Some general observations about cigars in cuba, and how to spot scams. Cigars are purchased in Cuba at state stores for retail prices, or on the streets from Cubans who want to make a few bucks. You decide which is better. State stores sell most brands of cigars for $150-220/box. Street prices for the same boxes average $25-35, less if you’re a good negotiator.

If you’re going to cuba and you enjoy smoking cigars, get ready. Everyone there will offer to cell you cigars. My first trip, I went into a state store beside LaFloridita and bought a few of my favorites. Lighting up and walking out onto the street, I was continually ‘assaulted’ by young Cuban males offering to sell me cigars. I couldn’t walk a block without these affronts, which require a forceful dismissal. Don’t buy from these street hustlers. Odds are that you’ll get knockoffs instead of good quality cigars.

If you tell your casa owner you want to buy good cigars at low prices, you’ll frequently be invited to a Cubans home or apartment. Here, your odds of getting better quality cigars goes up a little, although you can still get taken for a ride. The rationale for why you might be a little better off in these surroundings is that you now know where the seller lives, and can come back to him if the quality is poor…ok…it’s a nice thought. Be careful and look over the cigars

1. Inspect the box. It should be unsealed. NEVER BUY A SEALED BOX WITHOUT OPENING IT.
2. Look at the label printing – it should be raised lettering, or embossed.
3. Look at every cigar in each box. They should all be IDENTICAL in color and length. If the lengths are different between the top and bottom row, someone has been filling the boxes outside of a factory.
4. If the cut end of the cigar is not perfect on each cigar, you’re getting hosed. Factory cuts are square and perfect, with no fraying of the outer wrapper paper. If you notice any inconsistencies or imperfections, they’ve been cut by hand by your vendor to make a box look uniform.
5. The capped end tells a lot about the quality of the roller. The hardest part of rolling a cigar is getting a perfect cap. Look at the ‘signature’ of the caps – they should all be uniform, tight and neat.
6. Draw. Poorly rolled and/or overfilled cigars don’t draw well. By feeling the weight and density of the cigars, you’ll quickly get an idea of a well rolled cigar. Gently squeezing them between the fingers and thumb, you should not find any ‘tight’ cigars. They should all give way beneath your fingers, if even a little. I’ve seen experienced buyers go through 3 boxes of the same brand, pulling out only the cigars that pass their tests to make 1 box of perfect cigars. I pity the suckers who buy the remaining cigars.
7. Roll the cigar between your two open palms like a stick, with the cut end down. If any tobacco falls out onto the table, you’re getting lousy cigars made with leftover tobacco.
8. If you like a certain brand of cigar, go to a state store and buy one or two of your favorite cigars. While you’re there, look at the ink stamp on the bottom of the box. You can also look at the way the box is made etc… Ask the clerk if you can take their picture since the store is so wonderful blah blah…. Then take a picture of the boxes you like on your digital camera, top and bottom. Later, when you’re negotiating cigars with your supplier, compare your digital pictures of the stamps and seals to his boxes. They’ll all tell you that their boxes are ‘factory direct’, which may be true, but you’ll know if you’re getting ‘factory finished’ or not. If not, they still may be excellent Cuban cigars, they’re just not certifiable as the real thing. Either way, it’s a great way to introduce your negotiating for a discount.

Getting your cigars out of Cuba and back home

Without a receipt from a state store, you are allowed to take two boxes of cigars out of Cuba. Some people who aren’t sure of this law might put two boxes in their checked bag and two in their carry-on. Rumor has it that there are dogs who sniff the luggage and it can be inspected or x-rayed. Cigars in excess of the limit are confiscated.

With a receipt from a state store, you can take out as many boxes as you’d like.

Once you return to your country, you will need to inquire what the duty free limits are for bringing cigars home with you.

If any of you have suggestions, please contribute. I’m still learning how to spot the good from the bad and I’ve been smoking for 15+ years.

DG:

Thanks for the tips. Good stuff to know even for buying sticks outside of Mecca... I mean Cuba.

Hey, when you are in Rio, try out "Dona Flor Capa Escura" or "Le Cigar" (stupid name, good smoke). Both from Bahia. OK, they're not Cubanos, but good for a toke anyway, see what you think.

Abrazo/Abraco,

BS