Cigar Construction Issues

Smoking a poorly constructed cigar can be very frustrating. If the draw is too tight or too loose, if the wrapper unravels, or if it burns funny, it can be no fun. I smoked a cigar the other night that was rolled too loosely, and it burned hot. Sometimes the cigar burns erratically when its not rolled properly.

My friend was in Cuba in February and took a tour of the Partagas cigar factory. There he was able to watch cigar rollers perform their work. What he saw there surprised him. He saw rollers randomly adding bits of tobacco leaf to rid the cigar of soft spots. One roller unwrapped the binder leaf twice to add bits of tobacco to the cigar to firm it up in two places. No wonder Cuban cigars to not burn well sometimes. Is that cigar considered a short filler cigar?

Also, when he toured a tobacco farm in Pinar del Rio (in Vinales) he found that a lot of tobacco leafs had worm holes. He actually saw worms all over some leaves in the drying barns. Take a look at some of the pictures above.

I'm amazed that some people say the quality of Cuban cigars is so great. Having talked to my friend and looked at these pictures, it reminds me that Cuba is a third world country and their products can suffer as a result. It is true that the quality of Cuban cigars is improving, but it sounds like they still have room for improvement.

Avo 80th Birthday Cigar

I had a chance to smoke Avo's new cigar, the one released to help celebrate his 80th birthday. I purchased a 5-pack from Corona cigar. I believe the 5-pack cost $80.00, which is pretty expensive.

Avo cigars are some of my favorite smokes. I liked last year's birthday cigar so much that I bought two boxes. So it was with great anticipation that I ordered this years cigar.

They arrived in good shape. I've bought cigars from Corona before and they always arrive in fine condition. Their prices are middle of the road, cheaper than some bought more expensive than others.

On to the cigar. It smelled just like last years edition. They both have a sun grown Ecuadorian wrapper, I believe. This years version is a 6 x 52 Belicoso. It has a Dominican binder and Piloto and San Vicente tobacco filler. The cigar was rolled a bit soft. It lit easily, and developed a very nice ash. It started out peppery, having that back of the throat tang. It smelled of sweet eucalyptus at first, developing a chocolate pudding aroma later. It had that tobacco box taste, and was a medium to strong cigar. The next morning I had that tobacco taste still in my mouth.

I'm undecided on this cigar. The middle smoked hot, it was a little loose in the draw. It might improve with some humidor time. It was a bit harsh and not very balanced, but I will need to smoke a few more to decide if I like this stick. I am glad that I did not "blindly" buy a box at the MSRP of $360.00. I do not believe this cigar warrants that price. After I smoke a few more I will let you know how I feel.

Cuba

My friend said getting to Cuba was fairly easy, and he met a lot of Americans over there. Apparently, Cuban customs officials will not stamp your U.S. passport when you leave or enter. Many people travel to Havana through Cancun, Tijuana, or Mexico City. I've been told that Cancun and Tijuana are the two cheaper cities to fly from. Once in Cuba he said the people are very receptive and welcoming to Americans. The beaches are uncrowded, the streets are devoid of typical big city traffic, and there is just a laid back mellow atmosphere. It is an expensive place to travel, he said, especially if you bring American dollars.

The exchange rate and fees are somewhat ridiculous. You get 89 convertible Cuban Pesos to the dollar, and then a nearly 10% fee is tacked on to the transaction. You are better off bringing Euros or Canadian Dollars. Plus, while the locals use a different currency, as a tourist you are stuck purchasing everything with these convertible Pesos. A lot of the local shops with cheaper prices will not take these convertible Pesos, so you end up spend more money than you can imagine on everything from food, drink, and even taxis!

The car in the picture above is a Cuban taxi. It is available to transport locals only. You will see bunches of people crammed into these cars, driving smokily along the road. The windows are always rolled down, and the people sitting inside by the door will always have their arm hanging out, like they are cruising the boulevard.

He was there for one week, last February. He said he would return, but now with a better understanding how things work and how expensive it is.