RG88 Cigars splitting in their box

[BuzzArd]

rH 62% temp 64°f  very stable conditions year round.

This is one of three boxes from the initial availability at FOH.  Currenty have 6 boxes on hand and this is the only box that seems to have an issue.   In fact, it's the only box out of 300+ that have an issue aside from an occational stick here and there.    

I'd say it was a humidity/ moisture shift issue, but then why only this box?  There seems to be a bit of poor construction on the 4th stick from the right. Very underfilled below the split and seems okay above, with a bit of a hard bulge where the large split occured.   Total of 4 sticks in this box exhibiting wrapper split, but none other to this degree.   Maybe they arrived a bit dry and then swelled.....   

Thoughts?

[Buck14]

I wonder if it’s something to do with the box? Maybe take them out of that box to be sure.

[canadianbeaver]

So interesting and unfortunate! Was just looking at the info on these today and the huge span of appraised value on them. I also got two boxes when they first came out here. RG is one of my favorite brands, so the idea is to smoke one some day and keep one in my deeper collection.

I love how the RG boxes have the white liner paper covering cigars from all sides, you know? My 2007 Coronas Extra are wrapped in wax paper too.

Yours look like they had it rough before you got them, like the green spot on third from the right. Hope it works out and get well soon, brother!

[BuzzArd]

42 minutes ago, canadianbeaver said:

Yours look like they had it rough before you got them, like the green spot on third from the right. Hope it works out and get well soon, brother!

Thanks CB!   I actually am back at home convalescing with home health care help. Should be free from being homebound in two weeks.  

Yeah, this wasn't a pretty box.  I actually ignored the advice on the box top and fired that ugly-stick up a couple of hours ago.  It burned poorly, swelled and split (as expected) but did draw well in spite of the damage (seems the binder was intact)  The binder/filler burned fairly evenly to the final third, but it pretty much ejected the entire wrapper  so I didn't get a fair evaluation of the profile I'm sure.  Looked like a trick cigar someone had packed a firecracker in the entire time.   I'm leaning towards a construction fault as I never experience these issues as a rule.

[99call]

I guess one of difficulties in rolling these Britanicas, is the balance of tension on the wrapper, ensuring they are shapely and uniform, without forcing the filler. 

I think it's a noble cause in resurrecting these vitolas, if not only to keep rollers familiar and skilled in passing down these skills.  The down side "i imagine' may be the odd one or two developing a few fissures. 

They do look lovely, a brilliant endeavour 

[Lotusguy]

Now the look finally matches the taste... I've had three from different boxes and they were all gross.

[canadianbeaver]

Interesting call, Claus.

Perhaps this is an 88 marketing ploy at best, since they are limited this and that, with the 88 on top.

Lots of folks think that way about any RG. But our 2007’s are dream smokes to me.

So we will bury them deep and see what happens.

CB

[Lotusguy]

Interesting call, Claus.
Perhaps this is an 88 marketing ploy at best, since they are limited this and that, with the 88 on top.
Lots of folks think that way about any RG. But our 2007’s are dream smokes to me.
So we will bury them deep and see what happens.
CB

I'm a big lover of RG. Probably the marca I have the most boxes of.

For my taste (but I'm not the only one by far, based on an informal poll of my cigar smoking friends that tried them), these have nothing to do with the RG profile. El Prez is already discounting them frequently and they are always the last to sell out (if at all) - that tells you that at the very least the price point is wrong. Or maybe they just aren't great cigars and the word is out. Or both.

The naming and the number of boxes are a straight up grab for the Chinese market by HSA. I'm not a fan of that.

If you like them - great for you! You won't have much competition picking up more boxes

I bought a box in a moment of weakness and when there was a discount code. I'm not planning on smoking them after the three duds I had in Hong Kong.

Tastes differ and YMMV After all, I like the Partagas Maduro 1, so I probably don't have mainstream taste.

[PapaDisco]

As we know, cigars are boxed by similar color, not by a single roller.  It's possible those all were rolled by the same hand but unlikely, unless a bad roller got string of perfectly matched wrapper leaf and proceeded to screw up a pile of these.  Are the 88's rolled in a single facility?

[DBNInc]

That is by far the ugliest box of sticks I've ever seen, and I'm including fakes from guys on the beach.

That box is so ugly, it's momma had to tie a steak to it so the dog would play with it.

That box so ugly, it went to a haunted house and left with a job application.

[JohnS]

5 hours ago, PapaDisco said:

As we know, cigars are boxed by similar color, not by a single roller.  It's possible those all were rolled by the same hand but unlikely, unless a bad roller got string of perfectly matched wrapper leaf and proceeded to screw up a pile of these.  Are the 88's rolled in a single facility?

The RG88's have been predominately a SOM factory code, I believe. There are a few threads below that discuss this factory code...

