{"id":24301,"date":"2016-11-28T13:28:50","date_gmt":"2016-11-28T18:28:50","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blog.mikescigars.com\/?p=24301"},"modified":"2021-12-15T13:43:23","modified_gmt":"2021-12-15T18:43:23","slug":"guide-premium-cigar-selection-enjoyment-part-three","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/mikescigars.com\/blog\/guide-premium-cigar-selection-enjoyment-part-three\/","title":{"rendered":"A Guide to Premium Cigar Selection and Enjoyment \u2013 Part Three"},"content":{"rendered":"<h4><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><strong>An Introduction to Cigar Wrapper Tobaccos<\/strong><\/span><\/h4>\n<p>I hate to start an article with a bad pun, but, it took a while for me to <em>wrap<\/em> my head around how to best approach the topic of cigar wrapper tobaccos and simplify what is in fact a very complex topic.<\/p>\n<p>In <a title=\"The Frugal Cigar Aficionado \u2013 A Guide to Premium Cigar Selection and Enjoyment \u2013 Part One\" href=\"https:\/\/mikescigars.com\/blog\/guide-premium-cigar-selection-enjoyment-part-one\/\">Part One of this series<\/a> we discussed the minimum information needed to make an informed decision when selecting premium, handmade cigars and introduced the idea of note keeping.\u00a0 In <a title=\"The Frugal Cigar Aficionado \u2013 A Guide to Premium Cigar Selection and Enjoyment \u2013 Part Two\" href=\"https:\/\/mikescigars.com\/blog\/guide-premium-cigar-selection-enjoyment-part-two\/\">Part Two<\/a>, we expanded on this by learning how to \u201cread\u201d cigar leaf information by identifying country of origin, varietal, and other data and what this information can teach us about a cigar.<\/p>\n<p>Now in Part Three, we will begin our study of the three component parts of a premium cigar; the wrapper, the binder, and the filler.\u00a0 Each different component of a premium cigar has a unique roll it must fulfill.\u00a0 Similarly, each different component tobacco has a unique set of standards and requirements it must meet before it will be used in a premium, handmade cigar.<\/p>\n<p>More so than any other type of cigar tobacco, cigar wrappers are the topic of great debate.\u00a0 Many feel that the wrapper contributes the majority of the flavor and aroma to a cigar others disagree giving this responsibility to the filler blend.\u00a0 There are those cigar smokers who are devotees of a single wrapper type, say, Shade grown Connecticut-seed (also known as the \u201clight ones\u2026\u201d) while others will only smoke a Maduro wrapper.\u00a0 Many smokers favor a wrapper from one particular growing region such as a Mexican grown San Andres.<\/p>\n<p>When I look at a cigar, in order to ascertain its character, I start by looking at and evaluating the wrapper leaf data I have collected.\u00a0 At a minimum, I will search out the following three pieces of information which I believe necessary:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Kind<\/li>\n<li>Color<\/li>\n<li>Country<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>By learning this data, the aficionado can begin to narrow their cigar searches and concentrate on brands that meet the demands of their individual taste.\u00a0 By breaking down what we know about a cigar\u2019s wrapper leaf we can learn a good deal about what the leaf will taste like, smell like, and even smoke like.\u00a0 When this knowledge is combined with an understanding of binder and filler leaves, the aficionado can predict with fair accuracy the character of any given cigar.\u00a0 This ability is what defines the true cigar aficionado, and it\u2019s this ability that will save you countless dollars as you explore the wide variety of premium cigars available today.<\/p>\n<p>When we talk about the <strong><em>kind<\/em><\/strong> of leaf used to wrap our favorite premium cigar we are talking about a varietal of <em>black tobacco<\/em>.\u00a0 Most experts agree that there are five \u201cprogenitor\u201d species of <em>black tobacco<\/em>.\u00a0 Nearly every variety of premium cigar tobacco in use today has been developed by hybridizing one or more of these basic five tobaccos:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Habanesis species:\u00a0 The \u201chabanesis\u201d species are the \u201cnative\u201d Cuban tobaccos and their hybrids.\u00a0 Leaves in this category include Connecticut Shade, Corojo, Criollo, Habana2000, Piloto Cubano, San Vincente, and others.\u00a0 The generalized \u201chabano-seed\u201d wrappers also are Habanesis species.\u00a0 Because there are so many varietals, it is difficult to describe the qualities of all as one.\u00a0 Wrappers vary from smooth and creamy Connecticut Shade-grown to full flavored Corojo wrappers.<\/li>\n<li>Broadleaf:\u00a0 Broadleaf tobaccos are known for large, thick leaves.\u00a0 Due to their size and thickness, Broadleaf wrappers are most frequently used to create \u201cmaduro\u201d wrapper leaves through an extended fermentation which results in an oily, dark brown wrapper leaf.\u00a0 Broadleaf is grown across the cigar countries, but is most notably grown in the US (Connecticut, Pennsylvania, and Maryland) and Mexico.\u00a0 Broadleaf maduro wrappers impart a smoky, woody, sweet character to a cigar.\u00a0 Tastes of chocolate and coffee are frequently noted by smokers of these cigars.