Designing a beginner sampler

[mychetboy]

RASS

Quai D. Corona

Cohiba Siglo 4

HDM Epicure 1

Partagas 898

Montecristo 4 - HQ

Bolivar Bel.

Upmann Sir Win.

Juan Lop. 2

SLR Regios

[SteveGriff]

H. Upmann Half Corona

Rafael Gonzalez Perlas

Ramon Allones Short Club Coronas

Trinidad Reyes

Quintero Londres Extras

Montecristo No. 1

Montecristo No. 4

Romeo y Julieta Exhibition No. 3

Hoyo de Monterrey Petit Robusto

Saint Luis Rey Regios

Partagas Serie D. No. 4

Cohiba Robusto

[PigFish]

This is true marketing research, is it not?

What I mean by this, and if this was a serous quest and I were a cigar maker, is that I would first need to define both the beginner smoker and the beginner cigar.

What do those definitions mean?

As I see it, a beginner cigar is not a second rate cigar. I mean who thinks that you are going get a new customer by selling him/her crap? I don't.

You must define your goal and the customer! Do you introduce wine (I don't drink the stuff myself) to a neophyte by pouring them the most expensive cabernet? Of course not. Does this mean that one must get weened on pablum, mediocre or tasteless product to introduce them to product itself? Again, of course not!

First I see the beginning smoker as a person who you don't want to inundate and overwhelm with an individual cigar. A robust (not robusto) cigar is not necessarily excluded from the mix, however. What you don't want to do however is make your first cigar experience one where you go home and puke your guts out. I am defining tastes, as in small tastes, such as dim sum. The duration of the smoking experience then is an important aspect of the first few smoking experiences.

So I have defined the beginner cigar as a smaller cigar. A cigar that is not imposing, uncomfortable, a realistic goal to start and finish!

What else is there? Well there is budget. Most beginners start slowly in many interests. We are discussing then, gateway, verses mainstream product lines. Small cigars then, in a range of vitolas, blends and brands are the best way to introduce the neophyte to the product. The costs of these cigars should be extremely low. They should be this way as a means to remove the risk of loss on one or many early transactions. The price point should encourage purchases, many of them and minimize risk to the customer. The price point should encourage purchases, not discourage them!

The larger catalogue, and the expanded range of cigars allow smokers to expand their horizons, explore new experiences and mature.

Moving freely though sizes and vitolas allows the smoker to experience, evolve, re-experience, mature and change as often and as long as he/she sees fit to keep his/her interests…

The range of experiences of the current catalogue is pitiful! What is worse, they saved the worst cigars (MHO). They saved the mediocre at the cost of the complex in the attempt to force the consumer instead of address the consumer. In doing so, they killed the gateway products and the seasoned smokers connoisseur products. The pablum, the insipid is about all that is left.

Want a thriving product line? I suggest firing the goose-stepping morons at Tabacuba.

Cheers! -the Pig

[JPS72]

PL Montecarlos

HDM Epi 2

RyJ WC

RASS

PSD4

Dip 2

Boli PC

Monte 4

HU Sir Winnie

HDM Des Dieux

SLR Regios

QDO Corona

[potpest]

HU Royal Robusto

Partagas P2

Cuaba Tradicionales

Monte 4

Hoyo DC

BBF

PL Montecarlos

JL2

RASS

SLR Serie A

RyJ Cazadores

Boli PC

[mgravito]

I feel like the sampler should have a regular production cigar that is the best representation of the marca. Maybe it's the most popular or not necessarily the most well regarded. Maybe because of the wide range of flavor profiles you could divide it in to 2 different samplers

Sampler A

Bolivar PC

Cohiba Robusto

Dip No. 2

H. Upmann No. 2

HDM Epicure No. 2

Montecristo No. 4

Partagas Serie D NO. 4

Punch Punch

RASS

RYJ Short Churchill

Sampler B

SCDLH La Punta

ERDM Choix Supreme

Trinidad Reyes

Vegas Robainas Famosos

Juan Lopez PC

Cuaba Divinos

Quai D'Orsay Imperiales

Por Larañaga PC

SLR Serie A

Sancho Panza Non Plus

[maverickdrinker]

1. Montecristo No. 4

2. Cohiba Siglo II

3. RASCC

4. H Upmann Half Corona

5. Bolivar PC

6. ERDM CS

7. Quay D'Orsay Corona

8. Party Short

9. RG Perla

10. BHK 54

11. Cohiba lancero

12. Trinidad Fundadore

[maverickdrinker]

or......

Cohiba Siglo I to VI, lancero, esplendido, robusto, CCE, BHK 54, Piramides Extra

I keed...... I keed...... sort of. LOL

[LordAnubis]

or......

