Questions about Cubans

[eurovw89]

Ok...I know some of these site ship internationally....so how would someone like myself know if I was purchasing 'Cubans' or not. I don't want to order cigars, and have a knock at my door and come to find out its the Feds or what not???

I am a green-horn but do know that Montecristo, Cohiba, and Romeo y Julieta have some 'Cubans' in their lines.

I was looking at this deal JRCigars.com: LITTLE SAMPLER PACKS - COHIBA 3-CIGAR SAMPLER & XIKAR CUTTER CUTTER COMBO CIGARS, From Dominican Republic, 0.00 x 0, $39.95 (MSRP $81.00) and want to make sure these ARE NOT Cubans. Don't want to get arrested for being dumb and not knowing.

Just would like to know if there is something that stands out, so I can keep away.

Jeff

[JCK]

Anything advertised from a U.S. retailer is not a Cuban cigar.

[eurovw89]

But isn't Cigars International - discount cigars, humidors, cigar accessories a U.S. retailer?

[Blaylock]

Yes and they do not sell Cuban cigars.

[DonWeb]

Originally Posted by eurovw89

But isn't Cigars International - discount cigars, humidors, cigar accessories a U.S. retailer?

Yes they are. And and such, you should feel safe that a cigar purchased from them will not have feds shoq up at your door.

[piperman]

Cigars International is a US company therefore they will not sell cubans.

[eurovw89]

ok thanks everyone...I don't know..like i said i'm a green-horn

Thanks for helping....do you think that cohiba deal with the cutter is good?

[K Baz]

Its a little confusing as many "classic" cuban cigar brand names have been "used" by non cuban cigar companies. It has to do with alot of boring copyright stuff that has nothing do with smoking cigars.

Point of the story is although you can buy a Cohiba in the US it is not a Cuban Cohiba - it just has a simular name.

As said earlier if your ordering from a US based co your safe order will no remose other then the guilt of using the creidt card brings.

Enjoy.

[JCK]

I am personally not a big fan of the Cohiba's marketed by General Cigars out of the Dominican Republic, i.e. the sampler you referenced, however, I know people that are.

As far as the pricing goes for 3 cigars and the Xikar cutter, it's not a bad price. LOL, I'm not a particular fan of that style cutter either, but there are many out there that like em.

[Snake Hips]

Like the others said, U.S. retailers will not sell Cuban cigars. Also, those brands such as Cohiba, Montecristo and Romeo y Julieta do not have Cuban cigars in their lines. They are Dominican companies and roll cigars only from Dominican tobacco. There is only one company that makes Cuban cigars, and that is Cubatabaco, which makes cigars under brand names such as Cohiba, Montecristo and Romeo y Julieta, but you won't find these at U.S. retailers such as Cigars International under any circumstances

[Buddha024]

Originally Posted by eurovw89

ok thanks everyone...I don't know..like i said i'm a green-horn

Thanks for helping....do you think that cohiba deal with the cutter is good?

For what Cohibas normally cost, this is a good deal. You can usually find the cutter for about $25 or $30. So that's about $10 or $15 for 3 Cohibas. I have an Xikar cutter like that one and really like it. They are a good company and will even sharpen the cutter for you when it gets dull.

[JCK]

It get's a little confusing because some of the Dominican cigars in question are marketed by Alatdis U.S.A, i.e. - Montecristo, H.Upman, Juan Lopez, Maria Guerrero, Por Larranaga, Romeo y Julieta, and Saint Luis Rey.

As of 2007 Altadis U.S.A is part of Altadis S.A which had a 50% stake in Habanos S.A. Sometime last year Altadis S.A. was acquired by Imperial Tobacco.

So as the brands listed above, I do not think there is copyright infringement since Habanos S.A. is agreeing with Altadis to market the Dominican counterparts in the U.S.A.

[mrreindeer]

And the simple story about why there is a Cuban Montecristo, for example, and a non-Cuban Montecristo (even though the label is much the same or very similar) as I understand it is this:

There was one Montecristo (or Romeo Y Julieta or Cohiba or Bolivar, etc. etc.). The Cuban government nationalized the Cuban cigar companies (i.e. they took them over) and the original founders fled to the surrounding countries of the Dominican Republic, Nicaragua, etc.

When they did, some took Cuban seed with them, some did not. But they started growing tobacco in these new lands while the Cuban government continued to grow Cuban tobacco for their own profit.

The newly formed non-Cubans took their family names & labels and put them on their non-Cuban grown product. The Cubans retained the original names & labels and put them on their own Cuban grown product, even though they were no longer being made by the original families.

You might see a non-Cuban cigar with the year 1888 on it or something. Technically, the family that started the company was making cigars from the late 19th century but can't really claim it's the same cigar since the tobacco being grown is not Cuban, as it was in 1888. Similarly, the Cuban cigar company may show 1888 (or whatever) on the label and technically, they weren't the same company (family) making the cigar back then since it's now owned by the government.

It was very confusing to me as well when I first started up in cigars last year.

[Kayak_Rat]

Just for discussion sake.....I was thinking Cohiba was started after the revolution and the mass exodus. I am likely wrong, but for some reason it stuck out.

[icehog3]

Originally Posted by Kayak_Rat

Just for discussion sake.....I was thinking Cohiba was started after the revolution and the mass exodus. I am likely wrong, but for some reason it stuck out.

Correct, Cuban Cohibas were released for public consumption in 1982.