As far as the processing of the precious leaves of an Habano is concerned, the masters of cigar-making in Cuba refuse to be hurried. .
As with all art works, an Habano needs its time.
Let us take the curing as an example.
Some people may think that curing the different leaves, like the leaves from Vuelta Abajo, takes up a lot more than the necessary time, by choosing to do it leaving them out in the open air, instead of curing it using the sun or fire.
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Luckily, Cubans do not think this way.
Another impressive proof of their denial to be hurried is their insistence to leave the leaves that are going to be used for the inside of the cigar to age inside barrels; not during a couple of months but for whole years..
When the goal is perfection, a couple of years more do not really matter.
The leaves that have just been ensarted are placed near the ground. When they are nearly dry, they are taken upstairs on the top floor of La Casa de Tabaco (the Tobacco house). .
Once they are dried, the leaves
of each Cuje are tied into a bunch named Gavilla and are taken to the
different houses of fermentation. Once they are there, they are put into
pylons as high as 50cm.
The rest of the humidity that is still left on the leaves is enough to
start the first fermentation that can last up to thirty days. This reduces
the resins on the leaves, which in their turn acquire more of a uniform
colour, just before they are passed on for and classification.
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The pylons are constantly monitored.
If the temperature of a pylon exceeds the 35C, then it has to be taken
down and the leaves well shaken before they can be put back.
