After curing, tobacco goes through further stages of preparation. In Habanos’ explanation for filler and binder, fermentation gathers leaves into supervised piles, where humidity and compaction generate heat.

The manufacturer describes treatments that vary according to the type of leaf. It also documents the identification of bales with information on harvest, classification and stages of work. This traceability makes it possible to keep a record of the material’s journey before it reaches the blend.

The bale keeps part of that preparation history. Habanos describes labels with the harvest, packing date and leaf classification, among other data. The material thus reaches manufacturing with a lot identity. To understand a blend, knowing its journey can be as interesting as recognising the name of its provenance.