What's Hot, What's Not : "Tales from the warehouse" September 18

[El Presidente]

Period  1/9/18 to 10/10/18 

 

Rating    

 

 

Quality on the improve compared to the first half of the year.  There is still enough examples of “I don’t give a fig “ construction and QC (bandless Bolivar Royal Corona is an example), + sheer awful wrappers that belong on peso cigars (Yes I am talking about you Sancho).

On the flip side there are some wonderful melt at the knees Rosado wrappers about as well as quality Colorado (thin and with sheen). When construction is right and combined to the right cigar (R&J/Partagas in the former and Upmann/Cohiba in the latter) the cigars are singing. I certainly haven’t noted any glaring blend anomalies.

 

Two more warehouse visits/shipments  before I leave so next update will be from the plane on or around the 5^th of November!

 

 

 

What’s Hot

 

1. Trinidad Fundadores. Hail the new King. Well deserved. I just want to give them a huge cuddle. RAG JUN 18
2. P2.  We are in October and it has been in the top 10 all year.  MSU JUN18
3. Montecristo Number 4.  A lot of cigars have suffered from the lack of leaf in 2018. The Monte 4 is not one of them. In fact, it may have been a beneficiary. GOS MAY 18
4. Quai D’Orsay no 50 (10’s and 25’s)  They probably should have been in the list last month but as a recent release, we held them out to see if they would maintain the exceptional quality. They have MSU JUL 28
5. Romeo y Julieta Short Churchill. Back to back months of Rosado magic has them in the top 10 again…and heading higher.  SMA JUN 18
6. H. Upmann Connie A.  They just keep hanging in the top 10. Has claims to the best regular production cigar coming out of Cuba today. Really good claims. AER JUN 18
7. Rome y Julieta Petit Royales: tasty as hell and looking a treat. Maintaining high quality standards. OTC FEB 18
8. Bolivar Belicoso Finos. Their back in form …I was worried there for a little while. However these were outstanding. TEOJUN18
9. Romeo y Julieta Churchill. The factory manager producing them should get a medal. ESL MAY 18
10. Partagas Lusitania.  Holding up the flag for double coronas with aplomb. In terms of sheer consistency over the course of the year, it would be in the top 3.

 

What’s not.

 

1. Sancho Panza Non Plus.  Ay Sancho! que pasa hermano? Filling the top two positions in the ugly sister brigade is nothing to be proud of. SEA MAR17
2. Sancho Panza Belicoso. Looks as if the wrappers have been dusted with napalm. PTRMAY17
3. Partagas Serie D 5. I tried to pick a lousy half dozen boxes for 2424. Went through 30 and picked one that I could say was above average. Really poor form MSU MAR 18 .
4. Bolivar Petit Corona.   Haven’t really improved. On the upside they all had bands. UEBNOV17
5. San Cristoban Principe. They are having some trouble pumping quality Principe out on a consistent basis. This months looked to have been rolled by janitorial staff.
6. Montecristo Petit Edmundo. Better than last month’s. Found some superb boxes but they were gold among a ton of turds. UEB FEB 18
7. Hoyo de monterrey Epicure de Luxe LCDH.  I wondered why I hadn’t put them up this year. Then I looked at them and remembered. Due for a seconds run soon.
8. Bolivar corona Junior. This batch were so firm/hard that you could file the ends and put them in a blowgun. They would bring down an elephant. UTP FEB 17. 
9. Cohiba Secretos. These are the ones we warn you against. Wrappers that look and feel like the skin on an elderly Congolese hooker. UBM FEB 18
10. Vegas Robaina Don Alejandro/Unicos/Famoso.  There are few around and the quality is below average at best. Be careful on the Don Alejandro as most have been passed over from now on in. It is a shame to witness the fall of this special marque.

[mt1]

1 hour ago, El Presidente said:

Quai D’Orsay no 50 (10’s and 25’s)  They probably should have been in the list last month but as a recent release, we held them out to see if they would maintain the exceptional quality. They have MSU JUL 28

QDO cigars so rare now that Rob is getting them from the future.  ?

[BuzzArd]

 Hooker skin… Is that an integral part of the flavor profile…? 

[El Presidente]

20 minutes ago, mt1 said:

QDO cigars so rare now that Rob is getting them from the future.  ?

...I like to put a mistake in for the OCD crowd ...i'm just a giver 

[BinBin]

Thank you so much for doing this. I can't believe i asked and this happens like a day later. unless it had nothing to do with my post. I thank you anyways. this always always a great read.

[El Presidente]

2 hours ago, BinBin said:

Thank you so much for doing this. I can't believe i asked and this happens like a day later. unless it had nothing to do with my post. I thank you anyways. this always always a great read.

It was well under way but you prompted me to post up. 

[ponfed]

You know what I love? 

When you get that email from the FOH sales department with the invoice for that box of SCLH El Principe you ordered Friday. 

Now to settle down and read ol' Rob and his Tales From the Warehouse thread.... I like to keep up on what's hot and, especially, what's NOT hot down there...

?

[El Presidente]

8 minutes ago, ponfed said:

You know what I love? 

When you get that email from the FOH sales department with the invoice for that box of SCLH El Principe you ordered Friday. 

Now to settle down and read ol' Rob and his Tales From the Warehouse thread.... I like to keep up on what's hot and, especially, what's NOT hot down there...

?

We appreciate your order 

I am sure the team  weeded out the wheat from the chaff 

[ponfed]

3 minutes ago, El Presidente said:

We appreciate your order 

I am sure the team  weeded out the wheat from the chaff 

Yeah no big deal. You buy your ticket, you take the ride.

I mean they're sub par,  it's not like they're laced with poison, right?

Right?

