3 Minute Deep Dive: Corojo Cigars Explained

If it were not for the original el corojo tobacco craze in Cuba, many of the strains that make the premium cigar blends we enjoy today would be quite different. Or perhaps not even exist at all...

Squat in size, corojo produces some of the smallest types of tobacco leaves on the planet. This beautiful, and often underappreciated reddish tobacco is a core component of cigar culture. 

While the snappy little video I put together above covers some of the history and genetic structuring of this unique cigar tobacco leaf, there are a few corojo caveats that warrant deeper discussion.

Make no mistake, almost all corojo tobacco grown today is destined for wrapping around the outside of a cigar. But there's way more to this ruddy red foliage than just appearances and peppery spice.

Not All Corojo Cigars Pack a Punch

First of all, one must understand that while corojo tobacco does tend to be a bit on the spicy side, it can also be extremely smooth. There are dozens of medium-strength cigars out there with corojo wrappers that are anything but in-your-face.

This isn't just due to the inclusion of mellower tobacco varietals within a particular premium cigar blend. Extended fermentation and aging processes are a core part of a cigar leaf's metamorphosis, and the rugged little corojo benefits greatly from these processes.

Being that corojo tobacco tends to be a bit on the robust side (both in flavor and construction), extensive aging and fermentation tend to improve and smooth its characteristics. The result is a more balanced and complex cigar-smoking experience, with layers of flavor backing it all up.

Don Pepin Garcia Series JJ Selecto Corojo

Finding the Right Red Leaf

Today, a variety of corojo strains are grown in many cigar tobacco-producing parts of the world. From Nicaragua and the Dominican Republic to southern Mexico and Ecuador, seed strains from this plant have been found to thrive in an array of environments.

However, it is the Jamastran Valley in Honduras that is most famous for producing this prized plant. A cigar staple that was set in place by brands like Camacho, and then bolstered by award-winning premium cigar blends from the following cigar manufacturers, as well as many more...

Here are a few of our personal corojo favorites here at Klaro Cigars:

 

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