THE ANATOMY OF A CIGAR

You don't need to have a full understanding of cigars to enjoy smoking them. However, if you know a little more about the anatomy of your cigar, it can give you a better appreciation for it and enhance your experience.

Parts of the cigar:

Cigar cap

The cap is the main component of the cigar that holds everything together. Made from a loose piece of tobacco, the cap is attached to the top of the cigar using a natural glue to secure the wrapper and ensure it won't unwrap.

This is the part of the cigar you cut off before the smoking pleasure begins.

Body of the cigar-a main part which consists of three different layers of tobacco:

Cigar wrapper

The outermost layer is the shell. This is a tobacco leaf that is wrapped around the cigar. Sometimes the wrapper is actually the most flavorful part.Often these are the leaves from the bottom of the tobacco plant, known as the Volado,. It burns well and helps the cigar smoke properly.

The tobacco leaf used for the wrapper must be absolutely flawless. Only 10% of all tobaccos are accepted as good enough to use as a wrapper. Because of this fact, it is the most expensive aspect of the entire cigar.

Binding sheet of the cigar

The next layer of the cigar is known as the binder and is perhaps the most important. Here, a coarser and harder type of tobacco leaf called Seco is used, which comes from the middle of the plant to hold the filler together.

These leaves don't provide much flavor, putting the main focus on the filler flavors, which are expertly blended. The strength of this layer helps in the process of giving the cigar its characteristic shape.

Cigar filler sheets

The tobacco leaves in the middle of the cigar make up the filler. These dark and aromatic leaves, found at the top of the tobacco plant called Ligero, are varied and have the greatest influence on the flavour of the cigar. The more ligero leaves used in the filler, the stronger the cigar will be.

In each filler there are usually between two and five different types of tobacco. Master blenders take several varieties of tobacco in different quantities and then combine them to achieve the desired flavor and strength. This is the key aspect to creating a sense of individuality and uniqueness between cigar brands and regions.

Short and long filler tobacco for cigars

There are two types of filling tobacco, short filling and long filling.

• The short filler is cut tobacco leaves. It burns hotter as it is less packed. It is often used in cheaper and machine-made cigars.
• The long filler is whole tobacco leaves that are matched. It burns longer and usually offers a more complex smoke and flavour. More commonly used in premium cigars.