Puros!

[skow69]

Today I learned of the concept of the puro for the first time. Marvelous idea! Roll a tiny cigar totally of one kind of leaf to experience it on its own. To see what it brings to the party, if you will. So naturally I ran to my rolling table and broke out some packages.

Criollo was closest. Took a single leaf. One half went to the oven to dry [LP cooktop, heat off, pilot on, ~85f with convection driven air flow] while I hydrated and stretched the other. I accordioned the first and rolled it up in the second. A tiny bunch in a huge leaf. About 4 1/2 X 26. Cigarillo size. Back to the oven for a few.

This is a revelation! The Criollo tastes like no other cigar I have ever had [though I am admittedly a novice]. It's very delicate, and very nice. I am thinking about rolling up a box of these to carry around. Then a couple of puffs later it becomes very boring. Ah-ha! This is why we smoke blends. Another revelation.

Next is Piloto Cubano seco. I split a leaf and spent some time misting and stretching one half. The result is not very pleasant. It's a good thing it helps combustion. It obviously benefits greatly from the blend. Nevertheless I find it very interesting to see what its 'native' flavor is.

Habana 2000. The one in the photos. Much darker and heavier than Criollo, but smokable. Again I lose interest, not a lot going on in there. It seems that puros are just blandly one dimensional compared to blends. Of course you all knew that already, but it's blowing my mind.

Does everyone do this? Anyone? Suggestions? I've got a lot more packages to sample. Thanks for listening.

 

[Jitterbugdude]

It doesn't have to be small. All of my puros are at least a 44 ring gauge. I wouldn't say puros are bland. It depends what you are using. A Vuelta Abajo makes an excellent puro. As does some Guatemalan and Huehuetenango.

 

[MarcL]

Nice, and yes, I do it. sometime after sorting, i'll get lost in variants of a puro. have you seen wrapper tests done by wrapping a lit cigar and seeing how they are? one cigar, multiple wrapper test. You take a lit cigar, pull a wrapper edge around it up against the cherry and, hold it with your finger.

 

[skow69]

It doesn't have to be small. All of my puros are at least a 44 ring gauge. I wouldn't say puros are bland. It depends what you are using. A Vuelta Abajo makes an excellent puro. As does some Guatemalan and Huehuetenango.

I stand corrected. I'll take this as an indication of how much I don't know about the myriad variety of tobaccos. So much to learn. So much to explore. I'm loving the journey.

 

[skow69]

Nice, and yes, I do it. sometime after sorting, i'll get lost in variants of a puro. have you seen wrapper tests done by wrapping a lit cigar and seeing how they are? one cigar, multiple wrapper test. You take a lit cigar, pull a wrapper edge around it up against the cherry and, hold it with your finger.

Never heard of it. So you select a bunch and binder for a test bed, fire up, and you can taste test the different wrappers back to back, right? That's a fantastic idea! One more item on the StuffIGottaTry list. Thanks, man.

 

[ArizonaDave]

I stand corrected. I'll take this as an indication of how much I don't know about the myriad variety of tobaccos. So much to learn. So much to explore. I'm loving the journey.

It's a fun journey! A wrapper alone is only one part, the "meat" of the cigar is the binder and filler. A lot of times I just use binder and filler to see what goes together, once I figure out how they blend together. Then you can match it with the wrapper.

Of course, puro's do give you a heads up on the flavor profile, and what to blend with it.

 

[Ben Brand]

Also do puros, and agree with Jitterbug about Vuelta, very nice tobacco and one of my favorites. The one that impressed me the most was Long Red, right up to the end it was smooth, slightly sweet and creamy, 2nd was Vuelta, then the 2 broad leaves (Conn and Pennsylvania). Man I love this hobby of mine!!!!!

 

[charlie G.]

Ben can you elaborate on what is the "Long Red" tobacco you talk of. I haven't tried it or seen it listed with the cigar tobacco.

 

[deluxestogie]

Long Red is a cigar filler variety that will be available in the FTT seed bank this winter. It's a beautiful plant, with generous, thick leaves. I haven't smoked it yet.

http://fairtradetobacco.com/threads/3682-deluxestogie-Grow-Log-2014/page41#410

Bob

 

[charlie G.]

Thanks Bob, my loss I don't grow tobacco.

 

[Raodwarior]

Also, though puros in the cigar industry generally has the meaning that the blend is from just one country, not one variety of plant. Hence Cuban cigars are considered puros as in all the tobacco in them is grown in Cuba, although there seems to be a bit of Nicaraguan in them the last several years.

 

[Ben Brand]

If that's the case then all my cigars are puro`s, born and grown in SA.

 

[moscca]

A Puro in spanish is just any cigar.



Jan.

 

[deluxestogie]

Yes. In many Latin American countries, "puro" simply means that it's not wrapped in paper.

Bob

 

[Raodwarior]

And yes correct on all three counts. The statement was in the cigar industry.