Wrapper types

Wrapper Types

The leaf rolled around the outside is the one doing the most talking. It is why two cigars that look alike can taste nothing alike.

You do not need to memorise this. It is here so that when you read “Connecticut” or “Maduro” on a tray, you know the shape of what is coming — light and gentle at one end of the shelf, dark and generous at the other. The colour of the leaf is a reasonable clue before you ever light it.

Connecticut

Pale, mild, smooth and creamy.

The lightest shade in the case, and the gentlest smoke. Soft and creamy with a clean finish — the one that converts people who thought cigars were all pepper and smoke. A fine first choice, and a fine daylight choice.

Habano

Medium to full, spicy and peppery.

Richer in colour and firmer in character. There is a pepper here, but it is a warm one rather than a sharp one, and it gives the smoke a shape you can follow. This is what most people picture when they picture a cigar.

III

Corojo

Medium to full, spicy and earthy.

Deep, rounded and grounded. Spice at the front, earth underneath, and a certain weight that lingers pleasantly. It stands up well to a dark spirit, and to a long conversation.

Maduro

Dark, full-bodied, sweet and rich.

Almost chocolate-brown, and aged longer than most, which is where the sweetness comes from — a natural one, not a flavoured one. Smooth for something this substantial, and generous from the first draw.

Oscuro

Very dark, bold and intense.

The darkest leaf on the shelf, nearly black, and the boldest smoke in the case. Intense and spicy, with real depth. Sit down for this one, and give it your attention rather than your conversation.

✦

Start light, then go darker.

If you are working out what you like, take the same route through the case we do: something pale first, then step into the richer leaves. You will find your side of the shelf faster than you expect.

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