Havanas: a tradition of excellence

A freshly rolled cigar at a Pinar del R?o plantation.

There are 170 steps involved in making a Havana, the work of a cigar-roller (torcedor)! The finished product must meet the highest quality standards in order to be marked as a Habano.

Photo: Michel Tremblay, JBM

1. Cuban tobacco leaves.
2. Tools used by the cigar roller: the chaveta, for cutting the leaves; a rolling table (tabla) for cutting, smoothing and rolling leaves; wooden moulds, to shape the cigars; and the guillotine cutter, to cut the end off the cigar.
3. Cigar bands and ribbons.
4. Assortment of Havanas, a guillotine cutter for cutting the head off the cigar before smoking it, and matches.

UdeM: E0118Album4CedrelaMexicana

In Cuba, most cigar boxes are made from Cedrela mexicana ("Cedro") wood.

Under the Cuban Sun with Marie-Victorin [Jardin botanique de Montréal]