guilow Posted January 10, 2006 Posted January 10, 2006 The recent threads about aging a date codes got me thinkin'........ Why are there so many people talking about cigars they are smoking from the specific year --> 1998? What happened in that year that such a huge quantity of stock is still available? Nearly every day I read someone posting about the cigar they just smoked "from 1998". I've heard that 1998 was near the end of the cigar boom and that year had a ton of excess. True?
strayvector Posted January 10, 2006 Posted January 10, 2006 My first daughter was born in 1998. I think I've read that because of the boom, production in 99, 2000, and early 01, were substandard and because of it, people tended to stay away from regular production cigars made during that span of time. Rob, I'm sure will be able to supply us with better info.
Tampa1257 Posted January 10, 2006 Posted January 10, 2006 » The recent threads about aging a date codes got me thinkin'........ » » Why are there so many people talking about cigars they are smoking from » the specific year --> 1998? What happened in that year that such a huge » quantity of stock is still available? Nearly every day I read someone » posting about the cigar they just smoked "from 1998". I've heard that » 1998 was near the end of the cigar boom and that year had a ton of excess. » True? Interesting question, and not a simple answer, so bear with me. As you may know, Habanos S.A. had a fairly major Blend change in many marcas around the 0995-96 time frame. A lot of this was due to the Ligero Shortage and issues of Blue Mold. They had to change the strain of tobacco being used. The older tobacco was what was known as the Corojo, which many remember had a somewhat greenish tint to the wrapper. Well, during the initial change period, there were also other major factors that transpired. Cuba was developing new fields to produce additional yield so they could meet expected demand that was created by the boom years as well as projections of wanting to produce 200 million hand rolled cigars by the 2000 time period. Now take into account that you had new fields, new tobacco, new and younger rollers, limited quality control efforts all trying to build production higher and higher. In 1998, when these cigars were just coming out, they were not looked upon as being anything special, just normal production. Many stocks were stored away as production continued and further developments within Habanos S.A. continued. The closer to 2000 it got, the more issues they were encountered with construction issues, tight and plugged cigars were common place rather than being the exception. The stocks of the 1998 production were still sitting in many of the distributors warehouses just aging and waiting until there was a demand for them. We have been fortunate that because of this time period, that the tobaccos have improved over time and those of us that purchased that years production and aged it ourselves can attest to the character of the cigars. Well, I am sure that El Prez can elaborate more and either confirm my opinion about why there is availability of 1998 production. The above is only my opinion.
guilow Posted January 10, 2006 Author Posted January 10, 2006 Tampa, What doesn't make sense to me is that if the 99/00/01 stock was substandard, then why wouldn't people have reverted to smoking up all the 1998 stock in the midst of those cruddy years? I understand the over-production in 1998. But it would make more sense to me if 1998 stock was LESS available due to those years plagued with problems causing people to consume all that "good" 1998 stock. Further, I would have thought that there would be abundance of 99/00/01 stock that no one would want to buy. But all I ever hear is "I just picked up some 1998 xxxx".
El Presidente Posted January 11, 2006 Posted January 11, 2006 99/00 was a disaster year for Habanos, the year they also realised that production records without quality control would lead to disaster. Major worldwide distributors (PCC, Meditra, Phonecia, H&F) have warehousing facilities in Havana. The word quickly spread amongst retailers that a large % of 1999 stock was plugged. Factories changed a few internal processes that year which resulted in tobacco being too wet at rolling. There were some heated exchanges in 99 between the distributors and Habanos s.a . One legendary exchange between CEO of H&F who at a meeting in Havana brought a Cab of HDM DC. "You people shipped me Baseball Bats instead of cigars". Complaints were rife, retailers were embarrassed, clients walked away from Habanos altogether and experimented with non Cuban brands. No one wanted to see a 99 date code.....ever! All of a sudden there were a lot of 98s around. I am not saying a thing ;-)
JMH Posted January 11, 2006 Posted January 11, 2006 » All of a sudden there were a lot of 98s around. » » I am not saying a thing ;-) hahah oh man, that's awesome! those cubans are so sketchy... I love them
Andyman Posted January 11, 2006 Posted January 11, 2006 » » No one wanted to see a 99 date code.....ever! » » All of a sudden there were a lot of 98s around. » » I am not saying a thing ;-) I love conspiracy theories...
Spud2 Posted January 12, 2006 Posted January 12, 2006 » » » » No one wanted to see a 99 date code.....ever! » » » » All of a sudden there were a lot of 98s around. » » » » I am not saying a thing ;-) » » I love conspiracy theories... A winks as good as a nod, say no more, say no more! ;-)
Wiley Posted January 12, 2006 Posted January 12, 2006 I guess it doesn't matter as long as you're happy with your '98s. I am so far.
guilow Posted January 12, 2006 Author Posted January 12, 2006 » All of a sudden there were a lot of 98s around. » » I am not saying a thing ;-) :D Well that certainly makes a lot of sense. As I eluded to earlier, markets forces 'should' have depleted all the 1998 stock and left tons of available '99 stock.
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