Cuban Cigars, Don't Smoke the Label

by Tom Johansmeyer (RSS feed)
Feb 25th 2009 at 9:02AM

"It happens all the time."

Ron Melendi, General Manager of De La Concha in New York, is tired of seeing guests walk through the door of his tobacco shop and ask for "Cubans." It's no secret that cigars from that particular island are illegal, yet people ask anyway.

It pisses Melendi off, and I don't blame him.

Cuban cigars are seen as a rare treat in the small, tightly intertwined community of upscale smokers. Since they have been illegal in the United States for more than 40 years, the act of cutting and lighting one implies unusual access, connections that most simply do not have. But, that's about it. A general decline in Cuban cigar quality, especially over the past decade, leaves the label as the only coveted aspect of the experience.

Of course, it's easy to dismiss this popular notion among tobacco retailers and manufacturers as a case of "sour grapes." After all, they can't sell what everybody wants. Jealousy wouldn't be much of a stretch ... if the quality issues weren't so real.

Several trips in the past three years to France, Spain, Mexico, Sweden, Finland, Iceland and Canada have led to Cuban cigars between my fingers. I've seen different humidors in stores in each of these countries and been able to rule out problems resulting from poor storage. I've had a few decent smoking experiences, but they haven't been life-changing. Even when the cigars are properly maintained, the taste and construction simply have not delivered.

Gallery: De La Concha Tobacconist

Melendi believes that many cigar smokers – both casual and regular – have been seduced by the exclusivity of a label. Like him, I've seen it in action. A smoker who normally enjoys something robust, like a La Flor Dominicana, will go wide-eyed over a Vegas Robaina, which tends to be pretty mild. Or, a guy lucky enough to get his hands on a Cohiba Esplendido will go blue in the face trying to suck air out of a poorly constructed cigar.

"I've seen it all," Melendi recalls. "They don't give up! They just keep trying to 'enjoy' these Cuban cigars." He sees me take a draw from my Davidoff Maduro and remarks, "See, that was easy." The mouthful of smoke I pushed out punctuated the comment. "With Cubans, it's becoming hit or miss. The quality's going down hill."

However, his customers still salivate at the thought of a Partagas Serie P or a Montecristo #2. It's a mark of prestige, a symptom of I-have-it-and-you-don't syndrome. Veteran cigar smokers are drawn to products they normally wouldn't enjoy because of the exclusivity they convey.

The problem isn't an unavailability of high-end or rare cigars. There are plenty on the shelves of every humidor in the country. Padron Anniversario, Davidoff Millennium and Opus X, among others, can be hard to come by, cost north of $20 a piece and result in absolute bliss. But, you can buy them.

U.S. trade laws, it seems, make Cuban cigars a little tastier.

So, it's no surprise that someone who gets his hands on this sort of contraband will rush to his local cigar shop to smoke it before an audience. After all, conspicuous luxury is the best kind.

When I ask Melendi about this, he shakes his head and wears the pained expression of someone who has had to address this situation far too often. "They just don't understand what they're doing," he says. "It's bad enough that they're smoking someone else's cigars in my store," he continues, "that's just inappropriate." Like most retailers, De La Concha has to contend with tight margins in a good year, and the current recession has made every sale more important. Every cigar from the outside – as every Cuban stick must be – steals a sale from the store.

And then there's the legal issue.

A Cuban cigar in the store puts jobs at risk. Fines are stiff and could easily reach into the hundreds of thousands of dollars. The store could lose its tobacco license, as well, if Cuban cigars are found on the premises. "I've seen some guests sitting in the lounge with the band [on the cigar] in plain view." The floor-to-ceiling, wall-to-wall window that faces Manhattan's busy Sixth Avenue magnifies visibility, making this transgression even more severe, which is why Melendi asks those with Cuban cigars to leave. "If they want to put themselves at risk [of legal repercussions]," Melendi says, "that's their own business. I won't let them do that to my staff."

Yet, there's always someone who tries. More often than not, it's a smoker who should know better – and not just because of the embargo. The most seasoned connoisseurs still melt when presented with a mediocre Cuban cigar, because the band sends a powerful message: I'm among the few. I'm connected.