<\/li>\n<li>San Andres:\u00a0 The San Andres tobacco seed is a Mexican strain transported during population migrations from South or Central America thousands of years ago.\u00a0 Grown principally in the Las Tuxtlas area of Mexico the wrapper is often defined by its color as in \u201cSan Andres Morron\u201d and \u201cSan Andres Negro\u201d wrappers.\u00a0 San Andres seed wrappers tend to add a dry, spicy component to cigars and, if grown in Mexico, a characteristic \u201cMexican\u201d flavor which is loved by many and despised by others.<\/li>\n<li>Bahia:\u00a0 <em>Mata Fina, Mata Norte, <\/em>and <em>Arapiraca<\/em> are all varieties of Bahia seed tobaccos.\u00a0 Grown from native seeds in Brazil, these wrappers are frequently used for \u201cmaduro\u201d wrappers.\u00a0 These wrappers tend to have a dry, sweet, earthy quality with a slight spice and a medium body.<\/li>\n<li>Sumatran:\u00a0 Transplanted by the Dutch in the 15<sup>th<\/sup> and 16<sup>th<\/sup> centuries, Sumatra-seed tobacco has developed in sufficient isolation to be considered its own species.\u00a0 <em>Besuki<\/em> and <em>Jember<\/em> are the two main varietals grown today and contribute a spicy, sweet character to cigars.\u00a0 <em>Cameroon<\/em> cigar tobacco is grown in West Africa from seeds originally of Sumatran origin.\u00a0 For this reason, Cameroon wrappers are known to contribute a sweet, spicy character to premium cigars.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>The <strong><em>color<\/em><\/strong> of a cigar wrapper leaf is derived through several factors.\u00a0 Beginning in the field, the varietal of tobacco grown is the first factor affecting the end color of a wrapper leaf.\u00a0 After the wrapper leaves are harvested, different methods of processing the leaves (fermentation, aging, etc.) have added impact on the color of the finished cigar wrapper.\u00a0 These factors have also a great impact on the flavor of the wrapper leaf.<\/p>\n<p>Cigar wrapper leaves come in a spectrum of colors ranging from pale green to near black.\u00a0 In fact, in Cuba, cigars are routinely sorted into 64 color gradations based on the tone of their wrappers.\u00a0 The color of the wrapper leaf on a cigar can provide insight into its tastes, aromas, and smoking qualities.\u00a0 The basic wrapper colors used by most manufacturers outside Cuba today are:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Candela, Double Claro, American Market Selection (AMS) or Jade:\u00a0 For well over a century, this was the cigar wrapper of choice in the United States, leading to it being referred to by many as American Market Selection.\u00a0 Candela wrappers get their green tones through a drying process that uses added heat rather than ambient temperatures to dry the leaves.\u00a0 By forcing the drying process, the chlorophyll in the leaves does not have a chance to breakdown as it does in leaves that are naturally dried and aged.\u00a0 Candela wrappers are very, very mildly flavored with little aroma.\u00a0 When considering a Candela wrapped cigar, it is important to consider the binder and filler blends than with other wrappers to ascertain the true nature of the cigar.\u00a0 Rocky Patel recently added <strong><a title=\"Rocky Patel The Edge Candela from Mike&#039;s Cigars of Miami\" href=\"https:\/\/mikescigars.com\/cigars\/brands\/rockypatel\/rocky-patel-edge-corojo\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">The Edge \u2013 Candela<\/a><\/strong> to his already vast portfolio.<\/li>\n<li>Claro:\u00a0 Claro wrapper leaves vary from light yellow-brown to light tan in color.\u00a0 Typically mild in taste and aroma, Claro wrappers are frequently found on mild bodied cigars, although this is not always the case.\u00a0 Connecticut Shade grown wrapper leaves are typical of this coloration.\u00a0 Earthy and creamy are two words often associated with Claro wrapped cigars.\u00a0 The <strong><a title=\"Perdomo Reserve 10th Anniversary Champagne cigars from Mike's Cigars of Miami\" href=\"https:\/\/mikescigars.com\/brands\/perdomo-reserve-10th-anniversary-champagne\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Perdomo 10th Anniversary Champagne<\/a><\/strong> uses a stunning yellow-brown Claro wrapper.<\/li>\n<li>Colorado Claro or English Market Selection (EMS):\u00a0 A more flavorful and aromatic wrapper leaf, Colorado Claro or English Market Selection leaves are frequently lumped together under the term \u201cNatural.\u201d\u00a0 Much spicier than the Candela or American Market Selection wrapper, these leaves were favored by European cigar aficionados for years, hence the name English Market Selection.\u00a0 <strong><a title=\"Punch cigars from Mike's Cigars of Miami\" href=\"https:\/\/www.mikescigars.com\/brands\/punch\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Punch<\/a>\u00a0<\/strong>cigars are a great example of a brand that employs some of the finest EMS wrapper leaves in the business.<\/li>\n<li>Colorado and Colorado Rosado:\u00a0 The Colorado and Colorado Rosado wrapper leaves have a reddish hint to the leaf, accompanied by more oils, not present in a Colorado Claro leaf.\u00a0 More aromatic and rich than the Colorado Claro leaf, the Colorado and Colorado Rosado tones are by-products of the aging process.