Top Cigar is located on Calle Ocho in Little Havana. I decided to drop in and poke around to see what they had. Upon entering I was welcomed by the sweet, comforting sound of dominos being stirred in preparation for a new game (hechandole agua). A thin man, who was a domino player, kindly greeted me.
The store was small, as they as they tend to be in Little Havana. Catching my eye were several boxes that each hold 256 cigars. The boxes had a refreshingly crude etching of "Hecho por manos cubanas", which means that they were rolled by Cuban hands, presumably Miami Cubans who work for Top Cigar. Glancing around it appeared that the cigars tended to be a bit pricey if purchased individually, but then I saw many bundles of 25 neatly organized on shelves. The cordial man told me that the bundles cost $100 each but that he would sell them to me at $80 if I told him that I worked for the City. I told him that I worked for the City (didn't he recognize me, the Mayor?). The bundled cigars were Churchill length with a simple label stating "Edicion Limitada" (Limited Edition). I decided to purchase 2 singles just to check them out. The man told me that they were $10 each but he would sell them to me for $6 because I worked for the City. (20% discount, 40% discount.....who's counting?) I took a liking to the large cigar boxes and asked if they were for sale. The guy called the owner and handed me the phone. The owner said they were not for sale because the name of the cigar company is inscribed. Huh??????
Two days later, I decided to take a Edicion Limitada with me for a quick weekend trip to Tampa. Thank goodness I packed three other cigars because the Edicion Limitada is a horrific cigar. First, it was rather dry; second, the construction was so lousy that you would think they were rolled by Cuban feet; and, third, the taste was unpleasant. This is really a crappy cigar and one can only hope that the cigar lives true to its label and is a VERY LIMITED EDITION.
To complete the ripping of Top Cigar, I'm convinced that the domino players were also a bunch of botagordas who know less about dominos than they know about cigars. Good grief.
CS Rating 0.5
El Alcalde
LMAO!!!
ReplyDeleteCuban feet!!! Too much!!!! I will beware cigar stores in which you find "so said" Cubans playing dominos on calle ocho!
Gmtarondor
The Alcalde's review appears to be unfair for 3 reasons:
ReplyDelete1. Maybe they use the boxes to make the cigars;
2. Maybe they make the cigars while they're playing dominoes; or
3. Um...er...I forgot the third reason--Oops! Oh yeah, maybe they use the Dept. Of Energy to make the cigars.--Mamey
Mamey:
ReplyDelete1. The boxes may have tasted equally bad but without raised expectations
2. Yes, play dominos with hands while rolling cigars with feet
3. I suspect that these fake cigar dudes are, in all candor, "invented people"