Vuelta Abajo. Cuba's finest tobacco is born here.

A true cigar is crafted entirely by human hands, eyes, experience, and intuition, from the cultivation of the tobacco to the final rolling. In essence, cigars can be called handcrafted works of art, born from experienced farmers and skilled artisans. This is precisely why cigars were once cherished as a symbol of success, a certain status. Though now enjoyed by the general public, cigars were once a symbol of power, permitted only to the select few of the upper class.

However, not all products that appear on the market as 'cigars' are such exquisite creations. There are countless items that, at first glance, resemble cigars but bear no resemblance to the real thing. These are the inexpensive machine-made cigars found on the shelves of corner tobacco shops. Handmade masterpieces are rarely, if ever, encountered in such places. They can only be obtained at cigar shops where temperature and humidity are meticulously controlled.

The El Laguito factory, producer of Cohiba, Cuba's premier brand.
Where each cigar is hand-rolled.

For those who appreciate the nuances of cigars, the difference between machine-made and handmade is immediately apparent. Even a novice will notice the clear distinction upon smoking one.

If you were to dissect a machine-made cigar, you would find that it uses finely cut tobacco fragments for the filler. Furthermore, it often contains 'sheet tobacco,' a brown paper with some tobacco content. The wrapper that covers the cigar has prominent veins and a coarse texture, lacking the moist, smooth finish of a handmade product. Machine-made cigars also frequently have chemical additives such as flavorings and sweeteners, making it impossible to achieve the cigar's original flavor.

In contrast, handmade cigars, from start to finish, use no additives whatsoever. This allows one to be enveloped by the rich aroma and full-bodied flavor of the tobacco itself. Moreover, through extensive fermentation and aging processes, the nicotine and tar content is reduced, resulting in a milder taste. The wrapper leaf is selected from high-quality tobacco, offering a silky smooth and moist beauty that satisfies. The late Zino Davidoff once said, 'A cigar is not a cigar unless it is hand-rolled from 100% natural tobacco leaves. Appreciating a fine cigar, like fine wine, is an art.' If you wish to savor a true cigar, you should at least understand the difference between machine-made and handmade, and cultivate the aesthetic discernment to identify the genuine article.

Gérard Vié, a cigar merchant from Geneva, who was honored as Habanos Man of the Year in 2004. He deduces the degree of aging from the aroma of a cigar's cut end.