Light up a legal Cohiba while
Smokin' through the Caribbean
by Bob & Sandy Nesoff
The sun reflected beautifully across the deep blue Caribbean waters as our American Eagle turboprop banked gently and began its descent into Anguilla's Wallblake Airport. Only a few miles across the water the mountains of St. Martin contrasted sharply with the flat terrain of Anguilla and its pristine white beaches.
Within minutes we were on the ground and had cleared customs, a feat we hoped would happen on our return as we passed through U.S. Customs in Puerto Rico's San Juan airport.
The island landscape zipped by the taxi window until we pulled up in front of what looked as though it had been the palace of a Moroccan potentate. The Sonesta Beach Resort, formerly The Casablanca, stood out against the blue sky, seeming to beckon you in with promises of pampering and luxury. Its Moorish arches and inlaid screens spoke gently of Middle Eastern luxury.
The Sonesta, arguably the best hotel with the best restaurants on an island that could be called the "Gourmet Island," also has an added attraction for cigar smokers...legal Cuban cigars.
While the selection at the Sonesta Beach isn't as varied as it might be at a tobacco shop, there is a good range of Cubans banned in the United States. Partegas, Romeo y Julietta, and H. Upmann are among the brands available in the resort's boutique.
Cigar Stores, such as Le Club on St. Martin, offer
wide varieties of the world's finest cigars, including
a vast choice of Cuban brands.
We repressed the urge to buy one and light up right away and checked into our room first. The greenery of the resort muted the island humidity and as we entered our room, a wave of cool air drifted over us. Through the window we could see the French side of St. Martin and the low-slung buildings of Marigot Bay, looking like tiny white dots. Which of those dots were tobacco shops, we wondered? More than you could imagine, we later discovered.
The Sonesta, provides true luxury with a king-sized bed and more space in the
room than most other hotels and resorts. After a leisurely dinner at its Restaurant ICI, we sat back and relaxed by the Casablanca Bar, just off the pool.
Here was the closest thing to heaven with a good Cuban cigar as we lit up and watched the white puffs of smoke, like tiny clouds, drift toward the pool, across the star-covered night sky.
We've heard from many people that the lure of Cuban cigars has grown only because they can't be legally purchased in the United States. That really isn't the case and the fine tradition of Cuban tobacco and hand rollers can easily stand on its own.
There are many imitations of the top Cuban brands, such as Cohiba, and the difference will become immediately apparent to the seasoned smoker. But many a person who would like you to believe that he is a cigar connoisseur, will review Cubans for you, giving them poor ratings to show how experienced he is. These people really don't have a clue.
That is not to say that other cigars aren't excellent as well, but don't compare a Mercedes to a Chevy.
After sometime at the Sonesta to relax and recharge our batteries, we decided to take the ferry to St. Martin andjust wander for the day. It was like landing in cigar heaven. There are cigar shops with major size walk-in humidors on almost every street corner and hand rollers busy at work in the windows.
Prices on the Cubans were less expensive than you could imagine, but did vary considerably from store to store. The bottom line here is 'shop around' before you make purchases.
Of course you also have to remember that bringing any Cuban product back into the United States is still banned and illegal. Any of these products caught by U.S. Customs will be confiscated on the spot and the bearer stands a chance of being fined as well.
In reality, there rarely is a fine for the average person. Someone caught bringing in large amounts of these products will get socked by Customs; make no mistake about that. But they really aren't looking for the person who is carrying a handful of such cigars or a bottle or two of rum. If you get caught, you've lost the gamble.
The average person will go through customs without slowing down. But there are automatic spot checks where they will make a thorough search. In addition, if you fit a profile and act suspiciously, you're caught.
We made some purchases on St. Martin as well as at the Sonesta. Some of our cigars were smoked on the island. The others we simply won't discuss.
For a vacation that'll combine your love of good cigars with great food, Anguilla can't be topped. We dined at the Sonesta's Casablanca and Restaurant ICI and then sampled several ofthe island's other top restaurants. Among those to be recommended for fantastic island fare as well as continental cuisine are the historic Koal Keel with its own ample selection of Cuban cigars, the Straw Hat, built over the water, for romantic dining and Hibernia overlooking the cool waters, for lunch or dinner.
American Airlines has a comprehensive flight schedule to Puerto Rico from a number of mainland gateways with a transfer to American Eagle for the final leg to Anguilla.
From Newark Airport, the regional Kiwi International Airlines also flies into San Juan where you can make the transfer.
TRAVEL NOTE: Metro Cigar News, is in talks with a cruise line to plan a Spring cigar cruise through a number of Caribbean islands aboard a luxury sailing ship. Plans are also in works for the cruise for a side trip to "an island" famous for its cigars that can not be purchased in United States. This promises to be the trip of a life time for the cigarkmoker. If you are interested and would like to be kept up to date as the plans for the trip progress, drop us a note or email us.
