Why It’s Becoming Impossible to Buy Cuban Cigars - A Visit to the LCDH in Edmonton, Alberta...

[JohnS]

If you've got twenty minutes to spare this weekend, give this video a watch. Feel free to comment below...

[gerardow2]

I was just there 2 weeks ago, Canadian taxes are no joke. Very good selection.

[El Presidente]

Taking off the plain packaging bands to reveal the original bands will be like a red rag to a 45-55 something government health Nazi. 

[El Presidente]

But Kudos for the owner to be so open. I feel for LCDH owners world wide. Would love to shout him a lunch over a few cigars. 

[Lucas Buck]

Great watch. The plain packaging is so dumb. Much as I loathe the health warning stickers and know they are wholly ineffective the plain packaging is even more ridiculous. 

[SirVantes]

What's that box of "Montecristo Reserva Especial" that he's holding in the thumbnail?

[joeypots]

Truly, cigars will get you through times of no money better than money will get you through times of no cigars.

If you know this little aphorism, attributed to Freewheelin' Franklin Freek, slightly modified for my use, you are dating yourself. 

[Fugu]

13 hours ago, El Presidente said:

Taking off the plain packaging bands to reveal the original bands will be like a red rag to a 45-55 something government health Nazi. 

As is covering the health warning stickers with neutral Cuba motives (which one of my local dealers is doing since ages 😄).

Strictly verboten of course.

[BrightonCorgi]

Is there an additional 18% tax on top of that?

[Dadof3]

Does the legislature do this in a performative way? Do they actually think anyone who smokes the odd cigar or two every week or even every day is at the same risk as two pack a day smokers or even the same risk as the unregulated vapes? Sure, there is some risk but I have to imagine alcohol and fatty/sugary foods are more dangerous than cigars. I understand wanting to keep these things away from kids but the price tag of cigars will do that on its own. Anything to avoid dealing with the real problems though.  

[Lucas Buck]

4 hours ago, Dadof3 said:

Does the legislature do this in a performative way? Do they actually think anyone who smokes the odd cigar or two every week or even every day is at the same risk as two pack a day smokers or even the same risk as the unregulated vapes? Sure, there is some risk but I have to imagine alcohol and fatty/sugary foods are more dangerous than cigars. I understand wanting to keep these things away from kids but the price tag of cigars will do that on its own. Anything to avoid dealing with the real problems though.   

I have been convinced for decades that cigars are one of the most innocuous habits. If anything I’ll live years longer with the stress reduction and bliss that fine cigars offer. 

[ha_banos]

Exactly. It is performance. Look we are emotional creatures. Well the masses are and this is how we are treated. 

Environmental & Sustainability Theatre: Plastic Straw Bans

Corporate & HR Theatre: The Annual Performance Review

Public Health Theatre: Deep-Cleaning Surfaces for an Airborne Virus

Legal Theatre: "Jaywalking" Laws

Plain Packaging on Premium Cigars is just another example of "Policy Theatre"

Cookie Consent Banners (GDPR Compliance)

"Attestation-Based" Compliance Audits

The "War on Cash" High-Denomination Bans

High-Street Bank Fraud Questionnaires

Security theatre

I'm sure the examples are numerous and way more serious. The energy must now be spent fighting it. Cheap to pretend, expensive to fight 😕

[Christophe]

That's a well-stocked LCDH. Try the Netherlands if you want disappointment. Plain packaging is supposed to be introduced there too, if they can find any Cuban cigars to put it on, as well as a ban on selling single sticks without "security features".
 
In Belgium, I can find some reasonably well-stocked Habanos specialists that seem to fly under the radar. But they've told me that with incoming legislation (same plain packaging BS), Habanos will reduce the number of references from 400 to 40. Don't know about LCDH, none very close to where I live.
 
Germany has been better in my experience. Anti-smoking legislation is still a couple years behind there. I've found decent stock in Dusseldorf; Koblenz, Aachen,..recently. Not to mention you can still smoke there, where-as lounges were closed in the Netherlands 4 or 5 years ago and in Belgium they will next month. 

[chasy]

I heard Pratt is going to relax cigar restrictions in LA...

[Christophe]

8 hours ago, Lucas Buck said:

Great watch. The plain packaging is so dumb. Much as I loathe the health warning stickers and know they are wholly ineffective the plain packaging is even more ridiculous. 

