Three types of leaf are blended to form the filler, or tripa, the source of the rich flavors and aromas that immediately distinguish a Habano from the rest.

• Volado: Light-flavored leaf, specially valued for its combustibility – also known as Fortaleza 1 (Strength 1).
  
• Seco: Medium-flavored, the most important leaf for aroma – Fortaleza 2 (Strength 2).
  
• Ligero: Full-flavored, slow-burning for a touch of strength – Fortaleza 3 (Strength 3).

The  binder, or capote, is the special leaf that wraps around the leaves of the filler, defining the shape of the cigar and perfecting its smoking quality.

The wrapper, or “capa”, is the exquisitely thin and supple that forms the outer surface of the cigar. The wrapper contributes little to the flavor of a Habano, but it stands as the ultimate symbol of the cigar’s perfection.

There are two ways in which they can benefit from the passage of time.

One is before the cigars are made when the tobaccos are left to mature for an additional period. The other takes place after the Habanos have been made and are sealed in their boxes.

Most of these aged tobaccos are used in special editions of Habanos that are released from time to time, but some are used in standard production sizes.

In some cases, all the types of leaf they contain are specially aged, in others the extra aging applies only to the wrapper leaves.

Reserva

The term Reserva is used to describe Habanos in which all the leaves – fillers, binders, and wrappers – have been aged in bales for at least 3 years before being taken to the factory for rolling.

Gran Reserva

The term Gran Reserva applies only to Habanos whose fillers, binders and wrappers have all been aged for at least 5 years before being rolled at the factory.

Only those judged to be the finest leaves from Vuelta Abajo, the best tobacco growing zone in Cuba, are chosen to undergo such a lengthy confinement to ensure that, when the time comes to turn them into Habanos, they will offer a unique flavor and aroma.

Edición Limitada

The first Edición Limitada (Limited Edition Habanos) was introduced in 2000 and since then between three and five releases has been made annually, except in 2002. Limited Edition wrappers are darker than those found on standard Habanos.

Darker wrappers come from the leaves picked from the higher levels on shade-grown tobacco plants, which are thicker. Such leaves demand longer periods for fermentation and aging so they are left in bales for at least two years before the cigars are made.