EL Laguito Factory Code Mystery

[Bohn007]

I have a box of Ramon Allones Phoenicio 35 cigars. On the box and in the insert, it says that the cigars were hand rolled using 5 year old tobacco at the EL Laguito factory. The box code is SOM DIC 15. It has also been the understanding of many that AMO was one of the codes for El Laguito. I had previously thought that perhaps they used the code SOM on newer months and then AMO on older months but in today's 24/24, we had Cohiba Magicos with SOM JUN 16 and Cohiba Lanceros with AMO JUL 16 codes. The only conclusion that I can have is that both codes are used in different months randomly. What AMO box dates does everyone have? See the photos. Your thoughts? 

[AlohaStyle]

Good catch, I never even paid attn to that info...  curious if anyone has any info on SOM being El Laguito.

[Bohn007]

11 minutes ago, AlohaStyle said:

Good catch, I never even paid attn to that info...  curious if anyone has any info on SOM being El Laguito.

I am curious to see if anyone have the AMO box code with the same month/year as the SOM

[Bohn007]

I was checking box codes on two boxes of Montecristos and actually found a SOM OCT 15 and a AMO OCT 15. The mystery deepens. @Elpresidente or @WarriorPrincess, any ideas? A great question for them while Rob is in Cuba. 

[Akela3rd]

I've got a box of Por Larranaga Panatelas with a code SOM ABR 16 if that helps the detective work...

[Bohn007]

9 minutes ago, Akela3rd said:

I've got a box of Por Larranaga Panatelas with a code SOM ABR 16 if that helps the detective work...

I am seeing a lot of SOM codes over various months but not much in AMO codes. Could they have different parts of the factory using different codes? My box of Medio Siglo's are AMO JUL 16 as well. 

[subport]

Even though this picture I still believe SOM is not El Laguito. The cigars we have seen with that code is way too broad variety to be EL... I cant and dont really want to prove it. This is what I believe you do what you do...

[Bohn007]

2 minutes ago, subport said:

Even though this picture I still believe SOM is not El Laguito. The cigars we have seen with that code is way too broad variety to be EL... I cant and dont really want to prove it. This is what I believe you do what you do...

I completely understand where you are coming from but I only know of one other example of something like that and that was when they were short of rollers for Behike so they were rolling them elsewhere and then boxing them at El Laguito with the El Laguito code. No other time that I am aware of such misinformation if that is the case

[Trigga]

very interested in this....

[MrGlass]

For what it's worth I have a box of RA Club Allones with the code SOM DIC 15 as well.

[JohnS]

1 hour ago, subport said:

Even though this picture I still believe SOM is not El Laguito. The cigars we have seen with that code is way too broad variety to be EL... I cant and dont really want to prove it. This is what I believe you do what you do...

I concur. Following @zeedubbya's posting in the following thread...

I also believe that AMO is El Laguito. As for SOM, you'll get a variety of opinion on it as it has been churning out a variety of marcas, including both the 2015 Limited Edition offerings.

Interestingly, the question has been asked before...

 

[Fugu]

Also concur with others who say SOM being not Laguito. Phoenicia stating the Phoenicios were being rolled at EL could likewise be meant as - carrying it a bit far - EL being the "mother factory" for that special edition... (odd anyway, since the mother factory for RA is Partagas (FPG))

The Lanceros is the vitola that is always being made at EL afaik, so that is usually a good identifier.

Final word of wisdom - check the cigars not the codes!...

[subport]

33 minutes ago, JohnS said:

I concur. Following @zeedubbya's posting in the following thread...

 

 

Yep I know John. He went further than me saying that is ERDM factory he believes..

 

thats my opinion nothing else. Not a code geek never been just my thoughts on the subject...

