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Tip of the Week
Q: How are cigars box-pressed?
A: There are two styles of box-pressed cigars, each with its own unique method of attaining the squared-off appearance.
Box-pressing originated in Cuba and is still practiced there. But over the past several years, non-Cuban brands such as Padrón 1964 Anniversary Series, La Tradicion Perdomo Reserve, Bahia Gold, C.A.O. L'Anniversaire and La Vieja Habana have adopted the technique. The two methods used for box-pressing--standard box-pressing and trunk-pressing--yield markedly different results.
In standard box-pressing, round cigars are packed tightly into boxes so that, over time, their shape conforms to that of the box. By the time the box reaches the retailer, pressure from all four sides of the box has "pressed" the cigars into an amorphous shape somewhere between a circle and a square. Standard box-pressing is more common than trunk-pressing, an elaborate and time-consuming alternative.
Trunk-pressing uses old, and in some cases antique, presses. A trunk press is made of wood and consists of a series of shelves, usually about 10. Each shelf holds about 25 cigars. Once the cigars are in place, the box is closed and clamps are used to put pressure on the cigars. This is a very delicate process. It must be performed with great care to avoid splitting or damaging the wrappers. After anywhere from 30 minutes to 12 hours, the clamps are released and each cigar is turned. Pressure is then applied to the other side for an equal amount of time. Trunk-pressing produces a highly pronounced boxy shape.
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