A bunch of filler leaves already wrapped in a binder leaf, the intermediate stage between bunching and setting the cigar into a mold for pressing.
Why it matters
The empune is where a roller's bunching decisions become physically fixed; once it goes into the mold, gaps or overly dense spots are locked in for the life of the cigar.
In context
"She checked each empune by feel before it went into the mold, looking for soft spots that would tunnel later."