By this point, you are probably privy to the fact that almost all premium cigar blends contain a specialized priming off the tobacco plant called the "binder leaf." If not, here is a quick synopsis of a binder leaf's attributes and why it is utilized inside a cigar.

First of all, these types of leaves are indeed "built to bind," and by keeping the filler side of the cigar trussed up neatly, they can fulfill a very important role in the cigar production process. Without a binder, the torcedores (rollers) would have one hell of a time placing the wrapper leaf on the outside of the cigar.

These stretchy, lower primings off the tobacco plant are typically aged and fermented for shorter lengths of time, and do not impart much in the way of flavor. Instead, binder leaves tend to add aroma more than flavor, which can complicate things since your olfactory senses will often dupe your taste buds into tasting what you are smelling. But the whole discussion about the olfactory system, and how sensory integration can be influenced by the aromatics encountered during the whole retrohale process, is a Deep Dive best saved for another day. 

Want to try a double binder cigar? 

Here are a few of our favorite dual leaf blends.

Warped Cigars Isla del Cocodrilo

Alec Bradley Black Market Estelí

Plasencia Alma del Fuego

Aganorsa Leaf Arsenio

La Palina KB Series

My Father Cigars La Opulencia

Sooooo... does that mean that two binders offer a better burn and additional aromatics? Pretty much.

But throwing an extra binder at any old cigar blend isn't a guaranteed recipe for success. Tobacco strain options are bountiful, and having the right combo is paramount. You don't want two binder leaves that smell entirely too obtuse when combined and burning, but you also want them to play off one another and create complexity. 

Additionally, finding the right burn rate matters a whole hell of a lot. Certain wrapper varieties burn slower than others, and therefore require a faster-burning binder leaf to help keep things moving along. In contrast, a wrapper leaf that burns quickly may need a binder that combusts a bit slower to keep things moving at a more leisurely rate. Combine more than one binder, and you complicate combustion matters even further, which is a primary reason why many cigar manufacturers steer clear of double binders the majority of the time.

However, if you can bring the ideal binder leaf duo together in a blend that complements and contrasts with them in just the right ways, well, let's just say that you've probably got one hell of a stunning cigar on your hands.