To the untrained eye every cigar looks the same. Sure, the wrapper — the tobacco leaf on the outside — might be a different shade of color, but for all you know, it’s the same stuff. Of course, cigar enthusiasts know better.
We know that no cigar is made equal, whether its regarding the internal tobacco blend or the outer elements. But cigars are as diverse as anything else in this world. More importantly, the cultivation, curing, and fermentation processes — used to prep and treat the tobacco — have a direct influence on the type of tobacco you end up with. For instance, Maduro and Oscuro tobacco is treated very differently than Candela or Sun Grown.
How are cigars made?
Source: Briley Kenney / The BS Lounge
Source: Briley Kenney / The BS Lounge
For the most part, nearly all cigar makers follow the same basic principles. The cigar is grown from a seed into a large, blossoming plant. Then the tobacco plant is trimmed, in varying increments, to store and prep the leaves for use. First, the harvest leaves go to a curing barn, where they’re hung on sticks known as cujes, or lathes, for four to ten weeks. After its cured, the tobacco is moved to a factory or warehouse. Then, it’s sorted, organized, and eventually stowed for fermentation, sometimes in barrels.
For about 60 to 90 days, fermentation slowly removes the ammonia and other natural impurities in the plant via the application of heat. The tobacco leaves start to dry out. They may or may not be reintroduced to moisture and humidity later to make them more pliable. When ready, the leaves are used to craft the cigars during the rolling process.
Although the process is similar, each type of tobacco receives unique curing and fermentation treatment.
In general, there are several major variations of tobacco. You have Cameroon, Connecticut and Connecticut Broadleaf, Maduro, Sumatra, and Cuban-seed. There are smaller variations in each category, as well. Cuban-seed, to use it as an example, includes Criollo, Corojo, Habano, and Piloto.
Pro Tip: While there is a correlation, tobacco types and wrapper colors indicate and stem from two different elements. The tobacco “type” refers to how the plant is cultivated, harvested, and treated. The tobacco “color” or “wrapper color,” refers to the shade of the outer leaf. Color options include Candela, Claro, Colorado Claro, Colorado, Colorado Maduro, Maduro, and Oscuro.
How are the different types of cigar tobacco created?
Maduro, and Oscuro, are not actually a different type of tobacco. The process for creating these two shades or variants is to expose conventional leaves to longer fermentation periods. That longer fermentation, and high heat exposure, turns the leaves a darker brown. It can also give them an oily and toothy appearance. Please note, the natural browning, no matter how dark, does not indicate the strength of the leaf or, by proxy, the strength of the cigar.
Shade tobacco, including Connecticut, Ecuadorian, Nicaraguan, and Dominican variants, comprises some of the most common tobacco grown for cigars. The tobacco is named after the region it’s grown in. The leaves are light in color with mellow to smooth flavor profiles. To achieve these properties, tobacco farms often cover the leaves using cheesecloth or similar materials. The covering keeps the leaves out of direct sunlight. Farmers mount the sheets above the fields using manmade wood stalks or posts.
Stalk-cut tobacco envelopes the Broadleaf and Mexican San Andrés variety and refers to how the tobacco leaves are removed from the plants and the fields. Instead of following a traditional priming process, the entire plant is chopped down at the base. Then it is allowed to wilt before being hung in the curing barn as-is. The curing process for these types of tobacco is much longer. That’s because the entire stalk or tobacco plant takes longer to undergo its natural changes.
Sun Grown tobacco is fairly straightforward. These tobacco leaves are grown in direct sunlight without any protection therefore exposing the leaves to more UV and heat. The leaves tend to grow thicker and more full-bodied as a result with a distinct brown shade. An excellent example of this type of tobacco is Florida Sun Grown tobacco owned, produced, and sold by Corona Cigar Company.
Unique types of tobacco
Source: Briley Kenney / The BS Lounge
Candela, popular for its distinct green color and sweet flavor, is harvested before the plant can reach maturity. The leaves are green because they maintain their chlorophyll levels, even throughout the curing process. When hung in a barn all sun exposure is blocked and prevented.
Fire-cured, using a process similar to infusion, involves hanging the harvested tobacco in a curing barn while a smoldering fire supplants the smoky, barbecue-esque flavors. The fire is built using unique fuel, like hickory, oak, and maple wood. That essence of the wood burning introduces a smoky flavor to the leaves.
Perique, originally created in Saint James Parish, Louisiana, in the early 1820’s, is an extremely potent and sweet form of tobacco. It’s usually used for pipe tobacco and cigarettes. Cultivators achieve it by fermenting the tobacco for a year or more in bourbon barrels, under high pressure. The finished tobacco is dark brown, almost black, and has an incredibly sweet aroma like dried fruit.
Andullo, while similar in flavor profile to Perique, involves a unique fermentation process. Originally established by Native Americans, the process involves air-curing the tobacco leaves before fermenting them in unique palm frond pods.
Now you know the different types of cigar tobacco
Next time you pick up a cigar, or you’re browsing a shop humidor, pay attention to the leaf diversity. If you’re new to the world of cigars, you might even consider trying the different types and comparing the flavor profiles and experiences you encounter. Smoking something with Perique tobacco, like the Deadwood Fat Bottom Betty is significantly different than smoking a Habano Connecticut or Maduro-based cigar.
The world of cigars really is filled with beauty and variance. That’s one of the most interesting things about it. Well, besides literally everything else. It’s also one of few industries that has been around for centuries or longer and still follows the same practices.
Briley has over 16 years in the publishing and content marketing business. He's been writing about cigars for nearly half that in various forms. What makes him a tour de force is he also smokes them.
Source: Briley Kenney / The BS Lounge
Source: Briley Kenney / The BS Lounge
Source: Alex Plesovskich / Unsplash
Source: Briley Kenney / The BS Lounge
