The exceptional status that Cuban cigars enjoy is thought to be due to unique
features of the climate in which Cuban tobacco is grown-up. Many travelers board flights to Cuba dreaming of sampling that county’s fine cigars. The majority tobacco in Cuba is grown in the province of Pinar del Rio, in the western section of the island. The singular microclimate—including local atmospheric and humidity conditions—in this area grows tobacco with a very particular flavor, which many specialists say is the finest in the word. The expertise of Cuban cigar-makers is also cited as the second most important reason for the superb taste and quality of Cuban cigars.There are three other main tobacco-growing provinces in Cuba, in addition to Vuelta Abajo and Semi Vuelta, which are in Pinar del Rio, but the majority of cigars made for specialist are made from Vuelta Abajo tobacco.
The Cuban cigar aroma is so special that genuine Cuban cigars are packed in boxes with a cedar sheet. This sheet is to be used for lighting the cigars, as matches tend to give cigars a sulfurous flavor. To use the cedar sheet, simply tear a strip off, light it, then use the cedar to light your cigar.
Choosing the Best Cuban Cigars
The best Cuban cigars are hand-rolled, and are packed in stamped and seale
d boxes made of cedar. There are more than forty diverse types of sizes of Havana cigars alone, however, so it can be difficult to choose the best. Even one brand can be purchased in many different sizes.When choosing cigars, the first thing to look at is the label. All Cuban cigars will sport a label that reads ‘Hecho en Cuba’—made in Cuba. However, your genuine Cuban cigars should also read ‘totalmente a mano’ if you want the very finest cigars that are made absolutely by hand (cigars that are partially machine-made will have labels that read ‘Hecho a mano’).
Cuba’s most well-known trademark of cigars is Cohiba, which was made for diplomatic use in 1966, but has been accessible to the general public since 1982. This trademark was in fact named for the Taino word for tobacco—the Taino being the original native tribe that lived on the island before the Spanish colonials arrived. There are eleven different types of Cohiba cigars, ranging from medium to strong in flavor.
Other brands include Montecristo, which is among the most popular brands in Cuba, Punch and Romeo y Julieta, both of which are medium-flavored, and Partagas, which have a somewhat stronger flavor.
Buying from a ci
gar store will assurance you that you get superb quality Cuban cigars—no fakes, no scams, no rip-offs. You can suppose to pay anywhere between $5 to more than $35 for a single cigar, depending on the brand, type, and size you choose. The most expensive brand in general is Cohiba.When selecting a cigar, take note of the following points:
-Each cigar should be tightly rolled, without air pockets or lumps;
-A well-made cigar should be soft but solid when squeezed gently;
-All cigars in a box should have a roughly uniform shape, but they may differ slightly in color;
-Good cigars should have a pungent smell;
Avoiding Scams
If you want to avoid being scammed, it is best to avoid buying cigars from street sellers who offer you Cuba cigars at massively reduced prices. Avoid buying from bartenders with an uncle or brother who works in a cigar factory
It is rare that you will actually get genuine Cuban cigars from a street seller or from any place other than a cigar store. At best, you can purchase some good quality fakes from a street seller. At worst, you will end up with fakes made from waste tobacco, or even a sealed box of sand that contains no cigars at all.
Exporting Cigars
Buying from a store is best for another reason—you will have a reception to produce for Cuban customs. You must have a receipt for customs, or you peril losing your cigars. Street sellers will often produce fake receipts, but these are usually discovered as false by customs. Remember that you are limited to taking 50 cigars with you, and any more will require payment of fees. You can, of course, buy more if you visit duty-free stores after passing through customs, but you risk losing them if you try to bring more than your limit through customs in your home country.
