I am currently in Jamacia buying coffee for my son in Australia. He
has seriously requested I "pop" into Cuba (seeing as I am so close)
and purchase him a reasonable quantity of Cuban Cigars (say USD$10k).
These would be for legitimate re-sale from his Art
Gallery/Coffee-Lounge/Club in Melbourne Australia. 

Before embarking on this somewhat "exciting" challenge for my dearly
beloved one and only son I need to know the answers to the following
(a)(b) (c) (d) (e) and (f): (before running into the "wilds" of Cuba!)

(a) Is there a list of genuine "reputable" cigar wholesalers in Cuba?
    (if so provide me with that list.)
(b) Is exporting Cigars to Australia allowed by the Cuban Government?
    (Yes or No)
(c) How long do cigars keep fresh for (unhumidified)?
    (as a non-smoker I need a little more detail here) (not too much)
(d) What special precautions (if any)should be taken when packing
cigars for travel/export?
(e) What taxes etc (if any) are payable to the Cuban Govt on cigar
exports?
(f) What import taxes and duty etc are payable to the Australian Govt
on Cuban Cigar imports?
(g) Where can I find information on the Pinar Del Rio region of Cuba,
specifically it's location from the main airport and city of Havana?

The answer/s should be well researched and provide me with short sharp
specific answers to a,b,c,d,e,and f, with perhaps a little more detail
and a reference to a map on "g". Special Note: As a busy "retired"
businessman I do not require or want "long-winded" answers or points
of reference to numerous sites. Please be as short sharp and specific
as possible and I will tip generously if I am satisfied. Thank you
from Roger

Hello  bwll77

Cigars are a regulated commodity. If you come in on a tourist card,
you are subject to the following restrictions:
"Cigars:
  * It shall be possible to export up to 50 units of cigars without
need of any further procedure.
    * It shall be possible to export up to an overall value of two
thousand (2,000.00) Pesos in cigars when producing the "purchase
invoice" issued by one of the stores of the official network legally
authorized for such trade.
Travellers shall also be allowed to export cigars in quantities
exceeding the above mentioned amount of $2,000.00 (two thousand) Pesos
when purchased in stores specialized in trading in cigars. Purchase
shall be accredited by presenting the relevant "special purchase
invoice" "
http://www.aduana.islagrande.cu/ropae3.htm (Cuban Customs web site)

One convertible peso equals one US dollar

I have a suspicion that if you want to buy wholesale, you will need to
come in on a business visa. This must be obtained from the local Cuban
embassy and it can take longer than a tourist card.

BTW, you don't need to go to Pinar del Rio if your time is short.
There is an famed cigar factory in Habana: Partagas

Hello Roger,

Do be careful. There are more fake Cohibas in Cuba than real ones.
Boxes and labels are often stolen from the factory by workers and
Dominican cigars are substituted and sold as real. Fake labels abound.

While I have found NOTHING as satisfying as a real Cohiba Esplendido,
the fakes are abominable. They NEVER have been sold in a glass top box
and this will be your first give-away.NEVER buy a Cohiba in a glas
topped box!

Do have a peek at this site:

http://www.cigaraficionado.com/Cigar/CA_Archives/CA_Show_Article/0,2322,778,00.html

This search:
http://web3.winespectator.com/cgi-bin/cigarswish.cgi

This page:
http://www.stratsplace.com/rogov/counterfeit_cigars.html

And this one:
http://cigars.about.com/library/weekly/aa012102a.htm


Do be very careful in purchasing Cuban's, even in Cuba!

Best regards,

-=clouseau=-

This is also a MUST read for you, Roger:

http://www.cigarnexus.com/counsel/counterfeit/

-=clouseau=-

And a little more info, though I have yet to find a way to actually
purchase wholesale:

The maximum amount of cigars (in value) a tourist is allowed to take
out of Cuba is US$ 2 000.00 in normal shops. There are however 19
shops who are authorized to sell, in a month, up to     $ 25,000 per
tourist. Here are the names and addresses of these, together with a
few normal tourist shops.
 

CIENFUEGOS                                                  *Casa del
Habano (Tiendas Universo), Ave 54, ESQ A 33, Provincia Cienfuegos.
Tel: 45 1108. Manager: Juan A Valdes Herrera.

HAVANA                                                        *Casa
del Habano Presidente, Hotel Palco, Ave 146 ESQ 13 Playa. Telefax:
(53) (7) 24 7235.

*Palacio del Tabaco, Calle Zulueta No 106 e/Refugio y Colón. Habana
Vieja. Tel: (53)(7) 33-8389. Manager: Omar Gonzalez Aleman.

*Casa del Habano Club Habana, 5 Ave E/188 y 192, Reparto Flores Playa.
Tel: (53) (7) 24 5700. Fax: 24 5705. Manager: Enrique Mons  Difurnia.

