JOE1977
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After reading through this thread my question is this, when rolling a stick out the mix says one leaf of this or that. Does this mean one full sized leaf or one split from the mid rib? Sorry for the newb question in advance 
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waikikigun
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Joe, one leaf means one full leaf, both sides. One side is ".5 leaf."
One leaf or one-half leaf doesn't really matter, as long as each of the ingredients is in proportion to the other ingredients. It just determines how large the cigar can be. A toro size requires about 3 to 4 times as much filler as a small corona.
Since different cigar varieties yield different size leaves, a recipe by leaf is not the same proportions as a recipe by weight or by "parts".
Bob
Since different cigar varieties yield different size leaves, a recipe by leaf is not the same proportions as a recipe by weight or by "parts".
Bob
Who here knows how to put in a claim for a package stolen by the post office?
Here's the deal: Jason sent me three boxes of cigars. Good cigars. Great cigars. Such great cigars, in fact, that those package sorters at USPS, who are ordinarily such models of probity, caught a sniff of them, tore into the box with a pack of matches and bad intent, and by the time they were done, here is all that was left:
A single pigtail cigar, a shred of cedar lining out of one of these boxes, and a boveda pack.
I can't blame our friends at USPS. These cigars were a great blend. Piloto Cubano and Criollo 98 viso, double bound in an unidentified thing Jason called "banda" (banda means binder in Spanish), then wrapped in Habano 2000. This blend is nearly identical to the Uppowoc Criollotos I rolled, bound in the same Habano they were wrapped with. Coincidentally, I burnt the last of these just yesterday on the porch.
The one remaining stick which the Post Office did let get through, it was pretty smooshy soft -- especially in the foot. Probably from too much handling, I suppose. Great shape tho, don't you think? Great color, too. An odor of damp earth. Woodsy at the foot. That Habano wrapper, it's unlit taste can't be beat. Popped the pigtail off to try the draw. It drew free and easy; tasted toasty, with a touch of cinnamon. A single match lit this stick right up. Tons of smoke volume right from the go. A but harsh right off the match; but that would be cured with a couple months of age. Rich earth, mild cinnamon spice, good strength. Some wood on the retrohale. A rich aroma that filled the garage. Best way to describe the flavor I can think of is, a perfect accompaniment is a sip of tequila anejo. The smoke did have me spitting a couple times ... but that is a sign a stick needs a couple months to mellow out. The only negative I can think of is the foot was bound so loose that the burn got real weird, like so:
... so I had to trim and re-light.
Burnt for an hour. Left me with cinnamon on the lips, and a pungent stink-finger which I can still smell. I know from experience this blend will leave me a morning mouth which goes well with coffee.
So how do we get this debacle straight with the post office? Anyone know? I dunno that they were insured. Three boxes, I'm thinking is a six hundred dollar claim. As for next time, I'm thinking what we ought to do, Jason, is you go ahead and roll me up another three boxes, and I'll ride Sopowa out to Chicago and pick them in person, so they don't get ripped off. It's only a couple thousand miles round trip. Well worth the ride. Send me directions to your place. Chicago tolls suck donkey dongs, so route me around those, please.
Let me know when they're ready.
Here's the deal: Jason sent me three boxes of cigars. Good cigars. Great cigars. Such great cigars, in fact, that those package sorters at USPS, who are ordinarily such models of probity, caught a sniff of them, tore into the box with a pack of matches and bad intent, and by the time they were done, here is all that was left:
A single pigtail cigar, a shred of cedar lining out of one of these boxes, and a boveda pack.
I can't blame our friends at USPS. These cigars were a great blend. Piloto Cubano and Criollo 98 viso, double bound in an unidentified thing Jason called "banda" (banda means binder in Spanish), then wrapped in Habano 2000. This blend is nearly identical to the Uppowoc Criollotos I rolled, bound in the same Habano they were wrapped with. Coincidentally, I burnt the last of these just yesterday on the porch.
