France and lack of cigars.

[Robusto]

Daytrips to Calais are handy for bringing back Calasian sticks.
Nice outlets in Calais high stretts.

Not that Calais is France, of course.

[Robusto]

Think eggey said that.

[Smallclub]

1/ Frank can you explain the 1.800.000.000 units, please, you have lost me with the billions or is it Euros ??

My apologies ? I stupidly copied/pasted an article from the Chamber of Commerce & Industry News Mag, and obviously this figure is the number of cigarettes sold per year.
The number of cigars consumed every year is around 12.000.000 units (probably around 20.000.000 or more in Spain).
I must check articles in cigar magazines, but they're in the attic now?

[Aussiewaz]

I'd dispute that Spain is the biggest market for Habanos. Even Habanos distributors say that the US is the biggest market by a massive difference. (I could be missing something though, as usual).

[Smallclub]

Even Habanos distributors say that the US is the biggest market by a massive difference.

Who? When? Where? You won't find an official declaration, consolidated figures, etc?
We all now that the US is a huge market but we're talking "visible" markets here?

[Aussiewaz]

Who? When? Where? You won't find an official declaration, consolidated figures, etc…
We all now that the US is a huge market but we're talking "visible" markets here…

OK. Visible it be. The invisible doesnt exist I agree. (Looking over shoulder at shadows)

[TJCoro]

Spain Vs. France for Visible Supremacy!

I'll take two tickets down front and put 100 pesos on Spain, por favor.



They call me Ray Jay, Ray Jay Coro, and I cut wise around these parts.


Hmmmm! More like you cut cheeze, RJ

[tippexx]

I'd dispute that Spain is the biggest market for Habanos. Even Habanos distributors say that the US is the biggest market by a massive difference. (I could be missing something though, as usual).

Well nothing significant Auss, other than they're not supposed to touch them let alone smoke them inside the US. Yet somehow the visible which is invisible does appear to find it's way there.

[Aussiewaz]

LMAO. Find it's way there it does, in vast quantity's. Visible it is not, supposedly, unless you visit US forums that is & read US publications like CA.

Anecdote: How does a US magazine review Cuban cigars from their offices? Weird.

[tippexx]

LMAO. Find it's way there it does, in vast quantity's. Visible it is not, supposedly, unless you visit US forums that is & read US publications like CA.

Anecdote: How does a US magazine review Cuban cigars from their offices? Weird.

Yes, I wondered about that too. Maybe they have to hop into a fishing boat and have an off-shore herf?

Also, for the blindfold test. How do you pretend you don't recognise a Cuaba Salomones .... or does someone have to hold it for them?

[Aussiewaz]

Yes, I wondered about that too. Maybe they have to hop into a fishing boat and have an off-shore herf?

Also, for the blindfold test. How do you pretend you don't recognise a Cuaba Salomones .... or does someone have to hold it for them?

Doesnt really matter from what I've heard if you only smoke the first inch.

[Flying Cigar]

My apologies ? I stupidly copied/pasted an article from the Chamber of Commerce & Industry News Mag, and obviously this figure is the number of cigarettes sold per year.
The number of cigars consumed every year is around 12.000.000 units (probably around 20.000.000 or more in Spain).
I must check articles in cigar magazines, but they're in the attic now?

Merci bien, Frank - I thought it would be ciggies .......
You are quite correct about the number of cigars smoked in Spain, last figure I read was about 35 to 40 million a year.

As for the largest market for Cuban cigars .....

I'd dispute that Spain is the biggest market for Habanos. Even Habanos distributors say that the US is the biggest market by a massive difference. (I could be missing something though, as usual).

go on disputing at your risk, undisputed fact is that Spain is the largest market for Habanos SA purchasing ca 40 % of the cuban production
...... it used to be higher than that

Estimates of Habanos going to the US market range from 10 to 15 % ...

[Flying Cigar]

Some export figures - old :

At least 70 percent of the Cuban cigar exports go to Europe.
The other 30 percent is divided among other world markets, including the Middle East, Asia and Canada.
The U.S. trade embargo on communist Cuba prohibits the sale of Cuban cigars in the United States.
Shortly before last year's festival, Habanos S.A., a mixed enterprise operated 50-50 by the Cuban government and the French-Spanish company Altadis, announced that in 2000 the country had produced 153 million cigars for export, up from 118 million in 1999. Habanos S.A., which sponsors the festival, has not issued any export figures for the past 12 months.


The Miami Herald
Feb. 27, 2002

And new ( from the Financial Times ) :

Cuba cuts cigar output as exports plunge
By Marc Frank in Havana
Published: June 21 2010

According to the most recent report released by the government’s statistics office, the industry has fallen on hard times in recent years, with production of cigars for export down from 217m in 2006, to 123m in 2007 and 73m last year as the business drew on its inventory.

Cash-strapped Cuba cut the amount of land devoted to growing its famous tobacco by more than 30 per cent last year.

Sales from cigar exports fell to $218m in 2009, down from $243m in 2008.

Nino

[cohibaIV]

Some export figures - old :

At least 70 percent of the Cuban cigar exports go to Europe.
The other 30 percent is divided among other world markets, including the Middle East, Asia and Canada.
The U.S. trade embargo on communist Cuba prohibits the sale of Cuban cigars in the United States.
Shortly before last year's festival, Habanos S.A., a mixed enterprise operated 50-50 by the Cuban government and the French-Spanish company Altadis, announced that in 2000 the country had produced 153 million cigars for export, up from 118 million in 1999. Habanos S.A., which sponsors the festival, has not issued any export figures for the past 12 months.


The Miami Herald
Feb. 27, 2002

And new ( from the Financial Times ) :

Cuba cuts cigar output as exports plunge
By Marc Frank in Havana
Published: June 21 2010

According to the most recent report released by the government?s statistics office, the industry has fallen on hard times in recent years, with production of cigars for export down from 217m in 2006, to 123m in 2007 and 73m last year as the business drew on its inventory.

Cash-strapped Cuba cut the amount of land devoted to growing its famous tobacco by more than 30 per cent last year.

Sales from cigar exports fell to $218m in 2009, down from $243m in 2008.

Nino

The Flying Cigar has spoken....LOL

[moidoid]

I was en Bretagne last month, admittedly in a somewhat rural outpost and there were no Cuban cigars on sale in the local tabac. I saw plenty of Dutch, Dominican etc. but was after the elusive French produced Navarre. This costs more than many Cubans and I have never seen one - maybe they are produced in very small quantities - but I have heard of a Robusto and a Grand Corona.

Anyway, the proprietress had never heard of Navarre and thought me a mad Englishman.