If you want to make flawless cigars and then sell them, this article is not for you. But if you want to roll some good cigars to smoke on your own, then you've come to the right place!
Steps
Step 1. Take a few tobacco leaves and put them in a plastic bag
Lightly moisten them with water spray and close the bag gently to prevent them from breaking. After an hour the leaves should be elastic enough to form a bundle, at this point tighten the bag further to make them even more beautiful and malleable and wait another hour. Remove the midribs of the leaves. Set them aside in an open bag and let them dry. At the end of the process they should become more resistant and not too moist.
Step 2. Take the softened leaves and form a line of approximately 90 centimeters
Select a mix of different leaves. Arrange them in layers until you are able to take a portion of the line and compress it slightly; this will be the size of the cigar you are going to make. Once rolled up, the cigar will be slightly smaller than the size you took, so plunge it slightly. It takes some practice to get a cigar of the right diameter.
Step 3. Take a fistful of leaves and trim them about an inch or so on the sides of the fist, then set them aside
Repeat the process with the other leaves until you have finished the entire row. You now have your filling.
Step 4. For the under-wrapping, take a large leaf and make it malleable
Fold it in half lengthwise with the midrib facing you. "Cut" off the grain with scissors. You should now have the two halves of a great leaf (not the best of all, but still good). The best leaf, the one without defects, should be kept for the band. Cut the two parts in half so as to obtain four quarters of a leaf of about 10 x 10 cm each. Two quarters, those obtained from the tip of the leaf, will be triangular in shape, the other two a little more squared. You now have four under wraps.
Step 5. Do the same with the best leaf and the band is ready
Step 6. Mix together 0.6 grams of flour and 30-45 ml of water
You can use different sizes, but try to use as little flour as possible. It is advisable to put the solution in the microwave for 15 seconds, stir for 10 seconds and repeat the process until the mixture becomes a well-blended paste. Generally it is necessary to repeat the process three to four times. Once allowed to cool, the mixture should solidify a bit. It shouldn't turn out too thick, but be nearly the same consistency as maple syrup, for example.
Step 7. Take a leaf for the under-wrapping and place it on a flat surface with the underside facing you
When rolling the cigar do not over tighten or you will compromise the draft; on the other hand, not tightening enough will lead to questionable results. It takes some practice. Apply the under wrapper to all of your cigars and set them aside, then do the same thing with the wrap.
Step 8. Twist the ends, then cut close to them or apply a piece of circular leaf to one end of the cigar to form the so-called hat (as the real pros do
) It's your cigar, do it however you like!
Step 9. That's it
Advice
- In addition to growing tobacco under muslin sheets (as serious growers do), there are several ways to get good headband leaves. You can take your leaf and, when it is completely dry (before it becomes dry and crumbly), place it between two shelves. This will flatten it, as well as make the ribs less pronounced. A somewhat slow and boring way of proceeding, but which allows you to make excellent bands and sub-bands, is to take a particularly large leaf and moisten it well, put it on a cutting board and cut between the ribs. This process produces thin bands 2.5cm wide and 7.5-12.5cm long with which tobacco can be rolled. Before using this method it is advisable to train a little with the basic one explained in the previous steps; with experience you can get beautiful cigars, ready for the mold.
- The rolling technique presented in this article is really basic; will make a good cigar to smoke, but will need to be refined with practice. There are also other aspects to consider, such as the choice of the mold.
