Thanks to Pete for suggesting this great BLOG topic - it proved to be quite a challenge!
Every different cigar line has a differing flavour profile - basically because if they didn't, then we'd all end up just smoking a handful of cigars and the industry would be quite flat and boring.
Master Blenders achieve this by blending their unique selection of tobaccos (bunch) to produce this - the differing layers of flavour can be achieved in so many different ways...
Cigars are made up of three distinctive parts of tobacco; the Wrapper; the Binder and the Filler tobaccos; some cigars have barber-pole wrappers (two different types of wrapper tobaccos) and some cigars have double binders for extra flavour.
Filler tobaccos also need a lot of consideration - without going into the absolute inner workings, a cigar needs the right bunching of tobaccos to ensure it burns correctly and produces the desired flavour profile and doesn't ultimately have any harsh or bitter flavour changes.
Additionally the style of rolling the cigar plays a big part in the flavour profile and placement of selected tobaccos (but that feels like yet another BLOG for another day)...
The burning question is - is there a broad flavour profile or flavour notes specific to tobaccos?
Well, firstly a cigar is identified by its Wrapper leaf correct?
Yes, I have to agree with this statement, at CANTEROS.nz we like every other cigar retailer in the world uses the Wrapper type as the overall descriptor for the cigar... Connecticut Shade, Connecticut Broadleaf Maduro, Corojo, Natural (Habana, Habano or Havana), Sumatra, San Andres, San Andres Maduro are the obvious ones off the top of my head.
It is said the Wrapper provides 80% of the flavour of a cigar?
This one I've long struggled with - to cover this, you should probably read this BLOG Wrapper vs Binder vs Filler which covers this off.
But yes, I believe you can get a broad flavour from the wrapper tobaccos of a cigar; let me try to describe them very loosely below - remember I'm just exploring the wrapper tobaccos here; but this also works as these tobaccos are often used as the binder and in the filler tobaccos of a cigar.
Brazilian Mata Fina wrapper - grown in the Bahia region of Brazil this exotic tobacco is very aromatic and has a unique flavour profile.
Notes of cocoa, earth and a little sweetness.
It is a cousin of the rare Arapiraca tobacco.
Cameroon wrapper - the pride and joy of the Meerapfel family who grow this largely for the Fuente family (Fuente being the largest user of Cameroon wrapper); this is a very toothy tobacco grown in Cameroon, Central Africa of course.
Though recently the Eiroa' family have started growing Cameroon wrapper in Honduras, watch that space!
Notes of cinnamon, baking spices, cedar, cocoa and nuts are common from this very complex tobacco variety.
Connecticut Shade wrapper - once sourced solely from the Connecticut River Valley region in the USA; Connecticut Shade wrappers are now grown in many different countries but still deliver the desired flavour profile.
Normally grown under cheesecloth tents to reduce exposure to the sun and give it its distinctive lighter shade complexion and are a thinner tobacco type.
Broadley the Connecticut Shade wrapper is very approachable with a creamy flavour profile, smooth, sweet, woodiness and toasty notes. Typically novices go for Connecticut Shade wrapper cigars; but be warned, just because it is lighter in colour they can still pack a punch.
This is considered the "gold standard" in Premium cigars (non-Cuban cigars) and this wrapper is used one many of the highest rated cigars produced in the free world!
Connecticut Broadleaf (Maduro) wrapper - also like the Shade varietal now grown everywhere where tobacco is grown.
Unlike the Shade, it is grown in full sunlight which makes the leaves thicker and darker.
Typically have a more earthy, toasty, coffee and bitter chocolate notes; they create a very complex flavour profile when used well.
Corojo wrapper - once one of the major wrappers used by Cuba historically, the Corojo wrapper leaf is now largely grown and harvested in the Jamastran region of Honduras by the Eiroa family.
It is a slightly darker shade than the Connecticut Shade, a bit redder and is one of my favourite as it has spicy notes with a touch of pepperiness with a zesty aroma.
It is also known to be thicker in texture and more robust.
