The last LE fail?

[El Presidente]

 

I was prepping todays 24:24 and was trying to work out when was the last LE  "fail"? 

By fail I predominantly mean a marketing fail. We all have different tastes but feel free to comment on what you didn't like. 

This decade (let's limit it to that period) I can only think of two sales dogs. I will disclose them later. 

There are a host that I didn't think would fly but did.  In retrospect HSA look like marketing geniuses.....talk about illusions 

Let us know your thoughts. What do you think was the last LE fail?

 

 

 

[NSXCIGAR]

Well, I think this is a tough one to call for someone not familiar with sales numbers. I can tell you there's some ELs that certainly didn't stir any passions. I think you have to go back to at least 2013 as the EL program has really been delivering a bit more consistently since then. 

I don't think any of the entire 2013 lineup were very inspiring. Hoyo GE, Punch SdO2 and RyJ DL were all pretty tepid in terms of excitement and demand not to mention nothing amazing in the smoking department. All can still be found fairly easily with the exception of the Punch which is getting a bit more difficult to find since late last year. This is of course contrasted to any EL 2014 and onward which is impossible to find at retailers gathering dust with one odd exception which is the RACA. This is an oddball as it seemed to be very popular and well-received yet stock is still readily available. Did they overproduce this stick or was demand simply lower than it appeared? If it's demand, than this could certainly be the last fail EL.

So I'd say any of the 2013s may have been the last bust. Prior to that, it's hard to say what would have been a true bust. I can only guess based on current availability and sentiment about the cigars both now and at the time. The 2012 PSD3 seemed to hang around an awful long time and I think it was the least regarded of all 3 releases of this cigar. The 2011 RAAE also didn't seem to blow people away. I guess perhaps the 2010 Trini Short Robusto T which is still available and also IIRC was far from highly regarded? I'll go with that one as one of or perhaps the last big commercial bust. 

[Cubadust]

I'd say the Punch from 2013 and Trinidad from 2016.
The RACA 2015 is a mystery. I hear nothing but praise, I just got two new boxes myself, they're still really easy to find and at a good price

[Diabolicalpherpher]

I haven’t had many but the one I had 2010 Trinidad short robusto T was a dog rocket.

[oliverdst]

if there is a second band it´s never a fail.

 

[awkwardPause]

if there is a second band it´s never a fail.  

 

 

Hear, hear!

[awkwardPause]

I'd say the Punch from 2013 and Trinidad from 2016.

The RACA 2015 is a mystery. I hear nothing but praise, I just got two new boxes myself, they're still really easy to find and at a good price

 

The 2016 Topes seems to be an interesting case, as they’re nearly impossible to find, and if you do, you’re paying a significant premium. I know the question has been raised by several on this forum whether this is due to actual strong sales vs. underproduction/distribution, etc. I feel like any hype that does exist really picked up after they disappeared (as it goes). Reviews I’ve seen have been quite mixed, yet there is a fair number of smokers I’ve talked to that really enjoy these and are holding them tight. I have a couple boxes that I haven’t cracked so I’ll be watching this one closely.

[Lotusguy]

Purely going by how long after release they were/are still available at regular prices, here is my list. I won't judge based on my taste experience (in that case, the majority would be a fail).

- 2010 Trinidad Short Robusto T
- 2011 HDM Short Hoyo Piramides
- 2013 RyJ Deluxe
- 2015 RACA

[vivalanation734]

2 hours ago, Cubadust said:

The RACA 2015 is a mystery. I hear nothing but praise, I just got two new boxes myself, they're still really easy to find and at a good price

It's probably because it isn't a Cohiba/Monte/Trini/Etc.; Doesn't have the same clout as other marcas, but people who know whats up know how great Ramon Allones is. 

[rcarlson]

RJ Romeo DeLuxe?  

 

 

[JohnS]

I never connected with the 2011 Hoyo de Monterrey Short Hoyo Piramides or 2013 Romeo y Julieta De Luxe either.

[zeedubbya]

If we’re talking decade as in 2007 (because the 2018s aren’t out yet), then I would have to say the Hoyo Regalos (fireproof), Hoyo Short Hoyo Piramides (boring), and the RA Allones Extra (the few I’ve had have been all over the place in consistency). Haven’t had the Trini Short Robo T, but I bet it will make El Prez’s list from previous comments.


