12th Feb2012

Types of Tobacco

by GoodFellasCigars

Cigar and pipe tobacco come in a multitude of varieties that vary depending upon where they’re grown. Here is a list of the main tobacco classifications:

  • Air-Cured - Naturally dried tobacco that usually is sheltered inside large barns from sunlight. After 3 months of the drying process sugar is the by-product. Cigar and Burley tobaccos are this.
  • Dark Tobaccos - These leaves are used to make cigars and the tobacco plants they come from are very mature and developed. These leaves are also put through a second fermentation process.
  • Fire-Cured – Very dark leaves that are naturally dried through wood-fired fumigation.
  • Sun-Cured - Oriental tobaccos are made by this process and are grown in Turkey, Bulgaria, Greece, and also from adjoining countries.
  • Here is a list of the different types of cigar and pipe tobacco:

Aromatic Fire-cured

This type of tobacco is used for pipe blends. It is grown in the United States in Virginia, Kentucky, and Tennessee. It’s a rich tobacco that contains notes of floral and adds good aroma and body to the blends its with. One type of fire-cured tobacco is Latakia which has a smokey aroma and a very pronounced flavor. It is usually mixed with English and Balkan-style pipe tobacco. Latakia is made by curing the tobacco leaves and then smoked over aromatic shrubs in Syria, Cyprus, or even local hardwoods.

Brazilian Mata Fina

Used for cigars and is a cousin of Apriparaca. It embodies flavors of sweet, rich, wood. Usually used in higher end cigars.

Brightleaf 

This type of tobacco was  accidentally made around 1839 by a slave of Captain Abisha Slade in Caswell Country, North Carolina.  This type of tobacco is also known as Virginia tobacco too. Brightleaf is ready for harvest when it becomes yellow-green and is most commonly used in blending pipe tobacco.

Burley

Burley is also a very popular tobacco used for blending pipe tobacco. It was created in 1864 by a Mr. Webb near Higginsport, Ohio. Burley absorbs flavors pretty good so it is mainly used in aromatic blends and also much dryer and full aroma than Brightleaf tobacco. This type of tobacco also produces a nice cool smoke that burns slowly.

Cavendish

More or less Cavendish is more a process of cutting and curing a type of tobacco instead of being a type of tobacco on its own. It is usually produced out either Kentucky, Burley, or Virginia and used for cigars or pipe tobacco. Making Cavendish helps bring out a sweet and mild tasting tobacco. The processing of making Cavendish starts with pressing tobacco leaves into a small cake around an inch thick and then after the tobacco is allowed to ferment from either steam or heat from a fire. After, the cake is then broken apart by rubbing in a circular motion. Also artificial flavor maybe sometimes added before the tobacco is pressed into a cake.

Connecticut Broadleaf

Usually used as Maduro wrapper for cigars but, sometimes also used for the binder or filler. Thicker and more earthy tobacco than Connecticut Shade.

Connecticut Shade

Used for milder cigars and is grown mainly in the Connecticut Valley. Produces good amounts of flavor and is a light-colored delicate leaf that is more on the expensive side.

Corojo

Originally a Cuban strain of tobacco that is highly sought after for it’s smooth to creamy to very spicy flavor. It is primarily used for cigar wrappers and was developed in Vuelta Abajo region of Cuba by a man named Diego Rodriguez. The name Corojo comes from the name of Deigo’s farm, Santa Ines del Corojo.

Costa Rican Maron

Very flavorful and is known for it’s unique toasty flavor. Mainly used for making cigar wrappers.

Criollo

Also an original Cuban strain of tobacco. It can either be really flavorful or powerful and will be different depending on the country it’s grown in. Primarily used for cigar wrappers and has a new hybrid called the Criollo 98 which is Blue Mold resistant which has plagued this type of tobacco for a very long time.

