Are Torpedos better than other sizes?

[Ray]

Originally Posted by bimmian

Also, the flavor seems to get harsher than a comparable robusto at that point, maybe because of all the tar built up in the head.

I too prefer the torpedo, but can't specifically point to a why.

I do however tend to re clip the end of the torpedo towards the end of the cigar to reopen the draw and get around the tar build up issue.

[R10]

Only been 5/6 months into Cigars - but find myself drawn to the Torpedo and the Churchill sizes. The Torpedos seem to draw and burn better - but I'm sure it does depend on the manufacturer and their quality controls.

[e-man]

I think everyone is giving the roller too much credit/blame.

The roller puts the wrapper on the cigar. Somebody else is sandwiching the tobacco leaves and pressing them in the molds before the roller touches it. So, if you have a burn issue inside the cigar, there's a good chance that it is not the roller's fault.

This is not to diminish the significance of the roller. The wrapper is the key piece, and the head is the foundation that keeps everything from unraveling. The roller decides if the wrapper is good enough. Then, works with each leaf to decide how it should be trimmed to eliminate veins and other abnormalities before rolling the final cigar. The roller makes sure it is straight and true. The quality of his work determines whether the stick is good to sell or must be sold as a second.

There's just something special about a torpedo. It is easy to clip a hole as big or small as you want. With your conventional vitolas (straight sides with rounded caps), it's difficult to clip a small hole (but you could still punch it). Then there are those that prefer an angled cut on a torpedo to catch tar. They also tend to unravel less, since the head is so much longer on a torpedo.

They cost more, because they take more effort to roll consistently. I don't see the need to pay extra for the shape, as I usually smoke toro's. However, I always get a smile when I hold a torpedo. I guess the extra enjoyment is worth a higher price from time to time.

[veteranvmb]

what you are saying is true to some extent and not true in other senses. There are different ways cigars are made(not talking about 100 percent machine made)

One method is that a machine actually grabs the filler and someone applies the binder and wrapper.

2) machine applies filler and binder and someone applies the wrapper

3) One person does it all. I do believe most of the premium cigars that we buy are done by this method. The person may not actually choose the filler tobacco, but it is placed on his table to be assembled, so he has the correct blend.

In the hand rolled place where I buy cigars from (there are usually three to four rollers) each one is doing everything from start to finish. I see several bags of tobacco, which they sort out portions on their table, and then commence the blend, binder and wrapper, and press them if they are to be box pressed.
Its actually quite interesting if you watch them. The other day, I wanted to buy a bundle, and they didnt have what I wanted in the size, and I watched the man roll up twenty cigars just for me.
I think they enjoy this, and are extra perfecto, when someone is watching. He then as a gift rolled me a huge black cigar as a bonus for waiting that must be 10 inches by 55.. He called it el capitano for me. Thats what they call me there now.
So that is my view, and correct me if I am wrong.

Much regards Jerry

[commonsenseman]

Originally Posted by veteranvmb

.....The other day, I wanted to buy a bundle, and they didnt have what I wanted in the size, and I watched the man roll up twenty cigars just for me.
I think they enjoy this, and are extra perfecto, when someone is watching. He then as a gift rolled me a huge black cigar as a bonus for waiting that must be 10 inches by 55.. He called it el capitano for me. Thats what they call me there now.....

Very very cool, wish I could watch my cigars being made.

Are these the same cigars you had a few of us sample?

[veteranvmb]

Originally Posted by commonsenseman

Very very cool, wish I could watch my cigars being made.

Are these the same cigars you had a few of us sample?

Same place, different cigars.

Jeff, some members have fallen in love with this cigar. They do a dramatic change after being down for two months or so. Remember these are a fresh cigar.

Lots of cigars are rolled and stay around for months and months before they are boxed.

It is neat having hand rolled shops. There are a few different ones in the area. This is one I am near when I drop the wife off for work sometimes.

It took me a while to learn their system, and to garner a little trust in them.

They are not used to having "gringos" just walk in, unless they are in a group and uniformed. (police, fire, sanitation). They kind of skirt some taxes and I understand they have been closed down several times for tax stuff. I dont know.

I do know, I like the cigars, as well as many others, because the outpit from 3 to 4 rollers- 8 hours a day, six days a week, amounts to a heft amount of production. Plus I dont know, whats maybee rolled in their own homes and not in the store for internet sales maybee. Big communication problem, but the rollers are also usually the owners of the plantations and business.
They seem to have some pride, especially to someone who actually knows what they are smokeing.

Regards Jerry

[clampdown]

No

[commonsenseman]

Originally Posted by veteranvmb

Same place, different cigars.

Jeff, some members have fallen in love with this cigar. They do a dramatic change after being down for two months or so. Remember these are a fresh cigar.

Lots of cigars are rolled and stay around for months and months before they are boxed.

It is neat having hand rolled shops. There are a few different ones in the area. This is one I am near when I drop the wife off for work sometimes.

It took me a while to learn their system, and to garner a little trust in them.

They are not used to having "gringos" just walk in, unless they are in a group and uniformed. (police, fire, sanitation). They kind of skirt some taxes and I understand they have been closed down several times for tax stuff. I dont know.

I do know, I like the cigars, as well as many others, because the outpit from 3 to 4 rollers- 8 hours a day, six days a week, amounts to a heft amount of production. Plus I dont know, whats maybee rolled in their own homes and not in the store for internet sales maybee. Big communication problem, but the rollers are also usually the owners of the plantations and business.
They seem to have some pride, especially to someone who actually knows what they are smokeing.

