You hear all the time about the work that goes into producing tobacco and rolling a cigar, or maybe you don’t. At any rate, what you don’t necessarily hear is what’s inside those cigars, bit by bit. I thought that it would be fitting for one of the first real posts on The BS Lounge to cover this exact topic. Let’s slice up a cigar and find out.
What is a cigar?
First, what is a cigar? You probably know what they are and what they look like, but I’m talking about the true definition. A cigar is fermented or cured tobacco leaf, rolled in various sizes, called Vitolas.
They essentially consist of three layers or levels. In the center is filler tobacco, and wrapped around that is a binder, designed to keep the filler packed tightly. Finally, the wrapper encircles the exterior. A cigar typically gets most of its flavor from the wrapper. That’s interesting since a majority of the cigar’s mass is the filler and binder, but that’s just how it works.
Honestly, the best way to understand, and find out, is to see it with your own eyes. So, I’ve sliced open a cigar with visual examples to show what goes inside. Don’t worry, I didn’t chop up anything too premium.
Source: Briley Kenney / The BS Lounge
You’ll notice the wrapper on this cigar is fairly thin. Sometimes, that’s the case, while other times the binder is a bit thicker.
Filler: Usually, the filler is composed of several varieties of tobacco, either called “mixed fillers,” as well as “short fillers,” and “long-fillers.” It helps pack the inside of the cigar and helps it burn more evenly.
Mixed Filler: A mixture of long and short fillers of various types.
Short Filler: Chopped or ground tobacco leaves meant to burn faster and hotter. Generally, considered to be of lower quality tobacco. Also called picadura in Spanish.
Long Filler: Also called tripa in Spanish, it’s large or long tobacco leaves that run the length of the cigar. They tend to consist of premium tobacco leaves and burn slower.
Binder: Really meant to enclose and contain the filler, the binder is what provides most of the structure to the cigar. It translates to the shape and size and is always more durable than the other leaves — hence why it “binds” everything together.
Wrapper: The outer shell, if you will, not only provides most of the flavor but also offers the cigar its true aesthetics. Even in color, strong, and bold, the wrapper can also be a mixture of elastic, silky, and oily. Bumps and imperfections can happen in the wrapper, but less frequently in high-quality cigars.
The section of the cigar also tends to correspond with the location of the tobacco leaves on the plant. For example, the Ligero, or the top leaves of the tobacco plant — which get the most sunlight and is the strongest portion — is used for the wrapper. The Seco, or middle section, is used for the binder. Meanwhile, the Volado, or bottom portion of the tobacco plant, is used for the filler.
Ultimately, tobacco leaves make up the entirety of a cigar. With chopped or whole leaves for the filler, a stronger binder sealed around the center core, and a wrapper to tie it all together.
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
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