[TheMonk]

2 hours ago, Fugu said:

Also concur with others who say SOM being not Laguito. Phoenicia stating the Phoenicios were being rolled at EL could likewise be meant as - carrying it a bit far - EL being the "mother factory" for that special edition... (odd anyway, since the mother factory for RA is Partagas (FPG))

The Lanceros is the vitola that is always being made at EL afaik, so that is usually a good identifier.

Final word of wisdom - check the cigars not the codes!...

This.

[ChefBoyRG54]

Just need some behike to show up with SOM to make the game a bit more fun ;^)

[Jimmy_jack]

I have Cohiba M5 Secretos SOM Jun 16  and PSD4 SOM Mar 16

[zeedubbya]

57 minutes ago, ChefBoyRG54 said:

Just need some behike to show up with SOM to make the game a bit more fun ;^)

You may very well see this.  I have seen Behikes with the RAE box code which is the code I believe to be the same as SOM for 2013-2015.  Code chasing is not a very exact science.  As for @Bohn007's question--I would send an email to Phoenicia Trading.  Ask them?  

An interesting tidbit of information I found out by sending a couple emails to retailers and distributors was nearly all of the 109 Vitolas are rolled at La Corona.  Not all of them, but most.  From a little bit of research I've done I have a theory on why we see have seen so many PSP/HQ cigars from La Corona:  because the Figurados are rolled by only highly skilled rollers at La Corona.  I started wondering about this when I noticed the Dip 2s from TOS NOV15 looked identical in wrapper to Bushidos from TOS NOV15.  So I did a little digging and found out what I thought to be true.  Partagas P2, virtually all Cuabas, and Dip2s are mostly all rolled at La Corona.  Likely rolled by the same higher grade rollers who roll the 109s. 

So, I would send an email to Phoenicia and ask them?  They likely have a better insight into this than anyone else.  AMO seems to be fairly well accepted as the code for El Laguito--verified by a number of sources and by what cigars have been coming out of there.  Could the codes rotate?  Of course.  I just think it's more likely another example of something as simple as Cuba being Cuba in putting "rolled at El Laguito" when they were boxed at another factory.  Also keep in mind it says "rolled at El Laguito" not "boxed at El Laguito".  

[TomF]

I have a box of Monte 2's from SOM DIC 15.

SOM on this thread so far: RA, Partagas, Cohiba, PL, Montecristo...

[Guest Robusto 107]

Got the same Pho 35 few months ago also is SOM

[subport]

1 hour ago, TomF said:

I have a box of Monte 2's from SOM DIC 15.

SOM on this thread so far: RA, Partagas, Cohiba, PL, Montecristo...

Add Hoyo to the list. Plenty of Du Prince were SOM

[zeedubbya]

 

 

7 hours ago, subport said:

Yep I know John. He went further than me saying that is ERDM factory he believes..

 

thats my opinion nothing else. Not a code geek never been just my thoughts on the subject...

Let me further explain how I came up with the idea of SOM being the same factory as RAE. If you do a little research you'll find certain Marcas are produced at certain factories as @Fugu said above mother factories.  The 4 big ones are Francisco Pérez Germán (Partagas), Jose Marti (H.Upmann), El Laguito (Cohiba), and Miguel Fernandes Roig (La Corona).  The codes for these 4 are generally able to be deciphered because of what's produced there.  For example Partagas produces nearly (if not) all La Gloria Cubana and Bolivar (ETP).  La Corona produces nearly (if not) all San Cristobal and Por Larranaga--TOS.  El Laguito obviously you know this one as Cohiba, however I have heard a lot of Partagas are being rolled there now which would support why we've seen some E2 and D4 with AMO code.  H Upmann is H Upmann--a large portion of Upmann will have the MEG code.  I recall @Bohn007 just commented on Connie A with MEG code.  

