Question for Hillbilly

Jolene · #1 02-24-2002, 03:19 PM

I understand you are the person to talk to in regards to cigar shopping. We are going to Punta Cana in March and my husband would like to pick up some CAOBAs. He was in DR last year for an afternoon and bought some at Monte Cristi de Tabacos. We won't be in that area this time Where would be a good place to buy some, staying at the RIU, any other comparable cigars? What is a good price?

THANKS!

Hlywud · #2 02-24-2002, 04:36 PM

email Hillbilly

Cohiba's are fake Cubans, not real
Monte Cristos the same, especially on the streets or beach, you must go to a mercado

I personally would suggest good Dominican cigars, they are the best. Davidoffs. Partagas, Himinez, Arturo fuentes, Ashton,H. Upmann, Cuesta-Rey
are some brands
find a good brand Made in DR he will be more satisfied. Check out website www.cigarafficionado.com

Hillbilly · #3 02-25-2002, 08:49 AM

Since Wud cud he did...

Pretty well spoken there Wud.. thanks.

I would suggest that you visit the cigar boutique at the hotel and purchase a well know brand, such as Partagas, dunhill, Monte Cristo (from la Romana!!), Santa Damiana or anything from the La Aurora Factory. If you chance to see anything by the small boutique factory called "Los Maestros" you can buy those, since they are excellent cigars, not well known outside of the country.

that Monte Cristi operation in Santo Domingo is a huge rip-off...Both General Cigars and Habanos S.A. have sued them an won, but they can't seem to close him down. A major pain in the butt to the honest Dominican cigar makers.

If I can be of service, please send me an e-mail.

HB

Mcinbrass · #4 02-25-2002, 09:47 AM

Dominican Cohibas. Have you ever tried these cigars and what do you think of them? He says that he is licenced to sell them and is one of the only outfits that is. I tried them a few times and I thought they were pretty good. Didnt knock my socks off like a cuban Cohiba though, but thats ok.

Hillbilly · #5 02-25-2002, 06:17 PM

That son of a bitch sez he is licensed. Like every other counterfitter! he is not, absolutely not.!!!!!!

General Cigar (Now Swedish Match) has sued him and won, for infringement, and so have Habanos S.A. of Cuba. The basstard just keeps on making ****ty cigars and palming them off to tourists. Remember, they are generally buying for friends and don't know from Adam about cigars.

The only legal Cohibas are two: (1) Made by Habanos, S.A. and sold thru their stores "Casa de los Habanos" of which there is one in Santo Domingo. Real Cohibas are expensive cigars and most tourists will not pay the fare--350 to 600 a box in US $$$.
(2) the Dominican Red Dot Cohibas made by General Cigar in Santiago. An overpriced piece of crap that people seem to buy because of the name...

The boxes for that guy are made in Tamboril...

HB

Hlywud · #6 02-25-2002, 06:33 PM

Absolute crap, being sold, licensed to steal. If you want a good cigar your gonna have to pay for it.
Take your friends back a box of off the street or beach $25 us, AND THEY WON'T BE FRIEND VERY LONG WHEN THEY CANT DRAW ON THEM, slice them open and find them full of stems and rat crap.
I just got a box of real Partagas (10) and Davidoffs (10) from duty free at a decent price from a buddy and a box of 25 Monte Cristos from another of the beach. The Monte Cristo's are in the garbage.
Listen to HB "he knows cigars like I know Canadian Maple syrup, which is coming off strong right now.

doug · #7 02-26-2002, 01:09 AM

I watched a documentary on Cuban cigars and they had fakes and authentic Cohibas.....they would give a guy whom was supposeldly a cigar expert,.... a fake and he would say it was real and then give him a real one and he would say it was fake.....forget the name of the doc. but if I catch it again I'll write down the particulars and send them to you. The jist of the program was that some fakes are made very well and vise versa......it also was said that there are only 2 places in Cuba that "real" cohibas can be purchased.....if I remember right.....one place was some sort of castle and the other was right at the factory. It was also said that Cuban cigars are the most counterfieted item (more so than "money") sold in the world.....and that 99% of the Cuban Cohibas that are sold are fake! Have you seen this program? I know for one thing.....if I wanted cigars......"you the man" in the DR!!!! I really appreciate your well known expertise and your reputation on Cigars!!!

Jim Hinsch · #8 02-26-2002, 02:04 AM

I know nothing of cigars, but from all I've read hear and elsewhere, I've come to the conclusion that cigars are like wine. It doesn't matter what brand and such. The value is up to the taste of the smoker. If YOU like it, then it is good for you. Each has their own taste. Everything else is nothing more than brand presitge. As Hillbilly has said before. Some of the "fakes" are very good smokes in the opinion of those who smoke.

Hillbilly · #9 02-26-2002, 10:41 AM

My problem with fakes.

My basic problem with fakes is that they are cheating the legitimate manufacturer and his workers out of their fair share of the market. Especially, when they are representing themselves a legitimate. This is the case with Monte Cristi Tobaccos in Santo Domingo. I have no problem with their CAOBA cigar, that is their brand. But when they start to market the world's two most famous brands, Montecristo and Cohiba as legally made and legally sold, then they are no more than thieves.

As to good or bad fakes.

Look, I buy, knowingly, fakes from Cuba. The Cuban counterfeiting industry is nearly as large as the legitimate factories. This done with government "don't ask, don't tell" policy. "I won't tell if you don't" sort of thing. It produces mountains of dollars and other hard currencies for Cuba.

What happens is, that there are some good fakes, and some really ****ty ones. I get the boxes, check one cigar for taste, aroma and bouquet, then check the other 24 for draw. If, like mostly happens, they are plugged, I have a master roller take them apart, and re-manufacture them for me. Generally speaking we use a Cuban seed, Dominican grown wrapper leaf and all of the tobacco that came int he original fake cigar. And 95% of the time we get really wonderful cigars.

What to do for the average tourist.

I would never purchase anything remotely sold as Cuban. Period. [b}Except[/b] at Casa de los Habanos, next to Bizarros in Santo Domingo.
I would never try and purchase anything like Opus X in the DR, since (a) they would be incredibly over priced (300% more than NYC) or (b) they would be fakes.
I would purchase my cigars only in well known stores. Supermercado Nacional has a well stocked, if limited, selection of fine cigars a fair prices. Supermercado Central (In Santiago) has good cigars and the Dragon de Oro on Betancourt has some too. There is a good cigar store next to the Metro station in Santo Domingo.

Parting words.

Unless you have a file as thick as mine ( abt 2 1/2" thick), do not try and buy Cuban cigars. Again I am excepting the fine cigar stores and tobacconists in Europe.
Purchase cigars only at the best stores, because there is a reason that they are still in business...
If the price is too good to be true, it porbably is....Cubans are expensive, and Cohibas more so. Anything less than $300 a box is probably , no, certainly a fake...

HB, with a Caveat emptor

Mcinbrass · #10 02-26-2002, 10:44 AM

I shop here at J&R's in lower Manhattan, When I tell you I get the best prices on all cigars im not kidding. Anything you buy in DR is a crapshoot as far as authenticity unless you buy directly from La Aurora or some of the lesser known boutique factories in the Santiago, Tamboril, Villa Gonzales, Navarrete areas. Even if you buy the Aurora in the supermarket theres no telling how long it's been laying there. Hamilton House makes a nice smoke, anyone know where it's manufactured?