In 2015, the embargo was lifted between the US and Cuba — and once again, Cuban cigars were available to export. Cuba's tobacco production can be compared to Napa Valley's wine culture — it's taken seriously, and can be a big draw for tourists.
The recipe for a Cuban cigar is the country's climate, as well as the soil which makes for a rich harvest.
While foreign sales in cigars rose steadily through 2015, some Cuban tobacco farmers also gained income by hosting international visitors, giving guided tours through the beautiful countryside, and an inside look at how the cigars are produced.
One such farm is the family-run and owned Montesino. Located in Pinar del Rio, a little over an hour west of Havana, the farm is one of Cuba's most renowned tobacco producers. Here's how it makes a fine Cuban cigar.
SEE ALSO: 19 gorgeous photos of daily life in Cuba
Tobacco plants are generally planted late in the year, and grown for three months before picking it, leaf by leaf.
Tobacco seeds are extremly small, and each plant can produce up to 30 leaves.
Tobacco farmer Raul Valdes Villasusa shows his hands, calloused from years of hard work.
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