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Procuring Havana Club |
mahalomo
Tiki Centralite
Joined: Feb 10, 2005
Posts: 70
From: SD, CA
|  Posted: 2005-07-27 3:26 pm Permalink
I did a search and saw some posts on how to get the Club over the borders, but didn't find anything specific about procuring it without traveling. I got me a bottle on a cruise recently but used it quite quickly. I'm hooked. I saw some on ebay, but I'd like some advice as to how to get some Havana club otherwise.
Any suggestions would be appreciated.
Mahalo
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captnkirk
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Nov 06, 2002
Posts: 322
From: Hockessin, Delaware
| Posted: 2005-07-29 7:01 pm Permalink
I have never ordered Cuban rum so I can't give you names or links. There are lots of internet liquor stores located outside the USA which will ship to the USA. Ask around, I am sure that if you try hard you can find one that will send you whatever rum you want. Just be prepared to pay $20 a bottle to have it shipped.
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christiki295
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Apr 09, 2003
Posts: 3746
From: LA-2547 mls east Hawaii &5500 Easter Is
| Posted: 2005-08-08 6:39 pm Permalink
Cuban cigars are available the same way.
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Rum Numb Davey
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Jul 17, 2005
Posts: 204
From: Phoenix, AZ
| Posted: 2005-08-12 12:16 am Permalink
This from a thread we have been running on thrifty drunks.
For the TCers who wish to stock up on Havana Club, all it takes as a jaunt to Mexico. I can buy (not cheap) Havana Club "Silver Dry", Havana Club Anejo 3 anos gold, and sometimes the 5 anos at Canada Drugstore in Hermasillo in Sonora. I am sure for you West Texans, New Mexicans, and Californians you will be able to score Havana Club in TJ in Baja and Juarez (south of El Paso). Note: Havana Club is contraband and will be seized by cutoms and border patrol! If you are randomly checked, and you did not amnesty drop or declare..you WILL be cited. Once you have tripped that wire, EVERY time you travel abroad YOU will be singled out for searches and harassed. I have never been caught (knock on my head) BUT this is the facts. For you North Country TCers, Canada is awash with overpriced Cuban Rum and Cigars. I do order (at a premium - Absinthe, and Cuban cigars on International mail ordersites), and have not had a problem, but dig deep in your wallet. You have no financial recovery recourse, if postal inspectors or customs seizes your Havana Club, but it is rare that they will.
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Before the Revolution, the per capita consumption of RUM in the Colonies was 3.7 gallons PER person. We have become a Neo-temperant nation of wimps and quitters! We must rise, Tiki Nation, and raise our ceramic mugs in resistance to teatotaling!
[ This Message was edited by: Rum Numb Davey 2005-08-12 00:18 ]
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whinylittlerunt
Tiki Centralite
Joined: May 31, 2007
Posts: 21 | Posted: 2007-05-31 08:39 am Permalink
Quote:
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On 2005-08-12 00:16, Rum Numb Davey wrote:
I do order (at a premium - Absinthe, and Cuban cigars on International mail ordersites), and have not had a problem, but dig deep in your wallet. You have no financial recovery recourse, if postal inspectors or customs seizes your Havana Club, but it is rare that they will. |
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Would this be the German company "Absinthe" that does worldwide shipping? I just sent them an email to see if they would ship to the US but I guess based on their shipping guidelines they do. Is it reliable and have you had any problems getting your Havana Club?
Premium or not, at least it's a way to get some Havana CLub into my stock.
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Mai Tai
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Mar 21, 2004
Posts: 1431
From: Exotic Isle of Alameda
| Posted: 2007-05-31 12:03 pm Permalink
The mail order route is definitely a viable route. But make sure you use a company that insures and guarantees delivery. If the shipment gets seized by U.S. Customs, then U.S. Customs has to send a letter to the shipper in the foreign country stating that they seized and destroyed the goods being shipped, and what specifically those goods were. Upon the receipt of this letter, the shipper will simply send out another shipment of goods - no skin off their nose, because the shipment was insured. They could theoretically do this an unlimited amount of times, because the shipment is insured. But there are less shipments seized than you'd think - maybe about two or three per shipping company per year. So yeah, make sure that you use a company with a good reputation that uses insurance.
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 "It's Mai Tai. It's out of this world." - Victor Jules Bergeron Jr.
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tikiskip
Grand Member (8 years) 
Joined: Nov 26, 2005
Posts: 2583 | Posted: 2007-05-31 10:07 pm Permalink
You can get Havana Club to your door here http://www.extreme-trading-shop.com/
It will take a while 26 days to Ohio.
And they are not cheap. But at least you know they will not rip you off.
