Pre-Embargo, Cuban-Tobacco Cigars ?

About a month ago I re-discovered, in my stash of railroad stuff, a souvenir from a November 8, 1953 inspection tour of the Holyoke and Westfield Railroad (Massachusetts). The cigar manufacturer, 7-20-4 Cigars, still exists and has quite a story. They opened in 1874 and closed in 1963 due to the embargo on Cuban tobacco, which they used exclusively. Kurt Kendall revived the name in 2006, which is why their bands now have Kendall on them instead of RG Sullivan’s.

But were they pre-embargo, Cuban-tobacco cigars?

Today, we smoked 'em, after giving them the month to recover in a humidor. The results were... Mixed. The band did have R. G. Sullivan on them, which theoretically was not made again after 1963. While they didn't smell like horse manure pre-lit (a typical nature of Cuban tobacco), they did smell pleasant, maybe a bit earthy. The filling was short-leaf, an inexpensive approach, but still often done with Cuban cigars today. The flavor was mild, but very nice. Again, though, not exactly "Cuban." Overall gut feeling - maybe.

See the To Shiny Rails story.