price of cuban cigars... in Cuba?
 

having been to Mexico and Canada several times each, and seen the high prices... am curious about the price of Cohiba etc when purchased in Cuba itself.

thanks!

They are dramatically cheaper in Cuba (and Spain). This price list will give you a good idea:

http://cigarprices.puros.ca/

For example, a Montecristo #4 is about $4 in Cuba and about $20 in Canada.

YMMV

Cheers,
Geoff Glave
Vancouver, Canada

However,you should be wary of where you buy in Cuba as there is a thriving market in fake cigars as well as fake everything else.
It is,however,one of the most interesting places you could visit - and now is the time because once Castro is dead change will be inevitable.

that link does not work for me
also when flying into dfw and out of sfo on a connection is there a problem with having them on our person?

None whatsoever other than the fact that they are illegal.

I never could get into cigars, but I pass them out like candy to friends. Here is what I do:

1.) Purchase Cigars
2.) Remove bands
3.) Place them in an water/airtight humidor (Xikor I think is the name of the one I've found for around $40US).
4.) Have your friend carry the bands through customs seperate from you.
5.) If you get stopped by customs, they have no way to prove what/where the cigars came from.

Try to avoid listing Cuba on the "Countries Visited" for customs, obviously. :)

Not saying it is 100% safe, but it has worked for me, although I mostly by my cubans in the EU.

>that link does not work for me

That's because it's from last summer... This is an old thread that's been re-awakened.

If you go to your local cigar store and pick up a copy of Cigar Magazine:

http://www.cigar-magazine.com

You should be able to find what you're looking for - Each month they print a Cuban cigar price list

>also when flying into dfw and out of sfo
>on a connection is there a problem with having them on our person?

They're illegal, so if you declare them they'll be destroyed and if you don't declare them and they're found you may wind up a black mark in the computer database. Your call on whether or not you choose to declare them.

Cheers,
Geoff Glave
Vancouver, Canada

4 cohiba 25 cucs from the factory-but back door i think:rolleyes:

Took them thru customs in DFW and declared we had been in cuba they let me thru but took mr tinky to a room and checked every bag. He had mine with the cigars. the girl said he couldnt have them he said why not we are not US citizens the supervisor said thats correct let him go!

by the way EVERY indian in traditional costume that I could see was taken to a separate room from mt T.the flioght was from CUN mexico.

I was outside watching and they all came from the little room.
not good America is it!

Having been twice in Cuba 12 and 8 years ago on official UN and European Union consulting business (I wasn't a US citizen then) and being a full fledged cigar smoker since 1990, I believe I can give you some reliable info, notwithstanding the fact that things may have changed:

After mentioning casually to the seminar organizer, a pleasant Margaret Thatcher looking high ranking civil servant with rather bad teeth, she suddenly found she had no more urgent business than supplying me with what I had on my list: I named about 5 brands and modules, indicated that I wished to buy about about 100 units total, and she disappeared from the seminar (where she should have been present) to come back about 2 hours later with the exact content of the list, for which she charged me about $ 70. No doubt that she got them through her privileged status and made some money on the transaction since this is how Cuba works. Nomenklatura is not ONLY a Russian word.

I checked the public price (every Cuba hotel, upscale or not has a cigar shop), and it came to close to $ 400.

Every kid walking on the Malecon, Havana's seaside promenade, offers you brand cigars which look like the real thing (after offering their sister, mother, BROTHER, rum etc...) at very competitive prices, but I would not trust them, considering that 90% of Cuban brand cigars offered in Santo Domingo including in nice looking shops are unsmokable abominable fakes. I had no problem taking them out and flying back with them as I was going to France which has no embargo against Cuba.

If things have not changed, public prices in reliable shops in Cuba are about 40% of the prices in Western Europe.

This being said, do not forget that Cuban cigars are ILLEGAL in the US, that those offered there at outrageous prices are most likely fakes, and that reputable shops in France and Switzerland give you OPEN boxes with a paper stating that the boxes have been opened for quality control. My sources tell me that those stores (Davidoff, La Civette, Harrods etc... ) have a reject rate of close to 50 %. if you were a quality control cigar supervisor in Cuba and were paid about $ 20 per month, would you work very hard ? That is the whole question. As to me, I have switched to Dominicans.

Good Luck

Also, the best products are reserved for export ($$$) meaning most stuff you buy in Cuba is not as good as e.g. Spain.

This is untrue - The friends in my cigar club make regular treks to Cuba and the cigars they purchase and bring home are some of the best I've ever smoked. It may be the case that Spain gets some of the best exported cigars, but the ones available in Cuba are fantastic.

I make it to Cuba on a regular basis....Cigars are first quality. You should only buy from the shops/factories. Many of the "street" cigars are not even 2nds or 3rds, but made from shavings, discarded or cut leaf. You'l get a great price for crap.
The govt requires that you present your purchases ( if more than 24 cigars) for inspection upon departure. They want to make sure you have the real deal!
Living in Mexico, I can get an excellant selection of Cubans from Casa del Habano, but a price comparison...well, there is no comparison. Figure at least a 40% reduction over UK prices. Probably, 30% less than Mexico.
My dos centavos...