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[Habana Mike]

Have to agree on the Trini Short and RyJ Deluxe. I've seen these both go up on no reserve auctions close to price with no bids....

[Hammer Smokin']

I enjoyed the Trinny 2010 LE I was gifted.

actually, one of the best cigars i smoked in 2017.

[JohnInCleveland]

6 hours ago, NSXCIGAR said:

Well, I think this is a tough one to call for someone not familiar with sales numbers. I can tell you there's some ELs that certainly didn't stir any passions. I think you have to go back to at least 2013 as the EL program has really been delivering a bit more consistently since then. 

I don't think any of the entire 2013 lineup were very inspiring. Hoyo GE, Punch SdO2 and RyJ DL were all pretty tepid in terms of excitement and demand not to mention nothing amazing in the smoking department. All can still be found fairly easily with the exception of the Punch which is getting a bit more difficult to find since late last year. This is of course contrasted to any EL 2014 and onward which is impossible to find at retailers gathering dust with one odd exception which is the RACA. This is an oddball as it seemed to be very popular and well-received yet stock is still readily available. Did they overproduce this stick or was demand simply lower than it appeared? If it's demand, than this could certainly be the last fail EL.

So I'd say any of the 2013s may have been the last bust. Prior to that, it's hard to say what would have been a true bust. I can only guess based on current availability and sentiment about the cigars both now and at the time. The 2012 PSD3 seemed to hang around an awful long time and I think it was the least regarded of all 3 releases of this cigar. The 2011 RAAE also didn't seem to blow people away. I guess perhaps the 2010 Trini Short Robusto T which is still available and also IIRC was far from highly regarded? I'll go with that one as one of or perhaps the last big commercial bust. 

I must be weird, I love those punch SdO2...

 

I guess I'm in the minority

[LLC]

I must be weird, I love those punch SdO2...
 
I guess I'm in the minority

I think it’s a great cigar and enjoy them very much.


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[Lotusguy]

I think it’s a great cigar and enjoy them very much.


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I like them as well

[MrStixx]

It’s been hit and miss for me with the LGC Caribe...found several underfilled cigars out of a box I have...a year ago they seemed HTF now all over online sites.

I will say the JL4 is all over too (8 yrs from release) but personally think it is smoking great right now.



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[skarolla]

I thought the last Trinidad EL was terrible. But people bought the hell out of them.
RA 2016 I thought were great and the RJ 16 was a powerful beast, I'd buy them both at Cuban prices.

[BuzzArd]

I thought Rob said the RyJ DeLuxe was really quite good lately.  Maybe just a sales pitch to unload stock on hand...?

[canadianbeaver]

My favorite cigars these days are the RA LE 2015 and I also love those Trinidad Robusto T’s.

I would have to say that although they are a lovey smoke, the way the market swang the price of either Opus X or Behike that are not 2010 is truly F from a purchase point of view.

CB

*yup. Swang.

[NSXCIGAR]

6 hours ago, JohnInCleveland said:

I must be weird, I love those punch SdO2...

I think it's a decent cigar and I think the opinions on release were that it was good, but I don't think anyone ever called it amazing. And the fact that they've been kicking around this long tells me that most people also didn't find them amazing.

I'm not knocking it, but when pressed to speculate on a sales bust, I'd have to say it's a possibility along with the other 13s. 

[Shaunster]

RyJ Romeo deluxe must have been a poor seller, its still available today.

[TheMonk]

Got no love for the 2013 RyJ Deluxe nor the RACA 2015 (could never understand the hype around these, flavourwise), but OTOH I do like the Trini Topes. Not a great cigar (at least not yet), but I quite like them... then again, somewhat unlike most around here, I really like Trinis in general. The Fundi is one of my favorite smokes.

[PigFish]

Considering I have bought 2 boxes of them since 2004, and those were pretty lousy too, the whole damn program is a failure from my perspective. Like @NSXCIGAR I have no way of knowing about the sales except that they still make the crap and that must mean that crap sells!!!

Sorry, no help, prejudice (based on poor experience) has jaded me on these products. When I want a connoisseur cigar, I am told to eat cake!

-Piggy