We'd like to buy cigars while we're in the DR. We'll be in Santo Domingo a couple of days (in Samana the rest of the time). I assume the better place to buy is Santo Domingo? Anyway, I'm looking for Cifuentes y Cia. Partagas 1845 & Camacho Liberty Anniversary. Any suggestions on where to buy--preferably in or near Colonial Zone? If you know what fair prices would be, that would help too. Thank you.
- Thread starter emendoza
- Start date
Dominican Cigars?
Forget it. You won't find them at prices you will like.
RE: COHIBAS: There are no legitimate Cuban Cohibas in the country that I know of. DO not EVER believe what they tell you in any cigar store.
I will tell you of two places where you might find good cigars in Santo Domingo:
1) In Hotel Lima there is a cigar store.
2) Next to the Metro Station near Winston Churchill Ave, in back of the big shopping mall there is a pretty good place.
And, just maybe, Uncle Tom's down on Isabel la Cat?lica. But no Cubans.
Also, there is a cigar kiosk in the Nacional Supermarket which features some good, honest cigars from the major houses, including, I think, Cifuentes.
On the North Shore, there are no really good cigar stores. And there are tons of fakes. You might try the little store in the Commercial area of Playa Dorada. Again-NO CUBANS. If you want cigars come to Santiago and visit La Aurora or another factory.
I am trying to find out if there is anybody that is importing Cubans. The Bizarro Caf? used to have a great selection of Cubans but they stopped doing that a while back. I think I'll give them a call.
TTYL
HB
RE: COHIBAS: There are no legitimate Cuban Cohibas in the country that I know of. DO not EVER believe what they tell you in any cigar store.
I will tell you of two places where you might find good cigars in Santo Domingo:
1) In Hotel Lima there is a cigar store.
2) Next to the Metro Station near Winston Churchill Ave, in back of the big shopping mall there is a pretty good place.
And, just maybe, Uncle Tom's down on Isabel la Cat?lica. But no Cubans.
Also, there is a cigar kiosk in the Nacional Supermarket which features some good, honest cigars from the major houses, including, I think, Cifuentes.
On the North Shore, there are no really good cigar stores. And there are tons of fakes. You might try the little store in the Commercial area of Playa Dorada. Again-NO CUBANS. If you want cigars come to Santiago and visit La Aurora or another factory.
I am trying to find out if there is anybody that is importing Cubans. The Bizarro Caf? used to have a great selection of Cubans but they stopped doing that a while back. I think I'll give them a call.
TTYL
HB
Cuban Cigars
Since Cuba and DR have normal trade relations, I don't understand why there are no Cuban cigars for sale there. They are available in Mexico and Europe, why not DR? Of course, Cuban cigars are by far superior to any others. I know that Santiago is the tobbaco growing region there and that they probably do make good cigars but, even in Cuba, cigars that are made using leaves from plantations outside the Vueltabajo district, are not that good and would probably compare in quality to Dominican cigars. The secret of the most famous Cuban cigars, the ones Cuba exports, is that the leaves come exclusively from that small area in western Cuba whose soil and climatic conditions are uniquely fit for growing the best tobacco in the world. Cuban cigars are VERY expensive. Few people can afford to buy a whole box of Cohibas, let alone afford a Cohiba, or any other Cuban brand, habit.
Since Cuba and DR have normal trade relations, I don't understand why there are no Cuban cigars for sale there. They are available in Mexico and Europe, why not DR? Of course, Cuban cigars are by far superior to any others. I know that Santiago is the tobbaco growing region there and that they probably do make good cigars but, even in Cuba, cigars that are made using leaves from plantations outside the Vueltabajo district, are not that good and would probably compare in quality to Dominican cigars. The secret of the most famous Cuban cigars, the ones Cuba exports, is that the leaves come exclusively from that small area in western Cuba whose soil and climatic conditions are uniquely fit for growing the best tobacco in the world. Cuban cigars are VERY expensive. Few people can afford to buy a whole box of Cohibas, let alone afford a Cohiba, or any other Cuban brand, habit.
juancarlos said:
_________________________________________________________________
DOMINICAN TOBACCO IS FAR BETTER THAN IT'S CUBAN COUNTERPART
ask around...................
