Where are the peso cigars?

[Salomones]

Our trip through the east of the island is almost over. As confirmed to me again in Gibara and Holguin, almost all cigars from the local factories are still being sent to Havana for sorting and boxing.

In Gibara, even 100% of the cigars are being sent. In this case – at least 6,000-8,000 cigars per day. From Holguin, of course, even more. What is very worrying, however, is that the locals are lacking peso cigars. No Selecros, Bauza, El Surco, and so on. The factories for these cigars are not receiving tobacco from the provinces like they did years ago. But the tobacco is still being produced and delivered as normal, as far as me was told. The tobacco is disappearing somewhere...😏

I searched the shops in Gibara, Guardalavaca, Las Tunas, Puerto Padre, and Holguin without success. Maybe just for the moment, or is it a strategy? We don't know. At least this is now leading to increased domestic demand for factory cigars that aren't officially taken. The losses in the factories are likely to continue to rise.

We'll wait and see what we have to report on this next year.

[El Presidente]

The peso cigar (lack thereof) situation has been around for 12 months. I/we really appreciate your input. 

As to why? Johnny O may be able to illuminate. 

[JohnnyO]

Peso cigars will not be found in any shops. Traditionally they were in bodegas along with the rice and beans where you could buy things with your ration card. Anyone over 50 years of age used to get 4 cigars per month. They have done away with that and with the traditional distribution. For more than 10 years you had to buy it from a re-vendedor (re-seller) and they were usually Santeros. Santeros use these in ceremonies so that drives the price up. Production is down. They can be found on the streets by re-selllers usually on a busy main road where there are sellers with flip flops, household goods. I find mine between 25-29 Ave and 42 Street in Playa. They will always be on the shady part of the street. Make sure you look them over before you buy them. Wrapper colors can vary (I prefer the darker ones) and they may be damaged/cracked, poorly rolled or be full of bugs. Don't buy the green cigars, they taste like schpitt. Last I remember you could get 4-5/$1. Officially they were supposed to be 25/$1 but parallel markets have changed that over the years. Merolico is the name of the seller, aka a street hustler. John