Habano (Habana aka Havana) wrapper - is obviously another Cuban product now widely grown throughout the Central Americas but the vast majority is grown in Nicaragua with its rich volcanic soils.
Darker brown again than Connecticut Shade and Corojo; once correctly fermented and aged produces a strong spicy flavour profile often with notes of coffee.
Pennsylvania Broadleaf wrapper - another thick and dark tobacco that was once exclusively grown in Pennsylvania, USA - but is now being cultivated in other parts of Central America.
Like the Cameroon wrapper, Pennsylvania' Broadleaf is very toothy in appearance and are a very hearty tobacco type; earth notes, black pepper and leather are typical flavours.
San Andres (Maduro) wrapper - a Mexican staple tobacco; for the past half a decade or more it seemed that San Andres Maduro wrapper was taking over the darker side of the cigar world.
Mostly known as a very flavoursome tobacco with chocolate and pepper notes.
Sumatra wrapper - once an Indonesian exclusively grown tobacco variety; now grown throughout Central America and also Mexico; I've always described the Sumatra wrapper as being savoury in flavour (personally).
Experts say it can range from sweet to tangy, spice and cedar notes.
Claro/Candela/Double claro wrapper - an honourable mention? Claro or Candela wrapper is typically a very light brown colour; Double Claro (green) wrappers are unique and created by introducing heat during the curing process that fixes the chlorophyll content of the wrapper leaf in place.
Some say because of this the cigar has a hay or grassy taste profile; but that's probably your mind playing tricks on you.
...and don't forget there are ever more variations to this; Volado (the lowest leaves of the tobacco plant), Seco & Viso (the middle leaves) and Ligero (top leaves of the tobacco plant)... but that's another BLOG topic too... and then there are the differing grades of wrapper tobaccos too (AAA being the highest)...
The Cigar Merchant Note: A flawless leaf of tobacco is often used as the wrapper, whereas tobacco with visual flaws and even tears are used as binders; the growing trend is to use traditionally wrapper leaf varieties as binders (Cameroon and Broadleaf for instance).
More Notes/Thoughts: AJ Fernandez (amongst others) has been making new hybrid wrappers over the last few years (Bellas Artes, New World Dorado for example); and he's not alone and I am sure over the coming decade a lot of new wrapper varieties being produced as the agricultural world of cigar tobaccos uses more modern techniques to create hybrid tobaccos.
Now that we've taken a very very broad look at wrapper flavour profiles; its probably a good time to share the "tasting wheel" so you can hone your tastebuds a bit further and look at the entirety of the cigar smoking experience.
One must also add, that the feat to continuously produce a cigar that tastes the same is not easy; not difficult, but its not easy when you factor in every harvest of even the same tobacco has varying flavour changes due to soil makeup and climate during the growing period; as well of course as the fermentation and aging of the harvested tobaccos.
For instance - the classic Padron ranges; now I've smoked these my entire 30+ years of cigar enjoyment and while my memory is quite probably unreliable; I can honestly say that Padron's today - still taste like they were made 30 years ago!
Then again it is also openly noted that a humans ability to remember tastes accurately is pretty subpar - so maybe that has something to do with it, haha!
Here's an interesting outtake from running CANTEROS.nz - we sell a lot of Connecticut Shade, Connecticut Broadleaf (Maduro) and Mexican San Andres (Maduro) cigars (and a healthy number of Sumatra) - but "Natural" or "Habano" or "Havana" or "Habana" cigars don't sell nearly as well... isn't that odd considering the majority of people seem to go out of their way to get a Cuban cigar?
It is true, you will find some cigars that are known industry wide as "cubanesque" and that I guess is what is often sought after; I just figure our customers enjoy the great (amazing) premium cigars of the free world and that's why Connecticut Shade, Broadleaf; Corojo; Mexican San Andres; Sumatra and Cameroon cigars heavily outsell what people consider the "norm" of Habano / Havana / Natural / Habana cigars.
Really hope you enjoyed this BLOG, it took quite a bit of time to consider and research and put together.