Help With Robert McConnell's Pure Caribe

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samanden

Starting to Get Obsessed
Jun 11, 2013
247
48
Alexandria, VA
I've seaeched on-line and haven't had much luck, so at the risk of soliciting responses from members who are vehemently opposed to the idea of putting cigar tobacco anywhere near a pipe, I'd like to hear some opinions as to what I should do with Pure Caribe, a tin of cigar leaf used for blending. Has anyone tried it? If so, what did you blend it with? If not, any creative suggestions? I'm not a cigar smoker, so I believe my naiveté will, in fact, be an advantage. Just to throw another log on the fire, I plan to smoke this blend in my Morgan Briar Cigar ;)
http://www.morganpipes.com/the-briar-cigar.html#.Uij5t6a9LCQ
Thanks,

Sam

 

papipeguy

Lifer
Jul 31, 2010
15,778
35
Bethlehem, Pa.
I've smoked blends with cigar leaf in them and enjoy them. I smoke a box of Camaco Corojo's a week. I usually smoke them in a cob since I don't want to affect my other pipes. I also feel that these blends are perfect for cobs. Go for it; it's all about gaining knowledge.

 
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blendtobac

Lifer
Oct 16, 2009
1,237
213
I use cigar leaf in a number of the H&H blends. What it does is to add a creaminess, richer mouth feel and ups the strength of a blend. I like it added to both VaPers and Latakia blends. It also work well with Virginia/Oriental mixtures.
Russ

 
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piperl12

Part of the Furniture Now
Apr 7, 2012
970
4
If Robert McConnell Pure Caribe is still made using pure Havana (Cuban) tobacco, it can't be sold in the USA and it's also illegal to possess it. Just sayin'
I fail to see how this comment even in jest has any bearing on the original post by the OP. Do we not get enough grief from the anti's that we do not have to through jabs like this at one another? Soon our whole hobby will be illegal and i highly doubt many of us will give up our pipes. I know for damb sure I won't. Laws are made by self serving politicians that want to control every aspect of our lives. As to the original post i applaude your creative spirit!

 

pipestud

Lifer
Dec 6, 2012
2,010
1,749
Robinson, TX.
Robert McConnell's reported three separate blends using Cuban leaf are their 100% Cuban, 100% Havana and their Caribe blend, which also consists of Cuban leaf. I have several pipe smoking friends who indicate all three are the same blend. I do not know if this is true or not.
The above blend(s) are not sold in the USA due to the Cuban embargo. Roth was certainly correct in his statement above and his post absolutely has bearing on samanden's query. If McConnell's Caribe does indeed contain tobacco that originated in Cuba, and if the OP lives in the USA, owns a tin and has it in his possession, then he is in possession of contraband. And Piperl12, Roth simply let him know that fact in a nice way. He threw no jabs at anyone or made his post in jest. I read Roth's post and thought he was just trying to be helpful. I know I don't want to waste my time searching the Internet in the hopes of purchasing something that I won't find because it is illegal for me to own.
Best,
Pipestud

 

samanden

Starting to Get Obsessed
Jun 11, 2013
247
48
Alexandria, VA
Although I am aware of the embargo, I didn't know that my acquiring Pure Carib was somehow illegal. And I don't say this to push back against anything that has been relayed to me. In fact, I consider this a valuable exchange. However, I assume the change from Pure Havana to Pure Caribe wasn't superficial. Although I haven't found much information on this blend, what I have found suggests that the composition of this tobacco has indeed changed along with its name. Furthermore, I purchased my tins in the US and the transaction in no way felt clandestine. I can't imagine these business owners would be willing to risk their livelihood for a $10 tin of tobacco, one which isn't terribly popular within our small community. And if, by chance, the name change has somehow helped this tobacco to fly under the radar, more power to us! Why should the big shot cigar smokers have all the fun?

 

pipestud

Lifer
Dec 6, 2012
2,010
1,749
Robinson, TX.
Howdy samanden, the following is all I found on tobaccoreviews.com -
Pure 100% Cuba

Brand: Robert McConnell

Tin Description: 100% pure cuban tobacco. [Tin itself does not provide any longer description].

Curing Group: Air Cured

Contents:

Cigar Leaf

Cut: Coarse Cut

Packaging: 50 gr tin
Pure Havana

Brand: Robert McConnell

Blender: C.B. Møller & Co. A/S

Tin Description: The forbidden vegetable! A small amount powers up an ordinary mixture.

