A Rainbow of Wrappers - a Short Guide to the Wrapper Color Range

As in shapes of cigars, there is also a wide variety in the color and shades of the wrapper leaves used in cigars. The common belief is that the color of the wrapper determines the strength of the cigar, as in darker the wrapper the stronger or fuller-bodied the smoke.

This is however not true. The part the wrapper plays in the strength depends on the quality and origin of the wrapper leaves and on the ring gauge of the cigar. Smaller the RG, a larger part the wrapper plays in the strength as well as in the over all flavor profile. What little can be determined from the color of the wrapper, is that darker wrappers tend to be sweeter and "rounder" in taste than the lighter ones.

As a general consensus, wrapper colors can roughly be divided into seven categories:

Double Claro

Green in color. Sometimes referred to as “Candela”. More popular in the past. Not so much in production today.

Claro

Very light beige. most often originated from Conneticut.

Colorado Claro

Medium Brown in color. The most popular wrapper in production today. Often referred as "Natural". Also usually from Conneticut or grown from Conneticut-Seed.

Colorado

Brown wrapper with a recognizable red hue.

Colorado Maduro

Dark version of the Colorado Claro. Usually from Cameroon or Havana Seed grown in Nicaragua or Honduras.

Maduro

Dark brown. Most Maduro wrappers come from Nicaragua and Brazil. Also some from Conneticut and other areas. Very popular in production today (especially on the USA market).

Oscuro

Simply: Black.

A wide selection of cigars with different wrapper types can be found also from our friends at Famous-Smoke.com and CigarMonster.com