Filler
The core of the cigar: whole leaves from different parts of the plant, folded together. The blend gives the cigar its strength and flavour.
Origin
From the Cibao Valley to Yerevan
The Dominican Republic is the world's largest producer of premium hand-rolled cigars — more than 196 million a year, exported to about 148 countries. Most of that tobacco grows in one valley.
About cigars
How a cigar is made
A premium cigar is made of three layers of tobacco leaf and rolled by hand. Each layer has its own job.
Binder
A firm leaf that holds the filler together, keeps the cigar's shape and helps it burn evenly.
Wrapper
The thin, smooth outer leaf. It gives the cigar its colour and look and much of its aroma.
Rolled by hand
A torcedor bunches the filler, wraps it in the binder, rests it in a mould, then rolls on the wrapper and closes the head with a cap.
Dominican seed varieties
Cuban-seed tobacco grown in the Cibao since the 1960s; full and aromatic, used mostly in filler.
A native variety, mild and fragrant; burns well and balances a blend.
A Piloto Cubano hybrid developed in the Dominican Republic; spicy and strong.
From seed to humidor
Two to five years pass between sowing and the moment a box reaches Yerevan.
Seedbed
Seeds sprout under cover for about 45 days before being moved to the field.
Field
Plants grow for about three months; leaves are picked by hand from the bottom up as they ripen.
Curing barn
Leaves hang on poles for 30–60 days and slowly turn from green to brown.
Fermentation
Stacked in large piles, the leaves warm up and lose ammonia and harshness.
Aging
Sorted leaves rest in bales for months, sometimes years.
Torcedor
A roller bunches the filler, wraps it in binder and wrapper, and fixes the cap by hand.
Quality control
Each cigar is checked for weight, draw, size and wrapper appearance.
Aging room
Finished cigars rest in cedar rooms so the blend settles.
Cigar House Armenia, Yerevan
Boxes travel to Armenia and are kept at stable humidity and temperature.
How we store cigars
Cigars are kept in Spanish-cedar-lined humidors. Stable conditions protect the wrapper and keep the burn even.
- 65–70%
- Relative humidity
- 18–21 °C
- Temperature
- Spanish cedar
- Lining
