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Expert: - 9/2/2008


Question
Hi James, my gentleman friend enjoys a good Cuban cigar.
With this in mind, I would like to treat him to a cigar for his birthday, any suggestions?(in the 50.00 dollar range)
I live in Toronto, so its not a problem for me to get to a cigar shop.  Many thanks for your time and advice!

Answer
Hi Ariel,

I'm not sure which Cuban brands your friend enjoys so I will list several brands by strength.  Here are some popular Cuban cigar brands:

Mild:
Quai D'orsay
El Rey du Mundo
Saint Luis Rey
Sancho Panza

Medium:
Romeo y Julieta* (mild to medium)
Vegas Robaina* (mild to medium)
San Cristobal de La Habana
H. Upmann
Cuaba
Hoyo de Monterrey*

Strong:
Montecristo* (medium to full bodied)
Cohiba* (medium to full bodied)
Partagas*
Bolivar
Ramon Allones

(* most popular brands)

Price-wise, $50 is enough to buy a Cuban cigar in a premium size such as Churchill (approx. $30), Double Corona (approx. $45) and Torpedo/Piramide (approx. $35)  Smaller premium sizes such as Robusto (approx. $23), Corona ($17) and Petit Coronas ($15) are more affordable so you may want to consider buying several smaller cigars so your friend may enjoy a sampler of various Cuban cigar brands.  Many middle-end premium cigars (such as Partagas/Romeo y Julieta "Mille Fleurs") even retails for less than $10 a cigar.

Hope this answers your question. If you have any more questions, please feel free to just ask and I will be happy to help.

Regards,
James

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James Yee

Expertise

My main area of expertise is Cuban cigars but I can also assist you with cigar etiquette, humidor maintenance and troubleshooting. Unsure of a certain cigar brand? Wondering what a certain cigar tastes like? Have any questions about Cuban cigars? Just let me know! I have smoked every brand of Cuban cigars and most reputable non-Cuban cigar brands on a regular basis so I know a fair bit about taste profiles, cigar etiquette and other fine nuances to cigar smoking. (NOTE: My main focus is on premium, hand-rolled cigars and not cheap, machine made, convenience store cigars.) IMPORTANT: PLEASE NOTE THAT I DO NOT PROVIDE CIGAR OR CIGAR-RELATED APPRAISALS. If you have a vintage cigar item and you want to know if it's worth something, please contact an antique dealer that specializes in "TOBACCIANA".

Experience

I currently have 19 dedicated years of cigar smoking and counting. I have smoked every brand of Cuban cigars and most reputable non-Cuban cigar brands on a regular basis so I know a fair bit about taste profiles, cigar etiquette and other fine nuances to cigar smoking. For 5 years, I studied with Cuban torcedores (rollers), catadores (taste testers) and revisadores (inspectors) on every aspect involving the production of the Cuban cigar and I am currently writing a book that will help beginners understand everything they need to know about cigars and cigar smoking.

Publications
Maple Leaf Gardens: Memories & Dreams 1931-1999 (1999; ISBN: 0920445616)
50 Things Every Guy Should Know How To Do (2006; ISBN: 0452286654)
The [London] Times (October 8, 2009)


Education/Credentials
B.A. University of Toronto

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