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This fourth part of Tobacco Leaves and Blends will attempt to conclude the series on the art of selecting and classifying tobacco leaves. Here we continue to see how it is possible to produce that great cigar whose flavor profile so predictably satisfies our palate time and time again.

Now that the leaves are classified all the way into their respective tiempos and sub-tiempos, their journey in the escogida comes to an end. The last step for the leaves at the workshop is to be bound, about forty leaves to a bunch, so that they can be transported to a curing warehouse, where they will be fermented until they are mature—anywhere from thirty to ninety days, depending on their type. In order to ensure the consistency of fermentation, the bunches are piled up in neat stacks, about four feet high, by their respective classes. Until this fermentation is completed, there will be a constant and precise monitoring of the air temperature and humidity.

Following this second fermentation, the wrapper leaves will be dried and taken directly to the aging shop, where they will be aged anywhere from months to several years. For aging, the bunches will be bound into manojos, consisting of four bunches each. These will be placed into wooden barrels, sacks, or (as in Cuban tobacco) square containers made of palm tree bark, where the manojos will go to rest and age.

Leaves destined to be filler and binder will go to the despalillo, where the hardened stem of each leaf will be removed. Following the despalillo, the leaves will undergo a final and rather heavy fermentation according to their strength. The ligero and medio-tiempo leaves (see part III) will generally require quite a bit more curing time than the volado and the seco, and so they will be sent to special centers designed for long-term fermentation. Once the final fermentation is completed, the leaves will be dried to less than twenty percent humidity, before being dispatched to their final resting place.

And so, at long last, the tobacco is ready for purchase by cigar manufacturers seeking to produce their particular blends. Of course, in Cuba, the leaves would be delivered, depending on their classification, to the various factories responsible for producing the different brands.

Well, this fourth installment of Tobacco Leaves and Blends brings this series to a close. Now there’s just one thing to do: light up this Punch Punch Corona that’s been calling out from my humidor…

In this installment of Tobacco Leaves and Blends, we will continue discussing the selection and classification of tobacco leaves destined for the production of premium cigars. In part two of this series, we left off at the Escogida, where the crux of the classification process takes place, as each leaf is carefully inspected by the fine artisans of the trade.

As you can imagine, the details of this classification can be extremely confusing with over forty different sub-classes, each with a different name and function. This article, however, will attempt to provide a rather general overview.

It suffices to know that all the leaves are first arranged according to the order in which they were collected from the plant. Tobacco leaves are picked starting from the bottom of the plant and working toward the top, since bottom leaves mature first and are thus ready for picking sooner; a process that takes quite some time, given that generally only two or three leaves can be picked at a time. As you can see, this has a tremendous impact on the physical and chemical properties of each leaf, thus directly influencing its strength, aroma, combustibility and taste profile. This first classification, therefore, is naturally important.

The leaves will also have to be sub-classified to determine their overall quality. In general, there are three levels of quality, called primera, segunda and tercera. So far so good, right? Well, each of these sub-classes will be further classified into tiempos. A tiempo represents a group of leaves within the same sub-category that exhibit similarities in their overall texture and strength.

For binders and fillers, the four tiempos are called volado, seco, ligero, and medio tiempo. Leaves destined to be used as wrapper, will naturally have to be classified not only by texture but also by color. Therefore, in addition to the four tiempos already mentioned, there will be several sub-tiempos for the wrapper leaves. It may be easier to picture this by comparing the wrapper texture and color of say a Cohiba and a Partagas cigar. While Cohiba wrappers are thin, light-brown and oily, a Partagas wrapper will be dark-brown, thick and oilier than a Cohiba’s; they are picked from two opposite extremes of the sub-tiempo spectrum.

Now here’s what really gets me. One might think that this work is carried out in successive steps. I mean, that’s the only way I could ever conceive it being done. The reality, though, is far from it. Each of the women working at the Escogida will be able to pick a leaf and place it in the right pile around them; a pile that corresponds to the exact class, sub-class, tiempo, and sub-tiempo of the leaf!

As there are still several more steps to discuss, next week, in the fourth installment of Tobacco Leaves and Blends, we will continue with this journey into the making of a consistent Vitola.

Linked to: Cigar Intelligence Angency