\u00a0 Certain leaves attain these colors during the aging process and are sufficiently different in character to be separated from the Colorado Claro leaves.\u00a0 The Corojo and Habana2000 varietals are known for producing beautiful Colorado and Colorado Rosado wrapper leaves.\u00a0 The <strong><a title=\"Partagas Spanish Rosado cigars from Mike's Cigars of Miami\" href=\"https:\/\/mikescigars.com\/brands\/partagas-spanish-rosado\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Partagas Spanish Rosado<\/a><\/strong> line, as the name implies, uses a beautiful rusty brown Colorado Rosado wrapper grown in the San Augustin Valley of Honduras<\/li>\n<li>Colorado Maduro or \u201cMaduro\u201d:\u00a0 Colorado Maduro wrapper leaves, or Maduros, have seen a resurgence in popularity in recent years.\u00a0 Maduro cigar wrapper leaves are the product of a combination between thick and hearty leaves and an intense curing process.\u00a0 Maduro wrappers are fermented longer and at higher temperatures than other wrappers.\u00a0 It is due to the intensity of the fermentation that maduro wrappers call for the thickest of leaves.\u00a0 The extended fermentation process not only creates a dark color, but as the leaves dry allows the carbohydrates in the leaves to further decompose forming sugars resulting in the characteristic \u201csweetness\u201d of a Maduro wrapper.\u00a0 More than any other wrapper, Maduro wrappers contribute flavors and aromas to the smoke of the cigar with a characteristic spicy-sweetness and woody and spicy aromas.\u00a0 The <strong><a title=\"Camacho Triple Maduro cigars from Mike's Cigars of Miami\" href=\"https:\/\/mikescigars.com\/brands\/camacho-triple-maduro\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Camacho Triple Maduro<\/a><\/strong> and the<strong> A. Turrent Triple<\/strong> play are examples of high end premium cigars composed entirely of maduro leaves; wrapper, binder, and filler, for maximum Maduro pleasure.<\/li>\n<li>Oscuro or \u201cDouble Maduro\u201d: \u00a0A darker shade of Maduro, the Oscuro wrapper approaches near black tones.\u00a0 Achieved through extra fermentation, over and above that of a Maduro wrapper, the Oscuro wrapper is gaining popularity.\u00a0 Found on cigars such as the Rocky Patel \u201cPatel Brothers\u201d line as well as several General Cigar lines, Oscuro wrappers offer a more intense degree of the same flavors and aromas found in a typical Maduro wrapper.\u00a0 Think of Oscuro like a Maduro on steroids and you get the idea.\u00a0 The<strong><a title=\"Partagas Black Label cigars from Mike's Cigars of Miami\" href=\"https:\/\/mikescigars.com\/brands\/partagas-black-label\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"> Partagas Black Label line<\/a><\/strong> features a maduro leaf that is so dark it can be called an Oscuro.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>The final factor that can affect a cigar wrapper leaf is the <strong><em>country<\/em><\/strong> the leaf was grown in.\u00a0 When one considers that by the time the cigar wrapper leaf has been processed all that remains is the vegetal structure of the leaf (cellulose), water, and the mineral components it becomes more evident how the same seed grown in a different area could have such a different flavor and aroma.<\/p>\n<p>The majority of cigar tobaccos are grown in river valley regions where nutrients and minerals are concentrated.\u00a0 These nutrients are converted by the tobacco plants as they grow into the basic plant structures such as stems and leaves.\u00a0 When harvested and processed, water is removed from the tobacco leaves resulting in a concentration of these plant and mineral compounds.\u00a0 As a cigar is smoked, the plant materials are consumed by the burning cigar leaving behind the mineral components in the form of the ash.<\/p>\n<p>The differing concentrations and combinations of these critical nutrients lead to differing tastes and aromas from cigar wrapper tobaccos.\u00a0 Cigar wrappers are grown in almost all major cigar tobacco producing nations, including:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Honduras:\u00a0 Tobaccos from Honduras are considered \u201cstrong\u201d by most however most varietal, including Connecticut Shade, are grown in Honduras.\u00a0 Honduran tobaccos are known for a spicy component and are considered by many to be the closest in character to Cuban leaf.<\/li>\n<li>Nicaragua:\u00a0 Nicaraguan tobaccos are known for a deep, woody characteristic with a very aromatic presence.\u00a0 Nicaraguan tobaccos have improved steadily over the last three decades and are now found in some of the most sought out cigar brands in the world.\u00a0 Many varietals of wrapper leaf are grown in Nicaragua.<\/li>\n<li>Dominican Republic:\u00a0 Be sure not to confuse a Dominican cigar with a Dominican wrapper.\u00a0 Although Dominican produced cigars are known for being mild, the same cannot be said of Dominican wrapper tobaccos.\u00a0 A great many varietals are produced in the Dominican Republic including the same varietal grown in Africa to produce Cameroon wrappers.\u00a0 One of the most notable Dominican wrappers can be found on the Fuente Fuente Opus X line.<\/li>\n<li>Brazil:\u00a0 When most cigar smokers think of Brazilian wrappers their minds go to Maduros, and with good reason.