Toothy Cigars
“Toothy” is a term used to describe cigars, and it’s sometimes mistaken for “toothsome,” which means “mouthwatering,” “delectable,” and “flavorful.” When discussing cigars, “toothy” describes the wrapper leaf, and only specific wrappers exhibit “tooth,” or tiny bumps – pockets of oil – that form on the leaf. They look like small goosebumps. Toothy wrappers appear textured or slightly rough compared to the silky, smooth complexion we associate with non-toothy wrappers, like Connecticut Shade.
Cigars known to have a toothy appearance are blended with Cameroon wrappers, Sun Grown wrappers, and certain Connecticut Broadleaf Maduro and Oscuro wrappers. Essentially, these darker and oilier wrappers deliver hearty flavor due to the natural oils they possess, and cigar-makers blend the binder and filler tobaccos underneath them to achieve a complex, succulent, and smooth taste. Here are six excellent cigars to smoke when you want to explore toothy wrappers.
1. Arturo Fuente Hemingway
Arturo Fuente is the leading brand when it comes to blending cigars with Cameroon wrappers, and Hemingway is among the finest. This artful collection of Perfectos is drawn from a gingerbread-hued Cameroon wrapper and premium Dominican long-fillers handcrafted by an elite team of rollers at the legendary Fuente factory. For decades, the Fuente family has maintained an exclusive relationship with the Meerapfel family, who supply Cameroon wrapper to most of today’s cigar-makers who blend with it. Arturo Fuente Hemingway cigars deliver luscious notes of chestnut, cinnamon, and baking spices, and the Cameroon wrapper the Fuentes source is especially toothy because they age it for years.
2. Ashton Aged Maduro
Ashton Aged Maduro cigars are blended by world-renowned cigar-maker Carlito Fuente from vintage Dominican binder and filler tobaccos beneath an oily Connecticut Broadleaf Maduro. The dark and toothy wrapper leaf is fermented for a minimum of three years to achieve an ultra-smooth profile of dark chocolate, almond, molasses, and maple with hints of spice in several classic sizes. Other Ashton cigars noted for a toothy complexion include the iconic VSG and ultra-rare ESG blends.
3. La Aroma de Cuba Reserva
Award-winning cigar-maker Pepin Garcia blends the La Aroma de Cuba portfolio from some of the finest Nicaraguan tobaccos in the world. La Aroma de Cuba Reserva is finished in a shimmering San Andrés Oscuro wrapper leaf that resonates with notes of hickory, black pepper, espresso bean, and leather before a big malty aftertaste blesses the palate. Every leaf is triple fermented for maximum smoothness in this bold, 94-rated cigar.
4. San Cristobal
The original San Cristobal blend is robust and peppery thanks to a vigorous interior of premium Nicaraguan long-fillers enveloped by a thick Cuban-seed Oscuro wrapper leaf grown in Ecuador. Boisterous notes of black pepper, black cherry, espresso bean, walnut, and dark chocolate command attention with dense aroma and flavor in several balanced sizes. Celebrated cigar-maker Jose ‘Pepin’ Garcia ages the tobaccos extensively, resulting in a finish that is intense and polished.
5. Padrón 1964 Anniversary Maduro
The prestigious reputation of Padrón cigars is well-deserved in the top-rated profile of Padrón 1964 Anniversary Maduro. Well-aged Nicaraguan long-fillers grown on Padrón estates are patiently assembled beneath a textured and toothy Nicaraguan Maduro wrapper leaf in an array of stunning box-pressed sizes. Tasting notes of dark cocoa, cedar, coffee bean, and cayenne pepper have made Padrón cigars coveted among cigar lovers and critics.
6. Oliva Master Blends 3
Oliva Master Blends 3 is a major hit in the expansive Oliva franchise. Notes of dark chocolate, coffee bean, brown sugar, and earth mingle seamlessly before a sweet and spicy finish bathes the palate. A glistening Connecticut Broadleaf wrapper enrobes a vintage blend of premium Nicaraguan long-fillers in a collection of popular sizes revered for superior taste and value.