Oriental Tobacco

Also known as Turkish tobacco and is used in pipe tobacco. It is sun-cured and known for being highly aromatic. Grown mainly in Greece, Bulgaria, Republic of Macedonia, Lebanon, and of course Turkey.

Perique

Known for having a very strong flavor and is used in blending with Virginian pipe tobacco. Perique came from Saint James Parish, Louisiana and was created by Pierre Chenet in 1824.

Olor, Piloto Cubano, and San Vincente

These 3 are used for cigar fillers and can vary widely. Usually heard in describing the name of a cigar. Also in describing a cigar and determining it’s strength are 3 other main types of fillers: Volado, Seco, and Ligero.

San Andres

Highly sought after cigar wrapper that is a Maduro. Contains alot of flavor and can range from a spicy pepper to a smooth chocolate.

Sumatra

Used in the making of cigar wrappers and has a sweet flavor to it. Can vary from country to country of origin though.

 


Category : Cigar 101
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29th Jan2012

Pre-Production Viaje Honey and Hand Grenades

by GoodFellasCigars

Wrapper: Criollo

Binder: Nicaraguan

Filler:  Nicaraguan

Shape:  Rounded cap with torpedo foot

Size: 5 1/3 x 44

Country: Honduras

Strength: Full

Production: Pre-Production

Release Date: IPCPR 2012

Today we bring you a review of the Pre-Production Viaje Honey and Hand Grenades. This was given to us by Andre Farkas last spring, 2011. Only ten were handed out by him. This cigar is scheduled to be released this year and to be based off the Exclusivo blend. Will this be the next cigar from Viaje to rule them all? Will it be the next Viaje Oro Reserva VOR No. 5? Or just another excellent stick from Viaje? The name itself sounds pretty bad ass and unique, Honey and Hand Grenades. We won’t really know till it’s out on the market. Anyways enough of the talk lets dive into this review!

The Look: The shape of the Honey and Hand Grenades is very unique. If I’m correct this shape is going to be the first of it’s kind in the cigar industry. It consists of a rounded cap and a torpedo like foot. The size is similar to a Corona. The cap by the looks of it is triple capped and the wrapper is put on very smooth from head to foot. The wrapper has a light amount of veins and the pack is very firm with virtually no give. Lastly, the band has a glued on H & HG standing for Honey and Hand Grenades and has brass knuckles underneath it.

The Start: After inspecting the cigar I move to the pre-light aromas. The wrapper had light scents of manure and cedar, nothing too strong. As for the foot it also had a light smell of manure nothing too strong or anything, just average. Moving on to the pre-light draw it took some effort to draw and only had a small amount of sweetness. I couldn’t really pin point it to anything though. Now to begin the light up. Immediately received a strong red pepper spice that gave the tongue a good tickle and made the palate moist. It also had a dark, rich earth flavor.

The Beginning: The first third starts with the red pepper again which you can really feel on the tongue giving it a prickly feeling. As for the draw it becomes easier the farther you move into the torpedo foot. Sounds kind of weird saying torpedo foot. Making my way through the foot I picked up notes of a really dark flavor like a dark roast coffee. When letting the cigar sit it produces little wisps of smoke continuously and as for each draw they produce a great amount of voluminous white smoke that warms the mouth. Now once I get passed the torpedo foot the spice begins to smooth out and the dark flavors begin to come on more than before. The burn here is a little wavy but nothing too concerning. Pretty confident it should smooth out later because it probably waved out due to the torpedo foot light. I’m also really enjoying how it feels in the hand and mouth, good natural feel with the right amount of weight to it. Getting closer to the second third the flavor profile begins to change starting with a bitterness rising up and a tiny amount of burnt caramelized maple wood. With the aroma being of a sweet wood. Also by the start of the second third the burn evens out and the ash that is a mix of white, grey, and black stays firm up til this point.

