Cuban cigars hold a coveted position of having a reputation as the world's most luxurious tobacco product. A box of good quality, hand-rolled Cuban cigars could cost up to thousands of dollars.

Its reputation has led many other countries in the Latin American region to produce cigar rolls comparable to the Cuban product. It has also led many to create counterfeit tobacco rolls, most of which are sold in the United States.

The Secrets Behind the Hefty Price Tag

The process of making these tobacco rolls takes about a year. Cuban cigars use tobacco leaves that have been grown, harvested, and dried. The procedure enhances the leaves' flavor, aroma, and burning characteristics.

Manufacturers inspect each leaf. The inspection determines the plant's type, appearance, and quality. Those that pass are handed to a skilled cigar roller called Torcedor.

The Torcedor holds an essential place in Cuban society. There are four grades of Torcedor. However, only the top class is allowed to roll the most significant and most complex Habanos cigar.

Apart from the skilled rollers, farmers also look at the soil's quality, the region's climate, and the variety of black tobacco used to determine the crops that would yield the leaves needed to produce premium cigars.

Burned by the Fake Rolls

Counterfeit Cuban cigars are becoming more prominent in the market. Knowing the tell-tale signs of fake rolls could help consumers save money and their palates from getting burned by counterfeit products.

  • Cheap Cohibas don't exist.

In Cuba, the cheapest Cohiba Esplendido is sold at $25 while a hard-to-find Behike 56 retails at $30. These cigars fetch a hefty price of $100 in the United States and Canada. Anything tagged with a bargain price is most definitely a fake.

  • Limited editions are rare.

Cigar collectors vie to own the limited Edicion Limitadas rolls. These cigars usually measure over 6 inches with a 54-ring gauge. While counterfeit products would put an Edicion Limitada band on a Cohiba every year, it is worth noting that the limited edition of Cohibas does not come out annually.

  • Labels out, cigars in.

Most counterfeit products do not display cigar labels on the box. If you get a box with a D.I.Y. stick-it-on-the-roll process, that box is 100 percent fake.

  • Glass-free

Habanos S.A. does not pack their precious cigars in a glass-top or clear plastic box. Most counterfeit, clear-top boxes are sold in the Caribbean and Mexico under the names "Cohiba Crystal."

Humidor-Worthy Cuban Cigars

Discovering the great taste of various Cuban cigars is likely one of the best journeys cigar aficionados make. While this list isn't organized from best to worst, several rolls come with great praises and high recommendations.

Cohiba Behike 52

This cigar is what every aficionado is after. In the world of rolls, it's considered as the perfect tobacco product or the holy grail. The Cohiba Behike comes in three different sizes, but the 52, the smallest of the bunch, has the best creamy and earthy tones among any cigar.

Trinidad La Trova LCDH

The Trinidad is a very close second to the Cohiba. The brand comes from the Vuelta Abajo region, known as the best tobacco growing area worldwide. The Trinidad La Trova offers a rich and dense flavor of chocolates, spices, and coffee.

H. Upmann Magnum 54

The brother of the Magnum 50, the Upmann Magnum 54, has a medium body smoke that makes it perfect for lighting in the afternoon or before dinner. Its balance and complexity are accentuated by the full-bodied pepper and dark chocolate flavors with a woody undertone.

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