| cigars can be made anywhere, of course. But just as | | | | cigar buyers to protect themselves. Here are some |
| Detroit makes us think of cars and Hollywood | | | | tell-tale markings that separate real from ersatz |
| reminds us of movies, cigar smokers often think of | | | | Cubans. |
| Cuba as the apex of cigar-making. | | | | The Warranty Seal. On the top left front edge of |
| Why Cuba? As with so much of history, the answer | | | | most boxes of real Cubans made since 1912, there |
| has to do with colonialism. Tobacco smoking took off | | | | will be a Cuban tax stamp. Check for one with clear |
| in Europe after Columbus's expeditions, and as | | | | print and a relatively recent date. |
| various European countries fought amongst each | | | | The Habanos Chevron. Every box of Havana cigars |
| other for control over the lucrative "New World," | | | | made since 1994 should have an additional label with |
| tobacco was one of the crops that made certain | | | | the silhouette of a tobacco leaf on it. |
| regions more desirable than others. The area we now | | | | Hallmarks. Cuban cigars have burned-in marks on the |
| know as Cuba was under Spanish control when, in | | | | wrapper which will give the name of the exporter. |
| the 18th century, the Spaniards began to produce | | | | These may say Habanos s.a. (for the company that |
| the first modern cigars, using tobacco imported from | | | | exports Havanas), Hecho En Cuba ("Made in Cuba", |
| Cuba. So Cuba was involved with the very birth of | | | | added in 1960), or Totalmente a mano ("by hand |
| the cigar. | | | | only", added in 1989). |
| But, as any dedicated smoker knows, whole cigars | | | | Inside the Box. Boxes should include a piece of |
| travel better than tobacco - so when Cubans began | | | | parchment with the Habanos logo and storage |
| producing their own cigars later in the century, these | | | | recommendations, written in Spanish, English, French |
| cigars quickly overtook Spanish-made cigars in | | | | and German. Handmade Cuban cigars aren't generally |
| popularity. So popular did these rich cigars remain | | | | wrapped in cellophane, so the presence of this |
| that, before he erected trade barriers between Cuba | | | | packing material is usually a dead giveaway. Finally, |
| and the United States, President John F. Kennedy | | | | sniff for an odor of ammonia - the presence of this |
| personally stocked up on boxes of - you guessed it - | | | | smell, to any degree, is another tipoff that the cigars |
| Cuban cigars. | | | | aren't real. |
| Now the demand for these fine smokes far outstrips | | | | And, of course, look at the cigars themselves, which |
| production - especially since Cuban cigars cannot | | | | should be well-made, finely-veined or not veined at all. |
| legally be purchased in the United States. Demand | | | | These counterfeits are sold all over the place, |
| without supply, of course, presents a golden | | | | including reputable cigar stores - often the proprietors |
| opportunity to counterfeiters. Using, in some cases, | | | | are being fooled as well. So be on your guard. And |
| equipment no more sophisticated than a cheap laser | | | | remember that - just as Japan and Germany make |
| printer and a computer graphics program, these | | | | cars that compete with the best of Detroit and |
| unscrupulous folks can turn a box of cheap short-leaf | | | | Bombay, India, makes more movies than Hollywood - |
| machine-rolled fakes into $20-a-pop fine Cubans. Lax | | | | there are wonderful cigars from all over the world, |
| legal penalties in many countries give the | | | | many of them easier to obtain. Keep an open mind. |
| counterfeiters even more incentive - so it's up to | | | | |