Cuban Cigars
Oh, since when? I do not need to ask, I know Cuban cigars are STILL the best and so does the whole world. That's why Cuban cigars are the most expensive and sought after of all cigars in the world! Of course, not all Cuban made cigars are that good: regular or bad cigars never leave Cuba. Outside of the Vuelta Abajo region, the leaves are just average. Perhaps Santiago tobacco in the DR may equal the quality of tobacco grown in Central Cuba or in areas around Havana, but in Cuba those leaves are mostly used for second class cigars and cigarettes and they are not exported. You should visit the western most part of Cuba, about 100 miles west of Havana, and see for yourself. They are the tallest tobacco plants I have ever seen and the leaves are the widest and healthiest in the world. Those plants are grown under a sea of chesecloth and this type is known as tabaco tapado, the best for cigars. However, if you travel 10 miles otuside this district, the quality of tobacco suffers, even if the same seed is used. Within the same province, there are differences in soil.
Actually, the famous tobacco growing region encompasses only three municipalities: San Luis, San Juan y Martinez and Pinar del Rio. The best plantations are in San Luis and San Juan. Most of the plants are still grown on private land but since the goverment sets the price way below market value, and by law they can ONLY sell to the goverment, the growers do not receive the money they are entitled to for the good care and hard labor they put into this very delicate and time consuming effort. Almost needless to say, most Cubans have never smoked a Cohiba or even a Romeo y Julita because they are export products and their price is definitly out reach for most people there.
ERICKXSON said:
Oh, since when? I do not need to ask, I know Cuban cigars are STILL the best and so does the whole world. That's why Cuban cigars are the most expensive and sought after of all cigars in the world! Of course, not all Cuban made cigars are that good: regular or bad cigars never leave Cuba. Outside of the Vuelta Abajo region, the leaves are just average. Perhaps Santiago tobacco in the DR may equal the quality of tobacco grown in Central Cuba or in areas around Havana, but in Cuba those leaves are mostly used for second class cigars and cigarettes and they are not exported. You should visit the western most part of Cuba, about 100 miles west of Havana, and see for yourself. They are the tallest tobacco plants I have ever seen and the leaves are the widest and healthiest in the world. Those plants are grown under a sea of chesecloth and this type is known as tabaco tapado, the best for cigars. However, if you travel 10 miles otuside this district, the quality of tobacco suffers, even if the same seed is used. Within the same province, there are differences in soil.
Actually, the famous tobacco growing region encompasses only three municipalities: San Luis, San Juan y Martinez and Pinar del Rio. The best plantations are in San Luis and San Juan. Most of the plants are still grown on private land but since the goverment sets the price way below market value, and by law they can ONLY sell to the goverment, the growers do not receive the money they are entitled to for the good care and hard labor they put into this very delicate and time consuming effort. Almost needless to say, most Cubans have never smoked a Cohiba or even a Romeo y Julita because they are export products and their price is definitly out reach for most people there.
Cubans vs Dominican Cigars
Cuban cigars are a wanted commodity only because of the embargo, sure they are available in many countries but it is the one they are not available in that drives the market, they certainly do not match the quality of a good Dominican cigar.
I also have been to Cuba many times and seen the fields and the tents, purchased and smoked there wares and in my opinion there is no comparison with a good Dominican cigar.
mi dos peso's
Cuban cigars are a wanted commodity only because of the embargo, sure they are available in many countries but it is the one they are not available in that drives the market, they certainly do not match the quality of a good Dominican cigar.
I also have been to Cuba many times and seen the fields and the tents, purchased and smoked there wares and in my opinion there is no comparison with a good Dominican cigar.
mi dos peso's
Cuban vs. Dominican cigars
This is an unending argument. There is no clear-cut answer. Juan Carlos is partially correct in that people do want to smoke Cuban cigars and will pay major money for the fun of doing so. That said, people like James Suckling from Cigar Aficionado magazine, perhaps their most imformed writer, reports that because of the tremendous pressure being put on the factories to produce the famous brand cigars that they sell in Europe (Partegas, Cohiba, Romeo & Julieta, H. Upmann, Ram?n Allones and so forth) quality control is way down and tobacconists are reporting as much as 35% of cigars not being smokable because of manufacturing defects. None of the top Dominican products (Same names plus Arturo Fuente) come close to this level of rejects. Suckling says that 3% of non-useable cigars is typical from the DR.
