|


|
Planta
Criollo

|
|
Planta
Corojo

|
|
|
The criollo plant
produces four of the five tobacco leaves which will be blended to create
the diversity of flavors found in the many different havana marquees.
Criollo is the perfected strain of the only true Cuban seed tobacco. |
|
This variety produces just one
leaf - the capa or wrapper. Corojo leaves are grouped into seven
levels on the stem. It costs more to produce than all the other tobaccos in
a habana.
|
A Handmade
cigar has three parts-the filler, binder and wrapper. The wrapper
gives the cigar its distinctive colour, appearance and aroma and is
therefore made from selected leaves fermented separately to the other
leaves. The binder leaf or capote binds the cigar insides.
These leaves come from the top of the plant where its exposure to sunlight
gives it coarseness and strength. At the cigar's core is the filler.
There are three types of filler leaves folded carefully by hand to ensure
a good even draw. Oil and long burning leaves (ligero) to make the
burn slow; Lighter (seco) leaves and then finally the (volado) leaves
which ensure a good even burn. How these leaves are blended gives
the cigar its distinctive flavours and strengths.

There are five tobacco regions in Cuba;
Oriente, Rmedios, Partidos, Semi-Vuelta, and Vuelta Abajo.
Different regions were cigar
tobacco come from.
Cuba - Cuban tobacco is acknowledged as among the finest in the
world. Cuba's best tobacco growing area is in the Vuelta Abajo part of the
Pinar del Rio region in western Cuba. In general, Cuban tobacco is strong
and full bodied, with spicy and aromatic flavors. It is also renowned for
its suppleness. Most factories of premium hand rolled cigars are located
in or near Havana.
Dominican Republic - The quality and variety of cigar tobacco from
the Dominican Republic has improved enormously in the past 20 years. The
primary growing region is near the city of Santiago in the northern half
of the country. Located in an agricultural region, this small city is also
home to the majority of Dominican cigar makers. Most Dominican tobacco is
derived from Cuban seed varieties. Although not as strong, it is quite
full flavored and lends itself to the creation of unusually complex
blends.
Ecuador - Ecuador produces quantities of high quality tobacco, both
filler and wrapper, shade and sun grown. Growers there have been using
both Connecticut and Sumatra seed varieties. In each case, the tobacco
usually seems milder and less robust in strength and flavor than the
originals. Its wrapper colors fall between Connecticut and Cameroon, and
its silky texture has visual appeal.
Honduras/Nicaragua - These Central American countries produce high
quality Cuban seed and Connecticut seed tobaccos, including shade grown
wrapper. Honduras has suffered from periodic blue mold infestations in
recent years, and Nicaragua's tobacco region is still recovering from a 10
year civil war that was primarily fought in the area between the
northwestern town of Esteli and the Honduran border. Both countries
produce a full bodied tobacco with strong spicy flavors.
Mexico - The San Andres Valley is world famous for a sun grown
variant of the Sumatra seed tobacco. Mexican leaves are widely used as
binder and filler in cigars. The variety also serves widely as a maduro
wrapper because it can stand up to the cooking and sweating process that
creates the darker leaf colors. Cigars manufactured in Mexico are usually
made with 100 percent local tobacco.
United States - North of Hartford Connecticut, the Connecticut
River Valley produces some of the finest wrapper leaf tobacco in the
world, the Connecticut Shade. The fine brown to brownish yellow leaf has a
high degree of elasticity, and creates a mild to medium bodied smoke. It
is widely used on premium cigars. Another variety, Connecticut Broadleaf,
produces a dark almost black leaf that is used on maduro cigars. It is
heavier and veinier than shade grown.
Cameroon/Central African Republic - This area of West Africa is
known for a high quality wrapper leaf. In recent years, production has
suffered from management changes and bad weather. The Cameroon leaf
originated from Sumatra seed imported from Indonesia. It is prized for its
neutral characteristics, which make it an ideal wrapper for full flavored
filler tobaccos. Cameroon wrappers generally are greenish brown to dark
brown, with a distinct grain, called "tooth".
Indonesia - Sumatra variety tobacco comes from the series of
islands that make up Indonesia. The tobacco may be referred to as Java or
Sumatra. Sumatra wrapper leaves are often dark brown and have neutral
flavors. The majority of the wrapper leaf grown there is used in the
manufacture of small cigars.
Philippines - The Philippines grows a mild tobacco that is used for
cigars. The hybrid strain produced there is very aromatic.
|