The tobacco plant holds a central role in the creation of cigars and cigarillos, making its cultivation a critical aspect of the process. While tobacco seeds can be relatively easy to grow, the production of high-quality tobacco suitable for cigars demands meticulous control of its growth environment.
To ensure the finest quality, tobacco seeds are initially nurtured in a protected seedbed. Afterward, they are carefully transplanted into fields, where they will thrive for a period of eight to twelve weeks. During this time, the leaves are cultivated with manual labor and often shielded from intense sunlight by special cloths. Once matured, the tobacco leaves are manually harvested and subjected to an extensive curing process to develop their unique aromas. It is crucial to commence curing as soon as the leaves begin to change color to ensure the highest quality and flavor.
Throughout curing, the tobacco leaves are hung on wooden laths, suspended from the ceilings of well-ventilated curing barns. The choice of curing method varies, including sun drying, air-drying, drying above a fire, or at high temperatures. The method is selected to match the desired taste profile of the eventual cigar, tailored to suit the preferences of the future consumer.
Following curing, the leaves are bundled and secured in large casks, piles, or boxes. They undergo further curing and fermentation for several months or years. This natural fermentation process allows the tobacco to develop its unique taste and aroma. For cigars and cigarillos, the fermentation period is often considerably longer compared to leaves intended for cigarettes, if fermentation is employed at all. After fermentation, the leaves can be sorted based on color, quality, and size.
Many tobacco types are then aged for extended periods, ranging from two to three years in bales made of burlap or palm bark tercios before being suitable for rolling. Some may even receive as much as seven years of aging. For machine-made cigars, wrappers are manually stretched and cut before they are rolled onto bobbins.
This intricate and thoughtful selection process is both time and labor-intensive, contributing significantly to the subsequent price differential between wrapper tobacco and other tobacco products such as cigarettes. Notably, the cost of a leaf intended for use as a wrapper can be approximately ten times higher than filler tobacco.