ERDM, at what point do you put it out of it's misery?

[CaptainQuintero]

Just thinking back to the great cigars of the recent past; Tainos, Petit Coronas, Lonsdales, the skinnies, God the skinnies.

To go from the most prestigious brand in cigars to the pitiful state currently, it's just boggling. A line reduced to a tasty but overpriced Demi tasse, and homage to cardboard in Hermosa #4 form. Did HSA actually go out of their way to pick the worst two cigars, did we really offend them that much.

Just having the brand reduced to the solitary petit corona would have justified keeping it alive, but now?

Is there any love left for ERDM out there?

There is the line of 'no cigar is dead, just resting waiting for reintroduction' but even if the blends and moulds are still around, they aren't coming back, the name might like we're starting to see with the Partagas Seleccion Privada 2014/15 but its in name only.

Is the marca dead already then? Just a clammy corpse being desecrated with shiny RE bands? Did someone simply loose the blend book, the fall of the brand is nothing short of amazing.

[Maplepie]

Regionals I have enjoyed the hell out of:

-Balthasar Baltic RE 2009

-Petit Compana French RE 2009?

-Petit Robusto Benelux RE 2012

-Choix de l'Epoque UK RE 2009

The Anniversarios and Infantes I have resting as i'm scared they'll be shite on first light. I have not tried either.

The Vikingos is on my white whale list for sentimental reasons as well...

However, I will agree with you that the sizes are offputting (TWO PETIT ROBUSTOS!?!?).

Nothing compares to the Lonsdale (God's favourite size), Tainos (my god. The Tainos. Oh my god: The Tainos), and the Petit Corona (tastes like a CS over and over again).

And rarely anything can rival the size of the Panatela Largas now, either (I know, Claus. Soon).

The regional edicions is what roped me into the ERdM brand... But the discontinued sticks is what really got me hooked.

I do have to mention that the CS and the DT are good sticks taht you can just set down for a year or two to forget about them. And they rarely disappoint on first light. I don't find the Demi Tasse too disappointing right now but I really wouldn't mind some other vitolas in the series.

[El Presidente]

The way I see it, right now ERDM is simply a "plaything for Regionals" along with half a dozen other brands.

If I was Glass half full I would venture that the Regional program for ERDM (and others) is R&D in action with HSA carefully monitoring market trends.

OK I can't help it............

In reality put those brands to the distributors for Regionals so that HSA takes no risk.

[Maplepie]

In reality put those brands to the distributors for Regionals so that HSA takes no risk.

perhaps they can reintroduce a Tainos RE Canada.......

[shlomo]

Last week in Cuba, I smoked almost half a box of Choix Supreme. They were the best cigars I had all week.

I LOVE the CS. Have plenty, smoke plenty and enjoy the heck out of them.

[LGC]

When any marca is comprised of mostly of double banded cigars and "special release" cigars.... it is dead to me...

I'm sorry, but I refuse to go from paying 6-7 to 15-30 for a fresh, unproven cigar. It seems like the trend is going towards a box of 10-15 sticks, rather than 25 for the same price. You can't honestly tell me that the labor and material going into a cigar has gone up that much... or that the smoking experience of these new cigars (on the average) warrants the price inflation.

[kwsaw63]

I've only ever smoked the CS & DT. Neither impressed me.

[shlomo]

When any marca is comprised of mostly of double banded cigars and "special release" cigars.... it is dead to me...

So Ramon Allones and Por Larranaga are dead to you as well?

[dogdays]

That's what's wrong with the cigar world , always looking for some thing new .

[shlomo]

That's what's wrong with the cigar world , always looking for some thing new .

Agreed very much. Give the sticks that have been around for decades a chance, and don't worry too much about the newest bling cigar!

[LGC]

So Ramon Allones and Por Larranaga are dead to you as well?

Ok, I will add to statement...

... when I don't have good experiences with the few regular production sticks that remain in a line.

