Once the sorting process is complete the tobaccos are packed in bales called Bal in Indonesian or Tercios in Spanish, traditionally made form rush mats. The bales are stamped with the harvest date and labeled by species of tobacco, its origin and how the tobacco will be used: wrapper, filler or binder.
While the bales are stored in warehouses, the tobacco leaves continue the aging process which refines their flavor and aroma further. The aging process is important because after the leaves have been fermented and sorted, they are still only about 90% of the way to being fully matured and ready to be used in the production of our premium cigar.
The bales remain in the warehouse undisturbed for up to three months. Once aged, to ensure perfection, one of our master cigar blenders opens the bale. He inspects and determines readiness by lighting one or two leaves, and once again, his nose will tell him whether the tobacco has reached its peak of maturity. If so, the bales are removed and taken to the factory to begin their transformation into premium cigars.of tobacco. The entire Bir-Bir process is done by hand, without the use of any machines.
