Post #133314 by martiki on Thu, Dec 30, 2004 9:34 AM

Don't worry about buying Cuban Rum in Mexico. The bottles should be sealed and stamped with Cuba's export sticker. I've never seen it looking dodgy down there. I brought several bottles back from Mexico and one from the UK with no trouble. I also blind taste-tested the UK and Mexico Havana Club 7 yr to double check and they were identical. (Unless the UK stuff was also a forgery, but I HIGHLY doubt that, especially since I bought it at Fortnum & Mason.)

Buying Cuban cigars in Mexico is a whole other story. Lots of fakes out there. Go to a reputable looking store. They're not that cheap, but it's worth it. When I bring Cuban cigars back to the US, I simply remove all the packaging and labels and put them in a ziplock bag, with a mini humidifier. When I was searched at Customs and they found the bag, I just said they were from the Dominican Republic. What the fuck do they know? It's not like they're going to take one out, sniff it, and say, "Ahhh..this comes from the south end of the Vuelta Abajo. You're busted!"