Training a Mule

[EuroTrash]

I'm fortunate enough to have a cousin in-law going to Varadero this week. She has agreed to bring me back some boxes but has zero knowledge about cigars. She is staying at Sol Palmeras. Anyone know if there is a store in there?

I know she is not inclined to leave the resort so I need to make it as easy as possible. Las Americas is close so I figure I will send her there.

Any suggestions on how to make this as foolproof as possible? What do you provide your mules?

[PapaDisco]

O.K., first you gotta wrap the cigars in condoms before you have your cousin swallow them all . . .

I'd come to my own decision (internet search, phone calls) about the reliability of any cigar sources at the hotel or adjoining golf course. Looks like a lovely place, so you might be in luck, but provenance is everything in cigar sourcing. Is it worth a call to the hotel? You bet! Get the lowdown on what's available at the resort and they may even have a number for whatever shop retails their cigars.

If you're satisfied with the source, decide how much $$ you're willing to risk and then give her a shopping list and show her where to find the date on the bottom of the box so she doesn't have to guess at stogies. You're essentially buying blind, but you could still luck into some lovely boxes.

I don't know that I'd bother with factory box codes. Just date codes, marca and vitola. That's likely to be plenty complicated enough for a newbie.

Hopefully someone on here as actually been to the joint and can weigh in . . .

[shlomo]

Offer to pay for her taxi and a bottle of rum and send her to a close LCDH.

Draw diagrams of boxes, showing all labels clearly marked. Give her exact pricing and a top 15 list. Make sure to have at least a handful of easy to find boxes on the list.

Tell her to check for mold and beetles before purchase and to bring her passport with her to the shop.

Explain that some items on the boxes are stickers, some are ink, and some are burned in. Better yet, show her.

If she really loathes the idea of leaving the resort, ask her to pick some up from the half decent airport. Again checking for mold and beetles everywhere.

Give her a box of plastic wrap for transport and cash. Avoid credit cards. Make sure she is careful with her math at the shops and trading money and that she has enough money for the exit fee.

Good luck.

[Guest Robo]

I stayed at Sol Polmeros in April. The cigar store in the resort is a pitiful excuse for a cigar shop and should be avoided. Luckily, there is a LCDH just a 10m walk from the resort at the Plaza Americas. They have pretty much everything that's available at any LCDH in Varadero. She might be interested in the shops at the Plaza herself. If she's not into walking she can take a taxi for 3 pesos. I would give her a list of prices in Cuba so that they don't rip her off (which has happened).

EDIT: more on the cigar shop at Sol Palmeros: you can expect to find Cohiba, Montecristo and R&J only. Also, you can expect to pay 20% more than at the LCDH.

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[Bclass1]

I'm fortunate enough to have a cousin in-law going to Varadero this week. She has agreed to bring me back some boxes but has zero knowledge about cigars. She is staying at Sol Palmeras. Anyone know if there is a store in there?

I know she is not inclined to leave the resort so I need to make it as easy as possible. Las Americas is close so I figure I will send her there.

Any suggestions on how to make this as foolproof as possible? What do you provide your mules?

Just buy from here. If you want something done right you gotta do it yourself.

[mrsgucia]

No need to buy cigars at the hotel. There is a walking distance from Sol Palmeras to La Casa del Habano store at the Plaza Las Americas. If she doesn't like walking there is a daily transportation to the mall and back provided by the hotel for free. LCDH store is located at the lower level easy to find and well stocked.

[MrGinger]

Offer to pay for her taxi and a bottle of rum and send her to a close LCDH.

Draw diagrams of boxes, showing all labels clearly marked. Give her exact pricing and a top 15 list. Make sure to have at least a handful of easy to find boxes on the list.

Tell her to check for mold and beetles before purchase and to bring her passport with her to the shop.

Explain that some items on the boxes are stickers, some are ink, and some are burned in. Better yet, show her.

