The most expensive brands of American cigarettes use the best leaves. Each cigarette manufacturer makes several brand names of cigarette — the less expensive ones use pooer quality leaves.

Most Europeans tell me that poorer quality tobacco leaves are used in the American cigarettes that are marketed over here. For instance, they tell me that a Winston sold in the US is made with a better quality tobacco leaf than the Winston that is marketed in Europe. I do not know if that is true or not.

In many places (like the French Quarter in New Orleans), you can see someone hand rolling cigars in a tobacco shop — they will show you the leaves they use and explain the differences.