Cuban Cigars..are they really just hype?

Just about any cigar enthusiast can probably remember the first time they smoked their first real Cuban cigar.  My first one was in Cozumel, Mexico in 2004.  My second and third were on the Cruise ship that took me there and brought me back before we returned to the U.S.  I will be the first to say they were outstanding smokes.  I would also say they were outstanding smokes not just because they were Cubans, but because I knew what I was looking for and picked higher rated cigars from Cohiba, Romeo&Julieta and Partagas.

Over the years I have observed that there is an attitude out there among non-smokers, novice smokers and some vets alike that if it is not a Cuban cigar it is not any good.  I simply say this is not true and many of these people are overpaying for what might be an otherwise average cigar. 

Since those first three Cubans I have had the opportunity to smoke several others during my deployments and travels abroad.  I will say some were excellent and some were well.....average at best.  This is because as any true aficionado will tell you the quality of a cigar has more to do with how it is constructed then where it came from.  In today's market there are many non-Cuban cigars available that are just as good as many that are made in Cuba.  Yes, Cuba is still known as the Cigar capital of the world, but due to global economics and the demand for high quality cigars they no longer have the strangle hold on the market they once enjoyed.

Today there are many cigar publications out there with rating systems that also support my argument.  It is fairly easy to compare and contrast the quality of cigars with the information that is readily available online and in print.  Any cigarwith a rating over 90 is usually considered above average to excellent.  When you look at many of the ratings for Cuban cigars there a many that only score in the mid to upper 80s while there are many alternative Dominican, Nicaraguan, and others, many of which that are made from Cuban seed tobacco, that score just as high and many higher than true Cuban cigars.  I will never begrudge anyone who enjoys their Cuban cigars as long as they are willing to acknowledge that nowadays there are many non-Cubans that are just as good.

The reason I personally do not smoke more Cubans is two-fold.  First, I live in the USA and until things change Cuban cigars are still technically illegal (call me a Boy Scout).  Second, they are just not worth the cost to me.  Even when I travel and find them in foreign shops they are still two-three times the cost of what I can pay for a comparable non-Cuban cigar.

I know there are many out there that have their sources and are willing to pay the prices for the status of saying they are smoking a Cuban.  I also know that many will continue to think that Cuban cigars are the only great cigars just because they do not know any better.  As for me and my wallet we will gladly enjoy the many alternatives that are legally available in the U.S. and abroad at a fraction of the cost.  To those that have to have their Cubans for status and can afford to do so I say good on you, but it is a luxury I will choose to pass on.


Don't get me wrong if I am somewhere where Cubans are legal and I am offered one I will gladly light up and enjoy the smoke and camraderie.  I am just not going to seek them out and pay top dollar when I can get 2-3 equivalent non-Cubans for the same price.  I guess for moral and economic reasons I refuse to give into the hype.  In the meantime I know Cubans will continue to enjoy a solid reputation as they should, but no longer are they in an elite class all their own.

Until next time watch your ash....