This cigar has gotten really good marks from some reviewers whose opinions I generally take to heart. The one stick I have in the humi looks and smells fantastic. The wrapper is really impressive. Am I correct, Alex, that it does not actually go through any maduro process, and is just naturally that dark from aging and normal fermentation (plus being a high quality leaf)? I may be missing it somewhere, but what exactly is the blend like on this cigar (don't need super detailed info, just what tobacco is used)?
it is not a maduro. there is extra fermentation on the wrapper leaf but not done in the way a maduro is done. the blend is a secret blend with a heavy hand on the nicaraguan ligero -- including the wrapper leaf (if i am not mistaken). the binder is nicaraguan seco. there are other tobaccos in there but if Alex told anyone then it wouldnt be a secret anymore.
whats the saying?
... two people can keep a secret if one of them is dead.
See, that's an example of where there needs to be more transparency in the tobacco industry... Just my opinion. I have a lot of respect for the guys like J Drew and Pete who readily list the blend information on their websites (and in the case of Liga Privada, on the box itself) for those of us who want/need to know what is in our cigar.
i mean, i can respect that. how about coke's secret formula? KFC's 13 secret spices? many brands were built on secret formulas. its nopt like you dont know whats in there. at some point its all tobacco....
... right?
iduno. i can see both sides.
Although I like transparency, J Drew keeps his infusion process and recipes secret also, so not altogether transparent on his part.
This cigar has gotten really good marks from some reviewers whose opinions I generally take to heart. The one stick I have in the humi looks and smells fantastic. The wrapper is really impressive. Am I correct, Alex, that it does not actually go through any maduro process, and is just naturally that dark from aging and normal fermentation (plus being a high quality leaf)? I may be missing it somewhere, but what exactly is the blend like on this cigar (don't need super detailed info, just what tobacco is used)?
it is not a maduro. there is extra fermentation on the wrapper leaf but not done in the way a maduro is done. the blend is a secret blend with a heavy hand on the nicaraguan ligero -- including the wrapper leaf (if i am not mistaken). the binder is nicaraguan seco. there are other tobaccos in there but if Alex told anyone then it wouldnt be a secret anymore.
whats the saying?
... two people can keep a secret if one of them is dead.
See, that's an example of where there needs to be more transparency in the tobacco industry... Just my opinion. I have a lot of respect for the guys like J Drew and Pete who readily list the blend information on their websites (and in the case of Liga Privada, on the box itself) for those of us who want/need to know what is in our cigar.
i mean, i can respect that. how about coke's secret formula? KFC's 13 secret spices? many brands were built on secret formulas. its nopt like you dont know whats in there. at some point its all tobacco....
... right?
iduno. i can see both sides.
Although I like transparency, J Drew keeps his infusion process and recipes secret also, so not altogether transparent on his part.
How is Drew's infusion process a secret? I thought he just took a wizz on the cigars as they came off the line, and PRESTO! Infused Acids!
This cigar has gotten really good marks from some reviewers whose opinions I generally take to heart. The one stick I have in the humi looks and smells fantastic. The wrapper is really impressive. Am I correct, Alex, that it does not actually go through any maduro process, and is just naturally that dark from aging and normal fermentation (plus being a high quality leaf)? I may be missing it somewhere, but what exactly is the blend like on this cigar (don't need super detailed info, just what tobacco is used)?
it is not a maduro. there is extra fermentation on the wrapper leaf but not done in the way a maduro is done. the blend is a secret blend with a heavy hand on the nicaraguan ligero -- including the wrapper leaf (if i am not mistaken). the binder is nicaraguan seco. there are other tobaccos in there but if Alex told anyone then it wouldnt be a secret anymore.
whats the saying?
... two people can keep a secret if one of them is dead.
See, that's an example of where there needs to be more transparency in the tobacco industry... Just my opinion. I have a lot of respect for the guys like J Drew and Pete who readily list the blend information on their websites (and in the case of Liga Privada, on the box itself) for those of us who want/need to know what is in our cigar.
I agree though in the case of the MOW at least they are good cigars. I would like to know what is in the cigar but sometimes I'm fine with just how it tastes. However compainies like gurkha who just state the wrapper and leave everything else out the window and say it's a secret I usually pass. Overall though I'd like to know what tobacco is being used that way I can track what I like and don't like.
