Cuba relations thawing
 

Our President is making a major announcement regarding relations with Cuba at noon. News outlets report that travel restrictions will be revised. (Among other reforms.) The full ending of the embargo will be a long haul, but it's hope for us cigar smokers. Word is the Pope had a lot to do with this. Hopefully things will get better for the people who make all those yummy smokes.

Re: Cuba relations thawing
 

Well I know they are doing a 'prisoner' swap, I think I shall go into business manufacturing glass top boxes, beat the rush and corner the market.

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Higher prices and proliferation of fakes is not what I am hoping for.
:2

I do hope things improve for the Cuban people. They have suffered far too much for far too long.

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I am ready to spend some $$$ down there if it gets opened up, the flyfishing is some of the best in the world.

Re: Cuba relations thawing
 

This is dicey, one can see a future of Cuban cigars sold in the USA. Certainly today's announcement is a small step but the Cuban-American lobby has a strong voice. With out getting political one can say objectively the embargo has been a failure in most aspects.

Re: Cuba relations thawing
 

Well, here is one article. Don't know if it is true or not. Can't imagine how screwed up the market would/will be from this.


U.S. TRAVELERS NOW ALLOWED $100 OF CUBAN CIGARS
By Charlie Minato @charlieminato · On December 17, 2014

The importing of Cuban cigars to the U.S. is now legal, on a very small scale.

Following a series of high level talks, the United States and Cuba took major steps in restoring diplomatic relationships with eyes of ending the embargo.

The biggest news is that the countries will engage in full diplomatic relations, including a U.S. embassy in Havana, for the first time since Jan 3, 1961. For cigar smokers, there’s also a small reprieve.

American travelers will now be able to bring back $400 of goods from Cuba per trip, including $100 in alcohol and tobacco. While the price limits will make it challenging for a single person to bring back any full box of Cuban cigars, a handful of cigars is now legal. Previously, it was not only illegal for U.S. citizens to bring Cuban cigars back into the country, but a case could be made that even consuming Cuban cigars abroad could be considered a violation.

Despite the embargo, the U.S. is largely considered to be the largest market for Cuban cigars in the world and the enforcement of the law is not regularly enforced. Ironically, the holiday months are arguably the only time it is remotely challenging to procure Cuban cigars in the U.S. due to the symbolic enforcement that occurs in the months of November and December.

As for the end of the embargo against Cuba, there has been a growing belief that President Obama will attempt to make a normalization of relations between the estranged countries part of his legacy. It remains unclear if a full rollback of the embargo could occur within his final two years in office.

Re: Cuba relations thawing
 

So basically the best way for Americans to enjoy Cuban cigars will be trips booked on Priceline on a Cuban cigar tour?

Re: Cuba relations thawing
 

Okay, here's the rub. Will US travelers be able to bring back $100 in Cuban cigars from wherever they travel or just from Cuba? Do they have to prove that the cigars were actually sold to them in Cuba?

On the plus side, a thaw with regards to humanitarian issues is huge. I'd rather see a better life for Cubans than easier access to cigars for me.

Re: Cuba relations thawing
 

About damn time!!! :banger

...President Barack Obama declared the end of America's "outdated approach" to Cuba Wednesday, announcing the re-establishment of diplomatic relations as well as economic and travel ties with the communist island — a historic shift in U.S. policy that aims to bring an end to a half-century of Cold War enmity.

I'm with Mike - a road trim is only 90 miles from Key West!!! :D

Re: Cuba relations thawing
 

This is good news. With embassies in place there will be trade negotiations. In a couple of years Americans will be able to _legally_ purchase the Cuban cigars (including probably by mail order).

This is bad news for the Mexican fauxhiba industry of course. :-)

Re: Cuba relations thawing
 

I disagree with this, I think with legal Cubans on the market here in the US, you will see the glass top boxes spring up all over the place and the fauxhiba market will have an explosion here in the states, where as right now they don't have a market in the physical territory.

Re: Cuba relations thawing
 

:po
bishes

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I suspect this is the beginning of the end to the embargo. I think by the time the next president takes office, it'll be completely ended.

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MMM, fauxhibas.

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This is what I wonder too. Can they be purchased anywhere or just Cuba?

Great to hear something is being done about the whole out of date embargo!

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I'm not sure that their would be any use for fauxhibas any more if they become legal. If the embargo is lifted wouldn't it just make Cuba another region like the DR and Nicaragua already are? They may be an initial influx to see what all the fuss is about but once that is over with and everyone tastes young CC's they won't want them any more. :2 The forbidden fruit will no longer be forbidden and they will lose their appeal to a lot of smokers. :2

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I'm with Carlos...wait and see.

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As if any of us can do anything but wait and see what happens. Plus the door is only cracked, it won't be bad until commercial sale is authorized and that'll take Congress. I'll wager the first thing to happen is someone being arrested by ICE for reselling their $100 allotment.

Re: Cuba relations thawing
 

iPhones are perfectly legal, yet you can buy counterfeits in just about every electronics shop in Hong Kong.

Ever seen a booze rack at the store in Mexico? They even counterfeit their own tequila.

Just because something is legal doesn't mean the people will be smart enough to realize that the bargain they are getting is because what they are buying is not authentic. People will buy what is cheap, and they'll do it more freely since there would be no repercussions.

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Congress has a lot to say about that, and from all I've read, it won't be an easy fight.

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Hey Adam, Wanna buy a Rolex? :D

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:wo

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CA group trip to Cuba?…Epic!

