Cigars are one of Cuba’s most well-known exports. But every stage of production happens on the island nation itself, from growing tobacco, to drying it, to wrapping each individual cigar by hand.

And since cigars in Cuba date back centuries, visiting a factory is like traveling back in time.

Check out these images of cigar-making in Cuba.

Unwrapping the mysteries of Cuba's cigar factories

The process of making cigars in Cuba is steeped in a tradition that can be seen throughout island factories, where the craft has been perfected for centuries.