Maduro is a process not a color. For the process a leaf must come from a certain priming, seed and country to ensure it can undergo the rigerous fermentation without falling apart. Sumatra seed is a seed that can't naturally endure the process like other seed or tobacco varieties. That said Sumatra Ecuador is the thickest and the top priming is also which this is so it is best suited to ferment the longest of the sumatra seed family based on it's growing origin and priming. Is it a true maduro? That would be a matter of debate. It is certainly the most well fermented Sumatra seed leaf in the world. Perhaps one one hundreth of one percent. Very rare. Did it ferment long enough to bring out all the sugars? That is the debatable question. It is certainly as dark of a Sumatra Ecuador wrapper you will find and if there is such thing as a Sumatra Ecuador maduro this is it. For that reason I am comfortable calling it a maduro but I am certainly aware that there are opposing opinions and I am totally fine with that. It is the beauty if this hobby. In terms of having secrets, it is important. If people knew the blend of all cigars and freely wrote it, people would rip it off left and right. In fact, I'd bet 95% of the descriptions outguess from the manufacturers are false in an effort to protect themselves. They may be close but never exact. Even factories I visit will write the wrong blend on things in purpose because factories will sometimes try to pay workers from other factories. This is an honorable business but it happens, I have seen it. So many times the only guy in the factory that truly knows the blend is the master blender and they intentioannly false label things to protect themselves. Crazy I know. The armada description is spot on but we protect one ingredient but it is a crucial ingredient. Not only does it prevent someone stealing the blend, but this particular tobacco is grown Ina region that no one else is using. Armada us the only cigar for sale in the US that uses this particular variety and the factory does not want to draw attention to it as they have a monopoly on it. Hope all of this info helps shed some light on things. The cigar is rare and to me a true gem and the best cigar on the market. For over a year it was my own little treat but now something I can share with others. I just wish more than only about 10k sticks a year could be rolled. Perhaps if they can plant more in the coming years it will be a reality.
Maduro is a process not a color. For the process a leaf must come from a certain priming, seed and country to ensure it can undergo the rigerous fermentation without falling apart. Sumatra seed is a seed that can't naturally endure the process like other seed or tobacco varieties. That said Sumatra Ecuador is the thickest and the top priming is also which this is so it is best suited to ferment the longest of the sumatra seed family based on it's growing origin and priming. Is it a true maduro? That would be a matter of debate. It is certainly the most well fermented Sumatra seed leaf in the world. Perhaps one one hundreth of one percent. Very rare. Did it ferment long enough to bring out all the sugars? That is the debatable question. It is certainly as dark of a Sumatra Ecuador wrapper you will find and if there is such thing as a Sumatra Ecuador maduro this is it. For that reason I am comfortable calling it a maduro but I am certainly aware that there are opposing opinions and I am totally fine with that. It is the beauty if this hobby. In terms of having secrets, it is important. If people knew the blend of all cigars and freely wrote it, people would rip it off left and right. In fact, I'd bet 95% of the descriptions outguess from the manufacturers are false in an effort to protect themselves. They may be close but never exact. Even factories I visit will write the wrong blend on things in purpose because factories will sometimes try to pay workers from other factories. This is an honorable business but it happens, I have seen it. So many times the only guy in the factory that truly knows the blend is the master blender and they intentioannly false label things to protect themselves. Crazy I know. The armada description is spot on but we protect one ingredient but it is a crucial ingredient. Not only does it prevent someone stealing the blend, but this particular tobacco is grown Ina region that no one else is using. Armada us the only cigar for sale in the US that uses this particular variety and the factory does not want to draw attention to it as they have a monopoly on it. Hope all of this info helps shed some light on things. The cigar is rare and to me a true gem and the best cigar on the market. For over a year it was my own little treat but now something I can share with others. I just wish more than only about 10k sticks a year could be rolled. Perhaps if they can plant more in the coming years it will be a reality.
I'm glad you posted this Alex. I was on another site, (please don't be mad lol) and was looking at a supposed maduro sampler of 10 different cigars, and of the five, 4 of them were not maduros. I actually posted something in their mini-forum, which consiste of one thread, and one of the employees actually replied to my post telling me that, "There is no such thing as a maduro leaf and that the term maduro refers to the color." I then replied back that I was quite aware that there is not a "maduro leaf" that can be grown to make maduro cigars, but that making maduro cigars is a process of fermentation that requires high heat, high humidity, and pressure..etc...etc...
