Which Marque would you put your money on for refurbishment?

[El Presidente]

Trinidad has seen a significant fleshing out of its lineup over the past few years and that has been great to see. Quai D'Orsay same and to great success. 

If you were given the job to revitalise one of the brands outside the top 6, 

1. which would it be

2. what 2 -3 cigars would you launch within that brand to make it a surefire success?

Caveat you are the Cuban director of HSA making this decision. They fail commericaly and you disappear. 

Think with your head and not necessarily your heart 

[dobbs]

head and heart, por larranaga!

can't be more "out" than qdo was, and plenty of room for expansion of the marca. would hope they'd leave the bands alone though.

regarding question 2, i'd add a duke and petit robusto, both fairly popular here (and with me), as well as current-trend-size (sorta), and there is little like them in the catalog. some may cry "picadores!" but that's hardly a larranaga to me.

-dobbs

[westg]

Cohiba Partagas Monte Hoyo Upmann are the top 5.? R&J ?

 

 

[Deano]

Pot Larranaga is a worthy candidate.
 

I will go with Ramon Allones.  Some very interesting options including RAC and Petite Coronas that should generate great interest if they are re-invented.  An 8-9-8 production closer to the legacy 8-9-8s would be welcome also.  (Does it show that I’m not a big fan of the German RE release?).

[dobbs]

21 minutes ago, dobbs said:

regarding question 2, i'd add a duke and petit robusto, both fairly popular here (and with me), as well as current-trend-size (sorta), and there is little like them in the catalog.

by the way, i'd actually really like a larranaga churchill or 898, but not sure they would sell as well. that said, the encantos seems to be well loved (now), and the punch 898's are flying off the shelves, so maybe times have changed.

-dobbs

[...]

Sancho Panza petit robusto and sublimes could be interesting 

[Puro_Lover83]

44 minutes ago, dobbs said:

head and heart, por larranaga!

can't be more "out" than qdo was, and plenty of room for expansion of the marca. would hope they'd leave the bands alone though.

regarding question 2, i'd add a duke and petit robusto, both fairly popular here (and with me), as well as current-trend-size (sorta), and there is little like them in the catalog. some may cry "picadores!" but that's hardly a larranaga to me.

-dobbs

Completely agree on adding a Duke and Petit Robusto...those vitolas are very much en vogue these days

[wineguy]

Juan Lopez:  #2( not the current- a Pyramid), a Double Corona or Churchill  and a Lancero.

[SenorPerfecto]

Diplo.

I’d kill the No. 2 and replace it with 5 different lengths of 55RG cigars, from 4” to 9”. All with secondary bands akin to the Upmann Magnums, but for length rather than girth.

They’d be called “Immunity.”

[Wookie]

I'd like to see a toro version of PL and Ramon Allones. 

[El Presidente]

44 minutes ago, westg said:

Cohiba Partagas Monte Hoyo Upmann are the top 5.? R&J ?

 

 

You are right! I meant' outside of the top 6

[El Presidente]

13 minutes ago, Jeanff said:

Sancho Panza petit robusto and sublimes could be interesting 

I would love it. 

Tough sell however. 

[Astar20]

I'd say a Churchill, Lonsdale or lanceros of SLR or RA. 

[El Presidente]

57 minutes ago, dobbs said:

head and heart, por larranaga!

can't be more "out" than qdo was, and plenty of room for expansion of the marca. would hope they'd leave the bands alone though.

regarding question 2, i'd add a duke and petit robusto, both fairly popular here (and with me), as well as current-trend-size (sorta), and there is little like them in the catalog. some may cry "picadores!" but that's hardly a larranaga to me.

-dobbs

I would be  little nervous on the Petit Robusto. The Picadores hasn't been  raging success. 

What packaging the Duke?

[tigger]

LGC, Maybe with a Double Robusto and a Petit Edmundo. 

Neither of which I would smoke. ?

[El Presidente]

1 minute ago, Astar20 said:

I'd say a Churchill, Lonsdale or lanceros of SLR or RA. 

Brave man. 

SLR Churchill and lonsdale both failed to win the market before. How would you do it differently?

[Astar20]

 

2 minutes ago, El Presidente said:

Brave man. 

SLR Churchill and lonsdale both failed to win the market before. How would you do it differently?

With the way the punch 898, ERDM tainos I think start out as EL or RE and then make them a standard productions IE topes

[The Squiggler]

5 minutes ago, El Presidente said:

I would be  little nervous on the Petit Robusto. The Picadores hasn't been  raging success. 

Seems like a lonsdale or a proper lancero would be more up the alley of PL fans.  They do their thin cigars so well it's hard for me to imagine certain fatter vitolas succeeding 

[dobbs]

5 minutes ago, El Presidente said:

I would be  little nervous on the Petit Robusto. The Picadores hasn't been  raging success. 

What packaging the Duke?

good point, i'm not totaly sold on the petit robusto either. my heart says d#6, but my head knows it would be expensive and probably not sell. how are the partagas sd6 doing globally i wonder? one of my favorite cigars...

duke packaging? 10's in sbn for sure, 25's in sliding-lid box or sbn, and fancy different bands for these only. definitely not picadores bands though. kinda distinguish them from the "standard production" to give an air of exclusivity (real or not). maybe tubos too.

-dobbs

[El Presidente]

1 minute ago, dobbs said:

how are the partagas sd6 doing globally i wonder? 

Excellent cigar.

Abject fail commercially. Many reasons.

[westg]

Now this is hard I would love Ramon Allones to what QDS has in 54"s

[HDGSN]

PUNCH

Robusto Extra (10- and 25-count dress boxes)

109 (10-count varnished clasp boxes and 25-count SLB)

Churchill (Tubos with commemorative 2nd band)

 

[Sir Diggamus]

Vegas Robaina has a flavor profile I think would have wide appeal in a new formats. I would produce a Half-Corona size in similar packaging options as the H. Upmann Half-Corona. The second cigar would be a Double Robusto offered in boxes of 10 and 25. The third would be a Corona Gorda offered in boxes of 10 and 25. 

[Habana Mike]

ERDM needs a reboot. Bring back the Gran Coronas and Tainos.

Add a Gorditos.

[tdlfoto]

San Cristobal

On the wings of the current RE and the reliability of the few vitolas it still produces, play up the history behind the name and launch some product...a corona, a DC, and something(s) with double/triple bands and ego appeasing / money making ring gauge... the La Habana 60!