\u00a0 The varietals grown primarily in Brazil, including Mata Fina and Arapiraca, produce fantastic Maduro wrappers.\u00a0 Brazilian Maduro wrappers tend to be very aromatic and flavorful with a dark color and oily, bumpy texture.\u00a0 Brazilian Maduro wrappers are, to my taste, not as sweet but rather contribute a headiness to the smoke other Maduros do not.\u00a0 <strong><a title=\"C.A.O. Brazilia cigars from Mike's Cigars of Miami\" href=\"https:\/\/www.mikescigars.com\/brands\/cao-brazilia\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">The C.A.O. Brazilia line<\/a>\u00a0<\/strong>features one of the darkest and oiliest Maduro wrappers I\u2019ve ever seen.<\/li>\n<li>Mexico:\u00a0 Mexican cigar wrappers, like other Mexican grown cigar tobaccos, tend to be something you either love or hate.\u00a0 Mexican cigar tobaccos, grown principally in the Las Tuxtlas region, have a very characteristic flavor and aroma profile.\u00a0 Dry, earthy, spicy and strong are all attributes I\u2019ve experienced with Mexican tobacco.\u00a0 Mexican San Andres Maduro wrappers tend to be much less sweet than other Maduros, while still adding that \u201cMexican\u201d flavor.\u00a0 Many premium cigars feature Mexican grown binders, many of which are downgraded wrapper tobaccos.\u00a0 Some cigar companies are experimenting with other varietals such as Criollo in Mexico.<\/li>\n<li>Ecuador:\u00a0 Ecuador, due to its geographic location and topography, is a quickly evolving wrapper leaf producer.\u00a0 In the last decade or so, the cigar industry has seen a proliferation of Ecuadorian wrappers.\u00a0 Varietals typically \u201cshade grown\u201d under cloth in other countries are being grown in Ecuador under the natural shade of the cloud cover prevalent there.\u00a0 This cloud cover leads to cost savings for growers by eliminating the costs and labor associated with typical shade growing.\u00a0 These economies are then conferred to the smoker in a lower cost per cigar.\u00a0 Many varietals are being grown in Ecuador most notably Connecticut Shade and Sumatran wrappers.\u00a0 Ecuadorian wrappers can be found on a wide selection of premium cigars including <strong><a title=\"Oliva Serie V &quot;Melanio&quot; cigars from Mike's Cigars of Miami\" href=\"https:\/\/www.mikescigars.com\/brands\/oliva-serie-v-melanio\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">the Oliva Serie V Melanio line<\/a>\u00a0<\/strong>which uses a superb Ecuadorian Sumatra-seed leaf.<\/li>\n<li>Indonesia:\u00a0 Indonesia is an island group near the equator in the Pacific Ocean, north of Australia.\u00a0 Black tobacco seeds were introduced to the islands by the Dutch in the 15<sup>th<\/sup> and 16<sup>th<\/sup> century and have developed in isolation there since.\u00a0 It\u2019s this genetic isolation that has led to Indonesian, or Sumatra seed, tobaccos being considered a unique progenitor species.\u00a0 Sumatra seed tobaccos have a very spicy yet slightly sweet characteristic that is loved by many cigar aficionados.\u00a0 For a long time Indonesian wrappers were associated with lower quality cigars and this unfortunate association still persists to a degree today.\u00a0 Indonesian cigar tobaccos can be outstanding and are found on several high end premium cigars including the very popular <strong><a title=\"Romeo Y Julieta 1875 cigars from Mike's Cigars of Miami\" href=\"https:\/\/www.mikescigars.com\/brands\/romeo-y-julieta-1875\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Romeo y Julieta 1875 line<\/a><\/strong> and several <strong><a title=\"Drew Estates Acid cigars from Mike&#039;s Cigars of Miami\" href=\"https:\/\/mikescigars.com\/cigars\/brands\/acid\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Drew Estate Acid cigars<\/a><\/strong>.\u00a0 Indonesian binders, which are usually downgraded wrappers, are also used on a great many premium cigars.<\/li>\n<li>Cameroon\/West Africa:\u00a0 Of all the wrapper tobaccos produced worldwide, Cameroon wrappers are among the most sought out, most difficult to produce, and most expensive there are.\u00a0 Grown in jungle covered river valleys in the African nations of Cameroon and West Africa, high quality Cameroon wrapper leaves require intensive investment and great manual labor to produce.\u00a0 Known for a very characteristic caramel-sweetness with substantial spice, Cameroon wrappers are featured on some of the most popular premium cigar brands in the world including <strong><a title=\"Arturo Fuente Hemingway cigars from Mike's Cigars of Miami\" href=\"https:\/\/mikescigars.com\/brands\/arturo-fuente-hemingway\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">the Arturo Fuente Hemingway line<\/a><\/strong>, <strong><a title=\"Partagas cigars from Mike's Cigars of Miami\" href=\"https:\/\/www.mikescigars.com\/brands\/partagas\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Partagas<\/a><\/strong>, and <strong><a title=\"Cohiba cigars from Mike's Cigars of Miami\" href=\"https:\/\/www.mikescigars.com\/brands\/cohiba\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Cohiba<\/a><\/strong>.<\/li>\n<li>Costa Rica:\u00a0 A small Central American nation situated between Nicaragua to the North and Panama to the South, Costa Rica is becoming well known for its cigar wrapper leaves, although it is still not a <em>major<\/em> producer of cigar tobacco.