Cigars/fake cubans
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Question
Have you ever heard of a humidity test on a Cuban cigar...by placing the cigar in front of the distilled vapors coming out of a humidifier and watch how the wrapper reacts?
Hi Jeff,
I've never heard of that test and I'm not sure what it would prove. Placing a cigar in front of a humidifier won't reveal whether or not it's a counterfeit cigar. What determines a Cuban cigar to be fake or not is the quality and compostion of the tobacco... and this can't be revealed simply by placing a cigar in front of distilled water vapor.
How the tobacco is prepared will help you determine whether or not the cigar is fake. If a premium Cuban cigar (known to have long filler) has short-filler tobacco and the ash is loose and crumbly, the cigar is fake. If the cigar gives off a raw vegetal aroma, the filler tobacco is most likely still green and has not been properly grown and cured. These are signs that the cigar is counterfeit (and poorly produced).
Where the tobacco is grown will also help you determine whether or not a cigar is fake. Tobacco grown on pure Cuban soil will have a rich, and sweet aroma and dark grey-coloured ash while tobacco grown elswhere (such as Dominican Republic) will have white ash and the tobacco will have a peppery taste/aroma. This is due to the higher magnesium content in the soil used to grown the tobacco.
Hopes 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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