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"Oh I'm sure it's Cuban, the guy at the cigar place is the friend of a friend and he got it from a drawer hidden under the counter." :D

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Oh thought he was talking to me, I already have a Rolox and a Movodo!

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https://smileyshack.files.wordpress....g_100-1081.gif :tu

Re: Cuba relations thawing
 

LoL I just heard on the news.. and the first reaction and self centered thought I instinctively had was CIGARS.

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I thought of Cuban women.:dr

Re: Cuba relations thawing
 

Not too concerned about cigars either way, but I have two words for you.
Legendario Elixir! :tu:banger:noon

Re: Cuba relations thawing
 

:r :r you better make sure they're not fake

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Fine if you bring it back, but if it is imported, expect the California prices to, well, make a trip to Cuba to buy it seem affordable.

Re: Cuba relations thawing
 

About damn time!

Re: Cuba relations thawing
 

President needs a win to go on his legacy beyond killing Bin Laden. This is a good move as it will polarize many GOP candidates unless they join the band wagon.

Rubio does not stand a chance as becoming president right now.

Many Americans don't understand the whole embargo at this point and I am glad to see this moving forward, but some skepticism is inevitable when the government does anything.

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Very true. But the new Congress will be extremely business friendly, and business stands to profit the most from the lifting of the embargo. I give it two years at the outside. ;)

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I've had some Cuban rum while traveling. It was quite nice. I'm excited about the prospect of a nice box of CC being shipped to my mailbox with a half case of Havana Club

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The embargo has been obvious failure. The USA has a policy of changing China through engagement, yeah I kind of just rolled my eyes. Perhaps real change to Cuba can come from engagement. Raul Castro seems to hint he is open to change in Cuba. As we get excited about cigars we shouldn't forget Cuba is run by a brutal regime.

Does anybody know if human rights under Raul has been vastly improved?

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I don't care much about being able to get cigars or rum as a reason to lift the embargo. Human rights and quality of life for the Cuban people are more important than scoring a box of Cohibas...

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Hmmmm....I will put up 5 Padrons to your 5 Habanos that it's not completely lifted by Dec. 17, 2016. ;) :) I'm not sure, but I think I have a decent chance to win that bet.

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Funny, I was talking to the Singapore Habanos distributor the other night and he has much respect for NC's and for the obvious reasons; quality of the aged tobacco and consistent construction. Habanos smokers put up with a lot quality issues that are near non-existent on NC's. I am leaving the flavor differences out of the equation; those are personal preferences.

Line up 500 cigars; both Habanos and good NC's. How many NC's will be plugged vs. Habanos?

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As long as you aren't betting Gurkhas, I'll accept your gentlemanly wager. After all, I have K Street on my side. :D

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I saw exactly this just last Sunday at a local B&M! Too funny! :r

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Yup.
In five years, Alan Gross lost 100 pounds and a number of teeth, along with partial eyesight, in spite of their fantastic medical system (as I chuckle in sarcasm).
Yup.
Improved tremendously.
Here is before and after.

Re: Cuba relations thawing
 

Moses, I did an experiemnt on another public forum last year. Numerous people logged all their cigars for the year, NC and CC. Good draw, tight draw, plugged draw. I store my cigars around 61-62% RH. For well over 500 Cuban cigars I smoked in 2013, I had 3 plugs. While that was worse than the NCs (0 plugged), it still ain't bad.

:D Nice. Obviously I will pay you off before 12/17/16 if you are right....

Re: Cuba relations thawing
 

I'm sure they are allocating what little health care resources they have on prisoners, right. There's a good amount of Cuban doctors throughout Asia and are highly regarded.

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I am sure the Novacane that teeth extractions are being done without is also in Asia.

Cigars wise, this Cuban will take a Padron Anni any day. Bet both will cost about the same soon as prices increase on CC's.

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I chuckled about that when I saw his mouth empty of teeth on the news broadcast. Can you spot two interesting items in the photo?

As for CC vs NC, I'd like to finally be able to judge my self. I've had almost ten CC all but one miserable. Yet you can't judge a country's cigars based on just a few you had.

Re: Cuba relations thawing
 

I sympathize fully with Carlos here, as with the full Cuban-American community. I do not believe Raul is much better than Fidel, and do not think the lot of the common Cuban citizen has been much improved in recent years despite the announced "reforms". Still, the fact remains that 50+ years of US embargo has done little to bring the Cuban government to a more amenable relationship with either America or its own people. In fact, the removal of most support following the collapse of the Soviet Union, and the imminent prospect of a reduction of support from a struggling Venezuela has done more to bring about a reassessment by Cuba's leadership of their future. Thus it may indeed be time for the US to try a different approach to this sticky issue.

Albert Einstein famously said that definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again, and expecting a different outcome. This has been America's tack since JFK first signed the embargo back in 1960. A change now might be an error, but it seems to me that stubborn resistance to change is decidedly one.

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I have always been divided on this subject as truly see both sides of the fence.
All I can and will say on the subject of the embargo is Raul Castro has just verbally urged the U.S. to end it.
That speaks volumes to me.
It may not have caused change in their regime but it sure as heck must be one hell of a rope around their neck.

Re: Cuba relations thawing
 

Which begs the question, my brother: Who has been strangled more, the regime or the common folk?

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If we lift the embargo and don't like how things are going 5-10 years down the road, we can renew it again. Once Cuban leadership gets a taste of US dollars, their regime will crumble quick. Pepsico and Coca Cola have enough money to make all of them get in line.