Pics of your sticks!!

[Tutu]

This is wrapped in the VBN/FIK 2007 wrapper from Perantara (via WLT). It's been an ordeal, trying to decipher the "FIK" part of this classification. There is no question that FIK is listed separately from VBN shade-grown Indonesian leaf by the broker, Perantara. But this sample (see below) clearly indicates "VBN/FIK".

"FIK" is, I assume, derived from a phrase in Dutch, but I haven't been able to make too much sense of it. The best I've come up with is that it indicates leaf that has somehow been subjected to either heat or smoke. But this wrapper does not have the smokey aroma of, say, San Andrés wrapper from Mexico, which is subjected to light smoke exposure from drying fires in the barns.

Perhaps Tutu can clarify what the "FIK" term means here.

I can say that, unlike Sumatra wrapper, this leaf has no tooth (tiny bumps on the surface of the leaf and the ash). It may be derived from CT Shade. The flavor does not resemble CT Shade, but is very neutral, with a faint nutty undertone.

The bound bunch needs to be well finished, since this wrapper has very little tensile strength, and can do no compression of its own. It also doesn't stretch very well. But when laid upon a smooth bunch, it comes out rather nice in appearance.

Bob

Bob, I had never heard the term FIK before. I've done some digging. Let me try to explain things.

PTPN has various growing locations, methods, various tobacco types, and various grades. For instance VBN and TBN. They are similar in method, both are grown under shade, which is what the "BN" part stands for, as "bawah naungan" is Indonesian for "under net". The difference between the two is the seed variety and the growing location. Where "T" simply stands for "tembakau", "V" is Vorstenlanden. The latter is a seed variety from an area in Central Java, and I suppose that's where they grow their VBN. The more regular TBN is grown in Jember, East Java. TBN is supposed to be a cross between Besuki and Connecticut, but I've always had doubts whether the seed variety really is a cross. I suspect it's just normal Besuki, grown in Connecticut conditions (hence the shade). If you scroll down on this website you will find a little table telling you where they grow which tobacco. Kertosari and Ajong are districts in Jember, whereas Klaten is in Central Java, the old Vorstenlanden region. BESNO stands for Besuki Nota, Nota being the season, and VNO stands for Vorstenlanden Nota. These are the tobaccos grown in direct sunlight.

Now I have failed to find out what the abbreviation "FIK" stands for, but I do know what tobacco it is. FIK is Connecticut seed, and FIN is Sumatra seed. Both are grown under shade or in greenhouses. It's grown in Central Java, as you can see in the graph on their webpage. I think if anything, these abbreviations are probably Indonesia, not Dutch. If I run into someone from PTPN I will ask, but I rarely do.

So Bob, your leaf that's called VBN/FIK is grown in Klaten, that's for sure. Looking at the picture, my guess is that it is VBN. Too bad I can't smell the leaf from here. The interesting part is that it was PTPN themselves who labbeled it VBN/FIK. What I can tell you is the grade. The 202 is an area code. III TENG means that it is the third middle plant position. "Tengahan" means "middle". Not counting the sandlugs, that would mean it's leaf number 11 and 12 on a plant. The "K" is for "kesap", meaning "dry", which simply is the opposite of an "M", which is "minyak, or "oily". It means there's not too much dark water marks along the midrib. The "B" is the colour mark, which is "biru". The funny thing here is that although in Indonesian "biru" means "blue", it means "green" in Madurese. In tobacco, it's used for the green colour code in grading. I know your set of leafs don't look green, but these leafs were greenish relative to other leafs that were more red, pink or yellow. Then there's lot's of other colour tones, but in selling colour they will just use "B". At last, "2s" is a size mark. These are medium sized leafs. PTPN uses slightly different length marks so I'm not completely sure what the range is in cm.

To go with the story I'll insert a picture of some PTPN leafs I've got myself. Maybe that way you can compare the grade mark. The

 

[deluxestogie]

That's an impressive homework assignment you've submitted. Thank you. I'll need to think about how to integrate this post into the thread on Indonesia Tobacco. It contains a huge amount of information.

