I gave up smoking years and have no plans to restart, however one of my relatives is going to Cuba on holiday and I thought I might ask them to bring me back one or two. It would tick off an item from my very low rent bucket list!
Any advice on brands, price and best place to buy would be gratefully received. Any specific things to avoid, also?
Thanks.
They are controlled by the state, get h8m to pick some up at the airport it will be the same price everywhere. Don’t buy hooky ones as they will be taken off you at the airport.
Cohiba or monte christo. Pres Kennedy bought a shed load of HUpmanns before he slipped on the trade sanctions.
If your relative visits a cigar factory (well worth it, by the way) get them to buy a couple at the factory shop. There is also the Partagas shop in Havana. As said, avoid the ones for sale on the street, even if they slip past Cuban authorities at the airport they'll likely be fake, and crappy.
I did a favour for a friend just before Christmas and got these as a thankyou, directly from Cuba - friend is currently working there on a JV.
Last edited by SimonK; 15th February 2019 at 21:50.
Thanks - that's very helpful/Originally Posted by Middo
What are the prices like? I have no idea whatsoever!
I met a guy, Adonis, who got me some Cohiba Rubusto from from the factory (he worked there)…. He charged me about $15…. This was about 20+ years ago mind…. They were really nice…. I imagine they’d cost a bit more now…. I brought them home, forgot about them, and loads of them dried out…. What a waste!
He wasn’t a street seller with a story either…. He was a friend of my cousin who lived there…
Thanks. I did wonder if there would be fakes. Are the ones from the factories legal to take out of Cuba bearing in mind what Middo said?
Those look the business! I'll have to limit the number I ask for to avoid getting back into bad habits! I was never a big cigar smoker although I always thought King Edward Invincibles were a fabulous smoke.
I had a Cuban cigar a few years ago, wasn’t impressed, all I got from it was the feeling I’d lit a small bonfire in my mouth
Really? I hope that’s not another of my illusions shattered!
As long as they have the state seal - the green sticker on my box. Coming from a factory shop they will have this.
Don’t be put off by this... Cigars have flavour profiles, now depending on what you like you would depend on what is best to get... for example the Cohiba is known for deep earthy flavours but depending on the size can also have elements of coffee and chocolate in the flavour. Monte Christo for example have a golf range (can’t remember the exact name) but these are some of the lightest cigars and aimed at women if you believe the marketing hype. Also the colour of the wrapper outer leaves has an impact on flavour so generally the lighter the cigar the lighter flavour.
Also there is a brand called Guata something they will be wrapped individually in cellophane wrappers.. actually anything in cellophane wrapping stay clear of. these will seem very cheap and there is a reason for that. These are not man made but machine made. The big brands like punch, Monte etc... are all hand made and a much better product.
Actually when is your friend going? The festival is normally at the end of Feb so normally some new limited releases freely available at this time of year.. so good time to be in Cuba.
Last edited by L8_M8; 16th February 2019 at 08:58.
Dont forget to light the cigar with a gas/butane lighter. The petrol lighters can taint the taste, so they say!
As said needs the state seal in place, looks a bit like a dollar bill. Some of the hokey cigars may be fine to smoke whilst there, some are factory seconds, some are high quality workers share.
Either way the prices are fixed by the state, so no need to shop around. Just get them from the humidor at the airport. Not up to speed on prices but they will be way cheaper than anywhere else. I brought a load of Romeo y juliettas back as wedding favours. I picked some Cohiba esplendido’s ( think Castro) back and my mate was eternally grateful.
Cuba is a great place to visit. The Paraguay’s factory as a said above it good stop in Havana. Get some rum too, Santiago de Cuba 7 anos.
Only buy from a Casa del Habano. These are official stores in which the cigars will be genuine and prices are consistent and set by the Cuban government.
The following list (privately compiled, nevertheless accurate) shows the current official prices:
http://yulcigars.blogspot.com/2017/1...-2018.html?m=1
You should not pay more than the price shown on that list. On occasion, the staff at some Casas may try to make extra money off you by quoting higher, non-official prices, so be careful.
Whatever you do, DO NOT buy cigars from a street/beach vendor, hotel contact, taxi driver, etc. Although these cigars will look genuine and the story may seem convincing (generally some variant of the seller’s uncle or brother working at a famous cigar factory), the cigars will be fakes and they will probably taste horrible.
As to recommendations, there are so many and it really comes down to personal taste. However, if I had to offer just a few, you won’t go wrong with any these:
- Montecristo Edmundo or Double Edmundo
- Partagas Serie D No. 4
- Ramon Allones Specially Selected
Finally, make sure that you store them properly. One of those Tupperware containers with clip-on sealing lids plus a few 65% Boveda packs will be far more reliable than a traditional wooden humidor with gel crystals or whatever.
End of this month, as it happens! Not sure whether that's good luck or planning!
Adding Bolivar Royal Coronas to my recommended list above.
Thanks for all the contributions. Some really useful information. I just need to distill it down to a "wish" list!
