How to Roll a Cigar: The Different Methods

REVISITED 23/03/20

"CIGAR ROLLING IS AN ART"

As with every art form, there is an artist; an idea; a technique and the art itself. In the case of Cigar Making, it is no different. Behind every Cuban Cigar there is the torcedor, the image of the perfect/unique cigar, the various techniques (Entubado, Accodrico etc.) and the final finished cigar.

Cigar rolling is one of the most skilled art forms, which, like most paintings, sculptures, music, can not be created in the same way using technology. We all know it just wouldn't be the same if a robot painted Michaelangelo's ceiling in the Sistine Chapel now would it. Similarly, our Romeo y Julieta and Cohiba Cuban Cigars wouldn't be the same if they were machine-made. Therefore, the traditional rolling of Cigars is considered the most authentic and dependable technique. In Cuba, this tradition has been practised for over 200 years, which is why it is argued that the torcedores of Cuba are the very best in the world.

Cigar torcedores do not need many tools to carry out their craft. They simply need a table and chair, a solid wooden board (depending on the technique), a particular knife, a round cutter to be used for cutting the cap, a guillotine, some glue and a gauge. Nevertheless, with all of these simple tools, a torcedor would be useless without their expert skill and experience; which they have honed over the many years that they have been rolling for.

THE TYPES OF BUNCHING

First things first, the torcedor lays out the leaves in the following order from left to right: filler leaves, binder leaves and wrapper leaves. The roller will then partially remove the large vein found in the central part of the leaf and then begin bunching together around three to five filler tobaccos and the binder. A Cohiba Behike and many other Cuban cigars are made using this process. There are various ways of shaping the filler tobacco, and they all differ in difficulty. The following will describe and denote each technique and its advantages:

ENTUBADO BUNCHING

This method is considered the most classic of techniques. Initially only rolled using Cuban tobacco, this method is now practised worldwide with a variety of tobaccos. The filler leaves are rolled individually and then placed side by side, which are gathered into a bunch. The ligero leaf is positioned in the middle of the filler, which will give the cigar its strength. Next, the seco leaf is placed alongside it, which provides it with its tantalising aroma and elevates its combustibility. The final leaf is the volado, which burns easily and is milder in taste than the others. One to three (depending on the format) binder leaves are then taken and placed next to each other and the torcedor will complete the cigar by wrapping the bunch with it/them.

Every torcedor must ensure that every cigar is packed evenly without ‘bunching’ and makes sure that they roll from the head of the cigar (the end that is placed into your mouth) down to the foot (the end which you light). All of these rolled cigars are then placed into a mould where they will be pressed for around an hour. Once this is complete, the foot of the cigar is tidied up using a guillotine. A wrapper leaf is subsequently used to, as the name suggests, wrap the gorgeous hand made cigar into a finished and smoke-able product. The wrapper needs to be moist and supple to ensure that it can wrap the cigar securely. The torcedor uses a special knife to cut the wrapper and a small circular cutter to create the cap, which completes the final touches on the cigar.

The advantages of using this cylindrical technique are that the individually rolled filler leaves allow the smoke to pass through all of the leaves, giving an aromatic and flavourful experience. In addition to this, the meticulous process ensures that every cigar has a likelier chance of producing a cool, slow and even burn. The disadvantage of this process is that it is awfully time consuming and can therefore not be employed successfully in large scale manufacturing.

ACCORDION BUNCHING

The Accordion Method involves folding every singular filler leaf from the outside in. Every folded leaf is then placed on the other until the bunching is complete. Like Entubado bunching they are then rolled up in the binder and wrapper leaf. The Accordion Bunching method is preferred amongst many because of its folds which create an excellent draw for every smoker and because it is a very productive method concerning rolling rates. For example, a roller employing the Entubado method rolls between 100-150 cigars a day, whilst an accordion roller can roll between 200 to 250.

BOOK BUNCHING

The easiest and simplest process of cigar bunching is book bunching. Here, the torcedor will lay the individual filler leaves one on top of the other and simply fold them together like a book. This method does not allow as much air to flow through the cigar. Nevertheless, it’s advantages outweigh its detriments and is one of the most popular techniques when making premium cigars.

LIEBERMAN BUNCHING

The Lieberman Bunching method takes its name from the piece of equipment itself that is used in the process. The Lieberman is a tool which was made to assist the roller with the bunching process. The steel framer with rubber mat is attached to the torcedores’ workbench and will hold the filler and binder leaves, which will be then be rolled used a lever-operated by the torcedor. The advantages to the Lieberman machine is that is reduces bunching in the cigars and increases output/productivity of the torcedor. However, many still regard this form of manufacturing as a lower form of craftsmanship and many prefer the methods mentioned previously.

HYBRID BUNCHING

Cigars that have unique shapes like torpedos and perfectos typically use the hybrid bunching technique – like our Partagas Serie P No.2 Cigar or Montecristo No.2 Cigar. This is because the head of the cigar, which is sometimes pointed, requires particular expert attention and a great deal of skill when rolling. The tapering or bulging of the cigar requires extra skill and care when bunching occurs: a single misplaced leaf can easily plug a shaped cigar.

When you Cuban cigars from us, you can rest assured that they have been made using one of these bunching methods by the finest torcedores and each have their own unique draw, flavour because of it. Feel free to contact us if you would like any more information about any of our cigars and by the process which they are made.

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