Cigar Wrappers

Cigar wrappers make cigars taste great and look fantastic.

What makes cigar wrappers different from cigarette wrappers?
Cigars are made of three different types of tobacco leaves. The variation of these leaves determine the characteristics of the cigar.

The outer leaves of the cigar are the cigar wrapper. They come from the broadest part of the plant. The wrapper adds much to the character and flavor of the cigar. It also defines the color of the cigar as a whole.

A cigarette is distinguished from a cigar by its smaller size, use of processed leaf, and paper wrapping, which is usually white, though other colors are available. Cigars are typically composed entirely of whole-leaf tobacco.

How are cigar wrappers made?
A cigar's outermost leaves, or wrapper, come from the widest part of the plant. The wrapper determines much of the cigar's character and flavor, and as such its color is often used to describe the cigar as a whole. Colors are designated as follows, from lightest to darkest.

How is the cigar wrapper prepared?
After tobacco leaves have aged, they are sorted out to be used as fillers or wrappers. Quality and appearance determine which leaves will become wrappers. Leaves are moistening and handled very carefully to ensure the integrity of every leaf.

Leaves are bailed, then inspected, then unbaled, then reinspected, then baled over again as they continue to mature. At the height of their maturity, leaves are then used to make cigars.

Where are cigar wrappers grown?
The tobacco that is used to make cigar wrappers is grown in the Latin American Countries of Brazil, Cuba, The Dominican Republic, and Honduras. In Asia, it is grown in Indonesia, Sumatra, and the Philippines.

Some of the more notable cigar wrappers are grown in the West African country of Cameroon, and some cigar tobacco is grown in the Eastern United States.

Why are so many cigar wrappers grown in these other countries?
It has a lot to do with soil content and climate. The best environment for tobacco to grow is in ground that is rich and loamy. The optimal climate conditions are those where it is moist and mild throughout the year. Such conditions not only contribute to the health and vitality of the plants, but they also contribute to how tobacco tastes.

In fact, if you take a seed from tobacco in say, Cameroon, and grow it in Brazil or Kentucky, the product you produce will taste differently than the Cameroon parent plants.

Because of this, you will always see on our site a strong emphasis on cigar wrapper and the country of origin. This is both to help the new cigar smoker learn more about their new passion, and to also give experienced smokers a very vital piece of information to the art and lifestyle of smoking cigars.