Cuban Cigar Factories

[cigardawg]

This is a question that has puzzled me recently. I recognize the fact that Cuban cigars a rolled in a multitude of factories across Cuba. I also recognize the fact that the same brand/vitola might be made in different factories, even within the same year. My question(s) is this...are there differences in the same cigar made in different factories? Are these difference dramatic? Are there "top-tier" factories? Are there factories not to buy from?

I know the best answer to this is experience. Smoke a lot of different cigars from different factories and judge for myself. I'm mostly just curious as to the experiences of others here on the board. Some information is provied in MattR's factory and date codes post, but I was wondering if there was more information available.

 

[Gonz]

I had read in a book that certain brands/vitolas were better from certain factories. And that was why for so long the box codes were somewhat of a secret. They didn't want folks only buying their Monte #2's from the H. Upmann factory, if that was where they were made best. Then all the Monte #2's from anywhere else, such as the RyJ factory, might sit on a shelf if consumers had the impression that they weren't rolled as well.

At least that's the impression that I have of box codes. Perhaps someone who knows more may shed a little light. I'm happy just to have a chance to smoke any cuban, regardless of where it's rolled! :laugh:

 

[LC-Smoker]

Any mention of this topic in MRN?

 

[cigardawg]

Any mention of this topic in MRN?

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I didn't see it, but then I didn't read the entire book. Might have missed it.

 

[cvmfour]

Factory codes were a good reference until 2003 or after. This is when Cuba got smart and decided to switch up the codes to EVERY factory almost monthly. So no one can tell if a cigar is made at the RyJ factory or at provincial factory in the sticks. They had a problem of people buying cigars only from the 5 Havana factories and not from the other factories. So you can still use factory codes pre-2004 but they're useless after 2004.

Here's a site incase you wanted to do some research:

http://www.cigarweekly.com/community/resou...n_box_codes.asp

 

[cigardawg]

Factory codes were a good reference until 2003 or after. This is when Cuba got smart and decided to switch up the codes to EVERY factory almost monthly. So no one can tell if a cigar is made at the RyJ factory or at provincial factory in the sticks. They had a problem of people buying cigars only from the 5 Havana factories and not from the other factories. So you can still use factory codes pre-2004 but they're useless after 2004.

Here's a site incase you wanted to do some research:

http://www.cigarweekly.com/community/resou...n_box_codes.asp

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Thanks for the info and the link. Without knowing it, I guess I was referring to pre-2004 box codes for the most part. Guess I'll just have to smoke more cigars so that I can build my own reference base. :whistling:

Thanks again. :thumbs: