You can leave Cuba with as much rum as you can carry. Cigars are another story.

[El Presidente]

A little article from the Washingtom Post for those traveling back to the US from Cuba.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/dc-politics/you-can-leave-cuba-with-as-much-rum-as-you-can-carry-cigars-are-another-story/2016/03/08/76c881c0-e485-11e5-bc08-3e03a5b41910_story.html

[cosmoker]

So a mix and match of 3 yr and 7 yr old Havana along with some customs is the way to go.

[Corylax18]

Thanks. Great info! The prices on the Rum are unbelievable!!

[btp1979]

I'd be down with 14 bottles of rum. I'm pretty sure (pure conjecture) that the shops in Cuba wouldn't allow me to open sealed boxes to inspect prior to purchase anyhow (another reason we dig our host!)

[luv2fly]

I would love to say I left Cuba! Someday!!!!!

[oliverdst]

If you buy a box of twelve in José Martí freeshop is it possible to dispatch it?

[cigcars]

Aww, Maaaannn! What a time for me to be a confirmed tee totaler!

[Ryan]

Rum is priced very well in Havana. As far as I can see, unlike cigars, there have been no price increases in the last 2 or 3 years.

My favourite, always, is Ron Caney Anejo Centuria. $7.60 a bottle. That's 12 bottles and a Reynaldo Sublime for $99.20. Perfect.

HC Maximo is no longer the most expensive Cuban rum. There is a new Santiago 500 out, to celebrate the 500th anniversary of Santiago. $3,000.

Isla Tesoro is widely available at $600-$650 per 1/2 litre. I've seen that in Spain for €450.

Here are some prices at duty free on the way out on Tuesday. Same prices as on the shelves land-side in Havana.

I was never a fan of HC7

Cubay is also $7.60 and decent but I prefer Caney.

I bought some Caney early in the week. I think the rum goblin came in at night and drank it all.

Stuart and I met some Bulgarian joggers the morning after the opening event. Jogging postponed. Rum.

Nothing like rum on the Malecón. "Hasta que se seque el Malecón!"

[JoeyW]

I always bring back the santiago de cuba anejo . It s about 5-8 cuc per btle and it s way better (imo) then havana club 7 anos who goes for 17cuc.

[Fosgate]

Friend just got back earlier this week. Her husband had cigars and she had rum in her luggage. Customs just asked her if she had rum. She said yes and they didn't ask how much or anything else no questions about cigars etc and just let her by. They asked her husband if he had cigars and said yes. How much? He said $89 and change and they let him pass without looking. He had two full boxes of cigars, and a third of partials and a carton of Cohiba Cigarettes. They said had they known how dismissive they were they would have stuffed her suitcase full of cigars and rum and bought her new clothes when she got home.

[TheFullMontecristo]

Is the Santiago de Cuba "Extra Anejo" 20 yr. widely available in Cuba aright now or do you have to hunt around for it and what is current cost? Heading there next week and would like a couple bottles to take home. cheers

[Ryan]

Is the Santiago de Cuba "Extra Anejo" 20 yr. widely available in Cuba aright now or do you have to hunt around for it and what is current cost? Heading there next week and would like a couple bottles to take home. cheers

160 cuc and available in the better cigar shops. Try Partagas. If not there, la Casa de Ron y tabaco, beside the Floridita. I remember seeing it last week, just not where.

[Benzopyrene]

knock on wood, not had a problem yet, and most the people I know say the same thing. Stuff the bags full of cigars and rum. Global entry also goes a long ways towards not having to answer a bunch of questions.

[CUBANO]

Rum is the way to go, you can always buy cigars from Rob.

[Ken Gargett]

Is the Santiago de Cuba "Extra Anejo" 20 yr. widely available in Cuba aright now or do you have to hunt around for it and what is current cost? Heading there next week and would like a couple bottles to take home. cheers

be careful with it. i'm convinced there have been "different" bottlings. the early one was spectacular. stunning. others have been good but not quite as good.

[seattledude]

I want some cuban Rum!

[Duxnutz]

Flew back into the US via Mexico a couple weeks ago. Compared to Mexican customs (who went through every piece of luggage and was eagerly wanting to know an exact figure on cigars in my luggage) the US couldn't have cared less....

Don't get me started on the Oz Border Farce!

[stunod]

Here's what's crazier . You can bring $100 worth of Cubans in from Cuba but it's still technically still Iilegal to bring in a single Cuban cigar from Canada. It's completely f@!&d up.

I'm going on record and saying the embargo will not be lifted in the near future. No how no way. IMO

[Ken Gargett]

Flew back into the US via Mexico a couple weeks ago. Compared to Mexican customs (who went through every piece of luggage and was eagerly wanting to know an exact figure on cigars in my luggage) the US couldn't have cared less....

Don't get me started on the Oz Border Farce!

could not agree more.

mexican customs - where security is literally a lottery (you press a button and whether you get red or green decides if you'll be searched). chaos. yes, every piece of luggage. they found a cigar jar and got very excited. i was so pissed i kept quiet. it was the only joy i got there, watching a vile woman exploring my dirty undies - i'd been in a rush and had no chance to wash everything before heading home and they were the undies collected from a few days fishing in extreme heat and humidity. i'd shoved them in the jar to separate them.

i ended up telling them they'd be better off just handing the country over to the drug cartels because they'd be far more efficient and less corrupt. didn't seem to bother them. but when i called the entire process ridiculous, i was threatened with arrest and christ knows what.

so corrupt not offensive, incompetent not offensive but ridiculous is very offensive.

[Fugu]

More details than we wanted to know, Ken...

"so corrupt not offensive, incompetent not offensive but ridiculous is very offensive."

Simple - they are clueless about the meaning of those two words...

[Phatskipper]

Quick question for those "in the know".

How in tune with cigar prices are the US customs agents? I realize this thread was started by a person who experienced total indifference... but if they cared to look, how well would they be able to guess the value?

I assume you need a receipt? If so, what does a cuban receipt look like? In my imagination, it looks like a hand written receipt from days-gone-by... meaning I could theoretically write all sorts of receipts for quality cigars "marked down" to $0.05 US each??

It seems like they don't give a rip as long as you are not trying to bring in a cigar store worth of product??

Just wondering how this works.

[Ken Gargett]

More details than we wanted to know, Ken...

"so corrupt not offensive, incompetent not offensive but ridiculous is very offensive."

Simple - they are clueless about the meaning of those two words...

this one could speak english perfectly well. it was bizarre.

[Fugu]

this one could speak english perfectly well. it was bizarre.

Not meant in a linguistic or semantic way, but with regard to the underlying conceptual meaning. If you get me...