Cigars – our greatest passion. The cigars we love to smoke are vast and varied, but each is an example of fine craftsmanship and expert farming methods.
Many smokers are simply interested in the act of smoking. You might know what flavor profiles you most enjoy or even what level of strength suits you the best. But have you ever stopped to think in more detail and ask yourself – what is a cigar?
Yes, a cigar is something you smoke. But much more goes into these wonderful sticks to make them what they are.
Join us as we explore each cigar component and how our beloved smokes came to be.
A brief history of cigars
We know a lot about cigar history, but their date of conception still eludes even the most knowledgeable in our industry. Some believe they date as far back as 2500 BC when Central American Mayans smoked a version of a cigar for medical purposes.
Tobacco smoking was also a common practice among Native Americans by the time Columbus landed in America in 1492. When not smoked from pipes made from sugar cane, the Indigenous peoples would wrap tobacco in palm leaves in a shape that replicated a cigar.
Tobacco smoking was then shared across Europe and exportation spread. Spanish-run tobacco factories opened in Cuba and cigars became popular in France in the late 1500s. By 1640, farmers in the US had developed their own growing techniques in Connecticut, specializing in pipe and cigar tobacco to export to trade countries in Europe.
Then came Cuban cigars. Cuba increased international shipping during the Anglo-Spanish War of 1762, and these rare smokes began to spread. Thanks to its fertile lands and promising climate, tobacco grown in Cuba is especially delicious. The country was the world leader in the industry for quite some time — until the 1958 US embargo which prevented trade with Cuba.
Today, tobacco is grown for cigar manufacturing in several countries, including Nicaragua, the Dominican Republic, Honduras, Ecuador, and here on American soil.
How cigar tobacco is made
Every farmer and manufacturer has their own ways of expertly growing and preparing tobacco for cigars.
It all starts with the seeds. Manufacturers choose the seeds based on the resulting quality, flavor, and aroma of the final plant. Each of these characteristics will contribute to the overall taste and quality of the resulting cigar.
The seeds are typically sown into seedbeds in greenhouses, where young plants are protected from the elements. After 10 weeks, the plants reach around eight inches in height and are big enough to transplant to the fields. The soil is plowed ahead of transplanting and mixed with organic fertilizers so the plants get all the nutrients they need. The plants are then regularly watered and monitored for pests and diseases.
An important part of the growing process is topping the tobacco plant, where the top part of the tobacco plant is removed so it doesn’t flower. As a result, the plant will instead grow larger leaves, which are used to make up each part of the cigar.
The leaves are harvested by hand, starting at the bottom of the plant. They are then hung in ventilated curing barns to dry slowly and achieve the desired color and aroma. Next is fermentation, which involves stacking and turning the leaves to enhance to flavor. Humidity and temperature levels must be closely monitored during this stage to ensure optimum quality.
Finally, tobacco leaves can be aged anywhere between several months and several years. This is what develops their final taste. The leaves are then arranged and sorted into categories based on what part of the cigar they will make up.
The anatomy of a cigar
Now it’s time to dig deep into the details and uncover each component of the cigar. Much more than a few humble leaves rolled into one, find out what makes up the cigars you love.
Wrapper
The cigar wrapper is the outer part of the cigar that holds everything in place. It’s made from tobacco leaf and can be any of a variety of wrapper types with varying shades.
- Maduro: A dark wrapper leaf that delivers a deep yet sweet flavor.
- Connecticut: Grown in the Connecticut River Valley, these wrappers are known for their honey-gold color.
- Corojo: Just a touch darker than the Connecticut and easily distinguished by its slightly peppery and zesty scent.
- Habano: A Cuban-seed export primarily grown in Nicaragua, Corojo wrappers are a dark tan shade with a red tint and deliver a spicy flavor mellowed by coffee notes.
- Cameroon: This wrapper type could be described as toothy, meaning it has a bite. It’s a medium-brown color with small goosebumps holding concentrated tobacco oils.
Because the wrapper is the first thing you see, it must use the best leaves available. It should ideally have little to no visible veins or blemishes and have a consistent hue up the length of the stick. Because of this, leaves chosen for cigar wrappers are given the most attention during fermentation and aging.
Binder
Laying just beneath the wrapper is the binder tobacco, which encases the filler tobaccos. It serves as the cigar’s foundational structure.
The main purpose of binder tobacco is to hold things in place. However, it also impacts the burn. If the binder burns well, so too do the filler tobaccos, where much of the magic really happens.
Filler
Most of the taste you enjoy comes from the very center of the cigar thanks to the filler tobaccos. This part of the cigar can include long fillers, which are whole leaves neatly rolled to size, or short leaves, which are chopped and typically used for lower-quality cigars.
Blends of filler tobacco usually use three leaf types. Seco leaves are taken from the middle of the plant, contributing largely to the cigar’s aroma. Volado leaves deliver a mellow taste, while ligero leaves, which are taken from the top of the plant, are strong and used for full-bodied cigars.
Cap
The head of your cigar features a cap, which uses the same leaf as the wrapper. It holds the wrapper in place before the cigar is ready to smoke.
Before you can light your cigar, you will need to cut the cap. Use a suitable cigar cutter to ensure a smooth and consistent burn.
Foot
The cigar foot is at the opposite end of the cap. The foot is the open end of the cigar, and is where you will light it for smoking.
How you light a cigar is important. Don’t simply spark up any old lighter and hold it directly to the foot, as you could damage the flavor. Instead, use a torch lighter and lightly toast the cigar by holding it down at a 45-degree angle.
Band
The cigar band, a small piece of paper that wraps around the cigar near the head, is solely decorative and adorns cigars to easily identify their brand and line.
A cigar’s band offers manufacturers the chance to showcase their brand through art and make their cigars stand out among the competition. Some designs even showcase cultural significance to the growing region or brand heritage.
Here at The Latest, we cover everything you would ever need or want to know about cigars. Find out more about the cigar-making world and learn what you need on your way to becoming a true aficionado.