What's the best wrapper you got recently?

[TommyTao]

Hi BOTLs,

I have been into rolling my owns for several months, I haven't tried many kinds of leaf though. Up to now, the most disturbing problem for me is wrapper quality. I found most wrappers I got were not as good as I expected, or not as nice as a commercial stick shows. Most are too veiny, some are too small, some have holes and some don't burn well...

For me, the best wrapper I've used so far is Cameroon wrapper from LO, it's generally smooth, complete and has minimal veins. Although it's too small to finish the whole wrapping work ---- not enough leaf left for capping.

So, BOTLs, what's the best wrapper you got recently? Why is it good, for thickness, smoothness, or size? And where did you get it?


With few of my work Many thanks to master roller@blisscigarco for teaching me a lot!

 

[blisscigarco]

I've never found a close-to-pro level wrapper at the retailers. Seems that's the nature of the game. My best wrappers have been CT shade from WLT (the ec he no longer carries), the Jorge CTs, and currently the FX Smith CT I get from Web. Wrapper is really the biggest problem for we hobbiests who want to approximate pro-level sticks IMHO. Gj on them sticks, man.

 

[TommyTao]

I've never found a close-to-pro level wrapper at the retailers. Seems that's the nature of the game. My best wrappers have been CT shade from WLT (the ec he no longer carries), the Jorge CTs, and currently the FX Smith CT I get from Web. Wrapper is really the biggest problem for we hobbiests who want to approximate pro-level sticks IMHO. Gj on them sticks, man.

Yeah that's the bloody truth: it's the nature of the game.

I heard a lot of good words about CT wrappers - big in size, easy to burn and nice looking. I haven't tried a CT wrapper because from branded cigars I find sticks with CT wrapper are the last ones I'd like to smoke - just personally don't its flavor. Now that I failed several times to bring those wrappers I like on pro-sticks onto my own sticks, I decide to give CT wrapper a try. Thanks for the advice!

I also noticed H2K is frequently discussed by BOTLs, how about its quality?

 

[Jim D]

I enjoy LO Ecuador Shade Seco. It is stretchy, has minimal veins, and still relatively dark. It burns well and is big enough for the smokes I roll ( which are no larger than 6.5 x 48, most aren't that big ). A lot of folks like the LO Ecuador Ligero and the batch I tried was fun to use, very forgiving and stretchy, but it added more pepper to my smoke than I wanted.

 

[Marc L]

Five months? Where have you been hiding? under cover roller. for me it's wlt corojo and criollo

 

[Fusion555]

Personally i love the looks of the wrappers on your rolls, i like the "rugged" look of them, nice job

 

[blisscigarco]

Yeah that's the bloody truth: it's the nature of the game.

I heard a lot of good words about CT wrappers - big in size, easy to burn and nice looking. I haven't tried a CT wrapper because from branded cigars I find sticks with CT wrapper are the last ones I'd like to smoke - just personally don't its flavor. Now that I failed several times to bring those wrappers I like on pro-sticks onto my own sticks, I decide to give CT wrapper a try. Thanks for the advice!

I also noticed H2K is frequently discussed by BOTLs, how about its quality?

The H2K don't burn. I have a batch of re-kilned stuff from DeluxeStogie via Webmost. Haven't tried it yet, as I'm waiting on some filler. I think Web tried it and it failed him, iirc.

Maybe there's some way to treat CT Shade wrapper so it doesn't taste like you don't like. Like, a long soak in water, a wash-down with rum, a long bath in pineapple juice.... might be fun to try. It's only 8% of your stick, right? Maybe there's some way to integrate its sweet creaminess with certain fillers so the taste doesn't bother you.

Meanwhile, lots of people like the LO Habano shade wrappers. I've used a few batches of the seco that I liked, but then they started shipping green shit that tasted green. Meanwhile, the ligero, the preferred wrapper around here, is a bit too thick and leathery for my style. I used the viso once; can't remember what I thought of it. I might order a sample one of these days....

 

[webmost]

I heard a lot of good words about CT wrappers - big in size, easy to burn and nice looking. I haven't tried a CT wrapper because from branded cigars I find sticks with CT wrapper are the last ones I'd like to smoke - just personally don't its flavor. Now that I failed several times to bring those wrappers I like on pro-sticks onto my own sticks, I decide to give CT wrapper a try. Thanks for the advice!

There's not enough flavor in a CT shade wrapper to find anything TO dislike. Just a twinge of creaminess, is all you get. Besides, it's so thin you don't hardly get much off it anyways. This CT shade we're struggling with now, it's so thin you can just about see thru it. No lie. So when you say you don't like the taste of CT shade, I call BS on that. I bet it's just you don't like the filler and binder in the CT wrapped gars you have tried and don't like. Besides, you'd be astonished how many gars are wrapped in dark fermented CT that doesn't look or smell the least like, for example, Bliss's rolls.

