Attention smokers: three new cigars from Cuba

February 21, 1998
Web posted at: 11:04 p.m. EST (0404 GMT)

From Correspondent John Zarrella

HAVANA (CNN) -- Cuba's state-run cigar company brought in $310,000 on Saturday with a lavish introduction of three new cigar brands.

The company threw a capitalist-style party in a smoke-filled ballroom to bring the three brands to the market. The main event included the auctioning of five hand-carved, cigar-filled humidors signed by Cuban President Fidel Castro.

One box was sold to a U.S. businessman for $25,000. The purchase violated the U.S. law that prohibits spending money in Cuba as part of an economic embargo against the communist island nation.

"Perhaps being here and purchasing it is my own little statement against the embargo," said businessman Gary Artz.

Heavy Smokers 1 min. 58 sec VXtreme video

The event was attended by 600 people who paid $400 a seat. The Cuban government planned the event as part of an effort to re-establish Cuba as the world's premier cigar maker.

Cuba has recently become embroiled in disputes over who owns the trademark to some of its most famous cigars, like the Cohiba. With these new brands, the government can claim undisputed ownership.

"Cuban cigars are still the best and they still are considered the best so it doesn't matter who really produces anything else," said Pamela Falk, a Cuban expert at the City University of New York. "By doing these new brands, by makes these new brands, they're just cornering a bigger piece of the market."

Cuba hopes that market will one day include the United States, a country that has always had money to burn when it comes to tobacco.

Related sites:

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• Internet Cigar Group
• Stogie Central

External sites are not endorsed by CNN Interactive.

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