Popular Post oliverdst Posted June 8, 2018 Popular Post Share Posted June 8, 2018 PART 1 Well, like I mentioned before, I went to a beach close to Playa del Carmen with my family to spend a week in a resort. I live in the south of Brazil and Cuba it's not so close (6500 km). Cancun is 500 km. Do the math. So why not to spend a day in the island? I could find a deal from a Mexican company (flight+hotel+insurance) for US$330. Some members suggested me to spend the evening/night in Nacional and this was a Nacional package. All set. Some may ask "why just a night?". Well, it was a family trip and I didnt plan it to be a cigar trip. I didnt think about Cuba when I booked the trip to Mexico. Well, at least not consciously. So I left Cancun airport at 8 AM with just a carry-on luggage. At this point an important side note: when I arrived Mexico with my family I did the migration burocracy, took my luggage and went to the x-ray. 3 people, 2 checked baggage and 1 carry-on baggage. So they went to the x-ray and after that the guy operating the machine, who I believe is a migration officer, got up from his chair and started questioning me. But it wasnt like a normal interview, and I thought the passport control did that. He did it look like we were 3 foreigners trying to cross the border illegally (usually people try to cross the border to leave Mexico, not enter, I guess). Where are you going? How long? How much money do you have? How much in dollars? (At this point I thought “I cant believe this guy will ask for a propina in the middle of the airport!”) How much in Reales (brazilian money)? (sure I am bringing a currency that is worth 25% of dollar to laundry in Mexico, you genius). Well, ok, it was his job but if he did that with a couple with a 5 years old kid entering Cancun what would he do with a one guy alone coming from a Cuba day trip with a hand baggage? Later you will know. Back to the Cuba report. One hour flight, one hour difference time zone, no waiting for the luggage. 10 AM and I am inside a taxi heading to Comodoro to meet Alex. I talked to him 2 weeks in advance and he said there would be Puntillas available. I arrive Casa and Alex was there with 3 customers. After some minutes I realized they were buying Puntillas so I started a conversation but they werent friendly so I supposed they werent FoH members. I started smoking and checked the shelves. Just regular production besides one box of Romeo Cedros de Luxe and 5 of Epicure de Luxe. Mostly 2017 and 18 box codes and some less hyped brands with 15-16 codes. I grabed a box of Divinos with a March 15 code. Yes, I like Divinos. The 3 guys left and I could have a one hour long conversation with Alex. He is really ok. I think he will start travelling abroad frequently to show his work. He even told me there was an invitation to go to Brazil but he declined. He looks happy and ready to have a brilliant future as a roller. Now it was midday and he went to have lunch so I stayed to finish my cigar and have one more Bucanero. I started talking to the lady who works there and she told me there is a Cohiba shortage at the moment in Cuba, what I could confirm later. The whole trip I only saw Siglo I boxes. Many of them. In one store there was one Siglo II box. Nothing more. Ok. 12:30. Time to walk to Melia Habana. 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JY0 Posted June 8, 2018 Share Posted June 8, 2018 We got to meet Alex a couple of weeks ago. He is awesome. We saw every Cohiba marca, even the Talisman in the LCDH stores in Cienfuegos and Santiago De Cuba. For me the value just isn't there. The SIglo Vl is $490 for 25 sticks in Cuba. For just $10 more I can buy two 50 cabs: PLPC's and RASS. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oliverdst Posted June 9, 2018 Author Share Posted June 9, 2018 1 hour ago, JY0 said: We got to meet Alex a couple of weeks ago. He is awesome. We saw every Cohiba marca, even the Talisman in the LCDH stores in Cienfuegos and Santiago De Cuba. For me the value just isn't there. The SIglo Vl is $490 for 25 sticks in Cuba. For just $10 more I can buy two 50 cabs: PLPC's and RASS. I think like you too. I was making up my mind between a 25 San Juan or a 50 RASS (RASS won). do you remember if you saw them in Havana? pretty sure outside Havana all cigars move slower. or maybe "shortage" in cuba is not having a cigar in 2 weeks... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JY0 Posted June 9, 2018 Share Posted June 9, 2018 I bought 2 boxes and 1 cab of RASS in Havana but I don’t remember which store. From Alex I bought bundles, RAAS and PLPC’s. