Emergency! Leaving for Cuba tomorrow

[cbob]

Actually, I was wrong...it was 90% of alleged "Cuban" cigars brought into the US are bogus :laugh:

I can't find the worldwide %, but it was high if I remember correctly.

I've seen the same 90% figure for the US and I'd agree that the percentage is quite high but not THAT high.
The non-Cuban cigar industry has a vested interest in promoting these figures as a scare tactic to try to dissuade buyers from importing "Cuban" cigars.
The biggest problem is that the desire for "forbidden fruit" has made the average US consumer less wary than he should be of the great online "deals" and they are reluctant to broadcast any doubts about the quality of the product since they are technically breaking the law .
Where do these online dealers get all this aged stock when there was nary a smoke to be had back in the late '90s?

I know for a fact that Cuban Customs has cracked down severely on visitors smuggling hundreds of kg of "packaging materials" -box components, bands, logos, seals etc.- out of the country. I remember how upset some of the regular online buyers here were when we heard about a big seizure of material headed for Hong Kong for use in packaging cigars produced in Panama. There were many folk who suddenly stopped bragging about their "reliable connections".

As a former "frequent traveler" who goes to Cuba 2-3 times /year and who has actually shopped in all the countries I mentioned, I don't buy online. The selection and availability of non-Cuban cigars is poor in Europe and Asia, so counterfeits are actually quite rare -they are as hard to get as Cubans!
Shops in Spain, Switzerland and France that have been selling Cuban cigars for local consumption for many years can be relied upon to have good product but I'm sensitive to the forum rules so I won't mention actual sources. If you are travelling-PM me.
The worst areas are always the tourist destinations where it is worthwhile for a vendor to import Dominican "Cubans" IF he can get them cheap.
In Canada, the UK and Australia, non-Cuban and Cuban cigars cost about the same, and JR does not ship there so there are lots of fakes to be found. Reliable dealers get quite weary of all the tourists who come back from Cuba, Mexico, Jamaica or the DR with counterfeit cigars they want to try to sell.

Commander Bob
Feeling the frustration of my US brothers.

 

[Mike33]

Where do these online dealers get all this aged stock when there was nary a smoke to be had back in the late '90s?

Huh?

 

[Windigo]

I don’t think its anywhere near 90%. However, many of the tourist locations around Cuba, Mexico, and Dom Rep...Etc, are ripe for ripping tourists off. This is what makes it a likely ground for counterfeits. Some are pretty good, but most are lousy counterfeits. So a little bit of reading on the web will show you how easy it is to detect the counterfeits. There are counterfeits in the US and Canada because we have access to make the labels, and boxes quite easily due to the technology and printing capabilities available to us. Also, due to the demand of Cuban cigars, namely Montecristo, and Cohiba, it is a lucrative business.
In Canada we have Havana House that is the approved distributor of Habanos, which will guarantee authenticity. There used to Casa Del Habano that operated out of Quebec for the eastern side of Canada, which no longer handles product for Havana House due to some legal issues.

It's too bad that there are so many counterfeits out there. When someone buys cigars and they aren’t real Habanos, the person smoking them may get a false idea of what makes a Habano a Habano. Just remember to tell your friend to buy them at a Govt Approved store and you will be enjoying a fine Habanos in no time. If you live close to me I will bring a nice Esplendido with me and enjoy one with you .

Forgive me I'm just long winded! LOLOLOLOL.

 

[Drewcali]

cbob-

i appreciate what youve said here, intelligent comments w/ a big picture perspective.

as a proprietor of a cuban cigar shop in mexico, i can not disagree with your comments regarding mexico. in my travels throughout the country, i can personally attest to some outrageous acts by cigar vendors, none of which necessarily bear repeating here.

while it is unfortunate to throw the baby out with the bath water, the unsuspecting customer shops at his own risk.

as to the comment regarding falsos in the US, in my personal experience as a trader/buyer/shopper/smoker, i would put the number of fakes cuban cigars in the cigar community at around 20%. it is too hard to estimate the numbers in the country at large.

in our experience the cigar most often copied after the cohiba, are the montecristo and the romeo & julieta. many customers who are new to us, often find greater comfort purchasing A/T and cajitas.

we are working hard in our city to educate folks about the difference between real & fake and helping them identify the culprits. the struggle has just begun for us, but i believe we are making progress.

it is not too hard to find legitimate cigar vendors in cuba, aside from the lcdh stores, many other fine options exist.

boli rc should not be a hard box to find.

good luck.
cheers
drew p

ps - sorry next time i will try to remember to capitalize. :whistling:

 

[ggiese]

Not sure if that is entirely accurate or not, but I've personally seen fakes that came out of England, France, Germany, Portugal, Spain, Switzerland, The Netherlands, Scotland, Dubai, Singapore, Korea, Malaysia, and Japan - as well as a number of other "legitimate" locations...

