Questions from the floor.

[Smallclub]

Ask him his favorite pairing with a RASS

It's definitely not any kind of rum.

Mr Maique pairing of choice is Armagnac. Maique spend several years in France at the head of Coprova, the company that imports/distributes habanos here. He discovered Armagnac and is now a connaisseur and collector.

[kodebusan]

Hello,

personnally i'd like to know if Mr. Maique and some executive at Habanos S.A are aware they are killing the patrimony and legacy of cuban cigar and that they would go toward a standardization of their cigars, that would end (let's hope not) to a more common product?

For me it's like France would decide that all the champagne will look like crystal because that's what was selling the most, and kill Pol Roger, Ruinart, Dom Perignon etc...

Or stop Romanée-Conti because they sell less than La Tâche or kill Latour and Angelus because the king of wine (for the rich snobby) is Petrus (even though it is a superb wine)....

[Colt45]

Hello,

personnally i'd like to know if Mr. Maique and some executive at Habanos S.A are aware they are killing the patrimony and legacy of cuban cigar and that they would go toward a standardization of their cigars, that would end (let's hope not) to a more common product?

For me it's like France would decide that all the champagne will look like crystal because that's what was selling the most, and kill Pol Roger, Ruinart, Dom Perignon etc...

Or stop Romanée-Conti because they sell less than La Tâche or kill Latour and Angelus because the king of wine (for the rich snobby) is Petrus (even though it is a superb wine)....

I understand the first half of your question, but less the second. France does not have a government owned monopoly on the production of wine,

as the Cuban government has on the production of cigars. Personally, I think one of the problems with Cuban cigars is this lack of open competition.

[canadianbeaver]

" i'd like to know if Mr. Maique and some executive at Habanos S.A are aware they are killing the patrimony and legacy of cuban cigar and that they would go toward a standardization of their cigars, that would end (let's hope not) to a more common product? "

You ask a legitimate question and you write so intelligently. My issue with your point, and others, is asking someone like this "is he aware...?" This would be like asking Robin Hood if he was aware that his men steal from the rich and give to the poor?

So many of these questions are what my boss in the 1980's at a graphic design firm called BGO's:

Blinding Glimpse of the Obvious.

Beaver can be such a b*tch sometimes, sorry :-)

[Smallclub]

Hello,

personnally i'd like to know if Mr. Maique and some executive at Habanos S.A are aware they are killing the patrimony and legacy of cuban cigar and that they would go toward a standardization of their cigars, that would end (let's hope not) to a more common product?

Come on… it's like telling to the man "Hey, you are trying to make more profits with your products, aren't you ashamed?"

This has been discussed ad nauseam: in Cuba's situation, legacy and patrimony don't weigh heavily against the prospect of huge profits made with $35 Cohibas that sell like candies…

For me it's like France would decide that all the champagne will look like crystal because that's what was selling the most, and kill Pol Roger, Ruinart, Dom Perignon etc...

Now that's the most thoughless comparison one could make in this thread…

[android]

Rob, hope that your well...clearly HSA doesn't understand there customers or listen to their customers very well....couple of questions for me:

What does HSA think drives purchasing behavior of there customers?

Not so much the numbers of CC being sold in the US but does that affect any decision making within HSA?

[dangolf18]

1.) What is the next Gran Reserva in the pipeline.

2.) Are there any plans to release cigars with tobacco aged longer than the Gran Reservas (say perhaps 7-10 years)

3.) Also, please confirm deletions.

[CanuckSARTech]

I have a one on one dinner with Maique, VP of HSA when in Havana come late November.

What questions would you like me to ask from the floor/as lovers of Habanos.

Cheers

El Pres

Pres: "Maique, hermano! Como esta!!!"

Maique (gives big handshake and hug to Rob)

...then Rob notices the rest of the H S.A. executive on the other side of the room...

H S.A. Execs: "Tu puta pirata apestosa!!!"

Pres (to Execs): "You don't mind if I open this back door of the room to let some fresh air in, do you?"

...Rob opens up rear door...

...Canadian contingent drunkenly rushes in, stumbling over one another. Keith whips out the handcuffs, Frank, Marc, Connor and Enis tackles the Execs down to the ground, Simon farts on their heads while Keith gingerly applies the handcuffs with a mild dosing of ASP love, Art draws penis' on the Execs' foreheads with a Sharpie, etc., etc., etc.

Rob (to Maique): "There. Now we can talk like gentlemen, and have some common sense in the room."

What???!!?! One can dream, can't one?!?!!

Rob, you said you can post bail in Spanish, correct????!?!!!

[CanuckSARTech]

And Rob, while I understand your further post about this, about it being two friends sharing dinner and discussing business, I think it has to be more of a blend. Ray had some good posts on the matter honestly - angst or not, it needs to be shared. Not that it's Maique's fault/responsibility maybe, etc. But maybe he's best for it to be relayed to the rest of the company. People are pissed, and there's nary all of a response back from H S.A. Again, Ray had some good points.

Maybe it's time for the carrot-to-stick ratio to start changing???

My 2 cents, anywho.

[Colt45]

I think it has to be more of a blend.

Why? Imagine you were having dinner with a good friend who happened to have a position in a relatively major corperation - and you began to assault

him / her with questions they could never possibly answer? Great time had by all.

I'm actually a bit surprised RA trusted us enough to even broach the topic....

[CanuckSARTech]

If that friend was brave enough to take on that position, then I would think that conversation about all the pros and cons wouldn't be unreasonable.

If it's two friends having dinner, and it's just friends, no business, then so be it. But Rob asked about what our thoughts were as a community that we'd like to have passed along. So, business matters are part of the platter presumably. It can't all just be roses. H S.A. are making worse and worse decisions in the last few years and months, and it doesn't seem to be improving. The community as a whole is getting more and more disenchanted.

[maverickdrinker]

always a touchy subject.

I, too, wish they brought back the skinnies however, sales statistics don't lie. From a business perspective, HSA sales are up year over year due to REs, ELs, jar releases etc. and they are in partnership with a global corporation.

At the end of the day, it's about the bottom line. No one here would continue a business that was unprofitable or buy into a company that did not produce results.

[Colt45]

But Rob asked about what our thoughts were as a community that we'd like to have passed along.

That he did, but he also mentioned that it's two blokes who are mates having dinner - cut the angst. Rob has often invited us into his world,

inviting constructive discussion (which he doesn't have to do). Our whinging is little reward.

[CanuckSARTech]

Nothing I put down was whining, IMO.

All I was saying is that the community has begged and pleaded, done petitions and whatnot. We've asked for answers and parlay - and nothing's been forthright. Answers are getting harder and harder to come by. It seems like H S.A. is getting further retreated within it's own self-diluted world. Even getting information on pending releases (or deletions) is getting harder and harder to come by.

I know Rob's in a predicament - that's the life of business.

All I was giving was one more person's opinion. How he chooses to filter and pass along the thoughts and opinions of the community is his decision to make, and no one can chide him for that.

Anywho...on the flip side of the coin...I can't remember when the last time was that I smoked a Punch. But that's a different thread I guess....

[mk05]

http://www.habanos.c...us.aspx?lang=en

I believe it to be impertinent behavior.