Thoughts on cigars.

[Snake Hips]

Originally Posted by JJG

I've always wanted to know more about the drying/curing process of the leaves. It seems like the fermentation would have the biggest effect on the final outcome of how the tobacco tastes.

I always hear people say it's the soil that gives Cuban tobacco it's unique flavor, but I'm guessing the curing process has a big part in it too. I mean, most NC manufacturers use Cuban seed tobacco. so if they're both growing the same exact tobacco, the difference in taste has to come from the soil, the curing process, or both.

They're not using the same tobacco, in any sense of the word. The non-Cuban companies are using tobacco from seeds that came off the island in the early '60s, and that tobacco has changed with breeding and interbreeding, and natural changes in seed stock from generation to generation/year to year. The Cubans have long since stopped using the tobacco they were using in the early '60s; since then they've phased out about 3 or 4 different generations of primary-use tobacco, replaced by new interbred tobaccos. They used Criollo and Corojo at the time the non-Cuban makers absconded with the Cuban seeds, and some Pelo de Oro. In the '80s, through interbreeding and genetic tinkering they created and began to grow Habana P.R., Criollo 98 and Corojo 99. In the early '90s they interbred and tinkered some more and came up with Habana 2000, Habana 92 and Habana "Vuelta Arriba." About 10 years ago they interbred and tinkered some more and introduced Sancti Spiritus 96. Recently, they interbred and tinkered some more and came up with Criollo 2006 and Capero No. 1 and have been testing them for use, to see if they might replace the current generation tobaccos.

So, knowing what the poor Cubans have done in that 50-year time frame, one can only imagine what kind of tinkering has been done and plant evolution that has happened on the non-Cuban side of the equation, so you can hardly say that they use the same tobacco, and a manufacturer claim of "Cuban seed" is pretty meaningless.

@shilala
I respect your opinion and experience of Cuban tobacco, and more than wholeheartedly understand your frustration with it. But, may I correct you on one thing? Cuban tobacco isn't rushed out quite so fast as you say; the tobacco takes three years from the field to begin appearing in cigars, and furthermore, since 2006, they've implemented aged tobaccos into regular production cigars; three years aged I think. However, I can't argue with the lack of heritage and paternal passion found in the family operations outside of Cuba, nor can I argue with the idea that there is so much wasted potential, but I needed to say that there is more time put into the tobacco, especially in the present