MontrealRon Posted December 2, 2009 Share Posted December 2, 2009 Our tenth trip to Cuba together, and in many ways the best. This was our third stay at Breezes Jibacoa, on a small beach halfway between Havana and Varadero. We were last there two years ago, having gone to Varadero last year with friends. Arriving at Varadero airport, we were delayed by a customs search. The same happened last year. It seems the drug-sniffing dogs were curious about my bag containing 3 kilos of cumin seeds. I bring this herb to give as gifts, packaged in sealed 100 gram bags. It is the most important seasoning in Cuban cuisine, but very hard to obtain, and very expensive, locally. No problem with the customs guy, though, once he smells the stuff, though there is a rather wistful look on his face as I zip up the bag. My wife, though, is ready to kill me. After four hours on the plane, she is hot, tired, and dying for a cigarette, it's a twenty minute wait to be searched, and there is a mini-bus with a few others headed to the same hotel waiting on us... Once at the hotel, more problems. All the rooms are now non-smoking! Pissed-off is now turning to freak-out. I head out to find some smokers, to get the scoop on what is going on. Good news and bad. It seems that everyone is smoking in the rooms anyway, but smoking is no longer permitted at the outdoor side tables at the buffet, nor at the beach resto/bar. There is, however, a semi-open area, on two levels, at the entrance to the lobby, that is open for smokers. The upside is that all the smokers are thrown together. By day 2, we were really enjoying the situation, as we met so many nice people. Never before had we socialised to this extent. Long conversations into the wee hours, free-flowing drink, and many cigars. In the mornings, down to the beach to soak up some much needed sunshine. All the stress of the rat-race just melts away... My first cigar purchase was a box of '01 Upmann Coronas, two singles of '08 R&J Cazadores (excellent), and the remaining nine cigars in a box of '03 Partagas SDC #3. The #3s were brilliant, and after smoking two, determined to bring the rest home. The Upmanns were smooth and tasty, but quite a few were plugged, others too tight. The ten I brought back feel ok, and should smoke well when properly dried. My next foray turned out to be a near disaster. Monte Especial #2, Oct. '05. Looked great, just right to the touch. Good thing I tried one after buying the box, and another the following day. The first was horrible, the second worse. Smelled like burning garbage, and tasted like dirt. I took the box back to the shop and, possibly because the young ladies working there knew and trusted me, I was able to get a credit for the 23 remaining. I ended up getting a box each of '07 R&J Cazadores, and '08 Bolivar Bonitas, to bring home, making up 75 of our 100 duty-frees with ten customs from Mimi, the charming torcedora working at the hotel shop. The remaining 25 I saved for the airport, where my choice was a box of '08 HDM Epicure #1. I also arranged with a couple of hustlers on the beach to pick me up 8 bundles of 25 of Villaamil, the local peso smokes. This is easily done by paying for the cigars upfront, and then promising double again that amount upon delivery. Nobody would steal the money knowing that twice as much could be made by delivering the product. My total cost, including purchase and delivery, for the 200 cigars, was 600 national pesos, about $30. Bringing them home, though, is another story, and another way to piss off my wife. Since I declared an excess of 200 cigars, it means another diversion at the airport, another line-up, at 1 AM. Luckily, I was charged all of $42, based on my declared value of $9. I wasn't even asked to open the bag. To those who disparage the local market cigars, I say give them a fair try first. I still have some bought two years ago, and they have gotten rather smooth and tasty. In character, they are not unlike the JLP's, and vastly superior to the Guantanameras. They are hand-made, without molds, and the sizes vary wildly within a bundle. I have never had a plugged one yet, and draw and burn are generally excellent. Yes, they are rough and harsh in their youth, but they still have personality, even if the last third can sometimes be unpleasant. So what if I have to toss half or a third of a cigar that cost me all of 36 cents! I intend to get a new digital camera soon, and my first review with photos, will be one of these! A couple more words about the hotel. The food, which has always been excellent for Cuba, is now better than ever. There is a new Jamaican executive chef, who we chatted with extensively. He is both brilliant, and a quality-control fanatic. There is also a new general manager, and he has done wonders for staff morale. Everyone is in excellent humour, laughing, joking, and relaxed. So here we are, back in Montreal, with great tans, new friends, fond memories, four bottles of aged rum, and 300 cigars. It is starting to snow... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PartagasIV Posted December 2, 2009 Share Posted December 2, 2009 Sounds like a superb vacation that couldn't have gotten much better! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
compitaveggie Posted December 2, 2009 Share Posted December 2, 2009 Nice review Ron, cant wait till you post pics of the peso cigars. Glad you enjoyed it so much and you only paid 42 in taxes. I had to pay much more in Mexico on my return trip from Cuba. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
riderpride Posted December 2, 2009 Share Posted December 2, 2009 Welcome back, and welcome to winter. I was unaware of the cumin; I'll keep that in mind for the next trip. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thechenman Posted December 2, 2009 Share Posted December 2, 2009 Sounds like a blast. Enjoy your 300 smokes and rum. With snow already it is going to be another long winter in Montreal. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kcmontie Posted December 2, 2009 Share Posted December 2, 2009 wow sounds like you had another great trip. I cant wait till i can go legally. any photos you can share cheers KC Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stargazer14 Posted December 2, 2009 Share Posted December 2, 2009 Very nice Ron, i hope to be on your heels some day. Let me know if you want to trade for a few Villaamil, love to try one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
