Just like wine, which was born in the process of natural fermentation of grapes, forgotten somewhere there, Toscano little cigars went down in history in a completely similar way, albeit much later, in August 1815. This came to light in a factory in Florence after a severe flood. The wet tobacco with the arrival of the summer heat began to ferment, emitting a strong smell of ammonia. But the manager of this factory, frightened by the thought that the Grand Duke Ferdinand III would never forgive him for this, decided not to throw tobacco in Arno and use it to fill cigars. It was a triumph! The people christened this cigar with the name “Toscano”. So the legend says. But it is unambiguous that the birthplace of Toscano little cigars is Florence. Their symbiosis, wines and cigars is magnificent.
Kentucky, the type of tobacco used for the Toscano little cigars, is grown in the province of Arezzo, in the territories of Anghiari, Cortona, Monterca and Foiano della Chiana, a province that boasts an incredible wealth and variety of industries. Kentucky is one of the most difficult varieties of tobacco: it is capricious and requires skilled and experienced hands to grow. The leaves used to wrap cigars must be perfect and intact.
After harvesting, it is strung on long needles by the trunk and placed in rooms where a fire is made on the floor, and thus drying takes place – a procedure in which the choice of wood is fundamental in determining the organoleptic characteristics of tobacco. It lasts about 20 days, during which the tobacco changes color from green to dark brown. But before processing, it will have to absorb moisture again.
The industrial processing of Toscano little cigars began in Florence in 1818 at the monastery of Agia Orsola, and today there are several factories. The Lucca cigar factory (Manifattura di Lucca) has earned the exclusive production of prestigious handmade cigars, while the Cava dei Terreni produce Toscano little cigars by using mechanized processes.
The next stage is fermentation, which clearly distinguishes Toscano little cigars from other cigars. This process is subject to tobacco for filling cigars and lasts about 20 days.