I have been fortunate to try a fair number of cigars, both at home and abroad. Cuban cigars are currently illegal in the United States, except for pre-embargo cigars which are very rare and perhaps not well stored. Technically, an American citizen cannot even legally purchase or smoke a Cuban cigar while traveling abroad, although many Americans have indulged in Canada, Mexico, the Caribbean, or Europe, among other places where Cuban cigars are sold. I have to say, Cuban cigars may be overrated as the forbidden fruit. Pre-ban, Cuban cigars were rated the best in the world--no doubt due to the fact that Americans comprised the majority of the cigar market of the world and bought all the Cubans could make. Today, Americans buy nearly all the Dominican, Honduran or Nicaraguan cigars that can be made, and they can even taste better than the previously famous Cuban cigars, which have also declined along with everything else in Cuba since the Americans left. But being an authentic Cuban cigar does make it the forbidden fruit for Americans and, therefore, desirable to some connoisseurs. To prove the point, one can expect to pay as much for top Dominican and Nicaraguan cigars as for many mediocre Cubans. I used to attend quite a few cigar tastings. And, the best Dominican cigar currently available is arguably the Fuente Fuente Opus X. And, the Padron 1926 could be the best cigar from Nicaragua. Depending on your individual taste, these cigars will likely be better than most anything currently rolled in Cuba. Macanudu is a good cigar and has an interesting history in Jamaica and now the Dominican Republic. The label was a spin-off from Punch, which is also a decent cigar. Arturo Fuente has a similarly mediocre story and taste, along with Hoyo de Monterrey, which is one of the least expensive, decent cigars and mild
