Mom headed for the D.R.

[TampaSupremo]

Hey all,

Saturday, my mother is headed to the Dominican Republic for some kind of mission trip, but they will have a day in the city (Santo Domingo, I believe). She asked me if I wanted her to bring back some sticks. Anyone have some suggestions on what's good down there that you can't get up here (or something that's like 50 cents down there but $10 here)? I'm not sure if they sell ISOMs in DR, but I told her if they did to not try to bring any back. I don't want to put her through a hassle. Anyhow, thanks in advance for the help.

TampaSupremo

(also posted at CS)

 

[JetDr]

In my experience, we'll use an AF 858 for example, can be purchased here for about 4.50 to 5.00. In the DR, you are going to pay 8 to 10 dollars. The reason is two fold. First, all of the major brand sticks produced in the country are required to be exported immediatly. They are produced in the "compound" and under heavy guard, so the price is raised when there is the import/ export/ and import tax to return them to the DR to sell. The second reason for the inflated price is the novelty of a "fresh" cigar. (That still always makes me laugh, fresh.) I actually had one of the shop owners in the DR tell me they cost more cause these are real Fuentes, not the ones we buy in the States. They know that people are coming down there with the expectation of purchasing a fresh, cheap, cigar in the country where they are rolled, so they add the tourist price in to the total.

I did come across a couple of rollers down by the beach, but they were all short filler and scraps that weren't worth the dollar a stick they were asking.

Sorry to burst your bubble. :blush:

 

[Infinity]

Ask your Mom to bring you back a T shirt... My Mom was in the DR and brought this back for me.

Seriously, unless she knows someone who know someone, don't ask her to get you any sticks, she will either get ripped with fakes or pay a premium but probably both.

Brian

 

[Wurm]

Well I wouldn't have her go walking around looking for street vendors or shops, but there are a few cigar factory tours in that area, including La Aurora.

http://www.cigar-mogul.com/photo.htm

So maybe she could take one of the tours and bring you back some freshrolls.

 

[MiamiCubano]

If you do some searches here, there's no shortage of "Headed to the DR" posts that might give you some insight as you read through them. I have a house in Casa de Campo (La Romana), DR and go there frequently. As has been said, don't send her on a mission to get ISOMs. She will get taken and, if she is going to Santo Domingo itself, it's no place I'd really send my mother to go wander the streets aimlessly (or even with direction for that matter), unless she was accompanied by a trusty driver or staff member. There are parts of the city that are just some of the most impoverished, crime-ridden places you can imagine. Even the very wealthy parts of the capital border on such areas and you'll see that most of the wealthy families in Santo Domingo are behind gates. La Romana isn't much different, except the entire Casa de Campo compound is gated. Outside of the community are some pretty rough areas for the average, non-latin traveller. But, by and large, the majority of Dominicans are some of the nicest, most hospitable people on this planet.

The DR peso is at a good exchange rate to the US dollar (presently, $1 US will get you 32 DR pesos...that's down a bit from where it was not all that long ago, $1 to 43 DR) and you can get all manner of goods quitely cheaply. Linen guayaberas (chacabanas as they call them there), vanilla, rum, cigars...all can be acquired inexpensively if you go to the right places. One such place is a very large, super-WalMart type store called "Jumbo." They have everything and you can score boxes of La Aurora and Leon Jimenes for much cheaper than you can acquire them in the states. So has my experience been anyway, and those are what I always keep on hand there (among other sticks of course).

IF anything, have your mom head to a place like Jumbo and pick up some Leon Jimenes. Do not, under any circumstances, allow her to even consider a search for ISOMs. They will 99% be fakes and she'll get taken. Instruct her to tell people there that she has no interest whatsoever in them, that she only wants Leon Jimenes or Auroras (assuming she's going to pick you up a box).

She will enjoy it there though...guaranteed.