I guess I'm going to have to send samples of this stuff too. Check your mailboxes next mid-week.
New (well aged) Cigar Wrapper opportunity
- Thread starter FmGrowit
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ArizonaDave
Well-Known Member
That's some amazing looking leaf, Don!
Raodwarior
Well-Known Member
Just thinking what I can do with that leaf. WOW
ArizonaDave
Well-Known Member
Great looking stuff, huh?
Okay, now we need a lengthy post from our resident tobbaconologist explaining what all kinda magic these strange varieties can achieve!
Deluxe ... what's a Carmen Cubita? Sounds like a Picasso portrait of a gal wearing bananas on her hat.
... and what's the diff between Mata from the Norte and our usual Mata, which presumably grows in Hari?
... and will our favorite baccer farmers manage to pull off the Olympics despite everything from zika, dengue, and chikunguya (let's just say skeeters) to construction schedules to impeachment to floating turds?
Can't wait to smell this leaf, tho.
Deluxe ... what's a Carmen Cubita? Sounds like a Picasso portrait of a gal wearing bananas on her hat.
... and what's the diff between Mata from the Norte and our usual Mata, which presumably grows in Hari?
... and will our favorite baccer farmers manage to pull off the Olympics despite everything from zika, dengue, and chikunguya (let's just say skeeters) to construction schedules to impeachment to floating turds?
Can't wait to smell this leaf, tho.
Smokin Harley
Well-Known Member
Please do ,Don, I'll pay you for shipping troubles. Any coins of that (Peruvian) Carrotte left ?
MarcL
Well-Known Member
.. ... that is amazing Don.
Carmen Cubita: I know nothing about it. Here's a producer's web page: http://www.cdfintl.com/dark-tobacco-operations/colombia/colombia.asp
Arapicara: Grown from either the same variety (Bahia) as Mata Fina or a different variety (there is contradiction in the discussions), but in a different region: http://www.cigarinspector.com/cigar-wrappers-a-z/arapiraca
Mata Norte and Mata Fina are the names of neighboring regions, where Bahia is grown. General discussion of Brazil tobaccos: http://www.cigarinspector.com/cigar-wrappers-a-z/brazilian
Bob
ArizonaDave
Well-Known Member
Definitely some interesting combos could be made of these, thanks for sharing Bob!
Matty
Well-Known Member
Dangit, gonna have to dust off the 'ol credit card and get some of these leaves for my collection. Can't resist trying new leaf, especially with cigar season right around the corner.
I don't know if you've tried it but, Fl Sumatra binder is very neutral and holds well, I prefer it to others as it doesn't influence the flavor profile but does a good job holding up to the initial roll.
For my first blend submission, I offer you the Castano Corona:
A 46 gauge 5 1/4" corona. Filler is that Honduran Habano, period. Double-bound with criollo seco. Wrapped in Don's new Capa Castano. Aged a week, because we have had such non-stop rain here that the humidibbititty refuses to fall below 70% in my home office, so I had a heck of a time trying to get this thing dry enough to fairly spark.
Turns out to be a newb-friendly blend. Which is a good thing, cause a designated beginner blend is missing from present selections. Very easy to construct. What you see here was rolled freehand. No mold required; which newbs don't typically have molds. Honduran Habano filler is just that tame to handle. Furthermore, there are no proportions for the newb to juggle. You do have to dampen the seco binder to make that work. Of course, it could be supplied pre-dampened, to make it easier for the beginner. Better yet, summa that criollo wrapper. Small proportions per stick ensure the beginner can get enough practice out of his beginner batch to feel like he's making headway.
The wrapper appearance leaves something to be desired, it's true. It feels dry and velvetty, and there's no sheen. But it does give off an excellend vegetal odor, and you do get some slight white pepper sting on the tongue.
It lights up quickly just by toasting the foot. It sports a well-behaved burn with white ash. Medium smoke volume, medium strength, rich flavor. The smoke is light gray and cohesive -- good for smoke rings.
Flavor is smooth, creamy cedar and leather, wheat and almonds, with white pepper on the lips but not the palate. Analogous to the Room 101 Big Payback, but without the sweetness. Instead, just enough bitterness to do what hops does for beer. The finish is real clean. The nicotine kick is ample.
