Havana, El Aljibe--question

[Derboesekoenig]

So i spent a week in Cuba recently and I will discuss that in a separate thread, but I was curious if anyone knew about the shop that is connected to El Aljibe. 

The two dudes there were nice (hey look at this gringo....$$), but i felt uncomfortable and like they were trying to take advantage. I mentioned some cigars I couldn't find anywhere (Behike, Gigantes, DCs, Diplos, etc...) and he pulls out everything that i want. Now mind you, this is not an LCDH so he is charging super inflated prices. 

He has 9 BHK 56, and as i try to purchase them, they start taking them out of the box...i said wait, i want the box too. Alas, not for sale. There were red flags already but now i'm 99% sure these are fake...so i just buy a couple of them. They charge me gov. prices. 

Has anyone dealt with these guys before? I'm curious. I assume the Behike are custom rolls and they found bands somewhere so they keep refilling the box and selling to people like me lol

[dvickery]

Have been “dealing” with this store for a dozen or so years ? .

soooo ... what is yer question ???

derrek

[mt1]

Smoke one and find out!

[SCgarman]

If there were red flags and you are 99% sure they are fake, may I ask why you bothered purchasing them. A search here on the forum will tell you to never buy cigars outside of an official LCDH in Cuba if you want the real thing. How much were inflated prices? If you are going to store them amongst your other cigars, surely freeze them to prevent any beetle infestations. 

[Derboesekoenig]

22 minutes ago, dvickery said:

Have been “dealing” with this store for a dozen or so years ? .

soooo ... what is yer question ???

derrek

Sorry for the rant. 

Real or fake? Lol

I'd smoke one but don't have any real Behike experience to go by. Was just curious

I went to almost all of the LCDH in Havana and everyone said the same thing--hadn't been in stock in 2 years

[GotaCohiba]

I walked away from several similar situations in May

If there are 9 in the box and you can’t have the box = FAKE

[Nino]

I frequent that store ( which is an OFFICIAL Casa del Tabaco run by Caracol ) for more than 10 years.

Always have a great time there, great service ( better than great really ) consider it one of my fav places to relax and chill out ( like many of my friends ) and get away from the hustle and bustle of the other  ... cigar places.

Never had any problem there whatsoever - All legit and above board. Regardless if you speak Spanish ( helps a lot specially in that store ) or not.

Being next to El Aljibe you get a lot of people dropping in and asking for water from the moon ...

Remember sitting there sipping rum one afternoon and 2 tourist ladies come in - first thing they wave at "all the terrible stinking smoke" and then they ask : "Do you have any Vanilla flavoured Cuban cigars"....

I'd never buy singles in any store in Havana - at that store I'd buy unbanded anything and be sure I get the real deal.

But then ... I spend a lot of time there and they might know my face. It's a very small place

 

 

[mcicvara]

37 minutes ago, dvickery said:

Have been “dealing” with this store for a dozen or so years ? .

soooo ... what is yer question ???

derrek

Tell us about your 'dealings' Derrek, must be an interesting story.

[mbflash80]

Had a blast at this store last May...spent all day drinking, smoking, eating (next door)...and of course buying some great cigars...and yes Dyanna has some very tall tales to tell and who knows whats true or whats not...but it sure didnt take away from the experience of being there...so you bought a few behikes that probably arent the real deal...you can do the same at LCDH Habana Libre...now you know for next time.

[SCgarman]

1 hour ago, Derboesekoenig said:

Sorry for the rant. 

Real or fake? Lol

I'd smoke one but don't have any real Behike experience to go by. Was just curious

I went to almost all of the LCDH in Havana and everyone said the same thing--hadn't been in stock in 2 years

I think you already answered your own question in the last line you wrote. 

[Nino]

25 minutes ago, mbflash80 said:

Had a blast at this store last May...spent all day drinking, smoking, eating (next door)...and of course buying some great cigars...and yes Dyanna has some very tall tales to tell and who knows whats true or whats not...but it sure didnt take away from the experience of being there...so you bought a few behikes that probably arent the real deal...you can do the same at LCDH Habana Libre...now you know for next time.

