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Cuban Tobacco
Cuban tobacco is considered the best available. This is said to be due to the Cuban soil and climate, and the strict quality control and selection during the growing and processing stages. The Tobacco Industry is Cuba's third largest export sector in 2004. Tobacco Seed 
In 1907 Cuban botanists, researching the indigenous Cuban black
tobacco (Tabaco Negro Cubano), developed a seed variety
Habanensis, which had the characteristic Cuban taste but was more disease resistant.Around 1940, an improved seed variety Criollo was developed, and later a sub-variety Corojo was developed for wrappers. In 1992, Habana 2000 was introduced. This was followed in 1998 by Criollo 98. In 2006 more resistant hybrids were developed, being Habano 2006 (from Habana 2000 & Criollo 1998) which are being used for the 2006/07 crop. These new hybrids are more disease resistant, have extra leaves, and do not flower. Growing Areas Cuba is a small island located south of Florida USA. 
The premium tobacco growing area is at the far western end of the island and is known as the Vuelta Abajo region, in the providence of Pinar del Rio.  Leaf Quality Habanos mainly uses tobacco from the premium Vuelta Abajo region but there is some use of tobacco from the lesser Semi Vuelta and Vuelta Arriba regions. Several brands use a blend of tobacco from these regions. The use of leaf from these regions can be grouped as follows:
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The Growing Cycle Tobacco for premium Habanos cigars is a single yearly crop. From soil preparation to the end of harvesting is around nine months. The soil and plants requires extensive irrigation and care. Reports of second (or third) crops does not apply to premium Habanos tobacco. The Tobacco Plant 
Plants are either sun grown or shade grown. Plants for fillers and binders are
grown in the open. Plants for wrappers are grown under shade (after 3 weeks in the open).
Seedlings are grown in nurseries for about 45 days and then planted in the fields. The fields are progressively planted to spread out the farmers burden. After 40 days from planting out, harvesting begins; initially picking leaves from the bottom of the plant. This picking cycle takes 30 days. The Tobacco Leaf 
The growing condition (sun or shade) and the leaf location (on the plant)
determines its final use.The lower leaves of sun grown plants (Volado) are used for lighter flavoured fillers and for binders. The middle leaves (Seco) are used for medium flavoured fillers. The top leaves (Ligero) are used for full flavoured fillers. The leaves of the shade grown plants are used for wrappers. The lower leaf is for lighter coloured wrappers, progressing to the upper leaf for the darker coloured wrapper. |
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Processing the Leaf Processing the tobacco leaf involves the following stages: Curing Wrapper leaf goes thru the following processes:
Fermentation First fermentation involves the cured leaves being stacked in piles and allowing natural fermentation to occur. This process reduces acidity, tar, and nicotine and smoothes the flavour of the filler leaf and evens out the colour of the wrapper leaf. Sorting & Classification Sorting and classification is then carried out into size, colour, and texture of each leaf. Wrappers are classified into many different categories. Binder & fillers leaves are sorted by size and flavour. The largest of the Volado (lower) leaf is used for binders. After sorting & resting, wrapper leaves are packed and delivered to the aging warehouse. The binder and filler leaf undergoes a further process of stripping & final classification. The leaf is moistened and the lower part of the central vain is stripped out. A final classification is made at this stage and unsuitable leaf rejected. The leaf is then pressed into piles and fermented for a second time. The upper full flavoured leaf gets the longest time and the lower leaf gets less. After the second fermentation, the leaves are air dried, packed and sent to the warehouse for aging. Cohiba's filler leaves, the Seco and Ligero, undergoes a further (third) fermentation before aging. Any rejected leaf is used for non-Habano cigars or for cigarettes. Storage & Aging In the warehouse, the leaf is stored to age. From 2006, Habanos has increased the minimum aging time as follows:
Preparation After aging, wrappers undergo a final sorting and classification. The entire central vein is stripped and graded by size and shade. |
