WHERE TOBACCO IS GROWN
Nowhere in the world grows tobacco better than Cuba. But even here, only a few selected Vegas –‘plantations ‘ are judged good enough to grow the tobacco for Habanos.
There are four main tobacco growing regions in Cuba and within just two of these,
Pinar del Rio and Partido, there are a select number of zones that house districts prized above all others for the quality of their harvest. The finest of these are known as vegas de primera –‘first class fields’ and it is on these precious acres that tobacco worthy of making Havana cigars is grown.
PINAR DEL RÍO
Semi Vuelta
Region known mainly for its cultivation of binder and filler leaves for Tripa Corta –‘Short Filler’. Traditionally the part of the Pinar del Rio tobacco region not included in Vuelta Abajo has been called “Semi Vuelta”. However, the area of this zone employed for Habanos is very small, barely one percent of its tobacco growing land. Nevertheless, it has good soil for producing seeds which are later sown in Vuelta Abajo. Most Semi Vuelta tobacco is grown for other purposes.
PINAR DEL RÍO
San Luis
Small town, known above all for the cultivation of wrapper leaves. Here you find the world-famous El Corojo Vega as well as the Cuchillas de Barbacoa farm and Robaina family farm.
PINAR DEL RÍO
San Juan y Martínez
The other famous small town in Vuelta Abajo. It has a particular reputation for the cultivation of fillers and binders, and the famous Hoyo de Monterrey plantation is located here.
PINAR DEL RÍO
VUELTA ABAJO
The finest cigar tobacco-growing land in the world. Vuelta Abajo is the main source of tobacco for Habanos, and the only zone that grows all types of leaf: wrappers, filler and binders. Indeed all tobacco for fillers and binders for Long Filler Habanos comes from this privileged zone. But even here less than a quarter of the tobacco-growing land enjoys the Vegas de Primera status that is required for the growing of tobacco for Habanos.
PARTIDO
Founded during the early 17th Century, Partido is a historic tobacco region located in the south west and south east of Havana City. Like Semi Vuelta, Partido specializes in the cultivation of wrapper leaves.
REMEDIOS
Cuba’s largest and oldest tobacco producing region. It is the source of the leaf for one particular Habano brand: José L Piedra. The soil and climate have their own distinctive character.
VUELTA ARRIBA
Cuba’s largest and oldest tobacco producing area, and the source of all types of leaf for one particular Habano brand: Jose L Piedra. The soil and climate have their own distinctive character, but methods of cultivation used here for Habano leaf are the same as in other regions.
It was at Bariay in the extreme eastern part of this region that Columbus landed in 1492 and discovered Cuban tobacco. Tobacco is still grown here, but not for Habanos.
The oldest cigar factory still operating in the Dominican Republic is La Aurora, S.A., in Santiago, the center of cigar production in this country. Other major brands like Arturo Fuente, Davidoff, La Flor Dominicana, and La Gloria Cubana also have factories in or near Santiago.
Dominican Republic’s highly fertile soil, varied weather, and ecological biodiversity make it one of the best countries in the world for tobacco growth.
When the cigar industry in Cuba moved to be owned by the state, many farmers and producers looked to other nations as places to grow and source tobacco, with the Dominican Republic coming out as a great alternative.
The primary source of tobacco in the Domincan Republic is the rich and fertile Cibao Valley.
There are three traditional types of tobacco grown in the Cibao valley; Olor Domicano, Piloto Cubano and San Vicente.
Piloto Cubano
Derived from Cuban seed. Used to add strength as filler. Piloto tend to be fuller bodied and more resilient than Olor.
Olor Domicano
The only native tobacco in the Dominican Republic. Mild and somewhat salty when grown for binder and filler. Thinner and less substantive leaf than Piloto. Recently it has been grown as wrapper for Davidoff’s Dominican puro.
San Vicente
A hybrid of Piloto developed on the farm of San Vicente in the Vuelta Abajo. A bit lighter than Piloto, and somewhat acidic in quality. Used for binder and filler.
