I have a flyer from a tasting two years ago from PUNCH talking about how a cigar is blended.

The Ligero Fuma is from the top of the tobacco plant. It is dark and full in flavor, heavy in texture and higher in strength. It is placed in the middle of the cigar because it burns slower. It resonates tones on the back of the throat.

The Seco Fuma is usually from the center of the plant. It is lighter in color, medium in strength, but still flavorful. It contributes to the aroma. Seco produces notes on the center of the mouth.

The Volado Fuma is from the bottom of the plant. It is lighter in texture, color, and strength and has excellent burning properties. The Volado Fuma produces notes on the front of mouth/tongue.

Blend Note
http://www.cigar-review.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=615&Itemid=2
The leaf tips are at the foot end of the tubes, the leaf bases at the head end. During manipulation and pressing, the ligero stays put in the Bull’s-Eye of the bunch ... you can see it as a darker, round spot on the foot, about half the diameter of the cigar. It’s assuring to the smoker to see visual evidence ... the dark round spot at the foot ... he knows he’ll get an even burning cigar, with no problems or bad taste.”

Plant Note
http://fujipub.com/btac/ss9904.html

Corojo plants are grown under a muslin cover. Sunlight is not allowed to hit the leaves and thus produces a leaf that is pliable. The corojo plant is named after the famous El Corojo Vega or plantation.

This where the seeds were developed. This variety produces one type of leaf. The capa or wrapper. It costs more to produce this leaf than other tobaccos.

Corojo leaves are grouped into seven levels on the stem. This is for purposes of harvesting and classification. Wrapper leaves are also classified by color. Claro (light brown), Colorado Claro (mid brown),

Colorado (dark brown), and Maduro (black).

There are eight or nine pairs of leaves on a Corojo plant. Each level on the plant has its own name. Leaves from these levels are picked individually as they reach maturity. This is usually each six to seven days. Harvesting the leaves of a single plant takes over forty days to complete.

Criollo plants are grown in direct sunlight. This produces plants with a wide variety and the greatest intensity of flavors for various blends.

The criollo plant produces four of the five leaves that are finally blending to create a myriad of flavors found in many of the different premium cigars produced worldwide. Criollo is the perfected strain of the only true Cuban seed tobacco.

The Criollo plant produces six or seven pairs of leaves. These classified as Ligero (top leaf), Seco (middle leaf), Capote (lower leaf), and Volado (bottom leaf).

The Ligero, or top leaf, has the strongest flavor as it is exposed to the most sunlight and is the oldest. The Seco, or middle leaf, is usually larger than the ligero and has a milder taste. The Capote, or lower leaf, is milder yet. The Volado, or bottom leaf is the mildest of all as it is exposed to the least amount of sunlight.

http://fujipub.com/btac/ss9903.html
It takes 45-60 days to reach maturity. From 30-40 days onward, leaves are systematically removed from the plants. They are not allowed to flower. This extends the useful growing to 4-5 months. When harvesting, leaves are picked two at a time.

Curing
Est 45-60 days
Fermentation - 2 or more times at 105 - 110 degrees, RH 25-30%