I did get a sinking cherry. This is no doubt because the criollo seco is still thick and damp. Again, a criollo wrapper used as binder would produce better results. But this Castano Corona would set there on its own and smolder nonetheless. I did let it go out once, to see what a relight would do. It didn't stink and taste rank the way most relights do. Wish I could get my phone camera to focus on what's close instead of the wall behind.
It left me with little or no stinkfinger, a powerful meaty morning mouth, and slight wheeze.
Castano Corona. Don, how do you want to judge this? You want me to mail you one or two CCs to try out for yourself?
A 46 gauge 5 1/4" corona. Filler is that Honduran Habano, period. Double-bound with criollo seco. Wrapped in Don's new Capa Castano. Aged a week, because we have had such non-stop rain here that the humidibbititty refuses to fall below 70% in my home office, so I had a heck of a time trying to get this thing dry enough to fairly spark.
Turns out to be a newb-friendly blend. Which is a good thing, cause a designated beginner blend is missing from present selections. Very easy to construct. What you see here was rolled freehand. No mold required; which newbs don't typically have molds. Honduran Habano filler is just that tame to handle. Furthermore, there are no proportions for the newb to juggle. You do have to dampen the seco binder to make that work. Of course, it could be supplied pre-dampened, to make it easier for the beginner. Better yet, summa that criollo wrapper. Small proportions per stick ensure the beginner can get enough practice out of his beginner batch to feel like he's making headway.
The wrapper appearance leaves something to be desired, it's true. It feels dry and velvetty, and there's no sheen. But it does give off an excellend vegetal odor, and you do get some slight white pepper sting on the tongue.
It lights up quickly just by toasting the foot. It sports a well-behaved burn with white ash. Medium smoke volume, medium strength, rich flavor. The smoke is light gray and cohesive -- good for smoke rings.
Flavor is smooth, creamy cedar and leather, wheat and almonds, with white pepper on the lips but not the palate. Analogous to the Room 101 Big Payback, but without the sweetness. Instead, just enough bitterness to do what hops does for beer. The finish is real clean. The nicotine kick is ample.
I did get a sinking cherry. This is no doubt because the criollo seco is still thick and damp. Again, a criollo wrapper used as binder would produce better results. But this Castano Corona would set there on its own and smolder nonetheless. I did let it go out once, to see what a relight would do. It didn't stink and taste rank the way most relights do. Wish I could get my phone camera to focus on what's close instead of the wall behind.
It left me with little or no stinkfinger, a powerful meaty morning mouth, and slight wheeze.
Castano Corona. Don, how do you want to judge this? You want me to mail you one or two CCs to try out for yourself?
p.s. I won't be ready to put in my monthly Prepare For The Tobaccolypse order for a couple weeks. If you can hold on until then, that will save you freight on your newest samples. I'll still be playing with these samplitos anyways.
UR da bess
UR da bess
Webmost, I agree that the Baiano Castano Alto wrapper puts pepper on the tongue. There is also an underlying bitterness. One approach to balancing the pepper and bitter is to use a sturdy PA Oscuro binder, which adds a subtle sweetness, without being sweet to the tip of the tongue. The PA Oscuro binder somehow seems to reduce the nicotine hit from the potent wrapper. It may be playing footsie with the pH. (I think that the Castano Alto is a shade-grown ligero.)
The filler to go with this Castano Alto/ PA Oscuro combination may be just about any very mild blend (xxx seco), with no need to add a viso or ligero to the filler.
When wrapping Castano Alto over Honduran Cubano binder and Honduran Cubano filler, I felt that the absorbed nicotine was higher, and the flavor complexity uninteresting. (And this from someone who truly loves the Honduran Cubano leaf!)
One of my favorite filler blends with the Castano Alto / PA Oscuro combination is a 50:50 mix of PA Red and Little Dutch, neither of which is readily available commercially.
Bob
The filler to go with this Castano Alto/ PA Oscuro combination may be just about any very mild blend (xxx seco), with no need to add a viso or ligero to the filler.
When wrapping Castano Alto over Honduran Cubano binder and Honduran Cubano filler, I felt that the absorbed nicotine was higher, and the flavor complexity uninteresting. (And this from someone who truly loves the Honduran Cubano leaf!)