Of course after that the guy never said anything back, but this short little conversation made me realize that this probably isn't someone I want to do business with if I know more about their own product than they do. Makes me proud to be a forum member here at Ccom and glad to have you guys around to help us learn these things! lol
Wow sounds like quite an experience. Did you know that Cuba considers their limitada cigars to be maduro. At least they used to. They refer to any wrapper from the top of the plant (ligero) as maduro because it ferments the longest. Literally in Spanish maduro just means "ripe". Man all this talk of maduro is making my mouth water. Think I'll have to smoke an LHC OF today. Now that my friends is unequivocally a true maduro lol.
I'm glad you posted this Alex. I was on another site, (please don't be mad lol) and was looking at a supposed maduro sampler of 10 different cigars, and of the five, 4 of them were not maduros. I actually posted something in their mini-forum, which consiste of one thread, and one of the employees actually replied to my post telling me that, "There is no such thing as a maduro leaf and that the term maduro refers to the color." I then replied back that I was quite aware that there is not a "maduro leaf" that can be grown to make maduro cigars, but that making maduro cigars is a process of fermentation that requires high heat, high humidity, and pressure..etc...etc...
Of course after that the guy never said anything back, but this short little conversation made me realize that this probably isn't someone I want to do business with if I know more about their own product than they do. Makes me proud to be a forum member here at Ccom and glad to have you guys around to help us learn these things! lol
wow... i am annoyed by people to think they know what they are doing but (even to most novices) clearly does not.
the concept of "maduro" was one of the very first things that i learned about when first attempting to learn about cigars. it would be quite embarrassing for me (or anyone i guess) in the cigar business to not even be able to tell their customer about this concept. it seems like the same thing as a baker not knowing the difference between brown sugar and white sugar
I'm glad you posted this Alex. I was on another site, (please don't be mad lol) and was looking at a supposed maduro sampler of 10 different cigars, and of the five, 4 of them were not maduros. I actually posted something in their mini-forum, which consiste of one thread, and one of the employees actually replied to my post telling me that, "There is no such thing as a maduro leaf and that the term maduro refers to the color." I then replied back that I was quite aware that there is not a "maduro leaf" that can be grown to make maduro cigars, but that making maduro cigars is a process of fermentation that requires high heat, high humidity, and pressure..etc...etc...
Of course after that the guy never said anything back, but this short little conversation made me realize that this probably isn't someone I want to do business with if I know more about their own product than they do. Makes me proud to be a forum member here at Ccom and glad to have you guys around to help us learn these things! lol
wow... i am annoyed by people to think they know what they are doing but (even to most novices) clearly does not.
the concept of "maduro" was one of the very first things that i learned about when first attempting to learn about cigars. it would be quite embarrassing for me (or anyone i guess) in the cigar business to not even be able to tell their customer about this concept. it seems like the same thing as a baker not knowing the difference between brown sugar and white sugar
That's pretty bad. There should be a basic understanding of what you sell, especially in something like cigars or wine (liquor too).
Maduro is a process not a color. For the process a leaf must come from a certain priming, seed and country to ensure it can undergo the rigerous fermentation without falling apart. Sumatra seed is a seed that can't naturally endure the process like other seed or tobacco varieties. That said Sumatra Ecuador is the thickest and the top priming is also which this is so it is best suited to ferment the longest of the sumatra seed family based on it's growing origin and priming. Is it a true maduro? That would be a matter of debate. It is certainly the most well fermented Sumatra seed leaf in the world. Perhaps one one hundreth of one percent. Very rare. Did it ferment long enough to bring out all the sugars? That is the debatable question. It is certainly as dark of a Sumatra Ecuador wrapper you will find and if there is such thing as a Sumatra Ecuador maduro this is it. For that reason I am comfortable calling it a maduro but I am certainly aware that there are opposing opinions and I am totally fine with that. It is the beauty if this hobby. In terms of having secrets, it is important. If people knew the blend of all cigars and freely wrote it, people would rip it off left and right. In fact, I'd bet 95% of the descriptions outguess from the manufacturers are false in an effort to protect themselves. They may be close but never exact. Even factories I visit will write the wrong blend on things in purpose because factories will sometimes try to pay workers from other factories. This is an honorable business but it happens, I have seen it. So many times the only guy in the factory that truly knows the blend is the master blender and they intentioannly false label things to protect themselves. Crazy I know. The armada description is spot on but we protect one ingredient but it is a crucial ingredient. Not only does it prevent someone stealing the blend, but this particular tobacco is grown Ina region that no one else is using. Armada us the only cigar for sale in the US that uses this particular variety and the factory does not want to draw attention to it as they have a monopoly on it. Hope all of this info helps shed some light on things. The cigar is rare and to me a true gem and the best cigar on the market. For over a year it was my own little treat but now something I can share with others. I just wish more than only about 10k sticks a year could be rolled. Perhaps if they can plant more in the coming years it will be a reality.
