Hoyo de Monterrey is the name of two premium cigar brands, one produced in Cuba for Habanos SA, the Cuban state-owned tobacco company and the other produced in Honduras by General Cigar. If you’re a long-time smoker, have a strong knowledge of history, or both, you’ll know that in February 1962, President John F. Kennedy proclaimed an embargo on trade between the United States and Cuba, in response to certain actions taken by the Cuban Government and the Fidel Castro regime. Sugar cane and various other sundries were no longer traded, but the biggest kick to the gut for Cuban brand loyalists came when the almighty Habano cigars could no longer be purchased right here in the USA.

That said, those lucky enough to get their hands on the Cuban Hoyo and can bring the legal amount back home are in for a very special treat. However, those who can’t, often pose the question “what’s the difference between a Cuban Hoyo de Monterrey And Honduran Hoyo de Monterrey Cigar”? Before we can answer that question, let’s take a close-up look at them both starting with the original Cuban brand.

Founded in 1865 by Cuban tobacco grower José Gene, the Cuban Hoyo de Monterrey cigar remains one of the most famous premium brands in the world.  The Cuban Hoyo de Monterrey cigar owes its origin to the town of San Luis y Martinez, which lies at the heart of the Vuelta Abajo region, an area north of Havana that boasts extremely fertile soil and the perfect climate for growing tobacco. The Cuban Hoyo de Monterrey cigar is widely considered a medium to full bodied blend that’s creamy textured, yet so rich in taste, that the strength really sneaks up on you, in a good way though. Courtesy of a blend of 100% genuine Cuban tobaccos, these beauties deliver alluring flavors of cocoa, cedar, marshmallow, spice, and cream. Furthermore, impossibly solid construction, even coloring from smoke to the next, a flattened triple-cap, and a perfectly symmetrical banding assures that you are not smoking a counterfeit. Shoddy construction, a fake Cuban seal, and cellophane wrapping is also a dead giveaway, like Cuban cigars, aside from those in tubes, are always packaged in the nude. In addition to all the clues mentioned above, a real Cuban Hoyo de Monterrey cigar tends to burn with a solid gray ash and displays a unique sweet-smelling, vanilla-like aroma that is unlike any other.

To satisfy cigar smokers that feel deprived of the brand’s Cuban counterpart, Hoyo de Monterrey has been producing comparably delicious handmade premium cigars in Honduras since 1970. With such longevity, this full-bodied Cuban heritage brand is considered the granddaddy of premium Honduran cigars! Beginning with tobacco seeds smuggled out of Cuba in a diplomatic pouch, this was the first authentic Habana-style cigar made outside of Cuba. Also boasting a medium-to-full body profile, the enormously popular Honduran Hoyo de Monterrey cigar is skillfully fashioned with an Ecuador Sumatra wrapper and a savory Connecticut Broadleaf binder, surrounding a rich blend of fully aged Dominican, Honduran, and Nicaraguan long filler tobaccos.

Billed as being a rather spicy and earthy smoke, backed by notes of cocoa, leather, and sweet tobacco, the Honduran Hoyo de Monterrey Cigar is sure to put a smile on the face of any cigar enthusiast, including those who have the privilege of indulging in its Cuban cousin.

In summary, the Honduran Hoyo de Monterrey Cigar, as one would expect, has a slightly different flavor profile than the Cuban Hoyo de Monterrey cigar, yet most will find it incredibly satisfying on its own, and it offers a great alternative to its original namesake without  needing a passport and a plane ticket to buy some.