Rolling your own?
- Thread starter NOGILLS2
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Nice question. I got started by watching a few hundred videos and practicing the stuff in my mind with my eyes closed. Then I bought some leaf to start the muscle-memory learning aspect, trying to duplicate what I saw in my head. I had a large collection in my humidors so I always tried to copy some favorite stick in the vitola I was rolling in the moment. If something began to seem off I stopped and backed up and tried again until I got the ideal I had in mind.
Heard of a guy on a home brewing forum im on post up about how he had started to roll his own. I thought it sounded like fun so I ordered a starter kit from Wholeleaftobacco.com and started watching a ton of videos on the process and reading through all the how to threads on Fairtradetobacco.com. I was lucky enough to befriend a local guy from Cuba who has been rolling for over 50 years who has been gracious enough to sit me down and show me how much I still have to learn.
If you have some time, check out the following thread. It has TONS of information, granted it has over 2,000 replies, but there is a lot of good information.
http://www.botl.org/threads/adventures-in-home-rolling.79290/
http://www.botl.org/threads/adventures-in-home-rolling.79290/
The most important aspect of getting started is..... to stop thinking about it and get started. You don't need anything except tobacco. Order a starter kit and give it a try. It's great fun. You don't need molds. I used a rolling pin to flatten my wrappers and a pizza cutter to trim my leaves. Watch lots of videos and away you go.
It's always nice to see someone new. I'd say my start was no different but, I'll say this, your interest is the key.
For me, it didn't really get rolling until there was the relationship built between myself and the leaf. Inspiration seemed to come from everywhere. There was disappointment but it was quickly out weighed by satisfaction. There was always more solutions then problems.
As far as where and how to start, here is good. There are other forums, fairtradetobacco.com, cigarbum, and puff but, this is the hot spot. The only other one that has not dried up is FTT. Read on here and there. The how is available for the taking.
For me, it didn't really get rolling until there was the relationship built between myself and the leaf. Inspiration seemed to come from everywhere. There was disappointment but it was quickly out weighed by satisfaction. There was always more solutions then problems.
As far as where and how to start, here is good. There are other forums, fairtradetobacco.com, cigarbum, and puff but, this is the hot spot. The only other one that has not dried up is FTT. Read on here and there. The how is available for the taking.
I rolled my 1st one and smoked it and it was better than most sticks I have bought at a fraction of the price, the rest is history!
I even tried it with another botl who has just started getting into cigars, bought 2 sigolo iv's and we were both disappointed!
Don't get too hung up about the details at the start. As long as you can smoke it you have done fine.
I even tried it with another botl who has just started getting into cigars, bought 2 sigolo iv's and we were both disappointed!
Don't get too hung up about the details at the start. As long as you can smoke it you have done fine.
That is not my experience. I bought some leaves from Leaf Only and I rolled some. The rolling went well but I was not impressed with the flavor. I then grew some leaf, fermented it and tried that. It also was not that great. Everything I have rolled has been OK but not great. I'm the first to admit that I know nothing about blending so I was just winging it. While the flavors were not outstanding, I loved the rolling and I still roll some when the urge strikes me. It is a very creative endeavor and I highly recommend it. It seems that most people here have had much better luck with their flavor profiles so my experience may not be typical.
All you need is a little guidance...
Cough... @BrewinHooligan @blisscigarco and even though I've never tried one of his, they must be amazing @Marc_L
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I got some very sound blending advice from a very highly respected professional. He couldn't give away trade secrets, but he told me "you need a blend of seco, viso, and ligero to have balanced strength and flavors". Now this can vary based on your personal tastes and the strength of cigar you are trying to roll but I have personally found that I favor blends that have all three primings with the exception of my straight ligero blends.
Yea, I was not very observant when I was blending. I just had a few different types of leaves and I mixed them up different ways, but I never paid attention to primings. I defiantly don't want to discourage anyone from starting out. I'm sure anyone can do better than I did. My sticks looked good but the flavor and draw were hit and miss. I just need to do more.
Speaking of blending, I did try to flavor some of my leaves. I tried sugar, scotch, coffee and vanilla. The only one that seems to affect the flavor was the vanilla. Of course I didn't know what I was doing then either. I was just having fun.
I started like that too and then I bought leaf that was different batch to batch from the same supplier. I had some leaf that had a lovely caramel taste. I noticed some leaves were stronger in taste than others etc....
Don't give up on it. Unless you don't find it fun.
Don't give up on it. Unless you don't find it fun.
No I have not.
Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn’t do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails.
Mark Twain
Dominican56
CRA #99997657
I'm ready! My leaves are on the way ( I hope )
LO aren't the fastest people to the post office, I'll say.
LO aren't the fastest people to the post office, I'll say.
- Joined
- Mar 15, 2016
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- 2,956
Seems like they really stretch that "standard turn-around in 3-5 business days." To paraphrase Propecia, they need to get up off their smelly asses and put some leaf in a box!