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post oliverdst Posted June 9, 2018 Author Popular Post Share Posted June 9, 2018 PART 2 All I had with me was a suitcase and Melia is just a block away. Easy walk. Straight to the basement where the Casa is. I was thirsty so I asked for the first of the three Bucaneros I had there. When I arrived there was only a blonde lady and the waiter. I asked if I could let my suitcase under a table where no one would stamble and she said “sure, one hour one peso”. I looked at her and asked again and she repeated the same and now added “one hour and one minute two pesos”. I didnt have any other option besides go away but it was in my plans to go to these 2 specific Casas that are so close to each other and I didnt have much time (it was a day trip afterall). And the most important, I had to be at Conde de Villanueva to meet @stogieluver at 3 PM and I really didnt want to be late. To take a taxi to another Casa would consume some important minutes that I hadnt the feeling to lose them. I looked kind of pissed and resigned to her and said “ok”. The waiter started laughing and so did she. She says it was only a chiste (joke). I believed her. I think. Later I told her I am from Brazil and I've seen things like that before. So I go inside the humidor and start looking at all those boxes. Regular production and some boxes of Epi de Luxe. Siglo I only. Asked for a Bucanero, picked an Yolanda robusto and seated in the armchair. After some minutes Yolanda arrived and politely greeted me (I didnt know her personally. The last time I was in Cuba she was in China, like she told me later). Few more customers. This time friendly smokers. Like I mentioned nothing besides regular production but I could see what I think is a new Montecristo ashtray and the H Upmann robusto leather cigar case that was released some years ago but now only the leather case itself, no cigars inside. Both I could see in Comodoro too. The ashtray is big, maybe 40 cm. Its box even bigger. I didnt have the space. 80 CUC The Upmann case is pretty too but I already have one from the original release so no need to buy another one. In Comodoro it was displayed outside this packing. 64 CUC 2:30 PM. Time to leave to Villanueva. 4 Bucaneros and no food. I was dizzy. 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rabidraccoon Posted June 10, 2018 Share Posted June 10, 2018 Thanks for the reports and updates. Looking forward to the next parts. That’s really weird with your experience at the airport in Cancun. I have never flown there so I don’t know. I have flown in to Mexico City airport many many times and never had issues. Always the standard what is the purpose of your visit? do you have anything to declare? and then they let me go. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oliverdst Posted June 10, 2018 Author Share Posted June 10, 2018 10 hours ago, rabidraccoon said: Thanks for the reports and updates. Looking forward to the next parts. That’s really weird with your experience at the airport in Cancun. I have never flown there so I don’t know. I have flown in to Mexico City airport many many times and never had issues. Always the standard what is the purpose of your visit? do you have anything to declare? and then they let me go. really strange. first time in my whole life. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oliverdst Posted June 10, 2018 Author Share Posted June 10, 2018 PART 3 Right after I stepped on the sidewalk a driver approached me. I asked for Habana Vieja. Price was ok. During the ride I said was going to Villanueva and he said he didnt know where it was... I had a map with me and showed him. He dropped me where I believe it was just 2 blocks from the hotel. The truth is or he cheated me or I took a completely wrong way. It was 2:55 and I was kind of 8 blocks from the hotel. No taxis and my suitcase at that moment was starting to bother me, 125 cigars weight a ton when you are walking in Havana. So for the first time I took a bike ride. 5 CUCs were expensive IMO but at least the rider was nice and we could chat until we arrived the hotel. It was exactly 3:15. I went straight upstairs to meet @stogieluver . When I enter the store there was a guy taking a picture with Reynaldo. Somehow I was sure he was stogieluver but then I realized I was almost wetting my pants. I just looked at him, said “Stogieluver” and rushed downstairs to the toilet. Up again I could finally greet Stogie properly. He was acompanied by his lovely wife. We went to the bar as the smoke room was apparently closed. He showed me his partial stash that was with him and we could talk about our day and have some laughs. Sadly we could only have a brief conversation because his