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While you're at it, add this to your order and SAVE!
 Perelman's Pocket Cyclopedia of Havana Cigars - Third Edition
A $12.95 value! Now only $1.00 with your Buyer's Guide Sampler purchase! Perelman's Pocket Cyclopedia of Havana Cigars Third Edition provides complete coverage of Cuban brands, shapes, sizes, history and more! One day, you might just be in a position to buy some genuine Cuban cigars. Get this guide and be prepared. A must-have, especially if you travel extensively.
How Castro created a new cigar industry
By Gary Korb
The names are familiar. Cohiba, Montecristo, Romeo y Julieta, H. Upmann, Hoyo De Monterrey, Punch, Partagas, and more, all of which are identified with Cuba's "Golden Age," when cigars were king and Havana was the brightest star in the Caribbean. Then, in January 1959, came the ultimate buzzkill. Fidel Castro and his Communist regime force Batista out, and shortly thereafter begin nationalizing the tobacco farms. Families such as the Tora?os, the Plasencias, the Perdomos, Olivas, Padr?ns, and others had little choice but to leave their native country, some with nothing more than the shirts on their backs and some loose change in their pockets. Generations of master tobacco growers and cigar makers were uprooted taking their talent, and thankfully, their seeds, not only to the United States, but to other Caribbean nations such as The Dominican Republic, Honduras and Nicaragua. However, these weren't any ordinary ?migr?s; they had an undying passion for what they did.
They had the last laugh, too. Not only did they build a new cigar industry, but they took it to new heights. Today they all produce cigars that have not only equaled the quality and flavor of Cuban cigars, but far exceeded their expectations. As a result, many of the classic brands listed above have been reinvented, and in most cases become as lauded and coveted as their Cuban originals. But don't thank Fidel. Thank the families who, through their sheer determination and innate resourcefulness found a way to continue their fine tradition of growing great tobacco and producing great cigars.
How to help keep your cigars from turning bitter in the last act
Some cigars start out great, but turn bitter near the end. Often it's just the nature of the cigar, but if it happens a lot, it may be more about your smoking technique. Cigars naturally build up bitter-tasting tars as they burn. If you draw too hard and/or too often, even more tars will build up in that last section. So here's one solution: When you get down toward the band, let your cigar rest longer between puffs. About two minutes should do it. By taking it slow during that last act, you'll preserve more of your cigar's core flavors, and get more cigar for your money, too.
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