Strange BHK54 Box Code!!

[Corylax18]

12 minutes ago, Bohn007 said:

Of course you are assuming that the cigars were rolled AND boxed somewhere else. 

See @NSXCIGAR's post above. It's not my personal assumption, its the personal assumption of dozens/hundreds/thousands of aficionados. We could all be wrong, Cuba is a very unique place. But the facts tell a very different story than the marketing literature does. 

For any cigar to be rolled at one factory, then shipped to another for boxing really doesn't make much logistical sense. At what point in the process do they stop at EL and start at another factory? And why? Do they draw test, color sort, then arrange per box at El Laguito? Only for the cigars to be placed back into their containers of 100 to be trucked across Havana, so they can be taken back out, then banded and put in a box somewhere else? Or do they roll them at EL, then allow the entire rest of the process to be completed by second tier at best (according to HSA) employees at one of the other factories? It could all be happening exactly as theyve explained it. Unicorns could also exist.   

[mk05]

15 minutes ago, Corylax18 said:

See @NSXCIGAR's post above. It's not my personal assumption, its the personal assumption of dozens/hundreds/thousands of aficionados. We could all be wrong, Cuba is a very unique place. But the facts tell a very different story than the marketing literature does. 

For any cigar to be rolled at one factory, then shipped to another for boxing really doesn't make much logistical sense. At what point in the process do they stop at EL and start at another factory? And why? Do they draw test, color sort, then arrange per box at El Laguito? Only for the cigars to be placed back into their containers of 100 to be trucked across Havana, so they can be taken back out, then banded and put in a box somewhere else? Or do they roll them at EL, then allow the entire rest of the process to be completed by second tier at best (according to HSA) employees at one of the other factories? It could all be happening exactly as theyve explained it. Unicorns could also exist.   

Think about it from a top-down perspective, where you know theft, counterfeiting, and black market sales exist in Cuban factories. Don't you think having the most expensive boxes of cigars boxed at one place, rather than many, allow for higher oversight of product? It is certainly harder to sell boxes of Behike without...boxes, right? ha

 

Behike have been rolled at Partagas since 2010 and sent to EL for boxing. Circa 2014, Tabacuba mandated Behike for production outside the city to keep up with demand. It isn't new for 2017 as presented. 

Next.

[Corylax18]

Just now, mk05 said:

Think about it from a top-down perspective, where you know theft, counterfeiting, and black market sales exist in Cuban factories. Don't you think having the most expensive boxes of cigars boxed at one place, rather than many, allow for higher oversight of product? It is certainly harder to sell boxes of Behike without...boxes, right? ha

Yes, rolling and boxing them all at one place, under the watchful eye of your best and most trusty worthy employees is the best case scenario. That would mean EL, only EL. That's not whats happening though. 

I know that La Corona is a great factory and more of my favorite Marcas are rolled their than any other factory. Millions of amazing cigars are produced their every year. My goal isn't to belittle La Corona or any other factory. But HSA is telling us one thing and doing something else completely, again. If I save 1 guy from wasting a grand on something that isn't what he thinks it is, I'm happy. I don't see how this shell game is any different than a guy in havana selling you a box of "Cohiba" that his brother snuck out of the factory 5 at a time. In both cases your getting legit cubans. In neither case are you getting what you are being told you are getting. 

[El Presidente]

12 minutes ago, Corylax18 said:

But HSA is telling us one thing and doing something else completely, again. If I save 1 guy from wasting a grand on something that isn't what he thinks it is, I'm happy. I don't see how this shell game is any different than a guy in havana selling you a box of "Cohiba" that his brother snuck out of the factory 5 at a time. In both cases your getting legit cubans. In neither case are you getting what you are being told you are getting. 

It makes a lot of sense to me for Behike to be rolled at 2-3 different locations. We have all known about Partagas rolling Behike from the outset. 

It makes no sense for them to have various box codes. Who is going to touch a non EL box code for Behike?

I would guess that this is a screw up. 

[Bohn007]

1 hour ago, Corylax18 said:

See @NSXCIGAR's post above. It's not my personal assumption, its the personal assumption of dozens/hundreds/thousands of aficionados. We could all be wrong, Cuba is a very unique place. But the facts tell a very different story than the marketing literature does. 

For any cigar to be rolled at one factory, then shipped to another for boxing really doesn't make much logistical sense. At what point in the process do they stop at EL and start at another factory? And why? Do they draw test, color sort, then arrange per box at El Laguito? Only for the cigars to be placed back into their containers of 100 to be trucked across Havana, so they can be taken back out, then banded and put in a box somewhere else? Or do they roll them at EL, then allow the entire rest of the process to be completed by second tier at best (according to HSA) employees at one of the other factories? It could all be happening exactly as theyve explained it. Unicorns could also exist.   

