Have $500 USD cigar budget and a weekend in Havana, what cigars and where?

[El Presidente]

Have $500 USD cigar budget and weekend in Havana, what cigars and where?

This is a question I received overnight. Heading into the warehouse now so if you can lend me a hand answering it.....thank you ! 

If you had $500 and say 6 hours free.....what and where 

[prodigy]

Customs from the top rollers. I've never been, but if I ever go, that's what I'm doing. I'll get regular production if it's something insanely cheaper on the island. Fundies, sir Winston, behike, EL/ER.

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[Corylax18]

I'll echo @prodigy above. I would order customs, ahead of time, then pick them up over the weekend. I would order about $300 worth from Yolanda, Alex and one other place, then leave the remaining two hundred for Trinis or something else that catches my eye. 

[BinBin]

Customs I suppose, I’ll get my other hinge from rob

[ElJavi76]

Hunt down Behike 52s.. you find them you buy 2 boxes. Word is Melia Cohiba hotel may have some. If you can grab a box of Cuban regionals with your extra $130 or so do it. Other use the balance for customs at the Comodoro with Alex. By an espresso with the change in your pocket.

[oliverdst]

$500 and 6 hours is not a lot. Nothing to be wasted.

6:00 to go - already in Comodoro. Buy an Alex bundle and a box of a regular production if there is something I am looking for. Have a cigar and chat to Alex. 3 or 4 Bucaneros.

4:00 to go - walk until Melia Habana. Buy a Yolanda bundle and a regular box if there is something I am looking for. Have a cigar and talk to Yolanda or to the guys who work in the bar. 2 mojitos.

2:00 to go - head to Conde de Villanueva and spend the money left with Reynaldos. A small cigar. 1 Bucanero and 1 coffee. 

0:40 to go - airport or if these 40 minutes can be spent inside Havana just walk through Vieja and then to the airport.

0:01 to go - plan next trip with more time.

[ponfed]

6 hours ago, El Presidente said:

Have $500 USD cigar budget and weekend in Havana, what cigars and where?

This is a question I received overnight. Heading into the warehouse now so if you can lend me a hand answering it.....thank you ! 

If you had $500 and say 6 hours free.....what and where 

200 Guantanamera Cristales.

[Derboesekoenig]

4 hours ago, ElJavi76 said:

Hunt down Behike 52s.. you find them you buy 2 boxes. Word is Melia Cohiba hotel may have some. If you can grab a box of Cuban regionals with your extra $130 or so do it. Other use the balance for customs at the Comodoro with Alex. By an espresso with the change in your pocket.

I dont see one box, let alone two. $500 isn't much. It depends on what you like though. $500 worth of varying bundles of customs would be fun, but if you LOVE a certain cigar...just go grab $500 worth of that. Tough call. My tastes change a lot. So if you're in the mood for something different and don't want customs, load up on the 10 ct LCDH releases. Some of the best deals, in my opinion.

 

[MountainMilG]

I've done this very exercise when planning my trip, albeit with a range of prices.  I haven't been yet, so can't specify places, but assuming Naccional, Partagas factory, the various LCDH's mixed around the city.  I also have never smoked a custom roll, so have no input on that.

H Upmann Noellas Jar     122.25  (various reports these are nowhere to be found - backup is 25 box of Bolivar Coronas Junior for 101.25)
Partagas Shorts cab    170.00
Trinidad Reyes 12 box   55.20
Montecristo no 4 10 ct     55.50
Punch Punch 10 ct    72.50

475.45.  Assuming coffee and maybe cab rides.  If you can squeeze out the extra 24 bucks throw in a 3 pack of Siglo VI tubos for 20.50 (or onr CoRo?  doesn't seem as good for that).  I value some diversity, so a mix of marcas and vitolas.  Very bummed I couldn't fit in PLPC, but not when it's 40% of the overall cash.

[Ryan]

One box of Trinidad La Trova. $150 and that's my factura obtained.

50 La China Salomones. $350

Job done.

[Ethernut]

I echo what @Ryan said. You need to buy a box (at least one) to get a factura (receipt) for the airport customs. (you'll be glad you did) I speak from experience - also ensure you have 20 CUC in your pocket just in case you are in a customs shakedown and are asked for money. Do NOT panic and offer money unless you are asked. ?

I also echo @prodigy and @Corylax18 buy a box or two of cigars you've wanted but unload the rest on customs. You'd be VERY surprised as to how many you'll get for your money.

[ElJavi76]

I know guys are infatuated with customs and they might have great reasons for it...But haven't there been horror stories recently with leaving the island with customs. Like bundles being confiscated.

My intention is to seek out stuff that's hard to find or marked up ridiculously (insert anything Trinidad here). Trova's are out there cause my box came from Cuba via a friend who was there two months ago. Amazing value! @Derboesekoenig Andrew, I only suggested the behikes cause the ReFOHrence thread for Cuba travel suggested they might have some at Melia. That's not to say they'll sell them to me. They could have a mint of them and might not sell them to a "not regular". Cuba regionals seem to be a great value as well. I just don't see myself bringing back a box of RASCC and a bunch of Príncipes. I can get that stuff on the internet for minimal markup sometimes and quality as well.

My two cents... I'll throw that out there cause this is all about preference. No right. No wrong.

[Ethernut]

2 hours ago, ElJavi76 said:

I know guys are infatuated with customs and they might have great reasons for it...But haven't there been horror stories recently with leaving the island with customs. Like bundles being confiscated.

Nothing to do with "infatuation." Customs may call you in and ask you to remove everything from your bags to see what you have then ask you for facturas. It happened to me personally in April 2018. Not certain if that's recent enough for your example. I promise if I had not had facturas, I wouldn't have made it home with my customs without having to negotiate. FWIW

[bpm32]

19 minutes ago, Ethernut said:

Nothing to do with "infatuation." Customs may call you in and ask you to remove everything from your bags to see what you have then ask you for facturas. It happened to me personally in April 2018. Not certain if that's recent enough for your example. I promise if I had not had facturas, I wouldn't have made it home with my customs without having to negotiate. FWIW

I think he means people are infatuated with custom cigars.

[Ethernut]

16 minutes ago, bpm32 said:

I think he means people are infatuated with custom cigars.

LOL! I totally missed that one! Thx for the correction!

[Nino]

Me I'd wait until I had $5000 and a decent amount of time, like 1 to 3 weeks and do it all in a less stressed way ... ?

[Philc2001]

Buy a bundle or two of Puntilas from Alex at Comodoro, then head over to the Hotel Nacionale and grab a box of Montecristo Linea 1935 Dumas at the LCDH downstairs, then go out and smoke a cigar on their veranda overlooking the ocean with a little cortadito. For lunch I'd head on over to Canonazzo. After walking that off on some sightseeing around old Havana, I'd head on over to Frente rooftop bar and spend whatever is left on Mojitos. Finally, stumble back to the cruise terminal, stopping at a couple of roadside salsa bars along the way. Once back on the ship with my booty I would go on deck and watch Havana at night roll by as the ship pulls out while smoking a cigar.