ship would leave earlier than planned. Stogie, it was a real pleasure meet you and your wife. You were very nice. I am sorry I was 15 minutes late, usually I am a punctual guy. Looking forward to meet you again. After Stogie and his wife left I started smoking a Reynaldo and asked for a second beer. So I started to look at all those beautiful boxes together on the shelves. I love to do that. Again just regular production and no Cohibas. I confess maybe there were petacas in the stores but I am pretty sure no boxes besides Siglo I. For the first time I saw Partagas Maduros and I was about to buy them but I remembered this was a diferent trip. I didnt have too much space and this day was more a kind of bonus in my family trip than a buy trip. I didnt want to spend a lot and I had the rest of the afternoon, the night and with luck a part of the next morning (flight scheduled to 11 AM) to find some other boxes. Moreover the image of the x-ray guy asking me all those questions made me afraid of having problems going back to Mexico. I kept the money inside my pocket. So it was 16:30 and it was time to head to Nacional. I left Villanueva and then I realized I hadnt eaten nothing the whole day. Didnt want to seat in a restaurant and have a real meal, a snack or something would be enough. Started walking around Vieja and out of the blue I saw a small door opened and inside there was one of those oven glass to display food. “How much for one hamburguesa?” “10 pesos.” Whaaaaat? “10 pesos or 1 CUC” Well, the convertion rate of the girl was a bit poor but I could live with that. So I had 2 hamburguesas and 2 glasses of mandarino juice. “How much for all?” “1 CUC” ??? Well, I only can imagine each sandwich was 10 CUPs and each juice 2 CUPs or something like that. I gave to the girl 2 CUCs and I think it was a good deal for both of us. I remember it was in Cuba Street and next time I am going there again to help the girl. A genuine worker trying to make life better. I admire that. 17:00. Nacional time. My plan was to visit its store and Habana Libre’s. Another cab and straight to check in that it should be no earlier than 16:00. No rooms available at that moment. I was tired but it was ok. Walk pretty much with a hand-on luggage trought Vieja was not an easy task but my intention at that moment wasnt rest in the room, I wanted to talk to my family; my wife and kid went to spend the afternoon in Playa del Carmen. So I asked the wifi password and the lady told me I should go upstairs to the business center to have a login and a password. I left my luggage in the luggage room and went to the office. After 5 tries I simply could not connect internet. Asked for help and the girl told me everything was ok and that last week internet wasnt working in iPhones and this week I wasnt the first to complain about that using a Motorola. Ok, let’s go to Habana Libre. No conection too. Hm. My phone and my wife’s phone were dead mute in Mexico. In Cuba too so no way I could call her. It’s not a confortable feeling to leave your wife and son alone in Mexico (or any other not so developed country that you dont know) but at first I thought she would spend the day inside the resort. She wanted to know PDC and said she would use my day trip to do that. I didnt liked it but I agreed. I went to the concierge and booked a cab to her (our hotel was 20 km from PDC). Anyway, I really wanted to check if they were ok and it was more than 5 PM and I couldnt contact them. I went to the Rampa – between Nacional and Habana Libre- and bought a 1 hour wifi card. Again no connection. Now I was nervous. The guy who sold me the ticket and another one tried to help me. No connection at all. Now I know that for some reason my phone simply could not comunicate with ETECSA. I went to Habana Libre again and called my sister-in-law in Brazil and asked her about my family. She said she talked to them some minutes ago and they were back to the hotel and they were fine. Relief but those 60-90 minutes I couldnt contact them one million things passed trough my mind and now I was phisycal AND emotionally exhausted. As I was in Habana Trip and went to the LCDH. Some different boxes. The only box of Cohiba I saw besides the Siglo I was there, a Siglo II. Some box of Gigantes. Some Vigias. Many Partagas. In the display there were many boxes from different brands. There was a box with 3 Trovas and a box of Dantes with 9 units. Grabed the Dantes and then the employee told me I wasnt allowed to take the box with me. Ok, “sin problema”. Put the Dantes back to the display and walked away. I felt the guy got a bit confused but no way I was going to ask him why I could nothave the box