How A Cigar Is Made

HOWA CIGAR IS MADE The Structure Lof a Cigar- Composition -of a Cigar •Cap - A small, round piece of wrapper leaf Vattached to the head of a cigar. The purpose of the cap is to secure the wrapper. Cigars are composed of three types of tobacco leaves: the wrapper, filler and binder. These variations determine smoking and flavor characteristics. •Head + This is the end of the cigar that one >draws from. The head is the closed end of a cigar and must be clipped or cut about 2-3 millimeters before the foot is lit. →Wrappers• A cigar's outermost leaves, or wrapper, come from the widest part of the plant. The wrapper determines much of the cigar's character and flavor, and as such its color is often used to describe the cigar as a whole. •Cigar Band+ The label that sits around the head of a cigar. →Fillers• The majority of a cigar is made up of filler, wrapped-up bunches of tobacco leaves. inside the wrapper. •Foot+ The end of the cigar that is lit. The foot of a cigar is usually pre-cut. Binders• Elastic leaves used to hold the filler of a cigar together. Binders are essentially wrappers that were rejected due to holes, blemishes, discoloration or excess veins. The 3 types of- Filler The filler is typically constructed with the strong ligero leaf in the center, the lighter seco leaf around the ligero, and the volado surrounding both the ligero and seco. -Ligero• Comes from the top part of the plant, which is exposed to the most sunlight. It is darkest and the most flavorful filler of the three. Seco (Dry)• Is taken from the middle of the plant. These leaves are lighter than Ligero in both color and flavor. Volado• From the lowest part of the plant that is used primarily for its burning properties. Volado leaves impart little flavor on cigars. The Manufacturing Proces Cigars are made either by hand or by a machine. • Cultivation of Tobacco Tobacco plants are seeded indoors and transplanted into fields after 6 to 10 weeks. The plants take several months to mature in the fields. • Curing After harvesting, the tobacco leaves are cured once they become dried brown or yellow in color. To begin the curing process, the harvested plants are strung to narrow strips of wood called laths.The laths are hung from the ceiling of a well-ventilated curing barn. • Fermenting After the leaves are cured, they are sorted by color and size. The leaves are tied into bundles and are stored in boxes for a period of 6 months to 5 years. The leaves undergo chemical changes during this period referred to as fermentation. During fermentation, the aroma and taste of the tobacco leaf develops. • Stripping The filler leaves must have their main vein (or stem) removed, or else the cigar will not/burn evenly. The stripped leaves are wrapped in bales and stored for further fermentation. Just before the leaves are ready to be manufactured into cigars, they are steamed to restore lost humidity, and sorted again.- •Wrapping Wrapping is the most difficult step. The worker takes the partially completed cigar and places it on the wrapper leaf. With a special rounded knife called a chaveta, the worker trims off any irregularities from the filler. The worker rolls the wrapper leaf around the filler and binder three and a half times, securing the end of the wrapper with Vegetable paste. • Hand rolling Fine cigars are rolled by hand. The filler on hand rolled cigars must be packed evenly for the cigar to burn smoothly. The wrapper is applied in an even spiral around the cigar: • Machine rolling The majority of cigars are made by machine. -One worker feeds tobacco leaves onto a feed belt between guide bars that are adjusted for the length of cigar desired. The machine bunches the leaves, forming the filler. -A second worker places binder leaf (or HTL) onto the binder die. The leaf is held down by suction, and the machine cuts it to the proper size. The filler is then dropped onto the binder die. At that point, the machine rolls the binder around the filler. -A third worker then places the wrapper leaf (or HTL) on to a wrapper die. The partially completed cigar drops onto the wrapper, and the machine rolls the wrapper around the cigar. -A fourth worker inspects the completed cigars and places them in trays. •Inspecting The finished cigars are inspected in numerous ways. The cigars are collected from the rollers in bundles of fifty and are labeled with the following information:- "Vitola" (ring gauge & length of the cigar) "Tabaquero" (cigar factory) And finally, the date of manufacture •Storing- In the marriage rooms, the cigars are stored in cedar bins, cedar drawers or cedar shelves. The temperature and humidity conditions are kept at an ideal level so that the cigars can be stored for three weeks to a year. As the wrapper dries, it shrinks, compresses, and