El Presidente Posted December 2, 2009 Share Posted December 2, 2009 Great vacation Ron and thanks for sharing More than once I have purchased a handful of Peso cigars to smoke as I wander Havana Vieja. You are right...need to be ditched last third but as the touts come up going "Cohiba...montecristo...Partagas" they leave you alone when you say you want to spend 20 local pesos on 25 Peso cigars Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kangaroo495 Posted December 3, 2009 Share Posted December 3, 2009 Great vacation Ron and thanks for sharing More than once I have purchased a handful of Peso cigars to smoke as I wander Havana Vieja. You are right...need to be ditched last third but as the touts come up going "Cohiba...montecristo...Partagas" they leave you alone when you say you want to spend 20 local pesos on 25 Peso cigars So the cigars you see the locals smoking are called "Peso Cigars"? Would love to get some next time I go. I saw 8 year old kids smoking those, so they can't be too harsh! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
samb Posted December 3, 2009 Share Posted December 3, 2009 So the cigars you see the locals smoking are called "Peso Cigars"? Would love to get some next time I go.I saw 8 year old kids smoking those, so they can't be too harsh! LOL, they start early over there. Glad it was a good trip. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bassman Posted December 3, 2009 Share Posted December 3, 2009 Great vacation Ron and thanks for sharing More than once I have purchased a handful of Peso cigars to smoke as I wander Havana Vieja. You are right...need to be ditched last third but as the touts come up going "Cohiba...montecristo...Partagas" they leave you alone when you say you want to spend 20 local pesos on 25 Peso cigars Since a simple no thanks does not discourage the touts, I took to asking for SLR PCs. They never had them & left me alone. $42 duty on $9 value cigars? Guess that's how Canada pays for health care. And back when I was lucky enough to be able to visit Cuba, I enjoyed trying peso cigars. A few were actually quite good. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MontrealRon Posted December 4, 2009 Author Share Posted December 4, 2009 $42 duty on $9 value cigars? Guess that's how Canada pays for health care. Tell me about it! There are several different federal and provincial taxes, all compounded. Rates vary between provinces, with Quebec being one of the worst. This also makes ordering cigars by mail quite a crapshoot. Sometimes a package will sail through free, but that has become a rare treat. Usually we are hit with charges of $75 to $150 PER BOX! And that is when they accept a declared value of perhaps $20-30. Otherwise, if they evaluate the cigars higher, they will demand hundreds of dollars in taxes and duties. These packages are refused, and returned to sender. They can take months to get back to the source, if they ever do. The great irony is that our US brothers, in spite of the embargo, seem to have no difficulty nor extra costs to pay, but us dumb Canucks get wacked most every time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bassman Posted December 4, 2009 Share Posted December 4, 2009 Ron, you need a US post office box! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
coopesc2000 Posted December 4, 2009 Share Posted December 4, 2009 Thanks for the post. Love hearing about everyones travels to Cuba maybe one day I'll be able to visit:) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MontrealRon Posted December 4, 2009 Author Share Posted December 4, 2009 Ron, you need a US post office box! Sure. And then I have the choice of either smuggling the cigars back over the border, or declaring them and paying the duties - back to square one. If you are caught smuggling, the consequences are very severe, including the immediate seizure and forfieture of the vehicle used to transport the goods. Sounds like fun? It actually happened to me once, many years ago, in the days when cigarettes were much cheaper in the US than in Canada, and before I smartened up and switched to cigars. Luckily, I was driving an old jalopy, and was able to buy it back from her Majesty's goons for their evaluated price of only $500. Lucky also that I had the cash on me, or my then girlfriend (now wife) and I would have been walking the 60 odd miles home... So much for free trade... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aavkk Posted December 4, 2009 Share Posted December 4, 2009 Awesome Ron, glad to hear you had a great time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chewy Posted December 4, 2009 Share Posted December 4, 2009 Fantastic review Ron... It's just like we were there with you Cheers, Louis Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MontrealRon Posted December 5, 2009 Author Share Posted December 5, 2009 Fantastic review Ron... It's just like we were there with you Cheers, Louis If memory serves me well, you were! Welcome to FOH, Louis. I hope that you will have as much fun here as I do. You may want to check out the "Newbie Introductions" forum. I'm sure the gang here would really appreciate getting to know you. Please tell Alice that Jean and I consider meeting you two as as the icing on the cake of our trip. Hopefully, our paths will cross again soon! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bkmynn Posted December 7, 2009 Share Posted December 7, 2009 This also makes ordering cigars by mail quite a crapshoot. Sometimes a package will sail through free, but that has become a rare treat. Usually we are hit with charges of $75 to $150 PER BOX! And that is when they accept a declared value of perhaps $20-30. Otherwise, if they evaluate the cigars higher, they will demand hundreds of dollars in taxes and duties. These packages are refused, and returned to sender. They can take months to get back to the source, if they ever do. That is really sad to hear. I placed my first (internet) order from the competition, before I found this site. First delivery never arrived, they sent me another one a month later which arrived in about 10 days, nice RA Gigantes. That package slipped by the man...probably because he had both his hands in my pocket, already!!! Thought I was on to something...found this site, and took the leap and order some Upmann No.2. Been almost a month, and still a no show. I hope this one get to me soon without the man finding it...hopefully it slips by a just another X-Mas gift. From the sound of it us cancuks get shafted quite often. If this one get through, I'm going to roll the dice again. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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