All handmade cigars are made from three basic component tobaccos.

Wrapper - the wrapper leaf accounts for nearly 80% of a cigar's flavor and 100% of its attractiveness and salability.

Binder – this is the tobacco leaf wrapped around the bunched filler to hold it together and assure an even burn. While filler leaves are chosen for their burning qualities and a wrapper leaf chosen for its flavor and appearance, a binder leaf is valued for neither of those attributes. Rather, binder leaves are chosen entirely for their strength and durability, as they are literally the leaves that hold a cigar together.

Filler – this is the core of bunched leaves found at the center of a cigar. A cigar’s filler can be made from up to five different kinds of tobacco, often from different crops, countries, regions, and vintages. A cigar’s filler will be either “long” or “short.” Long filler leaves are whole leaves that run continuously from one end of the cigar to the other, while short filler leaves, which are often the trimmed scraps of long filler leaves, do not. Though not comprised exclusively for such, most filler leaves are picked from the uppermost part of the tobacco plant. These leaves, known as “Ligero,” are exposed to the more direct sunlight than any other leaves on the plant and thus are darker, oilier and have more prominent and pronounced veins. Although the extra sunlight may render them less attractive than some of the other leaves on the plant, it makes them among the heartiest and most robust tasting, excellent qualities to look for when selecting leaves for a cigar’s filler. Because of their higher oil content, Ligero leaves will burn faster and must be put at the very center of the various leaves bunched together to comprise a cigar’s filler.

Basic Component Tobaccos | How the Tobacco Leaf Becomes A Cigar |  Parts of a Cigar

Before a cigar is rolled, the tobacco it is made from goes through a number of different steps prior to the preparation of rolling process.

Once the tobacco leaves are harvested, they are moved to a curing barn known as a “casa de tabaco.” The leaves are tied together at their stems in bundles varying in amount from two to fifty leaves and hung over wooden poles to dry. These free-hanging bundles of leaves are known as “hands.” The hands of tobacco are kept in the barns for at least six to eight weeks to dry properly.

During the drying process, the chlorophyll in the leaves will turn into carotene causing the leaves to slowly change color from green to yellow then to the light brown. While it is being cured, the tobacco will be checked on every four hours for the duration of its stay in the barns. This is needed since subtle variations in temperature and humidity can cause the entire lot to turn sour in just a few hours.

The barns are equipped with moveable slats that allow the temperature and humidity to regulate inside. Also known as “venting,” this process allows the farmers to keep the temperature and humidity at optimal levels.

If the leaves are intended for lighter colored wrappers such as Claros or Candelas, they will be removed from the barns early, while still greenish in color, and will have artificial heat applied to them to complete their curing. This will stunt their natural coloring process and keep them green.

When the tobacco leaves are cured, they are stacked in large piles known as “burros” or “bulks” to begin their initial fermentation. Known in the industry as “sweating,” these bulks, which can weigh from 8,000 to 10,000 pounds apiece. They will be carefully observed to ensure even fermentation throughout. In order to do this, factory workers will probe the core temperature of the bulks with long, thin thermometers and constantly rotate the leaves inside out.

While the leaves are “sweating,” they will begin to darken in color as the starches within them slowly turn into sugar. This is why many Maduro cigars, which are fermented at a much higher temperature are often considerably sweeter than other cigars. Usually, the temperature should not rise above 120 to 160 degrees Fahrenheit for filler tobacco and 90 to 120 degrees for wrapper tobacco since the higher the temperature the darker the leaf will become.

When the leaves have fermented enough, they are removed from the bulks and taken to a sorting house. This is where they are sorted according to color, texture, and size. Once the leaves are divided, the leaves will be placed in smaller bulks to begin their secondary fermentation.

In this second process, much of the ammonia that naturally exists within the tobacco is released into the air. If you’ve ever had a cigar that reeked of ammonia when you smoked it, it’s likely the tobacco it was rolled from was rushed into production and not stored properly or long enough in a bulk.

Basic Component Tobaccos | How the Tobacco Leaf Becomes A Cigar |  Parts of a Cigar

Cap
This is the circular piece of wrapper leaf affixed to its head with a light coating of vegetable adhesive in order to secure the outer wrapper leaf.

Head
This is the end that you put in your mouth and requires cutting. Most cigars have rounded heads though cigars such as pyramids, belicosos and perfectos have heads that are pointed.

Shoulder
This is where the head meets the barrel.
 
Barrel
This is the largest portion or "body" of the cigar, basically everything between the head and the foot.

Foot
This is the end of the cigar, which you light. Almost all cigars are cut straight across at the foot. The only exceptions to this rule are Perfectos, which are tapered on both ends

Basic Component Tobaccos | How the Tobacco Leaf Becomes A Cigar |  Parts of a Cigar