Honduras shares a southern border with Nicaragua. On both sides of that border, some of the world’s best tobacco is grown. When Nicaragua’s civil war was raging in the 1970s, Honduras became a refuge for cigar makers from Nicaragua.
For many years, Honduras produced mild-ish cigars, mimicking many of the popular Cubans. Today, cigars from Honduras occupy every level of flavor, having joined the trend toward stronger cigars.
The types of cigar tobacco grown in Honduras are mostly Cuban seed. Both Cuban criollo and shade grown corojo are cultivated for their strong heady flavor. Both require careful fermentation and curing to mellow the tobacco.
There are three areas for tobacco cultivation and cigar manufacturing; Danli in El Paraiso, Jamastran and Talanga Valley.
Danli
The first is the area around Danli in El Paraiso
Jamastran Valley
Jamastran Valley and the surrounding areas are the primary locations for cigar tobacco cultivation in South Honduras.
Talanga Valley
Talanga Valley in the Francisco Morazan province is the third cultivation area. Talanga region is windy so here tobacco is grown using the encallado method.
Encallado method consist of growing cigar tobacco where tents/cloths are erected around the perimeter of the crop, to protect it from the wind.
The story of Nicaraguan cigars is a dramatic one. Today some of the best cigars in the world are coming from Nicaraguan fields, but it hasn’t always been easy for the vegueros and cigar producers of this small Central American country.
The cigar industry in Nicaragua began in the late 1950’s when the
Cuban cigar industry was nationalized by Fidel Castro.
There are four major tobacco growing regions in Nicaragua — Esteli, Condega, Jalapa and Ometepe. Each of these regions possess different soil and climatic conditions which give its tobacco varying characteristics.
Jalapa
Jalapa’s fertile soil is heavy with red clay, which produces a very smooth, elegant and rich tobacco. Tobacco grown in Jalapa are not as strong as Esteli and considered to be sweeter. It is known for producing beautiful wrappers. The tobacco is thought of as very flavorful, and unique due to the rich and complex aromas it creates.
Condega
Condega’s soil is rocky. Tobacco from this region is mostly sun-grown and yields a thinner leaf because of the heavy cloud cover one the area, these leaf are generally used as filler and binder. The area also produces oily and elastic leaves with rich colored that are excellent for wrappers. Tobaccos grown in Condega area produce the second strongest tobaccos in Nicaragua.
Esteli
Tobacco grown in Esteli is considered to be stronger than that grown in Jalapa, and is usually used for filler, while Jalapa leaf is sweeter but still rich, and more suitable for wrapper.
Ometepe
Ometepe is a volcanic island located in Lake Nicaragua. It is near the city of Granada. This island was created by the twin volcanos called Concepcion and Medera. The Concepcion volcano is still active. On this island the soil is extremely fertile, which makes it unique and allows for perfect conditions for growing tobacco. The tobacco grown from this region is described as sweet and uniquely spicy. Tobacco from Ometepe is similar to Jalapa, but known to have more strength and depth in the smoke, differentiated by its sweetness.
GROWING THE TOBACCO
We can distinct two forms of cultivation to produce the different types of leaf required for filler, binder and wrapper, shade-grown and sun-grown.
The filler and binders leaves are grown under sun, so that they can develop variety of flavors, rich and complex taste.
Wrapper leaves are grown in tapado - 'shade-grown' fields covered by muslin cloth. These cover filter the sunlight and traps the heat so that the leaves are able to grow larger and finer.
Work starts in June and July, and continues nine months. Around 40 days after planting out, the harvest can begin. Each leaf must be picked by hand. Only two or three leaves can be taken at a time, with days to wait between each picking. The harvesting of a single plant takes close to 30 days to complete. The harvested leaves are taken to the farmer’s barn for air curing. The leaves will also undergo fermentations, sortings, classifications, ageing – many months, and in some cases years will pass before the leaf is ready to make a cigar.
Shade - Grown(Tapado)
Shade - Grown(Tapado)
Sun- Grown
Sun- Grown
TOBACCO TYPE
