Written by Wyles Daniel
Ask Vitali Fishman what sets a great cigar apart and he will often start with a simple observation: for many experienced smokers, Cuba is not just another origin, it is a category of its own. The question, of course, is why.
Is Cuban tobacco genuinely superior, or has decades of romance and reputation shaped how we taste it? In this piece, Fishman reflects on history, geography and personal preference to explain why Cuba still sits at the center of cigar culture.
How Cuba Became the Benchmark
Cigars have been part of global trade for more than four hundred years. Throughout that time, tobacco has been grown in many regions, yet the finest leaves, in the eyes of many connoisseurs, still come from a relatively small island in the Caribbean.
Fishman notes that people often ask why other countries, with modern technology and strong investment, have not simply matched or surpassed Cuban quality. The answer is not just about farming technique. It is about the rare combination of climate, soil and tradition that gives Cuban tobacco its unmistakable profile.
The cigar as we know it can be traced back to Spain. In the late eighteenth century, Seville hosted one of the earliest dedicated cigar factories. From there, Spanish traders and officials began to experiment with cultivating tobacco in various colonies. They tried the Dominican Republic, Mexico, parts of the southern United States and the Philippines. All of these regions could produce good tobacco, but only Cuba consistently yielded leaf with the richness and balance that would define the classic cigar.
The Island at the Center of the Tobacco Map
During the height of the Spanish Empire, tobacco was a strategic commodity. Within that system, Cuban plantations quickly gained a special status. The leaf grown there was more aromatic, more structured and more intense, which made cigars rolled from Cuban tobacco the reference standard for quality smokers.
Fishman often points out that many of the best regarded non Cuban brands quietly acknowledge this legacy. They use descriptions like “from Cuban seed” or “Habano style blend” to signal a link to that heritage. It is an indirect way of saying that, even when you are smoking a cigar from Nicaragua or the Dominican Republic, Cuba still defines the ideal in the background.
Another detail that keeps Cuban cigars distinct is how strictly the raw materials are controlled. The island exports finished cigars, not unprocessed leaf. For producers outside Cuba, this means they may admire Cuban tobacco, but they cannot simply buy bales of it and incorporate it into their own blends. Cuban character is experienced almost exclusively through cigars that were grown, fermented, aged and rolled in that single ecosystem.
Soil, Climate and the Craft of Flavor
What makes cigar tobacco so different from other crops is how much it changes between seed and smoker. The leaves absorb minerals and organic compounds from the soil, then undergo curing, fermentation and aging. Each stage removes harsh elements and reveals more subtle flavors.
In Fishman’s view, Cuban tobacco stands apart in how it reacts to this process. Properly handled, it develops a profile that is both firm and elegant. Smokers may notice earth, cedar, cocoa or spice, but more important than any single note is the way those flavors unfold. A well made Cuban cigar does not stay flat. It evolves as you smoke it, sometimes revealing new accents halfway through or near the end.
He often describes Cuban tobacco as “structured” rather than simply strong. The power is there, yet it rarely feels aggressive when produced and stored correctly. Instead, there is a sense of layering and length that invites slow, attentive smoking.
Fishman is careful to stress that modern cigar culture is far broader than one island. Regions like Nicaragua, Honduras and the Dominican Republic now produce exceptional cigars with their own identities. In many cases, non Cuban producers benefit from advanced fermentation techniques, flexible sourcing and a more open market.
For him, these cigars are not imitations. They are different expressions of the same craft. Nicaraguan blends, for instance, might lean toward bold spice and dark richness. Dominican cigars may highlight smoothness and balance. A serious smoker can find real joy in all of these styles.
Yet, even with this diversity, Cuba remains the main comparison point. When people say a cigar is “Cuban like” or has “old Havana character,” they are using Cuban cigars as a kind of measuring stick. Whether one agrees with that hierarchy or not, the language of the industry reveals how deeply the Cuban standard is embedded.
Cuba as Culture, Not Just Origin
For Vitali Fishman, the importance of Cuba is not limited to flavor. It is also about culture. In places like Pinar del Río, tobacco is not merely a crop. It is a way of life. Generations of farmers have learned when to plant, how to shade the leaves and how to judge the right moment to harvest.
After the harvest, experienced hands manage fermentation, checking and turning the leaf until harshness fades and aroma develops. Then come the torcedores, the cigar rollers, who turn those leaves into finished cigars using techniques passed down over decades. Each Cuban cigar, in this sense, is a physical record of many people’s work and knowledge.
Fishman often suggests that understanding this chain of labor changes how a person smokes. Instead of seeing a cigar as a simple luxury product, one starts to view it as a piece of living tradition.
Learning to Taste for Yourself
Most smokers do not begin their journey with this level of awareness. In the early phase, people are drawn to brand names, band designs, shapes and sizes. They may hear that Cuban cigars are the best and repeat that claim without really knowing why.
Fishman encourages the opposite approach. He advises people to explore a wide range of cigars, Cuban and non Cuban, and to pay attention to how each one feels and tastes over time. Some will be instantly enjoyable, others will feel too strong or too light, and a few might only be appreciated later, when the palate becomes more sensitive.
He compares this process to learning about wine or coffee. Other people can recommend labels and describe flavors, but no one can define your preferences for you. At some point, a smoker recognizes that certain characteristics, not just the name “Cuba,” matter most to them. That moment, he says, is the start of true connoisseurship.
Where Cuba Fits in a Personal Journey
In the end, Vitali Fishman does not present Cuban cigars as a mandatory destination but as an essential reference point. They represent a long, uninterrupted tradition of tobacco growing and cigar making, combined with natural conditions that many consider unique.
For some smokers, Cuban cigars become the highest expression of the craft. For others, they are one chapter in a wider exploration. Either way, they offer more than a symbol of status. They provide a way to experience history, geography and craftsmanship in a single, slow burning object.
Taste, he insists, remains personal. What matters most is not repeating what others say, but discovering what truly resonates with you. For those willing to take that journey, a well chosen Cuban cigar can be a memorable and deeply satisfying part of the story.
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