Puros Y Vino Posted March 17, 2014 Posted March 17, 2014 Over the past few months on various forums and IRC boards I keep hearing the notion that Cuba has been importing tobacco from other tobacco producing nations such as Ecuador and Nicaragua and has been blending them into the Habanos line. I for one cannot believe this to be true. Why import a crop they are experts at growing on what is regarded as the best land to grow it on? Who else has heard this? Vets of Cuba travel. Any insight? And this new item from Jan 2011. Cuba To Import Tobacco And Rice From Ecuador. The sources of this info tends to be reps of certain NC manufacturers. Many of which have Cuban expats in their employ. So. Let's get down to business. What to make of this?
laficion Posted March 17, 2014 Posted March 17, 2014 Frank, your title says It all , It Is time to END this Rumor that the N.C. makers wants us to believe.!!!!!! It's B.S. !!!!
greenpimp Posted March 17, 2014 Posted March 17, 2014 Even if they wanted to they couldn't afford it. No cash. 3
PapaDisco Posted March 17, 2014 Posted March 17, 2014 Another communist country that I know, Vietnam, does this sort of thing all the time. Vietnam is a leading exporter of cashews, for instance, but the local crop has been running so low that they've imported almost half of their total in order to mix with the local crop and then re-export. Part of this is for the national pride of retaining a 'title,' but part of it is also because the cashew business is scaled to a certain size and it needs consistent throughput; just like any biz. Vietnam does this with several commodities, but not their most famous: rice and coffee. Where would Cuba get the hard currency necessary to buy somebody else's tobacco? 1
AlohaStyle Posted March 17, 2014 Posted March 17, 2014 I have no idea, but this article can definitely fuel the fire of people thinking Cuba does use other tobacco, or at least is playing with the idea...http://www.cigaraficionado.com/blogs/show/id/Cuba-Meets-Ecuador_461 In November 2012 I asked Hirochi about this story and he didn't want to talk about it... we had a great conversation about all things, but his response was pretty weird and short when I asked him about Ecuador and growing tobacco there. 2
Popular Post CaptainQuintero Posted March 17, 2014 Popular Post Posted March 17, 2014 Cuba supposedly running on 100,000 barrels of oil a day from Venezuela paid for by sending specialists in military/first aid and 30,000 medics because there is no hard cash to purchase it with. Buying tobacco is a long way down the list of priorities. There is no better way for NC producers to market their products to say "Did you know the best cigars in the world actually secretly use the same tobacco as us? But why pay their prices when you can buy the same tobacco from me!" Completely off topic but I make small batch red wine, I actually import the grapes from Bordeaux, it's only £5 a bottle and it's the same wine as 'official' Bordeaux, you might as well save yourself some money and buy off me Like you said, I've never heard it come from anyone who hasn't got a vested interest in saying so. If NC tobacco can go toe to toe with Cuban across all levels of quality, then why are so many NC brands/producers/vitola etc etc use names and branding to associate themselves with Cuba. Those that know the different qualities of NC tobacco and blend to take advantage of this (Liga Privada, Padron, Fuente, Illusione, Tatajue) go their own route and take advantage of the qualities that NC has over Cuban. They don't try to imitate, they promote what IS great about NC tobaccos. 5
Nino Posted March 17, 2014 Posted March 17, 2014 Over the past few months on various forums and IRC boards I keep hearing the notion that Cuba has been importing tobacco from other tobacco producing nations such as Ecuador and Nicaragua and has been blending them into the Habanos line. I for one cannot believe this to be true. Why import a crop they are experts at growing on what is regarded as the best land to grow it on? Who else has heard this? Vets of Cuba travel. Any insight? And this new item from Jan 2011. Cuba To Import Tobacco And Rice From Ecuador. The sources of this info tends to be reps of certain NC manufacturers. Many of which have Cuban expats in their employ. So. Let's get down to business. What to make of this? Frank, sometimes rumours tend to be mirrors of reality. That link may well refer to cigarette tobacco as it mentions "black and blond" tobacco - normally associated with cigarettes and it comes from an official source. Let's leave it at that, someone here might get a heart attack ... 1
Nino Posted March 17, 2014 Posted March 17, 2014 In November 2012 I asked Hirochi about this story and he didn't want to talk about it... we had a great conversation about all things, but his response was pretty weird and short when I asked him about Ecuador and growing tobacco there. Funny reaction, bro - he should know about Ecuador more than he does about Karaoke, after all he had a tobacco venture there ... ;-)
Colt45 Posted March 17, 2014 Posted March 17, 2014 As mentioned in past discussions re cigar tobacco, as of yet no one has ever been willing or able to prove it to be true. Given that there are supposedly years worth of stored tobacco, and with roller layoffs these past few years, it seams highly unlikely. 1
Smallclub Posted March 17, 2014 Posted March 17, 2014 It's the tenth or twelfth consecutive year that I hear/read this BS…
shlomo Posted March 17, 2014 Posted March 17, 2014 Like Smallclub says, been hearing this since the day I started in the hobby. You really think they could keep this a secret for so long without ANYBODY talking about it? And if some people are "in the know" why not share the information instead of being so secret about it? Its not highly classified....or is it?
