Ken Gargett Posted February 24, 2006 Posted February 24, 2006 sorry guys, lost track of the days. not sure what we are up to. despite the inopportune suggestions of rob´s assistants back home, there was an attempt made to file yesterday but unfortunately, the computers were moving slower than continents drift so we failed. ye of little faith. amazing the home truths that sneak out late at night. sitting out the front of the national about 3am, overlooking the malecon and the ocean, and rob takes a puff and confesses - `all my business needs to be complete is a parrot and an eyepatch`. nuff said. to pick up, that arvo we held the annual hotel national fluycasting comp. rob is moderator. mike ´dynamite bob´ machin is still pissed that he has not caught a bonefish on fly in three trips (he isn´t very good) to cuba so was revved up. needless to say, when it counted, dynamite bob fell short. headed off to a top restaurant down by the docks, cafe templete. bar run by a member of the cuban sommeliers club. imagine that. top guy. floor run by a venemous *****. very effiecent but insisted we buy some overrated and way overpriced dodgy red. when i said no, i was the worse bloke on the planet. looked after the other three all night and just ignored me, except to occasionally hiss in my direction. my usual run of success with women continues no matter what the country. after a wander through the largely deserted streets. the crackdown has changed the place. they do it every so often but it has a lot more character when they don´t. ended up at castille. one of the few bars still firing. there till about 3. great fun. there is almost no one on the streets hawking fakes. amazing. usually one cannot go two yards without hearing ´montes, partagas, cohiba´etc. one bloke says that the penalty has been increased to 4 years if you are caught. another said 60 pesos.whatever, it has worked. we did meet a bloke in a bar (rob´s usual supplier?) who had some he insisted were real partagas LE pyramides. did the originals have a date on the LE band? we couldn´t remember. they were very good fakes and we reckoned they were factory smokes rebanded. at $3 each, we tried them. macho went for the ´cohiba robusto´and was outraged that his $3 stick was not a real cohiba. the pyramides were pretty good. we reckon probably P2s a few days old. then back for a few drinks at the national and confession time for rob. i´m a day and a half behind but will catch up soon. over to rob.
Tampa1257 Posted February 24, 2006 Posted February 24, 2006 Ken, We see that you are a "Hit" with the ladies, no matter where in the world you are.......... Smoking Fakes while in Cuba? Wow, I thought you would have at least been supporting Hamlet or La China with some custom rolled, but FAKES! That sounds like you guys really do need a wire transfer from Lise to get to you guys quick! Keep the news coming my friend!:-D
El Presidente Posted February 24, 2006 Posted February 24, 2006 Ken ¨Goofy¨ Gargett crashed and burned with his first attempt this trip at Love. The short sighted singer after a looong lunch decided it was preferrable to swim to miami than to spend any further time with Ken ;-) He hit back hard with a new dinner guest yesterday evening and while you could see constantly in a state of boredom eyeing the door....they were last seen together. Ken will no doubt update the board opn how his date went tomorrow :-D I had a long conversation with Hamlet yesterday at the R&J factory over a couple of glasses of rum and two of his own blend Robusto´s (excellent). We talked about blends and leaf and love and life. He is really one of the great personalities of the Cuban Cigar Business always quick with an insight and a joke. On cigar issues he likes what he is seeing in the quality of tobacco. Hie believes the best general production cigar being made today is the Partagas Lusitania. Pushed on his thoughts re possible fermentation changes he had no idea and had not heard of any such change. The search continues on that one. For those heading to Havana, the R&J factory is worthwhile to see Hamlet alone. The store carries very little of any substance, there are no general cigar tours and the whole place has a dejected/neglected feeling. This store is not Habanos s.a owned (Partagas is) and I wonder if this is a core part of the problem. Standout cigars enjoyed today: Hamlet Robuisto : Medium bodied. Perfect balance. He is the best. Cohiba Lancero Upmann Super Corona. Our bonefishing trip commences Sunday and I have the boys practicing their casting on the grass at the National Hotel with our backs to the ocean and the great fort. Cigar in one hand. Mojito in another I supervise their progress and hone their technique. Ken talks a big game but when it comes to casting a fly line he needs some help...needless to say suspicions were again raised that his guide casts his rod for him ;-). We had quite a crowd of fascinated onlookers and it crossed my mind to start a Fly fishing school here. That thought crossed my mind just before the one of the pending divorce
El Presidente Posted February 24, 2006 Posted February 24, 2006 Hi Tampa! Mate, we were intrigued with these fakes and wanted to try them. High quality. Very fresh and definately off the tables. The purported Partagas Pirimide LE was a P2. We were in shock Tuesday when we were sitting outside the commodoro shopping strip having a beer and cigar while watching the local eye candy go by. We were approached by a young well dressed Cuban who conversed with us for half an hour. He professionally brought up the subject of cigars and his ability to supply large quantity of supposed factory cigars. I told him I was a Habanos s.a licensed dealer but he said ¨No Problem¨ and pulled from his wallet the business card (which I know well) of a very well respected net retailer. He supplies the retailer on demand. I made him show the other boys (including Ken) and they almost fell off their chairs. I asked enough questions to satisfy myself that it was true. Learn something every day
CIGARHead Posted February 24, 2006 Posted February 24, 2006 » Hi Tampa! » » Mate, we were intrigued with these fakes and wanted to try them. » » High quality. Very fresh and definately off the tables. The purported » Partagas Pirimide LE was a P2. » » We were in shock Tuesday when we were sitting outside the commodoro » shopping strip having a beer and cigar while watching the local eye candy » go by. » » We were approached by a young well dressed Cuban who conversed with us for » half an hour. He professionally brought up the subject of cigars and his » ability to supply large quantity of supposed factory cigars. I told him I » was a Habanos s.a licensed dealer but he said ¨No Problem¨ and pulled from » his wallet the business card (which I know well) of a very well respected » net retailer. He supplies the retailer on demand. I made him show the » other boys (including Ken) and they almost fell off their chairs. I asked » enough questions to satisfy myself that it was true. » » Learn something every day Fly fishing school? Always thinking;-) So did you take this "peddler" for his word and order some half price gems? Those mojitos must be getting to you. Poor, pooor Kenny boy not having any luck with the ladies? Never would have guessed. Rob, dont worry everything is under control at FoH and at headquaters. Lisa invoked a good and proper "prez is away special" and we are all very happy. Stay as long as you want.