The one remaining stick which the Post Office did let get through, it was pretty smooshy soft -- especially in the foot. Probably from too much handling, I suppose. Great shape tho, don't you think? Great color, too. An odor of damp earth. Woodsy at the foot. That Habano wrapper, it's unlit taste can't be beat. Popped the pigtail off to try the draw. It drew free and easy; tasted toasty, with a touch of cinnamon. A single match lit this stick right up. Tons of smoke volume right from the go. A but harsh right off the match; but that would be cured with a couple months of age. Rich earth, mild cinnamon spice, good strength. Some wood on the retrohale. A rich aroma that filled the garage. Best way to describe the flavor I can think of is, a perfect accompaniment is a sip of tequila anejo. The smoke did have me spitting a couple times ... but that is a sign a stick needs a couple months to mellow out. The only negative I can think of is the foot was bound so loose that the burn got real weird, like so:
... so I had to trim and re-light.
Burnt for an hour. Left me with cinnamon on the lips, and a pungent stink-finger which I can still smell. I know from experience this blend will leave me a morning mouth which goes well with coffee.
So how do we get this debacle straight with the post office? Anyone know? I dunno that they were insured. Three boxes, I'm thinking is a six hundred dollar claim. As for next time, I'm thinking what we ought to do, Jason, is you go ahead and roll me up another three boxes, and I'll ride Sopowa out to Chicago and pick them in person, so they don't get ripped off. It's only a couple thousand miles round trip. Well worth the ride. Send me directions to your place. Chicago tolls suck donkey dongs, so route me around those, please.
Let me know when they're ready.
Contact: https://www.usps.com/help/contact-us.htm
OR
File a Claim online: https://www.usps.com/help/claims.htm
OR
File a Claim online: https://www.usps.com/help/claims.htm
This probably won't help but it might make you feel better. Take a bunch of dog turds, put them in a box labelled "fine cigars" and drop them off at your local post office.
If the parcel was shipped by priority mail, it has default insurance of $50.
Bob
Bob
Guys... no package was lost. That's just a rhetorical trick, by which I intend to say "I wish there were more, cause this one was so good."
Like they say about motorcycles: one is never enough.
Good smoke.
Get it?
Hell, I'd even ride all the way to Chicago.
Like they say about motorcycles: one is never enough.
Good smoke.
Get it?
Hell, I'd even ride all the way to Chicago.
He,he that was the best Idea (I think)..
But it would be interesting to know why they didn't take all of em..
Aha that's explains "it"..
Most say "don't trust everything you read"..
Guess I can save my dogs cigars ( my cats cigarillos and my rabbits "snus") a little longer...
charlie G.
Well-Known Member
That was some Delaware humor right there.
Jason
Active Member
Davis,
I'm glad you enjoyed the cigar. I agree that the ends need to be more compacted, I've been working to fix that. You're right about the tollways, they're a mad house.
Jason
I'm glad you enjoyed the cigar. I agree that the ends need to be more compacted, I've been working to fix that. You're right about the tollways, they're a mad house.
Jason
S'Why we spell it Dull-Aware.
waikikigun
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Now with 112 blends in my Excel blending spreadsheet, I can say that blending is some tricky s*hit. And also that attempting to learn something about blending is as fascinating and eye-ear-nose-throat opening as I'd hoped.
Here's an example of something: Corojo oscuro wrapper over Nica Habano binder with Habano seco, Criollo 98 Viso and Criollo 98 Seco = dulce de leche, vanilla custard, low-medium nic, slow burn, amazing flavor, requiring continual burning down of the wrapper with more flame since the wrapper doesn't burn.
So, "I'll use a Sumatra binder and throw in a half leaf of Piloto Cubano seco for burn and cut the Habano to half leaf, leave everything else the same" = hot harsh pepper and barnyard, super strong strength, a bit more smoke, and a wrapper that still doesn't burn. In a nutshell, less Habano, change binder, add half a leaf of something else, keep the other bits the same, and you get an absolutely completely different smoke. Except of course the one thing I'd hoped to change, burn, remained exactly the same (after two weeks in a dry box in each case).
That is just one example of how radically things change when you try to tweak something, in this case trying to make something burn better.
I realize now that rather than worrying too much about trying to find some killer blends (although I have found three so far), the better thing is to just blend as freely and as much as possible for a year or two and soak it all in and try to gradually come to some kind of understanding of things. And enjoy the ride.