solidifies the cigar, making it a denser and slower-burning finished product. •Seasoning The second aspect of the aging process is the inter-marrying of the cigars within each bundle and and aromas of anything around it. As the cigars remain in this room over a period of time, they absorb each other's oils and aromas. All of these cigars will then taste and smell alike. among all the bundles in the seasoning room. Tobacco absorbs the oils -Sources: http://www.cigarcabana.com/cigar-anatomy.html http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cigar http://www.madehow.com/Volume-3/Cigar.html http://www.goodoldayscigars.com/how_cigars_are_made.html Published by: 1st Class CIGAR HUMIDORS Designed by: Info Graphic DESIG N TEAM Y Humidors & Cgar Accessories at Unbelevable Prices www.cigarhumidors-online.com HOWA CIGAR IS MADE The Structure Lof a Cigar- Composition -of a Cigar •Cap - A small, round piece of wrapper leaf Vattached to the head of a cigar. The purpose of the cap is to secure the wrapper. Cigars are composed of three types of tobacco leaves: the wrapper, filler and binder. These variations determine smoking and flavor characteristics. •Head + This is the end of the cigar that one >draws from. The head is the closed end of a cigar and must be clipped or cut about 2-3 millimeters before the foot is lit. →Wrappers• A cigar's outermost leaves, or wrapper, come from the widest part of the plant. The wrapper determines much of the cigar's character and flavor, and as such its color is often used to describe the cigar as a whole. •Cigar Band+ The label that sits around the head of a cigar. →Fillers• The majority of a cigar is made up of filler, wrapped-up bunches of tobacco leaves. inside the wrapper. •Foot+ The end of the cigar that is lit. The foot of a cigar is usually pre-cut. Binders• Elastic leaves used to hold the filler of a cigar together. Binders are essentially wrappers that were rejected due to holes, blemishes, discoloration or excess veins. The 3 types of- Filler The filler is typically constructed with the strong ligero leaf in the center, the lighter seco leaf around the ligero, and the volado surrounding both the ligero and seco. -Ligero• Comes from the top part of the plant, which is exposed to the most sunlight. It is darkest and the most flavorful filler of the three. Seco (Dry)• Is taken from the middle of the plant. These leaves are lighter than Ligero in both color and flavor. Volado• From the lowest part of the plant that is used primarily for its burning properties. Volado leaves impart little flavor on cigars. The Manufacturing Proces Cigars are made either by hand or by a machine. • Cultivation of Tobacco Tobacco plants are seeded indoors and transplanted into fields after 6 to 10 weeks. The plants take several months to mature in the fields. • Curing After harvesting, the tobacco leaves are cured once they become dried brown or yellow in color. To begin the curing process, the harvested plants are strung to narrow strips of wood called laths.The laths are hung from the ceiling of a well-ventilated curing barn. • Fermenting After the leaves are cured, they are sorted by color and size. The leaves are tied into bundles and are stored in boxes for a period of 6 months to 5 years. The leaves undergo chemical changes during this period referred to as fermentation. During fermentation, the aroma and taste of the tobacco leaf develops. • Stripping The filler leaves must have their main vein (or stem) removed, or else the cigar will not/burn evenly. The stripped leaves are wrapped in bales and stored for further fermentation. Just before the leaves are ready to be manufactured into cigars, they are steamed to restore lost humidity, and sorted again.- •Wrapping Wrapping is the most difficult step. The worker takes the partially completed cigar and places it on the wrapper leaf. With a special rounded knife called a chaveta, the worker trims off any irregularities from the filler. The worker rolls the wrapper leaf around the filler and binder three and a half times, securing the end of the wrapper with Vegetable paste. • Hand rolling Fine cigars are rolled by hand. The filler on hand rolled cigars must be packed evenly for the cigar to burn smoothly. The wrapper is applied in an even spiral around the cigar: • Machine rolling The majority of cigars are made by machine. -One worker feeds tobacco leaves onto a feed belt between guide bars that are adjusted for the length of cigar desired. The machine bunches the leaves, forming the filler. -A second worker places binder leaf (or HTL) onto the binder die. The leaf is held down by suction, and the machine cuts it to the proper size. The filler is then dropped onto the binder die. At that point, the machine rolls the binder around the filler. -A third worker