Long Filler - There is No Other Choice

Posted by Corona Cigar Co. on Nov 2 2016

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Long Filler - There is No Other Choice

If you have recently been introduced to cigars and would like to find out more about what makes a good cigar, you need to start with the basics.

One of the first things you need to understand is the difference between short filler and long filler cigars. Such simple terms, but they speak to the history of cigar making.

First a quick breakdown of the parts of a cigar.

Wrapper

The outer layer is not just a covering. This provides the primary flavor of the cigar. Great care goes into choosing what wrapper to use including its physical characteristics.

Binder

This keeps the filler together. Historically the lowest grade tobacco was used, but more recently cigar makers are more discerning with this choice using it to add another layer of flavor

Filler

This is the center portion of the cigar. It is either "long" or "short". The filler controls the burn of the cigar. This layer also provides another flavor component.

The three parts are uniquely chosen to impart a specific overall flavor the cigar maker is striving to achieve. This process of selecting the leaves and choosing flavor combinations is taken very seriously in the case of hand-made cigar makers.

Now for the long and short of cigars. Long filler consists of whole tobacco leaves and short filler is made of chopped tobacco leaves.

Long filler cigars burn longer than short fillers and have a more complex taste and smoke. Short fillers burn hotter due to a less densely packed center which creates more air in the cigar. The quicker burn does not allow the smoker to savor all the nuances and flavors. Quite often the smoke produces an acrid taste.

Ash is an important characteristic of a cigar. The property of cigar ash is affected not only by the superiority of the cigar but by the nature of the soil in which the tobacco was grown. Calcium rich soil is preferred and the best ash will be white or grey with white streaks. This is a direct result of the soil's calcium level. If the ash is dark grey or even black, this will translate into a burnt and acidic flavor.

A cigar with no ash will burn hotter and the overall quality of the smoke is affected.

Fillers and wrappers contribute directly to the ash characteristics. Long fillers and wrappers of a high caliber provide the most desirable smoke.

One can see how fillers directly affect the experience of the cigar smoker. Long fillers are the more preferred of the two types not only for the superior taste, but this is the method that has been used to make cigars for thousands of years. The craftsmanship that goes into handmade cigars is truly remarkable and steeped in history. On the other hand, short fillers are derived from a more modern process using machines to produce cigars. True aficionados prefer the long filler unquestionably.

There are premier cigar makers who honor the heritage and continue to produce a high-quality handmade product created with the smokers' pleasure in mind. Contact Corona Cigar Co. today.