AboutJames 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 15 dedicated years of cigar smoking (an average 4 cigars a day) 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.
It may be because im still a beginner, and learning fine subtleties. But I feel as if at the price cubans sell for in Toronto, you are much better off purchasing non cubans which are still really great cigars. I just tried a couple of Saint Luis Rey Reserve Especial Rothschild's, and they were fantastic.
Theyre much cheaper than cubans, and I thought the construction and burn on them were fantastic.
Do you feel as if sometimes its the allure around cubans which make people claim they are so above and beyond better than cigars from honduras/nicaragua/dominican etc?
And while we're on the topic, can you tell me how to pronounce Rothschild? I cant for the life of me figure it out.
thanks!
Answer Hi Andrew,
I don’t think Cuban cigars are overrated. Yes, there are some Cuban cigars that sell for $30-40 per cigar but there are also Non-Cuban cigars that sell for similar prices. As you mentioned, there are also fantastic non-Cuban cigars that are inexpensive but again, there are also some fantastic Cuban cigars that are also very inexpensive.
Much of the cigars’ high price is due to:
- Supply and demand
- High tobacco taxes
- The quality and brand name.
For supply and demand, extremely popular or hard to find cigars are usually more expensive. Limitedly produced cigars such as the Cuban Edicion Limitadas are expensive because they’re hard to find and in limited supply. For non-Cuban cigars, cigars such as the Fuente Opus X are also expensive because they’re hard to find, very popular and usually available in limited quantities. (At one point, cigar stores all over North America were only allowing 2 Opus X cigars per customer, per visit and even then, the prices were outrageously high. Some US tobacconists were selling Opus X for as much as $75 USD per cigar!)
High prices are also due to quality and brand name. Cohiba is, without a doubt, the most recognizable Cuban cigar brand in the world and their cigars are top quality. This is partly why they are more expensive than other high-end Cuban cigars. A low-end Cuban brand such as Jose Piedra, Fonseca or Rafael Gonzalez are less expensive because their cigars are less well-known and the quality of construction is poorer than the higher-end, premium cigars. For non-Cubans, cigar brands such as Fuente Opus X and Davidoff are also expensive because of the high quality and brand name.
In Canada, cigars in general are expensive because of the high tobacco taxes. Tobacco taxes differ by country. Countries such as Cuba and Spain, have extremely inexpensive cigar prices while other countries have insanely high prices. In order to make a profit and make up for the high taxes, retailers have no choice but to mark up the price of their cigars.
As I mentioned, high prices are not just limited to Cuban cigars. Non-Cuban cigars are also expensive because they are hard to find in Canada, high in quality and/or extremely popular. Some premium non-Cuban brands such as Opus X, Davidoff, Padron Anniversarios cost just as much as premium Cuban cigars because of their quality and availability. In some cases, they cost even more.
Do I think Cuban cigars are overrated? No. Do I think Cuban cigars are overpriced? In Canada, yes but again, a lot of non-Cuban cigars are overpriced as well. But to answer your original question, I do think there is an allure – especially with Americans – with the Cuban cigar as being a decadent and forbidden item that allows retailers to mark up their prices.
It’s also good that you’re trying non-Cuban cigars. The key to developing a well-defined cigar palate is to try cigars of all brands and sizes and from other countries. Try to try everything because who knows, a low-end, inexpensive and unsuspecting cigar from an unknown cigar brand could end up being one of the most incredible cigars you have ever smoked. ;)
Also, Rothschild is usually pronounced Roth-child or Roths-child. Both pronunciations are correct.