then places the wrapper leaf (or HTL) on to a wrapper die. The partially completed cigar drops onto the wrapper, and the machine rolls the wrapper around the cigar. -A fourth worker inspects the completed cigars and places them in trays. •Inspecting The finished cigars are inspected in numerous ways. The cigars are collected from the rollers in bundles of fifty and are labeled with the following information:- "Vitola" (ring gauge & length of the cigar) "Tabaquero" (cigar factory) And finally, the date of manufacture •Storing- In the marriage rooms, the cigars are stored in cedar bins, cedar drawers or cedar shelves. The temperature and humidity conditions are kept at an ideal level so that the cigars can be stored for three weeks to a year. As the wrapper dries, it shrinks, compresses, and solidifies the cigar, making it a denser and slower-burning finished product. •Seasoning The second aspect of the aging process is the inter-marrying of the cigars within each bundle and and aromas of anything around it. As the cigars remain in this room over a period of time, they absorb each other's oils and aromas. All of these cigars will then taste and smell alike. among all the bundles in the seasoning room. Tobacco absorbs the oils -Sources: http://www.cigarcabana.com/cigar-anatomy.html http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cigar http://www.madehow.com/Volume-3/Cigar.html http://www.goodoldayscigars.com/how_cigars_are_made.html Published by: 1st Class CIGAR HUMIDORS Designed by: Info Graphic DESIG N TEAM Y Humidors & Cgar Accessories at Unbelevable Prices www.cigarhumidors-online.com HOWA CIGAR IS MADE The Structure Lof a Cigar- Composition -of a Cigar •Cap - A small, round piece of wrapper leaf Vattached to the head of a cigar. The purpose of the cap is to secure the wrapper. Cigars are composed of three types of tobacco leaves: the wrapper, filler and binder. These variations determine smoking and flavor characteristics. •Head + This is the end of the cigar that one >draws from. The head is the closed end of a cigar and must be clipped or cut about 2-3 millimeters before the foot is lit. →Wrappers• A cigar's outermost leaves, or wrapper, come from the widest part of the plant. The wrapper determines much of the cigar's character and flavor, and as such its color is often used to describe the cigar as a whole. •Cigar Band+ The label that sits around the head of a cigar. →Fillers• The majority of a cigar is made up of filler, wrapped-up bunches of tobacco leaves. inside the wrapper. •Foot+ The end of the cigar that is lit. The foot of a cigar is usually pre-cut. Binders• Elastic leaves used to hold the filler of a cigar together. Binders are essentially wrappers that were rejected due to holes, blemishes, discoloration or excess veins. The 3 types of- Filler The filler is typically constructed with the strong ligero leaf in the center, the lighter seco leaf around the ligero, and the volado surrounding both the ligero and seco. -Ligero• Comes from the top part of the plant, which is exposed to the most sunlight. It is darkest and the most flavorful filler of the three. Seco (Dry)• Is taken from the middle of the plant. These leaves are lighter than Ligero in both color and flavor. Volado• From the lowest part of the plant that is used primarily for its burning properties. Volado leaves impart little flavor on cigars. The Manufacturing Proces Cigars are made either by hand or by a machine. • Cultivation of Tobacco Tobacco plants are seeded indoors and transplanted into fields after 6 to 10 weeks. The plants take several months to mature in the fields. • Curing After harvesting, the tobacco leaves are cured once they become dried brown or yellow in color. To begin the curing process, the harvested plants are strung to narrow strips of wood called laths.The laths are hung from the ceiling of a well-ventilated curing barn. • Fermenting After the leaves are cured, they are sorted by color and size. The leaves are tied into bundles and are stored in boxes for a period of 6 months to 5 years. The leaves undergo chemical changes during this period referred to as fermentation. During fermentation, the aroma and taste of the tobacco leaf develops. • Stripping The filler leaves must have their main vein (or stem) removed, or else the cigar will not/burn evenly. The stripped leaves are wrapped in bales and stored for further fermentation. Just before the leaves are ready to be manufactured into cigars, they are steamed to restore lost humidity, and sorted again.