What Is Candela Tobacco?

Candela refers to a cigar wrapper that retains its green color during curing. Most cigar tobacco turns brown as the leaf dries and the chlorophyll breaks down. Candela is different because the curing process preserves that chlorophyll, allowing the leaf to stay green. The result is a wrapper that immediately stands out in the humidor.

Another important detail is that Candela is not a specific tobacco varietal. It is a process. The green color comes from how the leaf is cured rather than the seed used to grow the tobacco. Because of that, Candela wrappers can be produced from tobacco grown in different regions.

How Candela Tobacco Is Made

Most tobacco is air-cured slowly over several weeks, gradually changing from green to brown as it dries. Candela tobacco is cured very differently. After harvest, the leaves are placed in a heated curing barn where higher temperatures are used to dry the tobacco quickly.

This faster curing process locks in the chlorophyll that gives the leaf its green color. The process must be carefully controlled because too much heat can damage the wrapper. When done correctly, it produces the distinctive green leaf that defines Candela cigars.

What Candela Cigars Taste Like

Candela cigars tend to have a brighter and more aromatic flavor profile than darker wrappers. Many smokers describe notes of green tea, herbal character, and light natural sweetness, sometimes with hints of hay or citrus.

Traditionally, Candela cigars fall in the mild to medium range in terms of strength. One of the most distinctive characteristics is the aroma. When a Candela cigar is lit, it produces a noticeable fragrance that stands apart from other wrapper styles.

Why Candela Became Rare

Candela cigars were once extremely popular in the United States and were often referred to as American Market Selection. Over time, however, preferences shifted toward darker wrappers like Habano and Maduro that offered richer flavors.

Because the curing process is more delicate and demand declined, many manufacturers stopped producing Candela wrappers altogether. For years the style became something of a rarity in humidors.

Why Candela Is Showing Up Again

Recently, Candela has begun to reappear as cigar smokers explore a wider range of styles. Boutique manufacturers in particular have rediscovered one of Candela’s biggest advantages: it is a process, not a specific tobacco.

Traditionally, Connecticut seed and Ecuadorian Habano were common choices for Candela wrappers, but newer projects are experimenting with Honduran and Dominican tobacco as well. For many smokers, Candela simply offers something different, both in appearance and flavor.

Candela Cigars to Try at Smokers Abbey

If this style has you curious, the best way to understand Candela is simply to try one. While Candela wrappers aren’t as common as they once were, several manufacturers continue to produce excellent examples that highlight the wrapper’s unique aroma and herbal character.

At Smokers Abbey, we keep a small selection of Candela cigars available for smokers who want to experience something outside the usual Habano or Maduro rotation. Each blend approaches the wrapper a little differently, offering its own balance of brightness, sweetness, and complexity.