When will US citizens be allowed to legally import Cuban cigars in the US?

[Fire_Medic_Dave]

Poll question: When will US citizens be allowed to legally import Cuban cigars in the US?

[MrSlayer]

1. 2 years.

Is what I voted for. I really think that never is the answer.

[EFerrari]

2. I voted 1 yr because I'm an optimist and maybe this kid in the White House

will surprise us.

Cuban cigars. That would be great.

[Fire_Medic_Dave]

3. I've got 22 in the humidor, I doubt that will last me more than a year.

[MrSlayer]

5. It would be.

I've had friends sneak some back from Jamaica for me. Excellent.

[EFerrari]

6. There are two stores in San Francisco that have great cigars

and if pressed, they might have a stash. But, I'm terrible at breaking the law so have never asked.

Damn, I want to GO to Cuba and buy my own cigars.

[Fire_Medic_Dave]

8. As I understand it.

It's not illegal to buy them once they are in the country, just to import them. I know it's not illegal to possess them.

David

[MrSlayer]

9. I'm sure if I really went and looked for them, I could get them.

But I'm not enough of a cigar aficionado to actively search them out. I don't smoke cigars on a regular basis but I do enjoy a high quality smoke if someone hooks me up.

[Fire_Medic_Dave]

4. Be optimistic.

[MrSlayer]

7. I would if I weren't a pessimist.

Actually I'm more of a cynic.

[soothsayer]

10. well the cruise ships are all ready to sail out of key west

so as soon as we get a green light, tours will start almost in an instant! it's just hubris and false pride that keep us out of there now. you can actually visit legally (educational trip) and can bring back $100 worth of 'gars.

[Fire_Medic_Dave]

11. I've never seen customs allow even a single cigar with a cuban band on it through.

[jmowreader]

28. Of course they don't

I would really love to know how many Customs agents are cigar smokers.

[cobalt1999]

12. It'll take all the fun out of them when it happens.

Half the fun of a Cuban is knowing they are a "forbidden fruit". Once they are everywhere, what fun will that be?

[Fire_Medic_Dave]

16. The good ones are incredible smokes.

Granted Davidoff, Ashton, etc. make excellent cigars in the DR. Lifting the import ban should drive down prices across the board.

David

[blondeatlast]

13. Ask Rush Limbaugh--he manages to get them and boasted of it in Cigar Aficianado.

Mr. B@L reads the magazine and about ripped that copy to sreds after reading the article (October 2005, I believe).

[Fire_Medic_Dave]

14. They aren't hard to get, I have 22 or so right now.

I have nice friends though.

David

[blondeatlast]

20. You and I both know that--but having Rush trash Castro--at the same time

BOASTING about his Cuban fix--is vile.

And he definitely boasted about that and how much he loved San Francisco and good French wine--utter hypocrisy from the lowlife lout.

[Deja Q]

15. Never illegal. Ask any republican.

http://www.guerillaimports.com/republicans-love-cubans.php

[Fire_Medic_Dave]

17. It seems some Democrats like them also.

[aikoaiko]

18. When FC kicks the bucket.

[Fuzz]

19. They aren't really hard to get actually. Just more expensive than they should be.

There really is nothing as good as a great cigar, it's like a vacation. I've got a few hundred right now resting in my various humidors, some cuban. (now I gotta light one tonight after reading this thread)

The problem is once the market opens up the quality of the cuban cigars will go down for a number of years because they won't be able to keep up with demand. So, it's really going to suck actually for quite a while.

[1]

24. true that about the availability... shit, i can get them fedex'd to my house from canada...

and dominican cigars can rival any cuban. although i will always surrender to a montecristo #2.

my personal favorite...

[jmowreader]

21. There'll be one huge problem with opening America to Habanos

Branding. When Castro came in and nationalized the Cuban tobacco industry, a lot of cigar manufacturers hauled ass to the mainland. They took their brands with them, with result there's two Cohibas (three actually), two Montecristos, two Punches...that's going to be a grade-a pain in the ass to work through.

[Fire_Medic_Dave]

22. Almost all of the rings are marked identifying them as Cuban.

[jmowreader]

25. I've seen Cuban cigars--they all say Habanos on them

You know how American trademark law is...remember the fuss last week about the secondhand clothing store Sarah Palin likes? Somehow I don't think the law will allow a Cohiba made in the Dominican Republic to stand next to one made in Cuba.

[Fire_Medic_Dave]

26. That's interesting, some of the companies are only split in theory.

Some though have truly become seperate entities entirely.

David

[NaturalHigh]

23. Cuban cigars are overrated.

You can get Honduran or Dominican cigars for a fraction of the price, and they're just as good in my opinion.

[Fire_Medic_Dave]

27. If the fraction you are talking about is 3/4 then I guess you are right.

There are very good cigars made in the DR, I wouldn't disagree that the top of the line cigars from the DR are on par with cubans. Considering though that most of them cost just as much or more I wouldn't put them on an even plane.

David