Alex, have you ever thought about putting a book out? I mean your knowledge is fantastic.
LOL been working on a book for the better part of three years but never have the time to sit down and finish it. I am about halfway at this point. It is called "cigars in 60 minutes" and the concept is to deliver the cigar basics and a foundation of knowledge in a 60 minute read such that the reader upon completion could feel comfortable going into a cigar shop or holding their own in most cigar discussions. More than that though, I am writing it out of pure frustration with the other books on the market on the topic. Too many over complicate the whole thing and I think it is a turn off. Like wine, I would love to get into wine, but every time I try to learn about it, I get overwhelmed, intimidated and just throw in the towel. Not only that, a lot of cigar books out there try to pass of very opinion or personal preference oriented material as fact. The beauty of the hobby is the individual experience and allowing the smoker to form his own opinions. I want the book to just deliver a foundation of the science of the hobby (those principles generally agreed upon) and encourage the reader to obtain the rest of their knowledge through experience and formulating their own opinions. People pick up a book because they want to learn and they should feel invited into this hobby, not intimidated by it.
I'm glad you posted this Alex. I was on another site, (please don't be mad lol) and was looking at a supposed maduro sampler of 10 different cigars, and of the five, 4 of them were not maduros. I actually posted something in their mini-forum, which consiste of one thread, and one of the employees actually replied to my post telling me that, "There is no such thing as a maduro leaf and that the term maduro refers to the color." I then replied back that I was quite aware that there is not a "maduro leaf" that can be grown to make maduro cigars, but that making maduro cigars is a process of fermentation that requires high heat, high humidity, and pressure..etc...etc...
Of course after that the guy never said anything back, but this short little conversation made me realize that this probably isn't someone I want to do business with if I know more about their own product than they do. Makes me proud to be a forum member here at Ccom and glad to have you guys around to help us learn these things! lol
wow... i am annoyed by people to think they know what they are doing but (even to most novices) clearly does not.
the concept of "maduro" was one of the very first things that i learned about when first attempting to learn about cigars. it would be quite embarrassing for me (or anyone i guess) in the cigar business to not even be able to tell their customer about this concept. it seems like the same thing as a baker not knowing the difference between brown sugar and white sugar
Yea, I was shocked by the lack of knowledge from this company rep... I won't say what the name of this company was, but let's just say they sell cigars internationally.... But only within the U.S. lol
A book with simple explanations to set a good foundation would indeed be welcome; can't tell you how many times I've run across conceited ****, both online and in print, who think - "real men smoke only full-bodied", - "maduro is a leaf type", - "only brand X makes good cigars; the others are ***", - "(US-citizen): I only smoke cubans, but when I'm forced to, I can smoke brand X", etc.
There's so much trash, conflicting advice, and outright bad advice out there that it can boggle any newbies head
A book with simple explanations to set a good foundation would indeed be welcome; can't tell you how many times I've run across conceited ****, both online and in print, who think - "real men smoke only full-bodied", - "maduro is a leaf type", - "only brand X makes good cigars; the others are ***", - "(US-citizen): I only smoke cubans, but when I'm forced to, I can smoke brand X", etc.
There's so much trash, conflicting advice, and outright bad advice out there that it can boggle any newbies head
Oh man, the last one on your list really rang home with me brother... well the whole list really. I hate the mentality of "if you dont like what I like you dont know what you are talking about" BS!!! How anyone can say how best to age cigars, store cigars, smoke cigars, judge cigars is beyond me!! Some of the books I have read that make me want to absolutely puke inspired me to look up and research the author. Many of this "literature" is written by guys who are professional writers and hence perhaps not even cigar smokers but rather bonified research paper writers. You are spot on with some of the mentality out there in blogs and forums and other parts of the web that make my stomach turn. this is and never has been about "whose *** is biggest" and it kills me to see it. Some of the most valuable information I have discovered or ideas for that matter have been from guys who have been doing this for a lot less time than I have and I love that part of this hobby. If only more people would just open their mind ideas other than their own. I could go on for hours about this.
