Why are Asia’s affluent obsessed with Cuban cigars?

Why are Asia’s affluent obsessed with Cuban cigars?

Cuban cigars are in high demand among Asia’s wealthy elite with tobacco firm Habanos SA reporting record sales of $827 million in 2024. China leads the surge and India’s luxury cigar market is also rapidly expanding. Despite challenges like hurricanes and tobacco regulations, the country’s cigar industry remains a crucial economic lifeline

Visitors photograph cigars on display during the XXV Cigar Festival at Convention Palace in Havana, Cuba, Tuesday, February 24, 2025. File Image/AP