Regards Jerry

I did enjoy them quite a bit, I posted up a review recently, dunno if you saw it or not. It was a good smoke, very sweet tasting. I'd be interested in trying a torpedo sometime.

P.S. I bet they get pretty dang good after a few extra months on them!

[bimmian]

Inasmuch as the manufacturing process for "hand made" cigars, I was told that: there is generally a 2-man team working on each bench in a cigar factory. One is the "buncher" and one is the "roller". They do exactly as described in their titles and the previous postings.. One makes the bunch and gets it into the mold after applying the binder. The second man is the "roller" and he applies the wrapper leaf.

However, all Cuban factories, Cubans in general, (and therefore many of the boutique brands owned and operated by Cubans) work as single rollers from start to finish. One man controlling the entire process from bunch to cigar to bundle or box...

As I said before though, this is strictly hearsay and I have no personal knowledge to back this up. It might just be more of the "rolled on virgin thighs" propaganda/myth/B.S. about Cuban cigars...

[e-man]

Originally Posted by veteranvmb

3) One person does it all. I do believe most of the premium cigars that we buy are done by this method. The person may not actually choose the filler tobacco, but it is placed on his table to be assembled, so he has the correct blend.

This may be true of the boutique cigar makers, but large scale name brands utilize cigar molds for their hand rolled cigars.

There are "Bunchers" dedicated to blending, sandwiching and binding the leaves. They place the bunch into molds that match the shape of the desired vitola. The molds are pressed until the tobacco conforms.

Here's some pictures of molds being used in the Fuente Facotry.

Vitolas - Fuente Cigar Factory Tour/Mold pressed



Like any industry, factory arrangements will vary. At Fuente, they have multiple stations that pair a Roller with a Buncher, and the molds sit between them.

Vitolas - Fuente Cigar Factory Tour/Rolling Ashtons


It's really cool that you have a place that you can watch the entire process performed in an Artisan style. That means you can get a custom blend made. YUMMMM.

My local B&M had a Reyes event where you could get a free a cigar rolled in front of your eyes (with purchase). They had a suitcase of pressed cigars, wrapped individually in newspaper. He would just take the newspaper off and roll a wrapper on it. Not very impressive.

[veteranvmb]

Originally Posted by e-man

T

It's really cool that you have a place that you can watch the entire process performed in an Artisan style. That means you can get a custom blend made. YUMMMM.

My local B&M had a Reyes event where you could get a free a cigar rolled in front of your eyes (with purchase). They had a suitcase of pressed cigars, wrapped individually in newspaper. He would just take the newspaper off and roll a wrapper on it. Not very impressive.

This place is strickly hand rolled. They do not sell anything that they dont make. They have a web site if you are interested. Its been posted before. rosarioscigarsllc.com

These cigars definatley need to rest to bring out the best in them. Its amazing the change in them.
The only problem is that I have never purchased enough to rest for any time(except for one, thats aged 3 months. )
When I get that humidor that the wife won from c.i. I will season it and take it to the shop, and fill it up and let them rest for 6 months, and I will be buying some every month, to start laying down for the future.

You have the rollers behind a counter, and about three folding chairs behind some glass where you can sit and smoke and watch. Nothing fancy.

But one thing intriques me. They have about two dozen humidors just laying around all over the place. I dont know if they are peoples humidors, or just old ones they are selling.
I swear they look like they were taken out of cuba and used for a hundred years. They look like old furniture. Most of them appear to be 100 count humis.

Regards Jerry

[The Postman]

I like torpedoes because they fit in my mouth better than other sizes. That said, I still have a majority of robustos and toros in my humi, so its not a matter of pursuing them, I just like them.

[Snake Hips]

To put it shortly, buying a torpedo or belicoso won't give you a higher chance of getting a better-rolled cigar. They use more highly-skilled torcedores to roll them because of their difficulty, but that balances out if you think about it. Increase in difficulty and increase in torcedor skill equals the same error rate of an easier cigar with a less-skilled torcedor.

[Cigary]

Originally Posted by commonsenseman

I did enjoy them quite a bit, I posted up a review recently, dunno if you saw it or not. It was a good smoke, very sweet tasting. I'd be interested in trying a torpedo sometime.

P.S. I bet they get pretty dang good after a few extra months on them!

I know after a month on them they are very good and am waiting on an order I placed last week to put them away for a few months. For the price of these cigars and waiting for a few months it's going to be like gold. If possible I want to order about 200 of these and let them age for a year.

Originally Posted by veteranvmb

This place is strickly hand rolled. They do not sell anything that they dont make. They have a web site if you are interested. Its been posted before. rosarioscigarsllc.com

These cigars definatley need to rest to bring out the best in them. Its amazing the change in them.
The only problem is that I have never purchased enough to rest for any time(except for one, thats aged 3 months. )
When I get that humidor that the wife won from c.i. I will season it and take it to the shop, and fill it up and let them rest for 6 months, and I will be buying some every month, to start laying down for the future.

You have the rollers behind a counter, and about three folding chairs behind some glass where you can sit and smoke and watch. Nothing fancy.

But one thing intriques me. They have about two dozen humidors just laying around all over the place. I dont know if they are peoples humidors, or just old ones they are selling.
I swear they look like they were taken out of cuba and used for a hundred years. They look like old furniture. Most of them appear to be 100 count humis.

Regards Jerry

I'd like to see your first review on these Jerry as you were so good to let me and others try them first. I love these cigars and they will get my business for as long as they stay in business.

[Schecter30]

the better size is the one that you like