Anyone have any experience sending Cuban cigars to the US? I have a friend in Canada that goes to Cuba often and can provide a regular supply. I've heard you can FedEx them with almost no problem.
they are very expensive from canada as they are taxed heavily. they ship them with out the cigar bands. they will send you the bands in an additional envelope. thomas hinds is a good but expensive source for cubans.
The ones I bought overseas just did not live up to the hype, they didn't draw well and just seemed stale. I have heard, and it sounds reasonable, that the Cuban industry pre-castro was all it was cracked up to be but has fallen behind the south American competition.
Most "Cuban" cigars that are not sold in Habanos stores in Cuba are fake. It is possible and even probable that you were smoking fakes. Habanos is the Cuban government store that sells cigars, and buying from them is the best way to ensure you are smoking real Cubans. My friend goes to Cuba several times a year and will pick me up what I want directly from the Habanos store.
Chet - If you friend is going to Cuba, then it should be little problem getting them to the US. Of course, you do have to engage in a bit of minor smuggling - a la Han Solo. For the most part, there is little problem. Maybe once in a while the cigars will be seized. If you purchase through a legitimate business, they take the burden. In your case, you just have to eat the loss and chalk it up to the cat and mouse game we play. If you want to order online, I recommend Girard in Geneve. High prices but the service and quality are excellent.
So how do you recommend getting them from Canada to me in Chicago? Taking them over personally is not an option.
lol I have all the cigars I can handle--right now two glorious boxes of Partagas Series D are waiting for me but they are in Canada. Just looking for suggestions as to how to get them to the US.
A lot of people have what they think are reliable sources for Cubans when in fact they really don't. It's sad. Cubans that are too cheap, wrapped in cellophane, the dreaded glass top box are all tell tale signs. All I do now is nod when I see it because there's no convincing the hoodwinked buyers otherwise. I buy mine from only a couple established and reliable places that I can walk in to.
Padrons are knocked off as much as Cubans which is why they slightly change their boxes and labels every year.
If you can't be sure of authenticity when purchasing from the Habenos Government store, then I'd argue there's no way to ensure they're real.
True, but where's a Habanos store in the US? Serie D's Hmmmm. There's something about those. I love them but they get me really queasy like no other Cubans do at all. I usually go for the Epi 2's or a Lusi when I want to blow my brains out!
Can't argue that might be a part of it, but this was a reputable brand. But no doubt I wish I had a regular source. I try to pick some up when I travel, ordered some and had 2 orders snatched by customs.
the more popular the brand, the more likely they were fake. if not purchased from a habanos store...they are fakey!
Either by mail, UPS or FedEx and you'll have to hide the fact that he's send cigars from Cuba. Mark them as cigars from the DR. And if you really want to be cautious, ask your friend to remove the bands and place them in a non-Cuban box. Then US Customs can't verify that they are a contraband item. Those are probably the best ways to go. Mis-declaring the item (like saying it's a book) will almost certainly result in confiscation if they decide to check your package. Pete - that's not quite true. I have the opportunity to travel quite a bit and tend to purchase Cubans as I go. The key is to locate a reputable dealer. I've purchased many real Cubans from reputable dealers that are not Habanos operations. Someone mentioned something about reputable dealers. I've tried PuroExpress.com but our most recent order of Montecristo #2 left me feeling a bit disappointed. Their #2s were quite young and in need of aging, though the prices were quite reasonable - still, the box is sitting in my humidor maturing and will probably do so for about a year before they're enjoyable to smoke. The dealer I prefer is Gerard - https://www.gerard-pere-et-fils.com/ - in Geneve. The last order of Montecristo #2 from him were excellent. So damn delicious, I sucked them down in no time! The very best quality, perfectly humidified and exquisitely aged. I dare say there is no finer source online than Gerard. However, this level of excellence comes at a dear price. Add on the cost of shipping one box to the US and it's nearly shocking. Though, if you do buy from Gerard, the best shipping price is when it's split between four boxes - so gather your friends!
I met a guy a couple years back who sold cigars online. He told me that he shipped Cubans to the US all the time from Canada and always mis-declared them with very very few seizures. He just considered it a cost of doing business as it was so rare. He also said that a lot of people would have you think that when you have a package seized that you will be 'black listed' by customs and you become on high alert and all of this is pure BS. The government is too busy and not advanced enough to be bothered with the small fish. Import a container and it would be a different story but small time through the mail or FedEx/UPS just does not register. Regarding fake Cubans I know a little about this as my parents live in Havana. The cigars sold in the Habanos stores are 100% legit and you can import I believe up to 2 boxes to Canada. There are real/fakes out there and I say that because they are 100% real made by the same laborors who steal materials and make them at home but what they do not have the tax stamp on them so they are hard to get out of the country. Again as a tourist you have no chance of knowing any of this so buying of these is best left to people with inside knowledge. I personally have no interest in the cigar trade so I have never pursued a business selling cigars but my parents have seen it all first hand so my information is well founded.
