Cigars in puerto plata

hammerdown

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Apr 29, 2005
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The best place to get premium cigars is at Cafe Cubano in Sosua. Brian the owner knows his cigars and sells only the best from the DR and Cuba.
 

Hillbilly

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Jan 1, 2002
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Let's hope DavidZ sees this and chimes in. He is perhaps the most knowledgeable person on the North Shore...not kidding.

HB
 

superfly_2000

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Dec 12, 2007
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In Sosua there is a shop called Super Super (liqiour and tobacco mostly). I think it has good prices and they are kind of fresh.

If you have more time travel to the Leon Jimenes factory in Santiago and buy from there :) Even better price and FRESH!
 

DavidZ

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Aug 29, 2005
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Super Super (for price) and Cafe Cubano (for selection) are the best stores in Sosua. La Casa de Puro in Playa Dorada has the best selection in Puerto Plata. None of the stores in Cabarete are very good. It's difficult to find any cigars from outside the DR though.

I believe the La Aurora Factory store (Leon Jimenez) is closed...and it was never cheap...their prices were higher than those at regular cigar shops in the DR, but they had several lines you couldn't find elsewhere...

If you're in Sosua or Cabarete, I can hook you up with great prices on some of the best Dominican, Nicaraguan, and Hunduran cigars....boxes, samplers, gift sets, etc...
 

Hillbilly

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Jan 1, 2002
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NOTE TO SELF: Be sure to let people know that DavidZ really is quite knowledgeable about cigars and things cigar related.

Yes, I will remind myself of this.

Pay attention to what he says and call him!!

HB
 

boricua0327

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Jan 10, 2009
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Ok so i found romeo y julieta cigars for cheap in puerto plata and would like to know if i am going to have a problem bringing them thru customs because they are the ones from cuba?
 

Criss Colon

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Jan 2, 2002
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yahoomail.com
Do they state "Hecho En Cuba" anywhere"?
If they do,you better remove the labels.
If not,no problem.
You will never know anyway.
Cris Colon
Only place I knew I got real "Cubanos",was in Cuba!
 

Criss Colon

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Jan 2, 2002
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I would.
But put the bag inside of something to keep the "sticks" from getting crushed.
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If they find them,and say anything,tell them they can't be Cuban,because you saw them being made at the cigar factor.
Check out this website when you get home,the USA is your home????.....cigarsintenational... they have 35 million cigars in stock.They ship anywhere.I like Honduran,Equadorian,Nicaraguan cigars better than those from here in the DR.I get Dominican cigars from "CI" cheaper than I can buy them here,including my cost for shipping from Florida!
"Good Smoking"!
 

DavidZ

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Aug 29, 2005
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Unless you bought them from Casa del Puro in Playa Dorada, they are most likely not Cuban..."Hecho en Cuba" on the box means nothing. Stickers mean nothing. Does the box also say "Totalmente a Mano"? Does it have a 3D hologram from Habanos S.A.? If not...you're pretty much S.O.L. (BTW, occasionally Cafe Cubano and Super Super in Sosua have genuine Cubans, usually Cohiba or Punch, at "reasonable" prices.)

If you want to confirm their authenticity, you can enter the serial number from the Warranty Seal on the box at the Habanos S.A. website:

Stamp to Verify

The good news: if they search your bags at Customs in MIA or JFK, just tell them you bought them because you got a great deal in the DR...they will shake their head, smirk at you and wave you on...they may even take them, but probably not since even they know they're not Cuban...(kidding aside, better to take the labels off and take them out of the fake box anyway).

Only Authorized "Casa Del Habano" (Habanos S.A.) distributors/resellers sell real Cubans. And there's only one in the DR. If you bought from anyone else, even if the box says "Hecho en Cuba, Totalmente a Mano" they are 100% fake....true pretty much anywhere in the world...even Cuba!

The only other way to buy real Cubans here is to buy from someone who knew what they were buying and bought them for retail (or higher) price outside of the country (i.e. Cuba, Spain, Switzerland, etc.) and is willing to sell them to you. I have gotten some that way, but no one has ever offered to sell them to me "cheap".

If you really want to take home some good Romeo y Julietas, buy a box (or a sampler) of GENUINE DOMINICAN R y J's like Reserva Real's (my favorite) or 1875's (Classic).

Better yet, if you have the opportunity to go to La Romana, you can tour the Tabacalera de Garcia factory where they are made, along with Montecristos, Trinidad, H.Upman, Don Diego and others... and buy them factory direct....and on certain days, you can even share a smoke with the Master Blender of Tabacalera de Garcia, Jose Seijas...trust me, it's worth the trip!
 

hammerdown

Bronze
Apr 29, 2005
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You should really go to Sosua and talk to the new owner of Cafe Cubano, Brian. He lived in Cuba for 6 yrs and knows Cuban cigars. Last week he was waiting for real Cuban cigars coming from an importer in Santo Domingo. They may have arrived by now. That being said, you should at least check him out and he will educate you on cigars.
 

SKY

Gold
Apr 11, 2004
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You should really go to Sosua and talk to the new owner of Cafe Cubano, Brian. He lived in Cuba for 6 yrs and knows Cuban cigars. Last week he was waiting for real Cuban cigars coming from an importer in Santo Domingo. They may have arrived by now. That being said, you should at least check him out and he will educate you on cigars.

I don't know anything about the new owner, but I can tell you with absolute certainty that the old owner sold fake Cubans all the time there.
 

hammerdown

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Apr 29, 2005
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I don't know anything about the new owner, but I can tell you with absolute certainty that the old owner sold fake Cubans all the time there.

The old owner probably did, but I can state for a fact the new owner doesn't have any fake Cubans in his humidor, nor, does he ever want to put any there. To him cigars are a passion. He love his cigars and knows cigars as well.
And by the way, he can explain how you tell a fake from the real thing......doesn't cost anything to go have a chat with him either......
 

Criss Colon

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Jan 2, 2002
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"TRUST", but "Verify"!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Ronald Reagan
However,in the DR,you can't trust anybody,and can never verify!
I watch a guy roll my cigars in Havana!
Go "Central American"Equadorian, with Brazilian,Camaron,and/or, Connecticut seed grow wrapper. Better than ANY DR cigars.
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jad604

Member
Nov 17, 2011
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The cubans there are not real cubans but they are a decent smoke because of the Cuban seed but you must inspect it to make sure you're not getting a lot of filler but actual leaf.
 

jad604

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Nov 17, 2011
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The customs people really don't care if you don't have more than five boxes and act courteously