A Quick Guide To Cigar Wrappers

The wrapper on a cigar is not merely a means to contain the tobacco inside, it provides most of the overall character of the smoke. While there are more individual shades of wrapper than we could cover in this brief guide, here are the 7 shades generally used to classify wrappers, from lightest to darkest:

Double Claro: The lightest on this end of the scale, this wrapper is slightly green and on the dry side, as the leaves are picked before maturing. The taste is generally sweet and bright.

Claro: A tad darker than the double, this wrapper is generally indicative of shade-grown leaves. This makes for a very mild flavor profile, great for new cigar enthusiasts.

Colorado: There are three shades of Colorado wrappers, Claro, Maduro and just Colorado. They have a distinctive red-brown color (in varying shades according to Claro or Maduro). There are some very full-flavored cigars in this shade.

Maduro: Spanish for ‘ripe’, Maduro wrappers are very dark brown, usually with an oily feel. The taste is smooth and very full.

Oscuro: Also referred to as Double Maduro, these wrappers are very dark and oily, and the tobacco leaves are picked from the top of the plant. The taste can be intense and spicy.

So for the new cigar smoker, you may want to choose some cigars from the lighter spectrum and take note of what you do and don’t enjoy about them. Jumping into a darker smoke like an Oscuro could overwhelm you with its boldness.

In addition to giving the cigar flavor, the quality of the wrapper also affects its burn. A fine wrapper will burn very evenly, whereas a low-quality wrapper can burn in patches, or even begin to come undone. A wrapper is truly intrinsic to a cigar’s quality.

As always, if you have any questions about wrappers, or what you’re looking for in a smoke, we’re always available to answer your questions!