Pics of your sticks!!

[Damanadaplaya]

It’s 70 degrees at 10:00pm in the middle of December, in the Deep South, with 90% humidity. Perfect time to strip some air cured to store flat; more accurately, prepare filler for the next batch of sticks. That’s well over a hundred stems, that I’ll store the leaves in between pages of newspaper until I have time to roll.

 

[waikikigun]

It’s 70 degrees at 10:00pm in the middle of December, in the Deep South, with 90% humidity. Perfect time to strip some air cured to store flat; more accurately, prepare filler for the next batch of sticks. That’s well over a hundred stems, that I’ll store the leaves in between pages of newspaper until I have time to roll.

Must be that Deep South lingo, but I don't actually understand what this means: "That’s well over a hundred stems, that I’ll store the leaves in between pages of newspaper until I have time to roll." It's the "stems, that I'll store the leaves" part that dazzles my brain.

 

[Damanadaplaya]

I sometimes pretend to know what I’m doing... The tobacco I grew, then air cured, then fermented, is still in “hands” of 5 or 6 leaves that most of the time are too brittle to straighten out given the temp and humidity. They are stored in laundry baskets in a detached “man cave”. I take advantage of REALLY humid days. It brings my hands “to case”, so I strip, flatten out, and then I use newspaper to store the leaves (volado, seco, ligero) flat leaves. When I have time to roll, it makes life easier.

 

[tullius]

It’s 70 degrees at 10:00pm in the middle of December, in the Deep South, with 90% humidity. Perfect time to strip some air cured to store flat; more accurately, prepare filler for the next batch of sticks.

Lucky duck. We currently have 34 deg F with freezing rain/sleet/snow and 85% rh outside, yet only 45% indoors. In the summer I'd destem/shred/bunch/roll etc. tobacco on rain days, would get up to 75-80% rh indoors, nice to work with leaf in those conditions, very forgiving and leisurely.

Now in the winter: make a big pot of beans or soup all day with 3 other pots of water simmering on the stove, keep the distilled water bottle mister handy and active, and don't lollygag with the work. Humidor eats a lot more distilled water too.

 

[tullius]

no. 121 test burn: 1 coro seco 1 coro viso 1 coro ligero, dominican bind, connecticut wrap. 13 day rest

46 x 5.25

 

[tullius]

result: too easy on the draw, excellent burn, very spicy floral light, thoroughly cuban mid with plenty of creamy high notes, medium cedar finish. Overall, medio fuerte, but not at all too strong. Little one dimensional. This is the closest tasting thing to a genuine cuban that I've rolled so far. It needs something though.

 

[ChinaVoodoo]

I know I hit the like button, but that's a great looking cigar.

 

[tullius]

shucks, thanks. that stick wouldn't have been around without this forum and those that have been here and shared freely. credit to all

 

[Propsjonnyb]

That‘s a great cigar , well done!

 

[GreenDragon]

result: too easy on the draw, excellent burn, very spicy floral light, thoroughly cuban mid with plenty of creamy high notes, medium cedar finish. Overall, medio fuerte, but not at all too strong. Little one dimensional. This is the closest tasting thing to a genuine cuban that I've rolled so far. It needs something though.

Very nice! You basically rolled a puro with a mild wrapper. To give it a little depth try either a darker wrapper or add a leaf grown from a different location to the filler, like the Nic. Condega Viso.

 

[waikikigun]

result: too easy on the draw, excellent burn, very spicy floral light, thoroughly cuban mid with plenty of creamy high notes, medium cedar finish. Overall, medio fuerte, but not at all too strong. Little one dimensional. This is the closest tasting thing to a genuine cuban that I've rolled so far. It needs something though.

You probably already saw me write this about that particular blend (but with Nic habano binder), but if you put a Corojo oscuro wrapper on that you get something that tastes a LOT like a very young (10 months to 1.5 years) Cuban Partagas or R&J. I don't know if I'll ever be able to get the 2 years on it to see what happens to it.

I think that that's a very foundational blend with which you can start messing. But I've never really improved on it by adding other stuff. Still working on that. Tried about 20 variations so far, none better.

It's not unreasonable to weight it more heavily toward the viso/ligero end. As is, you've got a seco binder and wrapper and then seco filler. So there's tons of basically flavorless seco in there already.

 

[tullius]

Nic. Condega Viso

with Nic habano binder), but if you put a Corojo oscuro wrapper

Picked up nic condega seco from WLT last time specifically for this and have corojo wrap, will do.

not unreasonable to weight it more heavily toward the viso/ligero end

Solid advice all around, thanks guys.

 

[GreenDragon]

Finally can breath enough to enjoy this. Rolled 8 months ago out of various long and short scraps. 60 ring gauge. On a whim I sprinkled in a pinch of Blood Red Moon pipe tobacco for a little.. eh... je ne sais quoi. Sublime

 

[tullius]

nos. 136-141, last night's fresh work. 1 coro seco 1 coro viso 1 coro ligero, nic condega seco bind, coro osc wrap. Must let dry, must let dry, must let dry..

46 x 5.5-6

 

[waikikigun]

nos. 136-141, last night's fresh work. 1 coro seco 1 coro viso 1 coro ligero, nic condega seco bind, coro osc wrap. Must let dry, must let dry, must let dry..

46 x 5.5-6
View attachment 29163

You really must. This wrapper is vile, gross, and disgusting when combusted prematurely.

I admire your work, really nice job!

 

[tullius]

Just trying to catch up to you guys, and I'm not there yet. But your comment means a lot. Thanks.

 

[waikikigun]

Just trying to catch up to you guys, and I'm not there yet. But your comment means a lot. Thanks.

Gosh, turns out I've actually done 70 variations of this blend recently. Here are the three filler blend variations on this 1:1:1 that ended up rating most highly out of those blends (I've kept a detailed spreadsheet for 5 years).

1 corojo seco
2 Corojo Viso
0-.5 Corojo ligero

1 Habano seco
1 corojo viso
1 LO MSA viso
1/2 Corojo ligero

Mild binder
1.5 or 2 habano seco
1/2 corojo seco
1/2 corojo viso,
1/2 corojo ligero

 

[Jvergen]

Beautiful day in Illinois rolled this in the morning Wlt Africa filler with a PA binder and a Sumatra wrapper, I have been using gum Arabic as glue ratio of 70%arabic to 30% water dries quick.

Jeff

 

[Van]

Hi there
Tried my hand at making cigar bands today.
Stick is a mix of Little Dutch, long red(thank you Ben for those seedlings) and Havanna hybrid all scraps and short filler.
No mould..... I prefer to get the draw right
But l must say it taste like more.

 

[Damanadaplaya]

It rained all weekend; I got a lot done.