Let's talk vitolas

Generally a cigar blend is made in multiple vitolas. I understand that as the ring gauge changes, the blend often shifts as leaves have to be added or removed. I also know that the shape of the cigar can affect the taste, such as a churchill VS a torpedo VS a perfecto.

Now with some cigar lines, there will be multiple vitolas that are the same shape and ring gauge, and differ only in length. For example, you might find a Robusto in 5" x 50, a Toro in 6" x 50 and a Churchill in 7" x 50.

Unless they blend them differently somehow, the taste should be the same with only the total burn time changing. Have y'all found that the taste between these similar vitolas to be the same?

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Originally Posted by Zeede

Generally a cigar blend is made in multiple vitolas. I understand that as the ring gauge changes, the blend often shifts as leaves have to be added or removed. I also know that the shape of the cigar can affect the taste, such as a churchill VS a torpedo VS a perfecto.

Now with some cigar lines, there will be multiple vitolas that are the same shape and ring gauge, and differ only in length. For example, you might find a Robusto in 5" x 50, a Toro in 6" x 50 and a Churchill in 7" x 50.

Unless they blend them differently somehow, the taste should be the same with only the total burn time changing. Have y'all found that the taste between these similar vitolas to be the same?

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Even if the cigar is the same ring gauge they will still smoke differently in these 3 sizes. Reason being.....The ligero placement will be different for a robusto then it would for a churchill. Robusto may only use 3 leaves and a churchill may need 4. All the variables affect the cigar and it's blend just enough to detect differences

Good topic!

I have found very little difference in taste based on length but a significant change based on RG. I've smoked every vitola of MOW Ruination from Corona (43 RG) to War Horse (64 RG) and there is a very discernible change in the body & intensity of the flavors. There's no doubt they're all related in that the foundational flavors are very much present but it's kind of like the difference between drip coffee and espresso made from the same beans.

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Originally Posted by Billb1960

I have found very little difference in taste based on length but a significant change based on RG. I've smoked every vitola of MOW Ruination from Corona (43 RG) to War Horse (64 RG) and there is a very discernible change in the body & intensity of the flavors. There's no doubt they're all related in that the foundational flavors are very much present but it's kind of like the difference between drip coffee and espresso made from the same beans.

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Did you find any trends when you were comparing them (i.e. the bigger the ring gauge, the stronger the body and flavors) or were they just different? I'm pretty new to cigars so haven't had the opportunity to compare different sizes amongst the same blends, and I'm curious if there's a typical rule concerning the correlation.

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Originally Posted by dbach11

Did you find any trends when you were comparing them (i.e. the bigger the ring gauge, the stronger the body and flavors) or were they just different? I'm pretty new to cigars so haven't had the opportunity to compare different sizes amongst the same blends, and I'm curious if there's a typical rule concerning the correlation.

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Actually the smaller the RG the more the intensity ramped up. My personal, completely unscientific opinion is that the smaller the RG the more the wrapper influences the flavors due to the ratio of filler to wrapper.

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Originally Posted by Billb1960

My personal, completely unscientific opinion is that the smaller the RG the more the wrapper influences the flavors due to the ratio of filler to wrapper.

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This is my experience and is the opinion shared by most folks I've talked to, and threads I've followed.

I have read that some blenders try to keep the flavor profile as consistent as possible across the various vitolas of a particular blend, by adjusting the ratio of the leaves in the blend to match how each vitola emphasizes a particular component of the blend. That may be true, and it may be somewhat doable, but I have a hard time believing that a flavorful blend can be tweaked to remain consistent between a 5 X 50 robusto and a 7 X 35 lancero.

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Originally Posted by Sir Lancerolot

This is my experience and is the opinion shared by most folks I've talked to, and threads I've followed.

I have read that some blenders try to keep the flavor profile as consistent as possible across the various vitolas of a particular blend, by adjusting the ratio of the leaves in the blend to match how each vitola emphasizes a particular component of the blend. That may be true, and it may be somewhat doable, but I have a hard time believing that a flavorful blend can be tweaked to remain consistent between a 5 X 50 robusto and a 7 X 35 lancero.

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Yeah there's only so much room inside a cigar wrapper so the ratio has to change some especially in a cigar which employs a significant amount of ligero leaves.

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Originally Posted by Billb1960

Actually the smaller the RG the more the intensity ramped up. My personal, completely unscientific opinion is that the smaller the RG the more the wrapper influences the flavors due to the ratio of filler to wrapper.

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Yeah, I've read that this is why some folks prefer the lancero/panatela vitolas, since the wrapper has much more of an influence on the flavor.

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Originally Posted by defetis

Even if the cigar is the same ring gauge they will still smoke differently in these 3 sizes. Reason being.....The ligero placement will be different for a robusto then it would for a churchill. Robusto may only use 3 leaves and a churchill may need 4. All the variables affect the cigar and it's blend just enough to detect differences

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Spot on here.
Cigars from the most skilled blenders, the best out there, will be far more uniform across the varying sizes because of that skill level.
Most of the time. And most of the time sales of those cigars,at their price point, shows this.

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Originally Posted by Zeede

Yeah, I've read that this is why some folks prefer the lancero/panatela vitolas, since the wrapper has much more of an influence on the flavor.

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:pipe:

Excellent topic! One of my favorite experiences so far has been sampling vitolas from blends I like. Smoking your way through the base line Padron cigars gives you a great idea of how vitola can affect the experience, and the good thing with those is that they are all pleasant.

Edit to say the ambassador and delicias are my favorites.

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Originally Posted by Billb1960

Actually the smaller the RG the more the intensity ramped up. My personal, completely unscientific opinion is that the smaller the RG the more the wrapper influences the flavors due to the ratio of filler to wrapper.

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This is my experience as well.

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Originally Posted by defetis

Even if the cigar is the same ring gauge they will still smoke differently in these 3 sizes. Reason being.....The ligero placement will be different for a robusto then it would for a churchill. Robusto may only use 3 leaves and a churchill may need 4. All the variables affect the cigar and it's blend just enough to detect differences

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Im just going off my experience with RYO so take it with a grain of salt. I think it really depends how the blend is set up. If your using half leaves and stuff its probably trickier to get right. But if its just the same leaf all the way through then the bunch is the same throughout the length of the cigar. When I roll a stick the blend is exactly the same whether its a robusto or churchill. Same number of leaves and all. The only difference is how much leaf I want to chop off when I cut the foot.

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Originally Posted by HIM

Im just going off my experience with RYO so take it with a grain of salt. I think it really depends how the blend is set up. If your using half leaves and stuff its probably trickier to get right. But if its just the same leaf all the way through then the bunch is the same throughout the length of the cigar. When I roll a stick the blend is exactly the same whether its a robusto or churchill. Same number of leaves and all. The only difference is how much leaf I want to chop off when I cut the foot.

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Sure sounds right to me.
Opinion to be taken with a handful of salt, only thing I can roll is my eyes.