Can anyone help share their knowledge and experiences of what inventory the LCDH’s in Havana carry before, during, and after the festival?


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Can anyone help share their knowledge and experiences of what inventory the LCDH’s in Havana carry before, during, and after the festival?

I’m going to be in Miami the week of Feb 8th and was debating a cigar shopping trip into Havana. From my own experience LCDH inventories are depleted right after festivals, and anything limited is nowhere to be found as many international store owners will buy up limited production boxes for their own stores. I was also mainly interested in the Reserve/Grand Reserve Cigars that will be release at the festival, but from my understanding, these won’t be in LCDH’s until after they are launched, and if so does anyone know when LCDH’s start receiving these boxes or any other newly released boxes? Additionally does Habanos fill up the stores with boxes its been keeping in reserve right before the festival so they are all packed with great inventory before the start?

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Take this with a grain of salt.

But this is, to me, asking what the current inventory is of every LCDH on the island, in excel format. 

0.00001% you'll ever find a Reserva or Gran Reserva in Havana. Now, during the festival, or after. There are too many flippers that have invested heavily so that all of these boxes are put away for them, as they have been paying "premiums" and have the long-standing relationships with the right people there.

Good luck with everything though. Let us know how it goes. Sorry I can't help though

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4 minutes ago, 3bet said:

Very interesting but feels so weird to me that if I want Reserva's I'll be 100 times better off in London or the Beirut Airport than in Havana lol 

Do Reserva or Gran Reserva ever sell on 24:24?

 

A few boxes of Upmann Gran Reserva Sir Winston Cosecha 2011 appeared in 24:24 one night last year. Sold out pretty fast as I recall, despite the price. 

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2 hours ago, 3bet said:

Additionally does Habanos fill up the stores with boxes its been keeping in reserve right before the festival so they are all packed with great inventory before the start?

You give HSA waaaaay too much credit, if you think they plan to do that! :lol:

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2 hours ago, 3bet said:

Can anyone help share their knowledge and experiences of what inventory the LCDH’s in Havana carry before, during, and after the festival?

 I was also mainly interested in the Reserve/Grand Reserve Cigars that will be release at the festival, but from my understanding, these won’t be in LCDH’s until after they are launched, and if so does anyone know when LCDH’s start receiving these boxes or any other newly released boxes?

Unless you have build strong relationships with managers in the LCDH's in Havana over the years, your chances of finding legit grand reservas are pretty much non-existent.

 

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I’m going the week after the festival and was concerned about this. I’ve already placed my ‘orders’ for customs and the boxes I’d like with my favorite casa. He will have exactly what I ordered with customs and will do his best with the boxes. I’m focused on my daily cigars though, nothing hard to find...PLPC, RASS 50’s and RAAS.

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I went to the Festival some 5 years ago.  It was a great experience and is now crossed off my bucket list.  There was plenty of product available including BHK, Siglo VI etc at the time.  I was told that most of the premium product from other LCDHs throughout Cuba was shipped to Havana for the Festival.  There were plenty of high rollers throwing money around like there's no tomorrow.  I have no idea how they were able to get so many cigars through customs.  I myself bought 250 cigars which is 200 over the legal limit for Canada.  I explained that I was like a kid in a candy store and the customs agent took pity and let me go. 

The cigars that were introduced at the Festival were gifted to all who attended.  I scored several.  I recall that was the year the Vigia was introduced and I was gifted some 3 or 4 of those.

Things have changed drastically since then.  I have not been seen very many premium cigars in the LCDH except those that they claim to have already been SOLD.

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I have noticed, from a couple visits before the November festival, that Reynaldo limits/locks up his custom rolls so there are enough for the festival. If you have no relationship with them, you may have a harder time grabbing a bundle or more. I do not know if this is the same for the other custom rollers, as I never had a problem anywhere else. I already have a relationship ( if you can call it that ) with some, and it makes things easier, but finding those HTF cigars is still an issue. There are way too many people coming in and buying a LARGE volume of cigars that get specialty treatment over us regular folk. 

Your best bet is to go there and look for cigars that you like, no matter if they are rare or regular production, and have a great time chatting and smoking. Some days you get lucky and are in the right place at the right time. 

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Seems like theres no inventory of those HTF smokes ever anymore in Cuba...not just the festival. LCDH store managers laugh at you when you ask for Siglo 6's. Forget Reservas and Behikes. I truly believe they put them to the side for high roller clients and flippers...and Im sure theyre compensated well for doing it. My humble opinion.

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HA thanks. I have a serious aversion to any and all acronyms. I've been around acronyms that have 3 and 4 different meanings. Hate them 

TLMI


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My good friend just went last week, I gave him this list and 1K USD, he did not bring back anything, and he visited every Cigar Shop in La Habana. It's incredible, they basically have nothing outside what you would find at the Duty Free Airports. 

This is the list I gave him:

1 Caja Cohiba Behike BHK 52    
1 Caja Cohiba Behike BHK 54    
1 Caja Behike BHK 56
1 Caja Cohiba Talisman Edicion Limitada 2017
1 Caja Montecristo 80 aniversario
1 Caja Partagas Series No 1 EL 2017
2 Cajas QUAI D'ORSAY No 54
1 Caja Romeo y Julieta Tacos Edicion Limitada 2018
2 Cajas Bolivar Soberanes Edición Limitada 2018
1 Caja Montecristo Gran Pirámides (Libro) Habanos Collection Series

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14 hours ago, toledo1969 said:

My good friend just went last week, I gave him this list and 1K USD, he did not bring back anything, and he visited every Cigar Shop in La Habana. It's incredible, they basically have nothing outside what you would find at the Duty Free Airports. 

This is the list I gave him:

1 Caja Cohiba Behike BHK 52    
1 Caja Cohiba Behike BHK 54    
1 Caja Behike BHK 56
1 Caja Cohiba Talisman Edicion Limitada 2017
1 Caja Montecristo 80 aniversario
1 Caja Partagas Series No 1 EL 2017
2 Cajas QUAI D'ORSAY No 54
1 Caja Romeo y Julieta Tacos Edicion Limitada 2018
2 Cajas Bolivar Soberanes Edición Limitada 2018
1 Caja Montecristo Gran Pirámides (Libro) Habanos Collection Series

:rotfl:

You will never find Behike, and Talisman is gone, Monte 80 long long gone before that.

Partagas EL 50/50

And from what I've seen, if you go to the right LCDH, QDs are available (50, 54, Coronas)

The EL 18 you won't see readily available until probably summer of this year.

The books...well good luck with that.

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Talismans were at most LCDH's when I was there 2 weeks ago.  No boxes, but in the singles sections.  I picked up 10 singles.  Everytime I went back, they were always restocked.  Same with Siglo VI and La Trova

I came with a blacklight to guarantee authenticity.  Stupid rumors of fake singles.  Not the case, everything checked out.

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During the week of Partagas festival a couple months ago the only thing on that list that was plentiful were QdO 50/54, in 10 and 25 counts. Pretty much in every shop. Few boxes of Punch EL and a couple Partagas EL.   Plenty of Sir Winstons, tons of Lusis in 10.  Asking him for a Montecristo book was a total snipe hunt as they've only really gone to very well connected people and don't officially come out for a month or three.

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