Dominican Cigars (Cohiba)

[hermang]

We are seriously thinking of taking the Constellation on the March 11 cruise which happens to stop in Casa del Campo in the DR. This afternoon as a wrap up to a rather hectic work week I had the pleasure of smoking a Dominican Cohiba which was really delightful. So here is the question.

 

Granted that Casa del Campo leaves much to be desired as a port, is there some place that Dominican Cohibas are available at a reasonable price or would I be better off waiting to get to St. Thomas??

[trcori]

during our Millennium Eastern Caribbean cruise in December '04, we stopped at a cigar factory in La Romana (the town that is REALLY the "Casa de Campo" stop, CDC is a nearby resort which you don't necessarily have to visit even if you do get off the ship) during the "Countryside Tour" shore excursion. Neither of us is a cigar smoker so I have NO idea at ALL if this is the type of cigar you are inquiring about, but we did buy some cigars & bring them back for a friend, who appreciated them. Wish I could remember the name of the factory ... it was a small but warehousey place right in downtown La Romana where ladies were busy rolling the cigars by hand, and it had a little office-type space where the merchandise was sold directly to visitors. I thought La Romana was fascinating and would love to go back again someday to explore more -- we took the ship excursion, not our usual MO, because I had read some dicey stuff online & worried we wouldn't be safe otherwise, but from everything I saw, I was totally offbase. Happy cruising -- TR

[espmass]

I don't know if they sell Cohibas since I don't know anything about cigars, but my husband always buys some very good Dominican cigars right on the ship. A man at our table on the Constellation two weeks ago who smokes cigars said he bought very good Dominican cigars on the ship.

[EMS8]

Hermang, it would be best if buy them in St Thomas. Better selection and you can shop for prices.

[sweetair]

hermang,

not sure if you know but they just lowered the price of the cruise for march11.

it was for guarantees...650 inside/750 outside/950 balcony.

hope you can grab 1 before the guarantees sell out

*sweet*

[hermang]

hermang,

not sure if you know but they just lowered the price of the cruise for march11.

it was for guarantees...650 inside/750 outside/950 balcony.

hope you can grab 1 before the guarantees sell out

*sweet*

I did not book yet so that is Verrry interesting.

 

I mention Cohiba because that is one brand of Dominican I do have familiarity with - and for the record - I find them just as good if not better than Cuban for my taste and pocket book. Hmnnn cigar factory eh - Have to leave the wife at the spa that day

[hermang]

during our Millennium Eastern Caribbean cruise in December '04, we stopped at a cigar factory in La Romana (the town that is REALLY the "Casa de Campo" stop, CDC is a nearby resort which you don't necessarily have to visit even if you do get off the ship) during the "Countryside Tour" shore excursion. Neither of us is a cigar smoker so I have NO idea at ALL if this is the type of cigar you are inquiring about, but we did buy some cigars & bring them back for a friend, who appreciated them. Wish I could remember the name of the factory ... it was a small but warehousey place right in downtown La Romana where ladies were busy rolling the cigars by hand, and it had a little office-type space where the merchandise was sold directly to visitors. I thought La Romana was fascinating and would love to go back again someday to explore more -- we took the ship excursion, not our usual MO, because I had read some dicey stuff online & worried we wouldn't be safe otherwise, but from everything I saw, I was totally offbase. Happy cruising -- TR

I did some research on La Romana after reading this post - Fascinating. It may be worth sending the wife to the spa after all.

 

Montecristo. H. Upmann. Romeo y Julieta. They're three of the biggest names in Dominican cigars, and they' re made by one man. Odds are, you don' t know his name.

 

Jose A. Seijas isn't nearly as famous as many of his contemporaries in the Dominican Republic, but he runs Tabacalera de Garcia Ltd., the factory that makes that troika of brands and a score of others. The 270,000-square-foot factory is one of the biggest on the planet, fitting because its owner -- Altadis -- is the world's largest cigar company.

