dangolf18 Posted October 30, 2015 Posted October 30, 2015 Does anybody have any insight into why the marqa is down to just one vitola? I mean why would they just leave the marqa to just the No.2. I know, your guess is probably better than anyone's. Just wondering if anybody can shed any light. I'm still kicking myself for not stocking up on No.4 and No.5 while they were super cheap.
shlomo Posted October 30, 2015 Posted October 30, 2015 SLR, VR, SP, QdO, RA..... 5 more years and everything will be Monte, Partagas, Upmann, Hoyo, Cohiba.....more recognizable names = more sales. 2
GasGuy82 Posted October 30, 2015 Posted October 30, 2015 Does anybody have any insight into why the marqa is down to just one vitola? I mean why would they just leave the marqa to just the No.2. I know, your guess is probably better than anyone's. Just wondering if anybody can shed any light. I'm still kicking myself for not stocking up on No.4 and No.5 while they were super cheap. As I understand it, if they are not selling a cigar under the marca they can lose rights to the name.
NSXCIGAR Posted October 30, 2015 Posted October 30, 2015 The HSA cut list has done nothing but enrage me for the last 10 years. To have the only cigar in an entire marca be a single Piramide is quite frankly offensive. And insulting to the brand and it's loyal followers. My opinion has always been that there is (was) a devotee of every vitola in every marca somewhere. There's at least one person whose favorite cigar was the Dip #4 or Dip #5. Or the Punch PC or TPC. Or anything else. Just limit production for god's sake. It's not like a whole new platform or carbon fiber mold needs to be fabricated to roll a Mareva for Diplomaticos. Produce them and when your distributor indicates they're low produce some more. If they're slow sellers there's even more time to coordinate production. HSA might have customer acquisition down but man, do they need to work on customer retention. 4
polarbear Posted October 30, 2015 Posted October 30, 2015 If I had to guess why they continue to produce a marca with only one cigar in it would be two fold 1- I imagine the piramades (Number 2) vitola was always the most popular cigar in an unpopular marca, so keeping it would make sense as there is still a customer base for it 2- By discontinuing all the other vitolas in a marca but keeping one singe size, HSA would assume a portion of the Diplomatico faithful would migrate their taste from one vitola to another. "Cant buy Number 4's anymore? Guess I'll grab a number 2 instead". Producing a single blend in a single size (thus only needing one size of box and band) would help to keep the production costs and logistics down while still retaining a portion of the customers who gravitated to the smaller sizes in the marca, thus keeping it profitable. I have spent a lot of time and money trying to find long discontinued sizes of the diplo marca, as well as jumping on any RE's that are released under the marca. Personally, I'd rather they kept the Diplo 4 rather than the Diplo 2 alive, but I can see why its the last stick standing. The fact that a number of older Diplo sizes can still be found on the shelves of B&Ms around the world seems to prove that even in death, Diplomatico does not sell
shlomo Posted October 30, 2015 Posted October 30, 2015 Ones left are plugged. Not all, maybe not even most. Over the past two years or so, I've enjoyed a selection of 1, 4 and 5s. None were plugged, a couple 5s were a bit too tight for my liking....none were all that great....
Duxnutz Posted October 30, 2015 Posted October 30, 2015 Don't get me wrong, several years ago I bought some 1s, 3s, 4s and 5s. I was able to go through boxes and pick the ones I wanted though. Lots of tight ass 1s even back 3-4 yrs ago.
SCgarman Posted October 30, 2015 Posted October 30, 2015 I was gifted a #3 a while back and it had an unusual taste profile. Kind of like oriental spices. Is this normal?
Smallclub Posted October 30, 2015 Posted October 30, 2015 . Kind of like oriental spices. Is this normal? I'd say yes. Sweet spices and roasted nuts on a earthy base are the best flavors I've experimented from Diplomaticos in general. At worst you get a mix of wool grease, earth, pepper, wet grass, citrus, etc. IMHO the Diplomaticos profile was …scattered… 2
ehdg Posted October 30, 2015 Posted October 30, 2015 SLR, VR, SP, QdO, RA..... 5 more years and everything will be Monte, Partagas, Upmann, Hoyo, Cohiba.....more recognizable names = more sales. The only one I see still surviving of those that I'll disagree on is RA. I just can't see Habanos ever cutting the RASS. I think that particular cigar is too much of a staple like the D4, Epi 2, Monti 2 and Lusi to ever be cut/discontinued. 1
srbbones Posted October 30, 2015 Posted October 30, 2015 With the CCs, you have essentially the same tobacco spread out over the remaining brands. With the NCs you have the same tobacco spread out over yearly new "hot" brands. Hard to keep it all straight.
topdiesel Posted October 30, 2015 Posted October 30, 2015 I know this is a dip conversation and I enjoy the No 2, but I am more of a Boli guy. I love all things Bolivar. However, I would be super pissed if they whittled it down to a BBF or BRC. They have already decimated so many great sizes (coronas, coronas extra, inmensas, lonsdales...) The BBF and Royal coronas seem to be loved by many, but they are my least favorite of the line. It seems like the more they shrink a marca the more "special" cigars (LE, RE, LCDH) display the ring.