The FIK leaf that I have does not smell like CT Shade, but it is 10 years old. CT Shade would make sense, though. If you look carefully at my cigar photo, the wrapper shows a spot of chlorophyll near the ash line, on the top surface.

A few years ago, Don sent me small, tasting samples of over a dozen Indonesian leaf versions that he was considering stocking, all with those little Perantara tags. I was only able to figure out a portion of their meaning. There is so much info on them.

Bob

 

[Tutu]

Do you still have those tags? I think I'll be able to explain the majority of inscriptions because I work with the same grades on a daily basis. Would be very interested to see any other besides the one you posted.

Yes I did spot the chlorophyll on your wrapper. You'll get those in lower binder/wrapper grades in Besuki and Vorstenlanden too. I'll post a picture of some lower binder grades of Besuki if you want.

 

[Tutu]

As we're discussing this in the "pics of your sticks", might as well turn them into cigars.
They're all Besuki and Corojo filler, Corojo binder, Besuki wrapper.
Isabel made some too and decided to use a leaf of Besuki sun-cured bottom leafs.

 

[Vanerpaddel]

My first ten.

 

[MarcL]

47 x 4 to 5.8 Pfjsc , HDRNCS , BrzlMF , Crio98V , fillers. DMNBNDR binder and, Corojowrppr wrapper

 

[deluxestogie]

The cigars a beautiful. I am fond of the Dominican binder. It has more tensile strength than a doubled Sumatra or doubled Besuki binder--and loads more flavor. The Indonesian leaf, even doubled, does burn better, and seems to do better with a sluggish wrapper.

It's also nice to see a scissor in the photo. Really. I find certain operations far easier with a scissor than a chaveta. Of course the opposite is also true. But somehow, I have a vague sense of embarrassment about being seen with a scissor in a cigar rolling setting. It's not as though it's a more modern tool, since scissors date back 3 or 4 thousand years.

Anyway, I use one whenever the task calls for it.

Bob

EDIT: I continued the off-topic discussion about Indonesian leaf and their tags in the Indonesian Tobacco thread: http://fairtradetobacco.com/threads...o-a-discussion?p=140744&viewfull=1#post140744

 

[Youn]

This one, yes, is a "stoogie" format!
Thanks to the length of the PA Binder from WLT.

7in long (18cm), 38 ring gauge.
Wrapper & binder : PA
Filler : 1 leaf Criollo 98 Seco, 1 leaf Piloto Cubano Seco, 1/4 leaf Nicaragua Habano Ligero

I enjoyed it for almost 2 hours.

 

[deluxestogie]

Wrapped in WLT Dominican binder.

This is not as tidy, nor as structurally challenging as Youn's stogie. These quasi-figurados that I frequently roll are fairly unintentional in shape. It's just how they turn out, given my approach to rolling.

I grab all the filler leaves, crunching them as I add each to the growing bunch. I orient the tips toward my thumb, which holds the cigar foot. Then I tear them all at the bottom of my anticipated cigar length, and bring the remaining leaf even with the foot again. I repeat this until all the leaf is bunched, and tuck in any larger scraps that have fallen. Almost always, the head is narrower than the foot. And the very tip of the foot is sometimes tapered as well. In order to produce a cylindrical cigar, I have to flip alternating sections of the filler, as I tear them. So, being lazy, I just end up with a figurado-ish cigar.

Doing a really long, thin stogie requires me to actually concentrate on balancing the thickness of the filler sections, and focus on avoiding over-compressing the filler with the wrapper (and binder, if present). Giovanni Battista Venturi tells us that narrower cigars must be compressed more loosely than thicker cigars, in order to result in a similar draw. Or was it Daniel Bernoulli? (It's Italy vs. Switzerland!)