Now there is no doubt that the tobacco from Vuelta Abajo is outstanding, and it is because of a curious combination of soil, sun and rain. The tobacco from Santa Clara is a clear second. Both tobaccos are used in the most famous Cuban brands, in order to achieve the desired blend of flavors, just like no Dominican cigar is made from tobacco from just one region.
Going to the root of the post
Because Cuban cigar production is already over-extended, it is very difficult for a new market to be opened. And the local Dominican cigar market is very small. Dominicans smoke Marlboros (UGH!) not cigars. And the legitimate Cuban cigars face incredible competition from fakes, either locally made or imported from Cuba. And YES, Cuba makes fake Cubans!! So few people can afford the prices. And the Cuban authorities got rid of the traditional factory codes and date of manufacturing codes so there is no reliable way to tell the genuine from the fakes, except by ultraviolate light and a microscope.
In the DR it is difficult,even, to sell real DOMINICAN cigars. There are so many fakes. I went to a store in Cabarete and there was just a bunch of junk cigars that are considered, here, to be third rate-at best. And no Cubans. No "real" Cubans, that is.
BTW, before you start to do battle, remember that the Central American producers are making a bunch of really fine cigars, like Padrone, C.A.O., Perdomo and others. Many, many people would take a Padrone Aniversario over most Cubans any day (well, except for Monte #2, or Cohiba Lancero)..And the Padrones are just as expensive. Many of my cigar buddies in the States import their Cubans by the box from Holland and Spain....and get what they want, when they want it!
HB
This is an unending argument. There is no clear-cut answer. Juan Carlos is partially correct in that people do want to smoke Cuban cigars and will pay major money for the fun of doing so. That said, people like James Suckling from Cigar Aficionado magazine, perhaps their most imformed writer, reports that because of the tremendous pressure being put on the factories to produce the famous brand cigars that they sell in Europe (Partegas, Cohiba, Romeo & Julieta, H. Upmann, Ram?n Allones and so forth) quality control is way down and tobacconists are reporting as much as 35% of cigars not being smokable because of manufacturing defects. None of the top Dominican products (Same names plus Arturo Fuente) come close to this level of rejects. Suckling says that 3% of non-useable cigars is typical from the DR.
Now there is no doubt that the tobacco from Vuelta Abajo is outstanding, and it is because of a curious combination of soil, sun and rain. The tobacco from Santa Clara is a clear second. Both tobaccos are used in the most famous Cuban brands, in order to achieve the desired blend of flavors, just like no Dominican cigar is made from tobacco from just one region.
Going to the root of the post
Because Cuban cigar production is already over-extended, it is very difficult for a new market to be opened. And the local Dominican cigar market is very small. Dominicans smoke Marlboros (UGH!) not cigars. And the legitimate Cuban cigars face incredible competition from fakes, either locally made or imported from Cuba. And YES, Cuba makes fake Cubans!! So few people can afford the prices. And the Cuban authorities got rid of the traditional factory codes and date of manufacturing codes so there is no reliable way to tell the genuine from the fakes, except by ultraviolate light and a microscope.
In the DR it is difficult,even, to sell real DOMINICAN cigars. There are so many fakes. I went to a store in Cabarete and there was just a bunch of junk cigars that are considered, here, to be third rate-at best. And no Cubans. No "real" Cubans, that is.
BTW, before you start to do battle, remember that the Central American producers are making a bunch of really fine cigars, like Padrone, C.A.O., Perdomo and others. Many, many people would take a Padrone Aniversario over most Cubans any day (well, except for Monte #2, or Cohiba Lancero)..And the Padrones are just as expensive. Many of my cigar buddies in the States import their Cubans by the box from Holland and Spain....and get what they want, when they want it!
