Best country(s) to buy Cubans

[alpi57]

Interesting question and even more interesting quote from the CA editor.

Here is what I have learned from my travels. There doesn't seem to be any rhyme or reason as to who has favorite status with the Cubans. You could be their darling today and find yourself completely cut-off the next. But it is all about relationships with them. Even money does not guarrantee you a good stock.

Having said that, the number one market for quality has to be the UK. They wrere the ones who taught them how to do it, set up the original factories and commisioned the majority of their products early on and that history does not go away that easy. Most of the vitolas that we smoke today are owed to the British tatse. Also the most expensive there. (A side note: another thing that we owe to the Brits is the PORT.)

A close number two is the Hong Kong market and again is due to the English connection early on and the rich collectors later. Germany, Spain, Middle East ,and now I hear Italy, fill up the ranks in that order.

Personally I have been very happy with the German products, one vendor in particular. They seem to be getting the cream of the crop lately and outside of Cuba no one can beat their combination of prices and good service.

 

[Darth Solaris]

Interesting question and even more interesting quote from the CA editor.

Here is what I have learned from my travels. There doesn't seem to be any rhyme or reason as to who has favorite status with the Cubans. You could be their darling today and find yourself completely cut-off the next. But it is all about relationships with them. Even money does not guarrantee you a good stock.

Having said that, the number one market for quality has to be the UK. They wrere the ones who taught them how to do it, set up the original factories and commisioned the majority of their products early on and that history does not go away that easy. Most of the vitolas that we smoke today are owed to the British tatse. Also the most expensive there. (A side note: another thing that we owe to the Brits is the PORT.)

A close number two is the Hong Kong market and again is due to the English connection early on and the rich collectors later. Germany, Spain, Middle East ,and now I hear Italy, fill up the ranks in that order.

Personally I have been very happy with the German products, one vendor in particular. They seem to be getting the cream of the crop lately and outside of Cuba no one can beat their combination of prices and good service.

That I believe is almost confirmable. In Palermo, theres a B&M where they sell some halfway decent RyJ's, at least my cousin thinks so over there. I'll have to email him the name and address for the place, and if they have a website. But from how he's described it, it sounds like a JR over there.

 

[moki]

Having said that, the number one market for quality has to be the UK. They wrere the ones who taught them how to do it, set up the original factories and commisioned the majority of their products early on and that history does not go away that easy.

Actually, it was Spain. Also the modern tobacco growing techniques (at the time), which are still used in Cuba today, owe an awful lot to American agricultural know-how, techniques, and investment in Cuba.

Fidel doesn't really like to mention the latter part, though.