 

And this is the factory that is in La Romana - I can hardly wait

[CRUISE BUG BIT HARD]

Hermang;

Cohiba is an excellent cigar and it is probably the most counterfeited cigar in the industry. If you have to buy a Cuban cigar make sure it is a true Cuban. A friend of mine who went to DR came back with some 'Cubans' which happened to be counterfeit. You can usually tell by the band and there are some other tell tale items that allow you to be a little suspicious of the cigar.

Having said all this I've bought and smoked a number of Cubans and to tell you the truth the DR makes cigars that put them to shame. The cheapest Cuban I've bought was in Bermuda and it was $9.00 for a corona sized cigar. The most expensive was approximately $23.00 and I bought that one in Canada.

When the Cuban Revolution took place Castro took over the cigar manufacturing and slowly the quality of Cubans suffered. The Cuban growers who left the country took their seed with them and went to Honduras, Mexico, Dominican Republic, Jamica and other Caribbean, Central and South American countries. Right now DR, Honduras, and Nicaragua make some of the best cigars in the world. Suprisingly Mexico has some excellent cigars coming out of there.

You mentioned some excellent cigars in Montecristo, H. Upmann, and Romeo y Julieta. Also the most popular cigar in the world, Macanudo, is manufactured in the DR. Whatever you decide to buy you'll never go wrong with a cigar from the DR.

Good luck with your purchase and long ashes!!!

 

Howard

[hermang]

Hermang;

Cohiba is an excellent cigar and it is probably the most counterfeited cigar in the industry. If you have to buy a Cuban cigar make sure it is a true Cuban. A friend of mine who went to DR came back with some 'Cubans' which happened to be counterfeit. You can usually tell by the band and there are some other tell tale items that allow you to be a little suspicious of the cigar.

Having said all this I've bought and smoked a number of Cubans and to tell you the truth the DR makes cigars that put them to shame. The cheapest Cuban I've bought was in Bermuda and it was $9.00 for a corona sized cigar. The most expensive was approximately $23.00 and I bought that one in Canada.

When the Cuban Revolution took place Castro took over the cigar manufacturing and slowly the quality of Cubans suffered. The Cuban growers who left the country took their seed with them and went to Honduras, Mexico, Dominican Republic, Jamica and other Caribbean, Central and South American countries. Right now DR, Honduras, and Nicaragua make some of the best cigars in the world. Suprisingly Mexico has some excellent cigars coming out of there.

You mentioned some excellent cigars in Montecristo, H. Upmann, and Romeo y Julieta. Also the most popular cigar in the world, Macanudo, is manufactured in the DR. Whatever you decide to buy you'll never go wrong with a cigar from the DR.

Good luck with your purchase and long ashes!!!

 

Howard

In it was 2 Cohiba Robustos very clearly marked as being manufactured in the DR. I remembered 3 yrs ago when my niece got married, by BIL bought a box of Dominican Cohibas to be smoked in the Library after dinner along with some fine brandy - and you are absolutely right - The Dominicans do make a very fine cigar.

 

I bought some Cuban Cohibas for a friend in La Casa de Habana in Aruba - pretty sure they were genuine but as you said - probably over priced.

 

My wife "tolerates" my one cigar a week - to celebrate the end of the work week so I make it a good one. The Cohibas from Famous were about the best one offs I have bought. Since I am basically limited to one a week - more on the cruise - I generally buy small lots. But I am definitely looking forward to visiting this factory - Of course I will have to geta decent humidor <heh heh>

Thanks for the info

[hermang]

hermang,

not sure if you know but they just lowered the price of the cruise for march11.

it was for guarantees...650 inside/750 outside/950 balcony.

hope you can grab 1 before the guarantees sell out

*sweet*

Called my TA today - $811PP for Guaranteed Balcony - How sweet it is

[tawcat]

if you are traveling into st marteen i would wait to buy cigars. st thomas, being an island of the USA is very high priced or at least priced equal to the US. in st marteen there are many cigar shops with much better value. might i ask why you are settling for a DR when you can buy true Cubans?

