Burning Leaf Inc.

Introduction to Cigars

What is cigar?

• A cigar is a tightly-rolled bundle of dried and fermented tobacco that is ignited so that its smoke may be drawn into the mouth.

• Cigar tobacco is grown in significant quantities in Cuba, the Dominican Republic, Honduras, Nicaragua, Philippines, and the Eastern United States.

History

• The word cigar originated from "sikar," the Mayan-Indian word for smoking, which became 'cigarro' in Spanish, probably from Maya 'sicar' "to smoke rolled tobacco leaves," from 'sic' "tobacco;" or from or influenced by the Spanish word cigarra "grasshopper".

• Although the word itself, and variations on it, did not come into general use until 1730. New names for cigars are a "Jules", "Havana", "Vitole" and Puro.

How is cigar made?

• Tobacco leaves are harvested and aged using a process that combines use of heat and shade to reduce sugar and water content without causing the large leaves to rot.

• This first part of the process, called curing, takes between 25 and 45 days and varies substantially based upon climatic conditions as well as the construction of sheds or barns used to store harvested tobacco

How is cigar made? (cont.)

• The second part of the process, called fermentation, is carried out under conditions designed to help the leaf die slowly.

• Temperature and humidity are controlled to ensure that the leaf continues to ferment, without rotting or disintegrating.

• This is where the flavor, burning, and aroma characteristics are primarily brought out in the leaf.

How is cigar made? (cont.)

• Once the leaves have aged properly, they are sorted for use as filler or wrapper based upon their appearance and overall quality.

• The leaf will continue to be baled, inspected, unbaled, reinspected, and baled again repeatedly as it continues its aging cycle.

• When the leaf has matured according to the manufacturer's specifications, it will be used in the production of a cigar.

How is cigar made? (cont.)• Quality cigars are still hand-made. An

experienced cigar-roller can produce hundreds of very good, nearly identical, cigars per day.

• The rollers keep the tobacco moist — especially the wrapper — and use specially designed crescent-shaped knives, called chavetas, to form the filler and wrapper leaves quickly and accurately.

• Once rolled, the cigars are stored in wooden forms as they dry, in which their uncapped ends are cut to a uniform size.

Structure of cigar

• Premium brands, use different varieties of tobacco for the filler and the wrapper.

• These cigars also use a third variety of tobacco leaf, called a "binder," between the filler and the outer wrapper. This permits the makers to use more delicate and attractive leaves as a wrapper.

Structure of cigar (cont.)

• Wrapper -- A cigar's outermost leaves, or wrapper, come from the widest part of the plant. The wrapper determines much of the cigar's character and flavor, and as such its color is often used to describe the cigar as a whole.

• Filler -- The majority of a cigar is made up of fillers, wrapped-up bunches of leaves inside the wrapper. Fillers of various strengths are usually blended to produce desired cigar flavors.

Structure of cigar (cont.)

• Binder -- Binders are elastic leaves used to hold together the bunches of fillers. Essentially, binders are wrappers that are rejected because of holes, blemishes, discoloration, or excess veins.

Wrapper

• Since wrapper is the most important part of the cigar, we will illustrate a few well known ones.– Connecticut Shade Grown Wrapper:

• Connecticut shade leaf owes to its attractive appearance, color, texture,taste, burning qualities and aroma, as well as its characteristically smooth, creamy taste. Not overpowering in flavor, it's often associated with mild and medium-bodied cigars.

• The thin, elastic nature of this leaf offers a smooth, slow and even burn and gives a cigar balance.

Wrapper (cont.)

– Maduro Wrapper:• Maduro-wrapped cigars are a favorite among many. They are the darkest

of all the various shades of brown, and provide a wide array of tastes, from a sweet, mellow flavor to a robust and hearty taste that only the most seasoned smoker could appreciate.

• There are 3 primary maduro color group:– Colorado Maduro (dark brown) - This color is found on some of the fullest

flavored cigars in the world. Typically, these are sun-ripened and are sometimes referred to as "EMS" or "dark EMS."

– Maduro (very dark brown) - This color is also occasionally referred to as "Spanish Market Selection" (SMS) because of the Spanish nation's love of dark, full-bodied cigars.

– Oscuro (basically black) - Also referred to as "Double Maduro or "Maduro Maduro.".

Wrapper (cont.)

– Cameroon Wrapper:• African raises Cameroon wrappers are becoming increasingly popular

among cigar makers, who are developing an appreciation for their spicy flavor and sweet aromas.

• They are dark brown and can be found in cigars made by Alec Bradley and La Aurora.

– Sumatra Wrapper:• Sumatra wrappers are grown in Indonesia and typically carry a milder,

more neutral flavor. • They are dark brown with a hint of spice and a sweet aroma.

Storage

• Once the cigar is rolled it is "laid down" and aged for decades at 21°C (70°F), and 70% relative humidity, as the environment will allow.

• Once cigars have been purchased, proper storage is usually accomplished by keeping the cigars in a specialized wooden box, or humidor, where conditions can be carefully controlled for long periods of time.

How to smoke a cigar?• To smoke a cigar, a smoker cuts it, lights it, then puts

the unlit end into the mouth and draws smoke into the mouth.

• To enhance to your smoking experience, you might want to make a practice of tasting a cigar right before you light it up, for 15 seconds, or so. Just let your lips and tongue moisten the wrapper and the filler in the freshly clipped foot of your cigar. It's a quick way to judge the strength of the smoke to come and you'll also get an idea of how much of the flavor of the cigar comes from the taste of the wrapper and clipped foot, as opposed to the smoke itself.