First of all i would like to say i live in the UK so have no problem sourcing Cuban cigars from both the UK and Europe legaly and safely. Also I would liek to say i am only posting this as a subject to debate, not an attack on anyone.
The majority of people on this board seem to reside in the USA and yet you all seem to find sources for Cuban cigars. When you are asked for help with a source by another American you are all very shy for many reasons. One of the reasons i once saw posted was that you are concerned that if too many use the same source they could become overstretched.
If this is an argument surely the following would also apply. For all of us here we should hope that the sanctions against Cuba are never lifted. This is not my view but you can see my logic yes?!
America consumes a VAST quantity of cigars every year and most of these are NOT Cuban. As we all agree Cubans are the best cigars so if Amaericans could buy Cubans they would and then we would know what a shortage of cigars would be. Also as we know the Cubans would just ramp up production and quality would suffer.
What do you think? Do I talk rubbish or sense. Also how do you think that Cuba would deal with this situation if it arose?
An expert is one who knows more and more about less and less until he knows absolutely everything about nothing.
Posts: 47 | Location: Doncaster, South Yorkshire, ENGLAND | Registered: August 05, 2003
Supply and demand. Prices would go up and quality would go down. There are many noncuban cigars that are just as good or better. The Torano brand is a good example of a very good noncuban cigar. As far as the embarge and cigars, I don't care about the embargo. I get all the cuban cigars I need. The Cuban people are the ones that suffer from the embargo. the United States is now trading food and medical supplies to Cuba so maybe the people's lifes will improve.
moss_trevor, with any luck, the prices in the US would be better then Spain, and you could order online from the states. Also, imagine if the exchange rate was the way it is now, you'd really be happy.
A guy can dream...
Posts: 382 | Location: kah-lee-fore-knee-yah | Registered: May 14, 2002
moss_trevor, I agree with your theory that the current US populace that is smoking Cuban cigars will lose some of the benefits we have due to the embargo. Demand will go up resulting in shortages. The shortages will spike an increase in prices. Quality could go down since Cuba will no doubt, increase production by using newer fields and possibly changing their blends in some cigars so their benchmark names can maintain the quality they are known for. More inexperienced rollers may be involved too.
All those points are valid and will certainly have an effect on this hobby of ours, not just for the US consumers, but worldwide. However, the embargo wasn't put in place to punish US smokers. It was a failed attempt to punish the Cuban government. By failed, I mean it didn't change Castro's government the way our leaders in the 60's invisioned it would. Instead, it punishes the Cuban people. For that reason alone I'd like to see the embargo lifted even at the expense of the quality cigars I smoke today.
I'm confident the cigar industry in Cuba will go on and quality would eventually pick back up. In the meantime, I guess I'll have to make do with Torano's. LOL
That's another subject to itself - what impact would the lifting of Cuban products have on non-Cuban cigars? A lifting of the embargo is certainly not in the best interest of Fuente, General, Padron, etc., etc.
number 9 ... number 9 ... number 9 ... number 9 ...
Without any specific insight into the cigar industry, I would have to suspect your assumptions are likely true. It may well turn out that these ARE the good old days on both sides of the pond.
Not so for the Cuban people who suffer under their charismatic murderer. I wouldn't mind paying a little more for a product from a FREE country.
Btw, our policy towards Cuba is and has been debatable for decades. But some lose sight of the fact that economic hardball was decisive in straining many other communist countries into their own collapse. Of course there is downside to any policy and Castro (sans a free press) did well to spin it that the US is the root of all of Cuba's ills. He's been so successful with that tactic as a matter of fact that there are many HERE who having enjoyed freedom for generations nonetheless blame OUR government for Cuba's plight. This is a definite downside to the policy.
Were there other ways? Of course. Militarily (more than a Kennedy plane) we could take out Castro but that certainly has downside even now without the possibility of nuclear confrontation with the old USSR. (However, any would-be communist successor could and should be taken out quickly.)
We could have of course went with the usual half-a$$ed detante things, "gestures" to appease the *******, open trade (and pretend it's open). Make the "astute commentators" here giddy with one-way good will. Work for freedom-lite.
Then again, we ain't Finland. And the Soviet Union just ain't. What's left: China, North Korea, Vietnam, and Cuba. All require singular policies. Puny Castro at our doorstep is lucky we're waiting for him to die. Then Cuba will join the free world.
"A little song...a little dance...a little seltzer down your pants!" --Chuckles the Clown
Posts: 1683 | Location: A hill in the Poconos | Registered: July 19, 2002
that last reply was well put i am sure the whole world is waiting for the ol geezer castro to do whatever it is old hard line commies like him do drop dead or pass it on it will be interesting to see for sure
Posts: 172 | Location: floral park new york usa | Registered: June 18, 2004