\u00a0 Costa Rican Maduro wrappers are slightly sweeter than other Maduros with a mild spice and deep, earthy tastes.<\/li>\n<li>United States:\u00a0 The two principle black tobacco growing regions in the United States are located around the Connecticut River Valley near Hartford, Connecticut and extending south into Pennsylvania.\u00a0 The two most prevalent varietals grown here are US Connecticut Shade and US Broadleaf.\u00a0 While the same Broadleaf tobacco is grown in both Connecticut and Pennsylvania, Pennsylvania Broadleaf is sufficiently different in flavor and aroma to be named separately from Connecticut Broadleaf.\u00a0 Connecticut Shade wrappers add a characteristic creamy texture to a cigar while adding an earthy, clay-like taste.\u00a0 Connecticut Shade wrappers are found on many of the world\u2019s leading premium cigars such as <a title=\"Macanudo cigars from Mike's Cigars of Miami\" href=\"https:\/\/www.mikescigars.com\/brands\/macanudo\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><strong>Macanudo<\/strong><\/a>, <strong>Davidoff<\/strong>, and <a title=\"Montecristo cigars from Mike's Cigars of Miami\" href=\"https:\/\/www.mikescigars.com\/brands\/montecristo\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><strong>Montecristo<\/strong><\/a>.\u00a0 Connecticut Broadleaf wrappers can be found on a wide variety of cigars while Pennsylvania Broadleaf is less common.\u00a0 Connecticut Broadleaf wrappers, downgraded, are featured as binders on a number of premium cigars.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>I hope you\u2019ll read or re-read <a title=\"The Frugal Cigar Aficionado \u2013 A Guide to Premium Cigar Selection and Enjoyment \u2013 Part One\" href=\"https:\/\/mikescigars.com\/blog\/guide-premium-cigar-selection-enjoyment-part-one\/\">Part One<\/a> and <a title=\"The Frugal Cigar Aficionado \u2013 A Guide to Premium Cigar Selection and Enjoyment \u2013 Part Two\" href=\"https:\/\/mikescigars.com\/blog\/guide-premium-cigar-selection-enjoyment-part-two\/\">Part Two<\/a> of this series and the information contained there. Hopefully, some of the pieces will start falling in place.<\/p>\n<p>Your homework: make some notes about the cigars you\u2019ve smoked recently; their wrappers, binder, and fillers, and where they came from.\u00a0 Add some tasting notes about how the leaves worked together to create a unique cigar experience.<\/p>\n<p>Ask yourself the following questions:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Were your cigar choices mild, medium, or full bodied?<\/li>\n<li>Did you smoke cigars of only one wrapper variety?<\/li>\n<li>If you smoked several cigars with different wrapper varieties, which one was your favorite?<\/li>\n<li>Who made your cigars and have you tried other cigars by the same manufacturers?<\/li>\n<li>What was your overall impression of each cigar?<\/li>\n<li>Would you buy any of these particular cigars again?\u00a0 Why?\u00a0 Why not?<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>These are some of the questions an experienced aficionado asks of each new cigar brand they sample.\u00a0 Knowing the answers to these questions can guide the aficionado to other cigars with characteristics matching their individual tastes.<\/p>\n<p>Through research and note keeping you can hone your cigar knowledge and develop the skills needed to properly evaluate a premium cigar before you buy.\u00a0 And, by <em>knowing what you like you can avoid buying what you don\u2019t<\/em>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>An Introduction to Cigar Wrapper Tobaccos I hate to start an article with a bad pun, but, it took a while for me to wrap my head around how to best approach the topic of cigar wrapper tobaccos and simplify what is in fact a very complex topic. In Part One of this series we&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":31267,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_kad_post_transparent":"","_kad_post_title":"","_kad_post_layout":"","_kad_post_sidebar_id":"","_kad_post_content_style":"","_kad_post_vertical_padding":"","_kad_post_feature":"","_kad_post_feature_position":"","_kad_post_header":false,"_kad_post_footer":false,"_kad_post_classname":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[431],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-24301","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-cigar-lifestyle"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v28.2 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>A Guide to Premium Cigar Selection and Enjoyment \u2013 Part Three - Mike&#039;s Cigars Blog<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"A Guide to Premium Cigar Selection and Enjoyment \u2013 Part Three\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/mikescigars.com\/blog\/guide-premium-cigar-selection-enjoyment-part-three\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"A Guide to Premium Cigar Selection and Enjoyment \u2013 Part Three - Mike&#039;s Cigars Blog\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"A Guide to Premium Cigar Selection and Enjoyment \u2013 Part Three\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/mikescigars.com\/blog\/guide-premium-cigar-selection-enjoyment-part-three\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Mike&#039;s Cigars Blog\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:publisher\" content=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/mikescigars\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2016-11-28T18:28:50+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2021-12-15T18:43:23+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/mikescigars.