Are Cigars Sometimes Dyed – Or Not?

[kaelaria]

http://cigarobsession.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/20110810601m0005-Edit-470x353.jpg

I have read many stories reports and reviews over the years of very dark maduro wrapped cigars being suspect for using dyes for coloring. This is presumably for marketing appeal, the even out the color of a wrapper, to make it more appealing to a consumer. Maybe to play on the myth of the darker cigars being stronger/richer/more expensive that many new smokers believe. In any case, I have not seen any official statement from any manufacturer that they do or do not dye or in some other way artificially color any of their wrappers so everything to this point seems to be people’s opinions.

I have done a couple reviews lately that I stated were dyed wrappers. One in particular was a Habano wrapper, not a maduro, not even a very dark brown color. During the review, very clearly on camera you can see a thick dark build up of a substance on my lips, fingers and all over my shirt. I stated it was dye but now I don’t think it may have been.

I wanted to test a few different shades of wrappers and see what happens when a good amount of moisture is applied, as was during the review conditions of the past few reviews. It has been unusually humid here lately and conditions have been neat or at 100% humidity, certainly unusual conditions for most smokers to be enjoying a cigar in including me. Nevertheless cigars should and mostly do perform fine under these conditions except I seem to find them giving off this color mess.

In this short video I wipe a wet paper towel gently over some different cigars to see what happens. Video on the site

[DPD6030]

Yes some are dyed. Which one was it...the el mejer espresso...came off on my hands a chit ton.

[kelmac07]

Have had a few maduros rub off on my fingers...but for the amount of dark & yummy sticks I smoke...I believe the percentage is very low. :2

[NeuRon]

some ghurkas = dyed = disgusting = why would anybody want to smoke a dyed cigar anyways

[NCRadioMan]

If the cigar is jet black with no inconsistencies, odds are it's dyed. No natural leaf would darken to such perfect uniformity.

[BlindedByScience]

It's typically the less expensive sticks that get the paint job. They are using less expensive wrapper crops and the color variation is typically more than you'll find with quality smokes. The usual reason is for better stick to stick color consistency.

[hotreds]

Early on I smoked a dyed one and it kinda scared me how my lips were turning brown, as was my saliva! Indeed, kinda gross! And, adds nothing to the cigar except maybe a good look.

[T.G]

Bryan, I'd like to hand it to you for being realistic and logical with the wet paper towel test and after using it on a cigar, holding up the resulting towel and saying "this is not dye" instead of running around making allegations based on junk science.

[BC-Axeman]

I have done a similar test on a lot of different sticks and also got color from all of them. The darker the stick, the more the color. The ones that seem most likely to be dyed I wipe down completely and dry them back out before smoking them.

[bobarian]

I have done a similar test on a lot of different sticks and also got color from all of them. The darker the stick, the more the color. The ones that seem most likely to be dyed I wipe down completely and dry them back out before smoking them.

:tpd: Color on a paper towel is not an accurate indicator of dye. Most tobacco has some natural color in the leaf. The most likely cigars to be dyed would be the darker Maduro or Oscuro wrappers. After fermentation a maduro wrapper is often unevenly colored or "splotchy". Some manufacturers use dye to even out the color for better appearance in the box. I have never seen any evidence that this dye imparts any flavors to the cigar which could be considered objectionable.

Some manufacturers choose to "cook" their maduro wrappers to quicken the process. Like dye, I have not seen any evidence that this affects the flavor of the cigar negatively. :2

[kaelaria]

Has anyone here seen the dye/color processes first hand at all?

[GreekGodX]

Has anyone here seen the dye/color processes first hand at all?

I've heard stories about LGC having a special room for dying that the public is not allowed to go into. Do they say it is for dying? No but from what I heard it was a room that does a "special" process on the wrapper.

Not sure if that's true or not, heard it from a B&M owner who has visited that factory.

[wayner123]

Bryan, I'd like to hand it to you for being realistic and logical with the wet paper towel test and after using it on a cigar, holding up the resulting towel and saying "this is not dye" instead of running around making allegations based on junk science.

So does that mean that cigars aren't dyed? :confused:

[klipsch]

Viaje Satori were the only ones I've even heard suggested were dyed

[bobarian]

From Steve Saka of Drew Estate.

http://www.socialcigar.com/forum/topics/creating-maduro-leaf-from

[kaelaria]

I have already updated the post on the site with a new pic based on that article. Looks like the RP Edge Maduro was not dyed.

[T.G]

So does that mean that cigars aren't dyed? :confused:

No. It means exactly what it says.

Wiping a cigar with a wet paper towel and seeing a color on the towel afterwards proves nothing except that something transferred from the cigar. It does not prove what it is. All too often this paper towel test is used as junk science to back someone's predetermined conclusions.

[Sherlockholms]

I was unaware that cigars were dyed! I will have to keep an eye out for this.