- •Wrapping Wrapping is the most difficult step. The worker takes the partially completed cigar and places it on the wrapper leaf. With a special rounded knife called a chaveta, the worker trims off any irregularities from the filler. The worker rolls the wrapper leaf around the filler and binder three and a half times, securing the end of the wrapper with Vegetable paste. • Hand rolling Fine cigars are rolled by hand. The filler on hand rolled cigars must be packed evenly for the cigar to burn smoothly. The wrapper is applied in an even spiral around the cigar: • Machine rolling The majority of cigars are made by machine. -One worker feeds tobacco leaves onto a feed belt between guide bars that are adjusted for the length of cigar desired. The machine bunches the leaves, forming the filler. -A second worker places binder leaf (or HTL) onto the binder die. The leaf is held down by suction, and the machine cuts it to the proper size. The filler is then dropped onto the binder die. At that point, the machine rolls the binder around the filler. -A third worker then places the wrapper leaf (or HTL) on to a wrapper die. The partially completed cigar drops onto the wrapper, and the machine rolls the wrapper around the cigar. -A fourth worker inspects the completed cigars and places them in trays. •Inspecting The finished cigars are inspected in numerous ways. The cigars are collected from the rollers in bundles of fifty and are labeled with the following information:- "Vitola" (ring gauge & length of the cigar) "Tabaquero" (cigar factory) And finally, the date of manufacture •Storing- In the marriage rooms, the cigars are stored in cedar bins, cedar drawers or cedar shelves. The temperature and humidity conditions are kept at an ideal level so that the cigars can be stored for three weeks to a year. As the wrapper dries, it shrinks, compresses, and solidifies the cigar, making it a denser and slower-burning finished product. •Seasoning The second aspect of the aging process is the inter-marrying of the cigars within each bundle and and aromas of anything around it. As the cigars remain in this room over a period of time, they absorb each other's oils and aromas. All of these cigars will then taste and smell alike. among all the bundles in the seasoning room. Tobacco absorbs the oils -Sources: http://www.cigarcabana.com/cigar-anatomy.html http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cigar http://www.madehow.com/Volume-3/Cigar.html http://www.goodoldayscigars.com/how_cigars_are_made.html Published by: 1st Class CIGAR HUMIDORS Designed by: Info Graphic DESIG N TEAM Y Humidors & Cgar Accessories at Unbelevable Prices www.cigarhumidors-online.com HOWA CIGAR IS MADE The Structure Lof a Cigar- Composition -of a Cigar •Cap - A small, round piece of wrapper leaf Vattached to the head of a cigar. The purpose of the cap is to secure the wrapper. Cigars are composed of three types of tobacco leaves: the wrapper, filler and binder. These variations determine smoking and flavor characteristics. •Head + This is the end of the cigar that one >draws from. The head is the closed end of a cigar and must be clipped or cut about 2-3 millimeters before the foot is lit. →Wrappers• A cigar's outermost leaves, or wrapper, come from the widest part of the plant. The wrapper determines much of the cigar's character and flavor, and as such its color is often used to describe the cigar as a whole. •Cigar Band+ The label that sits around the head of a cigar. →Fillers• The majority of a cigar is made up of filler, wrapped-up bunches of tobacco leaves. inside the wrapper. •Foot+ The end of the cigar that is lit. The foot of a cigar is usually pre-cut. Binders• Elastic leaves used to hold the filler of a cigar together. Binders are essentially wrappers that were rejected due to holes, blemishes, discoloration or excess veins. The 3 types of- Filler The filler is typically constructed with the strong ligero leaf in the center, the lighter seco leaf around the ligero, and the volado surrounding both the ligero and seco. -Ligero• Comes from the top part of the plant, which is exposed to the most sunlight. It is darkest and the most flavorful filler of the three. Seco (Dry)• Is taken from the middle of the plant. These leaves are lighter than Ligero in both color and flavor. Volado• From the lowest part of the plant that is used primarily for its burning properties. Volado leaves impart little flavor on cigars. The Manufacturing Proces Cigars are made either by hand or by a machine. • Cultivation of Tobacco Tobacco plants are seeded indoors and transplanted into fields after 6 to 10 weeks. The plants take several months to mature in the fields. • Curing After harvesting, the tobacco leaves are cured once they become dried brown or yellow in color. To begin the curing process, the harvested plants are strung to narrow strips of wood called laths.The laths are hung from the ceiling of a well-ventilated curing barn. • Fermenting After the leaves are cured, they are sorted by color and size. The leaves are tied into bundles and are stored in boxes for a period of 6 months to 5 years. The leaves undergo chemical changes during this period referred to as fermentation. During fermentation, the aroma and taste of the tobacco leaf develops. • Stripping The filler leaves must have their main vein (or stem) removed, or else the cigar will not/burn evenly. The stripped leaves are wrapped in bales and stored for further fermentation. Just before the leaves are ready to be manufactured into cigars, they are steamed to restore lost humidity, and sorted again.