The blend in the center of the cigar is truly the fingerprint of most brands. The right combination of seco, ligero and claro leaves makes the characteristic of the cigar fall anywhere between mild to full-bodied. Incorporating leaves from other regions is another common characteristic of a premium tobacco blend. Nicaraguan tobacco which is known sometimes as being harsh, can be used in a premium cigar filler of what would be considered a medium bodied cigar. This occurs when the master blender in the factory chooses the right combination of leaves to form the desired taste, much like a bartender mixes drinks. A typical Long Island iced tea consists of five liquors, sometimes a bartender will make one liquor the dominant in the drink and so to the cigar roller.
The wrapper leaves interestingly are imported from the United States as Connecticut shade is the premier wrapper leaf and most requested by the premium factories. The gold color and smooth texture all combined with a very even burn makes Connecticut shade broad leaf the premium wrapper leaf and best suited to be covering only premium long filler. These leaves are carefully folded and not pressed together which is another art form not easily learned. The leaves must be placed on top of each other so that the air passes through properly leading to an easy draw for the smoker (No one does it better than cigar rollers from cfdomicana.You can find them here http://www.cigarrollers.net) , Although the leaves are put in a mold and pressed for an average of two hours, the art of the folding remains intact. The folding, depressing and the shape of the cigar are all called construction. The construction of premium high-end cigars is visually evident as they are smooth uniform and require very little effort if any to draw the flavor from the burning tobacco. Poor construction leads to an uneven burn and is often found in the discarded cigars also called seconds.
The Cuban cigars are known for their perfect constructions, However the Cuban cigars have always had the mystique due to the fact that they have been illegal in United States for many years. With Castro in power Kennedy made certain that no trade between the United States and the communist country would exist. The embargo has essentially put Cuba in a time capsule with the only evidence of US products found our relics from the 50s like the Chevrolet Bel Air which is common in the streets of Cuba. Castro also did not do much justice to the tobacco fields and us the product has suffered. Driven mostly by the mystique, most novices will seek out Cuban cigars with very little reason as to why. Pre-embargo Cubans as a result are considered precious as they are the true Cuban cigars that most are really seeking. The full-bodied flavor of the Cuban cigar is what makes it so attractive to cigar purists. The flavor is so full-bodied in fact, that Cuban cigars are not recommended for someone just testing the waters. Finding such a pronounced flavor is what is become almost a mission for some however, looking only to Dominican tobacco perhaps wrapped with Maduro leaf will give a comparable if not exceed the cigar aficionado's expectations.
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