Trolling and polling for new vendors

As promised, the next vendor added to CCS will arise from a democratic process (somewhat).  I have posted a poll on the right hand side of the page, but before you vote, here's what you need to know.  The links below lead to Cigar Inspector's user-submitted reviews.

Finest Cuban Cigars - Hong Kong based, ships from Switzerland

According to a comment in the aforementioned CI link, these guys may have a price matching policy.  I will investigate this further if events warrant.  This shop sells singles (a plus, since very few vendors sell singles), but their prices seem to be at the high end range of the other Swiss vendors.  They ship free once you reach $100 and have the usual guarantees backing their product.  Beyond this, I know nothing about them.

My Cuban Cigars / Cuban-Cigars-Store - UK based, ships from Switzerland

These guys actually have two online storefronts but appear to be the same company.  Why one site is consistently $10-20 higher than the other is unknown, but if you look at their FAQ, site structure, etc. it is plainly obvious that they're the same.  They ship free once you've reached $150 backed by all the usual guarantees and carry a decent selection of EL and RE cigars.  If you vote for this site, you're voting for the My-Cuban-Cigars URL, as they have the lowest prices, a support forum, and a more "fleshed out" appearance to their site.  It may just be that this site is a redesign/reskin of their old site -- this one has only 3 feedback given at CI whereas Cuban Cigars Store has 26.  It should also be noted that there is not one single piece of negative feedback given.

PuroExpress - Spain based, ships from Switzerland

I have received more questions about why I haven't included PuroExpress than any other.  The answer is simple:  customer service complaints.  Their pricing is competitive (and they accept and offer a Bitcoin discount) and probably the best out of the four contenders.  Puro has been around a long time, but the majority of the complaints seem to stem from their service since an ownership change.  And this is fully disregarding the vast majority of comments by uniformed first time buyers that cry about fakes; I have no idea what gamesmanship goes on between CI folk, but I have every confidence that exactly NONE of the most highly trafficked Habanos sites are selling fakes.  Sites that sell fakes are very easy to spot.

Top Cubans - Swiss based

These guys have a very nice, snazzy website that sells a wide array of products (singles, Seleccions, travel humidors -- not that any of that matters for my tracking purposes).  Their minimum order for free shipping is a little high at $250 and their general pricing is a touch on the higher side for Swiss vendors.  They don't have much in the way of EL/RE stuff, but among all four of these sites, this one would be the easiest for me to keep up with due to how easy the site is to navigate.  I love sites like CigarOne and CUNTINT that have every marca and vitola in one big pricelist; it makes my life much easier.

Hit up the poll after weighing the above.  I reserve the right to make the final decision, but I will heavily consider the Will Of The People.

This week's market values and other notes

I have moved to a Google+ commenting system thanks to anonymous trolls who keep posting anti BellHop cigars posts, for whatever reason.  Those who would like to leave comments will now have to have a Google+ account (basically anyone who has a Gmail account has a Google+ account whether they know it or not, they just have to set it up).  Don't let this discourage you; I love comments.  They make me feel warm and fuzzy inside, like that time I inhaled an Esplendido...

Most of the focus on this post will be on CUNTINT's fantastic 17.5% sitewide sale.  This sale has brought their pricing below usual price champ iHavanas... so it's time to go hunting "down under".  When someone actually manages to beat iHavanas (particularly CUNTINT, who's stock tends to be a notch above many of their Swiss based brethren), we need to sit up and take notice.  

H. Upmann Magnum 48 @ $205

This is only a couple bucks off the all-time low set by Cuban Lou's just a couple of weeks ago.

H. Upmann Royal Robusto @ $133

These have had their praises sung far and wide by Habanos aficionados all year long.  A good price, bordering on great.  I did see them lower around when they were first released, but this is the lowest I've seen in a while.

Juan Lopez Seleccion No. 4 (2010) @ $309

Lowest I have seen on these, but I have yet to try one myself.  Would be curious to know how different they are from the JL2s, which are smoking fantastic this year.

La Flor De Cano Grandiosos (2013) @ $165

I will be adding another box of these at this price; one of the year's most highly reviewed REs.

Montecristo No. 2 @ $240

This is not the absolute lowest price, but this is one stick that you should try to avoid buying blind if you can. CUNTINT are renowned for their quality control and you will definitely get something decent -- something someone has actually laid eyes on and vetted.  Cuba makes so many Monte 2s, that's why it has such a reputation for being a great stick when "on" and being below average when it's not.  Increase your chances of getting a box that's on.

Partagas Shorts Cabinet of 50 @ $225

This deal is the pick of the litter.  I mentioned a deal on Party Shorts a few weeks ago at $265 and now look - a full 40 dollars cheaper.  FIFTY STICKS, 4 dollars and change each, for a great Cuban PC.  I plan on getting a cab, letting it sit for a few years, and then reaping the rewards down the line.

Por Larranaga ELs/REs 

All of the Por Larranaga ELs/REs are at just silly prices if you are a fan of the PL profile.  The Belicosos Extra from 2008 are a full 85 dollars cheaper than COH, taking the title for the largest price gap this week.