The Middle: Now making my way into the second third the smoke begins to become more creamy adding more of that sweetness of a semi burnt maple wood. The spice isn’t completely gone thought it’s now more on the back burner to say the least. The profile transition so far has just been great; starting with the dark beginning and now entering the sweet middle. The draw at this point has become very smooth and producing more voluminous amounts of smoke. The burn also has improved just like the draw becoming almost razor sharp. Another plus with this cigar too is that you can let it rest for quite some time without it going out which is due to the smaller ring gauge. Now just before going into the last third I noticed a hint of manure which I’m saying I could have been picking up from the aroma itself.

The End: Lastly, I begin the final third of the Honey and Hand Grenades. The peak of the sweet and creaminess is right here and then it slowly begins to retract. The spice begins it’s ascend back up with it starting to tickle the tongue again. Along with the spice comes the bitterness again. It transforms into more of a barnyard type musk. For example when you go into an old barn and it gives off an old wet smell. The burn is still going steady and same with the ash. Getting farther into the last third the smoke begins to dry out more and inducing a very small amount of almond flavor and a bitter anise flavor on the finish but, still overall keeping that pleasant musky spice. I gave it a retro haul here and experienced a heavy amount of spice that made me tear up a bit. Then as for the finish it consisted of red pepper with an after taste of the musky barnyard wood.

Final Thoughts: Once all is said and done this smoke took me about 1 hour and 10 minutes. The Viaje Honey and Hand Grenades was superb! I was able to smoke it down to the nub without any complaints. I’m very excited for when this hits the market. It has a bad ass name and I especially love the new shape that Viaje tried to do here with a mix between your standard Parejo and Figurado. Hopefully this won’t be the last of this kind of shape because others in the industry could benefit from this idea and maybe even take it further. The Viaje Honey and Hand Grenades provides an excellent journey that any aficionado or beginner would be happy with. I look forward to when this is out and others can enjoy it just as much as I did. Lastly remember folks to check back when this cigar hits the market for our post production review comparison!

CLICK HERE for more information leaked about the Honey and Hand Grenades

Once again a special thanks to MansonPhoto from MansonPhoto.com for taking the pictures. Please rate and comment on the photos because he would love your feedback!

 

Home » Pre-Production Viaje Honey and Hand Grenades » Pre-Production Viaje Honey and Hand Grenades
Viaje Honey and Hand Grenades 2.jpg
Viaje Honey and Hand Grenades 2.jpg
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Viaje Honey and Hand Grenades 9.jpg

 

Category : viaje
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02nd Oct2011

Kristoff Kristania (5.5×60)

by GoodFellasCigars

Wrapper: Nicaraguan Criollo Habano

Binder: Dominican Habano

Filler: Dominican Habano

Shape: Unnamed

Size: 5.5×60

Country: Dominican Republic

Strength: Medium

Welcome back to our 3rd edition of Good Fellas Cigar of the Month. To start lets just say the Kristoff Kristania is unique. Not in a bad way, in a really good way that is why we chose it for this month’s pick. To begin lets start with a little history about this stick, it was first debuted at the 2011 IPCPR trade show in Las Vegas. Kristoff made this stick to help created a new budget cigar that would be a hit and in our minds over here at Good Fellas they did a damn good job! The two unique things we found in this cigar is first the look and then the flavor profile. Right after the bat the wrapper of the Kristania catches your eye for the simple fact it doesn’t look like your standard cigar. It is a standard brown wrapper but, with pretty much black veins all over it, kind of reminded us of Halloween but, more so it looked like a warn piece of leather. The band of this stick also had a pretty cool layout as well besides the fact it sort of blends in with the wrapper. Overall we loved the look of this cigar.

The pack was firm, it had a smell of a sweet and light tobacco, and the pre-light draw was very smooth and with a little sweetness we picked up with nothing else being to noticeable. The other thing we found very unique is the flavor profile of this cigar, it had things you don’t often find in many sticks out there. To start with the initial light flavors which was a spice that tingled the tongue along with a sweet hint that was comparable to a lite cream.

