Fermentation – the act of releasing ammonia from tobacco leaves using moisture and extreme temperatures.

To ferment tobacco, the leaves are stacked 4 to 6 feet high in pilones (piles), moistened, and then allowed to rise in temperature. Temperature is the most important part of this process, and may reach 140 degrees. Temperature is constantly observed and regulated, while the leaves are re-stacked to ensure even distribution until fermentation comes to an end naturally. During the fermentation process, the leaves emit ammonia and other compounds like sugar and sap, which come to the surface and create rich, mellow, and smooth flavors. The leaves also become significantly darker in color.

Fermentation explains how a natural leaf becomes maduro, naturally. By introducing the leaves to more or longer fermentation processes, a maker can create a darker and richer leaf. Some manufacturers will restack their pilones as many as 10-12 times.

The extent of the fermentation process is solely based on the cigar maker's preference for each particular type of leaf. From start to finish, this process could take as little as a month, or last up to 3 years, sometimes longer! There is no set rule. But, rest assured, most of today's top manufacturers properly ferment their tobacco leaves to ensure an optimum cigar experience.

Few cigar enthusiasts realize just how much work it takes to create a cigar before it finds its way into their humidors at home. In fact, for some brands, it can be a five-year process; from the time the seeds are planted in the ground to when they are burned by cigar lovers in the US. For your reading pleasure, we have prepared a handy timeline so you can learn about each stop in the life of a cigar.

Week 1 to Week 3 – Tobacco seeds are unbelievably small. In fact, one single seed is barely visible to the human eye and one pinch of seeds is sufficient to grow a full acre of tobacco. During the first two to three weeks of a cigar’s life, seeds are densely planted in fertilized seedbeds where they remain until they grow approximately six inches tall.

Month 1 to Month 4 – The strongest and most promising plants are transplanted from the seedbeds to the fields. Over the next three to four months, the plants will be watered and cared for by hand on a weekly basis. Toward the end of this time, the tobacco will grow from four to six feet (depending on the type of tobacco). The leaves are then primed from the bottom of the plant to the top, a process done during the last two weeks.

Month 4 to Month 6 – Once picked from the fields, the tobacco leaves are brought to large curing barns called “casa de tobacco” where they are cured, turning their colors from green to brown. They are then sewn into hands, two leaves at a time, and hung on large wood poles. The curing process usually takes a month and half and is carefully monitored to maintain a proper humidity and temperature.

Month 6 to 2 Years and 6 Months – After curing, the tobacco is fermented. This process involves organizing the tobacco into large piles and then consistently raising the temperature, repeatedly. Fermentation evens the color of the leaf and breaks down the tannins in the tobacco, removing many unwanted qualities such as acidic content or an ammonia flavor. This process allows the tobacco to product a rounded and enjoyable flavor when lit. On average, fermentation takes about two years to complete, but can also be a process as short as 12 months or even as long as three years, depending on the thickness of the tobacco.

2 Years and 6 Months to 3 Years and 6 Months – After fermentation, the tobacco is dried and packed in 150 pound bales, then aged until it is ready for cigar production. While the aging time varies by tobacco and factory, most tobacco is aged for a full year after fermentation.

3 Years and 6 Months to 3 Years and 9 Months – After aging, the tobacco is delivered to the blenders who organize the materials for the rollers. The tobacco is moistened and rolled into a cigar. Once completed, the cigars are put into temperature controlled aging rooms where they sit for a minimum of 90 days as the tobaccos settle and marry into the designated blend.

3 Years and 9 Months to 4 Years – Cigars are packed into boxes and shipped to the US where they are imported and sent to consumers.