Bartolomeo Posted October 30, 2015 Posted October 30, 2015 If I had to guess why they continue to produce a marca with only one cigar in it would be two fold 1- I imagine the piramades (Number 2) vitola was always the most popular cigar in an unpopular marca, so keeping it would make sense as there is still a customer base for it 2- By discontinuing all the other vitolas in a marca but keeping one singe size, HSA would assume a portion of the Diplomatico faithful would migrate their taste from one vitola to another. "Cant buy Number 4's anymore? Guess I'll grab a number 2 instead". Producing a single blend in a single size (thus only needing one size of box and band) would help to keep the production costs and logistics down while still retaining a portion of the customers who gravitated to the smaller sizes in the marca, thus keeping it profitable. I have spent a lot of time and money trying to find long discontinued sizes of the diplo marca, as well as jumping on any RE's that are released under the marca. Personally, I'd rather they kept the Diplo 4 rather than the Diplo 2 alive, but I can see why its the last stick standing. The fact that a number of older Diplo sizes can still be found on the shelves of B&Ms around the world seems to prove that even in death, Diplomatico does not sell Where can Dip 4&5 be found? I understand #1 here and there but never see 4&5 anywhere 1
Blakes Posted October 30, 2015 Posted October 30, 2015 SLR, VR, SP, QdO, RA..... 5 more years and everything will be Monte, Partagas, Upmann, Hoyo, Cohiba.....more recognizable names = more sales. Don't forget ERdM. Out of all the vitolas they could have kept it's the demi tassi (nice cigar but tiny) and the Choix supreme. Each marca should at least have one mareva/minutos or corona/lonsdale 1
NSXCIGAR Posted October 30, 2015 Posted October 30, 2015 The only one I see still surviving of those that I'll disagree on is RA. I just can't see Habanos ever cutting the RASS. I think that particular cigar is too much of a staple like the D4, Epi 2, Monti 2 and Lusi to ever be cut/discontinued. I agree. I think RA is in a bit of a different category. It's a generally popular marca that hasn't really had any recent cuts and it's pretty bare bones as it is. HSA isn't really into cutting robustos or DCs. The RASS has to be one of the top sellers, as is the D4. I doubt those models are going anywhere. I am waiting for the day the Monte 1 or 3 gets cut. Monte is such a sales beast that I'm sure they actually do still sell well but HSA is just hell-bent on a mission to kill any lonsdale or corona. I find it hard to believe that the Dip 2 was the brand's best-seller. Dip was a Euro-oriented brand and Euros typically prefer smaller RG cigars like coronas and marevas. It's just weird what they've done with Dip. Only Marca w/ only one model. Just totally alienating loyal Dip fans who dislike larger RG cigars--and there are many. I personally dislike Piramides.
Smallclub Posted October 31, 2015 Posted October 31, 2015 Dip was a Euro-oriented brand and Euros typically prefer smaller RG cigars like coronas and marevas. Uh? Who told you that? The best sellers in Europe are robustos. If "Europe" had shown some interest in coronas, they would probably never have been discontinued… As for the Diplomaticos, they were never really popular in France, contrary to what many believe…
JohnS Posted October 31, 2015 Posted October 31, 2015 As for the Diplomaticos, they were never really popular in France, contrary to what many believe… That's interesting. What about Quai D’Orsay? Where they more popular in France?
NSXCIGAR Posted October 31, 2015 Posted October 31, 2015 Uh? Who told you that? The best sellers in Europe are robustos. If "Europe" had shown some interest in coronas, they would probably never have been discontinued… As for the Diplomaticos, they were never really popular in France, contrary to what many believe… I was always under the impression that <47 RG was the preference in Europe. That may certainly have changed but I'd be curious to know what data you have that shows otherwise and when the robusto became the most popular vitola there. I'll accept that Dip was never a success in France but it was specifically targeted toward them. My point was that a lineup reduction to only a piramide could only further reduce the likelihood that the originally targeted European or French market will buy them. A robusto may be more popular than a mareva or a corona but I'd be quite surprised if a piramide was.
Blakes Posted October 31, 2015 Posted October 31, 2015 I remember watching an interview where Simon Chase of Hunters & Frankau said he saw the production list for how many D4's where made in one year during the mid 80's (Can't quite recall the exact year) but it was only 5000. It seems that at some point during 90's the trend towards larger ring gauges started. The growing popularity of large ring gauge NC's in the US coupled with the problems Cuba had over the '99-'02 period with construction, and the sale of 50% to Altadis sealed the fate for the smaller rg cigars.
polarbear Posted November 3, 2015 Posted November 3, 2015 Where can Dip 4&5 be found? I understand #1 here and there but never see 4&5 anywhere Guess its a case of right place right time I picked up a full box of Dip 4's and half a box of Dip 5's at Dubai LCDH early last year (2002 and 2005) that have all been wonderful Also grabbed a box of Dip 4's (1998) from an aussie BOTL earlier in the year that have been decent but may be a little past their peak
CanuckSARTech Posted November 12, 2015 Posted November 12, 2015 Where can Dip 4&5 be found? I understand #1 here and there but never see 4&5 anywhere My place. 2
Laxman Posted November 13, 2015 Posted November 13, 2015 Not a huge fan of smaller RG's but love the Dip 1's. What a great cigar, would much rather have a 1,3, or 4 then the 2. Sad as it was solid brand till they tore it apart.
PigFish Posted November 13, 2015 Posted November 13, 2015 I love Diplomatico cigars. I have found them cigar for cigar granting a superior smoking experience to the Monte line and others. Limited production has its advantages! I hoarded as many Diplomaticos as I could find when they hit the public enemies list at Tabacuba. Hell, I may just spark up a #1 today if the temp hits the 80˚F mark!!! -Piggy 1
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