Cigar Making Process

The construction of a handmade Havana cigar is a complex, well thought out process that has been perfected, and remained virtually unchanged, for the past the 150 years.There are seven production stages in the manufacturing of a handmade Cuban cigar:

1) Rolling of the Filler

Two to four filler leaves are folded like a fan and then rolled into the two halves of the binder leaves. At this point, the cigar is known as a bunch.

The filler leaves must be properly distributed for the cigar to draw evenly. If the filler is too loose, the cigar will burn too quickly. If it is rolled too tightly, the cigar will not draw properly.

2) Shaping the Bunches

About ten bunches are placed side by side in a wooden mould of the right size for the cigar being made. Surplus filler is cut off at both ends of the bunches. A stack of moulds are then placed in a bunch press.

For about 45 minutes, the bunches are gently pressed and regularly rotated to ensure they take on a perfect cylindrical shape. After the bunches have been pressed and trimmed, they are ready for the next stage – applying the wrapper leaves.

3) Applying of the Wrapper Leaves

Before rolling the bunch in a wrapper leaf, the leaf is trimmed to the right length. The base of the leaf is placed at the foot of the bunch, and the leaf top at the head. Doing this ensures the smoker experiences a mild flavor during the first few puffs.

The shaped bunch is placed at an angle across the trimmed wrapper leaf. The wrapper is gently stretched and rolled around the bunch. When the rolling is done, loose ends are glued down using a flavorless vegetable gum.

A circular piece of left-over wrapper is trimmed and used to form a cap, glued into place with flavorless vegetable gum. Some of the more expensive cigars have the ends sealed by twisting the end of the wrapper.

4) Fumigation and Dehumidification

After the open end of each cigar is cut to the correct length, they are tied together in bundles of 50 and treated for pests in a vacuum fumigator.

After fumigation, they are stored in cedar-lined rooms called escaparates for three weeks to remove any excess moisture.

5) Quality Control

The quality control stage is the most important one, as the cigar lover is expecting a premium Cuban product.

As the cigars are being fumigated, a small sample is taken from each batch, from each roller and undergoes a stringent quality-control test. The cigars are examined on length, firmness, weight and the smoothness of the wrapper.

Next, the samples are blind-tested by professional smokers. The tasting only takes place in the morning, and only an inch of each cigar is smoked. During this time, the cigars are evaluated on the evenness of the burn, the draw, flavor and aroma.

6) Sorting the Cuban Cigars According to Color

After the cigars leave the escaparates, they are bundled in batches of 1000 from each size and brand, and sent to be sorted according to their wrapper color.

Cigars of the same color are packed in wooden boxes, ranging from the darkest on the left to the lightest shade on the right. This is a daunting task because there are over 60 possible shades to choose from.

7) Packaging and Labeling

At the packing department of the cigar factory, color-graded cigars have their distinctive bands applied and are sealed inside traditional cedar boxes. Each Cuban cigar box is labeled and sealed as proof of its authenticity.

Since 1830, cedarwood has been used to make cigar boxes because it keeps the cigars moist and allows for further ageing.