HJ CIGAR

& Lesson - 5

Aims & objectives:- at the end of this chapter students should understand the basics of following points-

Cigars & cigars Manufacturing of cigars Cigar – strength,type,flavor,popular brands, cuts Service of cigars

INTRODUCTION Cigar smoking is a culture in itself. pipe smoking (one of the most common form of smoking) is considered now, of early period, old fashioned and also regarded as an antique,unsusual in present scenario.

Cigarette smoking began popularized in 19th century when industrial revolution took place. This revolution led to many factories, machines and automation in general. Hence cigarette production became popularized. Cigars have been and still are taken as a symbol for masculinity, power and big capitalists.

CIGARS A cigar is a tightly bundle of dried and fermented tobacco which is ignited so that its smoke may be inhale into the smokers mouth. It’s a cylindrical roll of tobacco consisting of cut tobacco Filler formed in a binder leaf and with a wrapper leaf rolled around the bunch (filler + binder). The most expensive leaf used in cigar is wrapper leaf must be Strong ,elastic ,silky in texture, and even in colour. Should have a good burning quality and pleasant flavour. Cigars are bigger than cigarettes and the odour and smoke they produce are stronger and pungent.

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CIGARETTE A cigarette is a tobacco product consumed through smoking And made with cured and finely shredded tobacco leaves often combined with other additives, then rolled or filled/stuffed into a paper rolled cylinder (generally less than 120 mm and 10 mm in diameter. The cigarette is ignited at one end and allowed to smolder for the purpose of inhalation of its smoke from the other (usually filtered) end.

A cigarette is distinguished from a cigar byIts smaller size. Use of processed leaf (cured & fermented)

White paper (generally) roll or wrapping Cigars are typically made entirely of whole leaf tobacco

MANUFACTURING OF CIGARS 1. Cultivation of tobacco:Tobacco plants are seeded indoors, and then transplanted Into fields after 6 to 10 weeks. The plants are carefully pruned so that the leaves grow to the necessary size. Plants which produce cigar wrappers are kept covered with cloth to protect them from sun.

2. Curing After harvesting, tobacco leaves are cured to develop their Aroma,flavour and other essential aspects. Leaves for curing are picked from plant when these leaves are ripened means when leaves colour vary from bright green to brown or yellow. Chemically, here chlorophyll gradually breaks down and is replaced by carotenoids.

Fermentation process-

3. Fermenting Cured leaves are sorted by colour and size at this stage. Small or broken leaves are used for the cigar filler, large leaves for binder and large fine leaves for outer wrapper. A bundle of 10 – 15 leaves are made which is called hands. hands are packed in hogshead (large casks) or in boxes. This process is called fermentation where chemical changes occur to leaves and this takes time from to 6 months to 5 years.2 to 5 yrs fermentation is required for high quality cigars. During fermentation, aroma and taste of the leaf develops. This leaves are again sorted now.

4. Stripping The stem or main vein of the filler leaves should be removed so the cigar can burn evenly. this can be done by both manually or mechanically. Manually, a worker with a thimble knife fitted to his/her finger, clips the vein near the tip and pulls it down. then these leaves are stacked in piles (bundles) – called books or pads Mechanically, a worker inserts the tobacco leaves into a machine under a grooved, circular knife. by depressing a foot treadle( a lever moved by foot & imparting motion to machine), the worker causes the knife to lower and cut out the vein. Then these leaves are stacked.

The stripped leaves are wrapped in bales (bundles) and stored For further fermentation. Just before the leaves are ready for manufacture, they are steamed to restore lost humidity and sorted again.

5. Hand rolling Cigar rolling is a skilled work. the filler must be packed evenly to make the cigar burn evenly & smoothly. the wrapper should be bound in an even spiral around the cigar.

Each worker sits at a small table with a tray of sorted leaves and some space for rolling. first 2-6 leaves are selected for the filler and are placed one on top of the other. now these are rolled and placed on the binder leaf and again rolled around the filler. These partially completed cigars are placed in an open mould which keeps them in shape until they can be wrapped.

chaveta

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CIGAR’S OPEN END (FOOT)

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HAND ROLLING OF CIGARS

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HAND ROLLING OF CIGARS

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6. Wrapping Wrapping is most significant and difficult task. it require A worker to be very efficient. The worker places the uncompleted cigar on wrapper leaf. with a special knife(chaveta) he trims off any irregularities from the filler.then the worker rolls the wrapper around three and a half time, and secures it at the end with a small amount of vegetable paste(either a natural tobacco paste or a mixture of flour and water). This is done by cutting a small round piece out of a different wrapper leaf and this piece is then attached to the end of the cigar with paste. Now the cigar is complete but it still must be tested, sorted and packed.

