The creation of a premium cigar is a delicate process and a matter of great patience and labor. There are three esential parts of a cigar: the wrapper, the binder, and the filler.

The wrapper is the most notable part of the cigar as it is generally responsable for the cigar's appearance and aroma. It is also the most delicate part of the cigar and is treated with the most care. The wrapper is grown seperately, usually under gauze sheets which filters the sunlight and keeps the leaves smooth and delicate. The wrapper has generally not been grown in the Dominican Republic but several companies are now starting to produce a dominican wrapper. The process to produce a high quality wrapper can take up to three years.

Much of the shortage in premium cigars is due to the shortage of high quality wrappers.

The binder is the leaf that binds the inside of a cigar together. The binder comes from the top part of the tobacco plant which is stronger and oily due to the extra exposure it had to the sun. The leaves in the top section also generally have a stronger flavor and will be used as filler in some cigars where the maker desires a stronger flavor.

The filler is generally made from three types of leaves. These leaves usually come from the mid-section or the base of the plant because they are lighter and burn well. The filler leaves are folded lengthwise to allow the smoke to be drawn smoothly through the cigar.

The blending of the filler contributes greatly to the distictive flavors of different cigars.

The taste of a cigar is also affected by its size and ring gauge.

Rolling cigars is a difficult process and good rollers often have a very long apprenticeship before they will role a cigar on their own. A good roller, on average, will make about 100 cigars per day. A cigar is rolled by gently flattening and stretching the wrapper in an upside-down position. Two to four filler leaves are laid end to end and rolled into the binder leaf. The rolled binder is pressed into a wooden mold to give it a smooth cylinder shape. Finally, the cigar is wrapped with the wrapper leaf and glued with a flavorless natural glue. A separate cap is generally added but some of the best cigars may be capped by twisting the end of the wrapper. The open end is cut to the desired length. The cigar is now finished.

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