How is a cigar made?

How is a cigar made?

 

How is a cigar made?


For almost 200 years Habanos cigars - apart from a few brands and formats - have been made almost exclusively by hand. The filler is basically made of whole, uncut leaves: the classic Havana cigar:


Habanos - Totalmente a mano, Tripa larga.

For the sake of completeness, it should be mentioned that some brands/sizes are made entirely by hand, but the inlay contains leaf parts with a shorter cut. They are called:


Habanos - Totalmente a mano, Tripa corta.

Very few stamps/sizes are machine-made, naturally from Cuban tobacco.

 

 

The preparation of the cigar wrapper


After maturing, the cigar wrappers are ready for the final selection and grading; now their veins are also removed (debudding), after previous moistening.

The bundles of 40 to 50 leaves each are hung in special devices and sprayed with clear water to give them a silky appearance and elasticity. Excess water drops are shaken off so that the sensitive leaf surfaces do not get stained. This is followed by stripping (Despalillo) and final sorting of the cigar wrappers (Rezagado) according to approx. 20 size classes and colour gradations.

 

 

The preparation of the insert sheets


The inlays and cover sheets are checked again and, if necessary, subjected to a ventilation process to remove excess moisture. They are then stored in wooden barrels until ready for use.

 

 

The composition of the tobacco blend (Ligada)


Long before the sackcloth bales arrive at the factory, the blends for each individual Havana brand are put together according to the specific recipe. Production planning in the factory determines the brands and formats to be produced. The mixing master (Maestro Ligador) draws up the list of all the tobacco leaves he needs for production and orders them from the central warehouse.


Leaves from different regions of origin in Cuba differ significantly in taste. The "Vegas Finas de Primera", for example, have a wide range of different flavours on relatively small areas of cultivation.

The tobacco grown on one side of the road through the Vuelta Abajo can taste completely different from the tobacco grown on the other side.


Each cigar factory has its own regular suppliers who supply them with the required leaves from their respective regions. Nevertheless, the Ligador takes random samples every day, only he knows the recipe for each format of a brand and is responsible for it.

 

Cigars production - selection of the tobacco blend


The Ligador determines the ratio of the different leaf types for each cigar. The department for the blends (Ligadas) is called "La Barajita" (shuffling of playing cards). It produces batches in precisely defined proportions, which it hands over to the cigar makers (torcedores) every day.


More than three years after the first leaf is harvested, it becomes part of a Habano.

 

 

The art of the Torcedore


Almost all Habanos cigars are produced by the cigar roller, the Torcedor (or Torcedora) always in the same way. There are four different categories of the Torcedores. Only those of the highest category are allowed to roll the larger and difficult to produce Habanos cigars. If the format (vitola) is complicated, only about 60 pieces of a Torcedor are produced per day.


For the production of a Habanos cigar only a few tools are needed:

A wooden board, two cutters - a special blade (Chaveta) and a tube (Casquillo) - a guillotine, a pot with natural, tasteless vegetable glue (Goma) and a gauge, to check length and diameter (Cepo, ring gauge) of the cigar. But the most important thing of all is: many years of practice.

 

Cigar production - tools


Traditionally, the Torcedores are "entertained" by a reader (Lector) during their work; he reads from newspapers or books (very popular in the 19th century for example: Alexandre Dumas, The Count of Monte Cristo - hence the brand name of the cigar). Of course, texts for political edification are also presented...

 

Cigar production - the reader


The Torcedor takes two (or three) leaves, which form the binder. Then he selects the leaves of the filler. He bends each leaf and aligns it to ensure that the smoke can pass through easily. All leaves are placed with the ends that taste less strong towards the tip of the cigar. This makes the taste more intense as the cigar is smoked. The leaf with the strongest taste and the slowest burn is placed in the middle of the remaining leaves.

 

Cigar production - the inlay


The torcedor forms the wrapper (bonche) by rolling the filler with the leaves, naturally in the prescribed diameter of the cigar format to be produced. The rolling begins at the tip of the cigar; the interfacing must be compressed evenly at all points. The head of the wrapper is cut off with the guillotine and placed in a wrapper press for at least 30 minutes to give it a uniform shape.

 

Cigar production -  the binder


Then the torcedor prepares the top sheet (capa) from half of a sheet, it is moistened a little so that it adapts to the shape of the wrap. The leaf is placed on the board with the side where the veins protrude upwards, so that the flawless side later forms the outer wrapper of the cigar.

 

Cigar production - the wrapper


The wrapper is rolled into the wrapper sheet, stretching it "in shape". The tip of the wrapper comes to the tip of the cigar. For the cap of the cigar (la Perilla) a part (banner) is cut off the rest of the wrapper. It is wrapped around the head, closes the open end and ensures the tight fit of the wrapper. Finally, a small round piece is cut from the wrapper (casquillo) and glued over the flag with the colourless and odourless vegetable glue (goma). The guillotine brings the cigar to the right length.

 

Cigar production - the head


A good torcedor produces - depending on format and degree of difficulty - between 60 and 200 Habanos cigars per day.

 

 

The production of the Tripa Corta


Cut-off leaves from the cutting of cigars with long filler (Tripas larga) are combined with other leaves to obtain the blends for 'Habanos de Tripa corta'. The torcedor rolls the filler into the binder with a flexible cloth. The wrapper is applied by hand in the traditional way.