7. machine rolling Maximum cigars are made by machines today. a machine may require several workers to perform its various functions. one worker feeds tobacco leaves onto a belt between guide bars that can be adjusted to the required cigar length. machine makes the bunches for filler. second worker places binder leaf onto the binder die. The machine rolls the binder around the filler. a third worker places the wrapper leaf on a wrapper die. now the partially completed cigar drops onto the wrapper die, and the machine rolls the wrapper around the cigar. Fourth worker inspects the completed cigars and places them in trays. After this the examiner checks all cigars for imperfections and them for weight, size, shape and condition of the wrapper. the examiner may correct imperfections by patching wrappers or reshaping heads (final quality control)

8. Finishing & packing After passing the quality checks, these ready cigars are placed on trays and passed to banding and wrapping machine. These cigars are then are put into a hopper( a funnel like device) where the machine places a band around them. The same machine may be used to wrap the cigars in cellophane. Then again these cigars can passed to specialists who sort out these according to minute colour variation and finally boxed together.

9. Quality control -

Cigars are checked at each step of manufacturing for quality. quality of tobacco leaves is very important, so the leaves are sorted and inspected after curing, fermentation and processing. Finished (ready) cigars must be checked for even/consistent diameter, weight, size and other imperfections in the wrapper or in shape.

CIGAR STRENGTH The wrapper determines much of the cigar’s character and flavour. Its colour is often used to describe the cigar. Colours are designated from lightest to darkTERM

DESCRIPTION

Double Claro

very light, slightly greenish also called candela or jade); achieved by picking leaves before maturity and drying quickly; the color coming from retained green chlorophyll ; formerly popular, now rare.

Claro

light tan or yellowish, indicative of shade grown tobacco

Colorado

reddish-brown (also called rosado or Corojo)

Colorado Claro

mid brown; particularly associated with tobacco grown in Cuba

Colorado Maduro

Dark brown; associated with Honduran or Cuba grown tobacco

Natural

light brown to brown; generally sun grown

Maduro

Dark brown to very dark brown

Oscuro(double maduro)

Black; often oily in appearance; mainly grown in cuba,brazil,mexico,USA

CIGAR STRENGTH BY WRAPPER COLOUR

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Some manufacturers use an alternate designation TERM

DESCRIPTION

American Market synonymous with double claro Selection (AMS)

English Market can refer to any colour stronger than double Selection (EMS) claro but milder than maduro Spanish Market either of the 2 darkest colours, Maduro & Selection (SMS) Oscuro C

Colorado - A dark & strong cigar

C.C

Colorado Claro - medium cigar

C.C.C or C.M

Colorado Maduro - A very strong cigar

M

Maduro - An exceptionally strong cigar

In general, dark wrappers add a touch of sweetness, while light ones add a hint of dryness to the taste. It is commonly accepted that the wrapper contributes about 40 percent of the flavor, while the filler and binder contributes the other 60 percent. It is generally accepted that maduro cigars are stronger in flavor than the same cigar in a lighter wrapper, but this does not apply to all cigars.

CIGAR TYPES Cigars are commonly categorized by the size and shape of the cigar, which together are known as the vitola. The size of a cigar is measured by two dimensions: its ring gauge (its diameter in 64th of an inch) and its length( in inches) All cigars can be divided into two broad categories: (1)parejos and (2)figurados. Other types of cigars are the togie or stogy, which are a cheap type of cigar.

RING GAUGE (DIAMETER)

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1.PAREJO The most common shape is the parejo, sometimes referred to as simply "coronas", which have traditionally been the benchmark against which all other cigar formats are measured. They have a cylindrical body, straight sides, one end open, and a round tobacco-leaf "cap" on the other end which must be sliced off, have a V-shaped notch made in it with a special cutter, or punched through before smoking

Parejos are designated by the following terms1. Coronas 2.Panatelas (longer & generally thinner than coronas)

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2.FIGURADO Irregularly shaped cigars are known as figurados and are sometimes considered of higher quality because they are more difficult to make. Historically, especially during the 19th century, figurados were the most popular shapes; however, by the 1930s they had fallen out of fashion and all but disappeared. They have, however, recently received a small resurgence(rising again) in popularity, and there are currently many brands (manufacturers) that produce figurados alongside the simpler parejos. The cuban cigar brand cuaba only has figurados in their range.