- •Wrapping Wrapping is the most difficult step. The worker takes the partially completed cigar and places it on the wrapper leaf. With a special rounded knife called a chaveta, the worker trims off any irregularities from the filler. The worker rolls the wrapper leaf around the filler and binder three and a half times, securing the end of the wrapper with Vegetable paste. • Hand rolling Fine cigars are rolled by hand. The filler on hand rolled cigars must be packed evenly for the cigar to burn smoothly. The wrapper is applied in an even spiral around the cigar: • Machine rolling The majority of cigars are made by machine. -One worker feeds tobacco leaves onto a feed belt between guide bars that are adjusted for the length of cigar desired. The machine bunches the leaves, forming the filler. -A second worker places binder leaf (or HTL) onto the binder die. The leaf is held down by suction, and the machine cuts it to the proper size. The filler is then dropped onto the binder die. At that point, the machine rolls the binder around the filler. -A third worker then places the wrapper leaf (or HTL) on to a wrapper die. The partially completed cigar drops onto the wrapper, and the machine rolls the wrapper around the cigar. -A fourth worker inspects the completed cigars and places them in trays. •Inspecting The finished cigars are inspected in numerous ways. The cigars are collected from the rollers in bundles of fifty and are labeled with the following information:- "Vitola" (ring gauge & length of the cigar) "Tabaquero" (cigar factory) And finally, the date of manufacture •Storing- In the marriage rooms, the cigars are stored in cedar bins, cedar drawers or cedar shelves. The temperature and humidity conditions are kept at an ideal level so that the cigars can be stored for three weeks to a year. As the wrapper dries, it shrinks, compresses, and solidifies the cigar, making it a denser and slower-burning finished product. •Seasoning The second aspect of the aging process is the inter-marrying of the cigars within each bundle and and aromas of anything around it. As the cigars remain in this room over a period of time, they absorb each other's oils and aromas. All of these cigars will then taste and smell alike. among all the bundles in the seasoning room. Tobacco absorbs the oils -Sources: http://www.cigarcabana.com/cigar-anatomy.html http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cigar http://www.madehow.com/Volume-3/Cigar.html http://www.goodoldayscigars.com/how_cigars_are_made.html Published by: 1st Class CIGAR HUMIDORS Designed by: Info Graphic DESIG N TEAM Y Humidors & Cgar Accessories at Unbelevable Prices www.cigarhumidors-online.com HOWA CIGAR IS MADE The Structure Lof a Cigar- Composition -of a Cigar •Cap - A small, round piece of wrapper leaf Vattached to the head of a cigar. The purpose of the cap is to secure the wrapper. Cigars are composed of three types of tobacco leaves: the wrapper, filler and binder. These variations determine smoking and flavor characteristics. •Head + This is the end of the cigar that one >draws from. The head is the closed end of a cigar and must be clipped or cut about 2-3 millimeters before the foot is lit. →Wrappers• A cigar's outermost leaves, or wrapper, come from the widest part of the plant. The wrapper determines much of the cigar's character and flavor, and as such its color is often used to describe the cigar as a whole. •Cigar Band+ The label that sits around the head of a cigar. →Fillers• The majority of a cigar is made up of filler, wrapped-up bunches of tobacco leaves. inside the wrapper. •Foot+ The end of the cigar that is lit. The foot of a cigar is usually pre-cut. Binders• Elastic leaves used to hold the filler of a cigar together. Binders are essentially wrappers that were rejected due to holes, blemishes, discoloration or excess veins. The 3 types of- Filler The filler is typically constructed with the strong ligero leaf in the center, the lighter seco leaf around the ligero, and the volado surrounding both the ligero and seco. -Ligero• Comes from the top part of the plant, which is exposed to the most sunlight. It is darkest and the most flavorful filler of the three. Seco (Dry)• Is taken from the middle of the plant. These leaves are lighter than