What makes a cuban cigar better than the rest?

[Rbraczyk]

I'd really like to know, because as true as it is, its damn puzzling!

[kevin7]

All the hype and BS that comes with it.

Truthfully they are just anotherb good cigar for the most part. Don't wear yourself out looking ,buying ,and smoking them. I have had great ones and horribly crappy ones.

K7

[Dmitri]

Well, I've never had a bad ISOM, but there is the fact that they are all hand made from quality tobacco. But the tobacco itself is different than others because anywhere any plant is grown, it inherits traits from the soil.

[cigarsarge]

I prefer the flavor profile of good Cuban cigars. There are also many good domestics to be had. Just smoke what you like...After all smoking is a personal thing.

[Island Epicurean]

Cuba, Especially the Pino Del Rey Region (I know this is not spelled right), has incredible soil for toabcco growth. They are quite possibly the best growing conditions in the World......

[Cohibanut]

I think it's probably the same thing as with French wine. First of all, centuries of savoir faire have impacted on the quality of the stuff. Then the climate which is , in both example, absolutely ideal for both.

Having said that I guess both Wines and Cigars (had to put a capital letter on those two God given marvels.... ) will have the same challenge to face namely countries catching up in making very VERY decent products. France may not hold the flag of exceptional wine making much longer just like Cuba may not for cigars.

Still, I'll have a glass of fine Bordeaux and a Cohiba over an Australian Shiraz and Jamaican any day!

[Neuromancer]

Cuba, Especially the Pino Del Rey Region (I know this is not spelled right), has incredible soil for toabcco growth. They are quite possibly the best growing conditions in the World......

Pinar Del Rio...and nearby is the Vuelta Abajo region...they say this is where the best tobacco leaf in the world comes from...personally I think the Dominicans have caught up with the Cubans and seeing as Cuba is such a cash poor country they've been pushing production and I think (IMHO) that they've fallen off quite a bit in recent years...

[CoventryCat86]

Well, I've never had a bad ISOM, but there is the fact that they are all hand made from quality tobacco. But the tobacco itself is different than others because anywhere any plant is grown, it inherits traits from the soil.

Uhhhhhhhh NO

There are machine made Cuban cigars as well as hand made, short filler Cuban cigars.

[Hugh Jorgan]

From an agricultural standpoint, there are many unique factors: the soil composition, the microclimates of the geographical area, the continued enrichment of the soil subsystems, the annual rainfall and temperature zone, the specialized harvesting and curing techniques, etc. all contribute to the special flavor profile of Cuban tobacco.

[Island Epicurean]

There are many Machine made Cubans, like Guantenenamera Cristales....

[basil]

From an agricultural standpoint, there are many unique factors: the soil composition, the microclimates of the geographical area, the continued enrichment of the soil subsystems, the annual rainfall and temperature zone, the specialized harvesting and curing techniques, etc. all contribute to the special flavor profile of Cuban tobacco.

While surfing, came across this site: http://www.american.edu/ted/cigar-trade.htm (Although my name is here - could be an acronym, it's only coincidence). Here they discuss intellectual property based on geographic factors, production process, etc. They also use other products for examples; e.g, Feta cheese, Scotch whisky, etc. Fascinating read.

[stjohnroe]

Pesronally I smoke mainly Cubans with a very small fraction of my intake being from elsewhere (generally Dominican). Cubans in my opinion have a much fuller flavour with greater complexity and just offer greater satisfaction.

Having said that I am visiting the USA soon and look forward to trying some of the wider selection that seem to be available over there.

There's allways hope that I will find something to my taste, and I plan on reading through the forum for sugestions before I leave.