Are cuban cigars really better?
I’m no expert, but in my limited experience, yes, Cuban cigars are far superior to others. They taste milder, they have a more mellow feel in your mouth, and are generally more satisfying to smoke. In the US, where I am, we can’t get them legally (as you know) but they are easy to order from Canada and elsewhere, at prices starting at about $25.00 US each. and yet I would gladly pay the surcharge to buy Cuban, if I still smoked. (I’m basing this on experience from my tour in the US Navy, and smoking them over in Europe, back in 1977.
Cuban cigars were superior than any other cigar in the world at one time. Since 1960 they have been deteriorating in quality to the point where many are actually inferior than cheap cigars from certain countries. This is due to the fact that tobacco suitable for cigars needs the right soil, properly fertilized and occassionally allowed to rest (no planting for several seasons). Caring for the soil is no longer a priority in Cuba. Mass production and getting dollars or Euros into the country trumps quality. In addition, the blackmarket economy ends up with most of the fertilizers meant for the fields. Since everyone works for the government and no one owns any property then they do not care about quality. The fertilizer that was supposed to feed the soil is diverted by all those that handle it and is eventually sold in the black market. This is historically a common problem in communist countries. As a result, the tobacco is of poor quality and the taste and texture is substandard. Once
