How to Roll a Cigar

PDF download Download Article
PDF download Download Article

Learning to roll a great cigar takes practice and patience. But once you know what you're doing, you'll soon be rolling cigars like the most practiced torcedor (professional cigar roller).

Part 1
Part 1 of 2:

Preparing the Tobacco Leaves

PDF download Download Article
  1. Before they can be rolled, your leaves must be moistened or "cased." You can use a fine mist of water or a humidifier to moisten the leaves. [1] Placing the leaves in a large plastic bag with a bit of water will also do the trick.
    • The amount of water you need, and the length of time your leaves should be moistened, depends on the type of leaf you are working with. Very dry leaves will need to be exposed to more moisture than less dry leaves. Experiment with different volumes of water and periods of absorption to find out how you can get the most pliable leaf.
  2. Wrappers are thinner, larger, and more malleable than the other leaves used in the cigar. They will be used to hold the other leaves together and form the outer "skin" of the cigar.
  3. [2] This vein is identified by tracing the stem up through the leaf to its tip. By cutting the leaf vertically along each side of this central vein, you will ensure the wrapper will be as smooth as possible.
    • If you wish, you can make your wrapper even smoother by pressing it briefly with a warm iron or a rolling pin. [3]
    • The most intact and aesthetically pleasing leaves should be used as wrappers.
  4. The binder will hold the filler leaves before being covered by the wrapper. Midgrade leaves -- those which are intact enough to contain filler leaves but not acceptable as wrappers -- make good binders.
    • Like the wrapper, the binder will need to be deveined. Cut the leaf along either side of the stem so that you end up with two roughly symmetrical halves.
  5. Fillers are placed in the innermost core of the cigar, and are surrounded by the binder leaf. You can shred your filler into smaller, finer pieces if you wish.
    • Choose the most aesthetically problematic leaves for filler. Leaves with holes or uneven coloring are the best options for filler leaves.
    • Keep your filler leaves a bit drier than the binder or wrapper leaves, but ensure they remain flexible.
    • Since filler comprises the bulk of the cigar, flavor is an important factor when choosing filler leaves as well. Sample different varieties of tobacco to find one you like.
Part 2
Part 2 of 2:

Assembling Your Cigar

PDF download Download Article
  1. Grab a handful of rolled leaves with the ends sticking out of your clenched hand. The length of your bunch -- and the length of the whole cigar -- is a matter of personal preference. Most range from 5 to 7 inches long.
    • Put the thickest leaves in the center of the bunch, and wrap each leaf in progressively thinner leaves. This layering effect prevents tunneling (inability of the wrapper leaf to burn) when it is eventually smoked.
    • How many filler leaves should you use? This is, again, largely a matter of preference. However, keep in mind that too many leaves will prohibit proper air flow; too few leaves will make the cigar burn too quickly and too hot. [4]
  2. The binder should be face down, with the veins of the leaf visible. Angle the binder at about 45° to either side, but make sure to lay one end of the filler bunch on the starting end of the binder leaf, with the rest of the filler directed out towards the side where the upper edge of the binder leaf leads.
    • For instance, if the binder is on the table and angled diagonally toward the upper right, place the filler bunch on the binder in an elongated horizontal (left-to-right) position with the left end of the bunch against the leftmost end of the binder.
    • Don’t squeeze the bunch too tightly when placing it on the binder leaf.
    • If you’re using shredded filler, lay the binder leaf flat on the table, veined side up, and line your binder up as if it composed a single bunch.
  3. To roll the cigar, fold the pointed end of the binder leaf slowly over the filler leaves. Tuck the folded-over edge beneath the filler, just as you might when making a sushi roll . Give the binder a small pull towards you to compress the filler leaves a bit, but don’t pack the filler too hard into the binder. With your fingertips on the semi-rolled binder leaf, continue to roll it by moving your fingertips up and over the cylinder, directly away from your body. Move from one end to the other, starting at the pointed end and rolling towards the wider, rounder end.
    • Roll the cigar across the table a few more times to work it into a more perfect cylinder. Use the same technique you did the first time, taking your fingertips up and over the cylinder and stopping when you’ve rolled it into your palm.
    • You may need to cut excess leaf if the cylinder you made is longer than you’d like. You can use a sharp kitchen knife, or a ‘’chaveta’’, the traditional cigar-cutting tool used by professional rollers.
  4. One end of the cigar must be the head (the end of the cigar you inhale from) and the other the foot (the end of the cigar you light). Twist the head to a rough point by turning the cigar lightly in one hand while gently pinching the head between your thumb, middle, and pointer finger. Give it a few rotations, just enough to ensure it holds its shape.
    • You will refine it later, so don’t bother trying to make it look like a perfect cigar you’d pull from a box.
  5. Apply a small amount of egg white, cigar glue, Tragacanth, or guar gum to the bottom edge of the inside of the leaf (the side facing up) to keep it from unrolling.
    • If you have access to a cigar press or mold, place the cigar in it when ready. Cigar presses help make the cigar more symmetrical and give them a finished look. Cigars at this stage are pressed for 30-45 minutes. [5] After the designated time period has elapsed, the cigars are removed and rotated 90° before being reinserted into the press for another pressing equal in time to the first. It is important to turn the cigar to ensure that you don’t end up with a seam jutting out of one side or the other.
  6. The face of the wrapper leaf is the smoother of the two sides. The other, veined side should face inward when the cigar is rolled. [6]
  7. The rolling process is not much different than the rolling of the binder leaf, but should be done with greater care. With the wrapper leaf angled diagonally relative to you, fold the pointed end of the wrapper leaf slowly over the cylinder (composed of filler cased in binder). Tuck the folded edge beneath the binder and begin to roll. Place your fingertips on the semi-rolled cigar, and continue to roll it by moving it out and away from you slowly. Move from one end to the other, starting at the pointed end and rolling towards the wider, rounder end.
    • Apply a light layer of cigar glue over the inside of the wrapper leaf as you roll it.
    • Use your non-rolling hand to pull the wrapper taut as you apply it to the binder to ensure the finished product has a smooth outer surface.
    • A good roller will roll the leaf tip towards the foot or tuck end (where the cigar is lit). Doing so will ensure the cigar gains a more robust flavor as it is smoked.
  8. The cap is formed from leftover scraps of the wrapper leaf and affixed to the head of the cigar (where you inhale). Like the binder, the cap should be sealed with Tragacanth, cigar glue, or guar gum.
    • Cut a “D” shaped piece out of the wrapper leaf. The long edge of the D should be about one quarter the length of the cigar.
    • Apply some cigar glue to the veined side of the cap.
    • Grip the cigar in a vertical position with one hand and apply one corner of the cap at an oblique angle from the cigar. At this point, if you laid the cigar down in line with your body, with one end of it close to you and the other end further away from you, one corner of the D-shaped cap would be affixed to the cigar near the far end, and the other corner of the D-shaped cap would lie beyond the end of the cigar and slightly to one side or the other.
    • Roll the cap around the cigar. The curvature of the D should allow you to end up with an open hole at the end of the cigar whose edge is relatively flat.
    • Use some cigar glue to close the end of the cap. Gently pinch it closed and twist it slightly in your hand to ensure the cap comes to fine point.
  9. The only really crucial step left at this point is to dry the cigar on a drying rack for 24-48 hours. The wrapper will then tighten around the cigar as it dries. But there are several things you can do to make your cigar look and feel like a more complete product.
    • Place the cigar in a tuck cutter to trim excess leaf. A tuck cutter is a device designed to precisely cut the end of the cigar that you light (the tuck end or foot). This will give the cigar its proper length. Alternately, you can simply take a sharp knife to the end and gently cut through it.
    • Drop the cigar in the cigar press for a final pressing. You could press the cigar for up to 12 hours depending on how attractive you want to make the finished product. Turn the cigar 90° after the designated time period has elapsed and press it again on that side for an equal amount of time. [7]
    • If you don’t want to bother with a cap, simply pinch the head again when you’ve completed rolling it, sealing it with a bit of cigar glue, guar gum, or similar agent. Turn the cigar on its long axis as you pinch it between your thumb, pointer, and middle finger to ensure it doesn’t unroll.

