Quote:
Originally Posted by kayaker
Here's a question for you about veins.
I have read reviews from fellow inmates with comments about there being no veins in the wrapper.
What constitutes a vein? All the various cigars I've tried have what I would call veins. Some are smaller than others.
Can you refer me to any photo comparisons?
Thanks,
Ian
|
Hey Ian!
I will do my best to explain what I mean by veins (this may be different from others.) I am not a botanist so I cannot tell you what causes the differences in leaves, but I have spent a good amount of time smoking and contemplating cigars so I can tell you what I have noticed in the smoke. Also, these pictures are ones I took a few minutes ago. I do not have a huge assortment here in Alaska, but I think I found a couple of good candidate for both scenarios (and yes I know they look a little dry. The interior of Alaska is very cold and VERY dry and my beads have not yet made their way up here. My folks should be sending them shortly
)
First of all...tobacco is a leaf, and leaves have veins, so every cigar you smoke will have SOME veins. I believe a cigar is labeled "veiny" or 'having little to no veins" depending on how large the veins are and whether or not they will affect the smoke.
Veiny:
These cigars have thick veins that feel rough to the touch (they may sometimes be like small twigs they are so thick.) I find that thick veins tend to affect the draw and burn of a cigar more than the taste; however, if you are constantly sucking hard on a stick to keep it lit, it will more than likely heat up on you and get bitter...so I guess it can affect taste somewhat. It also takes away from the aesthetic appeal of the smoke, which to most S/BOTL, adds to the overall enjoyment of a cigar.
Little to no veins:
These cigars still have veins, but they are very thin and can barley be felt by running your fingers over them. When someone describes a cigar as being "silky" they are probably noticing the lack of thick veins. These cigars tend to burn more consistently and have fewer plugs.
Since there are three parts to a cigar, veins affect your smoking experience in different ways. Thick veins in the filler will more than likely affect the draw where thick veins in the wrapper/binder will probably affect the burn. Large/thick veins does not always mean it is a bad smoke. Sometimes the veins do nothing to a cigar other than make it look slightly less pretty.
I hope this helps.
