Cigarillo?

[Jabman]

Disclaimer: I am not sure I am posting this in the right thread. Please move if not.

Ok I am not a cigar cigar smoker but I do enjoy a cigar every once in a while. today I was looking on the forum for cigar rolling techniques because my youngest son likes cigars and was interested in rolling his own. I found a video on rolling your own and figured I would try. I just got some Virginia flue cured lemon and figured I would try to roll a cigarillo with it. It is made of a natural burly sandwich between two of the lemon and wrapped with a nice piece of lemon. This is my first time ever rolling a cigar/ cigarillo.

 

[MarcL]

That looks right. that should smoke as long as it's not too tight or wet.

 

[CobGuy]

Looks good and should have a fairly sweet and nutty taste ... let us know how it goes!

 

[Jabman]

That looks right. that should smoke as long as it's not too tight or wet.

Checking the draw it seems tight but the leaves were not to wet. I am going to roll a couple more in the morning. I will let you know tomorrow hoe it smoked. I really like the Virginia flue cured lemon I got from WLT, Great taste.

 

[SmokesAhoy]

It looks like it would not draw, try doing the same process around a bamboo skewer and drying down to like 10%.

Mix a tiny bit of perique in it too... Wait I'm gonna do that, yay ideas.

 

[chuditch]

When it dries to 10% the skewer should slide out? And then hydrate to 12%?

It looks like it would not draw, try doing the same process around a bamboo skewer and drying down to like 10%.

Mix a tiny bit of perique in it too... Wait I'm gonna do that, yay ideas.

 

[SmokesAhoy]

I'm just ball parking on the moisture, but that much flue cured is going to be hard to burn without tunneling, it'll have to be *dry*, the skewer is just there to let it burn when it's so tight, take it out whenever you can. Might work, I used to make small cigars like that, it's hard to get them to burn properly, because it's hard to get the moisture out, and it's gotta be moist to roll it that tight.

 

[Ben Brand]

I found a guy that`s willing to make me some molds for cigars, I ordered some Churchill size, Churchill torpedo`s and a Panatella. Tried to roll a thin cigar, but struggles with draw. Hopefully the panatella will help with the thin cigar. Good luck with the cigarillo.

 

[Jabman]

Yea it had no draw, I tried it this morning. I like the bamboo skewer idea and will give that a try later this morning.

 

[Jabman]

Ok I tried the bamboo skewer and just tried to smoke it. First I didn't wait long enough, the leaf was to wet. The hole it left was way to big, when I took the lighter to it I got a mouth full of flame and heat. I will try a smaller diameter wire, I have some stove wire around some where and will try that.

 

[SmokesAhoy]

Not sure the diameter of the ones you are using, mine are pretty thin, just keep in mind this is probably doomed to failure no matter the method unless you use a dryish short filler and maybe a Lieberman style cigarette roller.

A better option for this I think would be a mix of your blends inside a real thin first priming leaf as a wrapper, but keep experimenting, you might run across something that works great for you.

For myself after trying this a bunch in the past and having some success but too many failures I ended up going the short, fat route for a quicker smoke, then finally ended up going to the pipe for everything flue cured.

How did you dry down the latest one so fast? Oven?

 

[Jabman]

How did you dry down the latest one so fast? Oven?

I didn't I thought it was dry enough and also got a little excited to try it. I have another one set aside for a few days to dry. I will keep experimenting and probably breaking down and buying stuff (including leaves) to roll my own cigars, My youngest son likes cigars and I think it would be fun rolling our own when he gets out of the Marines.

 

[ChinaVoodoo]

My suggestion is to dry it out to almost 0% after binding. That way after wrapping, the moisture will both evaporate as well as soak in.