New Vegueros and Cuba RE

[compitaveggie]

Just read on CA about the ERDM Robusto Cuba RE coming this year and the hideous looking Vegueros. Excited for the Cuba RE, not souch for the Vegueros, but who knows , hopefully they come out good

Here is a link

http://www.cigaraficionado.com/blogs/show?id=16930

[CanuckSARTech]

Read that too.

I'm a bit surprised about their next Cuba RE being an ERDM. They hit a homerun with the LGC Deliciosos jar. I'm surprised that they went with ERDM for the brand, and in a robusto format. It'll be interesting to see what packaging they'd do up for it.

I was honestly keeping my fingers crossed for something like a Diplomaticos robusto jar, or a Cuaba piramide again, or even something Trinidad, something like that, or even another LGC offering (the branding just couldn't be any better for them there).

[CaptainQuintero]

The new vegeros look better presented and more tasty than the monte opens imo

[Cohiba Stevie]

I think those vegueros actually look decent... Presentation is good and I would have no particular complaints with the size. Plus if they are going to priced like Jose l piedras then sign me up, I will happily smoke one to make a more rounded opinion, so I suppose it's official then... Veggies are back.

Also why is the gold in the montecristo bad being met with such revolt on other threads? It's just a band...

Just my two cents.

[jayceskinner]

I think those vegueros actually look decent

I also think the Vegueros packaging looks good but I had to laugh at it as it looks like some of the faked Cuban cigars that are packaged like that with glad wrap around it.

Also why is the gold in the montecristo bad being met with such revolt on other threads? It's just a band...

I think this is strange as well seeing that Cohiba did the same thing. The original bands had Cohiba written in black and now they are embossed gold. I wonder if there was a fuss back then when they updated the band?

[CanuckSARTech]

The new vegeros look better presented and more tasty than the monte opens imo

LOL. Yup.

[CanuckSARTech]

Whats wrong with ERDM? It is a classic marca that has fallen off the end of the world recently and maybe they are hoping for a masive "connoiseur" push on older ERDM like LGC experienced after the jar. Plus what size would you want it to be? The Delicias is a Hermoso 4...so pretty damn close to a robusto itself!

I was meaning that if they were hoping for that connoisseur push like you mentioned, then they wouldn't have gone for a robusto, but rather a skinny format.

There's many other classic marcas that they could have picked, which have been left out in the cold lately. Name prestige means a lot within the connoisseur markets, and especially in the "general consumer" market - ERDM is not an all-star team to bring to the table here, IMO.

[CanuckSARTech]

...Also why is the gold in the montecristo bad being met with such revolt on other threads? It's just a band...

Just my two cents.

I also think the Vegueros packaging looks good but I had to laugh at it as it looks like some of the faked Cuban cigars that are packaged like that with glad wrap around it.

....I think this is strange as well seeing that Cohiba did the same thing. The original bands had Cohiba written in black and now they are embossed gold. I wonder if there was a fuss back then when they updated the band?

Great point about the Vegueros packaging looking like the packaging from lots of faked Cuban cigars. A very good point there. H S.A. could unwittingly be helping some of the black market pirates by starting to use this packaging, making it harder and harder to distinguish (for the general consumer) the difference between authentic Habanos and absolute fakes.

Also, I think the band thing, while I'm 50/50 on it, might be because just off the top of my head, it makes the band look more like the NC version of Montecristos. Kind of if Cuban Cohibas started to have a line-up with a styling like the "red dot" Cohiba bands.

[khomeinist]

ERDM is one of the best brands for the connoisseur market. Admittedly the choice of robusto is a bit silly given that the CS is a Hermoso 4. A corona grande would have been a great choice.

Cuaba over ERDM. Wow. Just say no to exploding dog turds!!!

[compitaveggie]

The Vegueros looks like a logo from a sports team. Ugly imho. It doesn't have the elegant or classic look of most Cuban bands. Although if they taste good I could care less about the packaging.

[khomeinist]

Very odd that they are keeping the Vegueros name for a complete conceptual overhaul.

[jayceskinner]

Also, I think the band thing, while I'm 50/50 on it, might be because just off the top of my head, it makes the band look more like the NC version of Montecristos. Kind of if Cuban Cohibas started to have a line-up with a styling like the "red dot" Cohiba bands.

Whoa that is a blatant rip off of the Montecristo brand now I get where people are coming from.

I still hate how a lot of these non Cuban cigar companies can get away with almost identically copying the Cuban brands.

New Cuban Montecristo Band

Non Cuban Montecristo Band

[mk05]

I'm a bit surprised about their next Cuba RE being an ERDM. They hit a homerun with the LGC Deliciosos jar. I'm surprised that they went with ERDM for the brand, and in a robusto format.

Why is this surprising? Did you say the same thing when they "randomly" chose LGC? x2 on what Pat said regarding ERDM. Cuba RE program is about to go 2 for 2 as far as I'm concerned. Next year, I hope Cuba RE hits a triple with a JL Lonsdale or aTrinidad relaunch with a Laguito #2.

ERDM is one of the best brands for the connoisseur market. Admittedly the choice of robusto is a bit silly given that the CS is a Hermoso 4. A corona grande would have been a great choice.

Cuaba over ERDM. Wow. Just say no to exploding dog turds!!!

