Cigar Wraps For WRAP ARTISTS: A GUIDE TO CIGAR WRAPPERS II

There are three parts to a cigar; the outside wrapper, the filler and the binder that holds the two together. There are ten different types of cigar wraps that help to "shape" the flavor of your smoke in more ways than just holding the binders and fillers together. The easiest way to classify wrappers is to look at their color. Typically speaking, the darker the color, the stronger the flavor of the wrapper. Here are the different types listed from the lightest, mildest varieties, to the most robust. Choosing a cigar can be confusing at first. There are so many different varieties, sizes and shapes, it's hard to know where to begin. Even now that you know the differences between the cigar wraps, you may not want to invest in a full box of each to pick a favorite. Fortunately, you don't have to. There is a sampler called the Wrap Artists: A Guide to Cigar Wrappers that will allow you to "taste the rainbow" and choose a new favorite with every smoke. 

• Double Claro or Candela
• Connecticut
• Connecticut Broadleaf
• Natural
• Corojo
• Criollo
• Sumatra
• Habano
• Maduro
• Oscuro
• Cameroon
• African Cameroon
• Rosado

Also known as Candela wrappers, have a green tint because the leaves are picked before they are fully ripe. The leaves are dried quickly giving this wrapper a very fresh, leafy aroma. Cigars that uses this wrappers are usually milder in terms of body and strength. Every cigar manufacture, in time, develops a line or some time only a cigar within a line using Candela. Some well known are the Arturo Fuente 858 Candela and La Flor Dominicana Double Claro.

These are shade-grown wrappers which means the plants are grown under a cheesecloth barrier that prevents the leaves from getting too much sun. They also get their name from where the seeds originate. Tobacco has been a core crop of Connecticut since 1640. This ensures a milder flavor that some people say has peppery notes. Lately Connecticut wrappers have grown into three more Connecticuts: Connecticut shade tobacco, Connecticut Habano-seed tobacco and Connecticut broadleaf tobacco.

Natural wrappers are a bit sweeter and have a full spice profile. While they are typically a bit darker than a Connecticut wrapper, they are similar in color to other wrap types.

Corojo is principally grown in Honduras. The leaves tend to be very oily giving them a darker color and fuller-bodied smoke. They tend to be spicier, with notes of black pepper, cocoa, and cedar.

This is one of the oldest tobacco leaves. Because they are susceptible to disease, you're most likely to find they are used in blends. That can make them slightly milder or sweeter than Corojo wrappers, but they still have peppery notes.

Named after the island they originated on, these leaves are now mostly grown in Honduras and Ecuador. As a wrap, it's mild enough not to fight with your filler, but it will add tastes like cinnamon, earth or floral notes.

The final medium-bodied leaf is the Habano. These tend to be the darkest and spiciest of the "natural" leaves. They are grown in several countries, though their primary home is Nicaragua. These also have a high nicotine content.

Maduro leaves are fully ripe when picked but also cured for a minimum of 45 days up to several years to allow their color to change to a dark, rich brown. This brings out natural sugars and a caramel flavoring.

These are sometimes called Double Maduros because they are the darkest leaf you will find. They are fermented even longer than Maduros, so they offer even more sweetness and strength.

Cameroon wrappers are another leaf that takes its name from where it is principally grown. They tend to be very delicate leaves, so they are not aged the way Maduras are. They do offer strong flavors of leather and pepper. The well known Arturo Fuente Don Carlos cigars are made with the best African Cameroon Tobacco from Meerapfel.

These rare leaves prove the exception to the color rule. They have a somewhat reddish hue that belies their strength. They are rare because they hard to grow anywhere but Cuba, so they are prized by aficionados. Some of the Best Cigars are made using this Rosado wrapper. Among them fine Arturo Fuente Rosado Sungrown.