Module 1: Terroir & the Primer System Foundation

[VISUAL: Diagram of tobacco plant primings + meters for combustion/strength/flavor]

The position of a leaf on the stalk dictates how it behaves—its oil density, its combustion appetite, and how loudly it speaks in the blend. Terroir then tunes that voice: volcanic vigor vs alluvial finesse.

Primer System (Quick Shelf Notes)

Volado — Oxygen Carrier

Thin, low-nicotine, high combustibility. Flavor subtle (paper, straw, cereal). Critical to keep heavy cores lit.

Seco — Aroma Scaffold

Moderate oils, gentle nicotine. Cedar, hay, dry cocoa, tea. Mid-palate shape; steadies the conversation.

Viso — Flavor Density

Thicker blade, more resins. Toasted sugars, walnut skin, savory spice. Often where “house character” lives.

Ligero — Authority & Drag

Highest oils; slowest to ignite. Espresso bitters, leather, black pepper. Great when oxygenated.

Terroir Contrasts

Nicaragua: Estelí (young volcanic) → black pepper, dense earth, graphite-dry finish. Condega (river plain) → rounded spice, toast. Jalapa (kinder sun) → cocoa, floral honey, cinnamon lift.

Dominican Republic (Cibao): alluvial finesse → tea-like lift, polished cedar, honeyed nuts; less brute spice, more poise.

Rule: Up the stalk = oils↑, nicotine↑, cell walls↑, easy combustion↓. Terroir adjusts texture and finish.

Advanced Examples: Priming × Place

Estelí Ligero: slow ignition, espresso bitters; needs volado/seco partners to avoid canoeing.
Jalapa Seco/Viso: cocoa/cinnamon sweetness; ideal to civilize robust cores.
DR Seco (Piloto/Olor): satin texture, toasted bread, tea; excellent transmission layer.

[VISUAL: Cross-section macro — airy channels vs tight heavy leaf]

Module 2: Wrapper — The Flavor Engine

[SLIDE: Panels — CT Broadleaf (Maduro) • Ecuador Sumatra • Corojo/Criollo]

Wrappers set the first impression—nose at light-up, attack on tongue, and the silhouette of the finish. Read wrapper like a librarian reads a spine.

Connecticut Broadleaf (Maduro)

Morphology: Broad, crinkled, pronounced tooth; built for long, hot pilones.
Aromatics: Molasses, cocoa nib, prune, maple bark, anise.
Texture: Oily sheen, chewy smoke, round edges.
Burn: Slow/cool when oxygenated; add airy volado + cooperative binder.

Tell: Tooth + syrup on cold draw → sweet-savory depth, mocha finish.

Ecuadorian Sumatra

Morphology: Thin, elastic, high surface oil (diffused Ecuador sun).
Aromatics: Red/white pepper, cardamom, clove bud, cedar chest.
Finish: Often drying, sharpening cedar/spice articulation.
Burn: Efficient; manage pace so core doesn’t outrun the wrapper.

Tell: Silky tack + peppery cold-nose → spice-led opening, bright mid-palate.

Corojo / Criollo

Corojo: red/black pepper, tangy cedar, citrus pith; kinetic mid-palate.
Criollo: earth, warm spice (cumin/coriander), roasted nuts; grounded heft.
Process: Ferment hot enough to tame rawness; not so hot you scorch the flicker.
Burn: Thicker; needs friendly binder + combustive filler.

Tell: Tangy nose + pepper bloom → attack, presence, cadence.

Common Pitfalls & Reading the Leaf

Broadleaf over-fermented: flattens into generic “dark.” Expect monotone coffee without lift.
Sumatra under-fermented: bitter-green (clove stem/aspirin). Angular, not layered.
Corojo/Criollo + heavy ligero + tight binder: upward cones, relights, barky pepper.

Module 3: Binder & Filler — The Blend’s Engine Room

[SLIDE: Exploded cigar diagram — wrapper • binder • entubado filler columns]

Binder is the chassis and metronome; it governs combustion and provides a dry, consistent line of background spice. Filler is the orchestra: the priming mix (volado/seco/viso/ligero) across origins sets the strength curve and complexity.

Binder — Combustion Architecture

Traits: Elasticity, cooperative veins, oxygen permeability.
Country Signals: Nicaraguan (grit/darker spice), Dominican (silky/elegant straight burn), Honduran (firm/woody correction).