Ligero in both color and flavor. Volado• From the lowest part of the plant that is used primarily for its burning properties. Volado leaves impart little flavor on cigars. The Manufacturing Proces Cigars are made either by hand or by a machine. • Cultivation of Tobacco Tobacco plants are seeded indoors and transplanted into fields after 6 to 10 weeks. The plants take several months to mature in the fields. • Curing After harvesting, the tobacco leaves are cured once they become dried brown or yellow in color. To begin the curing process, the harvested plants are strung to narrow strips of wood called laths.The laths are hung from the ceiling of a well-ventilated curing barn. • Fermenting After the leaves are cured, they are sorted by color and size. The leaves are tied into bundles and are stored in boxes for a period of 6 months to 5 years. The leaves undergo chemical changes during this period referred to as fermentation. During fermentation, the aroma and taste of the tobacco leaf develops. • Stripping The filler leaves must have their main vein (or stem) removed, or else the cigar will not/burn evenly. The stripped leaves are wrapped in bales and stored for further fermentation. Just before the leaves are ready to be manufactured into cigars, they are steamed to restore lost humidity, and sorted again.- •Wrapping Wrapping is the most difficult step. The worker takes the partially completed cigar and places it on the wrapper leaf. With a special rounded knife called a chaveta, the worker trims off any irregularities from the filler. The worker rolls the wrapper leaf around the filler and binder three and a half times, securing the end of the wrapper with Vegetable paste. • Hand rolling Fine cigars are rolled by hand. The filler on hand rolled cigars must be packed evenly for the cigar to burn smoothly. The wrapper is applied in an even spiral around the cigar: • Machine rolling The majority of cigars are made by machine. -One worker feeds tobacco leaves onto a feed belt between guide bars that are adjusted for the length of cigar desired. The machine bunches the leaves, forming the filler. -A second worker places binder leaf (or HTL) onto the binder die. The leaf is held down by suction, and the machine cuts it to the proper size. The filler is then dropped onto the binder die. At that point, the machine rolls the binder around the filler. -A third worker then places the wrapper leaf (or HTL) on to a wrapper die. The partially completed cigar drops onto the wrapper, and the machine rolls the wrapper around the cigar. -A fourth worker inspects the completed cigars and places them in trays. •Inspecting The finished cigars are inspected in numerous ways. The cigars are collected from the rollers in bundles of fifty and are labeled with the following information:- "Vitola" (ring gauge & length of the cigar) "Tabaquero" (cigar factory) And finally, the date of manufacture •Storing- In the marriage rooms, the cigars are stored in cedar bins, cedar drawers or cedar shelves. The temperature and humidity conditions are kept at an ideal level so that the cigars can be stored for three weeks to a year. As the wrapper dries, it shrinks, compresses, and solidifies the cigar, making it a denser and slower-burning finished product. •Seasoning The second aspect of the aging process is the inter-marrying of the cigars within each bundle and and aromas of anything around it. As the cigars remain in this room over a period of time, they absorb each other's oils and aromas. All of these cigars will then taste and smell alike. among all the bundles in the seasoning room. Tobacco absorbs the oils -Sources: http://www.cigarcabana.com/cigar-anatomy.html http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cigar http://www.madehow.com/Volume-3/Cigar.html http://www.goodoldayscigars.com/how_cigars_are_made.html Published by: 1st Class CIGAR HUMIDORS Designed by: Info Graphic DESIG N TEAM Y Humidors & Cgar Accessories at Unbelevable Prices www.cigarhumidors-online.com HOWA CIGAR IS MADE The Structure Lof a Cigar- Composition -of a Cigar •Cap - A small, round piece of wrapper leaf Vattached to the head of a cigar. The purpose of the cap is to secure the wrapper. Cigars are composed of three types of tobacco leaves: the wrapper, filler and binder. These variations determine smoking and flavor characteristics. •Head + This is the end of the cigar that one >draws from. The head is the closed end of a cigar and must be clipped or cut about 2-3 millimeters before the foot is lit. →Wrappers• A cigar's outermost leaves, or wrapper, come from the widest part of the plant. The wrapper determines much of the cigar's character and flavor, and as such its color is often used to describe the cigar as a whole. •Cigar Band+ The label that sits around the head of a