Pre-Embargo Cuban Cigars on Pawn Stars

[guitar4001]

Originally Posted by mosesbotbol

La Corona is no longer produced, but Belvederes are made by a couple of Marcas. For sure it is worth $100 if the box is not warped.

LA Corona is still produced - in Honduras. The cuban version made a revival in the late 80's and were discontinued in the late 90's IIRC. When Fidel Castro visited NYC in the late 50's he bought a La Corona from the JR store. At least that is how I remember reading the story.

JR's sells them for about $50 for box/25.

[mosesbotbol]

Originally Posted by guitar4001

LA Corona is still produced - in Honduras.

Not the same La Corona and no relation to the Cuban marque.

[guitar4001]

Originally Posted by mosesbotbol

Not the same La Corona and no relation to the Cuban marque.

yes, of course.

[guitar4001]

Originally Posted by guitar4001

yes, of course.

Aren't the original cuban brand names (Montecristo, RyJ, H. Upmann, etc) actually owned by US companies? In other words, when the Cuban gov't took control of the cigar factories, didn't the US based owners of the brand names come to the US and start to make their cigars with Dominican, Honduran, and Nicaraguan tobacco? That would make the current cuban montecristo, partagas, and RyJ illegal in the US right? Copyright infringement and all that jazz.

[T.G]

Originally Posted by guitar4001

Aren't the original cuban brand names (Montecristo, RyJ, H. Upmann, etc) actually owned by US companies? In other words, when the Cuban gov't took control of the cigar factories, didn't the US based owners of the brand names come to the US and start to make their cigars with Dominican, Honduran, and Nicaraguan tobacco? That would make the current cuban montecristo, partagas, and RyJ illegal in the US right? Copyright infringement and all that jazz.

Yes and no. That's a big mess that's been debated ad nauseum on most forums. Some of the names might be in question at some point in the future due to the original owners fleeing Cuba and restarting operations elsewhere, but others, namely those owned and produced by Altadis USA, will likely be a non-issue as the parent of Altadis USA, Altadis SA (now a part of Imperial Tobacco UK) is majority shareholder in Cubatobacco.

[Noodles]

Originally Posted by guitar4001

Aren't the original cuban brand names (Montecristo, RyJ, H. Upmann, etc) actually owned by US companies? In other words, when the Cuban gov't took control of the cigar factories, didn't the US based owners of the brand names come to the US and start to make their cigars with Dominican, Honduran, and Nicaraguan tobacco? That would make the current cuban montecristo, partagas, and RyJ illegal in the US right? Copyright infringement and all that jazz.

Big mess with regards to who owns what brand names. Cohiba and Punch is a very good example.

Not sure which brand of cuban cigar were USA based at that time. I think majority of them were owned by Cubans and were based in Cuba.

Infringement is not the reason why Cuban cigars are illegal in the USA.

[guitar4001]

Originally Posted by bonggoy

Big mess with regards to who owns what brand names. Cohiba and Punch is a very good example.

Not sure which brand of cuban cigar were USA based at that time. I think majority of them were owned by Cubans and were based in Cuba.

Infringement is not the reason why Cuban cigars are illegal in the USA.

A little clarity - I know that copyright infringement is not the reason why cuban cigars are illegal in the US. But if the embargo were lifted tomorrow, that would cause problems one would think.