deluxestogie Grow Log 2016

[Smokin Harley]

No self control. With 1 leaf each of Corojo 99, Coroja and Criollo, all in perfect case for rolling...

Although this isn't the prettiest of sticks, it's a dynamite smoke. Good burn, good aroma, good taste, good strength. It could actually use a leaf of ligero. So this is a smooth and yummy Cuban tobacco cigar that your Granny could enjoy. And you would too.

The Criollo wrapper tastes surprisingly well aged. For the entire stick, there is no hint of rawness, despite having just climbed out of the kiln. [I'm smoking this as I type.] The farther down the cigar I smoke, the more complex and rich the flavors become. There is soft spice--coriander? Mostly earth and leather. And the crisp taste of biting a nasturtium blossom.

Bob

The blend sounds terrific. Is this your crop from this season or last season?

 

[deluxestogie]

S.H. It's from 2016. See the discussion: http://fairtradetobacco.com/threads/6657-deluxestogie-Grow-Log-2016?p=128803&viewfull=1#post128803

Bob

 

[deluxestogie]

An entire string of Corojo 99 (Robaina) lower leaf just emerged from my kiln. It's aroma is smooth and soft, with no suggestion of rawness. Some of the leaves are darker than others, so a puro seems in order. I'm conditioning one lovely leaf for a wrapper (and maybe the binder as well). Stay tuned.

Bob

 

[deluxestogie]

Corojo 99 (Robaina) Seco Puro

With only seco leaf ready from my 2016 Corojo 99 crop, I made this curious cigar. Rolled without glue, the bound bunch was placed into my cigar mold (and rotated 90° after ~30 minutes). After a total of about 1 hour in the mold, the bunch was removed, then wrapped with one of the nicer seco leaves from what was available. The cigar was then placed into a box mold, and heavily pressed into a rectangular, flattened cigar. While still soft, it was removed from the box press, and allowed to relax its severe shape slowly, in my humidor.

The result is an oval cross-section cigar. You can see how the cut edges visible at the foot have been distorted.

When I don't use glue, but plan to rest a cigar prior to smoking it, I usually close the head with a curl. (The cigar is rotated on the rolling board while holding and stretching the excess wrapper beyond the head, until the twist begins to draw itself into a knot--like an over-twisted rubber band.)

Unlit aroma is smooth, mild and without any hint of rawness. It lit easly, and draws nicely. The oval shape is actually more comfortable to smoke than a round profile. Once up to cruising speed, the aroma and strength resembled that of a mild, Dominican Romeo y Julieta. It really did beg for a smattering of viso or ligero in there. But, considering that it is a seco puro, it's damn good.

Toward the final 1/3 of the cigar, I began to notice a slight edginess to the taste. My guess is that this will vanish with a bit of aging.

I eagerly look forward to sampling filler from higher on the stalk. This is clearly a superior and productive cigar variety.

[Next up will be a Nostrano del Brenta long-filler puro.]

Bob

 

[rainmax]

Thanks, Bob for nice review. Your idea of oval cross-section cigar is good. Like it and newer think of it before. I will definately try it.
About this edgines to the taste i have same thinking. I put Corojo from my last year in the sweting chamber again and leave it there
untill my nose will be satisfied. Cubans make three fermentations or even more. Ageing is important and a must.



This is from habanos book and I hope I didn't break any rules...or make damage any how...

 

[deluxestogie]

Maks,
That is interesting information. Although there is no way to correlate kilning (forced fermentation) duration with fermentation in pilones, the subsequent aging definitely makes a difference with many varieties.

Bob

 

[MarcL]

Is it possible to get a higher resolution image on that A LONG WAY TO GO page from the Habanos book?

 

[MarcL]

Thank you.

 

[rainmax]

Maks,
... Although there is no way to correlate kilning (forced fermentation) duration with fermentation in pilones, the subsequent aging definitely makes a difference with many varieties...

Bob

I'm not entirely sure what this mean exactly. I know that farmers made pilones for the first fermentation. But after that government is in charge for aditional procesing. Resting in warehouse and fermentation. For example, if you take ligero after second fermentation 15 days or more. After that they are moistening and stripping the leaf. Than it take place third fermentation. Do you think they made pilones with stripping leaf or they just leave it on the shelters with higher temperature and moister for 90 days like aging? What means fermentation for them?
All that were the questions that I wanted to ask when I was on fabric tour in Partagas. Nobody answers those questions and many others...

 

[Smokin Harley]

Bob , that Corojo wrapper looks really nice ...and toothy .

 

[deluxestogie]

Bob , that Corojo wrapper looks really nice ...and toothy .

My impression is that the Corojo has no tooth. Below, is a different cigar that clearly shows tooth (the tiny bumps on the leaf as well as its ash).

This photo is from 2012, so I've forgotten the wrapper variety, but some sort of Sumatra is likely.

Bob

 

[Smokin Harley]

I was looking at the pic at the bottom of post 324...looked just like that one ,tiny bumps

 

[deluxestogie]

Comparison:

Corojo 99

Toothy wrapper

I suppose the unburned Corojo 99 wrapper might have a hint of tooth, but the ash shows none. The Corojo 99 was squished pretty hard during the box pressing, which caused some dark mottling.

