Interesting reads

[blisscigarco]

http://www.cigaraficionado.com/webfeatures/show/id/the-formidable-factory-18247

For @Gdaddy and @smokepoleobsession :
"Q: Let's talk about fermentation. Does the tobacco you buy come already fermented, or do you ferment it yourself?
A: The Dominican tobacco that I buy from Universal, I ferment myself. From Plasencia, it comes fermented. It's more expensive to buy aged or fermented tobacco. You pay a premium. Fermented filler is about three times the price.
Q: When you buy unfermented Dominican tobacco, how long do you sit on it?
A: Lower primings, about one-and-a-half years. Higher-priming tobacco, about two to three years. But I try to keep two to three year's worth of inventory for my go-to tobaccos. I use those in every blend."

 

[Gdaddy]

Thanks for the info.

I wonder what we get from our suppliers? It would seem reasonable that the big cigar players get first dibs on the premium tobaccos.

Found this comment interesting...

"I've bought directly from smaller farmers before too, but I've also gotten screwed. I remember asking one small farmer for centro leaf, cut from the middle of the plant, and I paid him more for centro, but he was giving me lower primings and trying to convince me that it was the tobacco I paid for."

 

[smokepoleobsession]

I have often wondered it myself. Some of our leaf may net even be what it is claimed to be.ONe that comes to mind is Dom seco.Compare WLT's to L.O.'s there is a notivable difference.

 

[Gdaddy]

I have often wondered it myself. Some of our leaf may net even be what it is claimed to be.ONe that comes to mind is Dom seco.Compare WLT's to L.O.'s there is a notivable difference.

And then there's Jorge's seco that's a completely different animal.

 

[Marc L]

Now I'm even more grateful to be able to do what we're doing.
I like the idea that the last fermentation should be before the cigars are assembled.
.. how, "they need some resting" meaning; ammonia release. or further fermenting. Fermentation utilizes aeration and humidity at higher levels then aging and marrying.

 

[Jim D]

I have often wondered it myself. Some of our leaf may net even be what it is claimed to be.ONe that comes to mind is Dom seco.Compare WLT's to L.O.'s there is a notivable difference.

So far, I've only ordered from LO. Would you expand on the difference between the two?

 

[Gdaddy]

So far, I've only ordered from LO. Would you expand on the difference between the two?

The three most widely used are LO, WLT and the newest rave is the Jorge Dominican leaf.

LO stands out because they sell smaller amounts so you can get samples (as little as 1/4 lb.) instead of committing to a pound you may not like. Personally I've found WLT and LO very similar in product. LO currently has a larger selection from which to choose. To avoid extra shipping fees I try to order from one source. WLT is supposed to be getting in more product soon??

The Jorge Dominican leaf is truly a stand out of the three IMHO. Currently he only has Dominican. (wrapper, binder, ligero, viso and seco) If you're looking for best flavor tobacco you may want to consider this as a choice. Blisscigarco has the details if you decide to go with Jorge.

Hope this helps!

 

[blisscigarco]

This is good stuff. I'll drop you right into the thick of it, but it's good before and after, too.
https://books.google.com/books?id=9mKFVJ1FGJMC&pg=PA52&dq=cigar+blending&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjkt--wzbfMAhVJNiYKHSZtAdAQ6AEIIzAB#v=onepage&q=cigar blending&f=false

 

[Marc L]

I wish I could get this thing to read to me. I'm in the middle of a tobacco work up right now.

 

[blisscigarco]

I wish I could get this thing to read to me. I'm in the middle of a tobacco work up right now.

That would be killer.

 

[Marc L]

It stopped right at page 54 before he put on the wrapper on. that heart.
where's 54 to 187?

 

[blisscigarco]

It stopped right at page 54 before he put on the wrapper on. that heart.
where's 54 to 187?

The rest of it is right here, mister:

http://www.amazon.com/Once-Cigar-Maker-Factories-1900-1919/dp/0252013336/ref=sr_1_1/181-7321676-3295713?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1462074832&sr=1-1&keywords=9780252013331

 

[blisscigarco]

If you wanna make the big money you're gonna need a strong torpedo game, son. Here're the current pay rates for rollers at one particular Florida cigar factory:

 

[Marc L]

I would love to work for Yanko Maceda.

 

[blisscigarco]

I would love to work for Yanko Maceda.

The pay doesn't seem too awesome for such hard labor tho. Minimum wage for exhausting work. Maybe if one could take a few pounds home now and then....

 

[BrewinHooligan]

The pay doesn't seem too awesome for such hard labor tho. Minimum wage for exhausting work. Maybe if one could take a few pounds home now and then....

I doubt they would miss a little here and there....

 

[blisscigarco]

http://www.wsj.com/articles/smoked-cubas-cigar-industry-isnt-ready-for-its-american-moment-1463767535

 

[Marc L]

The world's first all Nicaraguan cigar shop is now open, in Amsterdam. To commemorate this milestone, a beautiful book on the city of Estelí, its tobacco industry and main factories was also published under the same name: CIGARAGUA.

 

[blisscigarco]

"Nicaragua's Tobacco Trail"
http://tobaccoleafcigars.com/cigars_nic.html

 

[blisscigarco]

This will drop you into the middle of a 618-page document that combines two of my great obsessions: cigars and the Edwardian period:

https://play.google.com/books/reader?id=LClLAQAAMAAJ&printsec=frontcover&output=reader&hl=en&pg=GBS.RA6-PA33