I have the fortune (or misfortune) of having inside knowledge in this situation as I spoke to a senior executive of Habanos on this issue and not referencing marketing literature. While I can only state what I have already told you as some of what I was told was in confidence, I will remind you that the island was just coming out from under the effects of Hurricane Irma and so the process was less than perfect. However, to respond to your statement earlier, the cigars are Behike 54 as explained to me based upon your definition as to composition of leaf and wrapper. 

[Jon11]

Gary-

Did you get the pics and video that I sent you.  Check your PMs.

[Corylax18]

25 minutes ago, El Presidente said:

It makes a lot of sense to me for Behike to be rolled at 2-3 different locations. We have all known about Partagas rolling Behike from the outset. 

It makes no sense for them to have various box codes. Who is going to touch a non EL box code for Behike?

I would guess that this is a screw up. 

From a business perspective it makes perfect sense. Overhead at the other factories must be far lower per cigar. They probably don't track that effectively, but it would make more business sense to roll none of them there then all of them. I agree, it's letting the cat out of the bag that doesn't make sense.

 

10 minutes ago, Bohn007 said:

I have the fortune (or misfortune) of having inside knowledge in this situation as I spoke to a senior executive of Habanos on this issue and not referencing marketing literature. While I can only state what I have already told you as some of what I was told was in confidence, I will remind you that the island was just coming out from under the effects of Hurricane Irma and so the process was less than perfect. However, to respond to your statement earlier, the cigars are Behike 54 as explained to me based upon your definition as to composition of leaf and wrapper. 

I have no reason to doubt anything but the last sentence. That sentence is contradicted by HSA's own public proclamations. Something just doesn't add up. They stand on the hill tops proclaiming that El Laguito gets the best of everything. Leaf, Rollers, extra fermentation, Medio Tiempo, all of it. They also proudly and loudly proclaim that no other cigars or factories receive these special materials. Then they roll the Highest End Cigar on the island (their words not mine) at a factory(ies) they've just loudly proclaimed is second, at best, and doesn't receive EITHER of the two materials that make Cohiba and BHK in particular, so special. You can't have it both ways. It isn't both ways. Either El Laguito isn't special or non El Laguito rolled BHK aren't special. I'm not passing along any secrets, or insider info, just whats been openly and publicly presented by HSA. Their own words have put them in another deep hole. Just like with the Phoenicians, Anejados, Etc.  

Maybe, under these very special circumstances they trucked some of these special materials away from El Laguito, which sits up on top of a hill and would be one of the last places in the city to flood. Down to another factory in the city, through the mess, closer to the Malecon, flood waters and damaged buildings in order to help smooth out some issue they had. It doesn't make sense to me, but it doesn't have to. Apparently more people are buying the Hype than ever. The cynical part of me thinks they're doing some of this on purpose. The practical side thinks its just incompetence. 

[El Presidente]

3 minutes ago, Corylax18 said:

The practical side thinks its just incompetence. 

In my experience with them, if you are tossing up whether something is "incompetence or subterfuge" ............Incompetence is a safe bet. 

[Fugu]

35 minutes ago, Corylax18 said:

They stand on the hill tops proclaiming that El Laguito gets the best of everything. Leaf, Rollers, extra fermentation, Medio Tiempo, all of it. They also proudly and loudly proclaim that no other cigars or factories receive these special materials

I guess information might have gone lost due to omission of context. Basically, those statements are all correct. But in cases where Cohiba is rolled elsewhere, they receive the leaf necessary for the blend.

[SCgarman]

You guys have done a heckuva lot of pontificating, without the real subject here which is the OP's cigars and whether they are legit. Personally I don't like the font, it looks incorrect but nothing can be certain without more clear images of the sticks, bands, the whole shmear. C'mon OP, if you want help as to real or fake you gotta post up some pics. Otherwise, all the text typed here is really a moot point. 

[Corylax18]

27 minutes ago, Fugu said:

I guess information might have gone lost due to omission of context. Basically, those statements are all correct. But in cases where Cohiba is rolled elsewhere, they receive the leaf necessary for the blend.

It's possible. I've never heard anyone mention or discuss any gray area, but I'm not fluent in Spanish and my English is only marginally better. 

[filltang]

Seeing as I just pony'ed up for a box of BHK54s, now you all are making me nervous  ?

[Harikezo]

7 hours ago, NYgarman said:

You guys have done a heckuva lot of pontificating, without the real subject here which is the OP's cigars and whether they are legit. Personally I don't like the font, it looks incorrect but nothing can be certain without more clear images of the sticks, bands, the whole shmear. C'mon OP, if you want help as to real or fake you gotta post up some pics. Otherwise, all the text typed here is really a moot point. 

Thank you for going straight to the issue. But I've managed to conclude this matter with my friend and based on what I saw regarding no colored dots on the band, I knew 99% the content of this box.