From brown leaves to cigars

The accuracy of the classification is a determinant for the precision of the following operations and actions all along the forthcoming cigar making process.

When appropriately done, the subsequent fermentations ennoble the materia prima (raw material). Throughout their journey between drying and rolling, the leaves will indeed undergo various fermentations, each different in duration and temperature. The leaves’ composition, thickness, and goal will determine the characteristics and number of fermentations (varying from 3 to 5).
Fermentation is a natural process that causes the degradation of irritating substances contained in tobacco leaves, in parallel with improvement and enrichment of their aromatic qualities. It refines the strength, the aromas and the taste of our leaves. Also the fermentations set the ultimate physical properties of the leaves including their final brown colour, their elasticity and their combustibility.
The natural bio-chemical fermentation causes physical and chemical modifications into the leaves that are highly beneficial for further usage in the tasting.

The leaves are now ready to be enhanced by the precious aging. Once re-classified and packed into bales called tercios, tobacco leaves are put to rest. The aging duration depends on the leaves categories called tiempos (and thus their composition). Tobacco leaves are literally converted into ‘brown gold’ during those few months to several years of aging.

When the aging of the binder and filler leaves is completed, the tercios are sent to the despalillo premises for their central vein to be manually removed. The vein is fully removed for the binders and only partially for the fillers. The wrappers will have their vein removed directly at the factory moments only before the rolling.

The very last phase of the production of a cigar is initiated by the entry of the leaves into the factory. Finally ready to be manufactured after the multitude of previous operations, the leaves of our ligas (blends) are now prepared for the very last operations before being rolled together to give birth to exquisite cigars.
The liga or blend is the type and quantity of leaves (wrapper, binder and filler) used in the rolling of one specific cigar. It will determine the integral quality of the cigar such as its aroma, taste, strength, tasting balance, burning, etc. Generally true pride of the master blender; it is always a well-kept secret because is the passport of every brand and of every cigar.
Consistently with the blends and cigar sizes, the exact combination and proportion of different leaves is then pre-assembled and given to the rollers by leaves category in individual bags.
With precise leaves’ quantity and characteristic, each torcedor, or roller, will now produce a certain cigar size in a certain quantity.

Now the magic begins!