Didn't know that

[Ben Brand]

Read an interesting thing about wrappers at Don cigarro website in the cigar know how section. The leaves from the top of the wrapper plant are usually not used for wrappers as they are to oily and won't burn correctly. I think that's why I'm having problems with my wrappers, been using mostly the top leaves for my wrappers. The article states that the middle to lower leaves are used for the wrapping of cigars.
Ben.

 

[johnlee1933]

Nor I. Good find.

 

[FmGrowit]

There is some validity to the claim, however some types of wrappers are prized for their "oily" characteristics as in an Oscuro wrapper. The lower primings are too fragile and can't accommodate double or triple fermentation, the thickest leaves require it.

 

[deluxestogie]

One trick to using a wrapper that does not burn particularly well is to place it over a binder that shows excellent burn. Also, for home cigar rollers, the more smoothly both the binder and wrapper are applied, the better they will burn. I tend to not care if a quickly rolled cigar is a bit wrinkled, but if the wrapper is a slow burner, the additional trapped space of the wrinkles insulates the wrapper from the heat of the filler.

My oscuro wrappers (always upper leaf) have to be applied over a binder with excellent burn, and have to be carefully and smoothly wrapped, in order to burn well.

Bob

 

[webmost]

This right here is one informative thread.

 

[deluxestogie]

There is an amusing 14 page pamphlet on testing the burning qualities of cigar tobacco available at archive.org. In addition to the arcane apparatus drawings, there were a few interesting tidbits.

Garner WW, Methods of Testing the Burning Quality of Cigar Tobacco, US Govt Printing Office, Washington, 1906.

http://www.archive.org/details/methodsoftesting00garn (select one of the .pdf versions)

Bob

 

[FmGrowit]

Hard to believe, 107 years ago, the government used to actually spend money trying to improve our personal enjoyments.