Jimmy2 Posted February 24, 2006 Posted February 24, 2006 Wish i was there with you guys sounds like you guys are having a blast. Man one day i will be there with you guys i guarantee it i can't wait for the day to be in Havana. Take good care of my H.U. SC Rob :-D and have fun and be carefull down there. I hope Shagga is doing better say hello to crew i a great time meeting you gents.
Spartagas Posted February 24, 2006 Posted February 24, 2006 » Hi Tampa! » » Mate, we were intrigued with these fakes and wanted to try them. » » High quality. Very fresh and definately off the tables. The purported » Partagas Pirimide LE was a P2. » » We were in shock Tuesday when we were sitting outside the commodoro » shopping strip having a beer and cigar while watching the local eye candy » go by. » » We were approached by a young well dressed Cuban who conversed with us for » half an hour. He professionally brought up the subject of cigars and his » ability to supply large quantity of supposed factory cigars. I told him I » was a Habanos s.a licensed dealer but he said ¨No Problem¨ and pulled from » his wallet the business card (which I know well) of a very well respected » net retailer. He supplies the retailer on demand. I made him show the » other boys (including Ken) and they almost fell off their chairs. I asked » enough questions to satisfy myself that it was true. » » Learn something every day Maybe I'm being a little slow today, but I assume you were laughing because this "respected net retailer" is being supplied with fakes? If so, any hints as to their identity?
Ginseng Posted February 24, 2006 Posted February 24, 2006 » We were approached by a young well dressed Cuban who conversed with us for » half an hour. He professionally brought up the subject of cigars and his » ability to supply large quantity of supposed factory cigars. I told him I » was a Habanos s.a licensed dealer but he said ¨No Problem¨ and pulled from » his wallet the business card (which I know well) of a very well respected » net retailer. He supplies the retailer on demand. I made him show the » other boys (including Ken) and they almost fell off their chairs. I asked » enough questions to satisfy myself that it was true. Fascinating. I hope that we can hear a little more about this, if necessary, in private among FOH'ers. Wilkey
Wiley Posted February 24, 2006 Posted February 24, 2006 Maybe Rob would at least be willing to tell us where this suspect retailer is based.
Van55 Posted February 24, 2006 Posted February 24, 2006 »» » We were approached by a young well dressed Cuban who conversed with us for » half an hour. He professionally brought up the subject of cigars and his » ability to supply large quantity of supposed factory cigars. I told him I » was a Habanos s.a licensed dealer but he said ¨No Problem¨ and pulled from » his wallet the business card (which I know well) of a very well respected » net retailer. He supplies the retailer on demand. I made him show the » other boys (including Ken) and they almost fell off their chairs. I asked » enough questions to satisfy myself that it was true. » » Learn something every day Inquiring minds want to know... What is the M.O. of this repsected ner retailer? Or am I missing my guess?
Tampa1257 Posted February 25, 2006 Posted February 25, 2006 » Hi Tampa! » » Mate, we were intrigued with these fakes and wanted to try them. » » High quality. Very fresh and definitely off the tables. The purported » Partagas Pirimide LE was a P2. » » We were in shock Tuesday when we were sitting outside the commodoro » shopping strip having a beer and cigar while watching the local eye candy » go by. » » We were approached by a young well dressed Cuban who conversed with us for » half an hour. He professionally brought up the subject of cigars and his » ability to supply large quantity of supposed factory cigars. I told him I » was a Habanos s.a licensed dealer but he said ¨No Problem¨ and pulled from » his wallet the business card (which I know well) of a very well respected » net retailer. He supplies the retailer on demand. I made him show the » other boys (including Ken) and they almost fell off their chairs. I asked » enough questions to satisfy myself that it was true. » » Learn something every day Thanks for the update, and the news about the Gray Market supplier, We are all interested in the Net Retailer that is supplied outside the Official Habanos S.A. system, as Van said, Interesting minds would like to know more about this M.O., as to wondering if supplies are other than what they seams such as the Partagás LE Piramides being a PSP2.
genevapics Posted February 25, 2006 Posted February 25, 2006 Yeah, give up the goods El Prez. Who is the Net Retailer?!
habanohal Posted February 25, 2006 Posted February 25, 2006 » Yeah, give up the goods El Prez. Who is the Net Retailer?! I have a good guess
J-ROD Posted February 25, 2006 Posted February 25, 2006 definately interested, I guess this is just one more reason to start ordering from Rob:yes:
thschrminm Posted February 27, 2006 Posted February 27, 2006 Any word on the vendor that was talked about???
Havanaaddict Posted February 27, 2006 Posted February 27, 2006 For those heading to Havana, the R&J factory is worthwhile to see Hamlet Standout cigars enjoyed today: Hamlet Robuisto : Medium bodied. Perfect balance. He is the best. I HATE YOU KEN :-(
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