Is there really a difference? What gives Cuban cigars their unique flavor characteristics?
Yes, there is a difference between Cuban and non-Cuban cigars. Many people will tell you there isn’t, but I can not tell a lie. Just as there are differences between Dominican and Honduran tobacco, there is a difference between Cuban tobacco and non-Cuban tobacco. The main difference between the flavors of Cuban cigars and non-Cubans is the richness, complexities, and power. Cigars produced in many of the other countries may have several of the highly sought after features, but usually will not have the whole package. Scientists, tobacco farmers, and cigar makers have all tried to figure out what makes Cuban tobacco different, and they have tried to duplicate the success elsewhere, only to find their results and crops to differ from actual Cuban tobacco. That is not to say that the tobacco from other countries is not good, it is just different. Many people would agree that it is most likely the rich red soil from the Vuelta Abajo which makes Cuban tobacco so unique.
