Do cigar leaves actually taste different?

[plantdude]

Goose creek red was in favor for a few years on the forum before staghorn gained popularity again probably thanks in part to @ProZachJ and a few other members growing them. Both are listed as dark Virginians on northwood seeds. Both are unique in their classification. I've never had the opportunity to try goose creek red, but have been enamored with staghorn for the last 5 years. It's almost witchy like in the way it grows and its leaf forms. It's a fun one to grow if you enjoy watching how a plant grows and responds to its environment. Pretty neat plant to grow in my opinion, which is half the fun of growing your own. Also easy to cure and versatile in its uses, which is a big plus.
Someday I hope to try goose creek red and see how it compares. Maybe next year if space allows.

 

[ShiniKoroshi]

Yes, I do enjoy watching my plants grow and nature in general. Since Im already growing cigarish leaf this spring, GCR and Staghorn seem like great choices for many reasons. Add in a couple heirloom Brights for a simpler fall grow.

 

[Comicman43]

This quote from Bob has me wanting to try a real American cigar as I never developed an appreciation of "Caribbean" tobacco.

"This "Little Dutch" effort has me smoking a bowl of pure Little Dutch as I type this. I sense no stinky "cigar" aroma. It is missing brighter and deeper components to its aroma profile. The pH of the smoke seems to be only slightly toward the alkaline. So, as an intuitive leap, I will be exploring blends of mostly Little Dutch, with tiny proportions of Oriental and Dark Air-cured.

[Historical Sidebar: As I recall, from smoking the genuine Marsh-Wheeling cigars during the 1970s to1990s—made in Wheeling, West Virginia (in a factory visible from the Interstate highway), the aroma did not resemble that of Caribbean-style cigars. That old blend consisted of Pennsylvania Red and Little Dutch. The light-colored ones were wrapped in CT Shade, while the dark ones were, I believe, wrapped in a Pennsylvania broadleaf/seedleaf (e.g. Glessnor, Lancaster Seedleaf, etc.). It was those darker ones that I sought out for decades, because they were mild and smooth, with no intense aromas.

Today you can purchase cigars packaged as "Marsh-Wheeling Deluxe Stogies," but they are currently made from low-grade Dominican leaf, and will be of zero use in envisioning a pipe blend made from Little Dutch. Traditional American cigar manufacture is dead and gone.]"

I love the Caribbean cigars in fact that is what I plan to grow next year when I start my tobacco growing

 

[DaleB]

This may be a little off topic, but I'm curious. In our pipe blends we commonly use Perique and Latakia. Is there any application for those two in cigars? I used to smoke cigars, but have not for quite a few years - in fact, I gave my humidor with my few remaining 1990s vintage Cuban Hoyo double coronas to my son last year. Loved those cigars, but I just can't smoke them any more. I'm just curious as to whether it's unheard of to use any of the more "interesting" tobaccos in cigars, and if so why that is.

 

[deluxestogie]

You can put any tobacco into filler or as binder or wrapper.

From 2017:

This cigar simply tasted like smoking an English pipe blend.

Bob

 

[DaleB]

Thnaks. I just thought it odd that I don't ever recall seeing or hearing about any (commercially made) cigars with either of those - or Oriental for that matter. Maybe I just wasn't paying close enough attention.