Where to Buy Cuban Cigars

Before leaving on a trip to Panama last month I posted a question looking for feedback on places to get Cuban cigars, and I got some helpful responses. Now that I’m back from the trip here’s some info on places I found where Cuban cigars are available in Panama.

Updates on places mentioned in the OP [http://www.lonelyplanet.com/thorntree/thread.jspa?threadID=1717743&tstart=75]:

A) “Near the McDonalds on Via Espana and Via Veneto”: I couldn’t locate a cigar shop here. I did find the Erotique Video Boutique, and the Crown Casino – but no Cuban cigars. Maybe I missed it, but I think it’s gone.

B) “Specialty Cuban shop in the Albrook Mall”: There are at least 2 shops that have Cuban cigars in the Mall. The selection and pricing is pretty good, and the cigars seem to be stored well. The Mall is not near the downtown districts, but could be a handy location if you’re going to the domestic (Albrook Airport) or regional bus terminal (Gran Terminal de Transportes).

C) “Smoke shop across the street from the Marriott Hotel”: Correct, in fact, this was my favorite place to get cigars in Panama. It’s a cool little shop with great character, and there’s an excellent selection of cigars that are stored with the proper temperature and humidity and at competitive prices. It’s in the El Cangrejo section of PC, across the street from the Marriott as mentioned by that poster.

Other places in Panama I found:

D) There are a few Cuban cigars in the souvenir shop (David’s?) below the Hotel Residencial in El Valle de Anton, but the cigars are just sitting out on a shelf and not stored properly.

E) I think I saw a sign in a shop in Bocas Town (Bocas del Toro) that advertised Cuban cigars, but I can’t be sure – all my senses were a bit hazy during that part of the trip.

F) There are Cuban cigars available at the Tocumen Int’l Airport at the Attenza Duty Free shop near gate 23. They’re stored properly, but the selection was limited (mostly Coiba’s), and individual cigars were not available (by the box only, i.e. a minimum of 3 small or 5 medium cigars per box). Also, prices were about 50% higher than in PC.

Regardless of where you get the cigars, check each one to make sure they’re not dried out (i.e. pinch the cigar gently in about 2 or 3 places; the cigar should “give” slightly, if it’s hard then the cigar is dried out).

Finally, here’s an interesting aside. Next door to the cigar shop across from the Marriott mentioned above in “C” is a locals’ bar, and when was in there one night I noticed that of the 25 people there, about 22 were really cute women. Every single one was in their 20’s, a total babe, dressed very provocatively, and definitely interested in catching the eye of the few dudes in the place. Hmmm, I’ll let you speculate on what that could have been all about. And I don’t know how often it’s like that, but in any event being in a nice, comfortable local bar full of friendly, sexy women was a great change from the usual dingy, dark, cavernous joint consisting of Panamanian guys in dirty t-shirts yelling at each other over the lousy latin music.

Cheers-

Joel

Try Cuba. Incidentally, inhalation of combustion products of tobacco leaves is bad for your health.

There is a site selling all types of cigars . I think they might have cuban cigars also. I know a friend of mine orders them on the internet so maybe you get lucky.

I actually prefer Nicaraguan or Dominicans, Cubans are at one end of the taste spectrum that if you told people or average Joes, they were from somewhere else than Cuba, they would throw it to the curb as too strong or heavy. Most people in the US revere it as they have no access to it, but elsewhere, its not really a big deal, more folklore than substance.....Not the smoothest smoke in the world...

Its like French Champagne, or Belgian chocolate, a nice gift.

I have surfed on the internet for many years looking for the best place to order authentic cuban cigars online. I recently found the site 'Cigars of Cuba' which is based in Switzerland who are the oldest trading cigar site on the internet. They have a massive range of Cuban and non Cuban cigars and, by Australian standards, are well priced. They sell edition limited cigars which are great if you are travelling and want a cigar with a bit of age but don't have a humidor with you to age it yourself. They also sell cigars in small boxes of 3 to 5, boxes of 10, but mainly boxes of 25. I have made a number of orders, all of which were vacuum sealed and of good quality.

I bought one Montecristo #2 at a store in Albrook mall. They had so much humidity going on inside the little store I was drenched by the time I left it. Cubans on one side, Dominican on the other. The seemed very proud of the Cohiba though. 22-28 per cigar. over 420.00 per box. The Montecristo #2 was 16.00. Oh, do not forget 15% tax on top of that. No cutter for the torpedo I bought, I guess they macho it down here and tear off the end with their teeth. Wound up buying some scissors at a dept store to cut it.

Will check out the duty free zone in Colon and figure out what the prices are down there.