Sometimes a cigar is just a cigar. And sometimes it’s a work of art.

In this third excerpt from our Nicaragua travelogue, Bill Holman bikes around the city of Granada and visits the Doña Elba cigar factory. Housed in an elegant colonial building, Doña Elba produces hundreds of cigars from scratch. We talked with one representative about his experience living in Granada and his lifelong affection for quality stogies. Ever wondered what cigar-rolling actually looks like? Here’s an intimate portrait.

For the first part of this Nicaragua serial, start here.