Cigars/ria cigars
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Question
i viewed a recent question involving "ria" cigars. my father also gets these foil covered cigars from a guy who gets them in canada. he is under the impression he is buying cubans. did you ever find anything else out about these cigars?
Hi Nathan,
Rea cigars (the brand is often mispelled by people as being "Ria") are low-end cigars made in Canada using Cuban seeds. This means that the tobacco in these cigars are originally derived from Cuban tobacco seeds but the tobacco itself is grown outside of Cuba and the cigars themselves are produced outside of Cuba. As a result, these cigars are not considered genuine Cuban cigars and the only thing remotely “Cuban” about these cigars is that the tobacco once originated from Cuba.
However, it is important to note that even though these cigars use Cuban-seed tobacco, the cigars themselves will not taste like a premium Cuban cigar because the tobacco is not grown on Cuban soil. Soil does indeed affect the taste and quality of the tobacco grown. Cuban soil is less acidic and contains less magnesium so tobacco grown in Cuba is considered more “pure” in flavour and less alkaline in taste. Alot of inexpensive, low end cigars will have this problem. Also, the tobacco filler “recipe” in Cuban-seed cigars are not as sophisticated as the filler tobacco used in premium Cuban cigars. The result is often a mediocre cigar with a one-dimensional flavour similar to cheap convenience store cigars.
Hopes this answers your question. If you have any more questions, please feel free to just ask.
Regards,
James
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| Comment | thanks a bunch. I don't think this will make some people very happy but it's good toknow. | ||
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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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