Different blends – same country, same wrappers. Are the wrapper leaves identical?

Q: I’ve been a huge fan of the Famous Nicaraguan 6000’s, and would like to try the 3000’s. Is it just semantics and the way the cigars are described, or is there a difference between the “Ecuadorian Habano” wrappers on these two cigars? I don’t mean to split hairs; I’m just curious (before I try the 3000’s).
– B. Carey in Ingleside, IL

A: Glad you like the 6K’s. They’re blended by Amilcar Perez-Castro who works with Rocky Patel. The Nicaraguan 3K’s are made by another well-known manufacturer in Esteli, but they have an all Nicaraguan filler and binder core, whereas the 6K’s are made with Nicaraguan & Honduran fillers. That difference right there is going to have an effect on the character and flavor of the cigars.

Here’s the deal: The Ecuadorian Habano wrappers used on both cigars are grown from the same Cuban seed. Simply put, “Habano” (Havana) means “Cuban seed” or in Spanish “Semillia Habano.” However, every blender has his own way of curing and aging; therefore, even the same leaf, grown on the same farm, from the same vintage crop may give the finished cigar a different character, strength, and/or flavor, based solely on the recipe alone.

If you wanted to see how similar the two wrapper leaves were from both blends, you could smoke each blend (a 3K and a 6K) in a smaller ring gauge, whereby more of the wrapper flavor would be present.