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My first cuban

adamweby

Put Some Respect On My Name
28/8/12
4,312
47
48
CONUS
got to enjoy a romeo & julieta Churchill this week. It was a tight draw but really enjoyed it. I am excited to try more!
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d4m.test

Guest
got to enjoy a romeo & julieta Churchill this week. It was a tight draw but really enjoyed it. I am excited to try more!
IMG_20130425_131319_692%255B1%255D.jpg

Nice! That was my first Cuban just over a month ago! Unfortunately, my second was a replica Cohiba that someone on the beach was selling. Yuck. Brought a box of Romeo y Julieta home with me.

Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Tapatalk 2
 

jddre

Known Member
15/11/10
114
1
16
Central CONUS
i don't follow customs laws at all, someone was telling me if you visit Cuba you can bring back cigars is that true?
 

Matyoka

Renowned Member
5/7/10
983
1
0
i don't follow customs laws at all, someone was telling me if you visit Cuba you can bring back cigars is that true?

There are a couple of ways to get into Cuba, some being legal(with an OFAC license)... and NO, you cannot bring back any Cuban items being banded or un-banded. The United States has an embargo with Cuba since they scarred the poop out of America during the Missile Crisis. No cigars, no rum, nothing Hecho en Cuba... just STDs.

The news travels lightning fast among US citizens, and since Cuba does not stamp passports... why not travel from Canada or Mexico? So, that's the illegal way of going there and enjoying some Cuba libre or mojitos while smoking on the island where time stood still. Well sort of, as they have Internet nowadays I hear.
 

300kph

Active Member
24/5/13
351
1
18
I love Cubans but they are not the "be-all / "end-all"... Got turned onto them in the late 80's and have been making the almost-yearly trek there since.

Canadians can legally bring back 50 per person. I usually travel with a group and have them "mule" some for me so I can bring back plenty (275 this year)

Conversely, folks in the US get all the great deals on all the wonderful non-Cuban smokes at prices about 25 cents on the dollar to what we pay here.

While Cubans rock they are often a tight draw that require as much as week of dry-boxing (simply placed in a non-humidified humidor or just a left-over cigar box) Its a delicate balance of trial and error but with time you can get them just right.

The tight construction and the fact Cuban tobacco is usually a little higher in oils make them that way and also the fact they are usually over-humidified in Cuba (I routinely see their walk-ins set at 75% or more)

There are some truly amazing non-Cubans out there (Nicuragua, Dominican and Honduras are the big players) Padrons (out of Nic) are as good as anything Cuban.

Hey BigRaj! (who I met for the first time today) Does that mean you are a smoker?

We'll light one up on Corydon next time we get togther (I have about 900 on hand / 400 Cuban / 500 NC)

W

Hey, I'll send someone a nice "cigar surprise" if they can find me a top-notch AP Royal Oak Montauk Highway w/ SS bracelet.
 

Matyoka

Renowned Member
5/7/10
983
1
0
Nice to have you here 300. In my 15+ years of smoking Cubans and Non Cubans, I could count on my two hands the number of tight draws encountered. I have never purchased fresh cigars out of a store, so maybe that's why I got this lucky. I was going to propose buying some of your desired NCs but I saw that you have quite a few in your collection. It seems that you are a true BOTL.
 

300kph

Active Member
24/5/13
351
1
18
Thanks for the kind words Mat.

It's good to have this dedicated cigar section in this excellent forum.

I've been dealing with the brothers down at Atlantic Cigar. They are wonderful guys. If you have not yet signed up for their mailers do so. Great prices and excellent specials.

They have got a bit more aggressive in the past year or so, in an effort to compete with the other big online sellers. Being in Canada they are a godsend as they send me stuff "under the radar" and I avoid the 250% duty. It's sick! A Pardon Exclusivo costs me about $12 (inc. shipping) a stick and they are over $30 here. We get taxed to death on smokes and booze here.

It is nice being able to bring back Cubans but they are getting out of hand. I bought all 3 Behikes and 2 boxes of the 1966 last year and a bunch of other top brand stuff and the visa bill almost gave me a stroke!

Behikes cost around $30 per in Cuba and $65 here. Monte A's are almost $70 here. Taxes are killing the retail trade here.

I brought back 275 this year but went with some lesser known brands that were much cheaper than the top Cubans and if u are patient and age them they are awesome. Sancho Panza, Ramon Allones, el Rey del Mundo, St. Luis rey, San Cristobol etc. Partagas are also one of my faves and the price is creeping uo but they are still great value. Gonna crack a 2 year old box of Lusitanias this weekend!

Conversely, a bundle of 25 J. (Nic) Fuego Deliriums in Belicosa can be had for under $90 with free shipping to lucky you in the US and they are dynamite smokes. Give them a year and they as good as Monte 2's. I think they are one of the best values in NC smokes.

I've been buying from Atlantic for about 5 years now and they have allowed me to try probably close to 200 sticks I never see here. I love doing their samplers and putting together orders of onesies and 3-5 packs.

Smoke in Peace!

W
 

rhounsell

Known Member
16/12/11
118
0
0
Thanks for the kind words Mat.

I've been dealing with the brothers down at Atlantic Cigar. They are wonderful guys. If you have not yet signed up for their mailers do so. Great prices and excellent specials.

They have got a bit more aggressive in the past year or so, in an effort to compete with the other big online sellers. Being in Canada they are a godsend as they send me stuff "under the radar" and I avoid the 250% duty. It's sick! A Pardon Exclusivo costs me about $12 (inc. shipping) a stick and they are over $30 here. We get taxed to death on smokes and booze here.

Thanks for the heads up on this site, looks great!

Fellow :canuck: here, I usually pop across the border to Maine to bring back all my non-cuban stuff but having a site like this is very nice!
 

Matyoka

Renowned Member
5/7/10
983
1
0
I am trying to work out the details on being able to organize box splits... As of now it's not allowed.