If she really loathes the idea of leaving the resort, ask her to pick some up from the half decent airport. Again checking for mold and beetles everywhere.

Give her a box of plastic wrap for transport and cash. Avoid credit cards. Make sure she is careful with her math at the shops and trading money and that she has enough money for the exit fee.

Good luck.

^ ^ this seems like asking a lot for someone on their vacation.

KEEP IT SIMPLE!!

Give a list of 10+ boxes you like.

Tell her to give the list to a clerk in the Varadero airport store.

Have a look at them for mold, beetles.

Bring home.

[bigfunkyg]

Mostly good advise already.

You can not understate enough about where to buy from. Make it very clear not to buy from a person on the beach or someone using the line "my "insert relationship" works at the factory". Find out where they are staying and give them a map of the LCDH's in Varadero. Do offer to pay for transportation. Depending on where they are staying taxi fare could be $20 each way. Should be plenty of info about Varadero is you search the forum.

Give them a wish list including current prices. YUL Cigars (http://yulcigars.blogspot.ca/) is a good resource. Don't put on the list aged or discontinued boxes in hopes of getting lucky. Current production only (current years LE's are OK but confirm they are released).

Do not buy from the Airport. Storage conditions there are horrible and mold is likely.

Plaza Las Americas and the LCHD nearest to had the best selection when I was there a few years back.

[StingMeadery]

Place a modest first order in case they screw things up.

Just had a box of Monty 520 EL bought in my a friends brother...

I instructed them to place in a ziplock bag and ask LCDH Dubai for a humidity pack for the bag.

Cigars get here fully saturated and the box mouldy as LCDH didn't have any humidity packs so they guy "used his initiative" and placed a full size

Cotton hand towel FULLY SATURATED in the bag with the box...for two weeks, and didn't tell me.

I thought this process would be idiot proof, but they're making a batter class of idiot these days.

Best of luck...I'm sticking with Di and Rob

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[CUBANO]

Last month my son went to Holguin to visit family. I gave him a list, and he was sold dried out Bolivar Coronas Extras and P#2. If your mule dosen't know anything about cigars you are taking a risk you might not like what they get. Just order from here and you know that you will get good quality cigars.

[TheFullMontecristo]

Have your mule just go to LCDH at Plaza Las Americas but have them ignore the guy waiting outside the plaza entrance on the bench offering "hey senor, you want buy some cigars?. There were plenty of good cigars when I was there last month. The lady working there opened boxes upon request and I was not disappointed.

[shlomo]

^ ^ this seems like asking a lot for someone on their vacation.

KEEP IT SIMPLE!!

Give a list of 10+ boxes you like.

Tell her to give the list to a clerk in the Varadero airport store.

Have a look at them for mold, beetles.

Bring home.

"Keeping it simple" is a sure way of being disappointed.

[MrGinger]

"Keeping it simple" is a sure way of being disappointed.

These people are on vacation. You are asking them to take time out of their vacation to shop for you. They are doing YOU a favour, so the easier the better. If it gets too complicated for them, or a huge time commitment, the 'mules' might not return with anything.

[shlomo]

These people are on vacation. You are asking them to take time out of their vacation to shop for you. They are doing YOU a favour, so the easier the better. If it gets too complicated for them, or a huge time commitment, the 'mules' might not return with anything.

You are 100% correct. That's why I would never ask a random person, just somebody who I trust and who I feel comfortable asking a favour from. I would much rather get nothing than get a great deal on Esplendidos from the guy on the beach whose cousin is the neighbor of a woman who works with a guy who knows somebody who reads the newspapers in the factories. I have used mules dozens of times. I have never been disappointed. Not once. Sometimes I get money back, even all of it. Sometimes I get the bottom box on my list. But I have never received fakes, never got any mold or beetle damaged sticks. Never paid a penny more than the price on my list. My method is tried and true for me and I always make sure to buy my mules a gift as a thank you. Even if I paid for a cab and a bottle of rum, ill buy them a bottle of wine, or pay for a round of golf, or something. Many have rolled their eyes when I teach them about the cigars, all have offered to bring me back more again a second and third time.

