Any Cigar Afficionados Out There?

[Bassman]

I didn't hear from ol' Fidel today (gonna check this out though), but that would be up to our government...not Raul. Si?

 

[indycop]

I didn't hear from ol' Fidel today (gonna check this out though), but that would be up to our government...not Raul. Si?

That's half the problem today, too much is up to the Govt......

 

[CdnDandy]

IMHO

Normalization of relations is a long way off, depending on who you vote into office come November, and the continued increase in Cuban-Chinese relations, among about a thousand other factors.

in the meantime, come up to Canada or go down to Mexico if you want a Cuban cigar without the hassle of a secret trip to the island (of course, in theory, if an American were to show up in a Cuban port, I have it on pretty good authority that they won't leave an incriminating stamp in your passport) Once that embargo ends, cubans will become a dime a dozen, and to keep up with the demand, the quality will go down the drain.

 

[indycop]

I fear when the embargo ends if ever , the US govt. will tax them into oblivian

 

[indycop]

I guess I need to take bahama cruise to get a box....

 

[jamespowers]

Doesn't matter who you vote into office or what our government does really. It depends on what Raul decides to do about the governance of his country. All he has to do is move it toward democracy and we are there. Anythingt less just ain't gonna cut it. The ball is in his court.
I have a feeling that Fidel is probably dead and has been for quite some time anyway.
Cuban cigars will be a thing of the past if the embargo goes away. They will be lousy and useless dog rockets until they get everything sorted out. You have to remember that there are thousands of Cubans here that believe the property Fidel stole from them is still theirs. Some of the cuban cigar families are part of this.

 

[jamespowers]

I fear when the embargo ends if ever , the US govt. will tax them into oblivian

Good guess.

 

[indycop]

Are the cubans that much better? With the growers that left Cuba and are doing well, Would it be safe to say that they are just as good or almost, or is there just no comparison?

 

[Noindex]

From a few days ago. A cheap hat, a good drink and a great cigar!

 

[jamespowers]

Are the cubans that much better? With the growers that left Cuba and are doing well, Would it be safe to say that they are just as good or almost, or is there just no comparison?

They really aren't that much better when you consider the price and the fact that some cigars from other places are just as good.

 

[Marlowe P.]

while i claim no expertise... im only an expert in what i like... the really expensive cuban i smoked wasnt as good as the expensive non-cubans. Are there any experts on here who know what is left of the cigar industry in cuba as compared to the DR or Honduras, etc?

 

[indycop]

They really aren't that much better when you consider the price and the fact that some cigars from other places are just as good.

Ahh, I have only had one cigar that was claimed to be a cuban. It was not kept in a humidor possibly ever and sucked, but I try to not judge off of that one . :eusa_doh:

 

[jamespowers]

Ahh, I have only had one cigar that was claimed to be a cuban. It was not kept in a humidor possibly ever and sucked, but I try to not judge off of that one . :eusa_doh:

I wouldn't judge based on that one but you can easily see in the pages of Cigar Afficianado and Insider how cigars are rated. Cubans come in pretty high but some from Dominican Republic and other places are up there as well.

 

[indycop]

I wouldn't judge based on that one but you can easily see in the pages of Cigar Afficianado and Insider how cigars are rated. Cubans come in pretty high but some from Dominican Republic and other places are up there as well.

Very true, and some of my favorites were not rated all that high also. I do need to try this Oliva series V I have that was supposedly rated 94...

 

[CdnDandy]

Ida know - I've smoked far more than my fair share of stogies, but nothing beats the one I got in Cuba on a tour of the Cohiba factory, just before it closed to tours Brought it back home, smoked it... best smoke ever. Even the non-smokers in the bar were complimenting the scent! Not to "diss" some good cigars from DR, etc. But a good Cuban can't be beat!

 

[RedPop4]

Smoke what you like; like what you smoke.
I think, on the whole, Cuban cigars are superior, there was little to no cigar business in other countries until after 1962. Why is that? The free market ruled, Havanas have nearly 300 years of history. The tobacco is superior.

Now, if you've paid attention to my posts, I smoke all kinds of cigars, and enjoy all kinds. But to say the Cubans are not superior is a bit short-sighted. Why do so many manufacturers go out of their way to claim "Cuban seed" tobaccos in their blends? And why do Cuban brands NOT like to even have you consider that they might not use 100% Cuban tobacco?

