Culebras: 3 cigars that are tied together????

Culebras???

Culebra Cigars: Cigars that are tied together???

Recently, I opened one of my wineadors and realized I had quite a few Culebra cigars. I started to read into notables like the Cuban Partagas and Davidoff Culebra. Boutique companies such as Artesano Del Tobacco, Caldwell, Tatuaje, and El Viejo have also put out some exciting Culebras, with mainstream companies JC Newman having a couple in their portfolio as well, from the Brickhouse and Perla Del Mar lines.

Culebra cigars are one of the most distinctive and intriguing shapes in premium cigars. Their unique appearance and history set them apart from traditional cigars, making them a fascinating subject for both cigar aficionados and those new to the world of cigars. Culebra cigars are a bundle of three long, slender cigars twisted together to form a braided or rope-like shape. The name "Culebra" is Spanish for "snake," which aptly describes the intertwined appearance of these cigars. Each cigar in the Culebra is typically around 5 to 6 inches long, with a ring gauge of about 38, although boutique companies will make these in different formats than the more traditional ones. The cigars are often tied with a ribbon and in a coffin, enhancing their unique presentation.

The origins of Culebra cigars are shrouded in a blend of legend, historical fact, and, to be blunt, different versions of how and where they came to be. The most widely accepted story dates to the late 19th and early 20th centuries in Cuba. It is said that Culebra cigars were initially created for cigar factory workers. The workers were allowed to smoke while they worked, but factory owners limited the number of cigars they could take home each day. To circumvent this restriction, the workers combined three cigars, allowing them to take home more tobacco in a single "cigar." This practice not only provided workers with more smoking material but also allowed them to distinguish their cigars from those sold commercially. Another aspect of Culebra cigars' history is their role in quality control. Because the individual cigars in a Culebra are thinner, they burn hotter and faster. This makes it easier to detect any flaws in the tobacco blend, ensuring that only the highest quality cigars are sold to customers.

Smoking a Culebra cigar is a unique experience, both visually and in terms of flavor. Many cigar enthusiasts enjoy carefully untying the ribbon and separating the three cigars. Each cigar can be smoked separately, allowing the smoker to savor the distinct characteristics of each one. Alternatively, some smoke the cigars together as a group adding to the camaraderie as brothers or sisters of the leaf. WHAT HAS BEEN THE BEST CULEBRAS YOU HAVE SMOKED THUS FAR???? COMMENT BELOW !!