Alex Svenson
07-08-2008, 06:28 PM
Now that Nub has been out there for about a month, I have had a chance to look over the comments that I see on several of the forums. For me the best type of feedback is when people say if they like something or not and I am often turned off when people to go out of their way to dismiss a concept as a whole.
Liking Nub or not is a matter of preference, but I feel the need to set the matter strait and explain a bit about why Nub is special and how the theory is valid. Some of what I read in feedback around the net is that it the theory is a “gimmick”, dismissing Nub cigars as simply short and fat cigars or even “larger cigars cut in half.”
If you are not familiar wit the theory, I will bring you up to speed. The Nub theory is that a conventional cigar takes time to warm up and hit its “sweet spot”. The Nub however does not take time to warm up to its sweet spot, but instead provides an excellent smoke from start to finish that is consistent and maintains the flavor and complexity often associated with the best part of a cigar.
Fact 1: Nub is not simply a larger cigar cut in half. All premium cigars are hand rolled with a certain size wrapper. The size of the wrapper used is dictated by the size of the vitola (shape) the torcedor (cigar roller) is making. IE: small sizes use small wrappers and large sizes use large wrappers. When you look at the outside of a cigar you will see seams in the wrapper. These are also called folds or turns and when looking at a cigar you should notice three distinct turns that are proportionate. This is consistent with any cigar no matter what size. That said, if they were truly taking 8 inch cigars and cutting them in half, you would only see one or two turns on the wrapper. That said, Nub has three full, proportionate folds and beautiful seams. Speaking from experience in making cigars, rolling cigars in the shapes the Nubs are in is very difficult. In fact, I would assume it takes a fairly experienced roller to make this line.
Fact 2: Nub blends their cigars differently to achieve the “sweet spot”. It is scientific and there is validity to the theory. You see, when a buncher makes a cigar they fold the filler leaves like an accordion with the tips of the leaves at the foot (the end you light). This allows for the smoother portion and more easily combustible parts of the leaf to be near the foot. This helps a cigar ease into its flavor and also makes it easier to light. More in depth, consider the shape and structure of any regular plant leaf. There is a central vein and sub veins that branch off of the main. The bulk of the texture, nutrients and hence flavor are concentrated toward the central stem and toward the bottom of the leaf (opposite the tip). You can see this actually illustrated during the leaves curing process as they turn from green to yellow, and from yellow to brown. The color changes start at the very outside of the leaf and at the tip and work their way into the center and down the leaf. To introduce the maximum flavor from the moment Nub is lit, the blenders and bunchers actually cut away almost the top 1/3 of the filler leaf. This compacts the most flavorful and complex portions of the tobacco into a smaller size. If these were just normal blended smaller cigars, they would use the whole filler or if anything just the tops.
Fact 3: Again, another fact confirmed by science when it comes to the Nub theory. The weight of the short and fat Nub cigars is actually the same as many conventional cigar sizes. Length and ring do not always dictate smoke time. Density is a major factor and Nub adds extra filler (see comment two about getting the flavor from the filler). Several skeptics have dismissed Nub as a “quick smoke”. It is my opinion that this denser filler in conjunction with a wide ring is a major contributor to the uniqueness of Nub. The dense filler and large diameter force you to smoke it slowly. In fact, it is hard to smoke Nub quickly even if you try your hardest. One of the biggest faults with all cigar smokers (myself included) is that people smoke their cigars too quickly. Doing so makes the cigar burn hotter and you loose a great deal of the flavor. By being forced to smoke Nub slowly, more of the flavor is preserved as you have to take you time with it.
Liking the all new Nub or not is a strict matter of preference, but hearing people talk about “gimic” and “short version of regular cigars” is disappointing. This perception is obviously the product of a few uneducated “aficionados” posting opinions that are being accepted as fact. Me personally, I enjoy the Nub. However, most of all, I enjoy the ingenuity and creativity from Sam Leccia and the folks at Oliva. It is this type of outside of the box thinking and blending that the cigar industry will benefit from. 40 years ago, there were only a few brands in this industry and look at it now. If the cigar industry is going to continue to grow, then ideas and the creative process in general needs to also. I applaud Sam and Oliva for taking a chance on an interesting concept. I wish them both the best.
