Cuban cigars

A Quick Guide to Famous Brands & Sizes

Top Brands to Look For

For Beginners:

• Romeo y Julieta: A celebrated brand known for its consistently balanced and aromatic flavor profiles. They offer a wide range of strengths, making it easy to find a smooth entry point.
• Hoyo de Monterrey: Typically lighter in body, these cigars are prized for their elegance, complexity, and delicate flavors. An excellent choice for those who prefer a more subtle experience.

For Aficionados:

• Cohiba: Cuba’s most prestigious and famous brand. Originally reserved for diplomats, Cohibas are known for their powerful, complex flavors and command a premium price.
• Montecristo: A benchmark for Habanos, this classic brand offers a medium-to-full-bodied experience. Its No. 4 size is reputed to be the best-selling cigar in the world.
• Partagás: If you seek a rich, earthy, and full-bodied cigar, Partagás is a quintessential choice. Its deep flavors are distinctive and highly sought after.
• Trinidad: Once a diplomatic gift like Cohiba, Trinidad is now available to the public. It is a more exclusive, highly refined, medium-bodied cigar appreciated for its sophisticated aroma and taste.

Understanding Cigar Sizes (Vitolas)

A cigar’s size and shape, known as its vitola, directly affect its smoking time and how its flavor develops. While there are dozens of vitolas, understanding a few common ones will help you make a perfect choice for the occasion without needing to be an expert.

• Robusto: A short and thick format, the Robusto is immensely popular. It delivers a full, concentrated flavor over a satisfying smoke of approximately 45 minutes.
• Corona: Considered the traditional benchmark against which other sizes are measured. It offers a wonderful evolution of flavor for a typical 30-40 minute smoke.
• Churchill: Named after its most famous devotee, this is a long, stately cigar. It is designed for a lengthy, complex smoke that can last well over an hour, allowing flavors to evolve significantly.
• Pirámide (Torpedo): This vitola is distinguished by its pointed, tapered head. This shape concentrates the smoke as it draws, often resulting in a richer, more intense flavor experience.

Where to Buy: The Official vs. The Street

Why You MUST Buy from Official Stores

• Guaranteed Authenticity: Cigars sold on the street are nearly always counterfeit. These fakes are often crudely rolled with inferior tobacco, banana leaves, or even floor sweepings, and can be un-smokable and hazardous.
• Proper Humidification: Official government-run stores, such as La Casa del Habano or Tiendas Caracol, preserve their cigars in large, walk-in humidors. This ensures the tobacco is kept at the perfect humidity, protecting its flavor and condition.
• Official Receipt (Factura): For any purchase, especially full boxes, you will receive an official receipt, or factura. This document is essential proof of legitimate purchase and may be required by customs officials when you depart Cuba.

How to Spot a Fake

• The “Great Deal” Scam: The most common trap involves someone on the street claiming their “cousin” or “friend” works at a famous factory and can sell you a box of Cohibas for a fraction of the official price. This is always a scam.

– Glass-Top Boxes: Authentic Cuban cigars are never packaged in boxes with glass or clear plastic lids. If you see one, it is unequivocally a fake.

• Shoddy Packaging: Examine the box carefully. Counterfeits often have poorly printed, misaligned labels, incorrect logos, and will be missing the official Habanos S.A. warranty seal—a distinctive green and white sticker with a hologram and a barcode.
• Inconsistent Quality: Open the box and look at the cigars. Fakes will often have cigars of varying colors, inconsistent sizes, and lumpy, uneven rolls. An authentic box will contain cigars that are nearly identical in color and perfectly crafted.

Bringing Your Cigars Home

Customs Regulations & Limits

CRITICAL ADVISORY: Customs regulations are complex and subject to change without notice. The information below is a guideline only. You MUST verify the current rules, limits, and duties for your specific home country directly from its official customs and border agency website immediately before you travel.

For U.S. Travelers:

• Rules for U.S. citizens are specific and have changed multiple times in recent years. It is imperative to check the latest guidance from the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) and U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) before your trip.
• As of the last update, authorized travelers may bring Cuban cigars into the U.S. for personal consumption only. They cannot be resold.
• There is no specific monetary or quantity limit set by OFAC, but the amount must be consistent with personal use. Final determination is at the discretion of CBP officers at the port of entry.

For Canadian & European Travelers:

• Allowances are generally more liberal. For many countries, you can typically bring back up to 50 cigars per person for personal use without needing to make a formal declaration.
• However, you must confirm the exact duty-free allowance for your specific destination country via its official government customs website to avoid unexpected taxes or confiscation.

Required Documentation:

• Always keep the official store receipt (factura) with your cigars. This serves as proof of legitimate purchase and can be requested by customs officials.

Packing for Freshness

• Keep the Box Sealed: If you purchase a full box, it is best to leave the Habanos S.A. factory seal intact until you arrive home to help maintain the carefully controlled humidity.
• Short-Term Storage: For individual cigars or for keeping them fresh during your trip, a well-sealed Ziploc-style bag is perfectly adequate for a few days.
• Invest in a Travel Humidor: For those planning to purchase a significant quantity, a small, hard-shell travel humidor is an excellent investment. It protects your cigars from physical damage and maintains optimal humidity.
• Carry-On vs. Checked Luggage: We strongly recommend you pack your cigars in your carry-on luggage. This protects them from the extreme temperature and pressure changes in the cargo hold, which can damage their delicate structure and flavor.

Experiencing Cigar Culture in Cuba

Visiting a Tobacco Farm (Finca)

For a truly memorable experience, consider a tour of a tobacco farm (finca), particularly in the lush Viñales Valley, the heartland of Cuban tobacco. Here, you can connect with the origins of this celebrated leaf.

• Witness the entire traditional process, from a farmer showing you the tiny seeds to the vast drying barns (casas de tabaco) where the leaves cure for months.
• Learn the art of rolling a cigar directly from a local farmer (campesino), who will often demonstrate the technique that has been passed down through generations.
• You will have the opportunity to buy un-banded, farm-rolled cigars (often called rolos or puros) directly from the people who grew the tobacco. These offer a unique, rustic, and authentic taste of the local terroir, distinct from the famous, officially branded Habanos.

Basic Cigar Etiquette

• Cutting: Use a proper cigar cutter (guillotine, punch, or v-cutter) to remove a small portion of the cap. The goal is to create a clean opening for a good draw without damaging the cigar’s structure. Never bite the end off.
• Lighting: Use a butane torch lighter or a cedar or wooden match. Avoid Zippo-style fluid lighters or candles, as their chemical odors can permanently taint the cigar’s flavor. Gently toast the foot (the end you light) with the flame before putting it in your mouth, then take slow, gentle puffs while rotating the cigar to ensure an even burn.
• Smoking: A cigar is for tasting, not inhaling. Puff gently and infrequently—about once a minute is a good rhythm. This keeps the cigar from overheating and allows you to savor the complex flavors.
• Ashing: Do not tap the ash off constantly as you would with a cigarette. A long, solid ash is a hallmark of a well-constructed cigar and helps regulate its temperature. Allow the ash to build to about an inch, then gently roll it off into an ashtray.