1953 The U K B G Guide to Drinks

CIGARS

class appearance is selected as the outside "\vrapper . For its journey to the manufacturer, the leaf is packed under pressure in hogsheads in which the slow fermentation process continues. Several years may elapse before it is ready to be made into cigars. The Manufacture of Cigars The"wrapper"of a cigar may not come from the same country as the "filler ". Many with a Jamaican filling, for example, may have a"wrapper" from Havana so that they are indistinguishable in appearance from the all- Havana cigar. Because leaf varies in quality, aroma and strength, the blending of different leaves is a vital stage in all tobacco manufacture. The very best cigars are still rnade by hand and great skill is required to roll them in a uniform size. After the stem of the leaf has been removed,the cut"filler"is laid on the "binder" and skilfully rolled into a'bunch of the approximate length, thickness and shape for the particular type of cigar. The"wrapper',which is carefully selected for its appearance, flavour and burning qualities, begins at the lighting end and is rolled over the"binder"so that the small veins run lengthwise ; it is tapered off at the head of the cigar and retained by a tasteless gum. In some Cigar factories the bunch is fonned by a mould and is afterwards wrapped by hand. For cheaper cigars, however, there are machines that not only prepare the"filler ", but automatically apply the binder and "wrapper"and produce some 800 finished cigars in every hour. Colour, Shape and Size After selection and grading, some cigars are tied in bundles with a silk ribbon, but the majority are still packed in rows in wooden boxes, the best of which are of cedar wood. The colour of the leaf is classified by letters which are marked on the side or bottom of the box as follows Claro(COG)light; Colorado-Claro(CC)medium ; Colorado (C) dark; Colorado-Maduro (CM) very dark. The well known names with which the brands are prefixed, such as 283