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/cigar_humidors-1-l.jpg\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"1200\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"900\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Mike\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"Mike\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"15 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\\\/\\\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/mikescigars.com\\\/blog\\\/guide-premium-cigar-selection-enjoyment-part-three\\\/#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/mikescigars.com\\\/blog\\\/guide-premium-cigar-selection-enjoyment-part-three\\\/\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"Mike\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/mikescigars.com\\\/blog\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/31c8c4a84193d93a1cbf294395c5ddfc\"},\"headline\":\"A Guide to Premium Cigar Selection and Enjoyment \u2013 Part Three\",\"datePublished\":\"2016-11-28T18:28:50+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2021-12-15T18:43:23+00:00\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/mikescigars.com\\\/blog\\\/guide-premium-cigar-selection-enjoyment-part-three\\\/\"},\"wordCount\":2954,\"commentCount\":0,\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/mikescigars.com\\\/blog\\\/#organization\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/mikescigars.com\\\/blog\\\/guide-premium-cigar-selection-enjoyment-part-three\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/mikescigars.com\\\/blog\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/cigar_humidors-1-l.jpg\",\"articleSection\":[\"Cigar Lifestyle\"],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"CommentAction\",\"name\":\"Comment\",\"target\":[\"https:\\\/\\\/mikescigars.com\\\/blog\\\/guide-premium-cigar-selection-enjoyment-part-three\\\/#respond\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/mikescigars.com\\\/blog\\\/guide-premium-cigar-selection-enjoyment-part-three\\\/\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/mikescigars.com\\\/blog\\\/guide-premium-cigar-selection-enjoyment-part-three\\\/\",\"name\":\"A Guide to Premium Cigar Selection and Enjoyment \u2013 Part Three - Mike&#039;s Cigars Blog\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/mikescigars.com\\\/blog\\\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/mikescigars.com\\\/blog\\\/guide-premium-cigar-selection-enjoyment-part-three\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/mikescigars.com\\\/blog\\\/guide-premium-cigar-selection-enjoyment-part-three\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/mikescigars.com\\\/blog\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/cigar_humidors-1-l.jpg\",\"datePublished\":\"2016-11-28T18:28:50+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2021-12-15T18:43:23+00:00\",\"description\":\"A Guide to Premium Cigar Selection and Enjoyment \u2013 Part Three\",\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/mikescigars.com\\\/blog\\\/guide-premium-cigar-selection-enjoyment-part-three\\\/#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\\\/\\\/mikescigars.com\\\/blog\\\/guide-premium-cigar-selection-enjoyment-part-three\\\/\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/mikescigars.com\\\/blog\\\/guide-premium-cigar-selection-enjoyment-part-three\\\/#primaryimage\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/mikescigars.com\\\/blog\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/cigar_humidors-1-l.jpg\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/mikescigars.com\\\/blog\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/cigar_humidors-1-l.jpg\",\"width\":1200,\"height\":900,\"caption\":\"cigar humidors 1 l\"},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/mikescigars.com\\\/blog\\\/guide-premium-cigar-selection-enjoyment-part-three\\\/#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Home\",\"item\":\"https:\\\/\\\/mikescigars.com\\\/blog\\\/home\\\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"A Guide to Premium Cigar Selection and Enjoyment \u2013 Part Three\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/mikescigars.com\\\/blog\\\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/mikescigars.com\\\/blog\\\/\",\"name\":\"Mike&#039;s Cigars Blog\",\"description\":\"Cigar News, Cigar Lifestyle, Cigar Reviews and Cigar Accessories Guide.