The first third, around only an inch or so into the Kristania it had a spice of roasted cedar which had main stage along with the underlying cream that wasn’t showing it’s true flavor just quite yet. As progressing past an inch or getting close to the second third we noticed the ash is white with a small amount of grey peppered in and it is holding strong with the draw still smooth. The flavors finally begin to really pop here with the spice subduing and a bitterness of a roasted coffee bean or an espresso coming through and along with the cream part we were trying to pin point which at this point were noticing a vanilla bean. Not that much though, it’s comparable to having a dark roast coffee with a small amount of cream in it. Overall at this point a great profile which only seems like it’s going to get better. The smoke produce by the cigar is thick on the draw but, not when resting and also this is the kind of stick which you can let sit a while without going out in you.

Transitioning in to the second third and going through it too the vanilla bean is finally up there more with where one can really notice it. The vanilla takes the main flavor at this point the espresso following close making a nice bitterness right after the sweet you get from the vanilla which is awesome! Then on the finish is just a tad bit of the spice from the beginning that’s still around. The burn at this point is doing alright it is just a little jagged most likely due to the larger ring gauge of this cigar.

Now to the final third of this cigar which becomes more bitter due to that warm coffee flavor and the rich vanilla bean is still there too. Another sweetness that came into play at this part of the cigar too, which was anise. You could taste it after every finish of a draw which went excellent with the bitterness from the coffee. And as for the finish of the Kristania it was a bitterness of anise and the vanilla bean.

We overall here at Good Fellas thought this would be perfect here for our Cigar of the Month due to the fact this was a pretty unique cigar from the look to the taste of it, along with something new and lower price range from Kristoff which isn’t seen too often. So we suggest the Kristoff Kristania to anyone from a beginner to an aficionado.

We would also love to thank MansonPhoto from MansonPhoto.com again for these great pictures!

Home » Kristoff Kristania (5.5×60) » Kristoff Kristania
Comparision size
Comparision size
Band
Band
Cutting the cap
Cutting the cap
Foot
Foot
Toasting the foot
Toasting the foot
Initial light
Initial light
Staring at the glow
Staring at the glow
First third
First third
The ash
The ash


Category : Kristoff
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10th Jun2011

Viaje White Label Fifty Fifty Red

by GoodFellasCigars

Wrapper: Nicaraguan

Binder: Nicaraguan

Filler: Nicaraguan

Country: Honduras

Shape: Criollo

Size: 6 x 48

Production: 200 cigars

Andre Farkas (owner of Viaje) says, “WLP is the vehicle by which we will release experimental blends, shapes, mash ups, factory errors, etc. It’s a peek behind the factory curtain.” This White Label Project release is based on the 50/50 blend.

Viaje has a habit of releasing test batches called White Labels. They are a glimpse of what could be coming down the pipeline; the pipeline is looking phenomenal. Rumor has it that the is the last white Label of 2011. It is a shame that it is because all the white labels are treats and waiting till 2012 to smoke another unique test batch is just too long. That is why we just had to review the Viaje White Label Fifty Fifty Red for you.

From the initial draw the cigar gives a great amount of spice and peanut flavors that last only through the first few puffs. This is probably due to the wrapper extending around the foot of the cigar.  On the finish there are smooth wood flavors and very slight nutty notes that are a preview to what is to come. The draw is quite effortless which is no surprise being that it is a Viaje.  The first third was medium bodied had flavors light nuts, light cedar, and very slight pick pepper. The second third transitioned smoothly not much difference was noticed in the flavor profile. The burn was very even through the entire cigar and not even the thought of a touch up light crossed the mind. The final third becomes stronger, oak comes into play and the spice subsides considerably. Overall the nut and wood flavors were most prominent though out. The Viaje White Label Fifty Fifty Red was just what one would expect form Viaje; it was truly a treat. Get your hands on these incredibly small batch before they are gone you won’t get a chance to enjoy another White Label until 2012.

Category : viaje
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