Expert: James Yee - 5/18/2009

Question
QUESTION: Hi James,

am I correct in thinking that different ring gauge and sizes of cigars affect the taste and draw?

What are the major differences between cigars of the same brand and is there somewhere, where I can look this up?

For example, a romeo #2 and a romeo mille fleur are the same ring gauge and length.   So do they make them taste different by using different fillers, wrappers and binders?   Since I assume that these two cigars use all cuban plants for all three, are there plants that different from such a small region to create such different tastes?



ANSWER: Hi Gavin,

Yes, cigar size can indeed affect the way a cigar tastes.  The larger ring gauge a cigar has, the more tobacco is used and this allows a cigar manufacturer to incorporate different types of aged filler tobacco into the cigar.  This is what gives a cigar its distinct flavour or "recipe".  Flavour and cigar strength can also be determined by the length of the cigar and how much of the cigar you smoke.  If a cigar is fairly long - such as a double corona or gran corona - the cigar's flavour can start out mild but become stronger and stronger the more you smoke.

The following also determines a cigar's distinct flavour:

- Certain combination of tobacco:
As I mentioned, larger cigars such as robustos and piramides have larger ring sizes and this provides more room for a complex tobacco recipe.

- Age and quality of tobacco used:
How long the filler tobacco is (sun)grown also determines flavour and strength.  Older tobacco leaves (ligero) create a richer, fuller flavour while younger leaves are lighter in flavour.  Once the tobacco leaves are harvested, how long the tobacco is cured/fermented also determines the flavour and strength.  The longer a cigar is cured, the less impurities there are in the tobacco and this provides a better flavour.  Some brands - such as Cohiba - ferment their tobacco longer than other brands which is why their cigars have such a premium and refined flavour.

- Region where the tobacco is grown:
Where the tobacco is grown is also important.  In Cuba, there's four different tobacco growing regions (Vuelta Abajo, Semi Vuelta, Partido and Vuelta Arriba) and each region has a slightly different soil content and environment that produces a specific quality of tobacco.  To create that distinct flavour often associated with their cigar(s), Cuban cigar brands will only use tobacco grown in certain regions.

-Quality of cigars:
In terms of production quality, there are three different types of Cuban cigars; machine-made, machine-made but hand-finished, and hand-rolled.  Hand-rolled cigars are the more expensive cigars because they are rolled entirely by hand and produced in premium sizes.  As a result, they will have better construction and better flavour than a machine-made cigar which contains less premium tobacco.  Smaller, inexpensive machine-made cigars will even use short-filler tobacco scraps and this can also affect the overall flavour of the cigar.

- Age of the cigars:
Once cigars have been rolled, their flavours and strength can still change depending on how long the cigars have been aged before smoking.  Cigars that have been aged for a long period of time can be richer and more-defined in flavour when compared to a freshly rolled cigar.  Aging allows the different types of tobacco in a cigar to marry and blend.  Depending on the quality of the tobacco, some cigars also age better than others.

All these factors are extremely important in determining a cigar's flavour and strength.  Hopes this answers your question. If you have any more questions, please feel free to just ask and I will be happy to help.

Regards,
James

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: so cigars of the same brand and size are in fact totally different products in terms of the type of filler/binder/wrapper?   Like the romeo #2 and mille fleur which are the same size, I am assuming they have a different combination of tobacco as well as maybe ageing?

Can you give me your opinion on romeo #1, #2 and #3?   The differences in your opinion and which you find best?

Answer
Hi Gavin,

No, cigars of the same brand and size will usually have similar flavours because they use similar - if not the same - tobacco.  However, if one cigar is handmade and the other is machinemade, the quality of the cigar will usually differ.  Romeo y Julieta Tubos #2 for example, is handmade but Romeo y Julieta Mille Fleur are machine-made, hand-finished (there's also a 100% machine-made, plastic-wrapped version).  They're both classified as petit coronas/marevas but there are subtle differences between the two such as construction quality, packaging, etc.  Aside from having different names, they're both still classified as petit coronas and taste similar.

It can be a bit confusing because RyJ actually has four different regular-production petit coronas; No. 2, Mille Fleur and Petit Corona.  The fourth RyJ petit corona; "Cedros De Luxe No. 3" is from a different RyJ line (Cedros De Luxe series) and tastes slightly different than the other RyJ petit coronas.

It's also possible for cigars of the same brand and size to be different.  Hoyo de Monterrey is another good example.  Hoyo de Monterrey makes both a "Coronas" and "Le Hoyo du Roi" cigar and while both are classified as a corona-sized cigar, the Le Hoyo du Roi tastes different than the regular Hoyo corona because it is from a different Hoyo line and uses a slightly different tobacco recipe.  The Le Hoyo cigars are also aged differently (They're cabinet box aged).

As for differences in Romeo #1, #2 and #3, they're produced with the same tobacco so the only major difference between these cigars is size.  #1 is a "Cremas" size which is 40 gauge, 140mm.  #2 is a petit corona that measures 42 gauge, 129mm.  Romeo #3 has the same ring gauge as the #1 but is much smaller (only 117mm in length, IIRC.)  I enjoy the RyJ tubos line and like both the Mille Fleur and No. 2 because of their size.  I actually prefer the Partagas Mille Fleur more than the RyJ Mille Fleur because it's a bit more full-bodied which is why I enjoy the Partagas brand more.

Hopes this helps.  As always, if you have any more questions, please feel free to just ask and I will be happy to help.

Regards,
James