Even if you’ve never smoked a day in your life, be it cigarettes or cigars, you will probably have heard of a “cuban cigar”.
Definitely the most famous type of cigar there is, the Cuban cigar is known for its rarity, luxury, and quality.
They are the very finest cigars in the world, each one being made with the best materials and the greatest individual care.
However, they are notoriously illegal to buy in the United States, which has almost made them more popular – because they’re so hard to get hold of. So, what is a Cuban cigar?
Well, we’ve got the answers for you. In our handy guide below, you’ll find out all about the Cuban cigar and why it’s so famous and beloved by smokers.
On top of that, we’ll discuss some of the best varieties that you can get – if you can get them, that is.
What Is A Cuban Cigar?
Cuban cigars are famous all over the world for being the best cigars available.
They’ve received this reputation over the centuries that they have been produced, becoming well known for their absolute pleasure to smoke and the high quality of their ingredients and construction.
Why Should You Go For A Cuban Cigar?
There are plenty of reasons that a Cuban cigar is the cigar of choice – if you’re a cigar smoker that is, and if they’re actually legal in your country. These reasons are all to do with the extreme quality and care that goes into their production.
For one thing, a Cuban cigar is made entirely from Cuban tobacco, which marks them aside from other cigars that tend to use a blend of different kinds of tobacco.
While you may think that using lots of different types will give you better variety, and perhaps even a stronger sense, this isn’t the case and the final cigar is less pure in its feel.
Cuban cigars, on the other hand, retain an authentic, powerful sense due to just focusing on one type of tobacco. If you’ve heard the saying “too many cooks spoil the broth”, that’s the case here!
Another reason for their immense quality is the strict manufacturing process. For the last 100 years, all proper cigars made in Havana (capital city of Cuba) have been manufactured with the same process.
Why mess with a good thing? This keeps them consistent, rather than watering down the ingredients and messing up the mixture.
It’s for this reason that Cuban cigars have such a strong reputation, because real thought and attention goes into making them. In fact, they are treated so importantly that the Cuban government even regulates it.
These Cuban cigars aren’t just rolled off a machine and sent off, either.
Each and every Cuban cigar is checked to see that it meets the rigorous standards that Cuba has come to live by when it comes to producing their famous cigars.
With other cigars, they may not be as carefully checked, and the result is that they don’t smoke and taste as well as they normally should.
With Cubans, proper care is put into it, as well as time. Though this does make them more expensive, it’s more than worth it.
How Should You Enjoy A Cuban Cigar?
If you’re going to spend the money on a Cuban cigar, you will want to smoke it correctly. The best way to do that is to take your time.
Like all cigars, the Cuban cigar is something to be enjoyed very slowly. It’s something to relax with, rather than puff and hurry through like a cigarette.
Why Are Cuban Cigars Illegal In America?
If you’ve ever seen the American sitcom Seinfeld, then you will know that the character Kramer is addicted to Cuban cigars, which becomes a very difficult habit since they are illegal to buy in the US.
He has to go to some lengths to illegally get them, and this is no television joke: they really are illegal in America. But why?
It’s all because the US has had trade sanctions with Cuba for over five decades. You may have heard of the Cuban Missile Crisis back in 1962, where tensions were high between the US and Cuba over nuclear weapons.
As a way to harm Cuba, America put trade sanctions into place, which meant that nothing could be bought from Cuba and sent to America, and nothing American could be sold to Cuba. Unfortunately, this included the famous Cuban cigars – and still does.
Despite it being 60 years since the sanctions, they have never been lifted. Interestingly, the illegality of Cuban cigars in America has arguably made them more popular and sought after, with many people getting hold of them secretly.
For Americans, smoking a Cuban cigar has become an even more special experience, all because it is so hard to get hold of them.
The Best Cuban Cigars
There are many different Cuban cigar brands that you can buy, which makes it difficult to narrow them down and find the best for you.
While they’re all great, because they’re all Cubans, we’ve selected a few great types to try out.
Hoyo De Monterrey
These are for smokers who don’t want something quite so strong, instead offering you a light taste. However, that doesn’t mean that they’re lacking – far from it.
There’s plenty of complexity in this brand, with its wholesome aroma and its subtle flavors.
Romeo Y Julieta
This amusingly named cigar offers four different sizes, all with lovely aromatic flavor. WInston Churchill smoked these himself!
Bolivar
The other end of the spectrum, these are very strong. If you’re a beginner, it’s best to take it slowly. Offers a full, earthy flavor.
Final Thoughts
If you can get hold of them, Cuban cigars are the best cigars money can buy!
Once I got here, I fell in love. The buildings, the beaches, the monuments - I was in awe. I went on a different sightseeing walk every single day and never got bored of the city, which I had found to be a common issue while traveling through other places.
It just made sense for me to stick around in Havana from then on out. I never had the urge to keep backpacking, and I certainly didn’t want to return home to Utah now that I had seen this.
So, if you’re thinking of visiting Havana, stick around and learn more about the city from my website. Who knows, maybe I’ll see you out here!
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