Fermentation: Once the tobacco leaves are released from the "curing barns", it is transported to the city of Guayaquil where the fermentation process is implemented.

According to the harvesting schedules, the leaves are arranged in fermentation piles that are exposed to a controlled temperature and relative humidity conditions , until the shades of the leaves in the clusters become uniform.

It takes approximately between 90 and 180 days to reach the ideal level of fermentation.