I am pretty sure that Señor "Dyanna" bald, tall & pretty ugly ( except for his friends  ) is no longer there - has been promoted to manager at another Casa del Tabaco across the harbour... sorry to have him so far away. Miss him. Really do.

You have some high calibre guys ( and a ballsy lady ) there, like Andres who'd been heading the Comodoro Casa del Tabaco and was at Melia Habana LCDH long before that.

All are some of the best in the business.

You can do MUCH worse at Habana Libre .... believe me....   

[mbflash80]

1 hour ago, nino said:

I am pretty sure that Señor "Dyanna" bald, tall & pretty ugly ( except for his friends  ) is no longer there - has been promoted to manager at another Casa del Tabaco across the harbour... sorry to have him so far away. Miss him. Really do.

You have some high calibre guys ( and a ballsy lady ) there, like Andres who'd been heading the Comodoro Casa del Tabaco and was at Melia Habana LCDH long before that.

All are some of the best in the business.

You can do MUCH worse at Habana Libre .... believe me....   

Thanks Nino...nice to hear that he was promoted...good guy and very fun to smoke and drink with! Habana Libre on the other hand...not sure Richard Pryor could get anyone in that shop to smile...yikes 

[Nino]

1 hour ago, mbflash80 said:

Thanks Nino...nice to hear that he was promoted...good guy and very fun to smoke and drink with! Habana Libre on the other hand...not sure Richard Pryor could get anyone in that shop to smile...yikes 

Pleasure @mbflash80 - I agree about our stuttering friend. Great guy and very happy he's taken over a new store.

As for Habana Libre - I am sure Richard Pryor would laugh himself to death there - had he not died already - or be killed by exploding Guayabera belly-buttons from those lazy a## useless lounging lady managers ...

[LLC]

I agree with Nino and would not typically buy singles in any shop in Havana. Not getting the box already tells you all you need to know. It will be refilled over and over again.

I’ll typically pick up three packs or do a box split with others or buy customs for the cigars I want to smoke there.


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[cigcars]

  *You mentioned that everything you asked for that you said you couldn't find anywhere - they just happened to have it. Well, what I use as a barometer as to whether the place may be legit or no...I mention items that I know NOBODY has...El Rey Del Mundo Tainos, Punch Black Prince, Ramon Allones Phoenecian Regionals, etc. If a place just happens to have everything I know is either scarce or gone, it's usually a sign of fakeries, etc. But then you've got seasoned members here like Nino and others who vouch for this place's authenticity. But that's just what I use as a sign of questionable possibility...name cigars that are practically unknown, been discontinued, or never available anywhere legitimate. And if they say, "S-U-U-R-R-R-E!"  then buyer beware.

[Ken Gargett]

i have not been in there for a couple of trips but i did shop there quite a few times in the past. always found them helpful. years ago, they had a letter from clinton on the wall, thanking them for his cigars. on presidential letterhead. i thought that interesting. it was not there on the last few visits.

i remember getting a superb box of boli gigantes on one visit, if i recall, selected by rob. 

but they also had the odd dodgy cigar under the counter that would occasionally be offered. i think i still have one - we bought some for a bit of fun. monster thing. if i can find it, i'll pull it out for exhibition on the next vid. 

[El Presidente]

I know the store well and thought that it was always on the up and up. That was until they sold my mate Artie kassos a box of Cohiba Sublime (12 months  after release).  Artie asked if any were available and they initially said no. Artie popped in the next day and he was delighted to be told that an American had cancelled an order that they were holding and "voila"....they were available to him.They were excellent fakes.  Even Nestor and the rest of the PCC execs were impressed.  They were so fresh they were near dripping wet. 

If there is a safe buck to be made, it will be made. They took Artie to be someone with no contacts and whom they would never see again.  I was left quite surprised and disappointed at the time. 

 

 

[Ken Gargett]

18 minutes ago, El Presidente said:

I know the store well and thought that it was always on the up and up. That was until they sold my mate Artie kassos a box of Cohiba Sublime (12 months  after release).  Artie asked if any were available and they initially said no. Artie popped in the next day and he was delighted to be told that an American had cancelled an order that they were holding and "voila"....they were available to him.They were excellent fakes.  Even Nestor and the rest of the PCC execs were impressed.  They were so fresh they were near dripping wet. 

