© 2006 - Lynne Osterman

The Dominican Republic has now become known as the largest cigar producer worldwide and supplies close to half of the U.S. market with hand-made cigars. In the past ten years production has risen to the tune of 250 million cigars being exported around the world each year. Over 600,000 acres of tobacco plants are cultivated on the island with the majority of the plantations centering around Santiago and the Cibao Valley, which contains some of the richest and deepest topsoil on the planet.

Cigar making is definitely not a fast process. Although it only takes four months from sewing the seeds to harvesting the fully grown plant (at approximately 2 meters in height), to finally arrive at the “rolling” stage can take anywhere from two to three years. Once the plant starts to grow it produces buds very rapidly and these must be removed in order for the tobacco to grow lush, healthy leaves.

The leaves are picked in six stages when they are ripe and ready for harvest, and they are picked from the bottom up. (The tobacco plants grows in a pyramid shape, with the largest leaves on the bottom and the smallest on top). Only 2 or 3 leaves are picked at a time during the six stages and there is about a one week waiting period between pickings. In other words, the base leaves are picked first (libra de pie), then the leaves directly above the base (known as base medio), then the center of the plant that has the thinnest leaves (centro ligero), next the center of the plant with medium leaves (centro fino), the center with the thickest leaves (centro gordo), and finally the top or crown of the plant (corona). After harvesting the leaves the tobacco has to be cured, or dried, immediately. There are different methods of drying tobacco (air, flue, fire, sun).

All cigar tobaccos are air cured. This process takes approximately six weeks where the leaves are hung inside a well-ventilated, covered area which is protected from the sun and wind, akin to a “tobacco barn”. Air curing produces a tobacco that is light, low in sugar, high in nicotine, and sweet in flavour. Once the curing is completed the tobacco then goes through a fermentation process where the leaves are stacked in piles allowing them to heat up (like composting) and rid themselves of impurities which lowers the tar and nicotine content. Thermometers are used to gauge the temperature during this process and when the correct temperature is reached, the bundles are then shaken out, rearranged, restacked and the process is repeated over again, as much as two or three times until the fermentation is completed, which is around one month.

Sorting comes next, into size, colour and texture, their intended purpose, and quality. They are then moistened with water so they don’t discolour, and bundled and stacked once again for a second fermentation process. This second process will last for approximately two months, at which time the tobacco will be ready to be moved to the cigar factory. Once at the factory the tobacco will be aged for another 2 or 3 years depending on the manufacturer, cigar type and to improve flavour.

A cigar is made up of three parts: the wrapper, the binder, and the filler. The filler is the center of the cigar and it is these leaves that distinguish the flavour and taste of the cigar. Normally these leaves come from the center of the plant. The binder holds the filler together and the binder leaves are picked from the crown of the tobacco plant which receive the most sun, which gives them stronger flavour and higher nicotine.

Some manufacturers will also incorporate some of the binder leaves into the filler to strengthen the cigar’s flavour. Finally, the wrapper leaf is rolled around the binder and filler to complete the cigar. The wrapper contributes greatly to the taste and aroma of the cigar, and the finest wrappers are unblemished, evenly coloured, and have an oily sheen.

The Dominican Republic produces some of the finest well known cigars in the world such as Arturo Fuente, Cohiba, Davidoff, Dunhill, Fonseca, La Flor Dominicana, La Gloria Cubana, Leon Jimenes, Macanudo, Maker’s Mark, Montecristo, Carbonell, Juan Clemente, La Aurora, Romeo y Julieta, H. Upmann, Partagas, Tatiana, and Thiriet Mercedes.

Many of the cigar factories that are located around Santiago and the Cibao Valley offer tours of their facilities. They are:

• Fabrica Anilo de Oro in Tamboril, phone 809-580-5808
• Los Maestros, also located in Tamboril, phone 809-299-1702
• Tabacalera Jacagua, Tamboril, phone 809-580-6600
• Group Leon Jimenes Tobacco Company located in Santiato, phone 809-755-2514
• Pinar del Rio Tabacalera in Villa Gonzales
• There is also the Tobacco Museum in Santago (Museo del Tabaco) with many exhibits and a demonstration to observe the processing and rolling techniques of some of the Dominican Republic’s most famous tobaccos.