The colour and sheen of the exterior wrapper are the initial attributes a smoker notices when looking at a cigar. The wrapper provides an important marketing platform for the manufacturer and simultaneously informs the consumer as to the content and quality of the cigar.

As well, a cigar’s wrapper leaf can determine anywhere from 60% to 90% of the cigar’s overall flavour. A good trick to identify the significance of the wrapper is to cut an inch of wrapper leaf off the bottom of a cigar, stripping it much like a wire-stripper takes the insulator off of an electrical wire. This shows the filler and binder leaves only. This portion of the cigar will taste much less flavourful, and reveal the true importance of the wrapper.

It is important to acknowledge that the wrapper is often an attractive sales pitch for a cigar, much like an appealing album or book cover. At the very least, the wrapper is a message saying, “smoke me.” And though a quality wrapper often indicates a superior smoke, it usually affects the cigar’s composition and aesthetic more so than the entire flavour. In short, it introduces the cigar to the smoker and may or may not affect the taste and seasoning.

1-Best Wrapper:

The ideal wrapper must have few to zero blemishes and larger than other leafs to properly wrap the cigar. This means that it usually comes from the lower levels of the cigar tobacco plant, where bigger (and often more flavourful) leaves grow. Also, it usually has a distinct sheen created by specific oils from aging process. Finally, the wrapper’s flavour is carefully cultivated and protected by cigar growers in order to provide the optimal taste and experience.

Enjoy!

David – Cigar Ambassador. [email protected]

I hope you’ve enjoyed reading this so far, tune in tomorrow to hear about the colours of the wrappers.