ARUBA CIGARS

I found some interesting information today whilst browsing and I thought that you might also find it interesting. The American ban on Cuban cigars had led to a huge local industry increase and the production expansion of other islands in the Cuba region. I found these two articles on the Red Dot Cohiba and the Aruba cigars quite interesting."Aruhiba", a new cigar rolled from tobacco grown on the island. This new product, bound to attract attention, was the brainchild of Benjamin Petrochi.In the small, upscale cigar shop he opened June of 2006 next to the "Windmill", he sits, rolling and cutting his Aruban grown tobacco leaves, shaping them into the perfect thickness and length. Petrochi is a man who is passionate about his work. Having sold cigars from other countries for over a decade, six years ago he decided that he wanted to produce his own, from scratch. It is an arduous process, likened more to a labor of love, to produce the kind of cigar connoisseurs desire. Growing tobacco in Aruba is no easy feat and Petrochi has toiled endlessly for the last six years. Petrochi’s tobacco production is relatively small and he does everything himself, much the way things were done years ago. While Petrochi began using his tobacco two years ago to roll cigars for himself, it is just now that the tobacco is ready to be used to produce commercial quality cigars.Tobacco plants require nine months of cultivation. The challenges are many. "It’s not easy in Aruba; you have to contend with the weather and the insects. I have to fight the white flies every day," he said. Despite the bugs, he tries to use as little pesticide as possible. MORE INFO

Cigars on Aruba
A cigar is a tightly rolled bundle of dried and fermented tobacco, one end of which is ignited so that its smoke may be drawn into the smoker's mouth through the other end.
The word cigar is from the Spanish word cigarro, which the Oxford English Dictionary suggests is a variation on cigarra, Spanish for "cicada," due to its shape, especially that of what is now called the perfecto. Other sources have indicated that it may be derived from the Mayan word sikar, "tobacco."
Many Premium brands are available on Aruba.
Cigar tobacco is grown in significant quantities in such nations as Brazil, Cameroon, Cuba, Dominican Republic, Honduras, Indonesia, Mexico, Nicaragua and the United States of America. Cigars manufactured in Cuba are widely considered to be without peer, although many experts believe that the best offerings from Honduras and Nicaragua rival those from Cuba. The Cuban reputation is thought to arise from both the unique characteristics of the Vuelta Abajo district in the Pinar del Río Province at the west of the island, where a microclimate allows high-quality tobacco to be grown; and the skill of the Cuban cigar makers.Would you like to order Cigars for in Aruba please contact us for a price list and additional information. We deliver to your hotel on Aruba. We are not able to send to the USA because of USA embargo against Cuba

Cohiba "red dot" cigars are made in the Dominican Republic by the General Cigar Company (a subsidiary of Swedish Match). The cigars have a unique band with a couple of obvious red dots, one inside the black letter 'O' in the name Cohiba, and another inside a black circle on the side of the band. This unique band with red dots helps distinguish the cigars from their Cuban counterparts, which are not legal the United States. The "red dot" Cohibas are made with aged Dominican filler tobaccos and Cameroon wrappers, and do not contain any Cuban tobacco. The Cohiba cigar brand originated in Cuba, and is one of the most recognized and respected names in the industry, which sometimes makes it the victim of counterfeiters. However, General Cigar vigorously defends their trademark to exclusively market the Dominican Cohiba brand of cigars in the U.S. The Robusto that I reviewed was five inches long with a ring gauge of 49.
Flavor:

I have smoked these cigars on several occasions in the past, and found them to be somewhat strong on my palate. In hopes of mellowing one out, I aged this particular Robusto in my humidor for almost three years. Although the taste did become less harsh with age, the flavor was still not as mellow as I would have liked. This was definitely a full flavored stick with very deep tobacco tastes. I would not recommend such a full bodied cigar to beginners, as this cigar should be enjoyed by serious cigar smokers, only.
Draw and Construction:

The cigar was very well made, had an excellent draw, and did not require any relights. The cigar burned evenly and held a long ash. There were not any issues with the construction of the cigar to negatively impact my smoking experience.
Value:

When purchased in packs or boxes, Cohiba Robustos can cost around $7 per stick, but will cost more when purchased as singles. Full bodied cigars at the top of the flavor and strength spectrum are more expensive than milder stogies. In addition, distinguished brand names can command higher prices. However, these cigars would only be worth the price to veteran cigar enthusiasts who really enjoy full bodied cigars with very deep tobacco flavors. Beginners beware! More cigar Info
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