Looking good

No product on earth enjoys a more painstaking treatment in its presentation and packaging, starting with the perfect colour-matching of the wrappers

SORTING THE COLOURS

Wrappers come in many finely distinguished shades of colour, and great care is taken to ensure that all of the cigars in any one box are the exact same shade.

The colour of a Habano wrapper is purely natural – no artificial process is used to force it. Leaves from the upper levels of the plant are naturally darker, and become darker during fermentation.

Among the most senior workers are the Escogedores – colour graders – who work in pairs to colour-match the wrappers in any box or bundle. One Escogedor sorts the cigars en masse, dividing them by colours and shades of each colour in a pattern of columns and rows that may well represent 60 or more finely distinguished shades.

A second Escogedor then sorts the cigars within each shade ordering any slight differences from left to right across the box. The Escogedor also chooses which face of each cigar will face upwards in the box.

At any stage in these processes the Escogedores will reject any cigars that do not look good enough.

APPLYING THE BANDS

Cigar bands were introduced in the 1860s by Don Gustavo Bock, a European who had arrived in Havana to make his fortune in cigars. Legend has it that his idea sprang from a desire to protect the white-gloved fingers of his more refined customers from staining.

True or not, cigar bands grew to become the Habano’s most potent popular symbol, prized by collectors and copied by every rival.

The Anilladora – or ‘bander’ – delicately applies a band to each cigar.....

To read the rest of this article you can buy this issue or subscribe to Cigar Buyer to have every issue delivered direct to your door.

By Dominic Roskrow

Section : Cigar Production

Page number : 21

Published in Cigar Buyer Issue 4 on 10/05/2005.

This article is 69 months old and some information provided may be time sensitive. Please check all details of events, tours, opening times and other information before travelling or making arrangements.



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	Looking good No product on earth enjoys a more painstaking treatment in its presentation and packaging, starting with the perfect colour-matching of the wrappers SORTING THE COLOURS Wrappers come in many finely distinguished shades of colour, and great care is taken to ensure that all of the cigars in any one box are the exact same shade. The colour of a Habano wrapper is purely natural – no artificial process is used to force it. Leaves from the upper levels of the plant are naturally darker, and become darker during fermentation. Among the most senior workers are the Escogedores – colour graders – who work in pairs to colour-match the wrappers in any box or bundle. One Escogedor sorts the cigars en masse, dividing them by colours and shades of each colour in a pattern of columns and rows that may well represent 60 or more finely distinguished shades. A second Escogedor then sorts the cigars within each shade ordering any slight differences from left to right across the box. The Escogedor also chooses which face of each cigar will face upwards in the box. At any stage in these processes the Escogedores will reject any cigars that do not look good enough. APPLYING THE BANDS Cigar bands were introduced in the 1860s by Don Gustavo Bock, a European who had arrived in Havana to make his fortune in cigars. Legend has it that his idea sprang from a desire to protect the white-gloved fingers of his more refined customers from staining. True or not, cigar bands grew to become the Habano’s most potent popular symbol, prized by collectors and copied by every rival. The Anilladora – or ‘bander’ – delicately applies a band to each cigar..... To read the rest of this article you can buy this issue or subscribe to Cigar Buyer to have every issue delivered direct to your door. By Dominic Roskrow Section : Cigar Production Page number : 21 Published in Cigar Buyer Issue 4 on 10/05/2005. Subscribe Buy this issue More from this issue Preview other issues This article is 69 months old and some information provided may be time sensitive. Please check all details of events, tours, opening times and other information before travelling or making arrangements. Copyright Cigar Buyer © 1999-2010. All rights reserved. To use or reproduce part or all of this article please contact us for details of how you can do so legally.