\",\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/mikescigars.com\\\/blog\\\/#organization\"},\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\\\/\\\/mikescigars.com\\\/blog\\\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":{\"@type\":\"PropertyValueSpecification\",\"valueRequired\":true,\"valueName\":\"search_term_string\"}}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"Organization\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/mikescigars.com\\\/blog\\\/#organization\",\"name\":\"Mike's Cigars\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/mikescigars.com\\\/blog\\\/\",\"logo\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/mikescigars.com\\\/blog\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/logo\\\/image\\\/\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/mikescigars.com\\\/blog\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/mikes-cigar-blog-logo3.png\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/mikescigars.com\\\/blog\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/mikes-cigar-blog-logo3.png\",\"width\":272,\"height\":90,\"caption\":\"Mike's Cigars\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/mikescigars.com\\\/blog\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/logo\\\/image\\\/\"},\"sameAs\":[\"https:\\\/\\\/www.facebook.com\\\/mikescigars\",\"https:\\\/\\\/instagram.com\\\/mikescigars\\\/\",\"https:\\\/\\\/www.linkedin.com\\\/company\\\/mikes-cigars\",\"https:\\\/\\\/www.pinterest.com\\\/mikescigars\\\/\",\"https:\\\/\\\/www.youtube.com\\\/user\\\/mikescigars\"]},{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/mikescigars.com\\\/blog\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/31c8c4a84193d93a1cbf294395c5ddfc\",\"name\":\"Mike\",\"image\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/secure.gravatar.com\\\/avatar\\\/ecb509fc70d1bb934ac9c289fe0c56157a03a74bc0959298c9deb5437ab6654b?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/secure.gravatar.com\\\/avatar\\\/ecb509fc70d1bb934ac9c289fe0c56157a03a74bc0959298c9deb5437ab6654b?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/secure.gravatar.com\\\/avatar\\\/ecb509fc70d1bb934ac9c289fe0c56157a03a74bc0959298c9deb5437ab6654b?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"caption\":\"Mike\"},\"description\":\"For over ten years, I've been working with premium cigars and liquor, if you can call it work. From the Bahamas to Miami Beach, I always find myself living and working in paradise! When I'm not at work you can find me walking my dog, gaming or enjoying a night out with my beautiful wife.\",\"sameAs\":[\"https:\\\/\\\/mikescigars.com\\\/blog\",\"https:\\\/\\\/www.instagram.com\\\/therealist_mikescigars\\\/\"]}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"A Guide to Premium Cigar Selection and Enjoyment \u2013 Part Three - Mike&#039;s Cigars Blog","description":"A Guide to Premium Cigar Selection and Enjoyment \u2013 Part Three","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/mikescigars.com\/blog\/guide-premium-cigar-selection-enjoyment-part-three\/","og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"A Guide to Premium Cigar Selection and Enjoyment \u2013 Part Three - Mike&#039;s Cigars Blog","og_description":"A Guide to Premium Cigar Selection and Enjoyment \u2013 Part Three","og_url":"https:\/\/mikescigars.com\/blog\/guide-premium-cigar-selection-enjoyment-part-three\/","og_site_name":"Mike&#039;s Cigars Blog","article_publisher":"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/mikescigars","article_published_time":"2016-11-28T18:28:50+00:00","article_modified_time":"2021-12-15T18:43:23+00:00","og_image":[{"width":1200,"height":900,"url":"https:\/\/mikescigars.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/cigar_humidors-1-l.jpg","type":"image\/jpeg"}],"author":"Mike","twitter_misc":{"Written by":"Mike","Est. reading time":"15 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"Article","@id":"https:\/\/mikescigars.com\/blog\/guide-premium-cigar-selection-enjoyment-part-three\/#article","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/mikescigars.com\/blog\/guide-premium-cigar-selection-enjoyment-part-three\/"},"author":{"name":"Mike","@id":"https:\/\/mikescigars.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/person\/31c8c4a84193d93a1cbf294395c5ddfc"},"headline":"A Guide to Premium Cigar Selection and Enjoyment \u2013 Part Three","datePublished":"2016-11-28T18:28:50+00:00","dateModified":"2021-12-15T18:43:23+00:00","mainEntityOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/mikescigars.com\/blog\/guide-premium-cigar-selection-enjoyment-part-three\/"},"wordCount":2954,"commentCount":0,"publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/mikescigars.com\/blog\/#organization"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/mikescigars.com\/blog\/guide-premium-cigar-selection-enjoyment-part-three\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/mikescigars.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/cigar_humidors-1-l.jpg","articleSection":["Cigar Lifestyle"],"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"CommentAction","name":"Comment","target":["https:\/\/mikescigars.com\/blog\/guide-premium-cigar-selection-enjoyment-part-three\/#respond"]}]},{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/mikescigars.com\/blog\/guide-premium-cigar-selection-enjoyment-part-three\/","url":"https:\/\/mikescigars.com\/blog\/guide-premium-cigar-selection-enjoyment-part-three\/","name":"A Guide to Premium Cigar Selection and Enjoyment \u2013 Part Three - Mike&#039;s Cigars Blog","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/mikescigars.com\/blog\/#website"},"primaryImageOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/mikescigars.com\/blog\/guide-premium-cigar-selection-enjoyment-part-three\/#primaryimage"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/mikescigars.com\/blog\/guide-premium-cigar-selection-enjoyment-part-three\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/mikescigars.