How to Roll a Cigarillo

Rolling a Cigarillo by Hand

Prepare your tobacco. Using a food scale, weigh-out two-to-three grams of tobacco and place it aside. The exact amount of tobacco required will depend on the size of the wrap and personal preference, but three-grams is the average. Many smokers prefer a slower burning cigarillo. To roll a cigarillo that burns slower, use more tobacco and pack it densely.

Unroll your cigarillo wrap. When cigarillo wraps are packaged at the factory, they are rolled around a soft plastic tube that protects them from any unwanted creasing or folding that can occur during transit. If this is your first attempt rolling a cigarillo, you may want to consider purchasing a couple of wraps since they are delicate and can tear easily. Cigarillo wraps can be purchased at your local tobacco specialty shop, convenience store, or gas station. A cigar can be gutted and used as a cigarillo wrap.

Place the wrap on a flat and stable surface. Be sure to place the wrap down so that it's curl faces upward. This curl will help hold the tobacco in place while you roll. If the wrap lies flat, you can curl it yourself using a pencil or pen.

Fill the wrap with tobacco. Using your thumb, index, and middle fingers, sprinkle the tobacco evenly throughout the wrap. Do your best to make sure that the tobacco is equally distributed, otherwise, the cigarillo may burn unevenly. Be careful not to overfill the wrap, or you won't be able to seal it properly.

Pick the wrap up. With both hands, use your index finger and thumb to pick the loaded wrap up by its ends. Once you pick the wrap up, support it from beneath with the fingertips of your thumb, index, and middle fingers. Your palms and thumb should be facing toward you.

Slide your fingers to the center. Gently slide your fingertips to the center of the wrap. When you begin rolling, you will start in the middle and finish at the tips.

Roll the wrap between your fingertips. Begin with a very small back-and-forth motion--as if you are rubbing your thumb and index fingertips together--and work your way up to a larger roll. Some tobacco may begin to spill out of the sides. Don't worry.

Tuck the wrap in. Once the tobacco has settled, roll your thumbs down until the cigarillo is being pinched between the tips of your thumbs and the flat surface of your index and middle fingers. Using your thumb tips, roll the edge of the cigarillo wrap over the tobacco and tuck it under the opposite side. This will take quite a bit of practice. Be careful not to pinch to hard, or you may crease the wrap.

Slide your fingers outward and continue rolling. Again, begin with a very small back-and-forth motion and work your way to a larger roll. Once ready, use the tips of your thumbs to tuck the edges in.

Continue rolling until you have reached each tip. At this point, the cigarillo is rolled and is now ready to be sealed. With practice, your rolling technique will get better and you will be able to produce more consistently rolled cigarillos.

Seal the cigarillo. Lick the inside of the edge that has not been tucked in and then roll it over the top of the cigarillo. Gently apply pressure as the wrap dries and seals.

Rolling a Cigarillo with a Hand Roller Machine

Prepare your tobacco. If you are using a cigarillo-sized hand roller, you will need approximately two-to-three grams of tobacco. The exact amount will be determined by the size of your wrap and personal preference. Hand rollers come in several different cigarette, cigarillo, and cigar sizes. Each of these rollers functions the same way.

Slide the rolling pin up and out. A hand roller has two rolling pins: one that slides and one that remains fixed. To open the hand roller you will need to slide the proper rolling pin to the side. This will expose the filling chamber.

Fill the roller with tobacco. Be careful not to use too much or else the rolling pins will jam. Do your best to evenly distribute the tobacco throughout the chamber for a nice and even smoke.

Close the hand roller. Slide the rolling pin back to its original position to close the hand roller. Don't worry about any tobacco tips that may be protruding from the rolling pins, these will be pulled in once you begin the rolling process.

Pack the cigarillo by rotating the rolling pin. Roll the non-sliding pin downward until it has rotated at least one-full time. The more times you roll the pin, the thinner and denser--more packed--the cigarillo will be. Cigarillos that have been over packed may be difficult to draw from.

Insert the cigarillo wrap into the hand roller by placing it between the two rolling pins. If the wrap you are using has an adhesive strip (used to seal the cigarillo), be sure to place the strip at the top and make sure that it faces toward the non-sliding rolling pin.

Rotate the rolling pin downward. Like you did when you were first packing the tobacco, gently rotate the non-sliding rolling pin downward. The cigarillo wrap will be pulled into the hand roller as you roll. Stop rolling when only the very edge of the wrap or adhesive strip is exposed.

Moisten the edge or adhesive strip. You can lick the wrap directly, or you can moisten your finger and run it along the edge.

Continue rotating the rolling pin downward until the entire wrap has been pulled in. Once you can't see any more of the wrap, go ahead and rotate the rolling pin one full rotation. Remember to roll the pin that does not slide open.

Open the hand roller the way you did in step two. Your cigarillo will need a few minutes for it to properly "stick" to itself and seal. Once it is dry it is ready to be smoked. To roll a cigarette, simply use cigarette paper instead of a tobacco leaf or wrap. If you are rolling a cigarette, you can choose to roll with or without a filter.