Puerto Rico - to cigar, or not to cigar, that is the question

[orangedog]

A friend is heading to San Juan, Puerto Rico, for two days. Staying at the Ritz but should be heading into Old San Juan for dinner.

I remember a BOTL had asked about a particular custom roll in Puerto Rico, see thread here:
http://www.botl.org/community/forums/showthread.php/64366-Anyone-know-where-to-get-these-sticks?highlight=puerto+rico

Also, Nickerson had mentioned the Abram Harris, see thread here:
http://www.botl.org/community/forums/showthread.php/59286-Some-new-cigars-to-try?highlight=puerto+rico

Mention of Don Collins (although mixed reviews on Yelp), see thread here:
http://www.botl.org/community/forums/showthread.php/63728-Puerto-Rico?highlight=puerto+rico

So the question to the community... any particular cigar shop to hit up? Don Collins? The Cigar House?

Any spot with good custom rolls, maybe using PR tobacco (is there such a thing?) or a mix with Dominican tobacco?

Anything that can't be passed up that can be muled back?

Any issues with muling back since it is a US territory (declarations)?

For smoking on-site, better to rely on buying something there, or remember to pack?

Thanks! :thumbsup:

 

[BxCigrfan]

I was just in PR in jan visiting my parents and went to Old San Juan on a cigar journey of sorts and the only place that i found to be decent quality hand rolled was Don Collins. The Cigar House is beautiful and luxurious but its more of a cigar store with bar. They did not have any house blend that i saw or Puerto Rico grown blend but they did have quality sticks like Padron, Pepin, Litto and a full bar but when i asked they said you can only smoke sticks purchased there not your own.
Don Collins was real nice, when i walked in the young lady greeted me asked my preferences and even gave me a free smoke to try out. I chose the short filler smokes that were finished in rum cask. They did not taste like flavored cigars but you could taste the sweet from the rum. for the most part i brought my own sticks and just smoked at the bars that allowed it.

 

[Cigary43]

Travel down in that part of the world and Caribbean tends to want to separate the tourists from their wallets. Your best deals for cigars are around you in terms of Online and B&M's....while I admit to buying cigars in Nassau or in the VI's or PR my favorite spots are my relationships with current Vendors I know. Buying CC's in the Caribbean is pretty much like stepping on a fake scale and having your wallet weighed and then buying glass humidors filled with Cohibas. There are some great cigar bars but as you'd expect...they come with a price and if you have the coin to throw around then you're good to go.