The world of tobacco is huge. For this reason, anyone who is interested in the subject should start by learning some aspects that are like the ABCs of that practically endless universe.
Let's start at the beginning:
A Habano is
a cigar that has an identification called Protected Designation of Origin
(PDO), which is reserved for a selection of brands of cigars made in Cuba,
following very rigorous standards, from tobacco leaves harvested in specific
areas, also protected as appellations of origin. Although this means that no
tobacco made outside of this country can be called Habano, it is also true that
not all cigars made in Cuba are Habanos.
For their
part, other cigars are made mainly in Honduras, Nicaragua, the Dominican
Republic and Mexico. The varieties of cigars produced in this group of
Caribbean and Central American countries are known as "New World Tobacco"
and, in the last 25 years, they have become comparable in quality, consistency
and cost with Cuban Habanos.
Anatomy of a tobacco:
Everything
that describes a tobacco applies equally to a Habano or other cigars.
In general
terms, five different leaves are needed to make a tobacco:
• Three types of leaves are used to
form the filler (la tripa) -part of the tobacco that gives the product its
flavors and aromas:
ü Volado (blown): the leaf with the least
strength, whose special function is combustion within the cigar
ü Seco (dry): medium strength leaf, most important
for aroma
ü Ligero (light): heavy-duty, slow-burning
blade for a hint of flavor and strength in the draw
• One for
the structure:
ü The binder (el capote): the special leaf that wraps the
three leaves of the gut, defines the shape of the cigar and gives a final touch
to its quality when smoking it.
• One for
perfection:
ü The wrapper
(la
capa) is the outer surface of the tobacco, the one that dresses it: it
is a thin and elastic leaf that contributes little to the flavor but represents
the culmination of the perfection of the cigar, that which brings delight to
the eyes.
Each one of
these leaves is cultivated to be used specifically in making cigars.
To be
continued….
