Cigar Misconceptions

xxwaldoxx said:
Dave,
This is something that I have always been a bit confused about. I feel that thinner cigars allow you to taste the wrapper more. I think this is due to them having less filler than a larger cigar.

My thought process on this is kind of confusing even to myself so please don't mind the jumbled info below.


Lets say for example we have three cigars.
Cigar 1 = 38 Ring x 7.00 Length
Cigar 2 = 50 Ring x 7.00 Length
Cigar 3 = 54 Ring x 7.00 Length


Lets break down the dimensions
Cigar 1 = 38/64 x 7.00 or 0.59375 x 7.00
Cigar 2 = 50/64 x 7.00 or 0.78125 x 7.00
Cigar 3 = 54/64 x 7.00 or 0.85375 x 7.00


Taking those numbers, lets translate to surface area
Cigar 1 = 13.61 Square Inches
Cigar 2 = 18.14 Square inches
Cigar 3 = 19.67 Square inches


Now lets break each cigar into volume, or tobaccos contained within
Cigar 1 = 1.94 Cubic inches
Cigar 2 = 3.36 Cubic Inches
Cigar 3 = 3.91 Cubic Inches


This is the point where I begin to get confused. Generating a ratio between Surface Area to Volume seems a bit odd in my mind. Up to this point I've used calculators to generate the numbers for me (please don't get the impression I'm into math ;) )

Rather than trying to create a ratio lets just look at the percentages.
Surface Area:
Cigar 1 = 13.61 Square Inches = Base
Cigar 2 = 18.14 Square inches = 33.3% Increase over Cigar 1
Cigar 3 = 19.67 Square inches = 44.5% Increase over Cigar 1

Volume:
Cigar 1 = 1.94 Cubic inches = Base
Cigar 2 = 3.36 Cubic Inches = 73.2% Increase over Cigar 1
Cigar 3 = 3.91 Cubic Inches = 101.5% Increase over Cigar 1

Believe it or not, I thought breaking it down like this would make it less confusing for me, boy was I wrong....

Looking at the numbers (which may or may not mean much of anything), we can see that the increase in Wrapper, or Surface Area, is a fairly small increase when compared to Filler, Volume.

As we move from a Lancero and get larger the percentage of Wrapper increases a fairly small amount compared to the filler. If the people that say 80% of a cigars flavor comes from the wrapper are correct we can easily see why.

On a personal note
Since I don't necessarily believe that a generic figure like 80% of all wrapper varieties make up a cigars flavor, I think it all comes down to what filler is used versus the wrapper.

Now if you factor in the binder it gets even worse. I've heard people say that binder accounts for virtually no flavor in the cigar. I don't believe this either as I have read, on many occasion, that the flawed wrappers of premium cigars are used as binder for ultra premium. One example of this (don;t quote me here, going by memory) is the flawed wrappers of the La Aurora 1495 are used as binder on the La Aurora Cien Anos.

So Dave, in a nutshell I really have no idea :r
I do believe that a Lancero will have more wrapper flavors than a Robusto but I can't back up why I feel that way.
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Thanks Walt...I think :D
 
Sauer Grapes said:
In reference to Dave's original question, using your calculations as well.

It seems fairly obvious that, all else equal, a smaller ring gauge cigar's wrapper will impart quite a bit more flavor to the overall profile than a larger RG cigar. If you check the surface area to volume ratio of each variety in your calculations it would seem to support this.

As you said, that doesn't solve the 80% question at all though.
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Where the 80% figure came from and why I'm not sure. Not too long ago I read a book entitled The Connoisseur's Book of the Cigar by Zino Davidoff. On several occasions the comment is made that a cigars strength is determined by the color of the wrapper and the size.