[dogdays]

So Ramon Allones and Por Larranaga are dead to you as well?

but the way they sell them makes no sense , why sell the pc in a 50 cad only ?

[dogdays]

Agreed very much. Give the sticks that have been around for decades a chance, and don't worry too much about the newest bling cigar!

Agreed, well said .

[dogdays]

The way I see it, right now ERDM is simply a "plaything for Regionals" along with half a dozen other brands.

If I was Glass half full I would venture that the Regional program for ERDM (and others) is R&D in action with HSA carefully monitoring market trends.

OK I can't help it............

In reality put those brands to the distributors for Regionals so that HSA takes no risk.

But how much risk is their really a brand that been a round for a 100yrs , it seem more risky to try and time the market with some thing new .

[SCgarman]

Choix Supremes are the most unimpressive of all the Cuban cigars I have ever purchased. Hardly any flavor. For the same price as a box of these I can have a box of RASS, BRC, PSD4. I will never buy them again after my current box is smoked and gone. Rolled up newspaper would probably taste better.

[Smallclub]

Some of the ERDM Regionals are good, but none of them bear any resemblance with the blend that made the glory of the marca through its long panatelas (Grandes de España, Elegantes, Panatela Largas, etc.) and their mix of cedar, sandal wood, vanilla, cardamom, etc.

[BonVivant]

..... none of them bear any resemblance with the blend that made the glory of the marca through its long panatelas (Grandes de España, Elegantes, Panatela Largas, etc.) and their mix of cedar, sandal wood, vanilla, cardamom, etc.

This ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

[nick2021]

Choix de l'Epoque UK RE 2009 and Anniversarios have been really good----curious to see how the anniversarios develop down the road....

[Maplepie]

Some of the ERDM Regionals are good, but none of them bear any resemblance with the blend that made the glory of the marca through its long panatelas (Grandes de España, Elegantes, Panatela Largas, etc.) and their mix of cedar, sandal wood, vanilla, cardamom, etc.

x2 on this.

however, keep in mind that the regionals have nary the time to develop. also, they are all 2 or 3 times thicker than the skinnies you mentioned. on top of that, they use tobacco that is leagues apart from what the GdE, Elegantes, and Large Panties were made of.

[Knilas]

Seems as though I am in the minority here because I have been greatly impressed with the fresh CS. So much so, I'm considering a box purchase. And the few '07s I have left are lights out delicious!

[groundhog]

I know I'm new and have limited experience, but I love the CS.

So far it's one of my favourite and most consistent cigar experiences.

I also love the PLPC (but, I agree - only a 50 cab - why??) - so I really hope they don't kill either...

[Maplepie]

I know I'm new and have limited experience, but I love the CS.

So far it's one of my favourite and most consistent cigar experiences.

I also love the PLPC (but, I agree - only a 50 cab - why??) - so I really hope they don't kill either...

Both are very consistent and swell.

You're lucky you have the online community, Andrew. I didn't hear about PLPCs until at least a year into smoking cigars

Sent by the Enigma on BlackBerry.

[sheppsea]

I love both the CS and DT, I think both are great smokes. In terms of the regionals, I don't think any of the ones I have tried particularly stand out as being particularly good, apart from the Vikingos, which is the best cigar I have smoked so far this year - a fantastic smoke!

I hope we do see a revival in the brand, I think there is a place for it

[RijkdeGooier]

Personally, I like the marca for a morning smoke or a light afternoon smoke.

The marca is not dead yet.

[mk05]

...none of them bear any resemblance with the blend that made the glory of the marca through its long panatelas (Grandes de España, Elegantes, Panatela Largas, etc.) and their mix of cedar, sandal wood, vanilla, cardamom, etc.

Factories and box codes don't matter at all. Any factory can just pick up and roll ERDM. It is only pure luck that PL has stayed rather consistent and preserved compared to other marcas.