Cuba-US Expect to Announce Embassy Openings Next Week

[El Presidente]

Things have moved relatively quickly in the normalising of relations.

Even given the legislative challenges, a full lift of the embargo appears to have some real momentum.

http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/cuba-us-expect-announce-embassy-openings-week/story?id=31345385

[Stanislaw]

I feel like I'm having an out of body experience reading this.... Cohiba's for everyone!

Honestly this is great and I do hope it helps the Cuban people in the long run but there's a part of me that's a bit worried... I'd love to buy a home there and disappear off the grid though....

[jfive]

Pres, we've all been watching this closely given our love for habanos. I have a few questions I'm hoping you can answer given your unique relationship w Cuba.

1) How do you expect the lift of the embargo to impact your business? I for one would still be willing to pay an uplift for your services.

2) Do you expect the cost of cubans to go up/down/stay the same?

3)Do you think the embargo being lifted to impact quality? If so, do you expect it to go up or down?

4)If you go out of business would you mind if I hire Diana to come work for me in Maui? (yes, you can tag along if she allows)

thanks,

jfive

[skalls]

I wouldn't expect the embargo to be lifted anytime soon. There's some preconditions that need to be met before legislation that could be passed.

[El Presidente]

Pres, we've all been watching this closely given our love for habanos. I have a few questions I'm hoping you can answer given your unique relationship w Cuba.

1) How do you expect the lift of the embargo to impact your business? I for one would still be willing to pay an uplift for your services.

2) Do you expect the cost of cubans to go up/down/stay the same?

3)Do you think the embargo being lifted to impact quality? If so, do you expect it to go up or down?

4)If you go out of business would you mind if I hire Diana to come work for me in Maui? (yes, you can tag along if she allows)

thanks,

jfive

1) How do you expect the lift of the embargo to impact your business? I for one would still be willing to pay an uplift for your services.

Significant and ongoing stock shortages would be my only real fear. You may have noticed many once "Cuban Only " vendors now also doing Non Cubans. Good on them. it not only increases client offerings but diversifies the forward risk.

2) Do you expect the cost of cubans to go up/down/stay the same?

Up 20-30% over the next three years (approximately).

3)Do you think the embargo being lifted to impact quality? If so, do you expect it to go up or down?

I think it will remain mostly the same in the short term with the Caveat that Cuba has enough time to ramp up production over a number of years (three + would be ideal). That comes down to paying farmers more, fixing infrastructure etc. If it happens in the next 12 months (lifting of Embargo) I can see quality going backwards only because I wouldn't believe they are ready.

Long term I think that quality/consistency will only improve with the payment of a living wage to the workers. That is another discussion entirely and requiring Cuban Govt vision/finance.

4)If you go out of business would you mind if I hire Diana to come work for me in Maui? (yes, you can tag along if she allows)

Our little Czar business has a few solid engines outside of cigars We may scale back the cigar side due to outside circumstances but cigars are in my DNA. I need Di to keep me on the straight and narrow