[Blak Smyth]

I think the darker the wrapper the more moisture my mouth leaks when I look at it --->:dr:dr:dr

[kaelaria]

This is from Alex Svenson of Cigar.com:

Im jumping on a plane and dont have long so here is a short answer...yes many do this. It is not a dye but they will soak tobacco in water then wipe the natural colored water over wrapper to even color. A true maduro is actually quite ugly. Some people may even steam their wraper to even the color. This is an accetable process so long as the wrapper is fully fermented and it is being done for asthetics. However, some unsavory companies do this to make a not fully fermented maduro look darker and use it as a short cut which is very bad. So it all depends. As for the bleeding, all tobacco bleeds, the daker ones more so than the lighter and sometimes it is not the wrapper, it is tar. Just my quick 2 cents. Some guys in the DR actually use Mineral Oil on the outside of their wrappers to make them look oilier. It isnt harmful per say, but yet another process. In terms of seeing cigars rolled in the factory and assuming it is died, the rollers who roll maduro have to wet the thick maduro wrappers to make them pliable. Often times, this creates serious tobaccco bleed on the hands and looks like die but it is alll natural.

[WittyUserName]

^^ :tu

[dwoodward]

From Steve Saka of Drew Estate.

http://www.socialcigar.com/forum/topics/creating-maduro-leaf-from

This is probably one of the best articles I have read in a long time... And very relavent to the topic:

From the Article.

Just having some dark stains come off the wrapper alone is -NOT- a fair
indicator, because all natural maduro wrappers will cause staining to
the skin with moisture due to their inherent oiliness. If you ever have
to opportunity to visit a cigar factory, just look at the hands of the
workers, unlike the manicure perfect hands shown in the pictures in
magazines and books, every worker's hands are stained, even those
working with BW color shade leaf. And those rolling maduro, their hands
are sometime near black!

[T.G]

This is probably one of the best articles I have read in a long time... And very relavent to the topic:

Yes.

Here are some photos I shot at the Drew Estates factory last year. Notice the rollera's fingers? And the accumulation of oils on the metal table and pipe roller (for flattening out the veins in the capa).

http://img254.imageshack.us/img254/1823/0561flyingpigtailroll1.jpg
http://img109.imageshack.us/img109/7849/0562flyingpigtailroll2.jpg
http://img524.imageshack.us/img524/5068/0563flyingpigtailroll3.jpg
http://img687.imageshack.us/img687/496/0567flyingpigtailroll4.jpg
http://img526.imageshack.us/img526/6493/0568flyingpigtailroll5.jpg

[WittyUserName]

Nice pictures, seeing this in person is on my bucket list.

[T.G]

Nice pictures, seeing this in person is on my bucket list.

Thanks.

It's well worth it.

Meeting cigar manufacturers and makers at an event is one thing. Spending a few entire days with them at their factory and their farms is a whole different experience. The grips and grins events don't even come close.

[T.G]

I couldn't find any decent photos of light shade cigars being rolled, but here's a few more on the oil transfer issues:

http://i.imgur.com/d56Iq.jpg

This is a bunchero at the Padron factory. Notice the staining on his thumb and fingertips. No manufacturer would ever waste the time, manpower or money to dye filler.

http://i.imgur.com/meKsc.jpg

This wooden mold is from Pepin's My Father factory. All that staining is from dark wet capote (binder) leaves. Again, no one would dye a binder.

http://i.imgur.com/4JzwP.jpg

Rollera at the My Father factory.

http://i.imgur.com/XyqmV.jpg

Sorting table at Drew Estates. Check out the cardboard under the capa leaves and her hands. Those leaves haven't even really been wet down much yet. They have only just enough moisture to make them barely pliable.

http://i.imgur.com/EOwuk.jpg

JdN's being rolled.

[kaelaria]

Cool shots!

Any pics of dying?

[T.G]

Cool shots!

Any pics of dying?

I saw an off duty guard using a can of black Lincoln wax on his shoes. Does that count?

:r

Nah, no tobacco dying that I saw.

[wayner123]

I saw an off duty guard using a can of black Lincoln wax on his shoes. Does that count?

:r

Nah, no tobacco dying that I saw.

Thanks for all the pics. From growing up around tobacco farming, I know the hazards that can come from working with it.

After reading the Steve Saka link, I am still a bit confused. Do certain manuf. dye their cigars? I am asking you T.G because you seem to have the knowledge.

[T.G]

After reading the Steve Saka link, I am still a bit confused. Do certain manuf. dye their cigars? I am asking you T.G because you seem to have the knowledge.

Saka already covered that in his commentary - 3rd paragraph:


First off, on this topic - yes some manufacturers have in the past and
still do manipulate their maduro leaf to achieve a darker, more even
color, ...

[kaelaria]

Alex Svenson of cigar.com also confirmed yesterday that it is still done.

[Aporschaguy]

Early on I smoked a dyed one and it kinda scared me how my lips were turning brown, as was my saliva! Indeed, kinda gross! And, adds nothing to the cigar except maybe a good look.

Man that sounds horrible. Why would anyone want to smoke such an abomination....

[alfredo_buscatti]

I've read several articles by Steve Saka of Drew Estate, and all have been quite informative.

Here is a link about maduros by him that touches on maduro dyeing.

http://tobacconistuniversity.org/blog/?p=1656

[longknocker]

Thanks For Sharing, Guys! :tu Very Informative! :)

[Tbagley]

Something about the mineral oil posted comment just bothers me a bit, as I really don't think I want to burn that too much.