The book was translated from French to English in the 60's, so its main focus is on Habanos. Mr Davidoff is pretty confident that the wrapper determines strength, so I can only assume the misconception originated with a Cuban product and was inherited by other cigars as time progressed.
 
one of my faves is hearing the mis-informed talk about cubans....

i was smoking a cheapo "oro cubano" from a deal on c-bid and a co-worker mentioned that he loved cigars...so i give him one of mine...another oro cubano

he lights it up and then reads the band..."oh a cuban!" he says smiling "no wonder it's so good!"

i didn't have the heart to correct him..he was too happy...i simply said "enjoy" and walked away...

-----

and that cubans are the best...I hear it even more in europe....
i feel that CC and NC are apples and oranges...but they all have some great qualities for different times, moods, or palates....
 
UPHOTO said:
The age stigma.

You have to be an old man to smoke a cigar.

33 years young here and hang out at bars and clubs with younger and older people and I smoke cigars. :)
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I'm 23. Get a ton of weird looks. Everyone at the B&M assumes I have no idea what's going on--and they triple check the signature on my credit card.
 
how about... 'what are you smoking?' 'romeo y julieta maduro #4' (just as an example) 'romeo y julieta? is it real?'

i usually say 'yup, its a real cigar' and end it there

stearns
 
vicvitola said:
I would add as another misconception

White mold means the cigar should not be smoked unless it's on the foot.
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added a bit to your remark.

I agree, except I still wouldn't buy them unless it was just a light covering that will rub off easily (that's what she said) and not in clumps.
 
Sauer Grapes said:
added a bit to your remark.

I agree, except I still wouldn't buy them unless it was just a light covering that will rub off easily (that's what she said) and not in clumps.
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I would agree, if I knew cigars has a load of mold on them I would refrain from buying. I might however smoke a cigar even if I noticed a little in the foot (depending on what it was) :ss
 
I think it's funny when someone says, "I enjoy an occasional cigar."

I immediately think, how do you know WHAT you like if you only smoke a cigar 3 times/year?

And then I think to myself, "hey it's his world, let him decide what he likes and doesn't like" -- a true cigar mantra.

And then while i'm smoking with this person they're acting like they're some kind of GOD of cigars -- a true snob.

My brain is going nuts but I don't have the heart to tell him that i'm still on the first 1" of my robusto (while he's done with his Churchill).

That's my biggest :r
 
xxwaldoxx said:
Where the 80% figure came from and why I'm not sure. Not too long ago I read a book entitled The Connoisseur's Book of the Cigar by Zino Davidoff. On several occasions the comment is made that a cigars strength is determined by the color of the wrapper and the size.

The book was translated from French to English in the 60's, so its main focus is on Habanos. Mr Davidoff is pretty confident that the wrapper determines strength, so I can only assume the misconception originated with a Cuban product and was inherited by other cigars as time progressed.
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Of course back in the 1960s the cigar making geniuses hadn't thought of the "benefits" of black dye.

;-)
 
kgraybill said:
My favorite misconception is "you dont inhale cigar smoke". Most dont, but it's all about how you enjoy it.
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I'm not quite sure if that's a misconception or if you're just an anomaly. I can say "you don't drink milk that's been sitting in your garage open for two months," and while my statement would certainly represent majority opinion, I'm sure there would be one or two people who would do that. I'd guess 95%+ of cigar smokers are not in your camp.
 
Mullet said:
I think it's funny when someone says, "I enjoy an occasional cigar."


My brain is going nuts but I don't have the heart to tell him that i'm still on the first 1" of my robusto (while he's done with his Churchill).

That's my biggest :r
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The above is so true. I've smoked with a lot of groups, and it seems like many people think the faster the better. I'll be through an inch to their near entire cigar, and it's like the guy at the table who eats the slowest--everyone gets impatient and crotchety.
 
Hagar said:
The above is so true. I've smoked with a lot of groups, and it seems like many people think the faster the better. I'll be through an inch to their near entire cigar, and it's like the guy at the table who eats the slowest--everyone gets impatient and crotchety.
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I'm with you. When I first started smoking cigars I would look like an old steam locomotive and then I learned that slower is better with cigars. Now I don't even light one up if I don't have close to 2 hours to relax and enjoy it.
 
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