Like I said. Keeping it simple is a sure way of getting burned sooner or later.

[puromaniac]

Most things in life are a trade-off. In this case between enough detail, and too onerous, but I'm with Shlomo on providing sufficient detail on prices and a list of alternates. And a little something for the person taking the time and trouble to shop for you. Even so, stuff happens, so be prepared. Just had a friend return, and despite shopping in a seemingly reputable shop in Varadero, he was told that RASS had been discontinued! Say what? He knew I also wanted some Bolivar RCs, but instead of 50 sticks returned with 2 boxes of 10 BRC tubos instead. Despite my detailed instructions and list. Oh well, glad to have them. Most times I'm otherwise served well by friends visiting the Island, and many reported having fun shopping for cigars.

[MrGinger]

You are 100% correct. That's why I would never ask a random person, just somebody who I trust and who I feel comfortable asking a favour from. I would much rather get nothing than get a great deal on Esplendidos from the guy on the beach whose cousin is the neighbor of a woman who works with a guy who knows somebody who reads the newspapers in the factories. I have used mules dozens of times. I have never been disappointed. Not once. Sometimes I get money back, even all of it. Sometimes I get the bottom box on my list. But I have never received fakes, never got any mold or beetle damaged sticks. Never paid a penny more than the price on my list. My method is tried and true for me and I always make sure to buy my mules a gift as a thank you. Even if I paid for a cab and a bottle of rum, ill buy them a bottle of wine, or pay for a round of golf, or something. Many have rolled their eyes when I teach them about the cigars, all have offered to bring me back more again a second and third time.

Like I said. Keeping it simple is a sure way of getting burned sooner or later.

I am not saying not to educate your 'mules'. I figured it was obvious to tell them not to buy from guys on the beach, or your bartender at a resort.

[Edd]

I went through this earlier this year. My mate's mum was the mule. She did ok. And I think enjoyed as a non smoker being able to buy "proper cigars", which is almost mandatory if you visit Cuba.

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[El Presidente]

Run through the last few LFTH/LFTW.

POU/UME/BTO (not Behike however)

For aged stock, you really need to be there to inspect. Go the classics in those codes + LGC M02 and Customs out of LCDH. You really won't go too far wrong if dealing with family or friends who are doing you a favour.

[bradbrennan]

O.K., first you gotta wrap the cigars in condoms before you have your cousin swallow them all . . .

This one has my vote but seriously, what do you really have to gain vs. the source at your finger tips with our host, price, quality, beetles???

[shlomo]

This one has my vote but seriously, what do you really have to gain vs. the source at your finger tips with our host, price, quality, beetles???

Price, and there is something to be said about smoking a Cuban cigar from Cuba. At first, I find a different experience with direct from Cuba as opposed to from anywhere else.

[EuroTrash]

Well she is there now. Laughed at me when I provided "manual" with 4 ways to get to the LCDH, what to do when there and list of options but seemed willing. I kept things fairly basic, no going into box codes or dates. Just regular production stuff . I did ask her to have the box opened to check for mould and beetles.

I'm curious to see how this turns out. I'll report back in a week or so. I'd rather get my money back and no boxes than some ish.

[Profmd]

Just buy from here. If you want something done right you gotta do it yourself.

Agree 100%!!!

[ajgagnon]

Oh, I miss Cuba.. I miss going to the LCDH in Havana and having an espresso (cafe Cubano) with a tobacco leaf under the cup while planning my cigar hunt.

If someone is in Varadero, going to the rum and museum shop can be an interesting day. It can be an interesting place to send someone for an excurson. If they can bring something back for you, that's great. I have bought so many questionable cigars it's not funny, whether at the beach or in Havana or whatever. Giving strict instructions to buy from LCDH or La Plaza Des Americas should help.