By Izzy Jaecks

If this were anything else but an American, cigar-friendly e-zine, the story that follows might have promised to be more racy based on the title.  But this is PlanetZman, not Penthouse, so there are some standards of “decency” to which we must adhere…Anyone who smokes cigars knows (or at least has been told) that Cuban cigars are the Holy Grail of sticks.  Their mystery and mystique is heightened for us Americans since the only legal way for us to smoke one is to leave the country to do so,* which would make for one REALLY expensive cigar.   My local cigar shop has some of those “pre-embargo” Cubans, and the few that I had from there were decent, but nothing truly special.  I’ve kicked around the idea of ordering some from websites that promise they will ship to the US, but I’m not ready to give up an arm and maybe even a foot on the shipping costs.

Luckily, earlier this year I was meeting up with some of my Canadian friends at a conference in Chicago.  One of them was gracious enough to sneak me in a Cuban. I’m sure the conversation at the border went something like this:

Customs Agent: “yoos got anything aboot you that’s illegal, eh?”
Friend: “No, eh”
Customs Agent: “OK then, eh”

Unfortunately, as he is not a smoker himself, my description of what kind of cigars I like fell on generous but deaf ears… He brought me a Romeo Y Julieta Romeo No1.  It was a lighter wrapper than I usually buy for myself, but embargo breakers can’t be choosers.  As Chicago is one of those pesky “smoke free” cities, I had to head out to the streets in front of the Hilton to light up…It cut perfectly.  Lighting was difficult, but that was not the cigar’s fault.  The flavor was somewhat light and sweet, but it still had something of a kick.   Hard to judge the aroma in the wind of the Windy City.  I enjoyed this stick down to the butt… and while I feel I should be “forever changed” by losing my Cuban virginity, I have to say to her, “I’ve had better, sweetie.”

I know better than to judge all Cuban cigars based on this one stick that luck brought me (and looking at a couple sites, this one didn’t happen to rate very well with more seasoned Cuban aficionados), but at least I can die feeling a little more complete for having at least one Cuban in my life.

- Izzy

* The Department of Homeland Security says, “Importation of Cuban-origin cigars and other Cuban-origin tobacco products is prohibited whether the goods are purchased by the importer or given to the importer as a gift. Similarly, the import ban extends to Cuban-origin cigars and other Cuban-origin tobacco products offered for sale over the Internet or through a catalog.”

Well gosh.