The Quality Divide : Cigars in Cuba and Cuban cigars Exported.

[CaptainQuintero]

5 hours ago, bundwallah said:

I'd say the majority of my inventory is from here.  So let's put that to the side. I've picked up a lot of boxes in Havana and have been pleased.  Especially since I ask to inspect first. I have inventory from other vendors in Spain, UK, Switzerland etc and haven't seen any boxes with issues. 

I've seen some crappy boxes in Havana, but I'd chalk that up to storage conditions as the few duds I've come across had some mold. In one case, the mold was yellow.  For me, nothing smells better or smokes better than in Havana.  Maybe it's the sea air, the endorphins being released,the overall "chill" factor of being there with nothing to do but relax with cigars and good friends. 

As for EMS.  I think there's something to it akin do what Rob does in that they probably get to pick the stock they want.  But I'm not 100% sure.  And I'm curious as to what the standards were/are.  From that "El Habano" documentary.  The tobacconist in the UK they talk to speaks of a "dry cigar" as being the optimal state.  If they mean around 62RH, I agree. If they mean below that, then I don't. 

  I've spoken to a few and it seems that if they wish they can go down to the H&F warehouse and pick through, I had some dead molinos a few years back and the guy said if there was anything I was after specific then he'd look around next time he went in. I ended up with some des deux and 1966s in the end after he said he came across some nice boxes while digging around.

Certainly a place I'd love to have a dig around in!

[SignalJoe]

6 hours ago, bundwallah said:

True. But they're "organized" enough to not put hot items on the shelf for general availability.  You have to know people at the various LCDH's to get access.

If organization means knowing who to bribe to set boxes aside for you, then yes they are extremely organized.   

My experience was that I found better boxes on the island than buying blind.   I don't see HSA dedicating the time. money or effort to sort for any market over another.  They are doing well to properly band, label and stamp boxes as is.  

[Zedman05]

I have bought in Varadero and Havana a lot over the last 9 years. There was a time, earlier on, that I found a greater number of boxes were just "ok". This was also the period though. In 2012 things started to pick up, and have been even better since 2014, which was a fantastic year. I would also have to say that I try to stay away from the cigars that are produced in greater numbers though: Monte 2 & 4, PSD 4, Partagas Short, any Romeo. I buy those from here, that way I know they are looked over. 

There certainly is shithouse boxes of cigars in Cuba, and I have seen them opened before purchase, but it really is getting few and far between. I have seen more boxes opened with beetles than boxes I would refuse, tbh. 

[kuma]

Been to Spain and France and can say that Spain has some really great boxes of Habanos.  I think one reason is the relationship between the two countries.

I would not doubt that Spain is treated with special care when it comes the quality they receive.  But I think more pragmatically and think that the B and M's in Spain just take care of their inventory at a very high level, in terms of how they store them.  Spain has always has had a strong relationship with Cuba in general.  Can't be said about France!  Don't get me wrong I have found great smokes in France and Monaco ( i iknow not part of France) but close enough.

Especially in the South of France along the Rivera from the border of Italy to the border of Spain (great local train ride) great smokes abound.  But again Spain seems to get great quality from Kuba.  Just my observation.

[Philc2001]

From what I saw on the Island in September, I am convinced the quality on the Island is inferior to what we get directly from Rob. Now, that could be because Rob is selective and weeds out the bad stock, keeping only the best stock, but aside from custom rolls the cigars I saw on the Island ranged from OK to terrifying. 

[Derboesekoenig]

1 hour ago, Philc2001 said:

From what I saw on the Island in September, I am convinced the quality on the Island is inferior to what we get directly from Rob. Now, that could be because Rob is selective and weeds out the bad stock, keeping only the best stock, but aside from custom rolls the cigars I saw on the Island ranged from OK to terrifying. 

I've only been to the island once so far, but if you dig around, there are some really excellent boxes. It may take you a 2nd or 3rd box to look at, but you'll most likely find it. Most of the time, the first box I opened was excellent (65-75% of the time). This was last summer, if that matters.

[peteando]

It's too expensive to smoke UK stock nowadays, but 15 or so years ago before the taxes really got insane, the H&F stickered boxes were absolutely wonderful.  I remember being sure at the time that they were special, compared to what I had found in Mexico & Canada both at that time.

[LLC]

I’ve been to Havana many times, and I always bring back cigars. Never been disappointed in a box that I inspected and then bought. In fact some of the best boxes I’ve purchased came from Havana.

[NSXCIGAR]

I see the same codes and same quality pretty much everywhere. I just haven't seen any evidence that any market gets "better" cigars, and even what that would mean. Gray market cigars come from multiple distributors and after 18 years of buying I've generally had very uniform quality results from them. Boxes seen in Cuba reflect the same quality level to my eyes in general. 

I think it's difficult to say once stock has been picked through by the distributors and in Cuba. For example, I doubt anyone selects boxes like Rob, so the PCC warehouse is left with what Rob doesn't take. One could draw the conclusion that PCC warehouse or that PCC itself is getting sub-par stock. In reality, someone (Rob) has already picked it clean. Too many variables. As we all see, Rob sees both good and bad stock come through PCC. And of course, there were rumors years ago that PCC actually got top-quality stock, just like H & F. I think it's nonsense.

I'm sure those who are connected with the distributors pick much of the El Laguito Cohiba out and even entertain certain customers for hand-picked stock like Rob essentially does for us. What's left could be considered sub-par for many. But this is the result of distributor/retailer behavior, not HSA behavior. 

As for EMS, I think it's nothing more than a H & F marketing gimmick these days. It appears that decades ago lighter wrappers were picked for the English market and with British agents most likely on the island an extra set of eyes on things before they were shipped out may have also been the case, so there was maybe something to EMS in that regard, but since its reintroduction in 1993 EMS is pretty meaningless, particularly since the sticker is applied after the cigars have arrived in the UK. Again, this would seem to me to indicate it's nothing more than a H & F nostalgia gimmick. 

[HDGSN]

I saw nothing but quality in Cuba, which I know might be luck. But at the same time, I came back with MSU, EPM, TOS and TRU as my primary codes, and all have been great recent codes.