Wrapper that you just can't taste no matter what

[VeguerosMAN]

I am a firm believer that different wrappers contribute different flavor profiles. For instance, PAM 64 vs PAN 64 or Hemingway Mad vs Hemingway NaT are totally different in terms of taste and aroma from their counterpart IMOH. The Oscuro wrapper is the one wrapper that I just can't taste no matter what. What am I missing here? What notes should I look for when smoking an Oscuro wrapped cigar, such as the Liga From Drew Estate, New World from AJ, Le Bejou 1922 from My Father cigar, and many others....  Please feel free to post any wrapper that you can't taste as well. Appreciate it. 

[Cigar Surgeon]

You're completely correct that for NC / New World cigars wrappers are a significant contributor to the overall flavor profile.

There's two things at play here, the shading classification and the varietal.

• Padron Anniversary Maduro / Natural. Padron only discloses that these are Nicaraguan wrappers. 
• AF Hemingway Maduro uses a Connecticut Broadleaf wrapper, the Natural uses a Cameroon. 
  • These are almost polar opposites in the tobacco spectrum
• Drew Estate Liga 9 uses a Connecticut Broadleaf, the T52 uses a stalk cut Connecticut Habano
  • Not quite polar opposites but you'll find many cigar smokers prefer one or the other here and not both
• AJF New World Oscuro only discloses Nicaragua Oscuro 
• My Father Le Bijou 1922 uses a Nicaraguan Habano Oscuro.

So without getting into a dissertation, the wrapper varietal is going to impart different flavor characteristics that are going to range from slightly different to massively different in the above AF Hemingway examples.  Ecuadorian Connecticut Shade for example is not going to taste the same as US Connecticut Shade, despite being the same seed varietal.

Maduro vs Oscuro. Maduro is a big of a catch-all term because it describes both a process of fermentation or adulteration and a color grading. Maduro can be achieved from any priming of the plant. Oscuro is typically going to mean a high priming of the tobacco plant that's been exposed to a significant amount of sunlight.  

Typically with a Maduro or Oscuro the darker the wrapper from fermentation or sunlight, you're going to have sweetness imparted. Outside of that the flavor components are going to depend on what varietal it is. For example a Connecticut Broadleaf (chewy, sweet, leather, earth, chocolate) or a Habano (spicy, peppery, espresso, some bitterness, loamy earth at times).

To throw another curve ball at this entire explanation: two cigars with the exact same wrapper can taste substantially different based on the blend. The best example I can give of this is Mexican San Andres. At Developing Palates I've reviewed hundreds of cigars with Mexican San Andres and some have been excellent and others have been near unsmokeable.

My advice when smoking a Oscuro would be that retrohaling is your friend.  

[Lamboinee]

16 hours ago, Cigar Surgeon said:

Maduro or Oscuro

Love this topic...question: in Non-Cuban cigars is a Maduro typically a San Andres or broadleaf variety? Is it always? Or do you think there are numerous varieties used within the Maduro wrapper classification? Can any variety be Maduro even something like Ecuadorian conn? Are you aware of any specific definition of Maduro used by Habanos? 

 

[Cigar Surgeon]

11 hours ago, Lamboinee said:

Love this topic...question: in Non-Cuban cigars is a Maduro typically a San Adres or broadleaf variety? Is it always? Or do you think there are numerous varieties used within the Maduro wrapper classification? Can any variety be Maduro even something like Ecuadorian conn? Are you aware of any specific definition of Maduro used by Habanos? 

So with the additional fermentation for Maduro, it requires the leaf to be quite thick, so you need Habano, San Andres, Broadleaf, a high priming Corojo. If you tried to to a long fermentation on something like Connecticut Shade (Ecuadorian or USA) it would essentially dissolve because it's the thinnest of the leaves.

I am not up to speed on how Habanos handles Maduro classifications and fermentation.