CubanCigar

Cigar shops are a lot like any social environment. There are regulars and new guys, people new to the reason for gathering and seasoned veterans. In any situation like this, there are basic norms that should be respected in order to make the experience more enjoyable for you. I know I've covered this topic before, but the latest round of advice is new. Trust me, there's no shortage of breaches of etiquette in this world (just like the subway, the sidewalk and your local bar).

Some of these may seem obvious. They are. There's nothing in the list that should have to be said. Yet, life at the cigar shop has shown me that the simplest of courtesies tend to be overlooked.

Many thanks to the regulars at De La Concha in Manhattan for these tips. They've seen the worst of the worst and were only too happy to share their experiences. If you don't need these tips, forward them to someone who does: we all know somebody who could use a little bit of help.

Mexico's Cuban cigar distributor, Importadora y Exportadora de Puros y Tabacos (IEPT), has taken new steps to prevent the spread of counterfeit Cuban cigars. The company has put together a new certification system that will validate cigar retailers across the country as legitimate sellers.

IEPT is licensed by Habanos S.A., which is the global distributor of Cuban cigars. Habanos has been struggling with counterfeiting for years, with problems in tourist-infested parts of Mexico being particularly severe.

The new campaign is designed to support retailers that sell the real deal, which hopefully will resonate with cigar consumers.

But, let's be realistic. The problem that has to be solved first is the love of "smoking the label." When customers stop wanting people to see that Cohiba label, they'll begin to make better choices.

I'd heard about Corona Cigar Co. from several people before I took my trip down to Orlando, FL. A few weeks ago, a visitor to New York from Florida overheard me discussing my then upcoming trip and interjected with some great advice, "Check out Corona." There are three locations; I chose the spot in downtown Orlando (no, not the same thing as Downtown Disney).

The description I was given back home in New York was enough to get me interested, but it failed to capture the enormity of the experience. The South Orange Ave. location offers countless cigars from nearly every manufacturer you could imagine. I took advantage of the lower cigar tax relative to home to pick up an Avo Campanero at what felt like a discount and headed for the large in-store lounge. Sponsored by Diamond Crown, it seats more than 60 people without forcing them to bump elbows. There's also outside seating at both four-top tables and wooden rocking chairs.

Every table has a six-page cocktail menu, so there's a pretty good chance you'll find the right concoction to pair with your preferred cigar. Of course, the fact that the bartender is nothing short of stunning improves both the drink and the smoke.

Habanos S.A., the official worldwide distributor of Cuban cigars, has developed a new way to thwart the efforts of the knockoff business. The company's introduced a new security seal that apparently has other safety features ... all of which are designed to prevent you from smoking a "Cohibo" while wearing your Folex and carrying Burbarry.

Specifically, there are two new elements on the Republica de Cuba warranty seal. One is a holographic label, which you'll find to the right of every warranty. The other is a barcode that will be on the left of the warranty. The seal is designed to fall apart if removed, making it impossible to reuse it on a box of fakes. Also, the barcode corresponds to a customized identification number stored in a database. One scan will show brand, size and market destination.

In the words of our esteemed former leader, "mission accomplished," right? Well, this all assumes that counterfeiters won't be able to build a better mousetrap.

Illegal cigar factories, called "chinchals," have been among the few alternatives for Cubans looking for work in the midst of this global economic crisis. Risking time in prison, employees roll counterfeit Havana cigars in order to make a living. The risk may be worth the return, but it's hard to say.

One roller refused to reveal the extent of his pay raise when moving from state factories to the black market ... but "raise" was implied. Working in the legit world, this employee earned $17 a month. Counterfeit cigars tend to sell for $30 to $40 per box of 25, a price that's up to five times lower than the official price set by the Cuban government.

The price competition is only one reason for the government's distaste for the counterfeit cigar business, but it's a powerful one. Cuba's official cigar company, Habanos S.A., saw a 3 percent drop in sales last year. The government also cites the need to protect the image of the brand and fight corruption on the island. Authorities confiscate 1,500 to 1,700 boxes of illegally manufactured cigars every month.

It could be a losing fight, however. Barriers to entry are low, as supplies are easy to secure. And, desperation plays a role. When you need to put food on the table, risks become more realistic.

The biggest problem with access to Cuba may not be production capacity, as many suspect. Trademark and copyright issues have the potential to be a greater problem, and there is no easy solution.

You've probably noticed that brands such as Partagas, Montecristo and Cohiba occupy your local tobacconist's humidor. A saunter through a duty free store at any airport outside the United States will put the same names under your nose. Of course, these cigars have nothing to do with each other. The latter are Cuban, the former are not and the companies have no relationships. Cohibas in the United States are not the "non-Cuban" or "legal" versions of a single company's product.

General Cigar Co. Inc., for example, sells Cohiba cigars in the United States. Cohiba is also a prominent Cuban brand. Unfortunately, Habanos S.A. never registered the name up here. Habanos sued General Cigar, and a nine-year battle followed. In 2006, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled against Habanos (shocking, right?), reasoning that the embargo barred a challenge to General Cigar's claim.

When the embargo is lifted, there will be more legal challenges, and several companies will have to change their names and labels – ultimately requiring the reconstruction of brand identities from scratch. Winning the brand battles will have profound consequences. For this reason, General Cigar has "invested" close to $3.5 million on lobbyists over the past 10 years.

As with all other Cuba-related speculation, there is no way to forecast where this issue will go in a post-embargo market. Even if we assume that the Cuban brands will lose their claims, the impact on the market would be nearly impossible to predict. What we do know, however, is that the transition will be far from easy.

"It happens all the time."

Ron Melendi, General Manager of De La Concha in New York, is tired of seeing guests walk through the door of his tobacco shop and ask for "Cubans." It's no secret that cigars from that particular island are illegal, yet people ask anyway.

It pisses Melendi off, and I don't blame him.

Cuban cigars are seen as a rare treat in the small, tightly intertwined community of upscale smokers. Since they have been illegal in the United States for more than 40 years, the act of cutting and lighting one implies unusual access, connections that most simply do not have. But, that's about it. A general decline in Cuban cigar quality, especially over the past decade, leaves the label as the only coveted aspect of the experience.

Of course, it's easy to dismiss this popular notion among tobacco retailers and manufacturers as a case of "sour grapes." After all, they can't sell what everybody wants. Jealousy wouldn't be much of a stretch ... if the quality issues weren't so real.

Several trips in the past three years to France, Spain, Mexico, Sweden, Finland, Iceland and Canada have led to Cuban cigars between my fingers. I've seen different humidors in stores in each of these countries and been able to rule out problems resulting from poor storage. I've had a few decent smoking experiences, but they haven't been life-changing. Even when the cigars are properly maintained, the taste and construction simply have not delivered.

A torcedor (which literally translates to ‘twister’, is the last thing you should do when rolling a cigar), or cigar roller, is a true artist with tobacco. Knowing all the work it takes to hand roll a cigar, it’s actually quite amazing they don’t cost more then they already do… rolling leaves into themselves, inspecting the best leaf for wrapping and sculpting the cigar to the requested shape. Earlier this month at the annual La Gloria Cuban Super Roll in Las Vegas, rollers got to compete for the top title of torcedor. If you think you have what it takes for future rolling events, sign up is about $500 (training included).