Are Cuban Cigars Worth Buying in India?
There’s a notion amongst most consumers that only Cuban cigars are good and since they are not exposed to great cigars from other regions, they are dismissive of new world cigars. New world cigars in today’s context would refer to Nicaragua, Dominican Republic and Honduras. This is gradually changing because consumers, especially in India are being educated about new tobacco regions and non-Cuban brands that have been rated as one of the best cigars ever. In fact, if you look at top 25 cigars in the world, only a handful are from Cuba as most of them are from new world cigar brands. Rocky Patel Sixty which won the 2nd Best Cigar in Cigar Aficionado’s Top 25 cigars in the world for 2022 is made in Nicaragua. And soon it will be available for you to enjoy in India, at our stores and website.
Major issues with Cuban Cigars in India
- Availability of Counterfeit Cuban Cigars In India: Most of the Cuban Cigars Sold around the globe are fake even in India, According to research in U.S.A. 90% of Cigars that were sold are counterfeit. In fact, if it’s a cigar-shaped like a torpedo and claims to be Cuban, it probably isn’t Cuban at all.
- Cuban Cigars are extremely overpriced in India: Cuban Cigars have a huge demand around the globe due to which Cuban Cigars are overpriced In India these cigars have to go through a lot of duties and against sanctions, the cigars are overly priced.
Even if you can afford a Cuban Cigar in India, there is a chance that it could be Counterfeit, so before buying a Cuban make sure that you are buying it from a trusted place. - Cuban Cigars Quality: There was a time when Cuba was known for its quality of the the Cigars but now a days, there is huge demand of Cuban cigars than its supply, a lot of low quality cigars are sold just to meet this demand.
- Similar Tasting Profiles: The tobacco leaves used in Cubans as filler, binders and wrappers are of Habano are from Cuba, which gives them a similar taste, every time you smoke a Cuban you will get a same taste.
- Consistency of Cuban Cigars: The consistency in quality and flavour profile doesn’t show through between batches making it an inconsistent choice of cigars to buy in the long run.
Cuban Cigars vs New World Cigars
There’s no disputing that Cuba is a country with deep-rooted cigar traditions. It was from there that cigars became synonymous with relaxing afternoons and good times, and their mild yet rich flavor has been enjoyed by generations of tobacco enthusiasts. But what about other countries in Central America like Nicaragua, Honduras, Dominican Republic and Costa Rica – are cigars produced there still as tasty as a good Cuban cigar or do they taste completely different from them? If you’re looking to buy Cuban cigars or go for new world cigars, it can be difficult to know what kind of cigar you should be smoking.
If you’re worried about sticking to a particular brand when it comes to cigars, then worry no more. As far as taste goes, there are many similarities between famous Cuban cigars and their new-world counterparts. That’s because all cigar brands use basic tobacco grown in Nicaragua and Honduras, just like they do in Cuba. Nicaraguan tobacco has been described as a very mild but full-flavoured cigar while Honduras is also known for its rich soil that produces excellent tobacco leaves with a hint of coffee notes. Regardless of where you buy your cigar from, don’t be surprised if someone asks you what country it was made in – both countries have great reputations for producing amazing cigars!
3 Best Alternatives of Cuban Cigars
With Cuba as a reference point, there are three types of cigars made outside of Cuba: First-tier, which includes the Dominican Republic, Nicaragua and Honduras, then there are second-tier which includes Costa Rica and Mexico (still good though much less refined), Philippines and Panama. If you like full-bodied cigars that can give you an enjoyable smoke with a mellow bite to it, then the first tier is your perfect choice. Another option could be trying some third-tier options such as Fiji, Indonesia or Tongue tobacco leaves from North Carolina.
These brands are manufactured in different regions and countries, with each region bringing its own unique style to its cigars. In terms of taste, Costa Rica has a mild-to-medium body and is known to offer a creamy smoke. Nicaragua cigar blends are full-bodied with a good amount of spice and pepper on top, while Honduras has a creamy undertone that leaves behind a bit of pepper during smoking. Dominican Republic cigars often resemble Cuban products due to their style, as they’re made by true cigar makers who have been in business since 1890.
Biggest difference in taste between Cuba and Nicaragua/Costa Rica are what kind of wrappers they use In terms of flavor, Cuba and Nicaragua/Costa Rica are very similar. Cuban cigars traditionally use a dark, yellow-brown wrapper made from Dominican tobacco; these wrappers give Cuban cigars a very distinct taste that you won’t find in any other cigar. New World Cigars typically use an Ecuadorian Connecticut shade wrapper which is smooth, silky and not as sweet as a Cuban-style wrapper. A Connecticut wrapper also provides Nicaraguan cigars with a more complex, woody taste profile than what you get with most Cuban brands. Both kinds of wrapper provide an ample amount of spice to your smoke – even if it is less pronounced in Nicaragua/Costa Rica due to their milder nature.
Although Nicaragua/Costa Rica and Cuba are very similar, there are some key differences. One of these is how they’re made: whereas Cuban Cigars have been produced with purely hand-rolled techniques since colonial times, new world cigars have traditionally used machine-made rolling techniques which offer more consistency in their construction.
Still want to Buy Cuban Cigar
Cuban Cigars are Made of Habano seed, we have some Cigars in our portfolio that are made up of same seed as Cuban and are called Cuban Profile Cigars. The comparison of flavour profiles between Habano seed origin cigars and Habano Puros are more or less similar.
If you want a Cuban flavour profile on your palate then you can give Abel Exposito and our in-house blend, Vedado Habano a try.
