My Version of a Cigar "Thesis"
90+_Irishman
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in Cigar 101
Okay Sports Fans, here is the deal. I've decided to start a project that will be absolutely enormous and incredibly complicated, kind of my version of a thesis for the cigar industry. Main reasons being that honestly I am just incredibly interested and intrigued with the topic and would love to get into the science behind it, plus I think it would have the ability to let me gain some great experience and position me better for breaking into the cigar industry as you all know I am doing everything I can to get into.
The topic that I will be researching is how soil composition, mineral content, climate, altitude, longitude and latitude, and season directly affect the specific taste of the tobacco harvested from different countries, regions, and strains of the tobacco seeds planted.
To my knowledge very few if in fact any have ever tried to research and publish something like this. I'm sure that the farmers, and cigar titan families have done something like this, but I don't think that anyone like myself "hobbyist/amateur" has attempted this. I am already talking to some knowledgeable and intelligent people in the tobacco industry, and will be attempting to locate someone with an agricultural doctorate or if I am lucky enough possibly someone with knowledge like this from one of the farms that grow cigar quality leaf.
Obviously this is going to take a great deal of time, and tons of brain damage lol, but I am fascinated by this and decided to pursue it regardless, so here goes!
This ultimately started when I started to quantify specific flavors that I pick up in certain leaf from specific countries and regions, namely the citrusy tang and "wet" pungent dark earth that I ALWAYS pick up in Nicaraguan tobacco, one of the biggest reasons why Nicaraguan leaf is my all time fav.
So my question to you all is this; if you think that you could get a handle on information regarding this, have a background where you would likely understand soil or climate and its effect on agriculture, or anything useful you want to add I STRONGLY encourage you to post and get in contact with me! If you want to be involved in this project I would be HAPPY to have you along for the ride and will obviously credit you and your contributions on this "thesis" and be truly grateful for you help! Thank you all and can't wait to get some progress and answers on this!
The topic that I will be researching is how soil composition, mineral content, climate, altitude, longitude and latitude, and season directly affect the specific taste of the tobacco harvested from different countries, regions, and strains of the tobacco seeds planted.
To my knowledge very few if in fact any have ever tried to research and publish something like this. I'm sure that the farmers, and cigar titan families have done something like this, but I don't think that anyone like myself "hobbyist/amateur" has attempted this. I am already talking to some knowledgeable and intelligent people in the tobacco industry, and will be attempting to locate someone with an agricultural doctorate or if I am lucky enough possibly someone with knowledge like this from one of the farms that grow cigar quality leaf.
Obviously this is going to take a great deal of time, and tons of brain damage lol, but I am fascinated by this and decided to pursue it regardless, so here goes!
This ultimately started when I started to quantify specific flavors that I pick up in certain leaf from specific countries and regions, namely the citrusy tang and "wet" pungent dark earth that I ALWAYS pick up in Nicaraguan tobacco, one of the biggest reasons why Nicaraguan leaf is my all time fav.
So my question to you all is this; if you think that you could get a handle on information regarding this, have a background where you would likely understand soil or climate and its effect on agriculture, or anything useful you want to add I STRONGLY encourage you to post and get in contact with me! If you want to be involved in this project I would be HAPPY to have you along for the ride and will obviously credit you and your contributions on this "thesis" and be truly grateful for you help! Thank you all and can't wait to get some progress and answers on this!
"When walking in open territory bother no one. If someone bothers you, ask them to stop. If they do not stop, destroy them."
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if you are in the cigar industry because it is an art then you are in it for the wrong reasons. it is a science
if you are in the cigar industry because it is a science, then you are in it for the wrong reasons. it is a business.
this is an even larger undertaking than you may even know.
Looks like you're taking a lot of factors ( soil, temp, climate, long/lat ) and looking for any effect they have on one factor, taste. This sounds like a linear regression. But it also seems like the one factor you are interested in, taste, is highly subjective.
Same deal for studies that say "this, this and this are good for your health" You have to ask, what does "good for your health" mean?? Live longer? Less illness on average?
