Lesson 2 of 8 · 3 min

Read the wrapper

Use wrapper names as flavour clues, not promises.

Four cigars stacked on a wooden table, wrappers ranging from mid brown to dark brown. — Four wrappers, four shades of brown.Photo: Dan Smith · CC BY-SA 2.5 · Resized.

The 30-second version

Wrapper names can point to the seed, where it grew, or how it was processed. Treat them as clues.
Colour does not tell you strength. Ask about the whole blend.

Four names you will see

Name	What it means
Connecticut shade	Grown under cloth shade. Usually light tan and often mild in flavour.
Habano	Usually Cuban-seed tobacco, grown in several countries. Often described as rich or spicy.
Corojo	A tobacco variety developed in Cuba. Modern labels may mean a related hybrid.
Maduro	A dark wrapper from longer, more intense fermentation. A colour and process, not a seed.

Seven cigars side by side, labelled from lightest to darkest: Double Claro, Claro, Colorado Claro, Colorado, Colorado Maduro, Maduro, Oscuro. — The colour scale shops use, from Double Claro to Oscuro.Photo: RMR Cigar · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Resized.

Flavour words are comparisons

A note like cocoa or coffee describes what the smoke reminds the taster of. Flavoured or infused cigars are a separate category. Check the product description if that matters to you.

Sources: Tobacconist University: seeds and plants · JR Cigars: Habano wrappers · Tobacconist University: Corojo and Criollo · Tobacconist University: maduro fermentation · Tobacconist University: the tasting experience