You Can Now Bring Home as Much Cuban Rum as Your Heart Desires

Since President Obama began taking executive action to break down the restrictions on trade with and travel to Cuba in late 2014, cigar and rum aficionados have been licking their lips at the prospect of legally buying real-deal Cubans right here in the US. But despite the easing of Cold War tensions, until now, American have only been able to bring back home $100 worth of Cuban booze and smokes from abroad.

Now change is in the winds: Obama just removed the limits on the amount of rum and cigars US citizens can bring into the country from Cuba and other nations that have normal trade relations with the country. And we may be getting closer to being able to stock up right here in America.

The new directive is good news for rum fans traveling abroad, but Cuban rum producers are excited that there may be an even bigger reason to celebrate in the not too distant future. Reuters reports that Pernod Ricard, maker of real-deal Havana Club rum (not to be confused with Bacardi's ersatz substitute produced in Puerto Rico and available in America), is celebrating the directive and hopes that opening the US market up to trade with Cuba isn't far off.

"The changes do not allow for the commercial importation of Cuban rum or cigars, just yet," a Jefferies investment analyst said in a note on the announcement, according to Reuters. But with the prospect in the cards, Pernod Ricard believes it could grow sales of Havana Club from the current 50 million bottles to 70 million bottles globally.

Easing of trade could also result in smaller-batch Cuban rums making their way to US shores. Of course, there is plenty of opposition to normalizing sanctions with the communist country.

But no matter how you feel on the whole idea of ending the decades-long embargo, you've got to admit: Cigars and rum are good ways to get the conversation started.