I recently spent a wonderful holiday in the Big Apple before xmas. When I was there I visited Nat Sherman's store on 5th and bought many cigars to take home to friends. What I want to know is why can us Scots can by cigars for the US market in the US but once we come home we cannot get them to make the comparison between them and Cuban cigars we get over here?

Also, when you read throught the cigar reviews it shows normally that ALL the cigars for the US market being reviewed are unavailable in Europe, why?

Welcome to our forums, and thanks for the post. American cigar companies are blessed with a huge domestic market, and have the luxury of being able to do very well without selling internationally, or at least, without dedicating much of their time to overseas shipments. That's one reason why many of the cigars you bought in New York aren't available where you live. Also, because of the U.S. Embargo against Cuba, there are many non-Cuban versions of Cuban cigars (Punch, Partagas, H. Upmann, Montecristo) that can only be sold in the United States due to trademark law. Some markets, the United Kingdom in particular, are viewed by U.S. cigar executives as being locked up by the Cubans, so the willingness to compete head-to-head there is not quite there. (Other markets, Germany for example, is considered quite receptive to Nicaraguan and Dominican and other non-Cuban cigars).

I hope this helps answer your question. Thanks for posting.

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Originally posted by Scottish Dave:
What I want to know is why can us Scots can by cigars for the US market in the US but once we come home we cannot get them to make the comparison between them and Cuban cigars we get over here?

Stop trying to rub it in. How about we trade markets. You can have all the Non-Cuban cigars and we'll take all the Cuban Cigars.

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Originally posted by csmithnj:

quote:

Originally posted by Scottish Dave:
What I want to know is why can us Scots can by cigars for the US market in the US but once we come home we cannot get them to make the comparison between them and Cuban cigars we get over here?

Stop trying to rub it in. How about we trade markets. You can have all the Non-Cuban cigars and we'll take all the Cuban Cigars.

You would be suprised how close Non Cuban cigars are to the real thing. I take your point though, perhaps my question was rather insesative to the US cigar smokers, apologies.

quote:

Originally posted by David Savona:
Welcome to our forums, and thanks for the post. American cigar companies are blessed with a huge domestic market, and have the luxury of being able to do very well without selling internationally, or at least, without dedicating much of their time to overseas shipments. That's one reason why many of the cigars you bought in New York aren't available where you live. Also, because of the U.S. Embargo against Cuba, there are many non-Cuban versions of Cuban cigars (Punch, Partagas, H. Upmann, Montecristo) that can only be sold in the United States due to trademark law. Some markets, the United Kingdom in particular, are viewed by U.S. cigar executives as being locked up by the Cubans, so the willingness to compete head-to-head there is not quite there. (Other markets, Germany for example, is considered quite receptive to Nicaraguan and Dominican and other non-Cuban cigars).

I hope this helps answer your question. Thanks for posting.

Thanks for the info David. It's intresting to here the views from Americans who are dealing with this situation in reverse from me. Could anyone reading this let me know if Nat Sherman deliver to Scotland?

Further to my first post I've had a thought.

Being a 30 year old Scot and having smoked cigars now for 6 years I understand the history behind the embargo between the US and Cuba. However, after a few business trips to New York and Cuba over the last couple of years and being able to sample the non-Cuban range of cigars as well as Cuban I don't understand why the makers of top range US market cigars do not at least try to broaden their distribution of their cigars?

I understand that because the US market is obviously a very large and insular market due to the embargo the US "Top End", of cigar making have a relative comfort zone in dealing with the market they know, I feel that the European cigar market if not the worlds cigar market would be a better place for the competition.

The Cuban cigar is world renowned as the best cigars, however, who's to say that if the non-Cuban cigar makers broaden their horizons that their cigars would equal Cuban's finest, also, what's to say that if the global market for cigars were able to cross boundaries this would make for a stronger case globally to reduce the smoking bans that are being forced upon everyone.

Lastly, if this were all to come to pass would this then open the way for every cigar smoker in the states to ask the question to the government that if all the other countries in the world have a choice in their cigar Cuban or Non, why is the embargo still there? Why not give the US what it wants (if not needs), the right to choose what they are aloud to spend their hard earned money on and which may in turn give American companies the opportunity to work in Cuba, helping the wonderful people there to work their country up to where everyone who loves cigars would like to see it?

General Cigar Inc. through its international branch General Cigar International does sell 3 lines overseas. Macanudo, Hoyo de Monterrey Excalibur(US version) European Market just Excalibur with a Knight and Horse on the Band, La Gloria Cubana's in the US market and El Credito International in the European Market, The La Gloria Cubana Serie R in the US market But in European they are known as El Credito International Series R. I hope this helps out a little Scottish Dave.

Zman

quote:

Originally posted by Zoran Basich:
General Cigar Inc. through its international branch General Cigar International does sell 3 lines overseas. Macanudo, Hoyo de Monterrey Excalibur(US version) European Market just Excalibur with a Knight and Horse on the Band, La Gloria Cubana's in the US market and El Credito International in the European Market, The La Gloria Cubana Serie R in the US market But in European they are known as El Credito International Series R. I hope this helps out a little Scottish Dave.

Zman

It does indeed, ghnaks for taking the time to let me know

just a little thought to get you going

perhaps we in the uk are locked into buying cubans because american films and television keep telling us they are the best?

that must be the reason. I am sure you are right

I'm a fan of both CC's and NC's. It is a shame that some of the better and more creative non-Cuban cigar companies out there - Litto Gomez, Tatuaje, Padron, etc. - don't market their wares in Europe. I'm fully convinced that in terms of flavor and construction they are absolutely on par with the best Cuban brands. (Yeah, Blackie, I know what you're going to say...)

To my mind and palate, Cuban cigars are certainly distinct from NC's, but not better per se.

The one NC brand you do see regularly in Europe is, of course, Davidoff. I'm curious what the European posters to this board think of the brand and the taste of Davidoffs. Please tell...

Just checked the Rocky Patel website. They have several UK shops listed. RP's are excellent non-Cubans that have something of a following here in the U.S.

will keep an eye out for them, if im feeling flush i may try a side by side test, which cubans whould i compare them to? (in the intrests of fairness)

None. The only Rocky Patel that I found has any sort of - what's the word? - Cubanity? Is the RP Junior 1992. But it's not really a significant attribute. Plain and simple, most Dominican and Honduran tobaccos just taste different from Cuban tobaccos - not better, just different. In terms of matching the RP's strength, it's certainly a medium to full bodied smoke, especially Rocky's Edge line and Vintage Series 1992.