Maduro is a process not a color. For the process a leaf must come from a certain priming, seed and country to ensure it can undergo the rigerous fermentation without falling apart. Sumatra seed is a seed that can't naturally endure the process like other seed or tobacco varieties. That said Sumatra Ecuador is the thickest and the top priming is also which this is so it is best suited to ferment the longest of the sumatra seed family based on it's growing origin and priming. Is it a true maduro? That would be a matter of debate. It is certainly the most well fermented Sumatra seed leaf in the world. Perhaps one one hundreth of one percent. Very rare. Did it ferment long enough to bring out all the sugars? That is the debatable question. It is certainly as dark of a Sumatra Ecuador wrapper you will find and if there is such thing as a Sumatra Ecuador maduro this is it. For that reason I am comfortable calling it a maduro but I am certainly aware that there are opposing opinions and I am totally fine with that. It is the beauty if this hobby. In terms of having secrets, it is important. If people knew the blend of all cigars and freely wrote it, people would rip it off left and right. In fact, I'd bet 95% of the descriptions outguess from the manufacturers are false in an effort to protect themselves. They may be close but never exact. Even factories I visit will write the wrong blend on things in purpose because factories will sometimes try to pay workers from other factories. This is an honorable business but it happens, I have seen it. So many times the only guy in the factory that truly knows the blend is the master blender and they intentioannly false label things to protect themselves. Crazy I know. The armada description is spot on but we protect one ingredient but it is a crucial ingredient. Not only does it prevent someone stealing the blend, but this particular tobacco is grown Ina region that no one else is using. Armada us the only cigar for sale in the US that uses this particular variety and the factory does not want to draw attention to it as they have a monopoly on it. Hope all of this info helps shed some light on things. The cigar is rare and to me a true gem and the best cigar on the market. For over a year it was my own little treat but now something I can share with others. I just wish more than only about 10k sticks a year could be rolled. Perhaps if they can plant more in the coming years it will be a reality.
I was just wondering if they grew that *** in a cave how could something so rare yet so good not be known I would think that other cigar manufactures would say x is the only person growing y in that particular region we need to grow y too so we can make some of those damn fine cigars!
This cigar has gotten really good marks from some reviewers whose opinions I generally take to heart. The one stick I have in the humi looks and smells fantastic. The wrapper is really impressive. Am I correct, Alex, that it does not actually go through any maduro process, and is just naturally that dark from aging and normal fermentation (plus being a high quality leaf)? I may be missing it somewhere, but what exactly is the blend like on this cigar (don't need super detailed info, just what tobacco is used)?
it is not a maduro. there is extra fermentation on the wrapper leaf but not done in the way a maduro is done. the blend is a secret blend with a heavy hand on the nicaraguan ligero -- including the wrapper leaf (if i am not mistaken). the binder is nicaraguan seco. there are other tobaccos in there but if Alex told anyone then it wouldnt be a secret anymore.
whats the saying?
... two people can keep a secret if one of them is dead.
See, that's an example of where there needs to be more transparency in the tobacco industry... Just my opinion. I have a lot of respect for the guys like J Drew and Pete who readily list the blend information on their websites (and in the case of Liga Privada, on the box itself) for those of us who want/need to know what is in our cigar.
i mean, i can respect that. how about coke's secret formula? KFC's 13 secret spices? many brands were built on secret formulas. its nopt like you dont know whats in there. at some point its all tobacco....
... right?
iduno. i can see both sides.
Although I like transparency, J Drew keeps his infusion process and recipes secret also, so not altogether transparent on his part.
How is Drew's infusion process a secret? I thought he just took a wizz on the cigars as they came off the line, and PRESTO! Infused Acids!
A book with simple explanations to set a good foundation would indeed be welcome; can't tell you how many times I've run across conceited ****, both online and in print, who think - "real men smoke only full-bodied", - "maduro is a leaf type", - "only brand X makes good cigars; the others are ***", - "(US-citizen): I only smoke cubans, but when I'm forced to, I can smoke brand X", etc.
