In the world of, and in the making of, a premium cigar much emphasis is made of nature and natural products.
But it is more than just this.
It is the working in harmony, with respect to the elements and the products involved, that makes a good cigar.
From the beginning the best, appropriate* seeds are planted in the trays in the hot houses.
*The seed must be right for the terroir – soil and climate.
The best, strongest seedlings are transplanted into the fields.
The plants grow quickly under the watchful eyes of the farmers.
If wrapper leaf is to be produced, artificial shade may be created by covering the whole field with shade cloth.
In due course, the primed (hand-picked) leaves are hung on rails to dry in natural conditions.
(Except in instances where air conditioning has been installed to optimise and regulate this process.)
During the natural fermentation period, the rotation of the leaves in the burros, or bulks, and the temperature are carefully monitored.
The stripping and sorting of the leaves is only done by experienced hands, and then passed onto the blenders.
Again great care is taken in the selection of leaves to create the taste, physical construction, combustion and draw of the cigar.
These criteria then apply to the roller who puts them all together in harmony with each other.
Consistency in this department can take years, as rollers specialise in rolling specific diameters.
Rollers do not normally chop and change from slim to large and back again to slim ringsizes.
They concentrate on one or the other.

Quick fingers and sharp eyes sort the cigars into colours before they are passed on to have the appropriate band fitted. They make sure it is not glued to the wrapper which could then be damaged when the band is removed.
The packers see that the bands are all neatly lined up against each other, and that all the cigars in each layer are the same colour.
The boxes are then date stamped, sealed with a certificate of authenticity for country of origin, and sent to be stored for the required time before being released into cigar shops and then into your hands.

So when next you are looking at cigars, either the ones in your humidor or those in your favourite cigar shop, give thanks to those people who have worked tirelessly and diligently, to create them.
It is said that more than 300 hands have been involved in the production of a single cigar.
No wonder they are still considered the world’s most affordable true luxury product.
Select carefully and enjoy them.

Now it is up to you to store them under optimum conditions.                                  
Start with a good-looking wooden humidor, well-constructed from the appropriate natural products.
Prepare it – most important is to raise the internal relatively humidity to 70% (at about 70°F/21.1°C)

Top quality cigar humidors like Alfred Dunhill The White Spot or Savinelli are completely handmade from carefully selected woods. The high standard of craftmanship required in this task defines their cost. They should be judged against their objective performance, to preserve perfectly one of the world's most affordable luxuries - fine cigars.
Budget Humidors - from the Far East, are lower priced and they have achieved an acceptable standard.

With the development of the Nano bead humidification system one can set up a technically perfect humidor for around R2000.
Now even less, because we have Walnut finish 50-cigar humidors on offer: 6 only!

Prepare your budget for one and take advantage.
You, and your cigars, deserve it.

No.437 September 13-26, 2018

PS – the next size in Hedon cigars has arrived: The Savant Grand Robusto (150mm x Ring 52)
The strongest cigar in the Hedon range, with a light aromatic aftertaste that comes from our specific French terroir.

Note:
By law, no South African citizen, living in South Africa can buy a tobacco product via the internet or postal system.  In fact, you may not receive a tobacco product through the post.
In addition we may not receive payment through the internet for tobacco products.
We may only supply tobacco products within the trade – not to private individuals. The fine is substantial
Contact us for help in getting tobacco to your area.

You can read previous articles from “Across the Counter” in The Library.

PS If you can’t visit a Wesley’s Bricks and Mortar, remember that if you’re not completely happy with your mailsale choice, you can always return it for a full refund.