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In the Dominican Republic , we have one main growing season. The farms use the latest technology to insure the best tobacco from seed to plant. The seeds are hand planted into a media which nurtures growth and prevents disease.
After about a week, the new seedlings are transferred into greenhouse beds. The seedlings get hand clipped three times during their stay in the greenhouse. The clipping helps strengthen the plant by removing extraneous growth. The plants remain in the greenhouse for 2-3 weeks before being transferred to the fields.
Once in the fields, the tobacco is either sun grown or shade grown, depending upon the variety of tobacco and the desired result. The total process from seedbed to harvest is 75 to 80 days.
Once harvested, the tobacco is kept in barns built on the fields. These curing barns allow the tobacco to naturally lose their chlorophyll, turning from green leaves into the earth colors known in black tobacco. The barns are open to the elements, though they protect the hanging tobacco. The leaves sit in the barns for a month or two.
When the time in the curing barns is through, the leaves are stacked in large piles or pilones to begin the process of fermentation. This is where the leaves release their ammonia as they decay. The heat in the fermentation is carefully monitored because if the leaves get too hot, it can ruin the tobacco. The pilones are constantly tended moving center leaves out and outer leaves in to create an even fermentation. This process can last from 1 to 8 months before the tobacco is ready for baling, depending upon the tobacco itself…the amount of oil and thickness of leaves.
The tobacco leaves are brought to our storerooms directly from the fermentation area. Here, the leaves are given the time they need to develop the unique characteristic intrinsic to each blend. Tobacco that is not aged sufficiently will have a bite that many confuse with strength. Properly aged tobacco will round out, even ligero. Some of the tobacco also spends additional time in old rum barrels that help the leaves marry their flavors for increased complexity.
The tobacco leaves which are selected for the wrapper of our cigars are aged for 1-4 years, which produces the fine consistent color, texture and flavor characteristic of the cigars of La Aurora.
Once the tobacco is ready to be used, workers slowly re-humidify it. As the tobacco ages, it does dry out and can be brittle. The leaves need moisture returned to keep them supple and flexible.
The Master Blenders select the tobaccos for each particular blend. This department certifies that the materials used in the process are being used with efficiency. Each roller is given the right amount of tobacco and the correct blend of wrapper, fillers and binders for the cigars to be made.
In our factory, (with the exception of the Prederidos rollers) rollers work in pairs. One forms the basic cigar by bunching the correct amount of filler and then encasing it in the binder. This basic cigar is then inserted into a mold which holds the tobacco under pressure to help keep its shape. These blanks of filler and binder are kept in the molds for 2 hours or more.
After spending time in the molds, the second roller finishes the work. The rollers must be ambidextrous since the wrapper leaves can be either right or left handed. The roller first examines the leaf to determine its orientation (left or right) which depends upon the direction of the veins. The leaf is cut to the proper shape for the vitola being produced. Then with extreme care, the roller applies the wrapper in such a way that the result is visually pleasing.
As the cigars are being manufactured, they are subject to inspection by the production supervisor in each area. Our supervisors assure that the standards and specifications established for the type of cigar being produced are maintained, in order to guarantee our product and satisfy our consumers.
In addition to the supervisor inspections. our Quality Department randomly selects the cigars as they are being manufactured for testing. This random process assures that the cigars manufactured during the daily production accomplish all of the standards required. The parameters that we take into consideration are: visual and product audits, weight, shape, ring gauge, length, esthetic, humidity, cigar draw, etc.
Cigars are received one by one to verify that they accomplish the established quality parameters. This ensures that the cigars any consumer may receive will completely satisfy his expectations and demands.
Just like a fine wine improves with rest, fine cigars do as well. Once the cigars are made and pass the quality control, they are sent to our aging room. Here, the cigars are given time under tightly controlled temperature and humidity to bring the combined tobacco’s flavor and fragrance to its peak.
After the cigars have emerged from the aging room process, they are classified, selected and banded. They then are packed in their different presentations.
After going through all the quality and aging procedures, the cigars are then taken to a panel of smokers. Here, they are evaluated and judged on some specific characteristics to certify that these are ready to be shipped to our different consumers worldwide.
