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| What is in a Cuban cigar that makes it illegal? |
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Extreme Veteran
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| Firstly, welcome to the group. It’s not the cigars or their contents/ingredients that are illegal. It is illegal to purchase or sell them in the United States. This is due to the trade embargo imposed by President Kennedy in 1962. What has changed is that as of 2016 U S citizens may purchase them in other countries and bring them back with a limit of 100 cigars I believe it is as long as they are for personal consumption. That’s my understanding. I’m sure some of the veterans here can shed some more light on the subject.
Edited by Chefjohn 7/4/2018 5:24 AM
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Elite Expert
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| I get this in the store all the time... people think that President Obama lifted the embargo but the only thing that changed with regards to cigars is as ChefJohn stated you can bring a limited amount in the country for personal use. You cannot buy them in the United States from any source. If the Embargo were lifted today they would have to comply with the FDA regulations just like any other company. I don’t see the Cuban government submitting samples and paying the extortion fees to the US Government to gain FDA approval. They might try to argue that their trademarks were marketed before 15 February 2007 and are then grandfathered but their trademarks are not US trademarks. In fact someone else owns several of the same names under US trademark such as General Cigar Company who owns their own Cohiba, La Gloria Cubana, etc... I don’t expect President Trump to push to lift the Embargo but again even he does this won’t change the FDA's effect on the import of these cigars or the legal battle for the trademarks (I’d expect General Cigar to successfully obtain a court injunction preventing the sale of a product using their US Trademarks). |
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| Cuba has some world class tobacco but that doesn't always translate into good, premium cigars. Putting different logos/bands on the same cigar has pissed-off alot of smokers. |
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| amigodecigars - 7/4/2018 12:10 PM
Cuba has some world class tobacco but that doesn't always translate into good, premium cigars. Putting different logos/bands on the same cigar has pissed-off alot of smokers.
American smokers want it because its the forbidden fruit but many times now its a rotten apple - so many fakes are sold to unsuspecting tourists and even when it's the real thing their quality control sucks so you can't count on a good draw... Why work hard or show initiative when everyone makes $23 USD per month regardless of contribution/output. |
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| As an interesting aside, if you haven't heard this story its worth reading... JFK like most politicians put himself first. He sent his staffer Pierre Salinger out to obtain '1,000 Petit Upmanns' on February 6, 1962, so he could have them in his hands before they he deemed them contraband. Salinger returned with 1200 cigars, at which time JFK signed the embargo.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2098064/John-F-Kennedy-boug...
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| A couple of clarifications to Otters comments. Half of Habanas SAa is owned by Altidas makers of RyJ Montecristo Upmann and others. So trademarks might be able to be grandfathered in. On another front Empresa Cubana who owns the Cubans rights to Cohiba sued General in US courts over the name. Lost in lower courts and Federal courts ruled that the lower court may not have interpreted the general exception clause under the CACR correctly. This is still an open issue. |
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| As previously stated, the tobacco is grown in Cuba is the problem. Do they make some good cigars? They sure do, followed by some mediocre cigars followed by all of the fakes that are also on the market.
We get plenty of great cigars here in the US from DOM, NIC and HON without even touching Cubans AND you don't have to age them like you do Cubans. But then, what do I know?
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| If and/or when Cuban tobacco becomes importable to the U.S. it'll mean Cuba's tobaccos will be available to those who blend cigars for the U.S. market... and won't THAT be fun! Can you imagine a cigar with a Mata Fina Brazilian wrapper, a Cameroon binder, and a bunch of Cuban viso and ligero fillers?!? The mind boggles. |
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| DonM - 7/4/2018 2:25 PM
As previously stated, the tobacco is grown in Cuba is the problem. Do they make some good cigars? They sure do, followed by some mediocre cigars followed by all of the fakes that are also on the market.
We get plenty of great cigars here in the US from DOM, NIC and HON without even touching Cubans AND you don't have to age them like you do Cubans. But then, what do I know?
I agree with You Don that there are some fine cigars produced outside of Cuba. I am a newbie to being serious about cigars and I don’t know about the various companies and their licenses of brand ownership as some of the more knowledgeable members here do but I do know that the ones I’ve had from DOM, NOC, and HON I have enjoyed greatly. |
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| The factory in Costa Rica will buy Cuban tobaccos when Don Olman can find some that has been properly grown and processed. Right now we believe that the best tobaccos in the world are from; Peru, Ecuador, Domincan Republic and Nicaragua. Blending tobaccos for a premium cigar is an "art & science". |
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| amigodecigars - 7/4/2018 8:44 PM
The factory in Costa Rica will buy Cuban tobaccos when Don Olman can find some that has been properly grown and processed. Right now we believe that the best tobaccos in the world are from; Peru, Ecuador, Domincan Republic and Nicaragua. Blending tobaccos for a premium cigar is an "art & science".
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| c9belayer - 7/4/2018 3:58 PM If and/or when Cuban tobacco becomes importable to the U.S. it'll mean Cuba's tobaccos will be available to those who blend cigars for the U.S. market... and won't THAT be fun! Can you imagine a cigar with a Mata Fina Brazilian wrapper, a Cameroon binder, and a bunch of Cuban viso and ligero fillers?!? The mind boggles.
