Vinales trip

[Viva Vegas]

a few questions, my b&b host asked if i was interested in buying hand rolls from a tabacco farm in the area and that he can get a good price for me, should i take him up on the offer?  Also i am told taxi drivers will stop between and havana and Vinales for cigars along the side of the road (hand rolls) if the price is right should i  buy from them? how about buying right from the farm?  thanks Brian

[Guest Nekhyludov]

If it were me - and this is just my two cents - I would be very interested. A lot of farm rolls can be fantastic. If the farm rolls are from Papo at San Luis, Mena at San Juan y Martinez, or Miguel from Hector Luis', I would buy as many as I could safely get off the island. I would also buy whatever I could get from the Robaina farm. I would want to see, feel, and smell them before I bought. But I'd be looking at bundles. And, of course, freeze them when you get home. I would skip the roadside cigars.

[dshot]

I was in Vinales last week. I will say the custom rolls I picked up from the farm I visited where good (corona sized - I'd have to pre-order other sizes) but I wouldn't miss actually is the guava rum they produce there. You can only get it in Vinales and it's pretty amazing.  They will only allow you to buy 2 bottles since the hurricanes limited guava production - just ask someone about the guava rum and where to get it. I only got one  bottle and I am kicking myself for not getting another. I ate at this place called El Campo that's right on the valley floor and the food was really good. The BBQ chicken was amazing with 3 different rices they bring to your table. It can't be missed! I only had a day there and the horseback riding took up a ton of time - which was awesome and peaceful. If I could do it again I'd say out there for a few days as it was the highlight of my trip to Cuba. 

[Habana Mike]

Agree I'd only buy cigars directly from the farms, not roadside.