I Bought A Cigar, Now I Think I'll Chop It Up For Blending

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newbroom

Lifer
Jul 11, 2014
6,128
6,789
Florida
I've had a cigar for about a week that I picked up at a wonderful B&M on a whim. I don't smoke cigars.

It dawned on me after watching several cigar preparation videos that I might get better use out of this thing by using it as an additive to one of my more milder Cavendish blends. It makes for pricey tobacco, but it should be quite a kick in the bowl.

 

mcitinner1

Lifer
Apr 5, 2014
4,043
24
Missouri
Newbroom I don't do cigars either (Yet), but I am going to grab one of the Spectre cigars with latakia to try out soon. 8)

 

newbroom

Lifer
Jul 11, 2014
6,128
6,789
Florida
Well, I just know that I like the taste in JKP and there's been some turn up it seems in some others...

It's supposed to be a 'good' cigar. A Casa Cuba Flor Fina. I know nothing. I do know that I don't want to buy these on any regular basis, so even though I'm tempted to smoke it as designed, I fear a new obsession that requires a healthy investment. I guess I could try and not be obsessive.

 

mso489

Lifer
Feb 21, 2013
41,210
60,459
It seems to me that cigars are crafted (or engineered, if you will) to deliver flavor because of the way they're

put together. I think dismembering the cigar might be a disappointment. It might be better just to put the cigar

in a pipe bowl that holds it firmly and smoke it that way. It would not be in the right position, horizontal, but

I think it would deliver more of the flavor you'd enjoy. Cigar leaf in pipe tobacco blends sometimes works, as

in Billy Budd, but it sure doesn't taste anything like a cigar.

 
I love the spirit of this Newbroom. Tear it up and enjoy it. However, like MSO has said, sometimes a cigar is mostly just filler tobaccos with the actual flavor coming from the way the flavorful leaves are used as wrappers and such. You can buy single leaf blends of maduro and other cigar leaf varieties. Pure Caribe by McConnell comes to mind. They are great to blend with. I know that a few cigar purist will say that adding cigar leaf to a blend won't give you the flavor of a cigar. Yes, I agree. But, adding some cigar leaf will give you a new and exciting flavor in the pipe unique to the pipe. I love, love, love the way GLP has blended cigar leaf in with Key Largo. I am actually salivating and waiting for summer to get here to enjoy some tropical drinks and a few bowls of this on the patio. And, the kick in the head you get from it is great. Also, Virginia Spice by H&H is amazing.
I can't smoke Pure Caribe by itself, because it'll make me clear my gut really quick, but it blends very well with McC's Red Cake for4 an interesting, contemplative smoke.
I do enjoy a good cigar every now and then. However, I am very new to cigars, and it has taken me some time to get my sea legs with the amount of nicotine they deliver. But, I think that I prefer to smoke cigar leaf in the pipe, personally. But, as much as I love the idea of tearing up a cigar, I think that you can better control what you are smoking by buying some single cigar leaf blenders to play with. You can also order whole leaf tobaccos like Connecticut and the other cigar wraps and run them through a paper shredder to blend with.
Smoke on, brother... :puffy:

 

mso489

Lifer
Feb 21, 2013
41,210
60,459
On second thought, I'd just smoke it as a New Year's cigar and leave it at that. Maybe try one of the cigar

leaf blends next time you have a TAD attack, but read reviews first.

 

newbroom

Lifer
Jul 11, 2014
6,128
6,789
Florida
Well, I cut about 1/2" from the cigar's tip, broke it all up, nice dark filler and a lighter wrapper into about 1/4" size flakes and mixed this in with some Indian River Gold.

I love the way it adds a depth to the blend and it also seems to help the way my bowls burn. I am able to maintain the 'light' w/o much effort, the smoke tastes fantastic. The bowls are burning completely and to the longed for white ash.
I've got about 5 1/2" left of the cigar, but where I cut it has torn the wrapper leaf some, and I'm probably not going to smoke it as intended.
My first effort of blending cigar leaf is a huge success! I'm really enjoying the addition. I didn't overpower anything and had a good bit of the Cavendish based blend in my mixing dish when I added the cigar leaf.
Next I'll try it with some latakia blend, and some cav blend.

 

dottiewarden

Lifer
Mar 25, 2014
3,053
57
Toronto
Cigar leaf in pipe tobacco blends sometimes works, as in Billy Budd, but it sure doesn't taste anything like a cigar.
Good on ya, newbroom!
I use cigar leaf in pipe tobacco blends with the same good results. But I would take cosmic's advice for future experiments;
You can buy single leaf blends of maduro and other cigar leaf varieties.

 

toby67

Can't Leave
Sep 30, 2014
413
1
Australia
I smoke the occassional cigar but have a few Cuban Churchill's that I plan on slicing up and blending, have already done this to two and it works great in my big jar of tobacco's I don't like mix, that jar has a humidifier stone in the lid and mixing the crap tobacco's with some Carter Hall & Prince Albert it's turned out very smokable, full of Vitamin N and great for the late night smoke with a glass of Special Aged Tawny Port.
Last three Cubans will be sliced up soon, too big to fit comfortably in my mouth.

 

newbroom

Lifer
Jul 11, 2014
6,128
6,789
Florida
The only tobacco I have that I consider 'crap' tobacco is about 10oz. of OHM Bold that I was smoking in papers and then my first pipe, back in May?...I tried to implement it once into a 'my mix' just cuz I figured it was a good source of Vitamin N, but I found that my newly aroused palette was not pleased with its addition.

I may find a way to make it enjoyable, but for now that stuff is definitely in the bull pen.

 

instymp

Lifer
Jul 30, 2012
2,420
1,029
I would smoke the cigar as God intended.

If I didn't like it, would throw it out in the back yard without the band & never buy another.

 
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