How a master blender arrives at the blend you love

This is some interesting reading on cigar blending.
http://www.tabacordillera.com/tobacco-blending.htm

In Cuba, this is how it works for a new cigar (dixit Rob at Czars):
Habanos s.a decide on a new concept for a cigar. TABACUBA (separate to Habanos s.a. and owner of the fields, processing houses and factories) is then commissioned to come up with the cigar. TABACUBA is briefed on the vitola and marque which immediately gives them the parameters for blend.

TABACUBA selects a team of approximately 40 of their most experienced people and holds a series of meetings to discuss the new cigar. The questions covered are along the lines of:

"What will be the essential characteristics of the cigar in order to remain true to the marque?"
"How will we define this cigar in terms of flavour?"
"From what districts will the tobacco for the blend be drawn?" (ie there are approximately 16 districts in the Vuelta Abajo region. Take San Luis, it has 22 sorting houses to handle the tobacco grown from that district alone).

The TABACUBA team will decide on two different blends and commissions approximately 200 cigars of each blend to be rolled by the finest rollers available. Once rolled they are tagged and bundled separately and aged for 1 month.

After the one month a tasting team is assorted of the best tasters available and a blind tasting of each cigar (each taster is given a pair of unbanded cigars) is completed to a strict tasting sheet. In the flavour profile the core flavours only are assessed such as :Salty, Sweet, Sour, Tannin, Acid. Additional comments can be made on other flavours such as coffee etc. The tasting sheets cover wrapper, combustion, aroma, body etc.

Only half the cigars are tasted at this first session. A second tasting takes place exactly one month later. Tastings take place between 9am - around 1pm. Only luke warm tea is available to cleanse the palate.

The notes are collated and assessed and if the results favourable...the blend is chosen and final cigars submitted for final approval by Habanos s.a.

The blend is only known by a select few at TABACUBA. It is written down. It is not disclosed to Habanos s.a.