Quote Originally Posted by Jolly_WhiteGiant View Post
Well this sets the path for a lot of other brands. Interesting to see what happens after this!
Quote Originally Posted by Ropey View Post
Rather huge implications for all expatriate Cuban brands.

Could cost the big NC cigar companies hundreds of $millions.
Not necessarily. IANAL, but Cohiba is different than the other brands in that it was started by the Cubans post-revolution. General can't show any chain of custody going back to the original owners of the Cohiba brand like it can with Partagas, Punch, HDM, Bolivar, etc. Of course this ruling gives Cuba and HSA the green light to go after these other trademarks in US court. But I'd think General has a little more legal standing in those cases. After all, the General brands were at one time owned by the original trademark owners, who had their brands taken by the Cuban government when they nationalized the tobacco industry.