• Hoyo De Monterrey Regalos (2007) @ Cigar Terminal for $279
• Looks like someone found a truck of these at Port Franc as they have been mysteriously popping up in vendors that have not held stock in a while.

That's all for now.

Cuban Price List Update (01/02/2014)

Happy New Year!  Did you miss me?  You can admit it if you did.  You're not any less of a man.  I missed you.  I had a nice, relaxing respite from scouring the Internet for the greater good of all Habanos smokers, but now I'm back and itching to see what 2014 has in store for us.  I even managed to receive a new donation/subscription, bringing the grand total to... 1.  <sigh> UNDAUNTED, I SOLDIER ONWARD.

The latest price list has been posted above.  I will post a detailed analysis of where to go with your Christmas cash tomorrow, as there's lots to talk about and time is short.  Here are some quick items of note:

• Most of the holiday sales are now over, as you might expect.  However, a new doozy of a deal has just started and runs through January 7 -- CUNTINT is offering 17.5% off sitewide with the code FOHHOLIDAY175.  This brings them below the usual price leaders on selected smokes.  More on the hits tomorrow. 

• The Montecristo #2 was CA's cigar of the year, if you didn't know by now.  No, there will not be a 'run' on them and no, nobody is going to gouge you on these.  They make tons of these cigars.  Were they made by Drew Estate, you'd get rung up for an extra $3-4 per stick at every B&M in the USA.  If you're the type that likes to hunt box codes to find the mythical match for the same sticks that Savona and Mott smoked, please don't.  There are much better things to do with your time and most of this vitola have been quite good this year regardless of code. 

• H. Upmann Sir Winstons breezed in and out of the retailers as quick as Saint Nick.  They have just about dried up everywhere and it only took a couple of weeks.  Same is true of BellHop's stock of Cohiba 1966.  I wonder if I had anything to do with that?

• I'm going to be removing LCDH Knokke (yeah, I know I keep saying this) but honestly, I just can't decide who is reputable enough to add in their stead.  People cry:  Puro, Puro!  but I am still leery of them.  I think I'll put up a poll.  That's a democratic thing to do.  However, I still maintain the right to veto because much like Castro, I still have The Power.

Peace and prosperity to all for 2014.  

BellHop Sale Alert

BellHop Cigars has just begun a Boxing Day sale worth 20% off your entire order.  While Canadian based vendors usually have very high prices compared to the rest of the world, I have run the numbers and determined that these guys are usually very price competitive when it comes to certain new releases and selected ELs and REs.  As a result, there is tremendous value to be had here if you are in the market for any of the following cigars (sale prices applied):

• Cohiba Behike 54 @ $399
• Cohiba 1966 (2011) @ $399
• H. Upmann Robusto (2012) @ $319
• Hoyo De Monterrey Regalos (2007) @ $303
• Juan Lopez Supreme (2011) @ $311
• Montecristo Double Edmundo @ $316 for 25 count, $156 for ten count
• Montecristo Petit No. 2 @ $279 for 25 count, $119 for ten count
• Montecristo 520 (2012) @ $239
• Partagas Serie C3 (2012) @ $143
• Ramon Allones Extra (2011) @ $279
• Trinidad Short Robusto T (2010) $ $191

Some of these are absolutely SPECTACULAR value - particularly the Cohiba 1966 for under $400.  You will probably not see a price this low on these again.  I doubt you'll find the Behike 54 in this territory anytime soon, either.  And if you're into the new stuff, the latest offerings from Monte are the cheapest around.  The rest of the sale prices don't approach that of the more generally competitive Swiss vendors.  

Happy bargain hunting, folks.  Stay tuned for this week's price update at some point in the near future.

EDIT:  My prices on the Behike 54 and JL Supreme were off; I mistakenly applied the new discount to the PREVIOUS sale price on these cigars and not their retail price.  Apologies and thanks to shlomo for catching the error.

Cuban Price List Update (12/12/2013)

The latest iteration of the price list has been posted.  The notable items from this week:

• COH has ended their Holiday sale.  Too bad; they had some of the best pricing in the world while this sale was ongoing.  I am sure there will be something new posted in January but Ravi says this might be it until the new year.
• Cigar Terminal has begun their own Holiday sale, which per their usual custom, amounts to only a $10 discount on selected boxes and two box combos.
• Cuban Lou's has added some new robusto combo box deals to their ongoing Holiday sale.
• BellHop's sale on selected Cohiba cigars and 25% off other random vitolas is ending in 3 days.
• IHavanas' new monthly December specials are up, further distancing themselves from their competitors.
• The "12 Days of Christmas" sale is on at the FOH forums.  Various boxes and pricing announced on a nightly basis; usually some good deals to be found here.
• The Montecristo Petit No. 2 is starting to pop up at the Canadian retailers.  BellHop and Cigar Chief are presently the only places to get a box of these (either 10 or 25).