Bob

 

[deluxestogie]

Nostrano del Brenta puro

This cigar is from a different planet, when compared to Toscano cigars. The flavor and aroma are quite mild. It needed some darker leaf. But it burns well, draws well, and provides a soft, cigar-like character.

Nicotine strength was surprisingly low, given that the plants themselves are beasts, with massive stalk diameters, and equally massive central veins in the leaf. It just seemed like it would be the sort of tobacco that would knock you down. But it's gentle as a baby. I suspect that no amount of molding or rolling with a rolling pin will make those secondary veins less noticeable. All Italian cigars seem to have a "rustic" appearance, with prominent veins.

It will be interesting to try another with a dose of upper leaf (once some is kilned).

No question, this is a unique tobacco variety that can make an elegant cigar. (The French Revolution began in 1789. Nostrano del Brenta tobacco had been established on the Brenta River for about 200 years by then. It's hard to imagine why they allowed the variety to nearly become extinct during the mid 20th century.)

Bob

 

[ArizonaDave]

Nostrano del Brenta puro

This cigar is from a different planet, when compared to Toscano cigars. The flavor and aroma are quite mild. It needed some darker leaf. But it burns well, draws well, and provides a soft, cigar-like character.

Nicotine strength was surprisingly low, given that the plants themselves are beasts, with massive stalk diameters, and equally massive central veins in the leaf. It just seemed like it would be the sort of tobacco that would knock you down. But it's gentle as a baby. I suspect that no amount of molding or rolling with a rolling pin will make those secondary veins less noticeable. All Italian cigars seem to have a "rustic" appearance, with prominent veins.

It will be interesting to try another with a dose of upper leaf (once some is kilned).

No question, this is a unique tobacco variety that can make an elegant cigar. (The French Revolution began in 1789. Nostrano del Brenta tobacco had been established on the Brenta River for about 200 years by then. It's hard to imagine why they allowed the variety to nearly become extinct during the mid 20th century.)

Bob

It's definitely a nice looking wrapper, I have no idea "why" they would let this go almost extinct either.

 

[ProfessorPangloss]

I received a shipment of this seed from Alpine, and I'm looking forward to adding it to my grow this year.

Does it match the profile of dark air cured type, more or less? Do you have plans to flue cure any, and if so, what sort of result might you expect? I somehow had it in my head that this was a flue-curing variety, but I see from re-reading the original thread that the production in that area switched from the del Brenta cigar filler *to* flue curing varieties, so that's where I became confused.

 

[deluxestogie]

Do you think they made pilones with stripping leaf or they just leave it on the shelters with higher temperature and moister for 90 days like aging? What means fermentation for them?

Maks,
I missed that question. I don't have an answer to what they mean by second or third fermentation. In some parts of the world, bales of tobacco that are held in warehouses may be moved closer together during the warm season, in order to induce a "sweat." Then moved farther apart to prevent overheating. This is the same process as fermentation in a pilon.

Bob

 

[Tutu]

The numbers there could refer to stages before and after grading steps. Thus, first fermentation being before any grading has been done. Second fermentation after having a first step of grading (for instance after 3 to 6 months), third fermentation being after yet another grading step.

 

[deluxestogie]

Does it [Nostrano del Brenta] match the profile of dark air cured type, more or less? Do you have plans to flue cure any, and if so, what sort of result might you expect?

Nostrano del Brenta is a unique cigar variety. My plan is exclusively to air-cure, then kiln it. I would expect it to be disappointing if flue-cured.

Nostrano was interesting to grow, and resembled nothing else that I've grown.

I would not class it as a dark air type. Dark air varieties are strong, (and dark!), and are ferocious in pipe blends (I never use more than 1 part per 16) and cigars. For the latter, a tiny strip of dark air will transform a bland, flavorless filler into a decent cigar.

Bob

 

[deluxestogie]

The numbers there could refer to stages before and after grading steps. Thus, first fermentation being before any grading has been done. Second fermentation after having a first step of grading (for instance after 3 to 6 months), third fermentation being after yet another grading step.

I agree with that.

The marketing suggests that each fermentation makes leaf better and better. My impression is that the first fermentation tells you what you've got. Leaf that is light in color and thickness after the first fermentation simply will not benefit from further fermentation. It's the darker leaf (which can be judged only after that first fermentation) that may benefit from further fermentation. In my experience, some dark leaf still seems somewhat raw after kilning for 30 days, whereas none of that dark leaf seemed raw after 45 days of kilning. It varies by variety and by the year it was grown.

So, if you have some leaf that ought to be very good, but is still unpleasant after a first fermentation, the only course is to either allow it to naturally age for another year or two, or re-ferment it, and hope for the best. The amount of protein and carbohydrate in any given leaf is finite. So multiple fermentations achieve diminishing returns.

I see it in a light similar to dirt stains on a new pair of jeans. If there is still dirt on the knees after washing...wash it again. But each subsequent washing yields less change in the dirt stain.

Bob