What did you smoke today? (2016)
- Thread starter ArizonaDave
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Gavroche
Well-Known Member
Smokin Harley
Well-Known Member
Last night after my wife got home from work . I had made a meal of grilled chicken wings with my very special and best bourbon(some charred moonshine ,the rest was Jack Daniels old Number7) brown sugar bbq sauce/glaze , and fresh zucchini and basil from the garden with garlic onion and fire roasted tomato as a hot side dish, we stuffed ourselves...so it was time for a cocktail on the porch with a Cigar...my choice last night was one of my first handrolled beauties using the Sabroso Medio blend from 2014 ,it was a 6x64 ...it sat in the bottom of the humidor that long. It mellowed out to be very smooth .
ChinaVoodoo
Moderator
Sounds like a great finish to an excellent meal. Sure is nice when the fresh veggies are good to eat.
As Ugly as it Gets
This cigar was rolled (bunched from whole froglegged leaves, double binder applied, wrapped) in about 20 seconds. So, it wasn't intended for a beauty contest. The wrapper wasn't trimmed. I was hot, tired, my back ached, and I just wanted a smoke on the porch after dinner.
I've been rolling puros of WLT Corojo viso, and of WLT Criollo viso. They are very tasty, but a bit too strong for my non-stop cigar consumption. To remedy this, today I've rolled a number of those puros (filler plus a double binder of the same leaf), but wrapped them in WLT "Dominican Cigar Binder"
[ http://www.wholeleaftobacco.com/Dominican-Cigar-Binder-DMNBNDR.htm ].
What a difference. The Dominican wrapper mellows the overall strength. And it's lovely in stretch, durability, color and burn. Some of the leaves are a bit snaggled--hence the "binder" designation, but most can be used as wrapper with little (if any) extra effort. Their size is generous for wrapping, and their taste is enjoyable as a wrapper.
This last one, the 20 second one, looked so good as I was puffing on it that, despite my dereliction of all torcedor responsibilities, I had to get up (aching back and all), and snap a photo.
Although I can roll much, much uglier cigars than this one, the photo demonstrates a baseline appearance for the "Dominican Cigar Binder" used as wrapper. With more care, and perhaps a mold, you should be able to turn out some real beauties with this leaf.
Best of all, "Dominican Cigar Binder" is priced in the range of filler.
Bob
This cigar was rolled (bunched from whole froglegged leaves, double binder applied, wrapped) in about 20 seconds. So, it wasn't intended for a beauty contest. The wrapper wasn't trimmed. I was hot, tired, my back ached, and I just wanted a smoke on the porch after dinner.
I've been rolling puros of WLT Corojo viso, and of WLT Criollo viso. They are very tasty, but a bit too strong for my non-stop cigar consumption. To remedy this, today I've rolled a number of those puros (filler plus a double binder of the same leaf), but wrapped them in WLT "Dominican Cigar Binder"
[ http://www.wholeleaftobacco.com/Dominican-Cigar-Binder-DMNBNDR.htm ].
What a difference. The Dominican wrapper mellows the overall strength. And it's lovely in stretch, durability, color and burn. Some of the leaves are a bit snaggled--hence the "binder" designation, but most can be used as wrapper with little (if any) extra effort. Their size is generous for wrapping, and their taste is enjoyable as a wrapper.
This last one, the 20 second one, looked so good as I was puffing on it that, despite my dereliction of all torcedor responsibilities, I had to get up (aching back and all), and snap a photo.
Although I can roll much, much uglier cigars than this one, the photo demonstrates a baseline appearance for the "Dominican Cigar Binder" used as wrapper. With more care, and perhaps a mold, you should be able to turn out some real beauties with this leaf.
Best of all, "Dominican Cigar Binder" is priced in the range of filler.
Bob
ArizonaDave
Well-Known Member
As Ugly as it Gets
This cigar was rolled (bunched from whole froglegged leaves, double binder applied, wrapped) in about 20 seconds. So, it wasn't intended for a beauty contest. The wrapper wasn't trimmed. I was hot, tired, my back ached, and I just wanted a smoke on the porch after dinner.
I've been rolling puros of WLT Corojo viso, and of WLT Criollo viso. They are very tasty, but a bit too strong for my non-stop cigar consumption. To remedy this, today I've rolled a number of those puros (filler plus a double binder of the same leaf), but wrapped them in WLT "Dominican Cigar Binder"
[ http://www.wholeleaftobacco.com/Dominican-Cigar-Binder-DMNBNDR.htm ].
What a difference. The Dominican wrapper mellows the overall strength. And it's lovely in stretch, durability, color and burn. Some of the leaves are a bit snaggled--hence the "binder" designation, but most can be used as wrapper with little (if any) extra effort. Their size is generous for wrapping, and their taste is enjoyable as a wrapper.
