NEW CANADIAN TOBACCO REGULATIONS are now in effect. Federal and Provincial regulators are enforcing laws which prevent us from advertising any kind of discounts, benefits or special prices on tobacco products, and from promoting or endorsing images and lifestyles in association with smoking of tobacco products. (Notice the smoking of cigars no longer appear in our photos!). We will continue to honour all previously stated commitments of service to our current customer base as well as new customers.
In March, more than 600 cigar lovers from 47 countries flocked to Cuba to celebrate the annual Habano International Cigar Festival, a week-long extravaganza of luxurious dinners, cigar tastings and plantation tours. Tickets for the opening dinner went for $400 US, which included some vintage Vegas Robaina cigars, world-class entertainment, and the opportunity to meet one of the founding fathers of the industry, Alejandro Robaina, now in his eighties and himself a living legend.
Alejandro Robaina (Photo by CubanBest 2001)
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The annual festival has become a major promotional vehicle for the cigar industry and in recent years has attracted the who's who of international globetrotters.
Special Edition and Millenium Product Update
We're NOW OFFERING the highly-prized Cohiba Special Edition Pyramids. They're as expensive as Esplendido's, but the Maduro wrapper is a sight to behold. If you want to sample any of these marvelous cigars (good to smoke and hold), DON'T wait until they run out and whine when there's no more.
NEW also, a special treat for the high-rollers: a brand new deluxe size from Hoyo de Monterey Special Edition Particulares. A huge smoke, they're a whopping 9 and a half inches long and a 47 ring (about the size of a Montecristo A) with the distictive Maduro wrap. Individually packaged in sliding-top cedar cases, 5 to a box, they're about $47 (US) a pop. Exclusive, distinctive, rare, and LIMITED in quantity.
Another NEW product from the R&J factory is the Romeo y Julieta Special Edition Robusto, their latest Maduro-wrapped offering. Competitively priced at under $20 USD per cigar, this will smoke nicely now and last for years. As usual, LIMITED in quantity.
CubanBest's in-house panel of aficionados will be conducting tastings of the latest offerings, and publishing the results. Check back soon hear what the experts have to say about these new products.
We do have one jar left of the Cohiba Millenium Pyramids (not cheap at $50 US a crack) but sorry, singles aren't available.
Meanwhile, looks like the Monte special edition Robustos have now gone the way of the dodo - apparently they stopped producing them 6 months ago, making good on their warning that quantities were in fact limited. Ouch, if you missed out.
Same goes for the special edition Romeo Exhibicion No. 2 (Double Coronas) - only 2 boxes left, and they're NOT being offered anymore. Special edition Partagas pyramids we have lots of, but they're also no longer being offered.
Upcoming Event: Master Cuban Cigar Roller To Visit Vancouver
Cigar Connoisseur's (CubanBest) is pleased to host a one-day demonstration of cigar hand-rolling by master Cuban cigar-roller Aldo Monteagudo. Sr. Monteagudo has been rolling Cuban cigars for 49 years, and currently works out of the Romeo y Julieta factory.
Aldo performs this ancient art without the use of molds or other mechanical aids, a method no longer used as the mainstay of cigar production in Cuba. Those who reach the 9th level of mastery become qualified to teach at the top schools and tour globally to demonstrate their expertise to curious aficionados.
If you're in the Vancouver area on Friday May 3, 2002, stop by our store in Vancouver's Gastown between 11:00 AM and 4:00 PM to watch this demonstration of a thousand year-old Cuban tradition. We are located at 12 Water Street, Gastown, just next to the Maple Square (near the statue of "Gassy Jack"). If you need directions, don't hesitate to call us toll-free at 1-877-682-4427 or 1-877-992-8226, or locally at 604-682-4427.
Aldo's wares will be available for sale, however quantities will be EXTREMELY limited. If you are lucky enough to be able to secure a cigar or two, expect a very high quality cigar made of top-notch tobacco at a bargain price. We will provide more details closer to the May 3 date.
Feature Article: Why Are Cuban Cigars So Expensive?
So, just what is it that makes Cuban cigars so expensive, so exceptional and sought-after, and so deliciously exquisite? Much like the wine of France or the olives of the Mediterranean, a highly complex combination of environmental factors and unique techniques make up the ideal growing conditions which contribute to this world class product.
The Cuban cigar industry's foray into global commerce began as far back as the 1400's, when Spaniards first landed on this small tropical Caribbean island and encountered natives puffing on elongated 'sticks' made of cured leaves, in an assortment of shapes and sizes.
Most beginners don't understand about (authentic) Cuban cigars, so they think the prices are out of line. A comparison might be made to French wine (or high-end US wine), where the vintage (year), growing locations, soil conditions, processing practices, regions and blending techniques, and the distinctive taste that only Cuban soil can give all play a vital role in the finished product. Each brand has it's own distinctive characteristics and trademark flavours, the subtleties of which become apparent with a bit of experience (as in wine tasting), but are mostly lost on beginners until they acquire something of a palette for cigars.
For the same reason many people get fooled by fake or counterfeit Cuban cigars - at a fraction of the price, they are most likely made from Cuban tobacco, and they may even taste better than many cigars from other countries - but they haven't been pampered, aged, blended and rolled in the manner intended by the manufacturer. They are more like "floor scrapings" made to look good. An aficionado would be able to tell the difference immediately, while a beginner may be easily fooled.
Growing techniques are strictly controlled, and traditional methods which have been used for hundreds of years are largely still in place today - such as totally organic crop production and hand-tilling of the earth.
Each Cuban brand-name, or "house" (most are largely Spanish owned), cultivates their own plantations, age and blend their own mixtures, and produce products in their own factories which are as diverse and unique to the palate as any fine wine.
Long ago, Cuban cigars were dubbed "Havanas" because they were rolled and packed in the city of Havana (La Habana), Cuba. Now known as Habanos, they have become one of Cuba's national treasures. Today, they are in such demand that stores are sold out almost as soon as stock hits the shelves, both in Canada and around the world.
All Habanos, which are the envy of cigar manufacturers and favourites among smokers around the world, are made from 100% Cuban tobacco grown on the island. They are famous for the unique flavour found only in Cuban soil, for the earthy feel of hand-rolled tobacco, and because Habanos are 100% natural products made with air-cured tobacco containing no additives or chemicals. And the well-kept secrets of generations of tobacco growers and cigar makers cap the charisma of these lovingly crafted gems.
Check back next month, when we'll continue our exploration of the Cuban Cigar Industry
