Cohiba "seconds"

[danny]

This is all from my own observations, research, what I've heard/learned over the years, and opinion. 

 

The "seconds" are simply re-rolled following the test for draw.  If a cigar doesn't pass for being too tightly rolled or too loosely, the appropriate changes are made and then placed back into the mold.  Since these cigars being tested have binders on the outside and not the wrappers, the process is a lot easier than one would think to fix the issue.

 

As far as the quality of wrappers, the QC issue on the cigars usually doesn't even get up to the point of final packaging since they are checked constantly from growth, harvest, curing, being put in and later taken out of pilons, and then re-humidified.  From there, they are checked multiple times, varying in degrees of how detailed the check is.  This would be while the leaf is being de-stemmed, then again when being sorted for color, sorted for size, and finally when being cut to be used to roll the molded/bunched cigar.  If there were any significant issues with the wrapper, it wouldn't be used to finish rolling the cigar to begin with.  

 

As for minor water spots and/or discoloration on the wrapper?  The cigar will still be wrapped/rolled and the band will be neatly applied on the "prettier"side of the cigar. If there is a very, very small hole/tear, they'll patch it.  If the damage is significant (which is not often, given the elasticity of the cigar while being rolled) they'll be re-wrapped and the damaged wrapper will be scrapped for short-filler cigars; if you watch a cigar being rolled, you'll see how much of the actual wrapper leave is discarded after rolling a single cigar.