"Smoking the label," as Melendi calls it, defeats the purpose of smoking a cigar. "This is an experience to be enjoyed," he says with another puff. I couldn't agree more. Taste trumps provenance.

Tags: cigars, cuba, cuban, cuban cigar, cuban cigars, CubanCigar, CubanCigars, cubans, manhattan, new york, NewYork, smoke, smoker, smokers, smoking

Filed under: Cigars

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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

robert Feb 25th 2009 10:06AM

If you want to smoke a Cuban cigar - just come up here to Canada - they are 100% legal here

Ned Feb 25th 2009 1:35PM

While I enjoyed reading your article it makes it sounds as if all the Cubans have quality and flavor issues. Some Cubans have had severe quality issues, namely the 00-01 production. As of late though the quality rivals anything coming out of Nicaragua or the DR. Habanos s.a has improved their quality control significantly. And of the recent production, 03-04 and later I have heard of very little issues with construction issues. There will always be issues with construction, you are dealing with a 100% handmade product.
When it comes to the complexity of flavors a there is really no comparison between a Cuban and non-Cuban. The complexity possessed by Cubans is something unique to them. “Taste trumps provenance,” Mr. Melendi has the quote right, but he has it backwards, people who are really into cigars know what they are getting with a Cuban. That is why they “melt,” yes the band lets you know what you are smoking but a good cigar is a good cigar. There are many Cuban marques that 99% of cigar smokers have never heard of, yet these little known marques are home to some of the best of what is coming out of Cuba.
Anyone who is truly into cigars knows you don’t walk into a US cigar shop and ask for a Cuban cigar. When someone does something like that it just shows how ignorant they are. They probably wouldn’t know the difference between a Cuban cohiba and DR Cohiba..... And the difference in the bands is something that unless you are examining it up close you, you can’t tell. Most of the most famous Cuban marques have cousin brands that can be sold in the US. The only things the 2 have in common are the name, and design of the band, that's it. It’s not as if a Cuban smells differently than a non Cuban either.
Most cigar shops keep their humidors over humidified to account for the constant opening of the door, and if Cuban’s are not stored properly it can hamper the smoking experience considerably. Ideally a Cuban cigar should be stored at around 65% humidity and 65 degree Fahrenheit. Appropriate storage for non-Cubans is 70/70. Cubans if they have been stored at too high of humidity can have burn and draw issues. I would be willing to surmise this is why the author has had issues with the ones he has smoked.

Adam Feb 25th 2009 1:36PM

I had a similar opinion of Cuban cigars as you did, but after trying a number of different brands; I can think of a number of Cuban's that stand out as amazing smokes.
Ignoring the LE's or even the RE's which are absolutely some of the best cigars in the world, but not readily available; cigars like the Montecristo especial or #2 & #4. Or nearly any cigar from the Partagas brand or Juan Lopez Sel #2 or even the Siglo VI from Cohiba will out perform it's non-Cuban counterparts. If course IMO, because were talking about personal preferences here.

We had seen a number of bad Cuban cigar years from 99-01 which seemed to correspond with the boom years, but this stock has purged its way through the system and todays cigars have fewer construction issues.

The other side of the coin is that todays non-Cuban cigar producers are producing some great smokes. Don Pepin Garcia and Jorge Padron are leading the pack in full flavor smokes. But ask a Cuban cigar smoker what would be the best Cuban substitute, and they'll say there is none.

But going into a smoke shop in this country and asking for a Cuban is not only ignorant, it's stupid. 90% of the Cuban cigars in this country are fake, especially ones from Florida. You will get a fake cigar that tastes like a dog turd, and decide that you don't like Cubans.

el chefe Feb 25th 2009 3:56PM

Well to add just a something here,Cuban cigars are NOT for every one,so the customers asking for Cubans at the store,are just fools asking for Armagnac at the local 7/11...

sli38 Mar 4th 2009 11:25AM

The rest of the world can smoke what ever they want. Why do they choose primarily Cuban cigars? Your article is bias nonsense.

