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Corojo ve Criollo Tütünleri
Cuba's Corojo and Criollo tobacco, are the grand father of today's tobacco on the market. günümüzde piyasadaki çoğu tütünün ana kaynağı olan tohumlar. In time they have been changed as they were transformed to be less receptacle to diseases like blue mold or instects. They have been crossed with other seeds and became hybrid. Despite the fact that the very original seeds are very rare or impossible to find, as these are the grand father of all, let's have a closer look at their characteristics.
The first of the two, Criollo, literally meaning "native" , is the one known to us since Colombus times. It was used as filler, binder and for wrapper until Corojo was developed. Today, besides Cuba, it is being grown in Honduras and Nicaragua. The unique characteristics of the soil in these countries, gives a unique aroma to this plant. The ones growing in Jalapa Valley in Nicaragua have rather sweeter leaves, while the ones growing in Esteli have rather earthy and nut aromas in them. Again the plants growing in Honduras have more creamy and softer in aromas in the leaves. Although not as the first choice Criollo, is still in use today in good quantity and is still increasing its share in the cigars. The varieties we see are Crillo 98, and other hybrid types.
Coming into the scene after Criollo, Corojo plant is named after its plantation region Santa Ines del Corojo in 1930s in Vuelta Abajo in Cuba. The earthy notes of these leaves, along with spicy and complex aromas, allowed these leaves to be enjoyed as wrappers mainly. However, although used widely between 1930s and 1990s, due to being receptacle to disease and insect quite easily, the seeds had to be crossed, creating Habano 2000, which was so much used after its creation but in the end lost its popularity due to longer fermentation times required as well as causing burn problems, leaving the stage to Criollo 98 and Corojo 99.
Corojo today is mainly grown in Honduras. While in Cuba, the variety used is called Corojo 99, the ones grown in Honduras, with their spicy and sweet profile, are deemed to be the closest to the very original seeds of Cuba. Another sought after Nicaraguan Corojo 99 has alos a very complex profile in terms of aroma and is the second most popular Corojo currently.
Despite almost all seeds are somehow originate from both Criollo and Corojo, they have been crossed so many times, creating so different hybrids in time. It may be seen getting away from the original taste and aroma but on the other hand, if not for those hybrids, we wouldnot have so much variety in cigars and in different brands.
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