Prediction: Warm the foot gently: if dry peppered wood dominates, binder is steering → anticipate tight ash, even cadence.

Filler — Engineering the Curve

Entubado: parallel chimneys → precise oxygen lanes; accordion is faster, less exact.
Thirds: 1st = wrapper/binder headline; 2nd = viso/ligero awaken; 3rd = oils peak, construction exposed.
Dark dense foot: assume more viso/ligero → delayed ignition, torque-rich mid-section.

Combustion Triangle & Ring Gauge

Wrapper porosity × Binder permeability × Filler oxygen demand. High-oil wrappers (Broadleaf, Corojo) require permissive binders and enough volado to move air.

Narrow ring: wrapper influence ↑; ligero impact moderated.
Wide ring: filler orchestra ↑; wrapper frames.

Module 4: Predicting the Profile Expert System

[SLIDE: Flowchart — Identify Wrapper → Handfeel/Sheen → Smell Foot → Inspect Bunch → Infer Primings → Predict Arc]

The Five-Step Read

Identify the wrapper: varietal + country; note sheen/tooth/uniformity.
Handfeel & elasticity: oily/thick → slower burn; silky/thin → faster, spicier.
Cold nose & foot: syrup vs cedar/pepper vs tang → triangulate sweetness/spice/tang.
Foot inspection: dark dense columns (viso/ligero) vs airy straw (seco/volado).
Form factor: ring gauge dictates wrapper vs filler weighting.

Habituate: Write a one-line forecast before toasting; verify during the smoke.

Interactive: Profile Predictor

Choose wrapper, binder, and core bias. The system prints an expected arc.

Wrapper Binder Core Bias

Your prediction will appear here.

Quick Matrix: Wrapper × Core → Behavior (tap rows to highlight)

Wrapper	Core Signal	Expected Profile	Burn	Watch-Outs
CT Broadleaf	High ligero (Estelí) + viso (Jalapa)	Mocha, molasses, leather; pepper tail; chewy mid	Slow start; steady puffs	Tunneling if volado scarce
CT Broadleaf	Seco-forward (DR) + touch viso	Cocoa/coffee + polished cedar	Cool, smooth travel	May feel “soft” in body
Ecuador Sumatra	Viso-centric (Condega/Jalapa)	Layered pepper, cardamom, cedar	Even pace; wrapper sets tempo	Angular if cores under-fermented
Ecuador Sumatra	Seco-heavy (DR) + aromatic binder	Perfumed spice over bakery/tea	Quick light, elegant ash	Light body if over-drawn
Corojo	Ligero-biased (Nic/Hon)	Pepper blast, tangy cedar, citrus pith	Needs oxygen management	Canoeing if binder too dense
Criollo	Viso + Seco (Nic/DR)	Savory nuts, cumin/coriander	Stable ember, steady rise	Dry finish stacking late

Pattern Library: If X, then likely Y

High Ligero + Corojo → immediate attack, long mineral finish; slow steady cadence to keep citrus-tang musical.

High Seco + Connecticut Shade → cream, hay, sweet cedar; elegant line; reveals construction honesty.

Sumatra + Viso-Forward → red→white pepper, clove/cardamom, drying cedar finish; articulate mid-palate.

Broadleaf + Jalapa Lift → cocoa/molasses with cinnamon lift; plush mouthfeel.

Criollo + DR Seco Binder → savory nut loaf, warm spice; strength arrives late with satisfying grip.

Sensory Drills to Train Your Model

Drill A — Wrapper Weighting

Two cigars with same core, different wrappers (Sumatra vs Broadleaf).
Cold-nose, foot sniff, retrohale first ½″ only.
List 3 wrapper-driven notes, 2 textural differences; predict second-third convergence.

Drill B — Priming Ignition Map

Select a ligero-forward blend; photograph the foot cross-section.
Time to first stable ash; note draw effort & smoke density minute-by-minute (10 minutes).
Mark when sweetness emerges—often viso/seco sugars catching up.

Presenter Prompts Facilitator

Open Prompts

Ask: “Based on the foot and handfeel, predict the mid-palate—three words.”
Remind: “Ligero doesn’t shout at minute one—give it oxygen and time.”
Compare: “Broadleaf’s sweetness vs Sumatra’s spice: which dominates your retrohale?”

The Cigar’s Anatomy: Decoding Terroir & Process to Predict Flavor