Is SOM partagas or h. upmann?

[jcorona]

Went in to my tobacconist to pick up a single HUHC. He had an open box, so I grabbed one. It is excellently rolled, with a beautiful dark wrapper, and not too tightly packed, obviously a high quality cigar from a quality factory. I flip the box over and see the code SOM 16, with the month covered by a health warning sticker.

Which factory is SOM? the construction looked impressive.

[Smallclub]

Please tell me you're not drawing conclusions on a factory, based on a single cigar that you haven't even smoked…

My tobacconist has some RG panatelas extras SOM OCT 15 that have ugly veiny wrappers… should I tell the world ?

Most factories, especially the largest ones, can produce the best and the worst at the same time…

[BrightonCorgi]

Who is to say he is not just dropping cigars into the same old open box?  How many shekels is that cigar?  I did not get to go cigar shopping while in Israel, but was curious on pricing and stock.

[Jimmy_jack]

My partagas are SOM and AMO


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[zeedubbya]

We have determined that SOM is a provincial code not one of the "Big 5" so to speak.  Big 5 being El Laguito, Partagas, Upmann, La Corona and Pinar Del Rio.  Per some research @Bohn007 did it would seem SOM is a factory in Santa Clara province.  Which most likely is the Villa Clara factory.  Seems they have shifted some production to the factory.  Interestingly I just got a couple Bolivar Coronas from the 1990's and the box code is  VC1.  Which from that time was the Villa Clara factory.  

But again as @Smallclub stated above, chasing codes is practically worthless.  I've seen all quality spectrum as well.  Having a retailer which will open boxes and inspect them for the type of cigars you like is more important in my mind than code chasing.  If you like dark wrappers ask for those.  If you like veiny rough wrappers ask for them.  If you like smooth Colorado Claro wrappers ask for them.  It's a lot of personal preference here.  What looks/tastes good to you may look like crap to someone else.  I like Hoyos and Ramon Allones with darker rougher wrappers, but I like Cohiba and Punch with lighter wrappers with a little bit of that toothiness.  Just personal preference.  Like everything else with cigar smoking it's all very subjective.  

[avaldes]

I had a LOT of Bolivars from the late 90's out of VC. They made some good smokes.

[jcorona]

Who is to say he is not just dropping cigars into the same old open box?  How many shekels is that cigar?  I did not get to go cigar shopping while in Israel, but was curious on pricing and stock.

It cost 45 shekels

[zeedubbya]

4 hours ago, Hutch said:

Ton of great cigars here too from VC1. That began my stopping chasing city factories. I still pick EL, Corona, Partagas & HU over another when given the choice, but it stopped being a priority long ago. Many here probably remember the old JM code being super coveted  

Hutch, it's funny you mention JM factory code.  I recall back around 2000 or so we had a big time political boss with the initials JM who was a major cigar smoker, and one time for a special occasion some guys found him a box of (I believe) it was Upmann Lonsdales or maybe Coronas with that factory code.  We got them, presented them to him, he opened them and they were full of beetles.  Full of them!  Was pretty funny watching those guys trying to salvage the box they probably paid a pretty penny for!  Bad experience with the JM code! 

[SaintMickey®]

Not for nothing I smoke a Petit Edmundo from this SOM 8 hours ago and although young and just out of the shipper it was amazing. I don't care about "looks"...the smoke & flavor was fantastic. I literally didn't post a photo because I was so in awe and it was too late.