Photos showing the entire process of rolling Cuban cigars. The photos were taken by Peter Day at Cohibas El Laguto cigar factory in Havana. This cigar factory was built in 1968 to produce cigars for Cuban leader Fidel Castro. In addition to enjoying it himself, Castro also gave Cohiba cigars as gifts to senior officials visiting Cuba. In 1982, Cohiba cigars went from special supply to the market.
Sun-dried and fermented cigar leaves are selected by workers based on size, color and texture. Each cigar is made of three cigar leaves, one serving as the outer wrapper, one serving as the core, and one serving as the inner wrapper.
The next step is to remove the middle stem of the outer skin to facilitate rolling.
These cigar leaves come from Pinar del Rio, west of Havana. This area has a unique microclimate and is known for the distinctive taste of its cigar leaves.
Each cigar is rolled by hand, using techniques that have not changed in over 20 years. Many cigarette workers come from the same family.
Workers use sharp blades to cut off excess leaves from cigars. Typically, workers roll 100 cigars a day.
The last step is to roll the eggplant cap.
The cigars are placed in a plastic mold and pressed for 15 to 20 minutes to ensure they have the proper size and shape.
Check cigars, ensuring high ventilation when inhaling. Cohibas standards are very high, and if they are not met, the entire batch of cigars will be labeled as substandard. These cigars are called "Pericos" and are smaller in size than traditional Robusto cigars.
The cigars produced in Cohiba are mainly exported abroad or sold to tourists traveling to Cuba. Each Peco cigar costs as much as $28, and the larger Robasto cigars are twice as expensive as Peco, making them unaffordable for many locals.
When tasting a cigar, first cut off the cap, then light the cigar foot, and the smoke will be inhaled into the lungs from the cigar head held in the mouth.
Arnaldo Ovales-Blinona, Cohibas supervisor, started his career as a cigarette maker. With his help, Cohiba introduced a range of more modern cigar varieties, such as the Peco.