Here's an example of something: Corojo oscuro wrapper over Nica Habano binder with Habano seco, Criollo 98 Viso and Criollo 98 Seco = dulce de leche, vanilla custard, low-medium nic, slow burn, amazing flavor, requiring continual burning down of the wrapper with more flame since the wrapper doesn't burn.
So, "I'll use a Sumatra binder and throw in a half leaf of Piloto Cubano seco for burn and cut the Habano to half leaf, leave everything else the same" = hot harsh pepper and barnyard, super strong strength, a bit more smoke, and a wrapper that still doesn't burn. In a nutshell, less Habano, change binder, add half a leaf of something else, keep the other bits the same, and you get an absolutely completely different smoke. Except of course the one thing I'd hoped to change, burn, remained exactly the same (after two weeks in a dry box in each case).
That is just one example of how radically things change when you try to tweak something, in this case trying to make something burn better.
I realize now that rather than worrying too much about trying to find some killer blends (although I have found three so far), the better thing is to just blend as freely and as much as possible for a year or two and soak it all in and try to gradually come to some kind of understanding of things. And enjoy the ride.
Smokin Harley
Well-Known Member
This mornings smoke was one I had rolled almost 6 months ago . Nice big FAT 48th BIRTHDAY celebrating type if y'all knowhutImean...
1 Nic Hab seco
2 Piloto Cubano viso
Dom binder
Nic Hab (extra nice seco leaf) wrapper.
Entubado construction,almost on the edge of a figurado style. firm but nice easy "sippin' " kind of draw ,very flavorful with tons of white smoke. Almost an hour and a half. Finger burner.
Went through 3 cups of coffee with it while I sat out at the table on the back patio looking at my tobacco patch and the newly renamed shed as tobacco drying barn...doors open . Ordered more WLT Piloto and a nice 50 x 7 cigar mold so I can recreate this little gem.
Ah yes, life is indeed good.
1 Nic Hab seco
2 Piloto Cubano viso
Dom binder
Nic Hab (extra nice seco leaf) wrapper.
Entubado construction,almost on the edge of a figurado style. firm but nice easy "sippin' " kind of draw ,very flavorful with tons of white smoke. Almost an hour and a half. Finger burner.
Went through 3 cups of coffee with it while I sat out at the table on the back patio looking at my tobacco patch and the newly renamed shed as tobacco drying barn...doors open . Ordered more WLT Piloto and a nice 50 x 7 cigar mold so I can recreate this little gem.
Ah yes, life is indeed good.
charlie G.
Well-Known Member
Waikikigun, those are my thoughts exactly. I roll and greatly enjoy almost every cigar. I to have about 4 great blends and feel lucky when I stumble on to one.
Some tobaccos just don't go together, and in our blending we learn this and don't use them together again.
Harley, I to have started using fillers as binders and wrappers. I have learned this from the great guys on this site. I now use alot of Nic Habano and Piloto Seco as binders.
Some tobaccos just don't go together, and in our blending we learn this and don't use them together again.
Harley, I to have started using fillers as binders and wrappers. I have learned this from the great guys on this site. I now use alot of Nic Habano and Piloto Seco as binders.
waikikigun
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juan carlos
Well-Known Member
i think with my recent order i can make this blend. Exciting to try! i think i could handle the relights if i had to. what does your database say if i swap a CT #4 for the C. oscuro wrapper?
waikikigun
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jc, I have only tried the Corojo oscuro with this blend so far. I will be trying a few other wrappers soon. I think the best part of this blend is coming from the filler, tho. But I think some broadleaf would be a good idea to try.
Here is the formula:
Corojo oscuro wrapper, Habano seco binder (single or double depending on size of your leaves)
1 leaf Criollo viso, 1 leaf criollo seco,
.5 leaf habano seco.
A slightly milder variation of the filler that was also great:
1 leaf Criollo 98 seco, 1 leaf Nica Habano seco,
.5 leaf Criollo 98 viso
I have done a blend with simply 1 leaf of each, but that is still in the dry box. I find that 2 weeks minimum is the only way to get a true idea. Things then change very substantially after 2 months, as well.
Buena suerte!
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