Fire Cured the New Maduro?

[churchills]

So I've been reading a lot these days of the latest in cigar innovation, though it has been around for years. I'm taking about Fire Cured tobacco, with Drew Estate anouncing a line and Sam Leccia - yes he's back - also using a Fire Cured in his B&W line.

Curious what everyone thinks, fad or mainstay. I've been through the whole Maduro, Double Maduro, Triple Maduro thing, is this going to go the same route? Will we see every brand extending their lines with FC, like they almost all did with Maduro? Triple Fired Cured coming soon to a store near you!

 

[kbodick]

It's interesting that these two announcements come out back-to-back. Let the Fire Cured arms war begin! That said, it's all about flavor profiles. If Fire Cured tobacco adds another dimension to a line of sticks, I'm all in, at least to try them (and I would love to do that for anyone that wants to contribute to the cause)...

 

[vivalanation734]

Ill be interested to try these new sticks. I like the fire cured pipe tobacco I've had.

 

[Craig Mac]

I hope it's a fad. Leave the fire cured stuff for the dippers and pipe guys. There is already enough nicotine in most Nicaraguan tobacco, why do you need more by adding fire cured tobacco to a blend?

It seems like Sam is trying to come up with the next Cain or Nub and get a few year run out of a hot new thing. Just make a good cigar and you won't need the gimmicks.

 

[POTOB]

Sounds interesting and I'd be willing to give them a try.

It's all about flavor though. Hopefully the process adds to the complexity rather than being just another sales gimmick.

 

[Craig Mac]

I am not saying it is a gimmick using the tobacco. But some would say Sam made his name using gimmicks. I am sure it will be an interesting flavor. I have smoked cigars with fired cured tobacco and to me it just tasted like a relit cigar the entire time. Plus, I am not a fan of Latikia anyway.

 

[vivalanation734]

I am not saying it is a gimmick using the tobacco. But some would say Sam made his name using gimmicks. I am sure it will be an interesting flavor. I have smoked cigars with fired cured tobacco and to me it just tasted like a relit cigar the entire time. Plus, I am not a fan of Latikia anyway.

I would agree with the whole gimmick thing for Sam (and other manufacturers). There are a lot of manufactures that rely on gimmicks and produce mediocre sticks and a handful of manufacturers that don't rely on gimmicks and produce excellent sticks. Either way, if the sticks are good, smoke 'em.

 

[Jonathan Drew]

Fire Cured is a legit tobacco. We have to see where this ends up. I understand Craig Macs point, but experimenting with new and old tobacco is not something to say is good or bad. Its an experiment that we have put a lot of time into. We have still not perfected it, trust me.

Damn, Mac is tough - but we still love him.
Dizz

 

[UtahRootBeer]

would fire cured be used only as a filler or can you in theory use it for a binder and a wrapper?

 

[njstone]

Sounds really interesting to me.

 

[ATL]

would fire cured be used only as a filler or can you in theory use it for a binder and a wrapper?

DE is using it as the wrapper in the WUWAT blend.

http://www.halfwheel.com/press-release-drew-estate-unveils-kentucky-fire-cured-line-extension-uzi-weighs-ton/

 

[Cigary43]

Fire Cured is a legit tobacco. We have to see where this ends up. I understand Craig Macs point, but experimenting with new and old tobacco is not something to say is good or bad. Its an experiment that we have put a lot of time into. We have still not perfected it, trust me.

Damn, Mac is tough - but we still love him.
Dizz

View attachment 30139

This is going to be an interesting time to watch this process because it can take so many different turns. The difference in the curing as well as how long the hardwoods burn and what intensity is something that will be hard to mimic time after time and come up with the same result. Taste will change if you can't recreate this process and that is what is needed to keep the taste the same. A controlled experiment that keeps the same rigid guidelines is enough to frustrate anybody...this is something that will be very interesting.

 

[Craig Mac]

Fire Cured is a legit tobacco. We have to see where this ends up. I understand Craig Macs point, but experimenting with new and old tobacco is not something to say is good or bad. Its an experiment that we have put a lot of time into. We have still not perfected it, trust me.

Damn, Mac is tough - but we still love him.
Dizz

I typed out a long response/rant on some other shit, but decided to keep it simple. I'll give the new MUWAT a go when they come around. I know Nick will bring some game changing shit to the table like always. It may or may not be for me, but I know DE is always at the front of innovation in the industry, it's the ones in the back that get me.

 

[SDShark]

Have to try these!

 

[Master Shake]

“In addition to the fire cured tobaccos of Kentucky and Dark Fire Cured of Virginia, we are finishing the two year project of our fire cured tobaccos from another country which DE will not disclose until a time closer to the actual release of the brand. I’ll just say this: they don’t speak English, Italian or Spanish in this region of the world.” - Jonathan Drew, from the halfwheel article.
Interesting that these won't be coming from Nicaragua. I was under the impression that everything that have done up to this point was all Nica blends, but what do I know. I'm going to go ahead and step out on a limb and guess that the language they speak where these come from is Portuguese and the country is Brazil. This is just a guess mind you but would be interesting new ground for DE.

 

[javajunkie]

if someone or someones succeed with this, you bet your sweet a$$ there will be an arms race, if suitable tobacco (or a convincing knock off) can be had. then again, fire curing is an old, tenured, and natural way to process tobacco and alter its flavors, so to me it has legs.

FWIW, i wish luck to all the innovators, but i would lay my money on DE. o)

 

[Gokian]

I am very interested in seeing where it goes too. That is the awesome thing about the market. If it sells well we may see some great new things come from this.

 

[MattSRoss81]

“In addition to the fire cured tobaccos of Kentucky and Dark Fire Cured of Virginia, we are finishing the two year project of our fire cured tobaccos from another country which DE will not disclose until a time closer to the actual release of the brand. I’ll just say this: they don’t speak English, Italian or Spanish in this region of the world.” - Jonathan Drew, from the halfwheel article.
Interesting that these won't be coming from Nicaragua. I was under the impression that everything that have done up to this point was all Nica blends, but what do I know. I'm going to go ahead and step out on a limb and guess that the language they speak where these come from is Portuguese and the country is Brazil. This is just a guess mind you but would be interesting new ground for DE.

What if it was really out of the box and it was Japan? Hasn't JD been making several trips to Japan recently? Maybe its not all about expansion!

 

[Hoshneer]

Is fire curing a quicker process than what it would normally take for curing?

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I747 using Tapatalk 2

 

[jmartins]

Hosh it can be but if it is cured to fast it will completely dry the tobacco out and it will not be useable.
It takes a lot of work to fire cure tobacco and it must be constantly watched to make sure that the fire isn't to high or to low.

Time frame is shortened a bit but it is roughly the same amount of time. Look at this link and you will see. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Curing_of_tobacco