just to hear some BS. Back to Nacional. The humidor was locked and a clerk asked me if she could help me but at that point I confess the only thing I wanted was to take a shower. I said it was ok and at what time the store would open next morning. She answered and said “you look tired”. Bull’s eye. After 5 stores and a long day it was time to relax. Went to my now available room, took a shower and went to check the magnificent view of the Malecon. Room view. One mojito, rum, a couple of bottles of water and another Alex’s cigar. I am so thankful that some of you recomend Nacional. I could have all I needed after a long day. A beautiful place, something to eat and drink, nice people. I visited Nacional before but being a guest somehow is different. It was 11 PM. I was tired. 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JY0 Posted June 10, 2018 Share Posted June 10, 2018 Thanks for sharing. That... was a long day. Safe travels. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stogieluver Posted June 10, 2018 Share Posted June 10, 2018 Great report, @oliverdst. We really enjoyed our ever so brief meeting with you. I regret that our mutual schedules compresssed the time we thought we would have to get to visit, drink, & smoke. Nevertheless, I truly am glad I got to meet you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
n0s4atu Posted June 13, 2018 Share Posted June 13, 2018 Sounds like a hectic day in Havana, but an excellent one. It's also very cool you got to meet another member while there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post oliverdst Posted June 17, 2018 Author Popular Post Share Posted June 17, 2018 PART 4 (FINAL) Woke up at 6:45 and went to have breakfast. Checked out and another cab to the airport. In the airport checked my baggage as I dont want it going trough the x-ray with someone to ask questions about facturas or something. Went to the free shop to maybe buy rum but there was just Santiago Carta Blanca and I wasnt in the mood for Havana Club. Went to see the cigars in the Duty Free. Zero cigars on the shelves (just cigarrillos) but the humidor was full until the roof. Asked to go inside the humi and the answer was no... As I was living I looked trough the glass and if there were something that I really wanted I would ask for. For my surprise there were 2 boxes of SLR Marquez (ER Cuba 2016). I asked for them and the lady said 150 CUC each AHAHAHHAAH (my laugh, well, at least inside my head). No thanks. Walked away. Went to the waiting area and had 2 Bucaneros. Went to see another little shop with cigars and there were some different cigars. Bought a box of Punch 48. So I go back to the first shop and could see the lady who offered me the boxes for 150 CUC wasnt there anymore. Asked to another lady about Marquez and abother BS. “No, sir, those boxes are not for sale. They are not good. We will send them back to the factory.” I asked “those tins of Vegueros beside them are not good too?” “They are not good too”. (another inside laugh). When I went the first time I heard the lady telling this one that she offered me for 150 so I think she was in the hope that the first gringo (me) went back to have them. Walked away again. Flight on time. Mexico again. I knew if I had any kind of problem would be now. Looked to the x-ray machines and the guy from the beggining of the trip wasnt there. Luggage trough the machine. Nobody says anything. When I take them a voice: - Señor, son puros que tienes? - Si, si, estava em Cuba. - INFORMACIÓÓÓÓN! Well, well, well. I was put aside and another officer come to talk to me. He told me that I was allowed to have a maximum of 25 cigars. He counts the others. I had and excess of more than 100 cigars. He shows me a list with the tax+penalty for having more than 25. I try to explain that I was leaving Mexico in the next day and that wasnt my purpose to be in Mexico with them. At least not for long. He was being very polite with me. Maybe because he understood Mexico was just a pitstop for those cigars but he had to do his job. He fined me for having not 120 cigars as overload but for 50. This saved me some coins. I could pay using my credit card as cash wasnt accepted. The bright side is that even having paid taxes cigars were waaaaaay cheaper than if I had bought them in Brazil (the ones available around here) and cheaper than most online vendors. At the end it was a really nice day. For sure I will repeat this frenetic 24 hours if I had the chance again. Be in Cuba, meet @stogieluver, walk in the Vieja, sleep in the Nacional, have Bucaneros... yes, for sure every single second was worth it. 