suppliers in the world and none of them sell a long filler grade called "Volado". Because of the condition of the leaves, almost all Volado (mud lugs) goes into shredded cigar filler.

 

[Gdaddy]

Thin, dry and easily combustible leaves like the Piloto seco serve well as volado.

 

[deluxestogie]

With home-grown leaf, you can usually get some nice volado and lower lugs, if they are primed when mature--which turns out to be very early when compared to a normal priming schedule. (Because of their low market value, they are usually treated with less care in commercial grows.) These bottom leaves occasionally provide a very light tan Spanish claro wrapper--very smooth and mild, but more often they are somewhat tattered, and can be used as a combustibility filler. An all-volado cigar doesn't taste like much--there's no there there.

By the same token, you can often produce very spicy tip leaf (corona), that provides a rich condiment blender of deep oscuro, by topping a bit higher, and allowing the tips to achieve maturity. Tip leaf is small, so even though many are wrapper quality, the largest cigar that they will handle is a petite corona (~5" x 40 ring).

Bob