*Casa del Habano Cubanacan, Industria No 520 E/Dragones y Barcelona,
Habana Vieja. Tel: (53) (7) 33 8060. Manager: Abel Exposito.

*Casa del Habano, 5 Ave y 16, Miramar. Tel: 24 7974. Fax: 24 7975.
Manager: Rider Simoneau.

Casa del Habano, Partagas Cigar Factory, Industria No 520, Habana
Vieja.Tel: (53)(7) 33-8060.

*Casa del Habano, Tobacco Museum, Calle Mercaderes E/Obispo y
Amargura, Habano Vieja. Tel: 62 8472. Fax:66 6763. Specialis: Victor A
Gonzalez. Casa del Habano Hotel Melia Habana, Calle 80 y Mar, Miramar.
Tel & Fax: (53) (7) 204 5289, ext 5289. E-mail:
centro@habana1.solmelia.net Manager: Alberto Mendoza

*Casa del Habano Hotel Nacional, Calle O esquina a 21, Vedado. Tel:
(53) (7) 33 5722. Fax: 33 3564. Manager: Sonia Regina de la O.

*Casa del Habano Habana Libre Hotel, Cnr 23rd St. and 25th St.,
Vedado. Tel: (53) (7) 30 4011, ext 155. Manager: Marlenis Calmell.

*Sucursal Cohiba (Tiendas Universo). Tienda de Tabacos El Corojo.
Hotel Meliá Cohiba, Calle 3ra e/ Paseo y 2 Vedado. Telefax (53)
33-3636. Manager: Andres Montalvo.

*Casa del Habano Palacio de la Artesania, Calle Cuba No 64, Habana
Vieja. Tel: (53) (7) 57 1118/18. Manager: Elia Acosta.

*Tienda de Tabaco 23 y P. Calle 23 y P. Vedado. Tel: (53) (7) 66-2307.
Specialist: Elina Perez Sanchez.

Casa del Tabaco. 5TA Y 16, Cnr 5th Ave. and 16th Str., Miramar. Tel:
(53)(7) 33-1185.

Tienda del Tabaco, Comodoro Hotel, Cnr 3rd Ave. and 84th Str.,
Miramar. Tel: (53)(7)  33-5551.

*Casa del Habano Hostal Conde de Villanueva, Calle Mercaderes, Esq,
Amarguara, Habano Vieja. Tel: (53) (7) 62 9293. Fax: 62
9682.Manager:Humberto Broches Teyes.

PINAR DEL RÍO     
*Estanco del Tabaco No 1. Calle Maceo No 157 e/Galeano y Tarafa. Pinar
del Río.
Telefax- (53) (82) 78122. Manager: Milan.  

SANTE FE                                        
*Casa del Habano La Vigia, Complejo Marina Hemingway, 5 Ave y 248,
Sante Fe. Tel: 24 6772. Fax: 24 6768. Director: Luis Armando Perez.

SANTIAGO                                                       *Casa
del Habano (Tiendas Universo), Ave Jesus Menendez No 703, Saniago de
Cuba. Tel: (53) (2) 2366. Manager: Idelmis Fonseca Bonne.

VARADERO                                                     *Casa del
Habano Varadero, Calle 39 y Avenida Irs, Varadero, Matanzas. Tel: (53)
(5) 614719. Manager: Eva Caridad Sanchez.

*Centro Comercial Plaza América. Tienda El Monarca, Carretera Las
Americas Km 11, Varadero Matanzas. Tel: (53) (5) 668181. Manager:
Leonardo Delgado Ningorro.

*Casa del Habano, Calle 63 E/1RA y 3Ra, Varadero, Matanzas. Tel: (53)
(5) 66 7843. Mnanager: Humberto Santamaia.

*These (marked *) are authorized to sell in a month up to US$ 25,000
per tourist. Of course the official customs invoice of the shop is
necessary for the buyer to take out these cigars from the country.
 
 
-=clouseau=-

Good morning all. This is Roger at Kingston Airport....Cuba bound!
Not got time to fully communicate, or check anything out. Will do all
that when I check into my hotel in Havana later on this afternoon or
tonight. Thanks to tehuti-ga for your helpful comments and a special
thankyou and hello to you clouseau. It seems like between the two of
you most points have been covered.
I will work out a fair assessment of things in due course. For now I
will close off the original question. Clouseau (my dear friend if I
may call you that) I do feel you are my friend. Please evaluate the
info for me and guide me as to how best to ask a special question to
you and perhaps you (tehuti)as well.
So that I can rate and tip appropriately. For now I will close off the
orignial question (somebody had it locked and now it is open...please
explain clouseau)
I hate the idea of someone (a ga) doing a lot of research on my behalf
and not getting anything in return. Your guidance will be appreciate
clouseau. Bye for now from Roger (in the "1st Class" Lounge Kingston
Airport). Not a drop of Aussie chardoney in site! (first class they
call it ..ha ha).