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Old 03-21-2011, 06:46 PM   #11
SteveH
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Join Date: Mar 2011
First Name: Steve
Location: Wilmington, DE
Posts: 336
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Default Re: Heading up to Montreal tomorrow - suggestions ?

Ok gents, here's the summary:
The trip both exceeded my expectations; and was also a great disappointment. Good news first ?
The food and bar scene there is spectacular. QdC was one of the best; as well as a Portuguese place in the old part of town called "SolMar". The wine and port selections are AMAZING
Now....Im still a noob; so take the next comment with some salt...But I really enjoyed the cigar scene. Granted, I hit up the real 'touristic' places (Stogies, Whiskey Cafe, etc), but we really enjoyed ourselves at all of the places. The available selections weren't as broad as the advertising would leave you to believe...But I was never wanting for anything that they didn't have. (Ok ok, I would have really enjoyed a Siglo VI @ Whiskey's....)
My largest displeasure however is reserved for LCDH. Not only are their prices extremely outrageous - the staff is quite frankly disgusting. Upon our arrival, the staff was having a rather distasteful conversation (rather loudly in Spanish), about a customer who had just left the store. After walking around the store for a couple of mins; I was ready to head into the Humidor. I asked the girl (In English) if we can go in, and she escorted us in.
At no time did she ask us any questions. She just stood directly in our way and tapped her fingers on a piece of paper rather impatiently. After looking around for a minute - I decided that I was not going to pay $46+tax for a Monte #2 (!), so we walked out of the humidor. When we walked out - she said "Thank you" in English - then proceeded to tell her coworker (In Spanish) that we're just more tourists wasting her time . When I responded to her in Spanish that perhaps her attitude is the cause of the lack of sales she began to apologize and we walked out.
So, that was that. I really did not make any big scores. The next time Im in Montreal I'd really like to get away from the tourist traps. I did find it interesting how much the price of BHK's is inflated up there...and how volitile the prices are. Every place we went to who had them for sale had the prices listed on a Habanos blackboard - and it was clear the prices changed often.
Enough of the banter; here's some pics ! We did hit a snowstorm on the way back; but its still a beautiful drive !



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