The western world knew nothing of cigars until the Spanish landed on American beaches in 1492. They discovered natives smoking raw tobacco leaves which were twisted and wrapped using dried corn husks. Fast forward to the 1800s and the State tobacco monopoly in Servile Spain used the same trend to produce much better cigars. Tobacco was costly during that time and cigars were a luxury enjoyed by the wealthy only. Catherine II embraced smoking and ordered silk straps to be used as wrappers to avoid teeth discoloration from direct contact with nicotine. That is how the modern-day cigar wrappers came to being.

Cigar wrappers have undergone significant changes over the years but they still have two layers. The inner one is the same as the cigarette rolling paper and the outer one is a homogenized tobacco blend. Tobacco is the principal ingredient in this layer. Besides the functionality the wrapper offers, it is the first thing a smoker notices when buying a cigar. Therefore, manufacturers use it as a marketing platform as well as educating the smoker about the quality and contents of the cigar. Additionally, the cigar wrappers determine 60-90% of the flavor.

Qualities of the best cigar wrappers

The Nitty Gritty

Cigar wrappers should have no blemishes, and it should be larger than the other leaves, in order to cover the cigar in its entirety. Therefore, it is generally cut from the lower parts of the tobacco plant. This is where the biggest leaves grow. In addition, its sheen is distinct due to the interaction of specific oils, thanks to the aging process. Cigar growers take care of the wrapper in order to give the smoker the best experience and an optimal taste.

Color

Cigar wrappers can be anywhere between a light tan and a dark brown color. Occasionally, you may find offbeat green cigar wrappers. Note that all the leaves are green, but the color changes as they age. This is what brings about the chocolate hue.

Also, each shade is linked to a certain type. The name is determined by the seed origin, where it was grown and the processes involved in its cultivation. There are over 50 types of wrapper leaves, many of which are a cross-between seeds with a different origin. The hybrids are born of seeds that are produced in a particular region but grown at a different one. A good example is Ecuadorian Connecticut.

In the history of cigar wrappers, the major ones are:

Connecticut

You can pick the origin of this type of cigar wrapper from the name. The leaf has its origins in the Northeastern U.S state. Of all the tobacco exported from the U.S, this is the only significant one. Nonetheless, the seeds are grown in Ecuador too. There are special conditions that go in nurturing the plant and that is why it is nicknamed the “Connecticut Shade.” It is grown in a protected environment, which takes after giant cheesecloth sheets. The shade ensures the color of the leaf remains light. Also, excessive sunlight does not beat the plant to the point of affecting the leaf color.

With lack of sunlight, the leaf’s nicotine content and flavor are kept at a mild level. The Connecticut wrapper leaves have a spicy, woody, and cedar taste. If you want to enjoy the mild, earthy flavor of the Connecticut wrapper My Father’s Connecticut Corona Gorda is a great place to start.

Connecticut

You can pick the origin of this type of cigar wrapper from the name. The leaf has its origins in the Northeastern U.S state. Of all the tobacco exported from the U.S, this is the only significant one. Nonetheless, the seeds are grown in Ecuador too. There are special conditions that go in nurturing the plant and that is why it is nicknamed the “Connecticut Shade.” It is grown in a protected environment, which takes after giant cheesecloth sheets. The shade ensures the color of the leaf remains light. Also, excessive sunlight does not beat the plant to the point of affecting the leaf color.

With lack of sunlight, the leaf’s nicotine content and flavor are kept at a mild level. The Connecticut wrapper leaves have a spicy, woody, and cedar taste. If you want to enjoy the mild, earthy flavor of the Connecticut wrapper My Father’s Connecticut Corona Gorda is a great place to start.

Connecticut

You can pick the origin of this type of cigar wrapper from the name. The leaf has its origins in the Northeastern U.S state. Of all the tobacco exported from the U.S, this is the only significant one. Nonetheless, the seeds are grown in Ecuador too. There are special conditions that go in nurturing the plant and that is why it is nicknamed the “Connecticut Shade.” It is grown in a protected environment, which takes after giant cheesecloth sheets. The shade ensures the color of the leaf remains light. Also, excessive sunlight does not beat the plant to the point of affecting the leaf color.

With lack of sunlight, the leaf’s nicotine content and flavor are kept at a mild level. The Connecticut wrapper leaves have a spicy, woody, and cedar taste. If you want to enjoy the mild, earthy flavor of the Connecticut wrapper My Father’s Connecticut Corona Gorda is a great place to start.