While Curing dries out the raw tobacco, it is more accurately described as the process of altering the chemical and organic properties of the leaves: converting starch to sugar, oxidizing sugar, losing chlorophyll, moisture etc... Freshly picked Tobacco leaves contain as much as 85% of their weight in moisture. When the moisture is removed, the chemical and organic changes are halted. Different Curing methods are used for different types of raw tobacco: Air, Fire, Flue, Sun. See Dry Cured Cigars for information on the Curing of finished cigars.
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