Flavor differences

[fvfanmc]

Why does the flavor profile change between sizes, For example, I buy the Sumatra cigars in 3 different sizes, Churchill, Toro and Robusto. Each size has a different profile. They all have the same tobacco in and out.

[grtrx]

all the same tobacco but the size changes (ring gauge or length) changes the ratio of teh tobaccos, the amount of surface area burning, the ratio of surface area to volume of tobacco in the cigar, etc. each change is a change and each change can impact taste.

or another way... one or two pieces of wrapper, but the amount of filler is way different.

[CJ3]

Mostly ratio of filler/binder volume to wrapper. The larger the ring guage, the less impactful the wrapper, which generally imparts the most flavor, I believe. The filler/binder distribution may change a little between rings also, one would think.

Isn't the Panatella supposedly the "ideal" size for blending/flavor purposes?

ahem, Dr. Brian? Care to weigh in?

[grtrx]

the perfect cigar is the one perfect to you, I recall the cuban corona touted as the perfect size too... yep most of the flavor is wrapper, most of the body is the filler...

also the bigger ring gauge has more surface area burning to volitalize the oils in the cigar, I think...

brian knows everything, he will happen along sooner or later

[Rob G]

Paging Dr. Brian, Dr. Brian . . .

[spiridon]

The illustration that drove this home to me was my experience with the Cain Daytona. I have always smoked the lonsdale size in this line. For me, it had the very combination of spice and earthiness that I like. One day I happened to pick up a larger ring gauge of the Daytona and lit it up......what a difference! It still had the earthiness, but was lacking the spiciness that I like. I went back to the lonsdale.

[Briandg]

IMO, a lot of it is going to involve filtration and cooling of the smoke. A 7 inch churchill or 6 inch toro cut down to the size of a 4.5 inch roth will smoke and taste the same as a a roth. Obvious there, right? if it doesn't, they have fiddled with the blend or construction in the various sizes.

you can't make that same distinction with toro and churchill, after smoking it down to 4.5 inches. The last 5 inches of a larger cigar is not the same as smoking a 5 inch cigar.

A toro or churchill, when first lit, will be drawing the tobacco through either one or two extra inches of tobacco, and that will cool the smoke and collect a little more of the wet gasses, just like the filter of a cigarette will. So, in theory, the longer the cigar, the cooler and cleaner it will smoke for the first 3 or 4 inches. At this point, you're going to toss a robusto. A toro or churchill will still be going. The last inches of a 6 or 7 inch cigar is going to have an hour's worth of filtered gunk in the nub, so at least in theory, the last inch of a churchill will be a lot more potent than the last inch of a robusto as all of that filtered gunk (or flavor, as you will) is vaporized again, and added into the smoke.

I don't really want to go into the changes in smokes by ring gauge. as was said, certain blends are better in certain ring, to certain people, under varying sets of circumstances. I like longer, narrower smokes in a lot of blends. Personally, I think that what ring gauge/size depends more on what the individual smoker likes, and I think that it's trial and error. A long, cool smoking churchill in macanudo may be one man's favorite, others may like the blend in a shorter, narrower vitola to get a more intense smoke. I personally prefer big, robust blends in a toro, but the same blends in a longer lonsdale or lancero are good too. I don't like the way a rothschild smokes, because you are literally smoking straight from the coal after a few minutes, and they can get hot and intense, no matter what the blend.

[Rob G]

It's not this way with alcohol. Whiskey, rum, beer, and wine taste the same to me whether I'm drinking from a short, fat glass, or a tall, skinny glass.

[gui_tarzan]

You're not burning leaves and changing their chemical structure either.

[grtrx]

I'm guessing the volume/RG also effects things like how the cigar pushes out water in the leaves, which would effect flavor