Yeah, sure you have.

But heed your own advice. It's good for young, inexperienced cigar fans to be cautious of fakes until they have smoked a few.

Commander Bob
Who actually shopped in the places he listed, not merely copied and pasted them to make an argument.

Mental note to self: Do not do any cigar transactions with cbob :whistling:

 

[Johnny-O!]

Why mess around with Boli RC? Plenty of Gold Medal to be had in the Partagas Factory (behind the Capitol building) at less than $7/stick US. To me that is a cigar that is ready to smoke and will age greatly. Last time I checked it only came in 10 packs, so your friend may have to get 5 boxes. Oh, and go see if "La China" will roll you up some Torps. John

 

[cbob]

in our experience the cigar most often copied after the cohiba, are the montecristo and the romeo & julieta. many customers who are new to us, often find greater comfort purchasing A/T and cajitas.

I can certainly agree with your points, Drew and things are mostly the same in other countries, including Cuba.

There was a time when you could be friendly to the scammers and still avoid the fakes by just saying "No Montecristo; how about La Gloria Cubana?
Can you get some St. Luis Rey? Ramon Allones?"
The blank looks you would get as they move off are priceless.

Despite the extra crackdowns in Cuba, unfortunately the counterfeit business is still expanding. A fellow student in Havana last fall had a counterfeit Vegas Robaina Don Alejandro (which only proves they now have Robaina bands to substitute for their "RyJ") but the brands you mention are still the easiest to find.


Commander Bob
"My brother works in the Partagas factory!"

 

[absinthoman]

My friend finally got back from Cuba. She brought me back a cabinet of 25 Juan Lopez selection no.1. I veryfied the authenticity and everything looks perfect. Thank you guys for guiding me in this story.

 

[cbob]

Nice choice!

Not a brand that anyone would bother to fake because they are less well known than the usual brands.

I'm still working through a 50 cab from 2000 and smoked one just the other night.
No indication that these won't just go on getting better.

Enjoy!!

Commander Bob

 

[Jan Primus]

I agree, great choice...I've had lots of friends go to Cuba but have never been able to trust them to bring back real stuff.

 

[3Vandoo]

In 2006, the husband of my cousin, his mom is a travel agent and she goes to Cuba like 4 times a year. This time she went with three of her sisters and 2 nieces.

me and my friend (husband of cousin) we made a list of what we wanted, we put down something like 25 differents boxes as we thought she wouldn't find much.

Unfortunately or fortunately, when she arrived back to Mtl, I got a call to come by home she has the goodies. When I arrived about 12 boxes were lying on the tables, I was a kid like at christmas, happy like hell, just my wallet got a shock after lol

 

[Jan Primus]

12 boxes?

 

[3Vandoo]

12 boxes?

The mom + 3 sisters + 2 nieces = 6 persons who could bring back 50 cigars each in this case 2 boxes each for 12 all legally.

 

[Newfie]

OK, I'm coming in on the arse-end of this thread, but............................

snip.... Be aware that the Cuban govt has recently changed the way they let cigars out.....IF you get checked that is. I have not been but several people I have spoken to about this have said that the Cuban customs are only allowing thier cigars to leave the country when purchased from a Governement apporved store, with an official receipt. If you lose the receipt during your travel, you may be out of luck if they check the person bringing them out. (info received from a Habanos rep)....snip

Unless a shit-pot full of rules have changed since November 10th, 2007, that's a crock.

Yes, the rules changed prior to the date mentioned above, but actually, they're more liberal now. Previously, you were allowed less than 23 cigars without official receipt. But God help you if you have those less than 23 in a box that was bought without the proper seals (including the hologram). Now (at least, again, up to November 10th), you are allowed to export 50 cigars per person without the official paperwork.

That being said, IF you're buying cigars in the Habanos shops, why not get the proper receipts??

 

[Jan Primus]

12 boxes?

The mom + 3 sisters + 2 nieces = 6 persons who could bring back 50 cigars each in this case 2 boxes each for 12 all legally.

I'm just wondering...you got stuck with a dozen boxes when you only wanted one or they are for others as well?

 

[3Vandoo]

12 boxes?

The mom + 3 sisters + 2 nieces = 6 persons who could bring back 50 cigars each in this case 2 boxes each for 12 all legally.

I'm just wondering...you got stuck with a dozen boxes when you only wanted one or they are for others as well?

Usually when someone is going to Cuba I give them a list with some of my choices, I select about 25 names and the first on the list is my first pick, most of the time, they never find what I want so thats why I give about 20-25 names I said "bring what you find" thinking that like usual I will end up with one boxes and a 3 or 5 cigars pack, never thought they would be able to find half of the list.

My cousin left for Cayo Coco and told her precisely ONE BOX, plus I dont even have the space in my humidors I quess im just selfish