It's not just wholly ineffective, it's actually making it a whole lot easier for counterfeiters. And governments (ought to) know this, because the same s**t already exists for cigarettes. 

[JDoughty]

Ffffffffff(bleep) me. The price of one of those things will buy me a whole stack of Fabrica 005 and Bond Roberts 109, all of which will be delicious, none of which will be plugged and unsmokeable. Or regular production CC's. I don't mind spending some money on very tasty sticks, but there is a limit to what I think a single cigar smoking experience is worth. Those fancypants cigars are well over that limit. If I'm going to spend $500 an hour on personal enjoyment, I can think of better things to do. Some of them I can even share with my spouse. 

Er, honey, if you're reading this, I'm talking about a nice dinner out, of course. 😆

[BrightonCorgi]

On 5/30/2026 at 8:40 AM, JDoughty said:

Ffffffffff(bleep) me. The price of one of those things will buy me a whole stack of Fabrica 005 and Bond Roberts 109, all of which will be delicious, none of which will be plugged and unsmokeable. Or regular production CC's. I don't mind spending some money on very tasty sticks, but there is a limit to what I think a single cigar smoking experience is worth. Those fancypants cigars are well over that limit. If I'm going to spend $500 an hour on personal enjoyment, I can think of better things to do. Some of them I can even share with my spouse. 

Er, honey, if you're reading this, I'm talking about a nice dinner out, of course. 😆

So can I! Just whether she'll be blonde, brunette or a red head 

[Namisgr11]

21 hours ago, joeypots said:

Truly, cigars will get you through times of no money better than money will get you through times of no cigars.

If you know this little aphorism, attributed to Freewheelin' Franklin Freek, slightly modified for my use, you are dating yourself. 

Consider me dated.

[Chitmo]

Speaking as a Canadian, the cigar scene here sucks! But having recently spoken to the owner of a local B&M he indicated that most buyers are not return customers, they’re buying for weddings, bachelor parties, graduations or young guys looking to flex. Regular smokers aren’t touching this stuff, there are much more fiscally responsible ways to acquire cigars if you’re in the know. 

[Fugu]

On 5/30/2026 at 1:29 AM, joeypots said:

Truly, cigars will get you through times of no money better than money will get you through times of no cigars.

If you know this little aphorism, attributed to Freewheelin' Franklin Freek, slightly modified for my use, you are dating yourself. 

 

12 hours ago, Namisgr11 said:

Consider me dated.

Originally attributed to Mark Twain, as far as I know. And indeed with reference to cigars. 😄…. See how dated I am? 😅

[Squarehead]

Smoking kills and so do car accidents, so do we put generic stickers now on cars too? I don't think so. The cigar shop I'm going to has most of the Cuban cigars without that stupid brown sticker.

[Dadof3]

6 hours ago, Squarehead said:

Smoking kills and so do car accidents, so do we put generic stickers now on cars too? I don't think so. The cigar shop I'm going to has most of the Cuban cigars without that stupid brown sticker.

Maybe they can put warning stickers in our DNA about all the flaws that will ultimately dictate what gets us.  

[Nevrknow]

4 hours ago, Dadof3 said:

Maybe they can put warning stickers in our DNA about all the flaws that will ultimately dictate what gets us.  

Nailed it. 👍

[SirVantes]

18 hours ago, Squarehead said:

Smoking kills and so do car accidents, so do we put generic stickers now on cars too? 

After imposing generic crumple zones, third brake lights, seat belts without asking us!  We have to let these regulators know we have our limits!

17 hours ago, Dadof3 said:

Maybe they can put warning stickers in our DNA about all the flaws that will ultimately dictate what gets us.  

No stickers. Just sticker shock when you see your insurance premiums when you insurer quotes your health policy that they swear is not based on your DNA profile.

[Dadof3]

23 hours ago, SirVantes said:

After imposing generic crumple zones, third brake lights, seat belts without asking us!  We have to let these regulators know we have our limits!

No stickers. Just sticker shock when you see your insurance premiums when you insurer quotes your health policy that they swear is not based on your DNA profile.

What’s stupid is everyone has some sort of predisposition. Last I checked we all age and all get frail and die. The whole thing is a scam in some sense.