Figurados include the following:Torpedo

Like a parejo except that the cap is pointed.

Pyramid

Has a broad foot and evenly narrows to a pointed cap.

*In practice, the terms Torpedo and Pyramid are often used interchangeably, even among very knowledgeable cigar smokers.

Perfecto

Narrow at both ends and bulged in the middle.

Culebras

Three long, pointed cigars braided together.

Tuscanian The typical Italian cigar, created in the early 19th century when Kentucky tobacco was hybridized with local varieties and used to create a long, tough, slim cigar thicker in the middle and tapered* at the ends, with a very strong aroma. It is also known as a cheroot , which is the largest selling cigar shape in the United States. Presidente/Diadema shaped like a parejo but considered a figurado because of its enormous size and occasional closed foot akin (related, similar) to a perfecto. *Tapered – (cause to) diminish in thickness towards one end / become narrower

CIGAR TYPES

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CIGAR TYPES

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CIGAR FLAVOUR Each brand and type of cigar tastes different. While the wrapper does not entirely determine the flavor of the cigar, darker wrappers tend to produce a sweetness, while lighter wrappers usually have a "drier" taste. Whether a cigar is mild, medium, or full bodied does not correlate with quality. Different smokers will have different preferences, some liking one good cigar better than another, others disagreeing. Some words used to describe cigar flavor and texture include; spicy, peppery (red or black), sweet, harsh, burnt, green, earthy, woodsy, cocoa, roasted, aged, nutty, creamy, cedar, oak, chewy, fruity, and leathery. Cont…

Cigar smoke, which is rarely inhaled, tastes of tobacco with nuances(feeling) of other tastes. Many different things affect the scent of cigar smoke: tobacco type, quality of the cigar, added flavors, age and humidity, production method (handmade vs. machine-made) and more. A fine cigar can taste completely different from inhaled cigarette smoke. When smoke is inhaled, as is usual with cigarettes, the tobacco flavor is less noticeable than the sensation from the smoke.

CIGAR CUTS Although some cigars are cut on both ends, or twirled(spin,swing,twist) at both ends, the vast majority come with one straight cut end and one end in a "cap". Most quality handmade cigars, regardless of shape, will have a cap which is one or more small pieces of a wrapper pasted on to one end of the cigar with either a natural tobacco paste or with a mixture of flour and water. The cap end of a cigar must be cut off for the cigar to be smoked properly. It is the rounded end without the tobacco exposed, and this is the end one should always cut. If the cap is cut jaggedly(cut unevenly or irregularly) or without care, the end of the cigar will not burn evenly and smokeable tobacco will be lost. Some cigar manufacturers purposely place different types of tobacco from one end to the other to give the cigar smokers a variety of tastes, body and strength from start to finish. Smoking a cigar from the wrong end may result in a bad experience.

There are three basic types of cigar cutters: Guillotine (straight cut) Punch cut V-cut (a.k.a. notch cut, cat's eye, wedge cut, English cut)

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GUILLOTINE (STRAIGHT CUT) The straight cut is the most common, and is generally used on cigars with a smaller ring gauge. this cut uses a quick straight cut causing both ends of the cigar to be exposed. The double blade guillotine is preferred by many smokers over the single blade, because it usually makes a cleaner cut. Cigar scissors are also used to make straight cuts. However these are most practical, the least expensive and can be easily and safely carried. Most prefer this cut because the entire cap end is exposed allowing for maximum smoke to exit.

V-CUT OR WEDGE CUT V-cutters look like guillotine cutters, but cut a wedge into the cigar cap rather than completely removing it, creating a clean looking gash (cut).

Good V-cutters penetrate deeper into the filler than straight cutters, and some smokers prefers them for thicker gauge (thickness) cigars. However, cheap V-cutters can result in sloppy cuts too deep into the cigar, which result in an uneven burn.

