Tradition in the Making: The Rituals of Cuban Cigars
It all starts on the vegas – land where Cuban black tobacco is grown. The farmers who specialize in cultivating Cuban black tobacco are known as vegueros. Not only is the veguero responsible for tending to the land but also monitoring the progress of the leaves of each tobacco plant. This is no easy task as a vega can have up to a million plants!
Now, a little background on cigars before we dive into the making of Cuban cigars. For those who aren’t connoisseurs, a cigar is comprised of three parts. The wrapper is known for championing most of the cigar’s flavor. For this reason, cigars are typically categorized for their wrapper. The tobacco that holds the cigar together is known as the binder. The part most often underappreciated, the filler, makes up the majority of the tobacco leaves and is classified by its country of origin. If a cigar’s filler is from one country (and not a mix of countries), then it is known as a puro or pure cigar.
In Cuba, there are three types of tobacco leaves used as fillers and binders which are classified as light, dry, and fly. The first, ligero or “light,” is full-flavored and used as upper leaves; the seco, or “dry” leaf, is medium-flavored aging for 12 to 18 months and is used as middle leaves; and the volado, or “fly” leaf, is full-flavored aging for a minimum of two years and is used as lower leaves. Some leaves need two or three fermentations depending on which part of the cigar they are selected for. Wrapper leaves have only one fermentation, going through a similar process of moistening and airing, classification, balling, and aging for a minimum of six months in a special wrap (tercio) made of palm leaf (yagua).
Once the leaves go through their specific process, they are ready for the galera which is where the cigars are handmade. The workers, called torcedores, specialize in cutting, rolling, and giving shape to a high-quality Cuban cigar.
The galera is known as a sacred place for cigar makers. Many stories and rituals have evolved from the act of making cigars including the role of a lector, or “reader,” whose job (since 1865) has been to keep the torcedores entertained while they work. Sometimes they read novels, news, or even poetry. Cuban history is very connected to the tradition of lectores in galeras. During the beginning stages of the so-called Necessary War of 1895, the galera readings to the workers exiled in Tampas included political matters related to the future of Cuba and independence ideals.
The final stage of cigar production is labeling and packing the habanos in traditional wooden boxes often decorated with colorful designs. There are many brands of Cuban cigars sponsored by Habanos S.A. which is the tobacco manufacturing company established in 1994 that controls the promotion, distribution, and exportation of cigars for Cuba around the world. Some of their products include global brands such as Cohiba / Montecristo / Partagás / Romeo y Julieta / Hoyo de Monterrey / H. Upmann / Jose L. Piedra; special brands such as Cuaba / Trinidad / San cristobal de la Habana; and local brands including Moyas / Selectos / El Credito / Belinda / Cabañas / Guantanamera.
With so many habanos to choose from, it can be a real headache to make a selection! However, it’s also hard to go wrong. Of course, the best choice is an educated one, so we encourage you to check out our other blogs about the history of habanos and what exactly makes habanos the best cigars on Earth. Yes, we attempt to answer that question and more! We hope you enjoy diving in and later, savoring a one-of-a-kind, hand-rolled habano.