If there is a safe buck to be made, it will be made. They took Artie to be someone with no contacts and whom they would never see again.  I was left quite surprised and disappointed at the time. 

 

 

but you and i had seen dodgy cigars from them before artie ever got over there. 

my impression is that they have some very good legit boxes but they will flick fakes if you are not careful. but that is from a while back. i have always felt much safer going elsewhere. 

[El Presidente]

9 minutes ago, Ken Gargett said:

but you and i had seen dodgy cigars from them before artie ever got over there. 

my impression is that they have some very good legit boxes but they will flick fakes if you are not careful. but that is from a while back. i have always felt much safer going elsewhere. 

The Trinidad Double Robusto (singles) from the farmhouse humidor raised our eyebrows. Not quite as much as the Trinidad A (Singles) however.  They were pre Arti's Sublimes and I/we had suspicions enough that we wouldn't purchase any specialties from there (no proof however). I have happily purchased regular production/ discontinued boxes from there in the past. H. Upmann Super Corona come to mind. 

[mbflash80]

Friends I was traveling with were gifted "original behike topes" from the shop...monster vitola of about 7x54 with a newer version hologram band...a cigar that never existed until that very moment! They can tell the story better than I

[Piligrim]

I've seen 9/10 box of BHK 56 in Habana Libre LCDH selling out of the box only in February during the festival

[Derboesekoenig]

Thanks for the feedback guys. In the least, I learned a lot and will be much better prepared for the next trip

[Nino]

On 14.7.2018 at 1:29 AM, Ken Gargett said:

i have not been in there for a couple of trips but i did shop there quite a few times in the past. always found them helpful. years ago, they had a letter from clinton on the wall, thanking them for his cigars. on presidential letterhead. i thought that interesting. it was not there on the last few visits.

i remember getting a superb box of boli gigantes on one visit, if i recall, selected by rob. 

but they also had the odd dodgy cigar under the counter that would occasionally be offered. i think i still have one - we bought some for a bit of fun. monster thing. if i can find it, i'll pull it out for exhibition on the next vid. 

Ken > Have never seen ANY letter by Clinton  * or any other politician Cuban or foreign * on the wall there in more than 10 years frequenting that store.

Not sure we talk about the same store ...

 

[Ken Gargett]

4 hours ago, nino said:

Ken > Have never seen ANY letter by Clinton  * or any other politician Cuban or foreign * on the wall there in more than 10 years frequenting that store.

Not sure we talk about the same store ...

 

nino, i'm talking about 03 or perhaps 04. but it went down soon after that. this is the store attached to el ajibe. a framed letter on presidential letterhead - in that store, it could have been a fake (a very good one, if it was). just a short polite letter of thanks. unfortunately, i can't add anything to that. 

it is not the sort of thing one imagines or forgets. 

[ChanceSchmerr]

I visited the store during the FOH/AMICIGAR Havanathon 2016 trip, my first time to Havana and to that store.

It was the first place I found a box of Bolivar Super Coronas LE's, I spotted it on the shelf. I was very excited as I had been wanting a box, and asked for them to bring it over so I could inspect before buying.  The gentleman behind the counter (who was genial, no problems there) took the box down and opened it up, but not before sneezing all over his hands and sniffling several times as he struggled with what appeared to be a bad cold.  Once opening the box, he then handled and rotated all the cigars on the top row to make sure they were all facing up .   I politely looked at the cigars without daring to touch anything.  The wrappers were thick and appeared to be the hallowed fire-proof LE wrapper.  Suffice to say I passed on that box. It was the only one they had.  

About a month later I noted a prolific Canadian cigar flipper (the bloke travels to Cuba regularly, and sells his findings on facebook right away) selling a box of Bolivar Super Coronas LE's on facebook.  They looked familiar.  I asked him where he got them from in a PM, he told me he was lucky to find a single box at El Ajibe.  After a good chuckle, I sent him a thank you and declined to bid on them. 

I can't tell you if their cigars are real of fake, but I can tell you that basic hygiene practises may be lacking at that particular store.  

I never did get any Bolivar Super Coronas