HOLE PUNCH The hole punch is used to put a hole in the cap of the cigar, Instead of cutting it off. If the hole is not large enough for the cigar, the draw of smoke through the cigar can be impeded (obstruct/ hinder). Also as the cigar is smoked, tar can accumulate near the hole which affect the taste as well as the draw. 3 basic types of hole-punches are-

Hole-punch Bullet punch

Havana punch

Multi punch

HOLE PUNCH

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SERVICE OF CIGAR The cigar service is a trendy addition to the food and beverage scene – and profitable one too. Customers who enjoy high-priced cigars are tend to order costly drinks. These points to keep in mind when serving cigarsCigars should be offered in their own boxes to allow the customer to choose his own. The type of cigar will be printed on the box. The customer having chosen the cigar he wishes, the waiter has to remove the band before lighting. Contd….

A cigar cutter or piercer should be given. If the cigar is not pre-cut, then a clean V-shaped cut with cigar cutter is recommended. This allows the cigar to draw easily. Cigars should not be pierced as this allows an inadequate draught and leaves a bitter taste in the mouth, due to accumulation of tar in the cut end.

The waiter should then offer a matchbox or lighter to the guest. Cigars must be lit with safety matches or a gas lighter and not petrol lighter whose fumes would affect the taste of the cigar.

SERVICE OF CIGARETTES Cigarettes should never be carried by hand to the customer but placed on a salver or plate. The packet should be opened (pulling out a few cigarettes partially) The waiter should stand by with a match to light the cigarette.

It should be made sure that the ash trays is on the table. Ashtrays should never be allowed to collect too much of ash. It is the waiter’s duty to exchange them frequently for fresh ones.

STORAGE OF CIGARS Cigars are affected by light, temperature, humidity and friction. Cigars should never be exposed to UV light. This will bleach (discolouring, fading, pale) the cigar wrapper, makes it less elastic and more likely to tear or rip. UV light also changes the molecular composition of the wrapper leaf in a rolled cigar. A fine cigar should be kept at between 15 and 18*C and between 55 and 60% relative humidity.

A cigar will pick any smell or moisture in the air, or dry up & smoke like tinder. The safest way to keep cigars in condition is to buy, and offer them for sale in humidors.

TUBE A tube will hold 1 cigar. a tube case with a good seal can protect a cigar for many days or even weeks. They are made of materials ranging from plastic to platinum. Some even may have a humidification device built in.

FINGER CASES Cases made from either leather, metal, wood or plastic. They will have 2 – 4 fingers for the cigars. These are made from 2 telescoping pieces that slide with in each other. Made as per cigar length but often vary from 1 – 1.5 inches in length.

HUMIDOR A humidor is a box with a humidification device in it to store pipe tobacco or cigars. It has a hygrometer in it to keep a track of the humidity levels. Comes in various sizes( for personal use and as well as for bulk use.)

TRAVEL HUMIDORS These are miniature boxes with a humidification device and can hold between 4 – 20 cigars.

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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 Brazil, Cameroon, Cuba, Dominican Republic, Honduras, Indonesia, Mexico, Nicaragua, Philippines, and the Eastern United States Many modern cigars, as a matter of prestige and quality, are still rolled by hand, most especially in Central America and Cuba as well as in chinchales found in virtually every sizable city in the US. Boxes of handrolled cigars bear the phrase totalmente a mano (totally by hand) or hecho a mano (made by hand).

MANUFACTURING 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. The curing process is manipulated based upon the type of tobacco, and the desired color of the leaf. 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.

Once the leaves have aged properly, they are sorted for use as filler or wrapper based upon their appearance and overall quality. During this process, the leaves are continually moistened and handled carefully to ensure each leaf is best used according to its individual qualities. 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.

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. From this stage, the cigar is a complete product that can be "laid down" and aged for decades if kept as close to 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. Even if a cigar becomes dry, it can be successfully re-humidified so long as it has not been handled carelessly and done so gradually. However, the loss of original tobacco oils will greatly affect the taste.

Some cigars, especially premium brands, use different varieties of tobacco for the filler and the wrapper. "Long filler cigars" are a far higher quality of cigar, using long leaves throughout. 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. These highquality cigars almost always blend varieties of tobacco. Even Cuban long-filler cigars will combine tobaccos from different parts of the island to incorporate several different flavors.

In low-grade and machine-made cigars, chopped tobacco leaves are used for the filler, and long leaves or a type of "paper" made from tobacco pulp is used for the wrapper which binds the cigar together. This alters the burning characteristics of the cigar, causing hand-made cigars to be sought-after.

