Posted on 02/24/2010 12:44:45 PM PST by martin_fierro
While stationed in Havana (93-97), the U.S. Mission was undergoing a major upgrade. We hosted a rotating crew of SeaBees who, much to their chagrin, were being used more as guards than as builders. They worked very closely with the Cuban laborers. You’d be shocked to see just how many boxes of the finest Cuban cigars fall off the rickety trucks. I could buy a box of 25 Churchills or Cohibas for $25-$30. I only occasionally smoked them, but because of a loophole, we diplomats could bring out 100 Cuban cigars and two liters of rum at a time. I was a very popular guy with my brothers in law and certain good friends.
Do you have any specific suggestions? As rarely as I smoke them, it would be good to have an actually name and style from someone who knows. I like the darker one and enjoy them with whiskey, something in the $5-20 range.
I was talking about Cuban for $200 a box, I will not buy from Thomason.
Try Mike’s cigars or Famous Smokes, they have samplers at great prices.
Carlos Toraño Exodus 1959 Double Corona. Honduran/Nicaraguan filler, but may vary with the label. Box pressed ones are the best; smooth draw, woody and spicy flavor.
Oliva Serie V Belicoso - a Nicaraguan puro, full-bodied, and reasonable at about $6.
Rocky Patel Decade (46 ring gauge size) - a nice medium-bodied cigar with some nice coffee flavor to it. It's a blend of Honduran and Nicaraguan tobacco, with a nicely-aged Ecuadoran wrapper. About $8-9 a stick, IIRC.
Lastly, a good and (relatively) cheap smoke is BrickHouse - Nicaraguan filler with a classic Havana Subido wrapper. They are between $4.50 and $5.50 each around these parts . It's a relatively new cigar, although an old brand. Enjoy!
"I smoke in moderation...only one cigar at a time." -Mark Twain
For $30 a stick I want to see it and pick it out for myself. I’ve been to a few cigar stores in places like NYC and Vegas that sell Cubans for $50+ each.
Saving, thanks.
I bought mine at an official Cuban government store.
I agree, my favorites are Partagas Serie D #4 and Punch Punch. Montecristo #2 is as close to perfection as you can get, but you need to leave them in the humidor for at least a year.
La Casa del Habano is actually a franchise which varies their prices by location, the more “upscale” the location, the higher the prices. Plus a lot of countries have taxes on cigars.
They will be at the upper end of your range (maybe over with the new taxes), but you will NEVER go wrong with a Fuente Fuente Opus X or Anejo (available only at Christmas time) or Ashton VSG.
Arturo Fuente Hemingway Classic, or Bestseller.
Duh, I don’t know how I forgot the Hemingways, they are wonderful cigars and very reasonably priced.
Sounds like Christmas ideas. Thanks.
Ten or so years ago, in an effort to increase sales they began to create all these special releases, ELs, REs, etc. They're taking the best leaf and dramatically marking it up, and the regular lines are going to hell. Cohiba Esplendido is a classic example but almost every line is suffering. Of course don't even talk about how badly they're rolled.
Habanos SA needs to realize Las Vegas makes its money from quarter slots, not large whales, and follow their example with higher quality overall.
The Opus X are available year round, but in VERY LIMITED supplies (major cigar stores like Davidoff in NYC or Vegas generally always have them), the Anejos are only released in late November or early December.
I agree, the special releases each year have been wonderful but overpriced. I’ve never thought Cohibas are worth the money.
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