Continuing with the ABC of tobacco, today we would like to share some information of great interest for those who are just starting to learn about this complex but exciting world.
About leaves:
As we
discussed in last week's article, different types of leaves are used in making
tobacco, each one with a specific function to fulfill. In this selection, both
the position of the leaf on the plant stem and the harvesting time play a
preponderant role, since they determine its chemical composition and,
consequently, its greater or lesser content of nicotine and aromatic and
nitrogenous substances.
This means
that each type of leaf has a different crop time, so harvesting a single plant
can take up to 30 days from the start, since only two or three leaves can be
removed at a time and between each harvest several days must elapse. It is a
slow and laborious process because all the leaves must be harvested by hand to
avoid deterioration with the handling.
The taller
plants with a greater number of leaves are grown in covered or tapados plantations, which are used for
the wrapper, while outdoor crops are intended for the three leaves that make up
the filler (flown, dry and light) and the binder.
The
harvesting of the leaves begins between 40 and 50 days after transplanting.
They are collected at intervals starting with those closest to the ground and
from there they work their way up to the top of the stem. The volado (flown) ones come from the lowest
part of the plant; the seco (dry) ones
are collected in the center and those at the top constitute the type known as ligero (light).
After the
harvest the curing process begins, during which not only the leaves dry out, but
numerous chemical and physical transformations take place in the leaves. After
this, the long and complex process of refining the leaves begins, consisting of
several fermentation stages, each with different objectives and duration times.
They are then packed and transferred to a warehouse where they will undergo a
long final aging process, which lasts between one and two years depending on
the strength of the leaf.
To be continued…