There's so much trash, conflicting advice, and outright bad advice out there that it can boggle any newbies head
"only brand X makes good cigars; the others are ***"- this forum is like that towards Drew Estate infused cigars, but those are pretty popular. Here at ccom, CI, local b&ms..
Just see every time some thing is said about any infused cigars, most members that reply say the are trash and not real cigars, etc, etc... Just sayin.
True, but the term is also used to describe a certain color/shade of cigar wrapper, when talking only about color... For instance, this chart:
Because of the way their wrappers are done, this kind of description is mostly used with Cuban cigars though... Right?
I would think this chart is using some of these terms incorrectly...
I dunno, I've heard some pretty big names in the Cuban cigar industry refer to wrapper color as colorado maduro, bordering on maduro, etc. before... I would think that they know their stuff...
True, but the term is also used to describe a certain color/shade of cigar wrapper, when talking only about color... For instance, this chart:
Because of the way their wrappers are done, this kind of description is mostly used with Cuban cigars though... Right?
I would think this chart is using some of these terms incorrectly...
I dunno, I've heard some pretty big names in the Cuban cigar industry refer to wrapper color as colorado maduro, bordering on maduro, etc. before... I would think that they know their stuff...
both maduro and oscuro are processes.
in the maduro process bales of tobacco are tightly packed. This high pressure causes heat within the bale and the tobacco "cooks". The tobacco gets darker and the sugars are drawn out. The tobacco mellows a bit. Many people believe that the darker a cigar is the stronger it is. This is not true. It is actually quite the opposite. A maduro leaf will be a bit mild and sweet compared to the same leaf that has not gone through the maduro process.
Oscuro wrapper leaves are taken from the top priming at medio tiempo (literally half time, meaning theyve been left on the plant 50% longer). Since these leaves have been exposed to a maximum amount of sunlight, they begin to cure on the plant. You end up with a darker, thicker, richer and more flavorful leaf than you would have otherwise.
on top of that, not all oscuros are black and not all maduros are very dark. yes, the color and the name are the same thing. ...but the inside of every orange isnt orange, yet it is still called an orange. If you were able to dye an orange blue would it still be called an orange?
Smoked my first Armada last night. Woah baby what an awesome smoke. Gotta hand it to Alex and AJ, I'm going to put it right up there with my favs from LFD, Tatuaje and Fuente.
both maduro and oscuro are processes.
in the maduro process bales of tobacco are tightly packed. This high pressure causes heat within the bale and the tobacco "cooks". The tobacco gets darker and the sugars are drawn out. The tobacco mellows a bit. Many people believe that the darker a cigar is the stronger it is. This is not true. It is actually quite the opposite. A maduro leaf will be a bit mild and sweet compared to the same leaf that has not gone through the maduro process.
I'm aware of all of that, but I'm saying that the term is used to describe a COLOR sometimes, not just the process. A montecristo No. 2 can (and sometimes really do) have a wrapper, which has not undergone any of the maduro processes, but is a dark enough shade that it is described as such. I'm not saying they call it a maduro wrapper, I'm saying that the description would be "Shade of the wrapper is right on maduro, maybe colorado maduro+. See what I'm getting at?
I've got 6 at the moment, I've got one to have some time soon when the weathers good, and then one a year for christmas for the next 5 years, what do you think, too long to keep them?
I'm aware of all of that, but I'm saying that the term is used to describe a COLOR sometimes, not just the process. A montecristo No. 2 can (and sometimes really do) have a wrapper, which has not undergone any of the maduro processes, but is a dark enough shade that it is described as such. I'm not saying they call it a maduro wrapper, I'm saying that the description would be "Shade of the wrapper is right on maduro, maybe colorado maduro+. See what I'm getting at?
it is used to describe color.
... i was under the impression that this thread was about how that description is wrong. iduno... i mean i have been know to miss the point some times.
i hope you dont think i was trying to talk down to you. i know you know what up. im not sure if you have noticed, but im quite verbose.
got the 2 deal a couple weeks ago, going to let them rest awhile, speaking of cutters, i smoke at home so does anyone have any input on the Xikar sissor cutters? got a couple that not happy with, if i can refrain a month without spending my xtra $$$ on cigars witch cutter can anyone reccomend? Xikar are best?
The Xikar MTX folding scissors are awesome. They are small and fit easily into a pocket and the cut they make is first rate, precise and smooth as butter. I've had a few different cutters including the Xikar Xi3, and the scissors are far superior.