Stanislaw Posted March 17, 2014 Posted March 17, 2014 hmmm, so that's why my upmann mag 48's taste like that...... 1
SCgarman Posted March 17, 2014 Posted March 17, 2014 I think some people keep talking about this because they like to stir the sh*t pot. El Pres told me he has heard these rumours for the last 20 years but there is no evidence of a bill of lading for tobacco from another country.
El Presidente Posted March 17, 2014 Posted March 17, 2014 I don't think Cuba has ever done business with anyone who it has not eventually pissed off One confirmed Bill of Lading is all it would take to confirm. I have never seen one as yet.
Stanislaw Posted March 17, 2014 Posted March 17, 2014 this speculation is the reason why I cannot set foot inside a U.S. brick and mortar store because 98% of the time they will tell me that dominicans have surpassed cubans in quality and taste... also, i'm that annoying guy who walks in, surveys their vast selection and then tells them that, "I only smoke cubans, you got any of those?".... it is pretty fascinating to me, however, that cigars like the RA Extra and H. Upmann Mag 48 - special release cigars mind you - taste surprisingly like NC cigars at times... not to stir the pot, here, it's just a coincidence as far as i'm concerned...
Carpenter69 Posted March 17, 2014 Posted March 17, 2014 this speculation is the reason why I cannot set foot inside a U.S. brick and mortar store because 98% of the time they will tell me that dominicans have surpassed cubans in quality and taste... also, i'm that annoying guy who walks in, surveys their vast selection and then tells them that, "I only smoke cubans, you got any of those?".... it is pretty fascinating to me, however, that cigars like the RA Extra and H. Upmann Mag 48 - special release cigars mind you - taste surprisingly like NC cigars at times... not to stir the pot, here, it's just a coincidence as far as i'm concerned... I kinda do the same thing. I walk in smoking a cuban, but it make sure I bring one for the owner. I never try and stir the pot. Some guys says your paying to much for cigars. Here's the deal for me though. I can get a box of RASS for $180, Liga Privadas are $300. I think the Habanos taste better (to me) and are less expensive. As far as the Dominican Republic goes, I don't ever even consider them. Just my 2 cents. 3
earthson Posted March 17, 2014 Posted March 17, 2014 I've wondered for a long time what a Cuban/Nicaraguan would taste like. Don Pepin Garcia once stated that a perfect 100 cigar would have a Cuban wrapper, Nicaraguan binder, one Nicaraguan ligero leaf and rest Cuban viso and seco. I'd like to try that one! 2
Ken Gargett Posted March 17, 2014 Posted March 17, 2014 It's the tenth or twelfth consecutive year that I hear/read this BS… exactly. 10, 12 years ago, hearing exactly that. for me,nonsense then and now. some NC producers using cuban tobacco is another thing entirely. if they have the contacts.
headstand Posted March 17, 2014 Posted March 17, 2014 Three years ago a cigar maker and merchant in San Juan PR was telling me the same thing...goofy fellow.
canadianbeaver Posted March 17, 2014 Posted March 17, 2014 Frank, for the money I spend on this ****, call me when they blend in some leaf from Jamaica my bruthuh. CB 1
poisonowns Posted March 17, 2014 Posted March 17, 2014 this speculation is the reason why I cannot set foot inside a U.S. brick and mortar store because 98% of the time they will tell me that dominicans have surpassed cubans in quality and taste... also, i'm that annoying guy who walks in, surveys their vast selection and then tells them that, "I only smoke cubans, you got any of those?".... it is pretty fascinating to me, however, that cigars like the RA Extra and H. Upmann Mag 48 - special release cigars mind you - taste surprisingly like NC cigars at times... not to stir the pot, here, it's just a coincidence as far as i'm concerned... Your Mag 48s are just Gurkha's in disguise. 1
KoreanCowboy Posted March 17, 2014 Posted March 17, 2014 Thanks for the post up. This rumor gets so old. And to fuel the fire, a certain manufacturer who sells a large quantity of flavored cigars, told a group on a tour of their factories that he was selling the Cubans tobacco from his Nicaraguan fields. However, like the Prez says, why doesn't he just post a pic of the bill of sale to prove it? Would be that simple to end the debate right there. But of course no proof is ever shown.
ewipper Posted March 18, 2014 Posted March 18, 2014 HORSE CACA. The best cigar in the world would be a tabacuba and Habanos that paid attention instead of running their business like they couldnt care less. The rest of the world competes because Cuba lets them. I have tried the hybrids. All BS.
oliverdst Posted March 18, 2014 Posted March 18, 2014 Frank, for the money I spend on this ****, call me when they blend in some leaf from Jamaica my bruthuh. CB Perfect.
LGC Posted March 18, 2014 Posted March 18, 2014 This is why I decided to trade all of my cigars for Camachos.
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