Country of Origin: DE

Curing Group: Air Cured

Contents:

Cigar Leaf

Cut: Ribbon

Packaging: 50g Tin
Pure Caribe

Brand: Robert McConnell

Blender: Robert McConnell

Tin Description: Cigar leaf from the Caribbean to enhance any blend.

Country of Origin: Germany

Curing Group: Air Cured

Contents:

Cigar Leaf

Cut: Coarse Cut

Packaging: tin
All I know is that Cuba is in the Caribbean. But then, so are a few other countries that produce cigar leaf. Just smoke it, enjoy it, and don't answer the doorbell. :wink:
Best,
Pipestud

 
May 31, 2012
4,295
34
Robert McConnell's reported three separate blends using Cuban leaf are their 100% Cuban, 100% Havana and their Caribe blend, which also consists of Cuban leaf. I have several pipe smoking friends who indicate all three are the same blend. I do not know if this is true or not.
The above blend(s) are not sold in the USA due to the Cuban embargo. Roth was certainly correct in his statement above and his post absolutely has bearing on samanden's query. If McConnell's Caribe does indeed contain tobacco that originated in Cuba, and if the OP lives in the USA, owns a tin and has it in his possession, then he is in possession of contraband. And Piperl12, Roth simply let him know that fact in a nice way. He threw no jabs at anyone or made his post in jest. I read Roth's post and thought he was just trying to be helpful. I know I don't want to waste my time searching the Internet in the hopes of purchasing something that I won't find because it is illegal for me to own.
Best,
Pipestud
Great post Pipestud, many thanks for this clarification, as well as pointing out Roth's helpful intentions, I had no idea that if I had a tin of McConnell's Cuban that it'd be illegal contraband, are these archaic laws still enforced? Do they actually prosecute people for having Cuban bacca? I read something about when Kennedy imposed the embargo in the first place, before it was law, didn't he himself obtain a whole bunch of Cuban cigars?!?!? Typical politician shit.
I've actually considered getting some of the stuff from Germany, because I've been wanting to try their Kentucky and Burley offerings from the "pure tobacco" line...maybe the shop wouldn't send it and tell me it's unavailable in my country?
http://www.cigarworld.de/en/pfeifentabak/pfeifentabak/robert-mcconnell-pfeifentabak-90003858
I noticed that SmokingPipes has recently began offering the McConnell's Pure Virginia, maybe the Kentucky and Burley are on the way too!

I can only hope.
As to the OP's original question, I've smoked a good bit of Pure Caribe. I even enjoy it all by itself, it's pretty damn good, very satisfying and full, although it tends to burn quickly due to its shagginess. It's not exactly a super-strong cigar flavor, I mean the cigar flavor is there, but its not too overwhelming, it has a slight nuttiness as well. It can be added to limp-wristed blends to add backbone without greatly altering the profile too much, one must experiment with the percentages added until one gets it just right for personal preference.
Robt. McConnell (are they made by K&K?) makes some of my fave bacca blends, and I'm really glad they offer these quality straight "pure" versions for all of us to play with.

 

papipeguy

Lifer
Jul 31, 2010
15,778
35
Bethlehem, Pa.
From what I've read this blend Does Not contain Cuban tobacco- hence its name. I don't know which cigar leaf they use so it could be Cuban seed but not from the forbidden isle.

For anyone who cares, there are legal Cuban cigars available in the USA from Pinar. They are made from pre-embago Cuban tobacco that was brought here in 1959 and discovered in Florida a few years ago. It's a very interesting story and true.

 

blendtobac

Lifer
Oct 16, 2009
1,237
213
We've been selling McConnell's Pure Caribe for many years and were assured by the distributor that the product is legal to sell in the US. Of course, it would be next to impossible to determine the source of the leaf without very thorough analysis, but I doubt that a company would risk importing contraband for a relatively inexpensive and low-volume product.
Russ

 
Dec 24, 2012
7,195
456
Sounds like they need to update the laws. I have been to Cuba a half dozen times and quite enjoy it. Oh sure, there are communists there, but you can found those louts anywhere.

 

papipeguy

Lifer
Jul 31, 2010
15,778
35
Bethlehem, Pa.
Our country needs to get it's head out it's ass and normalize relations with Cuba. They're 90 miles away from us and it's time. We're getting their baseball players and now it's time we got their cigars too.