One of my favorite filler blends with the Castano Alto / PA Oscuro combination is a 50:50 mix of PA Red and Little Dutch, neither of which is readily available commercially.
Bob
I've tried a half dozen or eight combos with that Hond Hab, Bob, cause I really like the way the stuff handles and smell. Always thought the result could use something or other to jazz it up just a little. This criollo seco double bind was the best jazz to my taste so far. I could move the criollo seco to the filler to make room for PA maduro as the binder, as you seem to suggest.
But what else have you found to spice up HondHab?
Bear in mind, I am no fan of so-called "complexity". Take it or leave it. If a simple thing works, I don't see any inherent advantage in complexity. On the contrary. More a fan of Occam than Hickam.
But what else have you found to spice up HondHab?
Bear in mind, I am no fan of so-called "complexity". Take it or leave it. If a simple thing works, I don't see any inherent advantage in complexity. On the contrary. More a fan of Occam than Hickam.
I have a wide selection of filler varieties for blending, and I seldom roll the same cigar twice. Unfortunately (with respect to suggestions for blending with purchased leaf), they are mostly home-grown varieties. Sometimes I can identify a combination of simple characteristics (sour, dark, dry, sweet, etc.) that can be generalized to other varieties. Although I've sampled many of the WLT cigar varieties, it's been distributed into different times frames, and I don't maintain a "library" of spare WLT leaf for ready trials.
Honduran Habano works well with a bland wrapper, a self-wrapper, as well as with a bolder wrapper, such as CT Broadleaf. I really enjoy the Honduran Habano as unblended filler. When I do blend it, I usually limit the condiment ingredient to a tiny fraction. Paraguay flojo works here, but only in a tiny portion. The Honduran would likely also go well with Dominican seco. I think Nicaraguan Habanos cause the Honduran to lose its distinctive deliciousness.
[I'm considering ordering a queen-size bed mattress stuffed with Honduran Habano.]
About cigar complexity: I use the term, "complexity," as the opposite of one dimensional, rather than to suggest an arcane blend recipe.
Bob
Honduran Habano works well with a bland wrapper, a self-wrapper, as well as with a bolder wrapper, such as CT Broadleaf. I really enjoy the Honduran Habano as unblended filler. When I do blend it, I usually limit the condiment ingredient to a tiny fraction. Paraguay flojo works here, but only in a tiny portion. The Honduran would likely also go well with Dominican seco. I think Nicaraguan Habanos cause the Honduran to lose its distinctive deliciousness.
[I'm considering ordering a queen-size bed mattress stuffed with Honduran Habano.]
About cigar complexity: I use the term, "complexity," as the opposite of one dimensional, rather than to suggest an arcane blend recipe.
Bob
ArizonaDave
Well-Known Member
Bob and Webmost, some insightful inputs. This weekend, I'll be testing 3 blends using the new wrappers, and using them as a stepping stone for new blends. Both your tastes are similar to mine, although we all have our unique tastes. I have just about every leaf on hand except Honduran habano, so hopefully I'll be able to spot some combos that may be overlooked? I hope so. Then again, a consensus could be good too.
ArizonaDave
Well-Known Member
I have to say the Capa Claro #2 is my favorite so far, still have pics to post. I'd love to see this one in the WLT store soon, so I can buy a few pounds....
MarcL
Well-Known Member
The wrenches you sent came today in the mail Don. Wow! thank you.
ArizonaDave
Well-Known Member
Brazil Mata Norte is a "dead ringer" to the original batch of mata fina. Love this stuff! But please, don't get rid of the new Mata Fina, love that for Puros. I remember Deluxe Stoogie wrote an article once about how a Mata Fina puro in the cigar market goes for $25+. The new guy you have ordering for you this year is on the ball.
Rolled one small puro of each tobacco this evening. These leaves smell FANTASTIC! The Ecuador cuban seed wrapper and the Colombia Carmen Cubita don't hardly show veins when wrapped. The Brazil Arapiracca has a lovely scent of freshly ground beans.
Wow!
Rolled one small puro of each tobacco this evening. These leaves smell FANTASTIC! The Ecuador cuban seed wrapper and the Colombia Carmen Cubita don't hardly show veins when wrapped. The Brazil Arapiracca has a lovely scent of freshly ground beans.
Wow!
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