Cigar Fundamentals

HOW ARE CIGARS MADE? Ciggr-Fundamentals CIGAR PRODUCTION IS AN INTRICATE PROCESS COMPRISING SEVERAL STEPS Tobacco Plant Cultivation Tobacco plants are typically triangular 6-7 in shape; meaning that the leaves found at the base are larger than those at the top. WEEKS Young tobacco saplings are cultivated indoors until they are 50 DAYS sturdy enough to be planted outdoors. This typically takes from 6 to 7 weeks. The tobacco plants take up to 45 to 50 days to reach their full height (2 to 3 meters). The Curing Process The primary purpose of curing tobacco The leaves are left in curing barns (where the temperature and moisture is carefully controlled) in leaves is to reduce the moisture content in the leaves from as much as 80% down to as little as 20%. order to dehydrate the leaves. 80% Fermentation Next, the cured tobacco leaves are The tobacco leaves are often sprayed with a special sorted into different bundles by the fermentation solution and the leaves are hung on farmer according to their color, size strings in fermentation warehouses. and quality. Stripping the Leaves After fermentation, the leaves Stripping may be done manually but is often done by machines on undergo the stripping (or threshing) process. large tobacco farms. During stripping, the mid-rib is removed from the leaves. At this point, the fermentation process enters its second stage. The pressure from the weight of the leaves speeds up the fermentation process which takes about 30 days to complete. Cigar Wrapping This is the trickiest part of the The biggest challenge is to ensure entire process. Two to three tobacco that the filler is evenly distributed leaves are placed end-to-end and over the binder leaves in order to then rolled into two halves, held guarantee even burning. together by the binder leaves. The bunch' is then placed into wooden molds where a mechanical The ends of the cigar are then sealed with binder called 'Goma'. press gives the cigar shape. This is a special vegetable paste that is flavorless but edible. Surplus tobacco filler leaves are trimmed off using a 'Chaveta' or a round topped knife. After the wooden mold, the bunch is now laid at an angle over the wrapper and wraps the cigar several times. The Manufacturing Process CIGARS ARE MADE IN 2 WAYS, BY HAND OR MACHINE HAND ROLLING MACHINE ROLLING Premium cigars are made by hand. The vast majority of cigars are manufactured by machine. The filler of hand rolled cigars always must be packed carefully and evenly so the cigar always burns smoothly. The wrapper is rolled in an even spiral around the cigar. Inspection Cigar inspection is often done by designated workers who check the diameter by putting the cigar Lastly, cigars are closely inspected The cigars must be of uniform for quality and consistency during size, shape, length, diameter and each stage of the manufacturing draw. through a ring. The cigar should feel firm but not tight. process. Summary Premium, high-quality cigars may take as much as 3 years to produce. Producing a good cigar depends on stringent quality control, trained skills and high quality manufacturing processes. ©2014, CigarExport