I want to take the time to answer a very frequent email question from all across the spectrum. The question generally is, “What online Cuban cigar shops have you used and can you recommend a few?” The short answer to that question is simply that I have very seldom purchased Cuban cigars online. The main reason for this is that I just walk to the town tobacconist, walk into the humidor and pick my Habanos one by one. If I want an entire box of a particular cigar, I just order it in advance from my local shop.
That said, I have on a couple of occasions bought Cuban cigars from a German shop called ZigarrenBugge, my usual non-Cuban cigar dealer. As you can imagine, quality non-Cuban cigars are very, very hard to find in the E.U.; so when i make an online purchase of some of my favorite Nicaraguans, Hondurans, or Dominicans, I may throw in a few Cuban cigars as well, if the price is right. I can definitely recommend them.
Another reputable online shop is CigarOne. These guys have been around for a while, sell genuine Habanos, and offer good deals on occasions. Take for instance their current advertised deals—I like their Punch-Punch box of 25 for $219; expensive? Well, Cuban cigars are expensive. Don’t expect to find cheap or even affordable Cubans anywhere on the net, if you find them, they are 100% fakes. The online counterfeit Cuban cigar operation is huge; and the fact is that no one in their right mind will sell a box of Cuban cigars at 1/2 price!
I expect that Cuban cigar prices will skyrocket yet, when the “beloved leader” of the Cuban people finally assumes room temperature. Take my word for it.
Jose
June 11, 2007 at 3:53 pm
Dam it has been a while since you posted a review, You must be very busy I say this because I enjoy reading your reviews and keeping up to date with some of the lesser known and better know brands of cigars.. Thanks for posting such great reviews and I look forward to your next post.
Luciano
July 5, 2007 at 5:17 pm
Ciao, I am a cigar smoker and like a lot havana cuban cigars..but I also smoke the Italian cigars Antico Toscano which is great one! You should write about it….
Bear
August 7, 2007 at 6:33 am
Hello! I’m still very impressed by your site and have lots of pleasure re-reading your reviews evrey now and then. I do have a question though: Have you ever bought online cigars while staying in France? And if so did you have any problems with customs or “La Poste”? Prices being quite high in France I’d be willing to buy via the web (cigarone does have some very nice deals and they seem reliable) but I am a bit worried with what might happen with my cohiba scented parcel…
Smoke em
September 21, 2007 at 12:35 am
They have outstanding customer service and their website is easy to use. They offer a money back guarantee if you are not satisfied with your purchase. They also have a toll free 800 number for convience. The prices on the cigars are very reasonable.
E.Z.
September 21, 2007 at 7:30 am
Bear, as a cigar enthusiast, I have given up on finding cheap Cuban cigars these days. I have come to the realization that you get what you pay for, and lets face it, Cuban cigars are expensive as well as one of the top counter fitted products on the internet today. I only get them from ZigarrenBugge on occasions, but for the most part I just go to my local tobacconist so I can see, smell, and feel the cigars I am about to purchase.
There’s no way around this I’m afraid!
P.S. La Poste has never charged any tax when receiving cigars I have ordered from the net. But as most things in France, haha, you never know when they will charge it and when they will not.
Paul Sainsbury
October 13, 2007 at 10:10 am
Just for the info of all, I recently purchased a box of Siglo 3′s from ‘cubanhabanoscigars.net’
This company sent me a box of fake Cohiba siglo 3 cigars, for which i paid $200. They at first promised to replace them with genuine ones but have failed to do so and are now ignoring my email and phone calls.
To sum up. CRIMINALS. BEWARE.
E.Z.
October 16, 2007 at 2:17 pm
“They at first promised to replace them with genuine ones”?
What kind of business sends out fakes and then promises to replace them with real cigars? Sounds like their M.O. is to send out fakes to unsuspecting costumers, hoping nobody will realize it, then if someone complains, they stall and try to avoid contact.
Beware indeed!
brian
October 19, 2007 at 9:58 pm
anyone hear or know anything about Puroexpress.com?? Legit or not??
E.Z.
October 20, 2007 at 10:12 am
Those guys seem to be crooks too: See the user comments on two of the other articles on Cuban cigars on here as well.