cigar. →Fillers• The majority of a cigar is made up of filler, wrapped-up bunches of tobacco leaves. inside the wrapper. •Foot+ The end of the cigar that is lit. The foot of a cigar is usually pre-cut. Binders• Elastic leaves used to hold the filler of a cigar together. Binders are essentially wrappers that were rejected due to holes, blemishes, discoloration or excess veins. The 3 types of- Filler The filler is typically constructed with the strong ligero leaf in the center, the lighter seco leaf around the ligero, and the volado surrounding both the ligero and seco. -Ligero• Comes from the top part of the plant, which is exposed to the most sunlight. It is darkest and the most flavorful filler of the three. Seco (Dry)• Is taken from the middle of the plant. These leaves are lighter than Ligero in both color and flavor. Volado• From the lowest part of the plant that is used primarily for its burning properties. Volado leaves impart little flavor on cigars. The Manufacturing Proces Cigars are made either by hand or by a machine. • Cultivation of Tobacco Tobacco plants are seeded indoors and transplanted into fields after 6 to 10 weeks. The plants take several months to mature in the fields. • Curing After harvesting, the tobacco leaves are cured once they become dried brown or yellow in color. To begin the curing process, the harvested plants are strung to narrow strips of wood called laths.The laths are hung from the ceiling of a well-ventilated curing barn. • Fermenting After the leaves are cured, they are sorted by color and size. The leaves are tied into bundles and are stored in boxes for a period of 6 months to 5 years. The leaves undergo chemical changes during this period referred to as fermentation. During fermentation, the aroma and taste of the tobacco leaf develops. • Stripping The filler leaves must have their main vein (or stem) removed, or else the cigar will not/burn evenly. The stripped leaves are wrapped in bales and stored for further fermentation. Just before the leaves are ready to be manufactured into cigars, they are steamed to restore lost humidity, and sorted again.- •Wrapping Wrapping is the most difficult step. The worker takes the partially completed cigar and places it on the wrapper leaf. With a special rounded knife called a chaveta, the worker trims off any irregularities from the filler. The worker rolls the wrapper leaf around the filler and binder three and a half times, securing the end of the wrapper with Vegetable paste. • Hand rolling Fine cigars are rolled by hand. The filler on hand rolled cigars must be packed evenly for the cigar to burn smoothly. The wrapper is applied in an even spiral around the cigar: • Machine rolling The majority of cigars are made by machine. -One worker feeds tobacco leaves onto a feed belt between guide bars that are adjusted for the length of cigar desired. The machine bunches the leaves, forming the filler. -A second worker places binder leaf (or HTL) onto the binder die. The leaf is held down by suction, and the machine cuts it to the proper size. The filler is then dropped onto the binder die. At that point, the machine rolls the binder around the filler. -A third worker then places the wrapper leaf (or HTL) on to a wrapper die. The partially completed cigar drops onto the wrapper, and the machine rolls the wrapper around the cigar. -A fourth worker inspects the completed cigars and places them in trays. •Inspecting The finished cigars are inspected in numerous ways. The cigars are collected from the rollers in bundles of fifty and are labeled with the following information:- "Vitola" (ring gauge & length of the cigar) "Tabaquero" (cigar factory) And finally, the date of manufacture •Storing- In the marriage rooms, the cigars are stored in cedar bins, cedar drawers or cedar shelves. The temperature and humidity conditions are kept at an ideal level so that the cigars can be stored for three weeks to a year. As the wrapper dries, it shrinks, compresses, and solidifies the cigar, making it a denser and slower-burning finished product. •Seasoning The second aspect of the aging process is the inter-marrying of the cigars within each bundle and and aromas of anything around it. As the cigars remain in this room over a period of time, they absorb each other's oils and aromas. All of these cigars will then taste and smell alike. among all the bundles in the seasoning room. Tobacco absorbs the oils -Sources: http://www.cigarcabana.com/cigar-anatomy.html http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cigar http://www.madehow.com/Volume-3/Cigar.html http://www.goodoldayscigars.com/how_cigars_are_made.html Published by: 1st Class CIGAR HUMIDORS Designed by: Info Graphic DESIG N TEAM Y Humidors & Cgar Accessories at Unbelevable Prices www.cigarhumidors-online.com