Are Cigars Sometimes Dyed – Or Not?

[kaelaria]

I have read many stories reports and reviews over the years of very dark maduro wrapped cigars being suspect for using dyes for coloring. This is presumably for marketing appeal, the even out the color of a wrapper, to make it more appealing to a consumer. Maybe to play on the myth of the darker cigars being stronger/richer/more expensive that many new smokers believe. In any case, I have not seen any official statement from any manufacturer that they do or do not dye or in some other way artificially color any of their wrappers so everything to this point seems to be people’s opinions.

I have done a couple reviews lately that I stated were dyed wrappers. One in particular was a Habano wrapper, not a maduro, not even a very dark brown color. During the review, very clearly on camera you can see a thick dark build up of a substance on my lips, fingers and all over my shirt. I stated it was dye but now I don’t think it may have been.

I wanted to test a few different shades of wrappers and see what happens when a good amount of moisture is applied, as was during the review conditions of the past few reviews. It has been unusually humid here lately and conditions have been neat or at 100% humidity, certainly unusual conditions for most smokers to be enjoying a cigar in including me. Nevertheless cigars should and mostly do perform fine under these conditions except I seem to find them giving off this color mess.

In this short video I wipe a wet paper towel gently over some different cigars to see what happens. Video on the site

[DPD6030]

Yes some are dyed. Which one was it...the el mejer espresso...came off on my hands a chit ton.

[kelmac07]

Have had a few maduros rub off on my fingers...but for the amount of dark & yummy sticks I smoke...I believe the percentage is very low.

[NeuRon]

some ghurkas = dyed = disgusting = why would anybody want to smoke a dyed cigar anyways

[NCRadioMan]

If the cigar is jet black with no inconsistencies, odds are it's dyed. No natural leaf would darken to such perfect uniformity.

[BlindedByScience]

It's typically the less expensive sticks that get the paint job. They are using less expensive wrapper crops and the color variation is typically more than you'll find with quality smokes. The usual reason is for better stick to stick color consistency.

[hotreds]

Early on I smoked a dyed one and it kinda scared me how my lips were turning brown, as was my saliva! Indeed, kinda gross! And, adds nothing to the cigar except maybe a good look.

[T.G]

Bryan, I'd like to hand it to you for being realistic and logical with the wet paper towel test and after using it on a cigar, holding up the resulting towel and saying "this is not dye" instead of running around making allegations based on junk science.

I have done a similar test on a lot of different sticks and also got color from all of them. The darker the stick, the more the color. The ones that seem most likely to be dyed I wipe down completely and dry them back out before smoking them.

[bobarian]

Originally Posted by BC-Axeman

I have done a similar test on a lot of different sticks and also got color from all of them. The darker the stick, the more the color. The ones that seem most likely to be dyed I wipe down completely and dry them back out before smoking them.

Color on a paper towel is not an accurate indicator of dye. Most tobacco has some natural color in the leaf. The most likely cigars to be dyed would be the darker Maduro or Oscuro wrappers. After fermentation a maduro wrapper is often unevenly colored or "splotchy". Some manufacturers use dye to even out the color for better appearance in the box. I have never seen any evidence that this dye imparts any flavors to the cigar which could be considered objectionable.

Some manufacturers choose to "cook" their maduro wrappers to quicken the process. Like dye, I have not seen any evidence that this affects the flavor of the cigar negatively.

[kaelaria]

Has anyone here seen the dye/color processes first hand at all?

[GreekGodX]

Originally Posted by kaelaria

Has anyone here seen the dye/color processes first hand at all?

I've heard stories about LGC having a special room for dying that the public is not allowed to go into. Do they say it is for dying? No but from what I heard it was a room that does a "special" process on the wrapper.

Not sure if that's true or not, heard it from a B&M owner who has visited that factory.

[wayner123]

Originally Posted by T.G

Bryan, I'd like to hand it to you for being realistic and logical with the wet paper towel test and after using it on a cigar, holding up the resulting towel and saying "this is not dye" instead of running around making allegations based on junk science.

So does that mean that cigars aren't dyed?

Viaje Satori were the only ones I've even heard suggested were dyed

[bobarian]

From Steve Saka of Drew Estate.

http://www.socialcigar.com/forum/top...duro-leaf-from

[kaelaria]

I have already updated the post on the site with a new pic based on that article. Looks like the RP Edge Maduro was not dyed.

[T.G]

Originally Posted by wayner123

So does that mean that cigars aren't dyed?

No. It means exactly what it says.

Wiping a cigar with a wet paper towel and seeing a color on the towel afterwards proves nothing except that something transferred from the cigar. It does not prove what it is. All too often this paper towel test is used as junk science to back someone's predetermined conclusions.

I was unaware that cigars were dyed! I will have to keep an eye out for this.

[Blak Smyth]

I think the darker the wrapper the more moisture my mouth leaks when I look at it --->

[kaelaria]

This is from Alex Svenson of Cigar.com:

Im jumping on a plane and dont have long so here is a short answer...yes many do this. It is not a dye but they will soak tobacco in water then wipe the natural colored water over wrapper to even color. A true maduro is actually quite ugly. Some people may even steam their wraper to even the color. This is an accetable process so long as the wrapper is fully fermented and it is being done for asthetics. However, some unsavory companies do this to make a not fully fermented maduro look darker and use it as a short cut which is very bad. So it all depends. As for the bleeding, all tobacco bleeds, the daker ones more so than the lighter and sometimes it is not the wrapper, it is tar. Just my quick 2 cents. Some guys in the DR actually use Mineral Oil on the outside of their wrappers to make them look oilier. It isnt harmful per say, but yet another process. In terms of seeing cigars rolled in the factory and assuming it is died, the rollers who roll maduro have to wet the thick maduro wrappers to make them pliable. Often times, this creates serious tobaccco bleed on the hands and looks like die but it is alll natural.