HB
"Many of my cigar buddies in the States import their Cubans by the box from Holland and Spain....and get what they want, when they want it!"
Hillbilly, that demonstrates that in spite of everything you have mentioned, Cuban cigars are still worth importing from far away places. I know many Cuban planters are manufacturing their own cigars in Central America, particularly Honduras and Nicaragua and they are probably good and they use cuban seeds. Still, nothing like the real Cubans. The same thing applies to DR. They do have good tobacco, but I will never admit ANY tobacco is better than the one grown in Vuelta Abajo. I know you are right about rejects of Cuban cigars, I have read the same thing and I believe Cuban authorities are to blame.
Hillbilly, that demonstrates that in spite of everything you have mentioned, Cuban cigars are still worth importing from far away places. I know many Cuban planters are manufacturing their own cigars in Central America, particularly Honduras and Nicaragua and they are probably good and they use cuban seeds. Still, nothing like the real Cubans. The same thing applies to DR. They do have good tobacco, but I will never admit ANY tobacco is better than the one grown in Vuelta Abajo. I know you are right about rejects of Cuban cigars, I have read the same thing and I believe Cuban authorities are to blame.
Not worth the trouble!
I've smoked cigars for about 10 years, have several humidors, smoke at least one if not three per day. I buy Cuban's on and off through Spain. (About the second cheapest place in the world... Cuba being the least expensive.)
It is my strong belief that the best Cuban cigars are unmatched. The problem is that 'the best' are very hard to find. These exceptional cigars might make up less than 5% of the handmade Cuban cigars. Unless you have open access to a very good, well stocked shop with the ability to open and inspect boxes, your chances of getting Cuban's that are worth the trouble and expense are very, very low.
I do believe the top Dominican cigars compete well with most of Cuba's and the quality control is indeed far superior these days. Pre "cigar boom" it was an entirely different story.
Getting great Cuban's is hard enough in a country like Canada, Spain, England.... with all the counterfeiting and games in the DR forget it!
I've smoked cigars for about 10 years, have several humidors, smoke at least one if not three per day. I buy Cuban's on and off through Spain. (About the second cheapest place in the world... Cuba being the least expensive.)
It is my strong belief that the best Cuban cigars are unmatched. The problem is that 'the best' are very hard to find. These exceptional cigars might make up less than 5% of the handmade Cuban cigars. Unless you have open access to a very good, well stocked shop with the ability to open and inspect boxes, your chances of getting Cuban's that are worth the trouble and expense are very, very low.
I do believe the top Dominican cigars compete well with most of Cuba's and the quality control is indeed far superior these days. Pre "cigar boom" it was an entirely different story.
Getting great Cuban's is hard enough in a country like Canada, Spain, England.... with all the counterfeiting and games in the DR forget it!
A Good Dominican Cigar Is Just As Good As A Cuban
Being an infrequent stogie man, I have come to the conclusion that the Dominican cigars that I purchase at Cafe Ctio, are every bit as good as the lusted after Cubans. I have had both a REAL Cohiba and the products that Tim Hall sells at his location. In each case, I did not wake up the next morning with my mouth feeling/tasting as if an army had gone through the night before. Pretty scientific, huh?
I have brought Tim's cigars home for my stogie friends, and they rave about the quality of the product.
So there you have it, an neophyte's opinion.
Enjoy your Dominican experience
SB
Being an infrequent stogie man, I have come to the conclusion that the Dominican cigars that I purchase at Cafe Ctio, are every bit as good as the lusted after Cubans. I have had both a REAL Cohiba and the products that Tim Hall sells at his location. In each case, I did not wake up the next morning with my mouth feeling/tasting as if an army had gone through the night before. Pretty scientific, huh?
I have brought Tim's cigars home for my stogie friends, and they rave about the quality of the product.
So there you have it, an neophyte's opinion.
Enjoy your Dominican experience
SB
You seem to know so much about Cuban cigars then just buy them in the countries you know that have them. I have had both and the Dominican cigar is very similar if not better than its more expensive Cuban counterpart, Dont ask for Advise then attempt to teach everyone on this board of your knowledge.
Badpiece
Badpiece