Cohiba Siglo I to VI, lancero, esplendido, robusto, CCE, BHK 54, Piramides Extra

I keed...... I keed...... sort of. LOL

When i was putting my list in i was actually thinking this would be a great idea, to show what different sizes of the same brand do.

[mm12]

Bolivar Coronas Junior

Cohiba Siglo III

Diplomaticos 2

H. Upmann Magnum 46

Monte Especial No. 1

PLPC

Partagas 898

Q D'O Imperiales

RASS

RyJ Wide Churchill

SLR DC

Trinidad Reyes

[Marker]

RG Petite Coronas

HUP #2

RASCC

Party Short

San Cris el principe

BRC

QdO corona

PLPC

Monte #2

VR Don Alejandro

Punch Punch

CoRo

Those 12

Another 3 to think about.

SLR A

JL2

Hoyo Epi#2

[Larsy]

In no order:

1. Monte 2
   
2. Partagas Short (or D4)
   
3. Cohiba Robusto
   
4. HDM Epi 2
   
5. Boli PC
   
6. RASS
   
7. HU Mag 50 (or 46)
   
8. QDO Corona
   
9. VR Famosos (Or Unicos)
   
10. R&J Short Church or WC
    
11. ERDM CS
    
12. Dip 2
    

This list is perfect.

[Skyfall]

This list is perfect.

Why thank you!

You must be a true gentleman and scholar to have such an astute eye for genius and perfection! Well done!

[Habanos2000]

Is anyone tabulating these results? (Not trying to volunteer)however it would be interesting to see which 12 are actually the most recommended.

[DrunkenMonkey]

or......

Cohiba Siglo I to VI, lancero, esplendido, robusto, CCE, BHK 54, Piramides Extra

I keed...... I keed...... sort of. LOL

I actually love the idea of the "big cohiba sampler". Maybe not for a beginners' introduction to Cuban cigars, though. But I'd like one.

[Chargerfan]

I think a 6x2 would work best, juuuuuust in case you get a bad one. A beginner might swear off the brand forever as shite. My thoughts on the dozen would be a pair of the following:

1. Monte no.4

2. Cohiba Siglo II

3. H.Upmann Mag 46

4. HdM Epicure no.2

5. Juan Lopez No.2

6. Party Shorts

If you were intent on offering a 12er, these six as additions:

7. Trinidad Reyes

8. Partagas D no.4

9. RASS

10. Monte No.2 (they're always gonna wonder)

11. Cohiba Robusto

12. HU Royal Robusto

[CanuckSARTech]

Haven't looked at anyone else's lists, but here's mine in no particular order, and keeping in mind these blends/formats are for a nice beginner footing:

1. Montecristo No. 4
   
2. RASS
   
3. H. Upmann Magnum 46 tubos
   
4. Cohiba Robusto
   
5. PLPC
   
6. RyJ Romeo No. 2 tubos
   
7. QdO Corona
   
8. Partagas Serie P No. 2 tubos
   
9. Montecristo No. 2
   
10. HdM Epi No. 1 or 2
    

Duh. Just realized I only did 10....

11. Trinidad Reyes or Coloniales

12. SCDLH El Principe

[Skyfall]

Haven't looked at anyone else's lists, but here's mine in no particular order, and keeping in mind these blends/formats are for a nice beginner footing:

1. Montecristo No. 4
   
2. RASS
   
3. H. Upmann Magnum 46 tubos
   
4. Cohiba Robusto
   
5. PLPC
   
6. RyJ Romeo No. 2 tubos
   
7. QdO Corona
   
8. Partagas Serie P No. 2 tubos
   
9. Montecristo No. 2
   
10. HdM Epi No. 1 or 2
    

Duh. Just realized I only did 10....

11. Trinidad Reyes or Coloniales

12. SCDLH El Principe

Keith, nobody asked you!

[CanuckSARTech]

To the great minds of the board ....

Keith, nobody asked you!

Ummmm.....

...

...

...

...

...

...

...yup, you're right.

[Skyfall]

Ummmm.....

...

...

...

...

...

...

...yup, you're right.

LOL!!

[CaptainQuintero]

Punch and erdm not doing well :s

To be fair they aren't something I'd think to reach for if I was giving someone their first habano experience with what is left of the marcas currently

[Blace]

Is anyone tabulating these results? (Not trying to volunteer)however it would be interesting to see which 12 are actually the most recommended.

According to my count of what has been posted to date this is the top 12 recommendations;

1. RASS

2. HdM Epicure No. 2

3. Montecristo No. 2

4. Montecristo No. 4

5. Bolivar PC

6. Partagas D4

7. CoRo

8. QdO Corona

9. H. Upmann Magnum 46

10. PLPC

11. Party Short

12. Trinidad Reyes

[Dirtdigger]

Let me know when it is compiled and available. I am extremely interested in something like this.