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stogieluver Posted June 17, 2018 Share Posted June 17, 2018 That’s gotta be a Reynaldo. What is that...about a four-five hour smoke? His humi had the biggest damned cigars I’ve ever seen. ? Great reports, Oliver. Thanks for posting. 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oliverdst Posted June 18, 2018 Author Share Posted June 18, 2018 22 hours ago, stogieluver said: That’s gotta be a Reynaldo. What is that...about a four-five hour smoke? His humi had the biggest damned cigars I’ve ever seen. ? Great reports, Oliver. Thanks for posting. That's a cigar that a man does not buy when he is sober. Yolanda. 20 CUC. She told me they were rolled to last Festival. Later I will post a picture comparing it to regular cigars. And I will try to weight it somewhere. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Str8BlkCoffee Posted June 19, 2018 Share Posted June 19, 2018 I have to say that was one interesting trip! I have had similar trips, minus the great cigars unfortunately. Glad to read all turned out good in the end. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
n0s4atu Posted June 19, 2018 Share Posted June 19, 2018 I wonder who exactly they are letting into the humidor and who they're selling the cigars to? I didn't think it was allowed to sell cigars at more than the price the government sets? I wonder if someone who looks like a gringo informs them of this fluently in Spanish if they change their tune? Overall it just sounds like an amazing day and I can't wait for my own trip even more now. Thanks again for sharing! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oliverdst Posted June 19, 2018 Author Share Posted June 19, 2018 2 hours ago, n0s4atu said: I wonder who exactly they are letting into the humidor and who they're selling the cigars to? I didn't think it was allowed to sell cigars at more than the price the government sets? I wonder if someone who looks like a gringo informs them of this fluently in Spanish if they change their tune? Overall it just sounds like an amazing day and I can't wait for my own trip even more now. Thanks again for sharing! probably those who look that will spend a lot and not a guy who should be looking a mess. schmucks. it´s not allowed. if I were in a bad mood I would have teased them about that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BudBud Posted June 20, 2018 Share Posted June 20, 2018 Sounds like you had a great adventure! Some of my favorite travels are 24 hour on the fly trips. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GotaCohiba Posted June 20, 2018 Share Posted June 20, 2018 12 hours ago, oliverdst said: probably those who look that will spend a lot and not a guy who should be looking a mess. schmucks. it´s not allowed. if I were in a bad mood I would have teased them about that. Guess they haven’t learned to not judge a book by its cover If gringos are looking to get in they will spend money Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bpm32 Posted June 20, 2018 Share Posted June 20, 2018 14 hours ago, oliverdst said: probably those who look that will spend a lot and not a guy who should be looking a mess. schmucks. it´s not allowed. if I were in a bad mood I would have teased them about that. They tend to squirrel away the rare stuff for people they know well who come down a lot. If you hang around a little while you see it happening. Not sure, but I don’t think they were charging more than the official price. Liquor stores do the same thing in the US for rare bottles of whiskey. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oliverdst Posted June 20, 2018 Author Share Posted June 20, 2018 10 hours ago, bpm32 said: They tend to squirrel away the rare stuff for people they know well who come down a lot. If you hang around a little while you see it happening. Not sure, but I don’t think they were charging more than the official price. Liquor stores do the same thing in the US for rare bottles of whiskey. The boxes werent hidden. If I wanted to pay 150 they would be mine. The official price is 117, what IMO is already expensive. No cigars on the displays, not allowed to walk in the humidor, overprice... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bpm32 Posted June 20, 2018 Share Posted June 20, 2018 3 hours ago, oliverdst said: The boxes werent hidden. If I wanted to pay 150 they would be mine. The official price is 117, what IMO is already expensive. No cigars on the displays, not allowed to walk in the humidor, overprice... Ah, sorry, I was confused--I thought you were talking about an LCDH. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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