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legal cuban rum!!! |
defaultet
Tiki Centralite
Joined: Nov 28, 2006
Posts: 23
From: California
|  Posted: 2007-04-09 8:43 pm Permalink
Hi,
Just came back from a weekend trip to Vancouver, B.C. I've brought back Cuban rum before without incident. This time I wasn't really planning on bringing any back. I like rum and all but it's not really worth the trouble (and the possibility of getting caught).
But I was in the duty free store just across the border, and they were selling it there!! They just had one item, a 750 ml bottle of Havana Club Anejo Reserva. It has the exact same type of packaging and the official government seal as the other brands of Havana Club. I know there's been talk of Bacardi marketing this stuff, but there is nothing to indicate this has anything to do with Bacardi.
Anyway, just to make sure I was on the right side of the law, I asked. The employee replied that everything in the duty-free store is legal. So I don't know what this really means. Is all Havana Club rum now legal? Is it just the Anejo Reserva in this particular size? Anyway, for sure this particular brand and size is now legal. It was fairly expensive (but still affordable) so maybe the Cuban government is paying some extra taxes to get it on the market. That's all I can think of.
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alohacurrent
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Jun 16, 2006
Posts: 238
From: Sacramento
| Posted: 2007-04-09 9:19 pm Permalink
Wow, I didn't know it was possible to 'legally' bring Havana Club into the U.S. regardless. I hope it shows up outside of duty free shops.
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thomamas
Tiki Centralite
Joined: Apr 09, 2007
Posts: 54 | Posted: 2007-04-09 10:56 pm Permalink
Hello,
I recently ran across Tiki Central looking for rum drinks and inspiration for my porch/bar design project, so this is my first post here.
Anyhow, if there's a UPC bar code on your bottle, you might be able to check at http://www.upcdatabase.com to see if it's distributed by Bacardi or by Pernod Ricard. Or, post it here and I can try to track it down.
[ This Message was edited by: thomamas 2007-04-09 22:56 ]
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Scottes
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Feb 18, 2007
Posts: 490
From: A Little North Of Boston
| Posted: 2007-04-10 05:51 am Permalink
Bacardi's "Havana Club" bottle is frosted glass, and it quite clearly says "Puerto Rican Rum" on the label.
http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/www.luxist.com/media/2006/08/havanaclub.jpg
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arriano
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Jun 13, 2006
Posts: 1420
From: San Diego
| Posted: 2007-04-10 08:58 am Permalink
I would bet that the employee was uninformed. I don't know of a lifting of the ban on any Cuban products, be it rum, cigars or whatever. Now, I would also hazard to guess that the border patrol is a lot more concerned with other issues (drugs, terrorism, illegal aliens) than a bottle of Cuban rum. Still, buyer beware.
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DemeraraDrinker
Tiki Centralite
Joined: Mar 28, 2007
Posts: 92
From: Kansas City
| Posted: 2007-04-10 10:06 am Permalink
I have found employees in duty free shops say things that aren't true vis-a-vis crossing back into the U.S. with the booze. In Mexico, they tell you you can take 3-4 liters back when its 1 liter per person. They just want to sell you more stuff regardless of whether you can carry it across the border..
The Canadian might just be ignorant or he might just be pushing his product too hard.
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Liquor and Drink
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thejab
Grand Member (first year) 
Joined: Mar 25, 2002
Posts: 2987
From: Tradewinds Apartments, Alameda, CA
| Posted: 2007-04-10 10:24 am Permalink
With no way to bring liquids in your carry on bag in the U.S. (except for small amounts packed in a quart ziploc baggie), I don't see much opportunity for buying booze in duty free shops anymore. 
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Swanky
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Apr 03, 2002
Posts: 5273
From: Hapa Haole Hideaway, TN
| Posted: 2007-04-10 11:02 am Permalink
I have brought booze and cigars back from Mexico in my checked bags many times. And since 9/11 too when they went through every bag by hand. I was told that quantities for personal consumption are okay. Quantitites for resale, like a box of cigars, they may have a problem with. But, in the end, it is a Mexican checking my bag, and he does not care what the US says about rum. He's not the one who will stop me and no one else has ever even looked as far as I can tell.
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"Mai-Kai: History & Mystery of the Iconic Tiki Restaurant" the book
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DemeraraDrinker
Tiki Centralite
Joined: Mar 28, 2007
Posts: 92
From: Kansas City
| Posted: 2007-04-10 11:31 am Permalink
Quote:
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On 2007-04-10 10:24, thejab wrote:
With no way to bring liquids in your carry on bag in the U.S. (except for small amounts packed in a quart ziploc baggie), I don't see much opportunity for buying booze in duty free shops anymore.
