This age-old question, “are dark cigars always strong cigars?” gets tossed around a lot. Dark cigars tend to have more body “flavor” but not always a lot of strength. And no, not all experienced cigar smokers smoke the strongest cigars on the market all the time.
Cigar maker
La Aurora’s website gives a fitting example of what the leaves provide to the construction of a cigar. What really makes cigars strong is in the blend of the cigar. It's all in the filler and how it was constructed that gives you the most flavor and strength.
The most notorious power leaf of them all is the Ligero. It is the highest leaf on the plant and is also the last to be removed. The longer the Ligero leaves stay on the plant, the more nutrients the plant sends to the remaining leaves. Because of this extra time in the sun, the leaf thickens to protect itself from the sun's harsh rays. Ligero also becomes oily which can be hard to keep lit. In the end, more sun equals more strength.
Flavor and strength tend to go together as the stronger leaves are more spicy, peppery, and bolder. Blenders try to add small percentages to a cigar to keep it balanced. You will find that
Habano,
Cameroon, and some
Connecticut wrapper cigars can be on the full side as they blend them to perfection.
To sum it all up, not all dark cigars are strong and not all light-colored cigars are mild. It takes time to find out what your limits are and when to smoke a strong cigar. I started off with mild and medium cigars and realized I could manage a stronger cigar in the morning better than at night. So, take your time, read our
staff picks and try something new. You will be surprised at what you will discover.
Published on May 2, 2023