I have been thinking about these myself , Our Brother Brandon has a Pair and also gives them rave reviews
Smoked my first Armada last night. Woah baby what an awesome smoke. Gotta hand it to Alex and AJ, I'm going to put it right up there with my favs from LFD, Tatuaje and Fuente.
Hi Tat! well this is the comparison i was waiting for, I have 2 resting, i want to smoke one but am giving them some time. I agree that all that went into this stick is the reason for the Cost, I am not a Big fan of HIGH priced sticks as Most have fallen way short of anything I would pay what I had to pay for them. I have found that i have smoke dozens of 7-13 dollar cigars that are much better than ANY cigar for 20+ ... I stick with my observations that smoking those Cigars are for Showboaters and guys who want to look or be Important! LOL Thank god Im not there!
I stick with my observations that smoking those Cigars are for Showboaters and guys who want to look or be Important! LOL Thank god Im not there!
You might not be there, but ain't it the dream to have enough cash to do that sort of thing?
I'm not into smoking expensive sticks, simply because like you said, I've never really found any that justify their price. That said, I'd like the Armada to come down a bit in price, but it's probably the first expensive stick that I'm seriously thinking of buying a box of
Comments
/jk
Of course after that the guy never said anything back, but this short little conversation made me realize that this probably isn't someone I want to do business with if I know more about their own product than they do. Makes me proud to be a forum member here at Ccom and glad to have you guys around to help us learn these things! lol
the concept of "maduro" was one of the very first things that i learned about when first attempting to learn about cigars.
it would be quite embarrassing for me (or anyone i guess) in the cigar business to not even be able to tell their customer about this concept.
it seems like the same thing as a baker not knowing the difference between brown sugar and white sugar
- "real men smoke only full-bodied",
- "maduro is a leaf type",
- "only brand X makes good cigars; the others are ***",
- "(US-citizen): I only smoke cubans, but when I'm forced to, I can smoke brand X", etc.
There's so much trash, conflicting advice, and outright bad advice out there that it can boggle any newbies head
Because of the way their wrappers are done, this kind of description is mostly used with Cuban cigars though... Right?
RIght on !
"only brand X makes good cigars; the others are ***"- this forum is like that towards Drew Estate infused cigars, but those are pretty popular. Here at ccom, CI, local b&ms..
Just see every time some thing is said about any infused cigars, most members that reply say the are trash and not real cigars, etc, etc... Just sayin.
in the maduro process bales of tobacco are tightly packed. This high pressure causes heat within the bale and the tobacco "cooks". The tobacco gets darker and the sugars are drawn out. The tobacco mellows a bit. Many people believe that the darker a cigar is the stronger it is. This is not true. It is actually quite the opposite. A maduro leaf will be a bit mild and sweet compared to the same leaf that has not gone through the maduro process.
Oscuro wrapper leaves are taken from the top priming at medio tiempo (literally half time, meaning theyve been left on the plant 50% longer). Since these leaves have been exposed to a maximum amount of sunlight, they begin to cure on the plant. You end up with a darker, thicker, richer and more flavorful leaf than you would have otherwise.
on top of that, not all oscuros are black and not all maduros are very dark. yes, the color and the name are the same thing.
...but the inside of every orange isnt orange, yet it is still called an orange. If you were able to dye an orange blue would it still be called an orange?
... i was under the impression that this thread was about how that description is wrong.
iduno... i mean i have been know to miss the point some times.
i hope you dont think i was trying to talk down to you. i know you know what up.
im not sure if you have noticed, but im quite verbose.
I have been thinking about these myself , Our Brother Brandon has a Pair and also gives them rave reviews
Hi Tat! well this is the comparison i was waiting for, I have 2 resting, i want to smoke one but am giving them some time. I agree that all that went into this stick is the reason for the Cost, I am not a Big fan of HIGH priced sticks as Most have fallen way short of anything I would pay what I had to pay for them. I have found that i have smoke dozens of 7-13 dollar cigars that are much better than ANY cigar for 20+ ... I stick with my observations that smoking those Cigars are for Showboaters and guys who want to look or be Important! LOL Thank god Im not there!
I'm not into smoking expensive sticks, simply because like you said, I've never really found any that justify their price. That said, I'd like the Armada to come down a bit in price, but it's probably the first expensive stick that I'm seriously thinking of buying a box of