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dpepe

dpepe

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HI Everyone!

Just saying hello from Central NJ. I just started rolling about a month ago and really appreciated all that I learned here.
Gdaddy videos especially!

I just placed my 2nd order from Leaf Only and I am attempting a Cuban taste (truth be known, I've never smoked a Cuban...so I have no clue what I'm in for) but I ordered 1lb of Havana Primed leaf. Any advice would be great.
 
BrewinHooligan

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Welcome to the forum and the "hobsession"! The only way to get a true "Cuban" flavor is to use Cuban tobacco in my opinion. I have made blends that remind me of beefed up versions of Cuban cigars I have tried, but I wouldn't say it had a Cuban taste. I haven't tried the leaf in question so I cannot speak to that, but I am very fond of leaf onlys Ecuadorian Habano filler and wrapper
 
dpepe

dpepe

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Indeed. I absolutely understand it won't be the same as a true Cuban leaf. I guess this is Leaf Only's only option for something close.

I have been rolling Leaf Only Nicaraguan Legero and Seco - wrapped in Dark Fire. They came out pretty nice, very earthy and bold. I think they need more time in the humidor.
I noticed some burned not even -I think that's just me not having the skillset
Some also gave off a bitter taste - probably due to the tobacco just not having enough rest
 
blisscigarco

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Welcome, dpepe. Always awesome to meet other rollers.

"Havana" is just a seed variety. It doesn't have a specific relation to Cuban varieties. And who knows which variety of "Havana" seed is used on the farm that's selling the leaf to LO. Here's a bio of one sort of Havana:

"Havana 142 is classified as a cigar binder but is often used in making chew.

Many growers find it makes an excellent cigarette tobacco as well.

A columnar plant which grows to a height of 4 feet, it matures in only 55 days."

Often you will purchase leaf that will not improve much with age because it wasn't awesome leaf in the first place, wasn't fermented properly, etc. Just a little heads-up there.
 
blisscigarco

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Cool pic, nice job.

Near as I can tell from the google, Havana 7 is a CT Broadleaf of some variety, and LO seems to be mainly hustling it as a strong and spicy binder leaf which you could use however you wanted. Which is true, since you can do whatever you want with any piece of leaf. They talk about how it's super bold and spicy and has to be dialed down with other leaf. I'd say that Cuban cigars can be spicy but that Cuban tobacco is generally smooth. Outrageously strong and "spicy" leaf is typically just poorly fermented and aged leaf. LO also has a SKU for "Havana primed," meaning not stalk-cut, and they sort of make a claim that it can be a wrapper leaf. They say all this stuff is ungraded and don't really commit to anything. Seems like they're trying to stay within some limit of "not lying," but they also aren't real clean about it. "A Havana leaf but grown in CT!" Well, no shit, if it's a type of CT Broadleaf....

That's my uneducated take on it. Hopefully you'll be able to make some sticks you love with it.
 
BrewinHooligan

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dpepe said:
Now you got me worried I have been had! I'm learning...it's a fun hobby so far. I've been a pipe smoker for years and I've just recently went down this path.
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I'm a pipe smoker as well and starting to dabble in making my own pipe blends but will admit that processing and shredding pipe tobacco by hand without an actual "shredder" is very labor intensive but you can make some very excellent pipe blends with the leaf that is available. Just expect it will have to rest in jars for a bit to get to be as great as it can be. Working with tobacco has also be a lesson in patience for me. My way around this is to make way more pipe tobacco and cigars than I can reasonably consume in a short period of time and eventually you will have a nice stock of aged and ready to enjoy product without even really trying.
 
Gdaddy

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dpepe said:
HI Everyone!

Just saying hello from Central NJ. I just started rolling about a month ago and really appreciated all that I learned here.
Gdaddy videos especially!

I just placed my 2nd order from Leaf Only and I am attempting a Cuban taste (truth be known, I've never smoked a Cuban...so I have no clue what I'm in for) but I ordered 1lb of Havana Primed leaf. Any advice would be great.
Click to expand...
Welcome! Nice to hear you're using the videos and hope they help you get started.

