I understand that Cuban Cohiba's are banned from the states due to the
> Cuban Embargo Act, but I do not understand how other companies such as
> Partagas and MonteCristo have a Cuban line of cigars. If their cigars
> are Cuban, then they must be rolled in Cuba correct, or use the
> tobacco leaves from Cuba.
> Are these leaves exported to cigar factories in the Dominican and
> rolled and shipped out from there to the States? What makes it so easy
> for companies like Partagas to have a Cuban line that exists much
> greater in the States than Cohiba?
>
>
>
> Thanks,
>
>
>
> Kasey

When the embargo went into effect back in the early 1960's many of the cigar makers fled Castro. It was then that Castro "Nationalized" the tobacco industry using these trademarked names and tobacco blends.

The owners of the trademarks mostly came to the USA and a few Caribbean countries and started making their cigars in Tampa or in countries like Honduras or Nicaragua, however Nicaragua was in turmoil and the cigar makers had to leave there too.

Finally many of the brands were sold to companies like General, AltadisUSA (It was called consolidated back then) and a few others so the trademarks are being made.

Cohiba came about long after the embargo started as a cigar for Fidel Castro and was given as a gift at state dinners in Cuba. When General Cigar came out with Cohiba there was quite an uproar. That's why Dominican Cohibas have that red dot. There have been several court battles regarding the trademark infringement and if the embargo is ever lifter it should be interesting to see what they will do with the names of all opf those Dominican cigars.

Its a bit complicated how it got that way but check any good cigar book.

You will see that many brand names that are made in Cuba are also made elsewhere.
In fact name any big name Cuban cigar and you can find that it is "also" made in the USA, Dominican Republic, Honduras etc.

They are not related. They just use similar bands, labels and box decorations.

also, when many of the cigar makers left Cuba, some of the Cuban tobacco seeds *accidently* left with them. This was then planted in the other countries such as Honduras, Dominican Republic,etc. So, even non Cuban cigars are originally Cuban.

Close your eyes, click your heels and wish that were true, check12. Is it Dutch Masters that say on the box that they are 100% Cuban seed or some nonsense like that?

Why does your question look like it was copy and pasted from an email?

Since you're from Tampa...there's a guy named Felix in Ybor City (who was on the Discovery Channel) that rolls cigars.

Don't tell anyone but if you ask him, he'll roll you 1 or 2 using Cuban tobacco.