Tobacco for cigars. Part 3

August 16, 2010

After the chlorophyll seeds destroy in drying process and leafs acquire typical color, leafs' bindings are sorted out and they have to go through the next stage of treatment - fermentation. For this purpose leafs are put in bales of approximately 3 feet height (approximately 1 meter) and are covered with jute mats. Residual humidity leads to situation that inside the bales fermentation begins and temperature goes up. Fermentation process continues 35-40 days during which temperature in no way must exceed 92 Fahrenheit degree (approximately 33 centigrade degree). After this bales are sorted out and next leafs' sorting takes place during which they are classified according to color, size and structure. During sorting leafs that in future will become covering are sprinkled with water but leafs meant for fillers are sprinkled with mixture of water and juice of tobacco bush stalk. After this the second stage of fermentation begins. Second, stronger, stage of fermentation takes place in special wooden capacities with perforated walls of 6 feet height (approximately 2 meters) where are placed preliminarily sorted leafs. This stage of fermentation lasts approximately 60 days during which temperature inside the capacities shouldn’t exceed 110 Fahrenheit degree (approximately 43 centigrade degree). Exact duration of second fermentation depends on requirements to future cigar and can in certain limits differ from stated above. The reason of this is that during fermentation takes place change of tobacco acidity and also content of tar and nicotine in it lowers.

After finishing second stage of fermentation leafs are taken out of capacities, put in bales of cubic form that are wrapped in palm leafs and sent to cigar plants. Such wrapping not only protects tobacco from mechanic damages but also allows to some extent to regulate its humidity and gives opportunity of additional ripening that sometimes can last till four years.

So, actually, it is all about tobacco for cigars. We can only add that during 120 days that pass from the moment of sowing seedlings and till the cropping of the last leaf, tobacco grower visits his "children" not less than 170 timed, not speaking, how much work and attention need tobacco leafs to transform in cigar.