Cigar Wrappers: Corojo

Cigar Wrappers: Corojo

There are many different types of cigar wrappers, each of which adds a unique flavor to the cigar. In the case of Connecticut Shade, the overall effect is relatively mild, but if you want something more robust, Corojo cigar wrappers are a great option.

As the cigar burns, the oils are released from the Corojo leaves. This adds to the filler and binder tobacco taste, creating the complete flavor profile of the cigar.

It’s always worth looking for different types of cigar wrappers when you’re placing your order. It’s not unusual for the same blend of fillers to be made available with different wrappers, which makes for an interesting comparison.

Add some to your next order if you’ve never tried a Corojo wrapped cigar.

WHAT ARE COROJO CIGAR WRAPPERS?

Corojo is one of the four main types of cigar wrapper tobacco, along with Connecticut, Habano, and Maduro.

Corojo tobacco leaves have qualities that help them stand out among cigar wrappers. Their darker skin and oily texture create cigars that look fantastic in the humidor and your hand.

The tougher tobacco burns more slowly than some paler counterparts, giving you a smoke that lasts longer. The flavor profile will typically be punchy, with added zest and a generous sprinkle of pepper.

Suppose you like to lavish your attention on the retrohales of your favorite cigars. In that case, Corojo wrappers are for you, putting some extra spice into the smoke to tantalize your palate even more than most cigars.

COROJO WRAPPER ORIGINS

Corojo tobacco was initially grown in Cuba, in the Vuelta Abajo region. Following the embargo on Cuban tobacco imports, many Cuban-seed tobaccos were taken to regions with similar soils, and Corojo was among them.

Before this, Corojo tobacco could be traced back to a single farm cultivated by Diego Rodriguez and his son, Daniel Maria Rodriguez. The leaf is named after the farm, which was called Santa Ines del Corojo, and it was Daniel who was mainly responsible for cultivating the very best wrapper tobacco.

Corojo wrappers became highly sought-after, selling for as much as three times the price of other tobaccos. From the 1930s to the end of the 1980s, most Cuban cigars were wrapped in Corojo, creating that iconic dark, oily wrapper that you picture when you think of a classic Cuban cigar.

More recently, Corojo tobacco has been engineered to be more resistant to diseases like blue mold. The last pure Corojo seeds were planted at the end of the 20th century — in Cuba, appropriately enough. Hybrid Corojos continue to offer the flavor and spice of their purebred ancestors, but with much less risk of a failed crop.

MAKING COROJO CIGARS

Modern Corojo is grown mainly in the Jamastran Valley in Honduras, along with some US tobacco farms in Western Kentucky. While experts mostly agree that hybridization did not significantly change the taste of Corojo tobacco, it did have some other effects that made it easier to produce Corojo cigars as the 21st century began.

This includes larger, longer leaves — ideal for wrapping long, slender cigars — and tobacco that can be processed more quickly. With Corojo wrapped cigars in high demand, this helps producers keep sufficient supplies coming from their studios.

Once carefully hand-rolled, it’s common for Corojo cigars to be given an extra layer of protection to keep that glistening wrapper in pristine condition.

POPULAR COROJO CIGARS

With hybrid Corojo tobaccos now used universally, this one type of tobacco gives you much to explore in terms of different constructions and flavor profiles.

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