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Manufacturing the Cigars The following stages occur in cigar making: Blending Blending is done to a specific standard set for each brand and individual vitola. The details of these blends are only known to Tabacuba (who own the fields, processing houses, and factories). The Master Blender selects from the available leaf to achieve the required blend for each vitola to be produced. The correct amount of leaf is then supplied to each roller in batches, to be incorporated into complete cigars. The blend takes into consideration the characteristics of each type of leaf:
Handmade Cigars For fully handmade cigars, the roller (Torcedora) first lays out the binder leaf. The full size (Tripa Larga) filler leaves are then gathered, folded, and aligned (to ensure a clear passage) . The leaves are arranged with the lighter flavoured tips at the foot of the cigar. The stronger flavoured slower burning Ligero leaf is placed along the centre of the cigar. Next the bunch is formed by rolling the filler onto the laid-out binder leaf, starting at the foot. The head of the bunch is guillotined and the bunch is pressed into a timber mould to form the shape. After this stage, the bunches are subject to a suction draw test. This testing commenced circa 2002; initially only random cigars were suction tested for minimum draw pressure. Now every cigar undergoes a suction test to satisfy both minimum and maximum draw pressures. The wrapper is then prepared, smooth side out. After trimming the exposed edge, the formed bunch is laid on the wrapper and rolled, starting at the cigar's foot. The cap is then fitted and the cigar guillotined to length. Short-Filler Cigars Short Filler (Tripa Corta) cigars have a filler composed of leaf trimmings and chopped tobacco, but full size binders and wrappers are used. Machine-made Cigars Machine-made were produced from the 1950's and were made with either long or short filler tobacco. Machine-made cigars could be produced in large quantities and were significantly cheaper than hand-made cigars. There was a significant phasing out of machine-made cigars between 2002 and 2005. By 2006, no machine made cigars remained in the Habanos range. Almost all machine-made cigars were once produced in both fully machine-made and machine-bunched hand-finished versions. Hand-Finished Cigars Machine-bunched hand-finished cigar had the filler and binder bunched by machine but the wrapper was applied by hand. Hand finishing of machine bunched cigars (by the hand application of the wrapper) was reduced in the 1990's and was fully phased out by circa 2002. No longer produced by Habanos. Fumigation & Conditioning Before packing, the cigars are fumigated (to control the tobacco beetle Serricorne), and then conditioned in bundles in cedar lined cabinets, to reduce and stabilise their moisture. These cabinets are maintained between 16°C - 18°C and 65% - 70% RH. Quality Control Quality control is provided by testing and supervision during the rolling, and later by both non-destructive and destructive testing. The supervisors are expert rollers, who are mainly involved in checking technique, construction and physical cigar sizes at the rolling tables. Each cigar must pass a suction draw test before the wrapper is applied. After leaving the roller, the cigars go to the quality control section, where each cigar is checked for weight, length, ring size, consistency, construction and appearance. Samples are also opened up to check internal filler construction, arrangement, and blending of the leaf. Finally, a sample of the cigars are test-smoked (about half a dozen puffs) to ensure that they are consistent with the required character of the vitola. They are graded for draw, burn, aroma, flavour, strength, and overall quality. General consensus is that there has been a substantially overall improvement in Cuban cigars (due to improved and additional quality control and the older aged filler leaf now being used). This improvement has been especially apparent since 2006 and these cigars now smoke better and earlier. Freezing In addition to fumigation, freezing of the finished cigars is used to kill the tobacco beetle Lasioderma serricorne. Freezing of cigars commenced around early 2005. It is carried out in the Habanos main temperature and humidity controlled storage and distribution building. The cigars are held at -20°C (-4°F) for five days, and then slowly brought back to 18°C (65°F). This, combined with fumigation, is intended to kill all eggs, insects, and lava within the tobacco. Some regional distributors had their own freezing facilities, predating the Habanos plant. For details of the Tobacco Beetle and other Pests.....click here. |