Expert Q&A

Ask a Question
200 characters left
Include your email address to get a message when this question is answered.
Submit

      Video

      Tips

      • If your cigar burns unevenly, the wrapper might be too moist or too thick. [8]
        Thanks
        Helpful 3 Not Helpful 0
      • Check your cigar at each stage to ensure there are no hard or soft spots, and to ensure the leaves are approximately uniform in distribution. [9]
        Thanks
        Helpful 3 Not Helpful 0
      • Achieving a consistent quality and flavor in your cigars takes time. Don't worry if you don't roll a perfect cigar right away.
        Thanks
        Helpful 3 Not Helpful 1
      Show More Tips
      Submit a Tip
      All tip submissions are carefully reviewed before being published
      Name
      Please provide your name and last initial
      Submit
      Thanks for submitting a tip for review!

      Warnings

      • Do NOT roll and/or smoke cigars with the central vein intact. While also ruining the texture of the cigar itself, the central vein contains a concentrated amount of nicotine, making that particular part of the plant highly addictive in comparison to the rest of the tobacco leaf. Some cigar companies use these to keep their consumers coming back for their product.
        Thanks
        Helpful 8 Not Helpful 6
      • Smoking is hazardous to your health. It can cause cancer of the larynx, esophagus, and lung. Compared with cigarettes, cigars have more toxins, including ammonia, cadmium, and tar. Smoke at your own risk.
        Thanks
        Helpful 3 Not Helpful 22

      You Might Also Like

      How to
      Light a Cigar
      How to
      Cut a Cigar
      How to
      Freak a Black & Mild Cigar
      A Guide to Smoking a Cigar: Cutting & Enjoying Stogies
      How to
      Make a Tea Cigar
      How to
      Flavor Cigars or Pipe Tobacco
      How to
      Rehydrate Dried-Out Cigars
      How to
      Make a DIY Humidor
      10 Reasons People Love Cigars: Flavor, Relaxation, & More
      How to
      Prepare a Humidor

      References

      1. ↑ http://www.cigaraficionado.com/webfeatures/show/id/A-Gentle-Touch-Hand-Rolling-Cigars_7307
      2. ↑ https://books.google.com/books?id=XA6UfOmVfAMC&lpg=PA107&ots=V95H0vPcHa&dq=how%20to%20roll%20a%20cigar&pg=PA99#v=onepage&q&f=false
      3. ↑ http://www.coffinails.com/cigars.html
      4. ↑ http://www.coffinails.com/cigars.html
      5. ↑ http://www.cigaraficionado.com/webfeatures/show/id/A-Gentle-Touch-Hand-Rolling-Cigars_7307
      6. ↑ https://books.google.com/books?id=YJJiCQAAQBAJ&lpg=PP1&dq=cigar+making&pg=PT104&redir_esc=y#v=onepage&q&f=false
      7. ↑ https://www.famous-smoke.com/cigaradvisor/box-pressed-cigars-recommended
      8. ↑ https://www.famous-smoke.com/cigaradvisor/what-causes-a-cigar-to-tunnel
      9. ↑ http://www.cigaraficionado.com/webfeatures/show/id/A-Gentle-Touch-Hand-Rolling-Cigars_7307

      About This Article

      Article Summary X

      To roll a cigar in a tobacco leaves, cut the central vein out of the wrapper leaves by tracing the stem through the leaf to its tip. Then, repeat the process with your binder leaf, which should be large enough to contain other leaves. Make your filler leaves into a bunch, with the thickest in the middle, and lay it on your binder, which should be face down. To finish, fold the pointed end of the binder over the filler, roll the binder, seal it with egg white, place the wrappers face down, and roll them. For more advice, like how to prepare your tobacco leaves, read on!

      Did this summary help you?
      In other languages
      Thanks to all authors for creating a page that has been read 247,136 times.

      Reader Success Stories

      • Jim B.

        May 13, 2023

        "I enjoy cigars, even with the risk potential. I have an ongoing interest in how cigars are made, specifically how ..." more
      More reader stories Hide reader stories
      Share your story

      Did this article help you?