How is a Cigar Made? To make a cigar, you first must have tobacco, and this tobacco must be prepared for the process. The three components to be prepared are the wrapper leaf, binder leaf, and filler tobacco. In a cigar factory, there are individuals dedicated to prepping each of these cigar components. There are usually two main roles in charge of this part of cigar creation: the buncher and the roller. The buncher will take the job of gathering the filler tobacco and the binder leaf. Depending on the size of the cigar, the filler tobacco can contain between three to five leaves which is known as the ring gauge. The buncher takes that tobacco and carefully places those leaves in a specific order that will allow the cigar to burn properly. The darker, higher priming leaves will be placed in the center, while the drier leaves that provide more combustion will be on the outer edge of the cigar. If the leaves are placed improperly, the cigar may tunnel. A properly constructed cigar should look like a pencil when ashed prematurely because the center tobacco will burn a bit slower than the dryer leaves around it. “I call this the scientific part of the process,” says Gwaltney. “[The buncher] is going to take the bunch, making sure he gets the right tobaccos in the right place, and then lay that bunch on a binder leaf and roll it out.” Some bunchers will roll the leaves on a table, others will use a machine called a Lieberman. This machine is a leather matt with a handle on it that allows for a faster rolling process. Once the leaves are rolled, they are trimmed and put into a cigar mold. After the mold has been filled, it is placed in a cigar press and from there, the cigar roller will apply the wrapper leaf.

How to Properly Relight Your Cigar Should you relight a cigar if it goes out, or move on to another stick? In order to help you preserve your cigars and continue an enjoyable smoking experience, Chief Certified Tobacconist, Chris Gwaltney, has outlined the steps on how to properly relight a cigar. “The key thought to remember is that it is okay to relight a cigar immediately, but it is not okay to relight a cigar many hours or days later,” says Gwaltney. If you leave a cigar in an ashtray and come back the next day, you will notice it does not smell the same. A cigar that has sat out for long periods of time can go rancid and smell bad. If a cigar smells bad, the taste will be even worse. However, if the cigar just went out, you can relight it and continue smoking. Steps to Relight a Cigar Relighting a cigar can be a simple task if you understand how to do it properly. If you have a cigar that has some ash on it, you may think the first step in the process would be to light the ash. “You don’t want to do that,” says Gwaltney. “First thing you want to do is remove the ash. It is burnt tobacco and carbon monoxide that would cause your first puffs to be recycling burnt material.” The burnt taste can take a while to come out of your palate and is not something you want to experience. Make sure to get all the ash off by gently tapping it using the head of your lighter. Once you have removed the ash and are starting with a clean slate, toast the cigar just like you would during the initial light. Keep it nice and even while starting to puff. By following these steps, your experience smoking a relit cigar will be as it was when you originally took your first few puffs.

Sun vs. Shade Grown Tobacco Contrary to what some think, not all tobacco leaves have to be grown in direct sunlight. When it comes to growing tobacco, you will typically hear two terms: sun grown and shade grown. But, what do these terms mean? What does it mean for a plant to grow in the shade? Doesn’t it scientifically need sunlight in order to grow? Indo Cigar Chief Certified Tobacconist breaks down the differences between sun grown and shade grown tobacco while highlighting the unique uses for them. Sun Grown Tobacco Sun grown tobacco is grown out in a field, exposed to direct sunlight and how most tobacco you smoke is cultivated. Along with the sun, tobacco leaves grown in this method are also exposed to nature’s elements, which has allowed them to develop into a heartier plant. Gwaltney explains, “The veins are going to be bigger; the leaves are going to be a little more robust because they’ve been out there weathered in the sun and they’re getting all of the intense, direct sunlight.   Shade Grown Tobacco Shade grown tobacco is planted in a field like sun grown tobacco but is draped with translucent coverings to diffuse the sunlight. Limiting sun exposure completely changes the tobacco leaf. The process results in thinner veins and a more delicate, silky leaf. The purpose of growing some tobacco in the shade is to create a leaf used for the wrapper that is easier to work with. “It’s amazing. If you take a Connecticut broadleaf (sun grown tobacco) in one hand and a Connecticut shade (shade grown tobacco) in the other, they don’t even look like the same plant,” says Gwaltney. Although the practice of shade grown tobacco in the United States, like Connecticut shade, is becoming less popular, countries like Ecuador commonly use it. Rather than using cheesecloth or a translucent material to cover the plants, they rely on shade from a natural source – the clouds. Ecuadorian shade grown tobacco is planted at such a high elevation that the clouds hang directly over the fields.   Which Kind is the Best? Gwaltney emphasizes that the best choice between sun grown tobacco and shade grown is up to personal preference. “I think that for variety, you do have to have both. Sun grown tobacco is the majority – your filler is all sun grown as well as the binder and most wrappers. However, there is a small subset of wrapper leaves that are shade grown,” says Gwaltney. Both types of leaves are equally important. If you want to make a cigar that is milder in flavor with a more neutral palate, you’ll want to use shade grown tobacco, while the rest of cigars will favor sun grown tobacco.