I have been trying to publicize this site a little bit on cigar forums worldwide, but it is actually quite difficult to do so.  I've had a few announcements deleted this past week.  Cuban cigar paranoia is rampant on US facing sites and forums simply because site admins don't want to deal with the hassle, and I while I can respect their stance, there's somewhat of a double standard in place.  Cigar Inspector (a site I love, btw) can be linked to freely and nobody thinks twice -- and the site names CC vendors, provides their URLs, gives customer reviews where folk talk about shipping -- basically everything that's "verboten". What makes what they are doing any different from what I am doing?  

The only places I've been allowed to announce freely are at reddit and on Cigar Geeks (albeit in a hidden forum visible only to members, fairly standard as Puff.com and others do this as well).  I am going to step up and go a bit more "public" and post this update on the CA forums today.  Hopefully, it won't get deleted, but I get the sense that place is not very heavily policed these days.  

I implore readers to get the word out about Cuban Cigar Shopper - share the links on Google+, Facebook, post on the forums where you're allowed to do so, and email your fellow BOTL and all of that good stuff.  And lest we forget, if I've saved you some cash on your latest order and you want to see my work continue, feel free to hit up the subscription button on the top right.  

Where To Spend Your Coin This Holiday Season

A quick disclaimer before beginning.

I am not affiliated with any of these vendors.  I receive no kickbacks from them and I try to show no favor to one vs. the other.  All of them have their own strengths and weaknesses.  What I am mostly concerned with is the inherent value of a particular box or vitola vs. its historical price.  Here are the best values that I see at present, accounting for quality of what's presently noted as smoking well.

1.  Cohiba Behike 52 @ COH for $283

I hesitate to put this on here, but this is the lowest price on Behike 52 I have seen in some time.  Though there have been some reports that Cuba is amping up production of these in 2013 to meet the demand (and quality is declining), a request for a 2012 box code should take care of that.  The price variance between vendors AND between vitolas of the Behike are just absurd and probably deserve their own post on the topic at some point in the future.

2.  Cohiba Siglo VI (10) @ COH for $170

The lowest I've seen for these was $166 at COH just a few weeks ago.  For one of the best regular production cigars coming out of Cuba at $17 a stick, this is a great pickup.

3.  H. Upmann Magnum 48 LE (2009) @ CubanLou's for $203

Though I personally am not a fan of the H. Upmann Magnum series, to get a 4 year old EL in a 25 count box for around $200 ($8/stick)  is kind of a steal.  At CubanLou's, these are about 30 bucks cheaper than their closest competitor due to their holiday sale.

4. La Flor De Cano Grandiosos (Asia/Pacific) @ CUNTINT or COH for $200

I have heard nothing but good things about these cigars over the past few months.  Rob at FOH is a huge fan, and I have a feeling this is going to end up as his cigar of the year.  Yes, he is a salesman nonpareil, but the man knows his Cuban cigars.

5. Partagas Shorts 50 cab @ CUNTINT for $265

If you like Partagas Shorts and want a quick smoke for the winter months, this price is about 50 dollars cheaper than the next competitor.

6. Ramon Allones Specially Selected @ Cigar Terminal for $169

If you have the patience to lay these guys down for a few years, they will reward you handsomely.  It's rare that CT beats their competitors on price alone, but it's worth mentioning that they have the cheapest prices on all of the Ramon Allones marca.  It should be noted that CT hasn't announced a sale yet, so this price could unfathomably drop even lower.

See anything I missed?  Leave a comment.

Cuban Price List Update (12/3/2013)

The newest price list has been posted.  There are some differences with this one - I incorporated some feedback to improve the overall look and feel of the spreadsheet.  The column width of the vendor pricing has been dramatically reduced to better fit smaller format monitors and devices.  I have also moved the spreadsheet from Google Drive to more simple hosting on Google Sites to alleviate issues with Apple devices not being able to view the sheet properly.

I have also enabled anonymous commenting on the blog posts since it came to my attention that some US based visitors were fearful of signing in with their Google+ account and commenting for fear of attracting attention.  Once again, we must release ourselves from the mindset that anything being discussed here is somehow illegal.

Some notable items from this update:

• Montecristo Petit No. 2 boxes are starting to pop up at various retailers
• H. Upmann Half Coronas appear to have been restocked worldwide
• CUNTINT's end of month sale has ended
• Cuban Lou's has extended their Black Friday sale and replaced it with a general holiday sale, stocking a number of single box and multi-box deals on their site.  Only the single box deals on the price list have been noted; for the multi-box offerings, check them out yourselves
• COH has begun their holiday sale, offering selected single box and a scattering of 2 box deals.  As per the above, only the single box prices are tracked.

I would love to see some feedback here and particularly would be interested in knowing if something is out of stock or flash sales or anything of that nature.  Please do not hesitate to comment.

Tomorrow I will post some general thoughts on where the best value to be had in the market is and what I think are the "can't miss" deals of the holiday season.  I expect many more retailers to throw their hats in the ring, and we will be there to catch them.