Buying Cigars in Cuba

[The Smoker]

Hello Everyone,

I am thinking of visiting Cuba later this year, and I am hoping to pick up a few boxes of cigars!

I was wondering if anyone here had experience of buying cigars in Cuba, as I could do with some advice. For example, I am interested to know what the prices are like compared with what we pay here in the UK - (I usually buy my cigars from C. Gars Ltd).

I've done some reading about the perils of buying cheap counterfeit cigars from street sellers, but still there must be some price variance when choosing between the legitimate outlets. Maybe visiting one of the factories and buying directly could be the cheapest option?

I'm also curious about the customs limit. Of course, all the cigars are for my own selfish use, but I don't want to be faced with huge VAT & duty payments when I get home!

Thank you for reading my message, and I appreciate any advice you can offer me.


Martin

[cj121]

Hello Martin,

Good place to start would be this thread mate,
Chris

http://www.ukcigarforums.com/showthread.php?t=1269&highlight=buying+cigars+cuba

[Deano]

Aye. But in a synopsis:

a) Don't buy on the street buy from a dealer.
b) Keep your receipts so you can get through customs.
c) Prices are sometimes under a 1/3 of what we pay here.

E.g. I just got 10 Monte Sublimes from Cuba:

Cgars: http://www.cgarsltd.co.uk/montecristo-sublimes-limited-edition-2008-p-6010.html £220
Cuba: £73

Hoyo No.2's

Cgars: http://www.cgarsltd.co.uk/hoyo-monterrey-epicure-p-194.html £289
Cuba: £94

[Robusto]

Now THOSE are the kind of figures I'm interested in, Dean.
Direct comparisons.

I had a conversation with Paul the Dawg yesterday over a couple of Bolivars in a glorious garden about whether I should bring back boxes of Hindenbergs from Cuba, or whether I should stick to Robustos...

I am VERY interested by those prices and will leave some space in my huni for some quality browns. :smoke:

Although we have been round some of this topic before, Sir, this is an excellent thread.

It helps me know when to open and snap shut my wallet in my mind.

http://2aday.files.wordpress.com/2007/10/led_zeppelin_i.jpg

Phat Phalluses were on my mind because I've been doing iconic album covers in one of my classes.

Exploding cigars.

[snooky]

Cgars are good but a bit pricey , check out Monte or 1001 through this site, enjoy Cuba, thinking of a break there myself

[The Smoker]

Thanks for the replies!! There is so much info on that other thread, I have some reading to do! :)

[The Smoker]

Thanks for that link cj, it had such a huge amount of helpful data!

Deano, those price differences are quite astonishing, and this is the main reason I wanted to visit Cuba!!! The plan is to go there and buy a whole suitcase full of cigars. Of course, the risky part is upon arrival in the UK. If they catch me with so many boxes of cigars, I will need another suitcase full of money to pay the customs charges.

So, I had the idea to visit Cuba, buy cigars, then mail them home! This way I can safely mark the customs declaration. If I spent a week there, I could send a parcel each day from a different post office to a different address in the UK (friends, family etc).

With all of that said, I then had a look at the recommendation of snooky's. 1001cubancigars.com have unbelievable prices!!!!!!! Of course, they are not as low as the Cuban prices that Deano mentioned, but still pretty damn good! A box of 25 Bolivar Royal Coronas work out to about £4 per cigar inc shipping. The least I have ever paid for that cigar is about £10!!!!!!! The only reason I haven't already thrown myself under a bus is that I have only ever bought 2-3 cigars at a time, and it is only a recent interest of mine to accumulate a large stock.

I also sent a message to monte, and will see what his prices are like too.

Next, I need to look into humidor requirements! I think I might spend the rest of my life browsing this forum! :41:

Thanks again,


Martin

[snooky]

Good luck, looks like your gonna need a bigger Humi !

[yankeefan]

sometimes i wonder if it is best to buy a couple of big size humidors or severeal small size ones like i have done. oh well live and learn.:biggrin1:

[PoohBore]

This site http://www.bc.gov.cu/English/home.asp (http://www.bc.gov.cu/English/home.asp) is useful to monitor the movemnets in the exchange rate before you go. My parents went in April and only got 1.26 CUC to the pound. Much better value now around the 1.5 mark. Don't buy from the streets, my stepdad thought he knew better and bought some Cohiba Maduro's on the cheap following a recomendation from a Canadian working in the resort. They are fakes which you can tell from the bands. Saying that they aren't too bad to smoke !

[Stevep4]

Chaps,
I am not a cigar smoker and would be highly unlikely to log up over 25 entries on this forum, therefore I am unable to add a thread to the cigars for sale board.

ETC

EDITED.

[Deano]

The whole point of the rules is to stop people like yourself from trying to come on here, post once, and sell. So no. No-one has any advice for you here.

[yankeefan]

buying cigars in cuba imo would be like walking into a candy store, even though i keep a list of what i want to smoke or try out. i know i would go beserk if i went there.:eek::smoke:

[Robusto]

I am salivating at the thought, yank, and there are still three months before I go.

Deano - If you read this...

Were you allowed to smoke fat ones round the hotel like a trouser-suited Colonial?

Cuba would be so sad if I have to bugger off outdoors with an explosive Bolivar.

[Deano]

Yep, could smoke anywhere if I remember correctly.

But anyway, the cigar shop has it's own little lounge with leather chairs and TV, surrounded by the wrap-around walk in humidor, so you'll be fine!

[Deano]

I wish I had taken pics. I'll see if I can find any from someone else.

[Deano]

Here's one:

http://www.captivatingcuba.com/cuba/nh_parque_central/nh_parque_central-cigar_room-1.jpg

My memory has faded already, I'm sure part of the humidor is walk-in, on the other side of the shop.

[Deano]

And the counter on the other side:

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2216/2236544587_7c2b23bed4.jpg?v=0

[Robusto]

Pardon me but my brain is telling me that I'm having cigar-oriented sex here!

That - ALL that - is just what the Doctor ordered!

:smoke::smoke::smoke::smoke::smoke:

[yankeefan]

wow i feel like i need a cigarette right now.that was great.:hail:

[Robusto]

A cigarette???
LOL! :smoke:

[yankeefan]

yeah a cigarette after cigar porn sex.:p:41:

[Cohiba Fan]

And the counter on the other side:

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2216/2236544587_7c2b23bed4.jpg?v=0

That brings back memories, I stood and bought some Montecristo Edmundo and Partagas tubes at that very counter just a few days ago!