I think there will be a mini-boom in cigars when the Cuban embargo is gone. Imperial Tobacco of the UK just bought out Altadis. Altadis had bought a 49.9% share of Habanos S. A. a few years ago. Altadis owns some of the brands available here in another form, that came from Cuba: Montecristo, H. Upmann, Saint Luis Rey, Trinidad, and Por Larranaga to name some. General Cigar, part of Swedish Match, own quite a few of the rest: Partagas, Punch, Hoyo de Monterrey, Ramon Allones, Sancho Panza, El Rey del Mundo, Cohiba.

These companies won't wait very long to solve this. Remember too, that while Habanos S. A. still owns more than 50%, Altadis/Imperial have made changes in production, aging, consistency and quality control. They're ready. It won't be all that bad. Demand will increase, many Americans who aren't seasoned cigar smokers will make it difficult to get, like many "amatuers" (see people who only dine out on Valentine's Day) they'll try them at this point, and quality may not be up to par. They'll say "what's the big deal?" and it'll shake out within the year. Once these types of smokers are out of the market, Imperial and Habanos S. A. will again catch up and that'll be that.

 

[jamespowers]

I think there will be a mini-boom in cigars when the Cuban embargo is gone. Imperial Tobacco of the UK just bought out Altadis. Altadis had bought a 49.9% share of Habanos S. A. a few years ago. Altadis owns some of the brands available here in another form, that came from Cuba: Montecristo, H. Upmann, Saint Luis Rey, Trinidad, and Por Larranaga to name some. General Cigar, part of Swedish Match, own quite a few of the rest: Partagas, Punch, Hoyo de Monterrey, Ramon Allones, Sancho Panza, El Rey del Mundo, Cohiba.

These companies won't wait very long to solve this. Remember too, that while Habanos S. A. still owns more than 50%, Altadis/Imperial have made changes in production, aging, consistency and quality control. They're ready. It won't be all that bad. Demand will increase, many Americans who aren't seasoned cigar smokers will make it difficult to get, like many "amatuers" (see people who only dine out on Valentine's Day) they'll try them at this point, and quality may not be up to par. They'll say "what's the big deal?" and it'll shake out within the year. Once these types of smokers are out of the market, Imperial and Habanos S. A. will again catch up and that'll be that.

You are forgetting the families whose property was confiscated. There will be a huge fight when the embargo is lifted as to who owns what. As the Cuban government claims rights to all property now. When that changes the ex-pats in the US will tie up the cigar business for decades if they feel they are not being treated fairly.
The original owners of those businesses might not still be alive but they have sons and grandsons. Some of which are still involved in the cigar business. it will be interesting.
Don't foget that Lansky had the Nacional stolen from him by Castro as well. I don't think they want to mess with the mob if the embargo is lifted.

Regards,

J

 

[RedPop4]

They've had 46 years to think about this, James. I believe they're ready for it.
Imperial is huge, most likely they'll have enough to pay the families to keep them out of court and keep business humming right along. There may likely be one or two families acting "on principle" which is their right, and which would be correct.

I think the expatriates already sold their family names, that's why Consolidated, General, etc. already use them. They couldn't just "use" them, the families already sold that. General and Altadis have already settled the upcoming battle over the Cohiba, and Trinidad names as well. The only one left to be a sticking point might be the San Cristobal name, which first appeared from Habanos S. A. in 1997, and Ashton debuted their name this past August at the RTDA show.

 

[jamespowers]

They've had 46 years to think about this, James. I believe they're ready for it.
Imperial is huge, most likely they'll have enough to pay the families to keep them out of court and keep business humming right along. There may likely be one or two families acting "on principle" which is their right, and which would be correct.

I think the expatriates already sold their family names, that's why Consolidated, General, etc. already use them. They couldn't just "use" them, the families already sold that. General and Altadis have already settled the upcoming battle over the Cohiba, and Trinidad names as well. The only one left to be a sticking point might be the San Cristobal name, which first appeared from Habanos S. A. in 1997, and Ashton debuted their name this past August at the RTDA show.

We'll see that is for sure. Perhaps the previous settlement meant nothing as the market was not the same. I think we will have an interesting free for all.
Which one of them paid the mob off already by the way?

 

[RedPop4]

What Mob?
They own all the credit card companies, they don't need any paying off.