What's in the package:
This cigar is a full-strength load of black, loamy dirt, with a sprinkle of black pepper. Burn is excellent, and the draw is good. It's like smoking a seed-starting mix, only much nicer.

• wrapper: WLT Dominican binder
• binder: WLT Dominican binder
• filler: 1 whole leaf of WLT Dominican binder
• filler: 1 whole leaf of WLT Corojo Oscuro wrapper
• filler: 2 tattered leaves of WLT Paraguay Flojo

I used no chaveta to trim the wrapper margin (visible wrapper edges) and no glue (visible spit). The wrapper was applied in medium, rather than high case. So, it's lumpy, bumpy and crude. But nobody's watching as I smoke it.

Bob

 

[MarcL]

47 x 4.7 to 5.8 Pfjsc , HDRNCS , BrzlMF , Crio98V , fillers. DMNBNDR binder and, Corojowrppr wrapper

 

[greenmonster714]

This one, yes, is a "stoogie" format!
Thanks to the length of the PA Binder from WLT.
View attachment 22217
7in long (18cm), 38 ring gauge.
Wrapper & binder : PA
Filler : 1 leaf Criollo 98 Seco, 1 leaf Piloto Cubano Seco, 1/4 leaf Nicaragua Habano Ligero
View attachment 22218
I enjoyed it for almost 2 hours.
View attachment 22219

Awesome looking cigar roll Youn.

 

[MarcL]

the two strays.

 

[deluxestogie]

Marc,
Have you considered making a video of your cigar rolling? I can't recall seeing one. And maybe a video tour of your tools and tobaccanalia, and how they are used.

Bob

 

[greenmonster714]

Yes, I second that. I would love to see a video of everything. Step by step, tool by tool. Your cigars always look like they were just pulled from a cigar factory box. Consider a video Marc. It would be a great tool for all of us.

 

[MarcL]

this one is kinda old but, yes. I hope to make a lot in the future.

there are a bunch that didn't turn out so well.

 

[ciennepi]

This are my second and third cigar ever rolled. The first come out crap.
They are almost puros of Vuelta Abayo with only a few Virginia Gold in the filler (I have very little leaves cause this is my first year of growing).
All the leaves had been kilned with the "dashboard method".
I made other ten in totale and they are in the humydor now.
I smoked one and it is not bad ..... but neither good

 

[Vanerpaddel]

Tried to roll some variants ..
The cigars on the left only contain leaves for Alida, so it should be called Åhus-Havana.
The middle of it is built by Huehuetenango, Prilep P66, Semois as the inlay and the rest are Virginia Brightleaf.
The cigars on the right have the Prilep P66 and Virginia Brightleaf as the insert. Even here Virginia are also binder and wrapper.

 

[Youn]

The background of the picture exudes tranquility.
It makes me want to sit down in the grass here and enjoy one of your sticks!
Lumpy or not, they always look fine for me, their raw appearance has a special charm and the description of their contents always makes me imagine a singular experience. It seems you roll just like I cook, each time different.

/ Thank you Greenmonster, however I still can not get a smooth and shiny appearance… not an issue while it smokes good and it's just for me but I want to be abble to make it some day in order to make a gift

/ Marc, thanks for the video… yes, we want more!

 

[Youn]

View attachment 22234
(…)
They are almost puros of Vuelta Abayo with only a few Virginia Gold in the filler (I have very little leaves cause this is my first year of growing).
All the leaves had been kilned with the "dashboard method".
(…)

I'm curious about those dashboard kilned leaves of Vuelta Abajo because I've grown some too and I'm currently doing an attempt of kilning with a dashboard-like method.
How long did you let it in? Do you have an idea of the temperature reached? Did you notice the smell of ammonia?

 

[greenmonster714]

this one is kinda old but, yes. I hope to make a lot in the future.

there are a bunch that didn't turn out so well.

I can tell that is an old one just by the way your doing things on the board. I can only imagine how smooth and easy you can make things look now. I hope you do make a few new videos and explain what your doing as well as showing the easiest method to start with.