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/cigar_humidors-1-l.jpg","datePublished":"2016-11-28T18:28:50+00:00","dateModified":"2021-12-15T18:43:23+00:00","description":"A Guide to Premium Cigar Selection and Enjoyment \u2013 Part Three","breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/mikescigars.com\/blog\/guide-premium-cigar-selection-enjoyment-part-three\/#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/mikescigars.com\/blog\/guide-premium-cigar-selection-enjoyment-part-three\/"]}]},{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/mikescigars.com\/blog\/guide-premium-cigar-selection-enjoyment-part-three\/#primaryimage","url":"https:\/\/mikescigars.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/cigar_humidors-1-l.jpg","contentUrl":"https:\/\/mikescigars.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/cigar_humidors-1-l.jpg","width":1200,"height":900,"caption":"cigar humidors 1 l"},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/mikescigars.com\/blog\/guide-premium-cigar-selection-enjoyment-part-three\/#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https:\/\/mikescigars.com\/blog\/home\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"A Guide to Premium Cigar Selection and Enjoyment \u2013 Part Three"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/mikescigars.com\/blog\/#website","url":"https:\/\/mikescigars.com\/blog\/","name":"Mike&#039;s Cigars Blog","description":"Cigar News, Cigar Lifestyle, Cigar Reviews and Cigar Accessories Guide.","publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/mikescigars.com\/blog\/#organization"},"potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/mikescigars.com\/blog\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":{"@type":"PropertyValueSpecification","valueRequired":true,"valueName":"search_term_string"}}],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Organization","@id":"https:\/\/mikescigars.com\/blog\/#organization","name":"Mike's Cigars","url":"https:\/\/mikescigars.com\/blog\/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/mikescigars.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/mikescigars.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/mikes-cigar-blog-logo3.png","contentUrl":"https:\/\/mikescigars.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/mikes-cigar-blog-logo3.png","width":272,"height":90,"caption":"Mike's Cigars"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/mikescigars.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/"},"sameAs":["https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/mikescigars","https:\/\/instagram.com\/mikescigars\/","https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/company\/mikes-cigars","https:\/\/www.pinterest.com\/mikescigars\/","https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/user\/mikescigars"]},{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/mikescigars.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/person\/31c8c4a84193d93a1cbf294395c5ddfc","name":"Mike","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/ecb509fc70d1bb934ac9c289fe0c56157a03a74bc0959298c9deb5437ab6654b?s=96&d=mm&r=g","url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/ecb509fc70d1bb934ac9c289fe0c56157a03a74bc0959298c9deb5437ab6654b?s=96&d=mm&r=g","contentUrl":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/ecb509fc70d1bb934ac9c289fe0c56157a03a74bc0959298c9deb5437ab6654b?s=96&d=mm&r=g","caption":"Mike"},"description":"For over ten years, I've been working with premium cigars and liquor, if you can call it work. From the Bahamas to Miami Beach, I always find myself living and working in paradise! When I'm not at work you can find me walking my dog, gaming or enjoying a night out with my beautiful wife.","sameAs":["https:\/\/mikescigars.com\/blog","https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/therealist_mikescigars\/"]}]}},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/mikescigars.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/24301","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/mikescigars.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/mikescigars.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mikescigars.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mikescigars.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=24301"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/mikescigars.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/24301\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mikescigars.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/31267"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/mikescigars.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=24301"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mikescigars.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=24301"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mikescigars.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=24301"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}