Cuban cigars

[Hammer-STT]

Is there anywhere in the Bahamas that we can get a Cuban cigar.

I'm not looking to bring back to the U.S. just have one there.

[Crazy Gramps]

Probably from the moment you get off the ship.

 

Caveat though.

 

1. You won't know if they're real cubans.

2. Cubans aren't what they used to be.

 

Gramps

[BIG_Steve]

There are a few places in Nassau to get the real deal. But there are also tons of places to get fakes. Hang tight, Scubagirl may come along and tell you where to find the real deal, she's a local.

 

In the meantime, do a search of this board, it's been discussed before.

[scubagirrl]

There are a few places in Nassau to get the real deal. But there are also tons of places to get fakes. Hang tight, Scubagirl may come along and tell you where to find the real deal, she's a local.

 

In the meantime, do a search of this board, it's been discussed before.

 

Sorry, can't help you.. The one place I trusted is out of business. Even the humidor at Atlantis has been duped into selling fakes. There are SOOO many dealers and SOOO much corruption, I wouldn't trust anyone's word at this point.. since the wholesalers and distributers are being scammed as well.

 

If you want a good cigar.. not necessarily a cuban.. graycliffs is the place to go. Atlantis Humidor has some great ones as well.

 

I'm sure that there ARE some cubans.. just don't know who to trust.

[Cigar Dude]

Forget about Cubans in the Bahamas. Fakes EVERYWHERE! No LCDH, so no way to ensure you're getting the real deal.

 

As Scubagirrl said, Graycliffs Hotel has a nice cigar factory where they make the Graycliff Cigars. Nice place to tour. Stop by and pick up some cigars. They are very high in price; around $20 and up per stick.

 

I'll be there in 2 weeks! :)

[Dajbman22]

Besides Graycliff, is there anywhere to get a decent cigar (hopefully without too much of an up-charge) even if they are local or from a country there is no reason to fake from?

[Hammer-STT]

Thanks for the replys.... I will try the suggested... Let you know when I get back.

[Cigar Dude]

Besides Graycliff, is there anywhere to get a decent cigar (hopefully without too much of an up-charge) even if they are local or from a country there is no reason to fake from?

 

Not that I know of in the Bahamas.

[Caymus]

I'd avoid the Cubans in Nassau as well. You just don't know what you're getting. Graycliff is the place to go, but like others have said, the cigars there cost about $20 a piece and up. You can buy their cigars online before you leave from various internet retailers for about $3 each. I've got a bunch of their PG 1666 label, G2, Red and Blue labels, as well as some of their espresso series. I don't think I paid more than $4 each for any of them when buying 5 packs. These are the same cigars you'll pay 5x-9x more for at the Graycliff hotel/cigar factory.

[Cigar Dude]

Yes, you can definitely get them cheaper at cigarbid.com. It's still nice to visit the factory. When in Rome!:D

[Caymus]

Did you buy any there at the hotel, Cigardude ? Did they offer any type of tour of the cigar-making process ?

[Cigar Dude]

Did you buy any there at the hotel, Cigardude ? Did they offer any type of tour of the cigar-making process ?

 

Yes, I always buy a few singles when I'm there. You don't get much of a discount when you buy them from the factory either!

 

Yes, they allow you to tour the rolling room. Most of the rollers do not speak English. It's a small rolling room. I'd say it holds about 20 rollers at most. It's nice to watch them roll cigars. I really enjoy visiting Graycliff.

[Caymus]

Well, I'm going to go there then. I do like their 1666 line, so it will be cool to see where they come from. We're leaving Jan 1 on the Carnival Freedom, and that will be our last stop. I also beilieve I've got 2 opportunities for CCs: Tortola and Antigua.

[Cigar Dude]

Well, I'm going to go there then. I do like their 1666 line, so it will be cool to see where they come from. We're leaving Jan 1 on the Carnival Freedom, and that will be our last stop. I also beilieve I've got 2 opportunities for CCs: Tortola and Antigua.

 

By all means, visit Graycliff and the cigar factory, but...the 1666 line is not made there! Some of the lower priced Graycliffs are made elsewhere. Their core line, red, blue, espresso, white, purple, and maroon labels are all made on site. Even the G2 is made there.

 

Be very careful in Tortola and Antigua. There are no LCDH in Tortola and there is/was one in Antigua. I went to the shop that is/was and their prices were out of this world-high! I'm not sure it still is an LCDH so that's why I say "is/was". The shop is close to the ship and upstairs in the shopping area adjacent to the ship. It's on the left as you make your way from the ship about 75 or 100 yards into the shopping area.

[Caymus]

That's great info....thanks CigarDude ! I didn't know that the 1666 line wasn't made there. I did just have a G2 this weekend, and was pleasantly surprised. By the way...you do a great job on your cigar blog...I enjoy reading it.

[daflabear]

Fakes ARE everywhere. But if you go to a long time establishment bar/restaurant they have the real deal.

I always have one at the bar at the "Poop Deck" restaurant on East Bay Street. They are real and I have been going there for lunch for nearly 30 years. Great food and service too, a locals place visited by the big name celebs from Sean Connery to Diddy.

Will be back there from off the RCL Majesty on the 19th of January.

[ODA 564]

Is there anywhere in the Bahamas that we can get a Cuban cigar.

I'm not looking to bring back to the U.S. just have one there.

 

The sad truth is that since the Cuban government realized that the combination of the mystique of the mythical, unobtainable Cuban cigars and the increase in cigar smoking / appreciation in the US had provided them with another source of hard currency for their failing economy, they (the Cuban government) ratcheted up production and drpped standards to produce more cigars. More cigars does not equal more quality cigars.

So a nice Padron Family Reserve 45 Year "little hammer" (which Cigar Afficado gave their top score to) is a better cigar than any "Cuban" you might buy in the Bahamas (unless you luck into a cache of "pre-craziness" Cubans).

Try this article:

Several trips in the past three years to France, Spain, Mexico, Sweden, Finland, Iceland and Canada have led to Cuban cigars between my fingers. I've seen different humidors in stores in each of these countries and been able to rule out problems resulting from poor storage. I've had a few decent smoking experiences, but they haven't been life-changing. Even when the cigars are properly maintained, the taste and construction simply have not delivered.

Melendi believes that many cigar smokers – both casual and regular – have been seduced by the exclusivity of a label. Like him, I've seen it in action. A smoker who normally enjoys something robust, like a La Flor Dominicana, will go wide-eyed over a Vegas Robaina, which tends to be pretty mild. Or, a guy lucky enough to get his hands on a Cohiba Esplendido will go blue in the face trying to suck air out of a poorly constructed cigar.

 

"I've seen it all," Melendi recalls. "They don't give up! They just keep trying to 'enjoy' these Cuban cigars." He sees me take a draw from my Davidoff Maduro and remarks, "See, that was easy." The mouthful of smoke I pushed out punctuated the comment. "With Cubans, it's becoming hit or miss. The quality's going down hill."

 

However, his customers still salivate at the thought of a Partagas Serie P or a Montecristo #2. It's a mark of prestige, a symptom of I-have-it-and-you-don't syndrome. Veteran cigar smokers are drawn to products they normally wouldn't enjoy because of the exclusivity they convey.