Blending Thread

[Igort]

Okay. Where do these leaves come from? Which Havano wrapper?

They come from the Dominican Republic, the wrapper is only classic habano , but I also have Nicaraguan leaves, jalapa, Condega, esteli, that's why my question, if you changed a single leaf, what would it be? just a little fusion that makes a good difference

 

[blisscigarco]

They come from the Dominican Republic, the wrapper is only classic habano , but I also have Nicaraguan leaves, jalapa, Condega, esteli, that's why my question, if you changed a single leaf, what would it be? just a little fusion that makes a good difference

My first attempt (of many) would be to trade out the PC seco/volado and replace it with Condega seco. If that failed, I'd move on to the next idea.

Are you getting these leaves directly from farms in the DR and Nicaragua, or are you just saying "where the come from" because you don't want to say which online store you bought them from? I ask because I am familiar with the leaf you can buy from online stores, but if you're getting it directly from some farms, then I have no idea. Leaf of the same name is dramatically different depending on the farm.

 

[Igort]

My first attempt (of many) would be to trade out the PC seco/volado and replace it with Condega seco. If that failed, I'd move on to the next idea.

Are you getting these leaves directly from farms in the DR and Nicaragua, or are you just saying "where the come from" because you don't want to say which online store you bought them from? I ask because I am familiar with the leaf you can buy from online stores, but if you're getting it directly from some farms, then I have no idea. Leaf of the same name is dramatically different depending on the farm.

ok perfect, I'll try it, I buy my leaves directly from the farm, Thanks

 

[blisscigarco]

ok perfect, I'll try it, I buy my leaves directly from the farm, Thanks

Good luck!

 

[webmost]

... I buy my leaves directly from the farm, Thanks

What does the farmer suggest?

 

[Igort]

Good luck!

I did what you recommended to put on a seco Condega and it was not to my liking, however I changed the look for a Condega one and this one was very good

 

[blisscigarco]

I did what you recommended to put on a seco Condega and it was not to my liking, however I changed the look for a Condega one and this one was very good

Great! What does it mean that you changed the look?

 

[Igort]

Great! What does it mean that you changed the look?

sorry i meant VISO

 

[blisscigarco]

sorry i meant VISO

Ah!

One other thing to know: Olor is often mixed with PC in Dominican cigars, at a ratio of about 1 part Olor to 2 parts PC. So a typical medium-strength Dominican filler blend for a big cigar might be half a leaf Olor seco, 1 leaf PC seco, 1.5 leaves viso, 2 leaves PC ligero.

I know you didn't mention Olor, but thought I'd point that out.

 

[Igort]

Ah!

One other thing to know: Olor is often mixed with PC in Dominican cigars, at a ratio of about 1 part Olor to 2 parts PC. So a typical medium-strength Dominican filler blend for a big cigar might be half a leaf Olor seco, 1 leaf PC seco, 1.5 leaves viso, 2 leaves PC ligero.

I know you didn't mention Olor, but thought I'd point that out.

It's a shame it doesn't have a olor Dominicano, but incredibly I used the same formula in amounts that you just wrote, 1.5 PC seco , 1.5 Condega Viso and 2 PC Ligero and it was great

 

[webmost]

Ah!

One other thing to know: Olor is often mixed with PC in Dominican cigars, at a ratio of about 1 part Olor to 2 parts PC. So a typical medium-strength Dominican filler blend for a big cigar might be half a leaf Olor seco, 1 leaf PC seco, 1.5 leaves viso, 2 leaves PC ligero.

I know you didn't mention Olor, but thought I'd point that out.

I'm'na try that... without the ligero, course.
Just gotta dig round see if I have any olor left.

 

[webmost]

I'm'na try that... without the ligero, course.
Just gotta dig round see if I have any olor left.

FINALLY finished this batch of Cholitas:


Of all the blends I have stashed, this one def took way by far longest. Three months just to get the blend right! And after all that fooling around, it turned ou to be no more than a Peru puro -- 5 WLT Peru seco double bound in one Peru seco and wrapped in FXSS Indonesian.

WLT estimates you will get 20 gars per pound of leaves. That is vastly underestimated. Even after three months trying this, that, and the other, I got 20 gars out of the remainder of that pound. They aren't winky-do coronas, either. These 20 are fat robustos. So any guy rolling sensible coronas ought to get 35 or 40 per pound easily.

