Expert: James Yee - 12/1/2010

Question
Hi James,

Is there a big taste/quality difference between the Cuban cigar and its non
Cuban counterpart? For example; The Montecristo non Cuban vs the
Montecristo Cuban or the Cohiba non cuban vs the Cohiba non Cuban.

Just your thoughts and comments would be appreciated..

Are the Cubans that much better that they can afford such a hefty increase in
price?

Thanks Mark..

Answer
Hi Mark,

Although taste is subjective, there is a noticeable difference in flavour between Cuban and non-Cuban cigars.  Cuban cigars are generally more heavy in spice and earthy flavours while non-Cuban cigars tend to be more mild, peppery or sweet.  If you were to do a comparison taste test between a Cuban cigar and the non-Cuban version, you will notice a big difference in flavour.  The difference in flavours is due to the tobacco used to make the cigars.  Cuba uses only Cuban tobacco for the filler, binder and wrapper so the flavour recipe is very consistent and "pure" (puro).  Non-Cuban cigars however, may contain tobaccos from different countries/regions (example: Honduran filler, Cameroon wrapper, etc.) and this will produce a different flavour.  Sometimes the end result is good, sometimes it's not.

It should also be noted that Cuban and non-Cuban brands that share the same name (ie: Cohiba, Montecristo, Partagas, Romeo y Julieta, etc.) are not made by the same company and have nothing to do with each other.  The non-Cuban versions were created by non-Cuban cigar companies to cater to the US market in hopes of cashing in on the popularity of Cuban cigars.  Many people make the mistake of buying/smoking a non-Cuban brand because they think it will taste the same as the Cuban counterpart.  Don't be fooled, the only resemblance that these brands have with each other is the name and packaging, the tobacco and flavours are not the same.

I hope this helps!  If you have any more questions, please feel free to just ask and I will be happy to help.

Regards,
James