Quote History Originally Posted By trapsh00ter99:
I'd can this idea and only buy from a reputable vendor with a money back guarantee (even if confiscated).
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This. I just discovered the grey market websites that ship to the US, and there are quite a few that have money back guarantees. On Reddit, /r/cubancigars has a post in their sidebar about reputable grey market sites. Apparently takes like 6 weeks for them to confirm the confiscation and refund you, but you still don't have much actual risk apart from losing global entry.
Overall what others have posted is pretty much true though. Having your family send stuff individually doesn't have the money back guarantee if they get nicked in customs. And prices have gone nuts. And quality control isn't always 100% despite the prices you're paying.
Having tried my first CCs recently, and now finding those grey market sites, I'm still tempted to buy some of the more "affordable" options to have around for small personal special occasions. "Affordable" being like $10/stick for tiny H. Uppmann Half Coronas. But besides that, I'll stick to NC's for the vast bulk of my smoking, because high end NC's are every bit as satisfying, for similar or less money, and there's no worries about confiscation.