Pre-Castro Cigars

[stroke]

Morning BOTL, was looking at "Pre-Embargo" cigars and wondering if any of you can provide proof supporting or denying the legality of pre-embargo cigars? Thanks!

 

[twenty5]

You mean Pre-Embargo cuban rolled cigars or cigars that claim to use Pre-Embargo tobacco?

 

[stroke]

either or, I'm not questioniong legitimacy, just legality. I have believed they are legal and someone told me they thought they're not. Can anyone prove or disprove that they are legal?

 

[kafreeman]

Pre-Embargo produced in Cuba is legal.

 

[derfatdutchman]

Cubans or clear havanas made prior to the embargo are legal to sell here in the USA.

Now for cigars that claim to contain pre-embargo tobacco, I have my doubts, first where is all this pre-embargo tobacco coming from? I find it hard to believe that they keep finding new bales just sitting in the corner of some old tobacco warehouse.

To me its kind of like the claims in thoses old adds claiming they just found crates of "real silk aviators scarfs", etc.

 

[stroke]

Thanks for the response! I don't doubt they are legal, I would like a source I can cite to prove their legality (to shut this guy up I work with that claims they're not)

 

[indyrob]

It's kind of like a grandfather clause. I can't think of the exact legal term but it's not an ex post facto issue. They were legal to have and have a clear timeline of when they became contraband (ie. the stamp on the bottom of the box changed from "Made in" to "Heche En" ).

 

[stroke]

Thanks Indyrob

 

[Soundwave13]

Ditto - not sure the legal clause or source... but yes they are legal: JFK stocked up on H. Upmann Petit Coronas (his favorite) the night before signing the embargo.

 

[smokinghole]

This brings up an interesting thought. I wonder if any of the manufacturers somehow are allowed to get cuban tobacco imported to a country which we trade with? If they do they can't tell us because it then makes their product illegal. Afterall once it's rolled no one knows any better by sight ya know.

 

[Craig Mac]

This brings up an interesting thought. I wonder if any of the manufacturers somehow are allowed to get cuban tobacco imported to a country which we trade with? If they do they can't tell us because it then makes their product illegal. Afterall once it's rolled no one knows any better by sight ya know.

Probably not worth the risk, plus you would think they would want to advertise that as a selling point which could get them caught.

 

[smokinghole]

My theory is based on maybe the fact that a manufacturer believes his product tastes best with cuban mixed in. So in order for them do have the competitive edge everyone can go around saying "ooh this is an awesome dominican or nic cigar" when it's a blend with the forbidden fruit. If it's good tobacco it makes good cigars and they sell themselves no need to advertise the cuban tobacco in the cigar.

Just saying it's a thought, nothing to back up my theory, but at the same time how can we disprove it?

 

[Soundwave13]

I'm sure it happens on an occasional small-scale basis, but my understanding is that the Cuban gov doesn't allow export of it's raw tobacco except in the rare occasion when a torcedor does special events at LCDH's (ie. Hamlet, Taboada, etc.)... Whoever know's the truth ain't sayin either way...

 

[tubaman]

Actually, there are several vendors that have their own house blends that are not entirely made from cuban leaf. Often the wrapper is NC in origin and the binder and filler is cuban leaf. This happens more than you might think.

 

[CWS]

Actually, there are several vendors that have their own house blends that are not entirely made from cuban leaf. Often the wrapper is NC in origin and the binder and filler is cuban leaf. This happens more than you might think.

:thumbsup::thumbsup:

 

[smokinghole]

Actually, there are several vendors that have their own house blends that are not entirely made from cuban leaf. Often the wrapper is NC in origin and the binder and filler is cuban leaf. This happens more than you might think.

I was sort of alluding to it with out coming out and saying it. I do know of one company that certainly does it and another that I think might.

 

[daniyal]

Not to put down the great advice handed down by the brothers here but Mitch is the man when it comes to clear Havana's or pre-embargo cigars drop him a PM I'm sure he'll be more than happy to help you.

 

[Mitch]

Cubans or clear havanas made prior to the embargo are legal to sell here in the USA.

Now for cigars that claim to contain pre-embargo tobacco, I have my doubts, first where is all this pre-embargo tobacco coming from? I find it hard to believe that they keep finding new bales just sitting in the corner of some old tobacco warehouse.

To me its kind of like the claims in thoses old adds claiming they just found crates of "real silk aviators scarfs", etc.

The do get cuban tobbacco to make cigars, but what they do is buy up old cigars, mostly clear havana's mostly not in good shape and use enough to get away with the legality of advertising it that way. They don't tell you how much Cuban Pre-Embargo leaf they use, and from what I've heard it's about enough to cover a pin head. So think of it as a shot of cheap as bottom shelf liquor with a drip of something better, it still sucks.

 

[Mitch]

I was sort of alluding to it with out coming out and saying it. I do know of one company that certainly does it and another that I think might.

I don't know about anyone sneaking Cuban tobacco into cigars and not telling us about it, but from conversations I've had with people in the cigar industry, I don't think you can get any leaf out of Cuba in quantity or quality to matter, so I'd say it's likely rare if it happens at all.

There is much marketing that claims Cuban Seed, or such to imply Cuban tobacco, but it's just a seed who's great great grandpa was Cuban, but is now planted wherever. What flavors the Tobacco more than anything else is climate and the soil. The Cubans who fled Cuba left with the same seeds they used in Cuba, but spent decades figuring out how to grow good tasting tobacco from it.


I'm sure some of the FOG's could add novels to this, but this is the way I understand it.

 

[tubaman]

I don't know about anyone sneaking Cuban tobacco into cigars and not telling us about it, but from conversations I've had with people in the cigar industry, I don't think you can get any leaf out of Cuba in quantity or quality to matter, so I'd say it's likely rare if it happens at all.

There is much marketing that claims Cuban Seed, or such to imply Cuban tobacco, but it's just a seed who's great great grandpa was Cuban, but is now planted wherever. What flavors the Tobacco more than anything else is climate and the soil. The Cubans who fled Cuba left with the same seeds they used in Cuba, but spent decades figuring out how to grow good tasting tobacco from it.


I'm sure some of the FOG's could add novels to this, but this is the way I understand it.

I think maybe you are misunderstanding Mitch. There are overseas vendors that sell their own house blends which use Cuban leaf. These are legitmate cigars and the vendors aren't trying to hide it's origins. They don't need to since it's legal everywhere else in the world.