I've posted more than a 1000 vitolas to the database and one thing has bothered me more than anything else. When it comes to identifying leaves, I can only state country of origin in most cases. While that's important, most sophisticated tobacco growing countries are now growing every type of tobacco that will grow well there. Is it enough to know that your cigar's filler comes from Ecuador? Isn't it even more important to know if it's ligero, Olor or Habano? When it comes to Wrappers, if you have to choose, do you want to know if your wrapper comes from Ecuador or that it's Connecticut or Corojo?

You don't always have to choose in our database, but you usually have to. I try to fill in the missing info in the notes below, but you have to click on the specific cigar to see my notes. (I do add wrapper type to the vitola name when feasible). Many other entries are less informative.

What I'm getting at is that if the questionaire we have to fill out to enter a cigar gives us more options, there will be fewer doubts about the cigar's stats. Of course, it will create a two-tiered system where only new entries are well described, and it may give some false impressions about the old entries, (when compared to the new ones) but that's the cost of progress.

What does everyone else think?

I'm of the opinion that it matters more where and how it is grown than it does the actual leaf.  That's not to say that some leaf is better quality than others, but to me if I see a Connecticut leaf grown in Sumatra.  I'm not thinking it is going to be anything comparable to the same grown in Connecticut.

I agree ljlemer, cause I have found that the type of leaf is as important as where it's grown, although I've noticed that I really like cigars grown in Nicaragua.

Maybe it matters in some cases more than others?

It does raise an interesting question.  Is it more important to know the country or the tobacco type?  Country is probably more important but the type of tobacco will likely impart a quality of its own.  Just searching a few cigar web sites it seems everyone does it the same way.  The main attributes tend to be the country where it is grown, then in descriptions some might talk in more detail about the type of tobacco.

Where would you draw the line though?  Would you need to know the country grown and the tobacco type for the binder, filler, and wrapper?  

I think I'm going to go with Country as well here. I have seen my tastes favor Hondurans over most other.

Quotemistagordo - 10/17/2007  9:21 PM

Where would you draw the line though?  Would you need to know the country grown and the tobacco type for the binder, filler, and wrapper?  

Why not? Supply all the information and let the individual herf do with it as he wishes. Some don't care. Some don't understand the difference. I don't understand all the terms. But you want to attract knowledgeable herfers and they demand knowledge.

Quotepieman - 10/17/2007  9:41 PM

I think I'm going to go with Country as well here. I have seen my tastes favor Hondurans over most other.

Do you care if the cigar uses ligero tobacco? Any Honduran leaf will do? I don't like too much ligero. Most of you love it. It's very strong. Has anyone compared the same leaf grown in different countries? I'd like to find out. I usually like Honduran and Dominican over Nicaraguan or Mexican, but my new favorite, 5 Vegas Miami, is mostly, if not completely, Nicaraguan.

What is a "herf"?

And, I think it IS important what kind of leaf it is, AND where it comes from.  I think the best ppl to ask would be master rollers.  Seems like an obvious choice.

Probably not a bad idea.  The more info the better.  Although it means quite a bit of work for me to add the additional fields through the database part of the site.  I'll add it to my ever growing list of improvements I don't have the time for.  

In the meantime lets continue to capture it in the notes.

-Paul

Quoteljlemer - 10/17/2007  10:17 PM

Quotepieman - 10/17/2007  9:41 PM

I think I'm going to go with Country as well here. I have seen my tastes favor Hondurans over most other.

Do you care if the cigar uses ligero tobacco? Any Honduran leaf will do? I don't like too much ligero. Most of you love it. It's very strong. Has anyone compared the same leaf grown in different countries? I'd like to find out. I usually like Honduran and Dominican over Nicaraguan or Mexican, but my new favorite, 5 Vegas Miami, is mostly, if not completely, Nicaraguan.

I do actually like ligero. And I honestly tend to see myself swaying tword the Hondurans when faced with a choice in any B&M. Funny you should say that about the 5 vegas Miami, I just got a bunch of El mejor espresso in and the tobacco is mostly Nicaraguan with a Mexican wrapper and to be honest i think you would like them. They seem to have the taste of the Honduran tobacco without the strong spice and instead have a cocoa taste. PM me your addy if you want to try one out.