Now I must dive in for the next blend to stash. I dug up a little Olor. I have plenty Piloto. I have beaucoup Dominican of various stripes, such as T13, Pelo de Oro, Cibao Valley, and stuff just plain labeled Dominican. Here we go.

 

[blisscigarco]

FINALLY finished this batch of Cholitas:
View attachment 159620

Of all the blends I have stashed, this one def took way by far longest. Three months just to get the blend right! And after all that fooling around, it turned ou to be no more than a Peru puro -- 5 WLT Peru seco double bound in one Peru seco and wrapped in FXSS Indonesian.

WLT estimates you will get 20 gars per pound of leaves. That is vastly underestimated. Even after three months trying this, that, and the other, I got 20 gars out of the remainder of that pound. They aren't winky-do coronas, either. These 20 are fat robustos. So any guy rolling sensible coronas ought to get 35 or 40 per pound easily.

Now I must dive in for the next blend to stash. I dug up a little Olor. I have plenty Piloto. I have beaucoup Dominican of various stripes, such as T13, Pelo de Oro, Cibao Valley, and stuff just plain labeled Dominican. Here we go.

That's great that you found the simple blend was the best. As for sticks per pound, are you accounting for binder and wrapper too? Because that is how they do those kits. it's a pound of stuff. I typically find an average of four leaves of filler, plus half a leaf each of binder and wrapper, makes an average cigar. Five leaves per. On average there are 80 leaves of tobacco in a pound, averaging out over a lifetime. Five goes into 80 16 times. I rolled the kits when I was starting out, 5x48, and got 16 or 17 of those per kit. I stuff every bit of trimmings back into the stick. WLT claims 20 7x50 sticks. That's 2 extra inches per stick over a robusto right there. My experience is that their claim is severely exaggerated. Yours is that it's under-stated. That's why whenever I get these sort of questions I reply, "No idea. Ask Davis."

 

[Igort]

I am keeping a strict count based on 25 pounds of each sheet, in the end I will tell you

 

[webmost]

That's great that you found the simple blend was the best. As for sticks per pound, are you accounting for binder and wrapper too? Because that is how they do those kits. it's a pound of stuff. I typically find an average of four leaves of filler, plus half a leaf each of binder and wrapper, makes an average cigar. Five leaves per. On average there are 80 leaves of tobacco in a pound, averaging out over a lifetime. Five goes into 80 16 times. I rolled the kits when I was starting out, 5x48, and got 16 or 17 of those per kit. I stuff every bit of trimmings back into the stick. WLT claims 20 7x50 sticks. That's 2 extra inches per stick over a robusto right there. My experience is that their claim is severely exaggerated. Yours is that it's under-stated. That's why whenever I get these sort of questions I reply, "No idea. Ask Davis."

My double binder came out of the same partial pound.
My wrapper was Indo, which, as you know, is nearly weightless.

So: 4 filler leaves per stick, plus one binder leaf per stick = 5 Peruvians per stick x 20 gars = 100 leaves... and that was what was left of the pound after failed blending tests.

I dunno ... maybe it was an ample pound. I didn't weigh it.

Very little filler wastage, way I do it.
No way I would roll a 7" stick tho. I just now measured and these Cholitas were 4 1/2"... cause you expect una cholita to be stubby. That's prolly the big diff.

 

[blisscigarco]

My double binder came out of the same partial pound.
My wrapper was Indo, which, as you know, is nearly weightless.

So: 4 filler leaves per stick, plus one binder leaf per stick = 5 Peruvians per stick x 20 gars = 100 leaves... and that was what was left of the pound after failed blending tests.

I dunno ... maybe it was an ample pound. I didn't weigh it.

Very little filler wastage, way I do it.
No way I would roll a 7" stick tho. I just now measured and these Cholitas were 4 1/2"... cause you expect una cholita to be stubby. That's prolly the big diff.

That is a big diff. A 7-incher uses 40% more leaf than a robusto. But still I was rolling x48 robustos... who knows. But 20 Churchills? With those big heavy wrapper leaves most of the kits come from? Those must be some loose rolls.