[hermang]

My original thought was that since we are visiting the DR and since DR is source of good cigars - would prices be cheaper? Then I find out that one of the tours actually stops at the major cigar factory in La Romana - Hmnnn wonder if they sell seconds.

 

My thought is that since more and more people are smoking good cigars - there are really no fantastic deals especially for Cubans or Dominicans. Anything else is a matter of taste

[rebeljohn]

Hermang........I haven't been to DR yet, so I don't know about prices, but I found that most of the Caribbean island prices on DR cigars were actually HIGHER than here in the US. Of course I don't know what taxes are like in your state. Example.......

The Arturo Fuente Hemminway Short Story(DR made), one of my favorites, sells for about $5 each at my local shop in North Carolina. Prices on my last cruise stops for this same cigar: Puerto Rico....$6 St. Martin...$6 St. Thomas...$6.50 Antigua.....$7

When I buy cigars, especially non-cubans, I look for something unique that I can't buy back in the states.

[hermang]

Hermang........I haven't been to DR yet, so I don't know about prices, but I found that most of the Caribbean island prices on DR cigars were actually HIGHER than here in the US. Of course I don't know what taxes are like in your state. Example.......

The Arturo Fuente Hemminway Short Story(DR made), one of my favorites, sells for about $5 each at my local shop in North Carolina. Prices on my last cruise stops for this same cigar: Puerto Rico....$6 St. Martin...$6 St. Thomas...$6.50 Antigua.....$7

When I buy cigars, especially non-cubans, I look for something unique that I can't buy back in the states.

Not sure about cigars but if the governator can find a way to raise revenue she will. I wonder about this however - one of the shorex visits the Cigar factory that makes H.Upmann and others - do ya think maybe they sell seconds???????

 

For a variety of reasons - health, and to keep peace with the frau - I have to limit my Cigar smoking to one a week ( celebrate end of work week) and one a night on the cruise so I can't buy large quantities. But you are raising a good point - namely know your price before you buy. I bought the sampler from Famous smoke shop and got 2 Cohiba Robustos as part of the bundle for about $7 and I know that cigar sells for much more.

[trcori]

since I'm the one that brought up the shore excursion/cigar factory in the first place ...

 

If you decide to book one solely because of that -- be extra sure (from personal assurance from shore ex desk on board or whatever it takes) it's going specifically to the place you want to see.

 

Our visit to the cigar factory/cockfighting farm/sugar cane train depot was ABSOLUTELY not what the "brochure boilerplate" had said (the original itinerary was something like, rum plantation, fishing village, sugar cane) -- the changes were in a note delivered to our stateroom the day before with our excursion tickets; we didn't READ the note, bad us, till we were on the safari bus about to head out ...

 

Just a cautionary word to the wise. I'm pretty sure you could catch a cab at the port and say you want to go to the big cigar factory, and they'd take you there in a safe and expedient manner ... TR

[hermang]

since I'm the one that brought up the shore excursion/cigar factory in the first place ...

 

If you decide to book one solely because of that -- be extra sure (from personal assurance from shore ex desk on board or whatever it takes) it's going specifically to the place you want to see.

 

Our visit to the cigar factory/cockfighting farm/sugar cane train depot was ABSOLUTELY not what the "brochure boilerplate" had said (the original itinerary was something like, rum plantation, fishing village, sugar cane) -- the changes were in a note delivered to our stateroom the day before with our excursion tickets; we didn't READ the note, bad us, till we were on the safari bus about to head out ...

 

Just a cautionary word to the wise. I'm pretty sure you could catch a cab at the port and say you want to go to the big cigar factory, and they'd take you there in a safe and expedient manner ... TR

 

I think that's probably a good idea to ask - In was looking at the cave exploring as a backup plan - but if the cab is not too expensive - Id rather just go to the cigar factory <heh heh>. If anyone goes ther before march 11 and happens to find out if they sell "seconds" if you would post that would be appreciated.