This last one, the 20 second one, looked so good as I was puffing on it that, despite my dereliction of all torcedor responsibilities, I had to get up (aching back and all), and snap a photo.
Although I can roll much, much uglier cigars than this one, the photo demonstrates a baseline appearance for the "Dominican Cigar Binder" used as wrapper. With more care, and perhaps a mold, you should be able to turn out some real beauties with this leaf.
Best of all, "Dominican Cigar Binder" is priced in the range of filler.
Bob
I definitely agree with your assessment Bob. The Dominican binder works with all fillers and wrappers, and does everything you've said it does. I'm going to order some more.
Smokin Harley
Well-Known Member
last night I grabbed the stick I had rolled nearly 3 weeks ago , all leaf from my 2015 crop. Looked good, smelled good cold, I lit it and during the light it had wonderful smoke but the second I took the flame away it wouldn't burn. Tried to relight a couple times , same result. No sustained burn. In the stub bucket it went. I'm thinking too much nitrogen last year...
Perhaps this should be moved to the forum, "What didn't you smoke today? (2016)"last night I grabbed the stick I had rolled nearly 3 weeks ago , all leaf from my 2015 crop. Looked good, smelled good cold, I lit it and during the light it had wonderful smoke but the second I took the flame away it wouldn't burn. Tried to relight a couple times , same result. No sustained burn. In the stub bucket it went. I'm thinking too much nitrogen last year...
Sorry for your disappointment. My Machu Picchu Havana produces gorgeous, dark, aromatic leaf, when kilned. But it always burns poorly, even though grown in the exact same conditions as all my other varieties. My solution is to restrict its use to that of a minor condiment in fillers.
Sometimes, just rolling the cigar to a loser draw will solve the combustion problem.
Excess chlorine in the fertilizer is the most common cause of tobacco that burns poorly, despite being well cured/kilned, and at the proper humidity. The usually well hidden source of K in commercial fertilizer blends makes this a challenge.
Bob
Smokin Harley
Well-Known Member
It was definitely a nice easy draw ,not too loose though I've rolled a much looser stick and had no problems(but that was WLT leaf too) . No chlorine in our water,its well water and last year I hardly watered from it .We had plenty of rain . I still haven't tried my Machu Picchu yet . When I do I'll post. At least then maybe we can hopefully rule out its simply the nature of the variety and not conditions.
Hard to tell what the problem is exactly. At this point its just a guessing game.
Hard to tell what the problem is exactly. At this point its just a guessing game.
Rolledroyce
Member
Some Dominican filler leaves can make a decent binder, discovered that a few days ago after running out of binder and fumbling about looking for a plan B. Though not half as flavorful as the Dominican binder.
+1. I always go through my filler leaves and pull out the wrapper grade. You get more blending choices and wrapper or binder for the price of filler.
I had some guys many moons ago. Send me some cigars they made...well tonight i was drinking lord Calvert and lit up a dark cigar...i dont know who sent it..but it was fine as long as you took slow draws....pretty strong stick if u smokes it too wild..
Smokin Harley
Well-Known Member
last night wife and I went over to her aunt and uncles house to drink on the garage porch. always a good time. I always take a cigar with . Last nights smoke was a Padron 4000 I had picked up earlier this summer up at Iwan Ries in downtown Chicago. . Nice deep earthy and slight dry cocoa flavors ...went great with a glass of Jack over ice.
Smokin Harley
Well-Known Member
I agree ,Bob. We go over there close to twice a month since my mother in law passed . Her aunt is her moms younger sister and even though my wife and her aunt are only like 3 yrs apart shes a bit mom and a bit sister. They're close.
Wife usually says - You better grab one of your cee-gars ,we're going over there tonight.
Wife usually says - You better grab one of your cee-gars ,we're going over there tonight.
dondford
Well-Known Member
Gee, I've never had one of those.
ArizonaDave
Well-Known Member
A cee-gar? Mother in law? Porch?
Cigar
Well-Known Member
Ive done all three there..but not in that order!!..well two of them at same time!!
Cigar
Cigar
Cigar
Well-Known Member
well I actually did just smoke one just now. rolled few weeks ago..It was maybe 4X50 made from the only leaf I have left..Besuki wrapper..piloto cubano..and bunch of "leaf scraps" good friend sent me long time ago [ArizDave] I was surpised how good it was..great burn and taste!..only thing was didnt have that good "punch" I love so would say kinda too mild.but am kinda medium to strong kinda guy on my cigars I guess but what had to roll with am very happy with it..cant wait till buy more leaf to roll with.
Cigar
Cigar
Smokin Harley
Well-Known Member
I'm Jonesing for a cigar lately. Been so busy with my side job( finished it yesterday after a 9 hour day )I haven't had one since the other night at the inlaws . I need to get to rolling some , maybe tomorrow so I can take some with on our trip. Bought a little dry box at Menards with a carabiner knife . I think I can fit a few corona sized stogies in there.
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