But, you know, as I say the problem is I have never seen them for sale in Hong Kong. They seem , to me, to be cigars that are targeted to the US which 'fill the Cuban void'; no embargo here- no void! Combined also with a small market, luxury item, supply and demand thing etc. I checked at the cigar shop and all they had ( non-Cuban) were Davidoff's. I tried one of those, it was OK- Almost like smoking a White Owl ( Dutch )IMHO, tried some alcohol shops a while back and found some Belvedere's and Hollanders?

Most Cubans here would start at about US$10 a pop…

I guess neither of us can have the best of both worlds

P.S. I agree with the other comments about Cohiba's decline in quality and premium price. I recommend the HP Upman's, Juan Lopez and Robianans highly.

If you're only smoking Cubans you're missing out on many of today's best cigars. I would highly suggest you expand your horizon to Dominicans, Nicaraguans, Hondurans, etc. Check out our Stogie Reviews Archive for some suggestions.

As you ask, many Americans do "just pull off the labels when going back into the U.S.," and that often works. But most of us do not travel overseas frequently enough to have a steady stream of Cubans. So Americans who want Cubans end up relying on foreign companies who sell them on the web and guarantee delivery.

Firstly I usually always smoke Cubans, which I can buy freely and easily where I live so the all these Latin-American-non-Cuban cigars ( which I have never seen for sale) are quite interesting to read about and seem a damn side cheaper. Here in HK these cigars cost about $46 each, so I would love the opportunity to try some of the other Latin-American cigars ( e.g. Hondurans ). So maybe you are lucky in some regards as Cubans do tend to be very expensive in comparison, but here Cubans and Dutch varieties tend to dominate.

Secondly, why can't you just pull off the labels when going back into the US, or rebox/rebadge them? If pulled up you could claim they another countries. How can they know??

Which method is "safer?" It really depends. If you're travelling abroad, chances are you can enjoy Cuban cigars in those countries without the FBI or CIA suddenly popping out of a potted plant and arresting you on the spot. But trying to smuggle those cigars back into the US — via your luggage or…ugh…any other hiding places — is very risky. Chances are you won't get caught, and even if you do, the worst that'll happen is that your stash will be confiscated. But the real risk is that your precious puros will dry out and/or suffer serious damage during your trip.

Now, the Internet method can be a bit easier, but it is expensive, and you run the risk of buying counterfeits (not having had the chance to inspect the merchandise yourself before making a purchase). By trial and error, you might be able to stumble across a reputable site with legitimate Habanos cigars. Once you discover such a site, keep it a closely guarded secret. If the word gets out that the site is selling and shipping Cubans to US customers, it can get shut down (or worse).

"I'm Rick James *****"

A quote from the Dave Chappel show..

Anyway, I was being sarcastic in phrasing the cigar "embargo-free." I would like to know how someone like myself could be enjoying these in comfort of my home here in the good 'ole USA.

Nice site by the way. You guys need another ambassador? =)