Another fan of the Partagas D No4 here.
A fair few trips to Cuba, we love Havana.
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Nice stash, Mj2k.
Although worryingly low on the Maduro 5s, my last 3. Given how cheap they are in Cuba (relatively) I struggle to justify buying them here.
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Another vote for Partagas D No4. They are a bit heavy for an occasional smoker like me, but I like them anyway. My usual cigar (I smoke about 12 cigars a year) is an R&J No2, which are an easier smoke. I have bought Esplendidos in Cuba and had them bought back as gifts. I like them a lot but find it hard to justify the retail cost over here.
I usually fill my humidor up when I go to Spain. The government regulated prices are very good compared to here!
ETA Christ on a bike! I just went to look for a Cohiba Behike 52. I bought one late 2014 and it cost £27. Today it's £90!
Last edited by Matt London; 16th February 2019 at 16:28.
...and I thought prices (sin tax) in Canada were bad. That’s on another level!
I just got back from Havana, and was surprised to find out that the Partagas factory does not sell cigars on premise at their new location. I don't think Romeo y Julieta does either. They also don't allow photos on the facility tour. There is an official cigar shop about a block away. Partagas does have a factory store near the capitol, in the old factory building. They carry all of the big brands, not just their own.
What I had trouble finding was quality unbanded cigars. There were a LOT of guys on the street hawking cigars, but my understanding is that these are all really poor ones.
If the rum pricing is any indicator, I would avoid buying in the duty free area. I did not check out the cigars there, but the rum was priced 2x what I paid at the market in the city.
Wow. Just wow
I think I might have to look into a quick trip to Cuba to buy some of these. I think official duty free import allowance is circa 50 cigars. Should easily cover the cost of the trip!
I'm currently smoking Trinidad Vigia. £32 in the UK. I know I can buy it a few pounds cheaper but the place I buy has consistently good cigars. They'd be less than £5 in Cuba!
I know, it’s amazing isn’t it. Pricing is astounding and shows how much money is made through the supply chain.
We’ve been out there many times, although banned by my wife until one of the humidors is empty, as will end up with a third one otherwise!
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I have a still sealed box of Guantanamera Decimos if anybody wants them for free.
I don’t smoke at all, bought a load as give aways for my customers but so few people smoke.
Hi Neil, I’ve got plenty currently, but happy to store them in my humidors and send them out to any light smokers as they require them.
Not a brand I’m familiar with, but if you send me your address I will send a SAE & can get the moisture to a happy 70% and post them out. Or equally keep them, will send you a tube & return postage to try one.
Cheers
Matt
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What did you end up with, David_D?
Apologies, just saw this! My relative was back on Saturday (I misunderstood when they were away) and hopefully pick up next weekend.
Cheers
Kewl, make sure you put them in humidor or a new double zipped freezer bag with one of these link asap
If you do not like them, I'll have first dibs please ;)
Fas est ab hoste doceri
I’ve just come back and bought x25 RyJ Mille Fleur. Think I may have got screwed as paid $120 for them at the airport and am sure the PDF above states they are about $80ish.
Can you recommend a humidor please for about £50?
I assume keeping cigars on their original box is not ideal?
You can keep 'em in the original boxes, if you wish IF you have a large enough, ideally walk in ;) humidor like they do in some shops or hotels/bars esp if you're planning to sell or age some (the excess?) as long as you can maintain proper humidity and temperature.
Re humidor, it's entirely personal choix, I'd suggest something like this with visible hygrometer dial for convenience, just make sure you 'season/prepare' it before use - get it to the right humidity level, plenty of info on how to do it on the interweb, again for sheer convenience I'd use crystals.
Last edited by VDG; 15th April 2019 at 01:44.
Fas est ab hoste doceri
Each brand, even each size have different flavour attributes. I did read once that the best way to find your preference is to buy a few samples in Robusto size, which is a standard and all Cuban brands make that size, so you can taste a like for like cigar.
I like a small sampling from various brands and different sizes, depending on mood and time.
Cigars have a "smoking time" if smoked too quickly they can be harsh and get very hot, the one I have the times vary from 30 minutes to over an hour.
Having a couple with a fine brandy or dark rum is one of the most pleasant way to while away a Sunday afternoon
Last edited by nunya; 16th April 2019 at 08:12.
Thanks for this, I will look at getting one and check out the YT videos re preparation.
Traditional humidors really aren’t great from a seal reliability perspective - particularly if your seasonal humidity varies quite a lot. Also, the analog gauges that come with humidors are notoriously inaccurate.
I’d recommend getting some of these:
I’d leave the cigars in their original box and place the box in one of these ‘tupperdors’ with a couple of 65% boveda packs. Easy and much more reliable than a wooden humidor. You don’t even need a humidity gauge. Just make sure you store the tupperdor in a place where the temperature is quite stable and not too hot.
If you have lots of boxes, you might even consider one of these as a storage option with some Heartfelt beads to control the humidity:
You've been buying the wrong humidors then! But I do agree with the gauges, they can be terrible.