However outside these 4 it gets a little murky.  The provincial factor of Pinar Del Rio (Francisco Donantien) supposedly produces Vegueros and Trinidad.  So by deduction and looking at box code lists I would say this factory is the SLE code we have see here lately.  As for SOM as I have looked over a lot of the code lists I have and other people's posts of box codes I believe it to be the same as RAE because of the similar cigars being rolled there.  In mid 2015 you see cigars like HDM San Juan, Montecristo 2, Punch Punch, Mag56, Siglo 2 as RAE.  Then later in 2015 and early 2016 you see same Marca and Vitola as SOM code.  I don't believe it would be coincidental that in July 2015 RAE would be code for SAN Juan 10 boxes then in SEP15 SOM is the code.  For what it's worth I have stated a number of times my favorite code ever is RAE MAR-JUL 15.  There was some magic coming out of that factory during this time.  And so I believe (mainly under educated assumption) that RAE and SOM are the other factory in Havana--El Rey Del Mundo or I believe it was once called and maybe still is Carlos Balino?  

If anyone wants to add or refute this by all means please do.  I will state again--box code chasing is merely a hobby.  I think some knowledge can be gained by trying to understand this a bit but it's not by any means an exact science.  And HSA wants to keep it that way.  Could they be running a stamp for box codes from Upmann to Laguito once a month to throw people off--absolutely.  Is it likely this organized.  No.  

One more thing I want to add here.  With the premium leaf shortage I would guess they would roll the Phoenicias wherever they could find the right leaf.  I believe El Laguito used up a lot of premium leaf stores for the 50th anniversary of Cohiba and this is why we saw a Cohiba shortage.  I believe this could also contribute to your SOM coded Phoenicia. I could see most likely situation being El Laguito didn't have the 5 year old leaf but SOM factory did so they just rolled them there (under potential pressure from Phoenicia Trading to get them done) instead?  

Whew.  That was a lot....

Opinions welcomed.  

[AlohaStyle]

I saw this video awhile back from El Laguito and discusses how they will be made there.  

 

https://www.jamessuckling.com/videos/havana-cigar-festival-day-iv/

[Bohn007]

2 hours ago, zeedubbya said:

You may very well see this.  I have seen Behikes with the RAE box code which is the code I believe to be the same as SOM for 2013-2015.  Code chasing is not a very exact science.  As for @Bohn007's question--I would send an email to Phoenicia Trading.  Ask them?  

An interesting tidbit of information I found out by sending a couple emails to retailers and distributors was nearly all of the 109 Vitolas are rolled at La Corona.  Not all of them, but most.  From a little bit of research I've done I have a theory on why we see have seen so many PSP/HQ cigars from La Corona:  because the Figurados are rolled by only highly skilled rollers at La Corona.  I started wondering about this when I noticed the Dip 2s from TOS NOV15 looked identical in wrapper to Bushidos from TOS NOV15.  So I did a little digging and found out what I thought to be true.  Partagas P2, virtually all Cuabas, and Dip2s are mostly all rolled at La Corona.  Likely rolled by the same higher grade rollers who roll the 109s. 

So, I would send an email to Phoenicia and ask them?  They likely have a better insight into this than anyone else.  AMO seems to be fairly well accepted as the code for El Laguito--verified by a number of sources and by what cigars have been coming out of there.  Could the codes rotate?  Of course.  I just think it's more likely another example of something as simple as Cuba being Cuba in putting "rolled at El Laguito" when they were boxed at another factory.  Also keep in mind it says "rolled at El Laguito" not "boxed at El Laguito".  

I understood why, in the case of Behike why they rolled them elsewhere and boxes them at El Laguito due to a shortage of rollers but why roll at El Laguito and box elsewhere? Because of a shortage of boxes?

[zeedubbya]

1 minute ago, Bohn007 said:

I understood why, in the case of Behike why they rolled them elsewhere and boxes them at El Laguito due to a shortage of rollers but why roll at El Laguito and box elsewhere? Because of a shortage of boxes?

Funny you mention this.  

 

[SinfullyPatient]

For what it's worth, I just picked up a box of BHK 52's with box code AMO June 16.