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Just put it in your checked baggage. I do this all the time when I'm in another part of the country, I buy booze there that I can't get at home (like Pampero). I bring blue drywall tape to tape the screw caps or corks for an extra measure of security. Then I put the bottles in socks and try to get some clothes around them. You can also put them in a big ziplock if you're afraid they'll leak.
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velveteenlounge
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Feb 13, 2004
Posts: 324
From: Velveteen Lounge, NY
| Posted: 2007-04-10 12:26 pm Permalink
We've also carried lots of liquor in our checked luggage and (knock on wood) haven't had any breakage so far. Pack lots of clothing and/or bubble wrap (we come prepared) around it.
However, we just flew back from Mexico a couple of weeks ago and duty free purchases were allowed to be taken onto the flight. I'm not sure how it works other places, but in Mexico you made your purchases and they delivered all the duty free purchases to your flight as you were boarding. You picked them up as you went through security (since you had to go through security again as you were boarding).
Since they were delivered in clear plastic bags I would still be inclined to pack my Cuban rum in my checked luggage. It's also cheaper to buy it at a regular liquor store than a duty free (at least where we were).
[ This Message was edited by: velveteenlounge 2007-04-10 12:28 ]
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arriano
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Jun 13, 2006
Posts: 1420
From: San Diego
| Posted: 2007-04-10 4:42 pm Permalink
I've bought Havana Club at the Gigante grocery store on Revolucion in Tijuana. They have both Anejo Blanco and 7 Anos. I find liquor cheaper at the grocery store than at the liquor stores. I'm usually one of the few Americans in the place, even though it's right on the tourist strip.
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defaultet
Tiki Centralite
Joined: Nov 28, 2006
Posts: 23
From: California
| Posted: 2007-04-10 8:55 pm Permalink
Thanks for the replies, everyone. A couple items: I tried the UPC finder that someone posted. That didn't work, but it also didn't work for any of my other Havana Club bottles. It looks EXACTLY the same as my other bottles, so I have no reason to believe it is not legit. It looks nothing like the Bacardi Havana rum (which I never seen for sale)
As far as the duty-free store that is less than half a mile from the border, I would say that everything in the store is 100% legal. If anyone has any concrete experience with this, please speak up. But I would venture that everything for sale will always be legal because of regulation, taxes, etc. I think all of this would necessarily be coordinated between the two governments. Or else I give government way too much credit. But you don't see Cuban cigars or Absinthe for sale at the duty-free store (which you can buy easily in Canada)
But if they sell Havana Club at the Canadian duty-free store, wouldn't it stand to reason that they would have it at the U.S. duty-free store? Hmm, maybe I'll check it out next time. Anyway, legal or not (and I'm saying it's legal) I doubt anything's going to happen when they look at your rum and your receipt from the official store just down the street.
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defaultet
Tiki Centralite
Joined: Nov 28, 2006
Posts: 23
From: California
| Posted: 2007-04-10 9:12 pm Permalink
Well, maybe I spoke too soon. If you read the wording, maybe you're allowed 1 litre of Cuban rum if you're in Canada for more than 48 hours? Stupid.
"Personal Allowances for Americans Returning to the US after Less than 48 Hrs:
After a stay of less than 48 hours in Canada, a US citizen or resident may return to the US with:
* US$200 worth of goods per person, tax and duty free
* 150 ml (5 oz) alcohol and 10 cigars (non Cuban)
* Any purchases in excess of the US$200 allowance may be subject to duties and taxes.
* US citizens may buy these amounts daily.
Personal Allowances for Americans Returning to the US after More than 48 Hrs:
After a stay of 48 hours or more in Canada, a US citizen or resident may return to the US with:
* US$800 worth of goods per person, tax and duty free
* Purchases may include 1 liter of alcohol, 200 cigarettes (1 carton), and 100 cigars.
* Family members may combine their tax and duty allowances.
* Any purchases in excess of the US$800 allowance may be subject to duties and taxes.
* US citizens may buy these amounts once a month."
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Scottes
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Feb 18, 2007
Posts: 490
From: A Little North Of Boston
| Posted: 2007-04-11 06:20 am Permalink
defaultet, where did you get this info? I'd like to see if I can find the reverse - that is, can CA citizens coming into the US bring Cuban rum?
I guess my next trip to Montreal will be for at least 49 hours....
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arriano
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Jun 13, 2006
Posts: 1420
From: San Diego
| Posted: 2007-04-11 09:46 am Permalink
Well, I have to admit that although I've heard for years that it was illegal to bring back Cuban rum, I can find no mention of it on the US Customs web site. It specifically says that Cuban cigars are illegal to bring back, but no other Cuban items.
http://www.cbp.gov/xp/cgov/travel/alerts/cbp_reqs_mexico.xml
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