These cigars are also made entirely by hand.

 

 

The mechanical production of a cigar


Since the beginning of the fifties, some Habanos cigars have been produced by machine, both "Habanos Tripa Larga" and "Habanos Tripa Corta", mostly smaller sizes. The tobacco comes exclusively from Vegas Finas de Primera in the Vuelta Abajo area. These cigars are naturally cheaper.

 

 

The quality assurance


The manager (Jefe de Galera) supervises the work of his torcedores. In addition, supervisors, even cigar rollers with great experience, check the work of each department in terms of techniques, production quality and dimensional accuracy.


Each 50 finished cigars are bundled together and marked with the number of the torcedore, references to brand and format and the date of manufacture.


The bundles are then taken to a separate quality control department. Specialist inspectors examine the cigars for weight, length, diameter, strength, manufacturing quality and appearance (evenly stretched wrapper, correct construction of the cigar head).

 

Cigar production - quality assurance appearance


The cigars are also checked by statistical random sampling. Some cigars are opened to examine the inner structure and the blend. The content of the cigar rollers depends on the number of finished products that have been accepted without defects.


A measuring device (máquina de tiro) checks the pulling resistance of each cigar reel before the wrapper is rolled over it. This system, introduced at the end of 2001, is now widely used.

 

Cigar production - quality assurance pulling resistance

 

 

The tasting of a finished cigar


A factory tasting team (catadores), smokes a few cigars a day and evaluates them according to a parameter point system (draw resistance, even burning, aroma, taste, strength and general quality), per session will be three to five formats. If there are deviations in character or format, the tasters recommend adjustments. They are at the service of the "Comision Nacional de Degustation", which is responsible for the observance and maintenance of the blends specified for all Habanos cigars.

 

Cigar production - quality assurance taste

 

 

Resting the cigar


Before packaging, the finished cigars, grouped by brand and format, are left to rest in a special storage room, the Escaparate (showroom). It is often called the "treasure room". The compartments are lined with Spanish cedar wood. This is where the cigars lose excess moisture that they have absorbed during rolling. There is a constant temperature of 16 to 18º C and a relative humidity of between 65 and 70 percent, which is considerably cooler and drier than usual in Cuba. After a week of rest the cigars can be smoked, a longer resting period is better.

 

 

Sorting according to colour tones


All cigars in a packaging unit should have the same colour. However, bracts naturally have different shades of colour, the upper leaves of a plant are darker and they darken even further during the fermentation process.


The sorters (Escogedores) are experienced employees of the manufactory. In pairs, they ensure that the bracts in a box or bundle of 25 or 50 Havana cigars are the same colour. The first sorter selects a batch of cigars and arranges them with the help of a colour stencil, which can have more than 60 different shades of colour. The second sorter selects the cigars for a box within each colour. He arranges them in such a way that the colour in the box is evenly distributed, with the darkest wrapper on the left and lighter on the right at constant intervals.

 

Cigar production - quality assurance colours


The basic colors are (from light to dark): Claro, Colorado claro, Colorado, Colorado maduro, Maduro and Oscuro.

 

 

The application of the belly bandage cigar


The belly band (anilla) for cigars was introduced around 1850 by the German-Dutchman Gustav Bock, who emigrated to Cuba. It is said that his idea was to prevent his wealthy customers from soiling their white gloves when smoking. In any case, his cigars with the belly band had a high recognition value, which increased customer loyalty. This idea was soon followed by the whole industry.

 

Cigar production - the belly bandage


Before the belly band is attached, the appropriate place (the face) of each cigar is chosen. The anillador wraps the belly band very carefully around each cigar. The anillador carefully places the wrapper around each cigar, following the exact order determined by the escogedor and placing it back in the box with the face side up.


Both historical and contemporary ventral bandages are highly valued by collectors.

 

 

What does a Habanos box look like?


In the middle of the 19th century Cuba was the first country to introduce the classically decorated cigar box. The original decorations of the boxes are called "habilitatiónes". Each label has its own name, all are applied by hand. Some labels are applied before filling the boxes. Before the box is closed, a quality control is always carried out by the reviser (Revisador) regarding colour, arrangement, design of the belly bandages, and appearance of the cigar.


If a cigar does not pass the quality control, it is placed upside down and the box is returned to the sorter for error correction.

 

Cigar production - the box

 

Some decorative features are:

The Cubierta: pictured on the top of the box (in the middle); reminiscent of earlier times when the names were burned directly onto the box with a hot iron. This is where the idea of a commercial trademark (brand) comes from.


The fillet: decorative stripes, sealing the edges of the box (and hiding the hinges).


The Papeleta: Rectangular or oval seal, attached to the upper narrow side of the box.


The Tapaclavo: Literally "nail cap", a seal that covers the nail that secures the lid of the cigar box.


The Costero: Coloured strip covering the narrow side of a cigar box; often with format and trade name.


The Larguero: Colourful strip on the front long side of a box (often with the trade name).


The Vista: Pictographic representation of the trademark, often in relief, on the inside of the lid of the box. Often romantic motifs (Spain, 19th century). Example: Own trademarks, awards and medals received, ancient royal coats of arms and historical views.


The bofeton: protective sheet of paper in the box, which is additionally decorated.