In regards to the possibility of a humidity/moisture shift situation, I can tell you that a few of us from Sydney were fortunate enough to have a box to sample with some of the PCC representatives based in our home town about 6 months ago and they were a little 'wet' from the box too.

Recent history suggests that Asia Pacifico Regional Edition cigars need a significant time to peak, usually somewhere around the 5 year mark. It's common upon release for these cigars to be somewhat unfavoured (For example, the 2008 Por Larranaga Belicosos Extra and the 2009 Ramon Allones Celestiales Finos which I can guarantee have no issue selling now whatsoever, if you can find them). It was only a few months ago that the 2013 La Flor de Cano Grandiosos was noted as beginning to peak on our forum.

The only recent Asia Pacifico Regional Edition that has 'bucked' this trend was the 2014 Diplomaticos Bushido.

[BuzzArd]

Always appreciate your insight, @JohnS.  Yeah, I recall all these SOM threads of the past.  Everything else I have from there looks great, or died trying 

Age wasn't going to help this single so I gave it the torch, but the remainder will be back in for the long(ish) haul.  

[ChanceSchmerr]

10 hours ago, Lotusguy said:

Now the look finally matches the taste... I've had three from different boxes and they were all gross.

My thoughts exactly. Hated the plugged/boring/lifeless samples I've smoked of these. Probably my least favorite AP RE ever. 

[canadianbeaver]

Great discussion guys. Will definitely approach with caution, or just set aside. I have something else to smoke I think. LOL.

One thing I love though, when the faves are RG, R Allones or ERDM. Even though Mr Beaver's are Cohiba!

CB

[Martin_F]

Glad to see this thread pop up at the same time the cigars are offered at 24:24.

Sounds like this is not the right box for me to explore the marca for the first time.

Maybe some Petit Coronas would do the trick for me...

[BuzzArd]

40 minutes ago, Martin_F said:

Glad to see this thread pop up at the same time the cigars are offered at 24:24.

Sounds like this is not the right box for me to explore the marca for the first time.

Maybe some Petit Coronas would do the trick for me...

Certainly not my intention....   

[Martin_F]

2 hours ago, BuzzArd said:

Certainly not my intention....   

No worries. Yours was only one of a couple reasons why I didn't jump on them.

[canadianbeaver]

Just to offer a bit more chat, my RG’s I adore are 10 years old. Maybe in a number of years these 88’s will be great too.

CB

[BuzzArd]

1 hour ago, Martin_F said:

No worries. Yours was only one of a couple reasons why I didn't jump on them.

I will say the RG PCs are fantastic right now and very approachable by pretty much anyone, so don't write off the marca.  If you have the opportunity try to get some.  

Like @canadianbeaver I'm planning to leave these 88s alone for several years.  

[David88]

Seems very strange to be splitting in the box. I would just put it down to poor construction or coming to you a bit wet, then splitting as they have adjusted to your humidity. 

These 88s certainly have divided opinion. I have a box in the locker which I don’t intend to touch for a few years, I’m tempted to add another. I love RG and do find that a few years does wonders to them.

[Martin_F]

I definitely won’t write off the marca!

The point I was trying to make, since these Regionals seem to get reviews all over the place, I’ll sit them out and get me some Petite Coronas instead as a lot of people talk highly of them. Especially since the price point seems to be similar. But 10 vs. 25 pieces. 

[alloy]

I've been through two boxes of these and there were really good ones and some not so good ones. I have a box in my wineador that I'm keeping my hands off of. I looked at them yesterday and they looked like chocolate sticks with a leather, cocoa and barnyard smell with no splitting. I'm just going to let them sit for a year or so. 

[Lotusguy]

I definitely won’t write off the marca!
The point I was trying to make, since these Regionals seem to get reviews all over the place, I’ll sit them out and get me some Petite Coronas instead as a lot of people talk highly of them. Especially since the price point seems to be similar. But 10 vs. 25 pieces. 

RGPC are excellent sticks - wise move to try those first.

[Corylax18]

Its great to see this kind of honesty. I wish we saw it more often with other marcas, OK, just one marca really. I haven't called any of my boxes home yet, and wasn't really planning to do so for a few years even before I read through this thread. I prefer my Perlas and PCs with at least three years, I've smoked a few examples in the 8 year range and they are smooth and delicious, really good cigars. I'm hoping we'll see a similar trend with the 88's, but you just never know. I think we are all prepared for some construction issues when purchasing double figurados, but that box almost looks like somebody was just practicing. I noticed that the Hoyo Tacos scored well in the cigar of the year poll. Similar to the Britanicas vitola in size and shape, I havent heard of any widespread criticism regarding the blend or construction on these. The few Tacos I smoked in Havana last year were noticeably wet, Oct box codes were on LCDH shelves the last two weeks of November, so they were about as fresh as possible. They showed enough potential for me to bring a couple boxes home actually.