Why you open boxes in Dubai.


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This box looks water damaged. Not as bad as one of those finds by Keith in Havana.

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The photo doesn't show how bad it was but the three sticks in the right were green. I'm talking candela green.

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Then there's these behike 54s. It's like a sound board :P

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No Lebanon regionals. I've never seen Lebanon regionals in Dubai. The only regional they have is the bolivar El Greco. Greece and Cyprus regional I think. Looked like a robust extra Vitolo. They've had them for the last year and have plenty of stock. They don't seem to be moving off the shelves so they'll be there for a while.

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I was just in Dubai last week, check out the LCDH at Emirate Towers if you have a chance. I scored some vintage (read: 1998!) Dippy 2s and 4s as well as two Bolivar Emiratos that were hidden away amongst the backstock as the clerk waited on a couple of locals. Prices were higher that our host, but I needed some sticks for the remainder of my trip after chain smoking PSD4s in the Frankfurt Lufthansa cigar lounge.

Dubai Duty Free was a mixed bag and I did not maker it to the LCDH in the airport, though I will strive to do so in a return trip next month. Let me know if you did make it there and your thoughts.

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A few years ago when I was going thru Dubai. In one of the duty free stores they had a water pipe break inside the humidor area I would guess that box is from then. The people that watch over the duty free stores in the airport don't really know what they are doing so it can be a hit or miss there.

I stayed at the emirates towers the LCDH is good there. It was great just walking downstairs to get what I wanted. Prices are higher then the duty free of course. The LCDH by the walk is also good and you can smoke right outside they have a nice little section set up.

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Sure have John. Every now and then you open a box and it's glorious. So I buy it. There are a few decent boxes, and a LOT of very bad boxes. When i say bad i mean dry soulless wrappers, barely any aroma, hard/soft spots through the cigars. I have on occasion seen mold in Dubai, but nothing so bad that i wouldn't purchase it if the quality was spot on otherwise.

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Lufthansa has a cigar lounge in the Frankfurt airport?! Hallelujah! cigar.gif

Well - it's a smoker "fish bowl" inside the lounge that you share with the cigarette smokers and that has some bar stools - not comfy leather lounge chairs, a TV, and wood panelled walls wink.png

Definitely beats most US airports that don't have any smoking lounges at all, though. 2thumbs.gif

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I live in Dubai and travel regularly through the airport, never seen anything like this :( Take them back and get a refund. PM me if you have the receipt, I know the local importers well.

I have had only good experience in Dubai Duty Free, the staff in the DFS are somewhat useless though, that doesn't bother me.

I ALWAYS open boxes if I am gonna buy them, anywhere, no exceptions. My best box recently was a 2006 50 Cab of RYJ Ex 4, phenomenal.

Keith.

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Sure have John. Every now and then you open a box and it's glorious. So I buy it. There are a few decent boxes, and a LOT of very bad boxes. When i say bad i mean dry soulless wrappers, barely any aroma, hard/soft spots through the cigars. I have on occasion seen mold in Dubai, but nothing so bad that i wouldn't purchase it if the quality was spot on otherwise.

+1

Opening boxes is a must in Dubai duty free. Under filled cigars with awful wrappers are very common. Staff are not trained to handle cigars and are often overwhelmed and cautious.

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Keith, Yes, I couldn't find any price list online. My local airport (vienna) has pretty decent prices, but limited selection. Do you know any box prices of the top of your head that I could use as a reference?

Thanks, Richard

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I'm curious Mus...have you opened boxes in Dubai in the past and been pleasantly surprised to find a good, even outstanding box of cigars?

I had the fun of opening 3 seperate boxes of '98/99's a couple of yrs ago. Surprising.

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No Lebanon regionals. I've never seen Lebanon regionals in Dubai. The only regional they have is the bolivar El Greco. Greece and Cyprus regional I think. Looked like a robust extra Vitolo. They've had them for the last year and have plenty of stock. They don't seem to be moving off the shelves so they'll be there for a while.

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Have not seen an Lebanon regionals there either. I asked about them in December and was told they were sold out. I did snag a box of Bolivar Oryx when they had the 25% off everything sale and regret not snagging a box of the Grecos.....ah well, all in due time I guess smile.png The 25% off was a really NICE discount to have lol....too bad I didn't save more money at the time....

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  • 2 weeks later...

Hello Gents, I'm visiting Thailand in July and will have a 2-3 hour stop at Dubai each way, I was thinking of picking up some singles from dutyfree while I'm in the airport, I've done some googling but the price lists I've found seem to indicate you can only buy boxes? If anyones got some first hand experience I'd appreciate it.

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Hello Gents, I'm visiting Thailand in July and will have a 2-3 hour stop at Dubai each way, I was thinking of picking up some singles from dutyfree while I'm in the airport, I've done some googling but the price lists I've found seem to indicate you can only buy boxes? If anyones got some first hand experience I'd appreciate it.

No singles in the duty free in the airport. only in the city.

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