The Cigar Head – The Beginning of Every Pleasure
If one were to jest, one might say that aficionados put the head in their mouth and the foot in their hand when enjoying a good cigar. To non-smokers or those unfamiliar with tobacco culture, this may seem utterly perplexing. In truth, however, these are merely the conventional terms for the head and foot ends of a cigar. The purpose of such terminology is, of course, to lend an air of scientific precision to the centuries-old tradition of cigar smoking, categorizing and naming every element. At the same time, these definitions help novices understand one crucial rule: the side with the burning ember is not for drawing!
Of Caps and Heads
Spanish, unsurprisingly the language of the tobacco-growing regions and the origins of cigar-making traditions, provides the terms that locals use to describe the structure and components of a cigar. Unfortunately, things became somewhat confusing when these Spanish terms were translated into German. For example, la capa is not the "cap" at the mouth end that must be removed with a cutting tool to make the cigar smokable; it is the technical term for the wrapper leaf that encases and protects the binder and filler. The cigar head, also called the "mouth end," is referred to as la perilla—which loosely translates to "goatee." The cigar foot, where the ember resides, is known in Spanish as la boquilla, which confusingly means "mouthpiece" in German. All clear now?
Different Methods of Crafting the Head
A cigar consists of three components: the filler (tripa), the binder (capote), and the wrapper (capa). For detailed insights into the construction and production of a cigar, refer to our article: Hecho a mano – Partially Handmade Cigars.
The bunch, or "puppet," comprises the filler wrapped in the binder. The head is always made from parts of the wrapper. The process begins by wrapping the bunch in the wrapper leaf, starting with the pointed end of the wrapper at the cigar foot and spirally rolling the bunch into the wrapper. The most common method is the mounted head, called Perilla montada in Spanish. To reinforce the wrapper, an oval piece of the remaining wrapper, known as a flag, is cut out and wrapped around the open part of the head to close it securely. This ensures a tight fit and a smooth, rounded appearance. The end is twisted and trimmed. To finish the cigar head, a small round piece of the wrapper is cut out and glued over the flag using a colorless, odorless adhesive.
Another technique involves shaping the cigar head from the excess wrapper. This overhanging flag is trimmed into an ear-shaped piece and coated with adhesive. The head is then rolled into the flag, which aligns perpendicularly to the bunch for a well-formed head. The end is twisted, trimmed, and sealed with a round piece of the wrapper.
A third method forms the head entirely from the flag. This technique is similar to the previous one but involves additional steps like trimming the flag during the process to ensure a neat closure. The flag is twisted and snipped to create a smooth and secure head.
Head Shapes – Not Always a Round Affair
The classic options, visually straightforward, include the "full dome head," "half dome head," and "regular head." Deviations from these round shapes fall under the category of figurados. These include cigar heads like Torpedo, Pyramid, or Belicoso, which feature non-cylindrical shapes. Some formats also have a "flag" at the head end—such as the Lancero cigar, where the headpiece is twisted, with the excess wrapper earning the nickname pigtail or curly head.
Trimming the Cap
Some cigar enthusiasts claim that the cap reveals whether a cigar was made totalmente a mano—entirely handmade—or hecho a mano, made with machine assistance. Allegedly, high-quality machine-made cigars often have pointed caps with no smooth roundness, while cheaper machine cigars often lack a cap altogether. Undoubtedly totalmente a mano are cigars with a round cap, as crafting this feature requires exceptional skill from the torcedor, or cigar roller.
To smoke a cigar, the cap—essentially a small piece at the head end—must be removed. Typically, a cigar cutter is used for this purpose. Some believe they can clip the head off with sharp fingernails or even bite it off with their teeth. Please refrain! For just a few euros, you can buy an efficient cigar cutter with the sharpness needed to skillfully trim the cap without damaging the cigar’s wrapper.
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