Have you ever noticed how certain cigars come sheathed in Spanish cedar, and presumed that it was merely a marketing ploy?

Contrary to common misconception, those wafer thin sheets of Spanish cedar do far more for a premium cigar blend than just make it look pretty. 

Aromatics from the thinly sliced cedar add an additional amount of aromatics to a cigar, which many cigar smokers find to be very pleasant. This primarily translates to pre-lit impressions, but in cases where extended cigar aging is implemented, can bolster the amount of cedar notes that our olfactory senses are able to detect.

There's also a certain amount of protection that comes with a cedar-wrapped cigar. The outer leaf that is commonly called the cigar wrapper tends to be a bit on the fragile side. So having a sheet of cedar (a.k.a. "cedar spill") cloaking the barrel of the stick can help prevent things like sloughing and flaking from occurring. 

Furthermore, there is almost always a bit of ribbon or paper wrapped around the foot of the cedar tube. This not only adds aesthetic appeal to the stogie, but it also doubles as one of several forms of cigar armor that can shield the foot during a drop.