It seems to me that research like this requires a solid base for comparison, which taste might not be due to its subjectivity.
This does sound very interesting, and I'd love to see solid research on the cigar industry, what goes into production, and how the country of origin affects the final product.
This is going to take months to years to do. I'm quite familiar with massive and time intensive projects, ones that have taken years so I really am aware of jut how vast this will be.
Thank you for encouraging me about this guys, it's going to be really tough and take a lot of time, but THIS is the fun part for me, figuring out the why for the things I love!
Another great way to learn about this stuff is to go to the source. It's not cheap, but for instance, Drew Estate offers the Cigar Safari, which is a trip to Nicaragua, involves visiting La Gran Fabrica Drew Estate (one of the largest, and most well equipped factories in Nicaragua), as well as a bunch of other cigar related locations around Esteli (and from all accounts I have heard, a fair amount of partying with JDrew and crew lol).
As for my goals for the industry it is a step-wise plan so to speak. First step would be to start working at a lounge, move into management, and then ultimately become a shop owner. From there in a number of years start having my own blends/brand from my lounge, very similar from what Pete Johnson or Dion Giolito did to a degree. From there I'm not sure but my "someday" dream job would honestly be blending, hence why I am doing research into soil composition, pH balance, and that line of thinking. I think it would serve me well when I really am able to start going down this path even as a shop owner etc.
As for doing the tours and trips I think that truly is the best way to get info first hand and start learning more immediately. I would love to do so, as would Amanda, but there is no way we can afford it for at least two-three years honestly
So, for example, if you wanted to look at the effect of rainfall, you'd pick out multiple regions where rainfall is variable between years, but all other conditions are the same. You then compare the different tastes year to year among each region.
That's fairly simple in principle, but in practice all other variables influencing the taste of that tobacco would have to be the same: seed, strain, soil, priming, harvest time, fermentation, and I'm sure 100 more I'm not thinking of or don't know about.
Then there's the fact that the tobacco we're talking about is blended with lots of others to make a cigar. The closest you could come to this would, possibly, be to try the same stick from different harvest years. But even then they'd probably mix harvest years in every stick so I'm not so sure you can pinpoint a given change in only rainfall. And that's just one variable.
If you're open to a little chemistry (ok, a lot of chemistry, but simple-ish chemistry), you could instead grow a lot of tobacco yourself and determine the chemical composition of tobacco under various variables that you yourself control in the growing process. You can then try to understand what chemical compositions create what flavors on your palette and begin to be able to predict what conditions would produce what flavors. Then try it and see if you're on the right track.
The agricultural side sounds really interesting. My suggestion would be to look into the similar research that has (probably) been done regarding coffee and wine. It occurs to me that the basic formula for how soil composition, altitude, humidity, sunlight, etc effect the tastes of a cigar would be realtively similar to why it shapes the taste of certain coffees and wines.
It might give you a place to start, or an overview of how to proceed, whom to contact, and so on.
Good luck!
Ken has very good points as well.
My advice..........simplify your study objective.................objective being the key word.
Objectivity versus subjectivity will be issues that could screw up your project if you're not careful.
If you are going to take the time to do "scientific analysis" (soils, regions, rainfall, seeds, etc.) - your results should to be objectively measurable (ie - Seed A grows to 4 feet, yields x pounds of tobacco, and has X nicotine content when grown in Nicaragua, and only takes 6 months to ferment. In the Domiican Republic Seed A grows to 3 feet, yields y pounds of tobacco, etc.,etc.)
Then you could put your "subjective" analysis (taste, color, aroma, strength, etc.) and lay it over the objectively gathered/measured data and findings, maybe in your Summary of Findings section at the end of the thesis.
As Kuzi and others noted, there are a LOT of variables in the objective/measureable component of your undertaking. There are even MORE on the subjective side...................
So, imho, I would advise you to simplify and carefully define your objective (at least for your first cigar research thesis) - you can take on the "Grand Thesis" on your second or third effort!
Good luck.................wish I had as much time as you do!! :-)