I got round that problem with an electronic humidifier, shove it in your humidor, switch it on, set humidity and apart from topping up the reservoir with distilled water once a year it's hassle free.
Nope, the cigars will dry out over time and be ruined.
For a humidor try these guys https://www.watch-winder.co.uk/humidors-for-cigars.html
I've bought watch winders from them in the past and seem ok
Or
These guys, I've used them for all sorts of cigars and cigar related paraphernalia
https://www.cgarsltd.co.uk/
Actually, the traditional wooden humidor that I have is of very good quality. Nevertheless, that doesn’t get around the fact that it is an inherently porous storage device- particularly in the place I live where seasonal humidity varies widely.You've been buying the wrong humidors then! But I do agree with the gauges, they can be terrible.
I got round that problem with an electronic humidifier, shove it in your humidor, switch it on, set humidity and apart from topping up the reservoir with distilled water once a year it's hassle free.
Gavsw20 - the tupperdor + boveda packs method is the cheapest, simplest and most bullet proof way of storing your cigars. The only downside is that it doesn’t look as nice as a traditional humidor. Just remember to open the lid at least once every 10 days to get an air change as cigars (and particularly younger ones) release gases as they mature. And buy a big enough sealable Tupperware to be able to fit the cigars in their original box - once this box is at the correct humidity level, it will help to stabilize the Rh environment in the tupperdor. I generally throw 4 or 5 medium-sized Boveda packs in each tupperdor, but this is probably overkill and 2 or 3 would do the job.
I don't see how, with a good seal and high lacquered external finish. I have an automatic humidifier inside my humidor, it rarely comes on and some cigars are from the late 90's and in perfect condition. Also plastic over time evaporates tainting anything inside.
Best you remove your Oasis humidification device sharpish then - the body is made of plastic, isn’t it?
Sorry to resurrect this thread. But I'm a big fan of Cohiba. Recently got some fuente fuente which were also excellent but not Cuban.
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Ahh cigars...
I gave up burning tobacco products nine years ago and only vape now, but I do occasionally miss the, well, occasion of a nice cigar.
I still have some good ones sealed in their tubes - wonder if they would still be ok?
So clever my foot fell off.
As has been said go with the official state product last time i was in Havana was probably 25 yrs ago and visited the Cohiba factory could not stand the smell so went outside and lit a Marlboro.
I FEEL LIKE I'M DIAGONALLY PARKED IN A PARALLEL UNIVERSE
We bought a few when we went to Cuba some years ago.
Prices, to me, seemed quite expensive, but coming home I realised they were a tiny fraction of the prices here!
We smoked a couple and gave most away - One lingered around for about a year, but by the time I went to smoke it, it had dried out.
The healthy ones were pretty smooth from what I recall, certainly not a harsh or bitter taste - Pretty sure ours were Romeo Y Guillettas, but I wouldn't swear to that in court...
I'm a life long, non-smoker of cigarettes, though, so I've never really felt the urge to buy any more cigars and suspect, even if I visited Cuba again, I'd have this experience ticked off 'the list' already.
M
Only one way to find out. Maybe we should organise a get together cigars and watches.
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I would imagine the cedar inside the tubes has long dried out, and the lids are not overly air tight.
I've just spent a few weeks recovering a friends humidor, after he forgot to give it any form of attention for the best part of 5 years after his first child was born.
Happy to have a go with yours if you would like - if they are dry, a slow re-hydration is key & even then you can get some that split.
I still have 2 humidors and basically keep them all in great condition but cannot remember the last time I smoked one, some travel abroad in a travel humidor (basically a large peli case with foam & humidifier, but rarely get smoked at holiday destinations. In Cuba you can get away lighting and smoking them in a large open air bar, try doing that in a non Cuba resort & people glare at you as though you have dropped your shorts and are urinating against the bar. Part of my fear is having quit cigarettes with vaping & then quit vaping, that somehow a cigar will become a gateway back.
Don’t do it! I gave up for 3 years and it was cigars that slowly got me back on cigarettes. Just quit again after another couple of years smoking. Week 9 now, and I will never touch tobacco again.
Damn, was hoping to not read that! 1 humidor of Cohiba Marduro, Robusto & Esplendido & another full of Partagas No.4, RnY Short Churchills & some others I have forgotten. Hate to think how much I have sitting in those wooden boxes that I am just not smoking anymore.
I thought I could manage on having the odd cigar, but the reality was that I slowly smoked more and more, until I was back full time. It’s a horrible insidious addiction. A shame they will go to waste with you, but I honestly don’t think it worth risking.
I have a small humidor (properly maintained) and like to keep a small stock of fine cigars.
I limit myself to 1 a week as a treat with a glass of aged Port. Luckily they are so damned expensive these days that the pleasure becomes somewhat self limiting!
For me I think this is the key. By being a once a week treat after a busy week at work it doesn’t become habit forming and I certainly have never given any thought to cigarettes or vaping.
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