Personally would have loved a book/humidor of Tainos or a cylinder of GdEs.

[maverickdrinker]

Going deep on the ERDM RE Cuba. I won't make the same mistake twice.....

[khomeinist]

Yeah. No kidding.

ISO LGC Deliciosos....

TIA

[mk05]

how many?

[khomeinist]

how many?

All. Lol. Seriously though, they are quite tasty. I passed on several opportunities to get whole jars, which I now regret.

Send me zero. Just a blank box with your addy. I might have a couple things for you....

[mk05]

I sent you a pm

I'll say certain jars taste way better than others. Maybe the lower numbers...

[BonVivant]

All lower numbers of ERDM Tainos and Grandes de Espana are fantastic - I sent you a PM

and

I want some lower numbers of ERDM JARS RE CUBA - I sent you a PM also

ISO: LGC Jar of Deliciosos RE Cuba - any number will do

[Smallclub]

Why is this surprising? Did you say the same thing when they "randomly" chose LGC? x2 on what Pat said regarding ERDM.

X3

[cachiocca]

Looking forward to the Monte Petit No. 2 - regardless of the band.

[Smallclub]

Very odd that they are keeping the Vegueros name for a complete conceptual overhaul.

Not so surprising IMO: I have read several articles stating that the sales of cheap cigars in bundles of 15 or 25 are on the rise in Europe. Logically, HSA wants to expand its offering in this niche, and does not want to settle for the success of the Piedra line.

[mk05]

All lower numbers of ERDM Tainos and Grandes de Espana are fantastic - I sent you a PM

and

I want some lower numbers of ERDM JARS RE CUBA - I sent you a PM also

ISO: LGC Jar of Deliciosos RE Cuba - any number will do

haha!

Lower number Tainos and GdE? Those boxes are not numbered afaik.

The ERDM will be another jar? Is that confirmed?

Leo is joking...

[khomeinist]

Not so surprising IMO: I have read several articles stating that the sales of cheap cigars in bundles of 15 or 25 are on the rise in Europe. Logically, HSA wants to expand its offering in this niche, and does not want to settle for the success of the Piedra line.

I just meant the association of the Vegueros brand (as comical as that sounds) with a new format. I understand the place for bundles and cheaper cigars in the marketplace. I like bundled cigars for outdoor activity smoking.

[CanuckSARTech]

Why is this surprising? Did you say the same thing when they "randomly" chose LGC? x2 on what Pat said regarding ERDM. Cuba RE program is about to go 2 for 2 as far as I'm concerned. Next year, I hope Cuba RE hits a triple with a JL Lonsdale or aTrinidad relaunch with a Laguito #2.

Honestly, yes, when they picked the LGC for the first Cuba RE jar, I was surprised. But that was a good, no, great surprise. The branding just couldn't have been better. La Gloria Cubana? For a Cuba exclusive jar? Awesome. Then, they just hit it out of the ballpark by doing an exceptional job on the jar, some amazing artwork, because they had such a phenomenal design of the original artwork from LGC as a brand to begin with. Then, they just hit such a perfect balance in the size format being such a hit with both newer/general consumers and connoisseurs both.

With ERDM, with whatever packaging they do, it'll be so much less compared to the earlier LGC jar. ERDM, whether you like the cigar or not, just has sort of a blah look to them to bring in the non-connoisseurs. True, they have the "kings artwork" to the inside papeletta of the boxes that they could maybe work some magic with, but the overall colour scheme and brand design just does not lend itself to what could be an amazing presentation, IMO.

And the format? I think if they were adament about going ERDM, they should have went with a panetelas, or a lonsdale, or a tainos format. I think, if they were going to do a robusto format, then combined with the above artistic potential, rather than ERDM, they'd have been better off to go with Por Larranaga, or Trinidad (although pricier perhaps, maybe a release that touts a back-to-traditional sugar-water-and-rum finish for the tobacco fermentation in the process for Trinidad), or a long-filler, fancier Quinteros, or my preference, a Diplomaticos (one last hurrah of advertising push for the Dip brand maybe, to help them better decide about what to do with the Dip 2's, and maybe even bring back Dip 4's if the RE were to help).

Again, these are just my two cents. ERDM fans will really be loving this H S.A. decision. I think a lot will have to wait to see what they do with the packaging - will they indeed do another jar (no word either way, just our speculation on here perhaps), or will it be a semi-plain box, or a varnished box, etc., etc. I'm just perhaps looking at it with a combination of my preference of other brands over ERDM first, and also thinking of what the "general consumer market" is steering towards really.

...ISO LGC Deliciosos....

how many?

All. Lol. Seriously though, they are quite tasty. I passed on several opportunities to get whole jars, which I now regret...

I still haven't even cracked into my jar yet. Been sitting on it. More than anything, kicking myself for not buying at least 3 when I had the chance when I picked up my solo one when I was on that one particular trip to Cuba a couple years ago. I've had a few singles here and there from trades or box passes or whatnot. But it's almost just that I don't even want to crack into this jar, knowing that's all I have is that one. They're just so wonderful, and the overall package is astonishing with those. It's really the only cigar in my inventory that I'm honestly torn on smoking or not touching for years to come (and whether to keep it for myself, or as an investment for years down the road).