 

[El Presidente]

3 minutes ago, ponfed said:

Yeah no big deal. You buy your ticket, you take the ride.

I mean they're sub par,  it's not like they're laced with poison, right?

Right?

 

You may be very surprised on the upside 

[ponfed]

10 minutes ago, El Presidente said:

You may be very surprised on the upside 

Ok then.

Can`t wait to find out!

 

[Derboesekoenig]

13 hours ago, El Presidente said:

...I like to put a mistake in for the OCD crowd ...i'm just a giver 

Ugh I KNEW IT! 

[rabidraccoon]

I love this series of posts. Is the "what's hot, what's not" specific to the stock FOH is receiving or does this apply generally to these marcas/vitolas across the globe?

[prodigy]

I love this series of posts. Is the "what's hot, what's not" specific to the stock FOH is receiving or does this apply generally to these marcas/vitolas across the globe?

Rob has sources that inspect all cigars leaving Cuba. I'm sure he can tell you what the quality is like around the globe.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G891A using Tapatalk

[rabidraccoon]

9 minutes ago, prodigy said:

Rob has sources that inspect all cigars leaving Cuba. I'm sure he can tell you what the quality is like around the globe.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G891A using Tapatalk
 

Let me rephrase that question so it's easier to understand... does this "what's hot, what's not" have any correlation to what the quality of a particular vitola is like in the market in general? For example... if FOH got an amazing batch of Fundies, how likely is it that Fundie quality is good across the board right now vs. FOH just got very lucky and got a particularly good batch and it's possible and/or likely that the rest of the Fundies around the world are complete trash?

[Derboesekoenig]

1 minute ago, rabidraccoon said:

Let me rephrase that question so it's easier to understand... does this "what's hot, what's not" have any correlation to what the quality of a particular vitola is like in the market in general? For example... if FOH got an amazing batch of Fundies, how likely is it that Fundie quality is good across the board right now vs. FOH just got very lucky and got a particularly good batch and it's possible and/or likely that the rest of the Fundies around the world are complete trash?

Sounds more like playing the lottery as these guys here seem to separate mastercases by PSP, HQ, etc...which is why I am very thankful for 24:24 so most of the time, you know the exact quality and what to expect. You get what you pay for.

[prodigy]

Let me rephrase that question so it's easier to understand... does this "what's hot, what's not" have any correlation to what the quality of a particular vitola is like in the market in general? For example... if FOH got an amazing batch of Fundies, how likely is it that Fundie quality is good across the board right now vs. FOH just got very lucky and got a particularly good batch and it's possible and/or likely that the rest of the Fundies around the world are complete trash?

It's a bell curve of quality. There's always trash and always pristine beauties. Some codes are known to have better quality, but duds are always present. If it hasn't been looked at before purchasing, it's a gamble.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G891A using Tapatalk

[Lomey]

Is this just the way they look or is it the way they burn and taste too?

[Ritch]

I think you can only be sure a cigar is a good cigar once you have smoked it!

[Hookmaker]

H*** Those Sanchos look crappy. But hey, the DA’s I just received today look gorgeous Rob.

[El Presidente]

3 hours ago, rabidraccoon said:

Let me rephrase that question so it's easier to understand... does this "what's hot, what's not" have any correlation to what the quality of a particular vitola is like in the market in general? For example... if FOH got an amazing batch of Fundies, how likely is it that Fundie quality is good across the board right now vs. FOH just got very lucky and got a particularly good batch and it's possible and/or likely that the rest of the Fundies around the world are complete trash?

 

Let's put it all in perspective. 

 

1. I get the same stock as in the UK, Switzerland, Italy, Canada, Mongolia.  If my codes are good on something then it his bloody likely they are just as good elsewhere. 

2, I grade my stock because people asked "hey Rob, what's looking good". 

3. I grade my stock based on what I like.  Good wrapper, good aroma at cold, good construction.  i suspect that if you had access to multiple boxes of the same cigar, 8 times out of 10 you would be picking the same boxes I am.  If you have a different set of criteria, more power to you!

4. You need to let cigars rest, some you need to age, some you don't.  You can't get to know your tastes without smoking multiple cigars (of varying types, ages, wrapper's) over multiple years. There are no shortcuts. 

The only benefit of 24:24 is that you have some of the risk removed from a blind net purchase. You generally know what you are getting. The next best thing is to visit your LCDH/Store or to fly to Cuba. 

 

 

 

 

 

[backbone]

Every Cigar I have bought off 24/24 has been accurately described by our host in the listing and arrived as such.

No exceptions!

 

[El Presidente]

If there are errors (and there can be) then it is on me.

It is a subjective game and at times it can be close. I always try to round down.

Thankfully it is far from mortal ?

[mtd057]

3 hours ago, El Presidente said:

4. You need to let cigars rest, some you need to age, some you don't.  You can't get to know your tastes without smoking multiple cigars (of varying types, ages, wrapper's) over multiple years. There are no shortcuts. 

 

One thing that I have found to 100% improve my experience is letting my cigars rest.  Prior to joining this site, I had no idea how much that would improve my smoking experience.  Its a completely different experience for me now.  Thanks FOH!!

[Ritch]

5 hours ago, mtd057 said:

One thing that I have found to 100% improve my experience is letting my cigars rest.  Prior to joining this site, I had no idea how much that would improve my smoking experience.  Its a completely different experience for me now.  Thanks FOH!!

It is imperative.

3 months ago I purchased a cab of RASS before really trying any. I had a few singles from elsewhere previously and the first one was great, the second and third were awful. So I gave up on them, few weeks went passed and I tried another it was great. I kinda gave up on the cab of RASS I had delivered thinking they needed many many years of age - tried one the other day and they are beautiful and they are only April 2018's. A few months of rest makes a massive difference.