COMPOSITION

Cigars are composed of three types of tobacco leaves, whose variations determine smoking and flavor characteristics:

1. 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. Over 100 wrapper shades are identified by manufacturers, but the seven most common classifications are as follows, from lightest to darkest:-

TERM

DESCRIPTION

Double Claro

very light, slightly greenish also called candela or jade); achieved by picking leaves before maturity and drying quickly; the color coming from retained green chlorophyll ; formerly popular, now rare.

Claro

light tan or yellowish, indicative of shade grown tobacco

Colorado

reddish-brown (also called rosado or Corojo)

Colorado Claro

mid brown; particularly associated with tobacco grown in Cuba

Colorado Maduro

Dark brown; associated with Honduran or Cuba grown tobacco

Natural

light brown to brown; generally sun grown

Maduro

Dark brown to very dark brown

Oscuro(double maduro)

Black; often oily in appearance; mainly grown in cuba,brazil,mexico,USA

2. FILLERS 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. In the cigar industry this is referred to as a "blend". Many cigar manufacturers pride themselves in constructing the perfect blend(s) that will give the smoker the most enjoyment. The more oils present in the tobacco leaf, the stronger (less dry) the filler. Types range from the minimally flavored Volado taken from the bottom of the plant, through the light-flavored Seco (dry) taken from the middle of the plant, to the strong Ligero from the upper leaves exposed to the most sunlight. Fatter cigars of larger gauge hold more filler, with greater potential to provide a full body and complex flavor. When used, Ligero is always folded into the middle of the filler because it burns slowly.

Fillers can be either long or short; long filler uses whole leaves and is of a better quality, while short filler, also called "mixed", uses chopped leaves, stems, and other bits. Recently some manufacturers have created what they term "medium filler" cigars. They use larger pieces of leaf than short filler without stems, and are of better quality than short filler cigars. Short filler cigars are easy to identify when smoked since they often burn hotter and tend to release bits of leaf into the smoker's mouth. Long filled cigars of high quality should burn evenly and consistently. Also available is a filler called "sandwich" (sometimes "Cuban sandwich") which is a cigar made by rolling short leaf inside long outer leaf. If a cigar is completely constructed (filler, binder and wrapper) of tobacco from only one country, it is referred to in the cigar industry as a "puro" which in Spanish means "pure".

3. BINDERS 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.

SMOKING To smoke a cigar, a smoker possibly cuts it, lights it, then puts the unlit end into the mouth and draws smoke into the mouth. Some smokers inhale the smoke into the lungs, particularly with little cigars, but this is relatively uncommon otherwise. A smoker may swirl the smoke around in the mouth before exhaling it, and may exhale part of the smoke through the nose in order to smell the cigar better as well as to taste it.

CUTTING Although some cigars are cut on both ends, or twirled at both ends, the vast majority come with one straight cut end and one end in a "cap". Most quality handmade cigars, regardless of shape, will have a cap which is one or more small pieces of a wrapper pasted on to one end of the cigar with either a natural tobacco paste or with a mixture of flour and water. The cap end of a cigar must be cut off for the cigar to be smoked properly. It is the rounded end without the tobacco exposed, and this is the end one should always cut. If the cap is cut jaggedly or without care, the end of the cigar will not burn evenly and smokeable tobacco will be lost. Some cigar manufacturers purposely place different types of tobacco from one end to the other to give the cigar smokers a variety of tastes, body and strength from start to finish. Smoking a cigar from the wrong end may result in a bad experience.

LIGHTING The "head" of the cigar is usually the end closest to the cigar band. The opposite end of the cigar is called the "foot". The band identifies the type of the cigar and may be removed or left on. The smoker cuts the cap from the head of the cigar and ignites the foot of the cigar. The smoker draws smoke from the head of the cigar with the mouth and lips, usually not inhaling into the lungs.

When lighting, the cigar should be rotated to achieve an even burn and the air should be slowly drawn with gentle puffs. Cigars can be lit with the use of butanefilled lighters. Butane is colorless, odorless and burns clean with very little, if any, flavor. It is not recommended to use fluid-filled lighters and paper matches since they can influence the taste. Another option is wooden matches. They aren't treated and soaked with sulfur and thus the smoke is not affected with chemicals. Cigars packaged in metal tubes will typically include a thin wrapping of cedar. This may be used to light the cigar, eliminating the problem of lighters or matches affecting the taste.

GOOD LUCK HEMANT JALUTHRIA

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