I say get a blend you do like, wrap it in CT shade, and then see how you like it.

 

[TommyTao]

I enjoy LO Ecuador Shade Seco. It is stretchy, has minimal veins, and still relatively dark. It burns well and is big enough for the smokes I roll ( which are no larger than 6.5 x 48, most aren't that big ). A lot of folks like the LO Ecuador Ligero and the batch I tried was fun to use, very forgiving and stretchy, but it added more pepper to my smoke than I wanted.

My first wrapper is LO Ecuador Shade Seco! Yes it was relatively good, compared to other wrappers I got later. The only problem with it I remember is it was still over veiny in my standard...

 

[TommyTao]

Five months? Where have you been hiding? under cover roller. for me it's wlt corojo and criollo

LOL I'm not in the States and don't speak English very well, so I barely post in the forums. During these months, I watched videos, asked questions person to person, and practiced alone.

OK, I've added WLT Corojo and Criollo into my wishlist. Thanks!

 

[TommyTao]

Personally i love the looks of the wrappers on your rolls, i like the "rugged" look of them, nice job

Thank you bro. It is LO Cameroon and I posted the best pics I got. I would like it most if it could be larger in size.

 

[TommyTao]

The H2K don't burn. I have a batch of re-kilned stuff from DeluxeStogie via Webmost. Haven't tried it yet, as I'm waiting on some filler. I think Web tried it and it failed him, iirc.

Maybe there's some way to treat CT Shade wrapper so it doesn't taste like you don't like. Like, a long soak in water, a wash-down with rum, a long bath in pineapple juice.... might be fun to try. It's only 8% of your stick, right? Maybe there's some way to integrate its sweet creaminess with certain fillers so the taste doesn't bother you.

Meanwhile, lots of people like the LO Habano shade wrappers. I've used a few batches of the seco that I liked, but then they started shipping green shit that tasted green. Meanwhile, the ligero, the preferred wrapper around here, is a bit too thick and leathery for my style. I used the viso once; can't remember what I thought of it. I might order a sample one of these days....

WOW you just offered lots of good options to me! Shopping cart full again!

 

[TommyTao]

There's not enough flavor in a CT shade wrapper to find anything TO dislike. Just a twinge of creaminess, is all you get. Besides, it's so thin you don't hardly get much off it anyways. This CT shade we're struggling with now, it's so thin you can just about see thru it. No lie. So when you say you don't like the taste of CT shade, I call BS on that. I bet it's just you don't like the filler and binder in the CT wrapped gars you have tried and don't like. Besides, you'd be astonished how many gars are wrapped in dark fermented CT that doesn't look or smell the least like, for example, Bliss's rolls.

I say get a blend you do like, wrap it in CT shade, and then see how you like it.

Thank you for objective opinions! I have to admit I was too subjective on CT wrappers, though I know wrappers being least flavorful, wrappers having minimum proportion, wrapper color meaning nothing, etc.

 

[Marc L]

LOL I'm not in the States and don't speak English very well, so I barely post in the forums. During these months, I watched videos, asked questions person to person, and practiced alone.

OK, I've added WLT Corojo and Criollo into my wishlist. Thanks!

I see. What is your first language? You have learned well. (bliss)

 

[Marc L]

Thank you bro. It is LO Cameroon and I posted the best pics I got. I would like it most if it could be larger in size.

Just a note. Cameroon wrappers have been, for a while, first pickings by Arturo Fuente cigars.

 

[blisscigarco]

LOL I'm not in the States and don't speak English very well, so I barely post in the forums. During these months, I watched videos, asked questions person to person, and practiced alone.

OK, I've added WLT Corojo and Criollo into my wishlist. Thanks!

I'll send you the WLT Criollo.

 

[TommyTao]

I see. What is your first language? You have learned well. (bliss)

I'm Chinese. Been smoking cigars for three years, been into NCs for three years (CCs are great as well though). And I guess I might be the very first person in mainland who tried to roll.

BTW, several state-owned tobacco companies have invested and established several huge cigar factories in my country, which means I can then think about visiting their pro rollers, if welcomed.

 

[TommyTao]

I'll send you the WLT Criollo.

That's very nice of you! I can PM you my US address, where my cousin lives in, and she can bring it back next month.

 

[blisscigarco]

That's very nice of you! I can PM you my US address, where my cousin lives in, and she can bring it back next month.

Word up, g.

 

[TommyTao]

Just a note. Cameroon wrappers have been, for a while, first pickings by Arturo Fuente cigars.

Sadly there's none of my business LOL 'cause I don't get the same Cameroon wrappers as Fuente does.