NUB FACT: Nub is a premium hand rolled cigar. In fact, its short stout size is the among the hardest vitolas to roll, meaning only the most experienced rollers at the factory are qualified to make Nub.
Liking Nub or not is a matter of preference, but I feel the need to set the matter strait and explain a bit about why Nub is special and how the theory is valid. Some of what I read in feedback around the net is that it the theory is a “gimmick”, dismissing Nub cigars as simply short and fat cigars or even “larger cigars cut in half.”
If you are not familiar wit the theory, I will bring you up to speed. The Nub theory is that a conventional cigar takes time to warm up and hit its “sweet spot”. The Nub however does not take time to warm up to its sweet spot, but instead provides an excellent smoke from start to finish that is consistent and maintains the flavor and complexity often associated with the best part of a cigar.
Fact 1: Nub is not simply a larger cigar cut in half. All premium cigars are hand rolled with a certain size wrapper. The size of the wrapper used is dictated by the size of the vitola (shape) the torcedor (cigar roller) is making. IE: small sizes use small wrappers and large sizes use large wrappers. When you look at the outside of a cigar you will see seams in the wrapper. These are also called folds or turns and when looking at a cigar you should notice three distinct turns that are proportionate. This is consistent with any cigar no matter what size. That said, if they were truly taking 8 inch cigars and cutting them in half, you would only see one or two turns on the wrapper. That said, Nub has three full, proportionate folds and beautiful seams. Speaking from experience in making cigars, rolling cigars in the shapes the Nubs are in is very difficult. In fact, I would assume it takes a fairly experienced roller to make this line.
Fact 2: Nub blends their cigars differently to achieve the “sweet spot”. It is scientific and there is validity to the theory. You see, when a buncher makes a cigar they fold the filler leaves like an accordion with the tips of the leaves at the foot (the end you light). This allows for the smoother portion and more easily combustible parts of the leaf to be near the foot. This helps a cigar ease into its flavor and also makes it easier to light. More in depth, consider the shape and structure of any regular plant leaf. There is a central vein and sub veins that branch off of the main. The bulk of the texture, nutrients and hence flavor are concentrated toward the central stem and toward the bottom of the leaf (opposite the tip). You can see this actually illustrated during the leaves curing process as they turn from green to yellow, and from yellow to brown. The color changes start at the very outside of the leaf and at the tip and work their way into the center and down the leaf. To introduce the maximum flavor from the moment Nub is lit, the blenders and bunchers actually cut away almost the top 1/3 of the filler leaf. This compacts the most flavorful and complex portions of the tobacco into a smaller size. If these were just normal blended smaller cigars, they would use the whole filler or if anything just the tops.
Fact 3: Again, another fact confirmed by science when it comes to the Nub theory. The weight of the short and fat Nub cigars is actually the same as many conventional cigar sizes. Length and ring do not always dictate smoke time. Density is a major factor and Nub adds extra filler (see comment two about getting the flavor from the filler). Several skeptics have dismissed Nub as a “quick smoke”. It is my opinion that this denser filler in conjunction with a wide ring is a major contributor to the uniqueness of Nub. The dense filler and large diameter force you to smoke it slowly. In fact, it is hard to smoke Nub quickly even if you try your hardest. One of the biggest faults with all cigar smokers (myself included) is that people smoke their cigars too quickly. Doing so makes the cigar burn hotter and you loose a great deal of the flavor. By being forced to smoke Nub slowly, more of the flavor is preserved as you have to take you time with it.
Liking the all new Nub or not is a strict matter of preference, but hearing people talk about “gimic” and “short version of regular cigars” is disappointing. This perception is obviously the product of a few uneducated “aficionados” posting opinions that are being accepted as fact. Me personally, I enjoy the Nub. However, most of all, I enjoy the ingenuity and creativity from Sam Leccia and the folks at Oliva. It is this type of outside of the box thinking and blending that the cigar industry will benefit from. 40 years ago, there were only a few brands in this industry and look at it now. If the cigar industry is going to continue to grow, then ideas and the creative process in general needs to also. I applaud Sam and Oliva for taking a chance on an interesting concept. I wish them both the best.
NUB FACT: Nub is a premium hand rolled cigar. In fact, its short stout size is the among the hardest vitolas to roll, meaning only the most experienced rollers at the factory are qualified to make Nub.