| You might have seen it in the movies, or in TV shows, | | | | and shade. This serves to lower the leaves' water and |
| or on the cover of a gangster novel. The big boss - be | | | | sugar content, without causing leaves to rot. Once the |
| he a mafia don, drug lord, or your plain, run-of-the-mill | | | | dried leaves are ready, they are made to "die with |
| CEO - is sporting a large cigar, and is smoking it | | | | grace" by a slow process of fermentation. During this |
| unaffectedly. He seems to like it, that tight, large wad | | | | time, humidity levels and temperature are controlled, |
| of smoke and leaves. But what makes cigars so | | | | such that the lea will ferment without disintegrating or |
| prized, and why is it often associated with wealth and | | | | rotting. In this critical period are ushered out of the |
| business? | | | | leaves the flavors and aroma that characterize the |
| Very simply, a cigar is a rolled-up heap of dried, | | | | cigar into which it will eventually be made. |
| fermented tobacco. One end is lit with fire, and the | | | | When fermentation is done, leaves are sorted out |
| other is the opening by which smoke can enter a | | | | depending on whether they will be used as filler for the |
| user's mouth. Cigar tobacco is special: its flavor is | | | | cigar, or as wrapper. Leaves must be kept moist, and |
| reputedly richer and deeper than the tobacco used for | | | | should be handled very carefully. As soon as they are |
| ordinary cigarettes. Such tobacco is grown in tropical | | | | sorted, a cigar maker will roll them into any of the |
| countries, with Brazil, Cuba, Honduras, and Mexico | | | | various cigar shapes, carefully, and by hand. |
| leading the pack. Cuban cigars, in particular, are | | | | The flavor of a cigar depends on the leaves used for |
| considered to be the best varieties, although experts | | | | its wrapper and filler. Wrapper leaves usually come |
| contend that Nicaraguan and Honduran cigars easily | | | | from the widest part of a tobacco plant. Their color |
| rival the mighty Cuban. | | | | can range from the very light, mildly greenish brown |
| Cigars were once extremely expensive, and were | | | | shade called the Double Claro; to the oily, black Oscuro |
| usually confined to banquets, where "smokers" were | | | | grown in Nicaragua, Mexico, Cuba, or Brazil. The color |
| held. These were gatherings where important | | | | of a wrapper also describes the color of a cigar. |
| politicians convened to discuss important issues while | | | | Most of a cigar is made up of fillers, or the interior, |
| they smoked. When the U.S. imposed a trade | | | | where smoking tobacco leaves are bundled together |
| embargo on Cuba in the 20th century, the price of | | | | by elastic leaves called binders. Some cigar makers |
| cigars rose much higher, and the use of them was | | | | mix up a variety of leaves of various tastes and |
| confined to those who could afford them. | | | | strengths, in order to produce different flavors of cigar. |
| In mid-2005, however, cigar prices declined, allowing | | | | To keep their flavor, cigars should be stored at room |
| many smokers (and smoking beginners) to taste and | | | | temperature, but at relatively high humidity. A humidor, |
| enjoy cigar smoking. But what is there to enjoy in | | | | or a special wooden box, usually comes with cigars |
| cigars? According to aficionados, cigars have less of | | | | when they are purchased. |
| the smoky taste of cigarettes, and can even take on | | | | Although most certainly damaging to human health, |
| the taste of whisky, chocolate, or even wine! | | | | cigars still retain their mystique, whether they are seen |
| How are cigars made? Choice tobacco leaves are | | | | on the silver screen, or read about in books. |
| first harvested, then aged by a combination of heat | | | | |