I'm originally from Monmouth county (Colt's Neck). My claim to fame is I went to high school with Bruce Springsteen in Freehold.(I know... big deal)

My advice would be to get a few rolled and get that part going first and see how they taste and go on from there. There's a lot more you can do to make a good cigar other than just rolling a nice looking stick. I'd also suggest next time to ask advice before you blindly order. Just a thought since some of us have tried most all the tobaccos available and know which ones are better than others.

Good luck!!
 
dpepe

dpepe

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Thank
Gdaddy said:
Welcome! Nice to hear you're using the videos and hope they help you get started.

I'm originally from Monmouth county (Colt's Neck). My claim to fame is I went to high school with Bruce Springsteen in Freehold.(I know... big deal)

My advice would be to get a few rolled and get that part going first and see how they taste and go on from there. There's a lot more you can do to make a good cigar other than just rolling a nice looking stick. I'd also suggest next time to ask advice before you blindly order. Just a thought since some of us have tried most all the tobaccos available and know which ones are better than others.

Good luck!!
Click to expand...
Thanks for the advice and that is an excellent point. I think talking to LO over the phone just got me excited to try this new leaf out. They steered me right before.

Any advice on what leaf would blend well with it? I have some Nicaragua Seco and Viso left over .

Thanks for the greetings! It's nice to have so much help here!

Ha! My sticks don't look good at all but I only rolled about 25.
 
Gdaddy

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webmost said:
You're in central Joisey? I'm right here in northern Dull-Aware. Next time you're wandering south of the river, gimme a shout, we'll have a roll-a-thon.
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Wish I could. I moved to Florida about 10 years ago. Currently 40 miles north of Orlando.
 
Gdaddy

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dpepe said:
Thank

Thanks for the advice and that is an excellent point. I think talking to LO over the phone just got me excited to try this new leaf out. They steered me right before.

Any advice on what leaf would blend well with it? I have some Nicaragua Seco and Viso left over .

Thanks for the greetings! It's nice to have so much help here!

Ha! My sticks don't look good at all but I only rolled about 25.
Click to expand...
Use what tobacco you currently have.
The three basic leaves used are Volado (thin seco) for combustion, Seco for aroma/flavor and ligero for strength/flavor. A simple rule of thumb is to start use 1/3 of each in equal amounts.

A good exercise in blending would be to roll the mildest cigar possible and then try to roll the strongest. This will give you a better understanding of the flavors and strength. You need that knowledge in order to blend. Like a chef using spices in his cooking recipes know the taste and effects of the herbs and spices.

Question... of the cigars you have rolled... what do they taste like to you?
 
BrewinHooligan

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Gdaddy said:
Use what tobacco you currently have.
The three basic leaves used are Volado (thin seco) for combustion, Seco for aroma/flavor and ligero for strength/flavor. A simple rule of thumb is to start use 1/3 of each in equal amounts.

A good exercise in blending would be to roll the mildest cigar possible and then try to roll the strongest. This will give you a better understanding of the flavors and strength. You need that knowledge in order to blend. Like a chef using spices in his cooking recipes know the taste and effects of the herbs and spices.

Question... of the cigars you have rolled... what do they taste like to you?
Click to expand...
If you pay attention to any home roller here about blending, listen to this guy. This is very solid advice that is good to revisit even if you are seasoned and trying out new leaf. Early on in this hobby I contacted a pro in the industry and asked some advice on blending. He didn't give me much but I will never forget him telling me I need seco, viso, and ligero in all my blends to keep them balanced. Now, I have had good blends with let's say two leaves seco and one leaf ligero with no viso that have been good, but the blends with all three primings have been the best.
 
webmost

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Gdaddy said:
Use what tobacco you currently have.
The three basic leaves used are Volado (thin seco) for combustion, Seco for aroma/flavor and ligero for strength/flavor. A simple rule of thumb is to start use 1/3 of each in equal amounts.
Click to expand...
But who sells volado? All I see for sale is viso, seco, ligero.
 
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