The Different Types of Leaves Used in Cigar Making
Cigar making is not a matter of chance. Once dried and fermented, tobacco leaves must be assembled according to very precise rules to ensure ideal strength, combustibility, and aromatic blending. This balance is made possible through the use of different tobacco leaves. Each tobacco plant therefore has several types of leaves, each offering distinct aromatic characteristics.
The Structure of a Tobacco Plant
From germination to harvest, it takes about 100 days for a tobacco plant to reach maturity. Depending on the type of seed used, a tobacco plant can produce between 15 and 30 leaves, or an average of 2 kg of tobacco. During harvest, growers begin with the leaves at the bottom of the plant and work their way progressively upward to the top. This allows the remaining leaves to continue growing and soaking up nutrients. Harvesting takes about 25 days from start to finish.
To make processing the leaves easier, picking is carried out according to a division by leaf position that respects tobacco’s aromatic characteristics. From the base of the plant to the top, three main levels can be distinguished: volado, seco, and ligero.
Volado Tobacco
Volado is the tobacco leaf located at the bottom of the plant and is sometimes called Mañanita or Libra de Pie. It is recognized by its light color and is thinner than Ligero leaves and thicker than Seco leaves. Often dismissed as nothing more than a paper-thin leaf, volado offers very little flavor. Nevertheless, it is essential in cigar making, because it is what allows for an even burn. Before they can be used, volado leaves undergo a maturation period of about 9 months.
Seco Tobacco
Seco leaves are found in the middle section of the tobacco plant. Depending on the tobacco variety used, this intermediate zone may include different sections such as Centro Fino, Centro Liguero and Uno y Medio.
Seco is the tobacco leaf responsible for a cigar’s aromas. It is rich in oils and contains a low level of nicotine, which allows it to bring soft and subtle flavors to the cigar. The amount of Seco used in making a cigar thus defines the mellowness of its aromatic profile. This type of leaf is generally aged for 18 months before it can be used.
Ligero Tobacco
Ligero leaves are located at the top of the plant. They are recognized by their dark color and are generally thicker than the other tobacco leaves. Due to their significant exposure to the sun, these leaves contain a high concentration of oils. They therefore bring power to a cigar’s aromas. To maximize this strength, ligero leaves are harvested last. This extra time encourages greater nutrient concentration and makes it possible to produce increasingly fuller-bodied and bolder aromas.
As with Seco, the Ligero zone can be made up of different levels depending on the tobacco variety used. We thus distinguish Medio Tempio, Corona and Centro Gordo. Medio Tempio refers to the top two levels of a plant. These are very small and extremely rare leaves, found in particular in the Cohiba Behike line. Because of their small size, these leaves require a specific drying and fermentation process. They must also undergo a minimum aging period of two years before they can be used.
Blending the Filler
As a general rule, a cigar is made from a wrapper, a binder, and a blend of three different tobacco leaves that make up the filler. Some complex blends may also contain up to 8 tobacco leaves. Depending on the characteristics sought in a cigar, the proportion of ligero, seco, and volado will not be the same. A full-bodied cigar such as the Ramon Allones Specially Selected will thus contain a higher proportion of ligero. Conversely, a milder cigar such as the Hoyo de Monterrey Double Coronas Gran Reserva Cosecha 2013 will contain a higher proportion of seco and volado. However, the use of all three types of leaves is necessary to ensure an optimal balance between aromas and strength, as well as good combustibility.
In addition to containing these three types of leaves, the filler must be rolled in a very specific order to allow the cigar to burn evenly. Due to its high nicotine and sugar content, ligero leaf has poor combustibility. It must therefore be placed at the center of the filler, that is, where the combustion temperature is highest. Seco, on the other hand, must be placed in the middle of the filler and volado on the outside. When this sequence is not respected, various irregularities can appear, such as canoeing and tunneling.
The steps of rolling a cigar
When making the filler for premium cigars, torcedores use whole leaves (long filler). These leaves are then folded lengthwise to encourage the passage of smoke, then assembled together like the pages of a book. Once the filler is complete, the torcedor wraps it in a binder leaf that has previously been cut in half. The assembly of the filler and the binder forms what is known as the “bunch”. For box-pressed formats, this bunch is placed in a press for about an hour before being wrapped in a magnificent wrapper leaf. The whole thing is then sealed with a colorless, odorless vegetable glue dot. Before finishing, the torcedor cuts the foot of the cigar with a guillotine to give it its final format.