Step through the doors of Tabac Cuban Cigars and it will feel like you’ve left Toronto behind for the streets of Cuba. Opened in 2005 by Ben Abdull, self-proclaimed cigar lover and connoisseur, the store is stocked with more than 200 varieties of Cigarillos, Torpedos, Panetelas and all other cigar types imaginable. Of course, the king is the world class Cuban cigar which is what most of Ben’s customers are looking for. “They have a certain taste and nobody knows why,” says Ben. “The tobacco in the middle is the same as the tobacco at each tip so they taste the same from beginning to end.”
Much musing goes on at this beautifully laid out store. It’s narrow but deep and tastefully lit with glass-fronted cabinets carefully displaying everything from hookahs to pipes, accessories to cigars. Exquisite packaging is part of the appeal of higher-end tobacco products; you can browse to your heart’s delight here. A walk-in humidor adds the final touch of authenticity.
