Behike Rumour


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Rumour doing the rounds the past month or so is that Behike production will be taken away from El Laguito and transferred to the Pinar fabrica.

last week while in Habana I didn't hear anything to the contrary albeit I only inquired discretely to the few reliable sources I have.

Interesting thing last week is that I saw only a handful of any Behike boxes in any of the LCDH. Supply with distributors around the world (incoming from Cuba) is little to non existent currently.

For those more in the know, fill us in without revealing your source (there is no need).

I can understand the need for increased production but to take away the benchmark Cohiba from El Laguito (yes I know some are rolled elsewhere but the majority have been EL), appears to be a gamble and a half.....particularly given the standard of Trini's coming out of Pinar.

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I was informed, while in Havana last week, that the rumour of moving Behike production to the Pinar fabrica is indeed true. I was also told that the current El Laguito factory code is MUO so if you see a recent Behike box come out without this code it is likely not a El Laguito rolled.

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Another rumor we heard here was to avoid BHK's with a post MAY 2014 box code as there is considered to be little to none medio tempo within due to all the growing issues experienced this year. The source is reputable.

Grain of salt of course.

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Another rumor we heard here was to avoid BHK's with a post MAY 2014 box code as there is considered to be little to none medio tempo within due to all the growing issues experienced this year. The source is reputable.

Grain of salt of course.

X2. Heard that bhk production has moved already for the most part....just a matter of time for the remaining production in EL to stop....

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That means Trinidads will suffer.... No?

Hard to believe they could suffer any more.

You would think there is a strategy to maintain quality of Behike. maybe it will spill over into Trinis. god knows Trini's could use an input of consistency/quality over the past few years.

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Is this the reason I was able to find MUO Siglo II? Resources are now available in EL to roll less expensive sticks? As RC commented above, should be good news!!!

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Does anyone have an inclination as to why they would move the BHK production to Pinar? I cannot assume it's to cut costs on labor, if any. This just seems too odd.

Putting the raw product and final product closer together makes some sense. I wonder if the move has to do with lowering the "shrinkage" of the rolled product?

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Does this mean I should hold off on buying a box of Behike? With how much they cost I wouldn't want to get a substandard box.

It's all "rumors" at this point. I'm sure our host can give you some good counsel on what he has in stock. :)

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Another rumor we heard here was to avoid BHK's with a post MAY 2014 box code as there is considered to be little to none medio tempo within due to all the growing issues experienced this year.

What difference could it make? I still have to hear or read an educated review about the contribution of the medio tiempo in the Cohiba blend, and when one digs a little in old books, one realizes that this element, when available, has always been used as a ligero leaf, without special mention…

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What difference could it make? I still have to hear or read an educated review about the contribution of the medio tiempo in the Cohiba blend, and when one digs a little in old books, one realizes that this element, when available, has always been used as a ligero leaf, without special mention…

I agree. What this leaf adds to the blend is not known. The difference is the potential lack of it's presence. Whether or not that changes the perception of the smoker will vary. Should this rumor be "true". How would you feel about the 1) Complete absence of the MT leaf. 2.) Reduced amount of MT leaf per cigar? Wouldn't you feel somewhat cheated?

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What difference could it make? I still have to hear or read an educated review about the contribution of the medio tiempo in the Cohiba blend, and when one digs a little in old books, one realizes that this element, when available, has always been used as a ligero leaf, without special mention…

That is one question. What if any differential or unique contribution does the MT provide as opposed to any other like leaf that could be substituted. It seems that what you're saying is that you have 1) not read any credible account on that point but 2) that where used historically, it has been considered reasonably comparable to a ligero.

As for Frank's post that you quoted, he clarified in the follow up. I would further clarify and link to the points I think you're trying to make above: not what its absence could mean for the cigar, but what substitution with ligero, v seco, v anything else could do to change the profile or development.

I wouldn't feel cheated if I couldn't tell the difference. At least, intellectually I wouldn't have any basis to feel cheated. However, in this endeavor, it's fair to say any change to tradition would be scrutinized and fretted upon to varying degrees. This is to be expected.

Wilkey

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What difference could it make? I still have to hear or read an educated review about the contribution of the medio tiempo in the Cohiba blend, and when one digs a little in old books, one realizes that this element, when available, has always been used as a ligero leaf, without special mention…

What do you consider an educated review? The Medio Tiempo leaf prior to the early 2000's was not recognized as having qualities that are different from ligero. It was not until more recently that it has been harvested separately and processed as a type of leaf of its own with different qualities than what one normally considers ligero. As a result I am not surprised that you would not find it in the "old books" you refer to.

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