“producer of the world’s finest cigars”
years ago maybe, but that claim is quite dubious now-a-days.
as an avid cigar smoker since the 80’s, I would consider cuban cigars about to be ‘above average’ in quality, a far cry from where they were 20 years ago.
for a $20+ smoke I can find much better from other soils. the best seeds were smuggled out, and cultivated years ago, and the best cigar makers all but left cuba as well to form their own cigar estates, making some nice money, instead of getting paid $3 a day by Castro.
I have acquaintances at the smoke store who swear by cubans, they read all the aficionado magazines, know all the buzz words (like wine experts) but if you took off the rings and wrappers, and tossed down 6 cigars, they couldn’t identify a cuban from a mexican smoke. I’d wager a good Ashton or Fuente on it.
Oh, and I’m not prejudiced about it, I’m sad. While stationed in Germany in the 80’s I grew quite fond of the cubans. They just degenerated so much, I wouldn’t pay $5 bucks for one anymore.
When I go to Canada or the Caribbean now, I may buy one or two now just to if the Cubans have improved...nope.