Wrapper Shades
Wrappers have a basic colour classification as shown.There are many shades within each basis colour. As far as possible, cigars of the same shade are allocated to a single box. Where there is a slight difference, the shades are arranged to run from darker to lighter, from left to right across the box. |
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Factories Generally In 2002 Tabacuba began consolidating the production of their various brands into key factories, a step that is viewed as a major improvement. Under the old system, the production of most brands was spread out among various factories, but maintaining consistent blends and quality proved inefficient and difficult. The following is only the briefest summary of some of the more important or current factories. For a full treatise on this subject, the publication The Great Habanos Factories by Adriano Martinez Rius is recommended. For a review of this book.....click here. Cabanas Factory - Closed The Cabanas factory was established in 1810 specifically for the (now discontinued) Cabanas brand. This factory closed in 1903 when production was transferred to the old La Corona factory. Cienfuegos Factory The Cienfuegos factory, established circa 1925, still produces the Quintero brand. El Laguito Factory El Laguito, established in 1966, is Cuba's most exclusive cigar factory producing the premium Cohiba brand. Up until circa 1998 it also produced the Trinidad diplomatic range. El Ray del Mundo Factory The old El Ray del Mundo factory was established in its present location some time after the 1930's. It produced the El Ray del Mundo brand and the (now discontinued) machine-made Status de Luxe, Troya, and Gispert brands. In 2005 the El Ray del Mundo brand was transferred to the Romeo y Julieta factory and the factory was converted to produce the Special Replica Antique Humidor Series. H Upmann Factory The H Upmann factory was commissioned in 1844 specifically for the H Upmann brand. Later the Montecristo and Diplomaticos were also produced. In circa 2002, H Upmann moved to new (renovated) premises. Jose L Piedra Factory The Jose L Piedra factory moved to its current location circa 1955, and is still producing the Jose L Piedra brand. La Corona Factory The old La Corona factory was built in 1904 specifically for the (now discontinued) La Corona brand. The new La Corona factory was commissioned in 2005, replacing the original factory. The new factory can produce 12 million cigars annually, producing Hoyo de Monterrey, La Flor de Cano, Por Larranaga, Punch, San Cristobel, and other brands when contracted by other factories. La Eminencia Factory - Closed The La Eminencia factory was established circa 1848 and had several premises until the 1920's, when its only remaining brand, Ramon Allones, was transferred to the Partagas factory. La Escepcion Factory - Closed The La Escepcion factory was established circa 1865 specifically for the (now discontinued) La Escepcion brand. The factory moved location in 1882, and later introduced the Hoyo de Monterrey brand. In 1960, the factory was taken over by the State and the brands transferred to the old La Corona factory. La Habana Factory The La Habana factory makes Fonseca, Sancho Panza, and Juan Lopez. Partagas Factory The Partagas factory was established circa 1840 and moved to its present location circa 1920's. It currently makes Partagas, Bolivar, Ramon Allones and La Gloria Cubana cigars. It has a LCDH store located in the factory. Pinar del Rio Factory The Pinar del Rio factory makes the Trinidad, Vegas Robaina & Vegueros brands. Por Larranaga Factory - Closed The Por Larranaga factory was established in 1834 specifically for the Por Larranaga brand. The factory closed in 2005 when production was transferred to the new La Corona factory. Romeo y Julieta The current Romeo y Julieta factory makes Romeo y Julieta, Cuaba, Quai d'Orsay, El Rey del Mundo, and Saint Luis Rey. Cuban Tobacco Industry Factory The Cuban Tobacco Industry Factory (ICTSA) was formed in 2001 and is now the only manufacturer of fully machine-made Cuban cigars. They produce the Guantanamera brand and the various mini cigars in other Cuban brand names. Mini cigars include: Mini (20 x 87), Club (24 x 93), and Puritos (29 x 106). These machine-made cigars are no longer part of the Habanos line-up. |