Fine Hand Made Cigars

Have you ever thought about where your cigar comes from, how it is made, and the detail that goes into making that fine hand made cigar? If you are clued up on this topic then you will probably enjoy your cigar more, and appreciate every different aroma and taste that a cigar can offer. After learning about the history and detailed specification that goes into making a cigar, I’m sure you will want to indulge, and try different types of cigars.

Christopher Columbus played a big part in introducing tobacco to Europe after two of his crewmen in 1492 encountered the tobacco in the Bahamas. They also encountered the tobacco in Cuba, where Columbus and his men settled. In 1592, the Spanish galleon San Clemente introduced 50kilograms of tobacco seed into the Philippines. These seeds were then distributed among the Roman Catholic missions, and the seeds were placed in great soils and climates to grow. Cigar smoking became popular in the 19th century. The cigar industry begins blooming and the best quality cigars were rolled by hand. This is done especially in Central America and Cuba where they are said to be the best hand made cigar rollers in the world.

The Cigar Process

The tobacco leaves are harvested and aged using heat and shade to reduce the water content and sugar, without letting them rot. The tobacco is then left to cure. This part depends on the type of tobacco and the desired colour of the leaf. This takes around 25-45 days and depends upon the storage space used, and climate. The tobacco is then left to ferment, again humidity and temperature is controlled to ensure that the tobacco does not die, and it’s at this stage that the flavour, burning, and aromas are brought out from within the leaf.

After these processes are complete it is then decided what part of the cigar the tobacco will be used for. Depending upon appearance and overall quality after going through the processes it could be used for either the filler or wrapper.

The best quality cigar is then hand made. An experienced cigar roller can produce hundreds of identical, neatly packed cigars a day. They use crescent shaped knives called Chavetas which help form the filler and wrapper leave quickly and accurately. The cigar is now stored in a special wooden box and can be aged for decades depending upon the manufactures requirements.

To try some fine hand made cigars try UK Tabacco.com for a wide variety of Cigars from around the world.