Paul Feb 26th 2009 8:38AM

They choose Cubans because that's primarily what is available. Non-Cuban cigars are starting to get more recognition worldwide, but other countries, especially in Europe, never had to look anywhere else, so they followed the path of least resistance. In parts of the world, among connoisseurs, the Fuente Don Carlos line, Padrons, and Ashtons are highly sought after. Eveen some of the smaller brands have pockets of fans around the world, like CAO in Russia.
I love a good Cuban cigar, just like I love a good Nicaraguan or Honduran. My humidor now is down to about 20% Cuban because so many great non-Cubans are on the market, for a lot less money. (See products by Padron, Ashton, and Don Pepin Garcia.)

theasylumrocks Feb 27th 2009 10:30AM

Smokin the label? Give me a break! It was your cigar store owner smoking the label as he puffed on his $20 Davidoff. There are great CC and great NC to be had, and both well under $20 each. It's all a matter of personal preference. I suppose from your article that if or when CC do become legal here in the US you will walk right past them and only smoke the NC selections, right?

Instead of wasting your time making generalizations about Cuban Cigars and the individuals who smoke them why don't you use this outlet to encourage and educate the obviously misinformed who ask for Cubans at the shops. Yourself and Mr. Melendi are doing a great injustice to our hobby by scoffing at those who know no better instead of introducing them to this passionate hobby. Worried about sales? Rule #1: Always purchase something from a vendor who provides you a place to smoke, especially if you consume something else on the premises.

Another-Inmate Feb 28th 2009 4:52PM

"A general decline in Cuban cigar quality, especially over the past decade, leaves the label as the only coveted aspect of the experience."

The quality of Cuban cigars after 2002 has been fantastic and is improving. You can disagree .. but you'd be wrong.

Paul Harwood Mar 1st 2009 10:14PM

Have smoked mostly (95%) Havanas for 20+ years (Canada). Some of the best are cheap. You do not need to spend lots of $$$. Outside of Cuba they are ridiculously overpriced because of taxes and greed and hype. There are some exceptions e.g. Argentina.

Aside from the current hysteria about fakes, Cuban cigars do in fact often have construction quality issues. But I would still smoke a less than perfectly constructed Havana - or even what the Stateside experts would call a "fake" - simply because the tobacco is frankly unmatched by DR, Nicaragua & Honduras. At times, close. But no cigar...Cuban seed tobacco is fine; Cuban terrior and processing is what makes the difference.

The non-Havanas are generally better made, many significantly so (e.g. 601 & DPG) - which is a plus and a pleasure. I have been very impressed by the higher-end non-Havanas especially. Problem is the good ones are priced as if they were serious Havanas. A Flor Dominicana Chiselito is a worthwhile experience - but @ US$5+ there are many fine "Cubans" which are better value. At least for now. When (not if) the embargo ends, US demand will run up the price. Will be interesting to see what happens to the price of non-Havanas.

patrick ledden Mar 2nd 2009 8:36AM

i think the adage "dont smoke the lable" is sound advice. i live in ireland and smoke cubans almost exclusively, however i've also enjoyed many excellent dominican and honduran cigars that were in my opinion just as good as many of the cubans i smoke. it probably is more of a snob value thing in the states (but we still love you!)

henry sena Mar 12th 2009 2:06PM

the last cruise i took to the caribbean their were plenty of cuban cigars for sale including the bar on the ship. some day they will get rid of the embargo and tell the 1 million or so cubans in florida if they don't want smoke them then don't buy them.

vcao May 7th 2009 7:31AM

I would still smoke a less than perfectly constructed Havana - or even what the Stateside experts would call a "fake" - simply because the tobacco is frankly unmatched by DR, Nicaragua & Honduras, http://www.vcao.net It's all a matter of personal preference. I suppose from your article that if or when CC do become legal here in the US you will walk right past them and only smoke the NC selections, right?

Tom Johansmeyer May 7th 2009 7:33AM

vcao, I'll give them a chance, but I will walk past them if the quality hasn't improved. Why would you smoke a suboptimal cigar, especially if there's no taboo left?