The first, and perhaps the most important, step to making a cigar is sourcing your tobacco!
Tobacco is grown in warmer locations all over the word, including some southern states in the US, South America, Mexico, and the Caribbean. The plant takes about 80-90 days to develop from a seed into a plant ready for picking. After the leaves are picked, they are taken to a “curing house” where the tobacco leaves are cured and dried, and they change colour from a bright green to a deep brown. The tobacco is then left to age and ferment for around two to three years.

STEP TWO- ROLLING THE CIGAR

Once the tobacco is ready, it is taken to a special location where the temperature and humidity is controlled. Pieces of the tobacco are taken as it is needed, and is blended to a specific recipe depending on what kind of cigar is made. The roller takes the blended tobacco and bunches it up into the right shape. Then, they wrap the tobacco with a binder leaf to hold it all together. Then, the cigar is placed into a wooden mold for shaping. Once the cigar’s tobacco consistency is just right, the cigar is passed to the Master Roller, who makes the finishing touches. These include adding the wrapper leaf and the head, and making any checks for imperfections.

STEP THREE-STORING THE ROLLED CIGARS

After the cigar is rolled, it must be aged. Cigar rollers usually bundle around 50 cigars in an absorbent paper in preparation for this process. They are then placed in a room where the temperature and humidity is carefully controlled, so that all the flavours in the tobacco are blended just right. Cigars can be aged for any time from around 90 days to two years. Normally, the longer the cigar has been aged, the better the flavour.

STEP FOUR-PACKING FOR THE TRIP TO YOUR LOCAL CIGAR PARLOR

Finally, the cigars are ready for packing. The cigars a carefully labeled with the name of the cigar. Then they are placed into boxes, some of which are designed to help in the aging process. Then the boxes are packed and shipped to various retailers around the world. To be enjoyed all over the world.

ENJOY

I believe cigars to be way to become one with taste. When you’re enjoying a cigar, you use all your senses. You look at it when selecting your cigar. You smell it, to get the aroma, and freshness. You touch and squeeze your cigar to feel for firmness to check proper humification. Finally you taste it, after lighting the cigar, and enjoy all of the before mentioned senses all at once they come together. The flavour, the taste, the aroma, the feel of the cigar is something to be enjoyed in life. Simple pleasure.

*CIGAR TIP:

A cigar is a natural product and should be treated accordingly.  As with any natural product, a cigar will be affected by the elements if not handled correctly.  Cigars must be stored, both in the proper humidity and temperature to fully experience the flavors of the cigar.

Time to cool from the inside out.  Workout, drink be merry.

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