IMHO I don't think you will see loose tobacco sold. If legalization does happen then all hell will break loose. There is barely enough tobacco grown to support what they sell to now. You add the largest cigar market in the world and there is a good chance the quality will go to s**t because they will need every scrap they can find. I wouldn't be surprised to also hear that the Cuban authorities are on the market for non-Cuban tobacco.
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| Cfickter - 7/6/2018 11:11 AM
c9belayer - 7/4/2018 3:58 PM If and/or when Cuban tobacco becomes importable to the U.S. it'll mean Cuba's tobaccos will be available to those who blend cigars for the U.S. market... and won't THAT be fun! Can you imagine a cigar with a Mata Fina Brazilian wrapper, a Cameroon binder, and a bunch of Cuban viso and ligero fillers?!? The mind boggles. IMHO I don't think you will see loose tobacco sold. If legalization does happen then all hell will break loose. There is barely enough tobacco grown to support what they sell to now. You add the largest cigar market in the world and there is a good chance the quality will go to s**t because they will need every scrap they can find. I wouldn't be surprised to also hear that the Cuban authorities are on the market for non-Cuban tobacco.
They already import Nicaraguan tobacco. My bet is Dominican as well but I have only been told about the Nicaraguan exports. |
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| Otter - 7/6/2018 10:21 AM Cfickter - 7/6/2018 11:11 AM c9belayer - 7/4/2018 3:58 PM If and/or when Cuban tobacco becomes importable to the U.S. it'll mean Cuba's tobaccos will be available to those who blend cigars for the U.S. market... and won't THAT be fun! Can you imagine a cigar with a Mata Fina Brazilian wrapper, a Cameroon binder, and a bunch of Cuban viso and ligero fillers?!? The mind boggles. IMHO I don't think you will see loose tobacco sold. If legalization does happen then all hell will break loose. There is barely enough tobacco grown to support what they sell to now. You add the largest cigar market in the world and there is a good chance the quality will go to s**t because they will need every scrap they can find. I wouldn't be surprised to also hear that the Cuban authorities are on the market for non-Cuban tobacco. They already import Nicaraguan tobacco. My bet is Dominican as well but I have only been told about the Nicaraguan exports. I had heard they were doing some importing but my comment was more the larger picture I'd ever legalized |
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| Cfickter - 7/6/2018 9:15 PM
Otter - 7/6/2018 10:21 AM Cfickter - 7/6/2018 11:11 AM c9belayer - 7/4/2018 3:58 PM If and/or when Cuban tobacco becomes importable to the U.S. it'll mean Cuba's tobaccos will be available to those who blend cigars for the U.S. market... and won't THAT be fun! Can you imagine a cigar with a Mata Fina Brazilian wrapper, a Cameroon binder, and a bunch of Cuban viso and ligero fillers?!? The mind boggles. IMHO I don't think you will see loose tobacco sold. If legalization does happen then all hell will break loose. There is barely enough tobacco grown to support what they sell to now. You add the largest cigar market in the world and there is a good chance the quality will go to s**t because they will need every scrap they can find. I wouldn't be surprised to also hear that the Cuban authorities are on the market for non-Cuban tobacco. They already import Nicaraguan tobacco. My bet is Dominican as well but I have only been told about the Nicaraguan exports. I had heard they were doing some importing but my comment was more the larger picture I'd ever legalized
It’s a valid point 100% in agreement. |
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| i’ve always thought it was strange. the US does business with every nasty nation and nation state with few exceptions. why not Cuba? |
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| Being Canadian I have had plenty of cuban cigars both purchased in Canada and purchased on trips to Cuba, at least a dozen times. Here is my overall take on Cuban cigars: Quality control is a real issue. For the amount that I have smoked, the ratio of plugged or way too tighly rolled cigars is very high, especially so at their price point. The quality of consistency does not compare to non cuban cigars. Tastewise, some are great, some are average, and a few are not so great. I cannot agree more with anyone who feels that the "forbidden friut" has both lifted and kept cuban cigars high on the desirable list for that reason alone. There are so many great non cuban cigars at much better prices to be had. With that said, it sure is nice to sit back at any place in Cuba and smoke a Cuban cigar
On a side note, this place is the last standing cigar maker in Canada. Cuban tobacco is still used.
http://www.correnticigars.com/index.php |
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| junglepete - 7/7/2018 7:32 PM
Being Canadian I have had plenty of cuban cigars both purchased in Canada and purchased on trips to Cuba, at least a dozen times. Here is my overall take on Cuban cigars: Quality control is a real issue. For the amount that I have smoked, the ratio of plugged or way too tighly rolled cigars is very high, especially so at their price point. The quality of consistency does not compare to non cuban cigars. Tastewise, some are great, some are average, and a few are not so great. I cannot agree more with anyone who feels that the "forbidden friut" has both lifted and kept cuban cigars high on the desirable list for that reason alone. There are so many great non cuban cigars at much better prices to be had. With that said, it sure is nice to sit back at any place in Cuba and smoke a Cuban cigar
On a side note, this place is the last standing cigar maker in Canada. Cuban tobacco is still used.
http://www.correnticigars.com/index.php
I agree with you Pete about the concept of the “forbidden fruit” increasing their allure. I am by no means an expert and am fairly new to premium cigars but I have had many wonderful smokes fro NIC, DOM, and HON. |
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| going strictly by my shaky memory, but I believe the change under Obama allowed for a total of $100 Cuban cigars and or rums. This was rolled back to pre G. W. Bush limits under Trump.
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What is in a Cuban cigar that makes it illegal?
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