 

[webmost]

Well, I have found my next stashable blend. Didn't take long. Very unusual blend for me, because a) it includes ligero, and b) it includes so many types of leaf. Here's the deal:

1/2 large WLT Nic Hab ligero
1 large WLT Condega seco
2 small WLT Condega viso
1/2 WLT Habano 92 wrapper for binder
1/2 WLT Los Rios wrapper

5 different leafs from 3 different countries. The taste reminds my of a box of Nat Shermans I bought way back in the dark ages. I think they were called Host Selection. But, who knows, that was so long ago I have no right to cite them now. At any rate, this present gar blend combines that moody Nic darkness I like with the spicy Dom nutmeggery I like.

Parenthetically: I highly recommend the Los Rios wrapper. Aromatic and workable.

Sorry for the poor pic. I promise a better one when I get the flag/band on. I am waiting for a device intended to make a unique band/flag. Hope it works. USPS tracking promises delivery today. However, tracking shows the device caroming around, rather like a rotating battlebot after a good thump. Started in Plymouth, went to Detroit, then to Hyatssville, then to Wilmington, then Philly, now back in DC again. It's presently in a "Distribution Facility". My experience has been that once a package reaches what's called a Distribution Facility, no prompt distribution occurs. Anyways, better pics later.

 

[blisscigarco]

View attachment 160347

Well, I have found my next stashable blend. Didn't take long. Very unusual blend for me, because a) it includes ligero, and b) it includes so many types of leaf. Here's the deal:

1/2 large WLT Nic Hab ligero
1 large WLT Condega seco
2 small WLT Condega viso
1/2 WLT Habano 92 wrapper for binder
1/2 WLT Los Rios wrapper

5 different leafs from 3 different countries. The taste reminds my of a box of Nat Shermans I bought way back in the dark ages. I think they were called Host Selection. But, who knows, that was so long ago I have no right to cite them now. At any rate, this present gar blend combines that moody Nic darkness I like with the spicy Dom nutmeggery I like.

Parenthetically: I highly recommend the Los Rios wrapper. Aromatic and workable.

Sorry for the poor pic. I promise a better one when I get the flag/band on. I am waiting for a device intended to make a unique band/flag. Hope it works. USPS tracking promises delivery today. However, tracking shows the device caroming around, rather like a rotating battlebot after a good thump. Started in Plymouth, went to Detroit, then to Hyatssville, then to Wilmington, then Philly, now back in DC again. It's presently in a "Distribution Facility". My experience has been that once a package reaches what's called a Distribution Facility, no prompt distribution occurs. Anyways, better pics later.

IMHO the secret to that blend is the Los Rios, which is listed at WLT as a Habano but which is obviously Ecuadorian Sumatra. It is by far the best wrapper at WLT. You can put it on pretty much any blend and you've got a winner.

Can't wait to see the device and its results!

 

[Bruce T.]

So we have some high praise for the Los Rios wrapper from WLT. I've been making notes when I read this type of thing. I'm always looking for suggestions.

My favorites are the Ecuadorian Seco Shade Wrapper from LO. I like the mild flavor and the leaf quality. While the flavor is somewhat mild, it does have a flavor whereas I find Connecticut Shade wrapper is fairly neutral. I also like the Ecuadorian Ligero shade wrapper from LO. It is surprisingly similar to the Seco version with just a bit more flavor. I would have expected a bigger difference.

I always use the wrapper leaf as my binder as well so that the flavor contribution is more noticeable and so that I don't have to keep as many different types of leaf in stock.

My question is, what is your favorite, mild wrapper leaf at the moment ?

 

[blisscigarco]

So we have some high praise for the Los Rios wrapper from WLT. I've been making notes when I read this type of thing. I'm always looking for suggestions.

My favorites are the Ecuadorian Seco Shade Wrapper from LO. I like the mild flavor and the leaf quality. While the flavor is somewhat mild, it does have a flavor whereas I find Connecticut Shade wrapper is fairly neutral. I also like the Ecuadorian Ligero shade wrapper from LO. It is surprisingly similar to the Seco version with just a bit more flavor. I would have expected a bigger difference.

I always use the wrapper leaf as my binder as well so that the flavor contribution is more noticeable and so that I don't have to keep as many different types of leaf in stock.

My question is, what is your favorite, mild wrapper leaf at the moment ?

Ecuadorian Sumatra is moderately strong and strongly spicy.

The only mild wrapper I'm using at the moment is the FX Smith Indo Sumatra. There's nothing really out there in retail leaf that's floating my boat at the moment in the mild wrapper department. Webmost's FXSmith CT wads are good, if you can get your hands on them.