 
Dec 24, 2012
7,195
456
Well, when I was a cigar guy, I used to go with the wife and another couple (who weren't smokers). Each of us could bring back 50 cigars, so I would head to the Partagas factor and bring back 200 Cubanos every trip. I can't tell you how uch fun it was to visit the famed cigar factories and chat to the folks who were working there. I have a huge soft spot in my heart for the Cuban people as a result of my visits.

 
I have had a bowl of it, well half a bowl... I mean I started smoking it and dumped the rest out. A guy at The Briary loves this stuff, and Skip keeps it in bulk for him. So, when I was digging around in the bulks, sampling everything, one Saturday, I gave this one a whirl. It is not reported to be super strong, but lets just say that after the initial light, I immediately started getting green feeling and woozy. I then had to run directly to the bathroom while my body wanted to evacuate all holdings.
I do enjoy strong cigars, so the taste of this one wasn't overwhelming. It was "rough" though. The guy who smokes this regularly at The Briary has a voice like a 80 year old blues singer, smooth as broken glass. The room note when he smokes it is also repulsive. Like a stale extinguished cigar found in the yard after a rainstorm. I didn't find any redeeming qualities in this one.
I much prefer one of McClelland's cigar blends or GLP's Key Largo. But, I prefer the cigar leaf used as a condiment outside of trying to impersonate a cigar in the pipe. I see it for what it is, a nic boost and flavor creamer. But, this one is more like it is trying to be something that it can't be. I will never try it again, as I am sure that my body would react from the memory and have me running for the border again.
I would also suggest Five Brothers or Semois or Dark Birdseye to someone who wants something similar to the way a cigar tastes, without being exactly like a cigar. The above mentioned cigar blends (McC and GLP's) are just great smokes, with a blended flavor profile unto their own while maintaining pipey-ness.

YMMV

:puffy:

 

danhester

Starting to Get Obsessed
Jan 17, 2016
249
1
My understanding of the embargo is that it's not actually illegal to possess Cuban goods. It is illegal to purchase ans import them without permission from the Treasury Dept., and it's illegal to sell them, but having a couple of Montecristos in your humidor isn't criminal itself. I could be wrong, and caveat emptor.
These laws are relics of the past, and they're going away very soon. For too long, a small minority of anti-Castro hardliners have held our foreign policy hostage. Not to excuse some of that regime's abuses and shortcomings, but When you consider some of the heinous regimes we do business with daily, the hypocrisy is easy to see. I know I'm not supposed to talk politics here, but I am glad to see the government thawing relations with our neighbors to the South. Having visited Cuba myself, I can assure you that the Cuban people are kind, well-educated, and want to be friends with the American people. I don't believe we solve problems by cutting ourselves off from people we disagree with. Certainly not people who are mad about baseball, tobacco, rum, music and art. :wink:

 

andrew

Lifer
Feb 13, 2013
3,042
400
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Importing Cuban cigars
Can I import or bring Cuban cigars into the U.S. for personal use?
Persons authorized to travel to Cuba may purchase alcohol and tobacco products while in Cuba for personal consumption while there. Authorized travelers may return to the United States with up to $100 worth of alcohol or tobacco or a combination of both. Products acquired in Cuba may be in accompanied baggage, for personal use only.
Purchasing Cuban-origin cigars and/or Cuban-origin rum or other Cuban-origin alcohol over the internet or while in a third country (i.e. not Cuba) remains prohibited.
For more information about travel to Cuba, please see the Department of Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC).
Criminal penalties for violation of the Regulations range up to $1,000,000 in fines for corporations, $250,000 for individuals and up to 10 years in prison. Civil penalties of up to $65,000 per violation may be imposed by OFAC.

New policy, you can possess up to 100$ worth of cigars and alcohol from cuba. Unfortunately that sill won't get you many cigars even in cuba.

 

andrew

Lifer
Feb 13, 2013
3,042
400
Since major US outlets are selling it, the legality aspect is a non-issue.

Exactly, it's obviously not cuban leaf. It even states on the contents it's carribean as per pipestuds post. It sounds like the only one is the 100% cuban. It's kind of like C&D's habana daydream. Sure habana cuba, doesn't mean it's habana leaf.

http://smokersparadise.net/pouches_&_tins.htm Smokers paradise also has the McConnell pure Havana so obviously it's not cuban leaf or it wouldn't be for sale from an american company.

 
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