The Cigar Aficionado Podcast Episode #2: Cuba
5/27/202623 min
Executive Editor David Savona and Managing Editor Greg Mottola discuss the rapidly changing situation in Cuba, the birthplace of the premium cigar industry, in the newest edition of the Cigar Aficionado Podcast. From the energy crisis to the oil embargo and the declining availability and soaring prices of Cuban cigars, Episode 2 offers an entertaining and educational look at the challenges facing Cuba today, and how the geopolitical forces and trials of nature have affected Cuba’s legendary cigar industry. Perfect for cigar lovers and anyone interested in the world of Cuba and its famed cigars.
Clips
Transcript preview
First 90 secondsDavid Savona· Host0:00
[theme music] This is the Cigar Aficionado podcast, coming to you from the Cigar Aficionado Lounge here in New York City. I'm David Savona from Cigar Aficionado, joined here by Greg Mottola. How you doing, Greg?
Greg Mottola· Host0:22
Doing all right. Y- you know, it looks like we were both in a, a Cuban kinda mood this afternoon. You look at all these cigars we put out. I chose this, uh, the Trinidad Cabildos, which was the Edición Limitada in 2024, so it has a little bit of age on it. And looks like you were thinking Cuba, too.
David Savona· Host0:42
I am thinking Cuba, too. I'm smoking a Cohiba Siglo VI, rated 94 points in a recent issue of Cigar Aficionado. Speaking of Cuba, that is the subject of today's episode, and there's a lot going on in Cuba. We'll start first from the cigar side. 2026, normally we would've gone to the Habanos Festival.
Greg Mottola· Host1:01
Oh, what Habanos Festival.
David Savona· Host1:03
What Habanos Festival. It was a year with no festival, at least no festival for now. The festival was postponed. There is no date set yet for it to happen again. But Cuba has some big issues going on, uh, issues that go far beyond the world of cigars.
Greg Mottola· Host1:18
I can't even keep up with what's going on in the- It, it's changing rapidly, changing on the daily.
David Savona· Host1:23
Uh, as we're speaking right now, it's very, uh... it's imminent that the, the US is probably going to indict