| A Cigar is a natural product and the quality of a cigar | | | | by color:ligero (light)seco (dry)viso (glossy)amarillo |
| is directly linked with the type and quality of tobacco | | | | (yellow)medio tiempo (half texture)quebrado (broken) |
| used in its production, just as the wine depends on the | | | | The plants, which are grown direct sun, are divided into |
| type and quality of grapes used for the brewing. | | | | volado, seco, ligero, and medio tiempo. The leaves |
| The fields for tobacco are flat so that the seeds don't | | | | from the top of the plant have a very strong flavor, |
| flow away with the water stream. After planting the | | | | the seco from the middle are much lighter, and the |
| seed, they are covered with cloth or straw to protect | | | | volado leaves from the bottom are used to add bulk |
| them from the direct light of the sun. This covering is | | | | and for their burning qualities. To make a good quality |
| gradually removed as they begin to germinate, and | | | | cigar, all the various types are blended together, along |
| after around 35 days the fields are sprayed with | | | | with a suitable wrapper leaf, in a special proportions to |
| pesticides, they are then transplanted in to tobacco | | | | give cigar a mild, medium, or full flavor. It also ensures |
| fields usually in the second half of October. The fields | | | | that the cigar will burn well. Large, average, small size |
| are irrigated from below and the leaves are watered | | | | are classified and by physical condition. Unhealthy or |
| both by rain and the morning dew. | | | | broken leaves are used for cigarettes or |
| The tobacco plant is mainly considered as a three | | | | machine-made cigars. If all the leaves are good, each |
| parts plant: the top of the plant is called corona, the | | | | wrapper plant can wrap 32 cigars. The condition and |
| middle, and the bottom. As the leaves grow, buds | | | | quality of the wrapper leaf is important for the |
| appear at the top. These have to be removed by | | | | attractive appearance of a cigar, as well as for the |
| hand to prevent the plants from stunting leaf and | | | | aroma and taste. |
| growth. The quality of wrapper leaf is very important | | | | The bundles of leaves are then taken to a shelter. The |
| for any cigar. A special type of plant called Corojos, | | | | shelter faces west so that the sun heats one end in |
| specifically used to provide wrapper leaves for the | | | | the morning and the other in the late after-noon. The |
| very best cigars. These plants are always grown | | | | temperature and humidity under the shelter is carefully |
| under gauze sheets held up by tall wooden poles, | | | | controlled, by opening and closing the doors at both |
| which protects them from becoming too thick in a | | | | ends to take account of changes of temperature or |
| protective response to sunlight. Another technique, | | | | rainfall. The leaves are left to dry for between 45 and |
| called tapado can also be used to cover the plants to | | | | 60 days, depending on the weather. During this time, |
| helps them remain smooth. | | | | the green chlorophyll in the leaves turns to brown |
| During the harvest, leaves are removed by hand using | | | | carotene, giving them their characteristic color. |
| a single movement. The selected leaves for wrappers | | | | Then these are brought to fermentation houses and |
| are put in bundles of five called manojo, or hand. The | | | | placed in piles about three feet high, covered with jute. |
| leaves are picked in six phases: | | | | Enough moisture remains in the leaves to start the |
| 1. libra de pie (at the base) | | | | fermentation. Heat develops, but the temperature must |
| 2. uno y medio (one-and-a-half) | | | | be watched carefully so that it does not exceed 92 |
| 3. centro ligero (light center) | | | | degrees F during the 35 to 40 days that the piles are |
| 4. centro fino (thin center) | | | | left intact. The leaves assume a uniform color. |
| 5. centro gordo (thick center) | | | | These leaves are then sorted and stripped. Each leaf |
| 6. corona (crown) | | | | is carefully examined and graded. Broken leaves are |
| The libra de pie section cannot be used for wrappers. | | | | set aside, to be used for cigarettes. |
| A gap of one week is given between each phase. | | | | The leaves then return to the fermentation area. The |
| The finest leaves are found in the middle of the plant; | | | | second fermentation begins within the damp leaves. |
| the top leaves (corona) are usually too oily to be used | | | | The temperature inside must not exceed 110 degrees |
| for wrappers so they are only used for domestic | | | | F for around 60 days. Because of the fermentation |
| consumption, and are often used as binder leaves. | | | | process, cigar tobacco is much lower in acidity, tar, and |
| Each plant is visited for an average of 170 times and | | | | nicotine than cigarette tobacco, making it much more |
| the whole cycle from transplanted seedlings to the end | | | | appetizing. |
| of harvesting takes some 120 days. | | | | It is now time for the leaves to be sent to the factories |
| The wrapper leaves grown under cover are classified | | | | or warehouses for further production. |