How Are Cigars Made Handbags

The time-honored tradition of enjoying a Replica Handbags great cigar from time to time is still alive and well. However, unless you’re a true aficionado, few cigar smokers are truly familiar with the long, complex process of assembling a satisfying, high quality smoke. Many cigars today, of course, can be manufactured by mechanical processes alone, barely coming into contact with human hands before reaching consumers. This article concerns solely high-quality products made in the by-hand tradition. When purchasing cigars, look for the phrases “totalmente a mano” or “hecho a mano” on the box, which indicate the products were rolled entirely by hand.From Field to FactoryThe life cycle of a truly great cigar begins with the germination of its tobacco seeds. After about six weeks of early development, the young plants are transplanted into fields for maturing—a process that takes from six weeks to two months. Cigar tobacco is grown in several locations around the world, though the most prolific producers include Brazil, Cuba, the Eastern United States, the Dominican Republic and Honduras.Curing and FermentationOnce the tobacco leaves destined to become fine cigars have been picked, they must be handled carefully and according to set practices. Since the leaves begin to die as soon as they’ve been picked, great care must be taken to reduce both sugar and water content while avoiding rot. This process, called curing, takes places in a shaded barn or shed and involves stacking leaves in piles where temperatures can reach up to 140 degrees through the natural biological processes at work. Curing can last anywhere from 21 to 45 days.Immediately following curing, the tobacco enters the fermentation period. During this time, leaves are monitored closely and often turned and remoistened to ensure the tobacco achieves the aroma, flavor and burning characteristics specified by the cigar manufacturer. Throughout fermentation, leaves are often baled, covered with burlap, un-baled and re-baled over an aging process that can last anywhere from 18 months up to 2 years.Birth of a CigarOnce cigar-bound tobacco has completed its aging process, it is delivered to a manufacturing facility where the actual creation of the cigar will take place. The first step in this process involves a visit with the master blender, the person in charge of creating a special mix of tobaccos with varying strengths, tastes and other attributes to yield an exceptionally well-balanced final product. Depending on the ring size of a particular cigar, the final product will consist of a blend of 2 to 4 different and distinct tobaccos. Once a satisfactory formula is achieved, the various tobaccos are delivered to the rollers. Keeping the tobacco moist at all times, the roller’s first step involves gathering the tobacco together and securing it into Bottega Veneta Handbags a bunch using a large, flat and elastic leaf known as the binder. From here, the bunch is trimmed to the appropriate length using a specialized curved knife called a chaveta and placed into molds, which are then pressed into shape for about an hour.Once the Celine Handbags bunches have been wrapped, the roller removes them from their molds and prepares to give them a final roll in an attractive, supple and extremely elastic leaf called the wrapper. In charge of one of the most crucial stages in a cigar’s creation, the roller must take care to wrap the tobacco in such a way that the final product exhibits uniform tightness and as little variation from cigar to cigar as possible. Once rolled, the wrapper is received a small amount of vegetable glue at its head to prevent unraveling. An experienced and skilled roller can Bottega Veneta Handbags produce hundreds of nearly identical cigars in a single day’s work.After assembly, the cigars are scrupulously inspected by supervisors who ensure the final products do not contain any soft or hard spots that could result in uneven burning. The cigars are finally weighed in bunches to ensure the uniformity of the end products.Aging and ShelvingThe final step in a cigar’s manufacturing cycle is aging, a process as essential as any other. Aging involves letting the cigars rest in a humidity and temperature-controlled environment so that the various flavors of the included tobaccos can mingle to create a pleasing final product. After aging is complete, uniform cigars are selected for boxes that are then delivered to your local tobacconist.Like a fine wine, a truly high quality cigar must pass through several closely monitored stages before being sold. A basic familiarity with the time-honored process of making cigars provides a deeper level of appreciation each time you light one up. The next time you relax with one of your favorite brands, take a moment to reflect on the life of your cigar before enjoying that first puff.