About $50.00 per 750ml bottle to you door.
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whinylittlerunt
Tiki Centralite
Joined: May 31, 2007
Posts: 21 | Posted: 2007-06-01 04:45 am Permalink
Well I went ahead and placed an order with Absinthe, only because Extreme had all these server problems. The guy e-mailed me back and basically told me I can order but at my own risk, so I don't think they insure the package against a seisure at customs...
Whichever, I know I'm risking a few hundred dollars but it could be worse. Their disclaimer is pretty wild too; it basically says 'we'll ship to the USA but you people know damn well it's all contraband so if you never get it, don't look at us!'
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whinylittlerunt
Tiki Centralite
Joined: May 31, 2007
Posts: 21 | Posted: 2007-06-02 1:43 pm Permalink
Well, no go from Absinthe - they don't like credit cards "temporarily". They want a wire transfer from bank to bank but I don't want to bother. Sounds like an awful lot of pain in the neck to go through. If anyone knows any other reliable places to get some HC, I'm all ears. Thanks
~M
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arriano
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Jun 13, 2006
Posts: 1212
From: Dog Patch - San Diego
| Posted: 2007-08-15 08:48 am Permalink
Just an FYI --
I was in Tijuana this past weekend. On the main drag, Revolucion, there is a supermarket called Gigante. I've purchased Havana Club here in the past. Although I didn't purchase any on this trip, I noted they had the following:
- Anejo Blanco
- Anejo Especial
- Anejo Reserva
- Anejo 7 Anos
They ranged in price (U.S.) from about $9 to about $24.
Gigante had Matusalem rum from Cuba as well.
Best of all, they had a woman providing free samples of Havana Club the day I was there.
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bb moondog
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Apr 18, 2006
Posts: 489
From: Gilbert AZ
| Posted: 2007-08-15 08:50 am Permalink
DEVILS ADVOCATE QUESTION....
what was the Border Security like? Could you have easily smuggling some across or is it strictly TABOO?
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arriano
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Jun 13, 2006
Posts: 1212
From: Dog Patch - San Diego
| Posted: 2007-08-16 09:18 am Permalink
Quote:
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On 2007-08-15 08:50, bb moondog wrote:
DEVILS ADVOCATE QUESTION....
what was the Border Security like? Could you have easily smuggling some across or is it strictly TABOO?
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My experience has been that they're worried about a lot more important things than rum: Terrorists, weapons, drugs, illegal aliens, etc. But it's always a potential problem.
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"I am Lono!" -- Hale Ka'a Tiki Lounge
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Tikiwahine
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Apr 09, 2003
Posts: 3288
From: Ontario, Canada
| Posted: 2007-08-16 1:19 pm Permalink
I called US customs to inquire whether or not it was kosher to bring a bottle down as a gift, they said 'NO! All Kuban products are illegal to bring across the border.'
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croe67
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Jan 05, 2003
Posts: 1054
From: Land of Cheese & Beer
| Posted: 2007-08-16 3:21 pm Permalink
Quote:
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On 2007-08-16 09:18, arriano wrote:
Quote:
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On 2007-08-15 08:50, bb moondog wrote:
DEVILS ADVOCATE QUESTION....
what was the Border Security like? Could you have easily smuggling some across or is it strictly TABOO?
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My experience has been that they're worried about a lot more important things than rum: Terrorists, weapons, drugs, illegal aliens, etc. But it's always a potential problem.
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YEP!! Just came back with a bunch of Havana Club today - no problemo!!!!
Arriano - thanks for the tip on the supermarket 
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whinylittlerunt
Tiki Centralite
Joined: May 31, 2007
Posts: 21 | Posted: 2007-08-19 07:49 am Permalink
Ok -
I went to Canada last month and while vacationing, I purchased 3 bottles of HC. I was so worried they'd find it at customs, so I smuggled it. And when he made me pop my trunk on the way back, I figured I was done - but he never found it and let me go.
Here's where I messed up - (I didn't want to give too much detail on this but) I arranged the bottles so they'd fit in the spare tire. I was really chancing that because if he decided to go a little further and pull up the mat in the trunk, he would have found what I was hiding. Fortunately, he just did a quick breeze through the suitcases and my laptop bag. He NEVER searched my bags INSIDE the car, which means I would have been better off just sticking my bottles into the duty free bags because he just asked if it was duty free stuff in there and I simply just said "yeah". But I guess all experiences can be different. It doesn't seem like anyone has been caught yet with it, though (??)
But for safety, go the eBay route. I try to find sellers who have HC available that are already in the states so I know it's being shipped within the US. You will pay a little more, but I've worked my collection up to 10 bottles since July.
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