What makes a cuban cigar better than the rest?

[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...

[Hugh Jorgan]

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...

I have seen you make this same statement recently on various cigar forums. It is such a broad statement on the current tobacco industry, I was wondering if you could explain your point of view, as well as your personal experience.


I understand it to be two points:

1.) "I think the Dominicans have caught up with the Cubans"

I feel the Dominician cigar production has improved greatly in the last 10-15 years , thanks to the likes of Padron , Arturo Fuente and Davidoff. Excellent, consistent quality and production control. These improvements have come at a a cost. MSRP has also skyrocketed, standards $2- $8 , premium $12-$25 and upwards of $35+ for limited production.

Many DR company's are taking the time to have their finished cigars aged before being shipped, which means tha they are ready to be smoked right out of the box. In comparision, the majority of most Cubans which are shipped 'young' and need to be properly stored / aged to reach their full potential. Personally I find the aging requirements of Cuban cigars to be part of the interesting aspects of the hobby.

DR tobacco has a distinct flavor profile, as does Cuban tobacco. Is one better than the other? No, just different.

2.) "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..."

I agree Cuban is a cash poor country, due to obvious reasons. I think it is the inference that Cuban quality has declined in "recent years" that needs defining here.

In the last 3 years? 5 years? 10 years? 15 years? 20 years?

What is your personal experience with cuban cigar production in these time frames?

Some notes of signicant changes in Cuban cigar production in the last ten years -
1997: Some blends changed, much to the dissappointment of some enthusiasts
1999 -early 2001: Poor quality control (loose/ tight rolled/ plugged/ H2000 wrapper) and production issues due to factories/workforce expansion.

Do you feel 2003/2004/2005 production do not have the potential in tens years that the 1993/1994/1995 are exhibiting currently?


Thanks Neuromancer, I appreciate the interesting discussion.