Casing the Cigar
Dec 19, 2016
|
Between the warehouse and the rolling room, tobacco leaves are moistened so they become workable. This process is called "casing." When a bale of tobacco is brought to the factory, the leaves are broken out of the bale and cased. The procedure varies from factory to factory. The most meticulous manufacturers have devised sophisticated systems using special rooms with high humidity or fine mists of water, while other cigarmakers allow workers to hold their thumb over the end of a hose and douse the leaves with reckless abandon.
Typically, tobacco is cased about 24 hours before it reaches the roller's bench.
