Some photos of the new production cigars

[El Presidente]

1 hour ago, Corylax18 said:

Do you really think they are producing boxes at that quality level on the island? 

From what I am told, if it is a timber box (including high end varnishing), yes. 

Easy one to sort out. I will check it out after this week's Festival 

[El Presidente]

1 hour ago, Bartolomeo said:

thanks for sharing!

Good to hear from you mate!

Let me know if you are in Miami late next week. 

[gorob23]

17 hours ago, El Presidente said:

 

BBF Reserva is right up my alley. Well it is....except for the price tag 

 

Mine also... I "know a guy" I'll hook you up ?

[TheCigarslayer]

1 hour ago, juri said:

I’ve not been in a B&M in like 20 years but there’s more then just the US what about the rest of the world, I know places that sell both 

Yea I've found in traveling outside of the US most places carry considerably few NC cigars. It seems to be the usual supsects Davidoff, Padron, Fuente, etc. Those generally don't have the most flamboyant boxes. 

[El Presidente]

1 minute ago, TheCigarslayer said:

Yea I've found in traveling outside of the US most places carry considerably few NC cigars. It seems to be the usual supsects Davidoff, Padron, Fuente, etc. Those generally don't have the most flamboyant boxes. 

European B&M's these days run at close to 20% NC. Asia would be coming in at much the same. 

[TheCigarslayer]

4 minutes ago, El Presidente said:

European B&M's these days run at close to 20% NC. Asia would be coming in at much the same. 

That's interesting. Maybe I trend more toward LCDHs only, but in my Euro travels I remember it almost always being 90% or more. Also in the US we are used to 100% Non-Cuban only. My local is packed to the gills with ton of brands. 

 

[wineguy]

9 hours ago, PigFish said:

... time to change the name of the forum! Friends of Habanos (boxes).

Cigar boxes...! The average cigar consumer is a friggin' moron! Boxes are made to land in the trash, after keeping cigars from rolling onto the floor for some period in time. Nothing more!

Carryon! -the Pig

+1

 

[El Presidente]

3 minutes ago, TheCigarslayer said:

That's interesting. Maybe I trend more toward LCDHs only, but in my Euro travels I remember it almost always being 90% or more.

The % of NC in B@M's has risen quite substantially in the past 10 years.  Several reasons:

• Inability of HSA to supply lines
• Better margins on NC's
• Flexible terms with NC manufacturers who are wanting you to carry their lines. 

 

 

 

[HDGSN]

Got to say I’ve alway enjoyed classic Cuban packaging. Classy, historic, beautiful dress boxes and simple, functional SLBs.

Any move to NC-style packaging is a “No” from me.

[PigFish]

11 hours ago, Bartolomeo said:

I am well and hope you are too pal!

Not bad! Hiding out from the boogie man and the Robusto virus with Sir Winston, a few Diplomats, a count, a puppet and his wife Judy...

 

[benfica_77]

Photo of the inside of the Monte herederos....interesting setup....

[Mikeltee]

On 2/25/2020 at 12:30 PM, TheCigarslayer said:

I think point 2 is the biggest reason. There is SO many companies putting out NC cigars. Ever walk into a B&M in the US? The change out vitolas, blends, etc at a rapid rate and there can be literally hundreds of brands/sizes. Cuban has zero competition amongst Cubans. Shows in the customer support too between the two as well.  

I dont know about you but when I first started smoking cigars,the B&M had all their boxes open so that took out any marketing strategies from the selection. What I looked for was prices; I didnt even look at the sticks. You get what you pay for right? Well little did I know, this is only about 50% right in the cigar game and in the NC world, those prices are highly influenced by the box its shipped in aka Ghurka. You cant go wrong with a top dollar Patron on the other hand though. 

The best advice I can give to a newb is go to a B&M. They are some of the most honest salespersons in any business. When you shop online (FOR NCs), the marketing team spams you with whatever makes them the most money and then proceeds to rate these sticks in the mid 90s. Its pathetic IMO...

[TheCigarslayer]

10 minutes ago, Mikeltee said:

I dont know about you but when I first started smoking cigars,the B&M had all their boxes open so that took out any marketing strategies from the selection. What I looked for was prices; I didnt even look at the sticks. You get what you pay for right? Well little did I know, this is only about 50% right in the cigar game and in the NC world, those prices are highly influenced by the box its shipped in aka Ghurka. You cant go wrong with a top dollar Patron on the other hand though. 

The best advice I can give to a newb is go to a B&M. They are some of the most honest salespersons in any business. When you shop online (FOR NCs), the marketing team spams you with whatever makes them the most money and then proceeds to rate these sticks in the mid 90s. Its pathetic IMO...

I was lucky my local shop the owner leaded me right to the good stuff. Did a lot of Fuentes, Padron, Davidoff and My Father etc. unfortunately deviated to some crap “saving money”.

 

I try my best to steer people to the “good stuff” for NC off the bat. The marketing gets so many people day in day out. The amount of times I’ve heard shit at the local lounges makes my head spin. Even had the pleasure of speaking with the guy running marketing for a “big shop” and he told me Cubans all suck and he’s tried them all...

[Derboesekoenig]

On 2/25/2020 at 10:33 PM, Corylax18 said:

Do you really think they are producing boxes at that quality level on the island? I've not seen a state run business produce Anything to that level of quality.  My understanding was that the new factory was aiming to produce "volume" boxes. The photos in the article only show what appear to be Standard SLBs and SBNs. 

https://translate.google.com.br/translate?sl=es&tl=en&js=y&prev=_t&hl=en&ie=UTF-8&u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.radiorebelde.cu%2Fnoticia%2Finauguran-fabrica-envases-para-puros-cubanos-20171230%2F&edit-text=&act=url

I thought all the fancy boxes came from Europe, or somewhere other than Cuba? I know the Behike boxes aren't from the island, but I thought more were outsourced as well.

[Mikeltee]

I read somewhere that 75% of CCs produced stay on the island. The island is poor so I dont ever see them upgrading regular production boxes just for this simple reason. Regionals on the other hand would probably benefit them by blinging out the boxes. It would make the "collectors" go nuts and would far surpass the double band craze. They could then once again double the price which would drive most of us here mad. We are not their intended target though. They want the whales, and most of us are just curious little fish that take a nibble here and there.

[SigmundChurchill]

On 2/25/2020 at 10:26 AM, PigFish said:

... time to change the name of the forum! Friends of Habanos (boxes).

Cigar boxes...! The average cigar consumer is a friggin' moron! Boxes are made to land in the trash, after keeping cigars from rolling onto the floor for some period in time. Nothing more!

Carryon! -the Pig

This reminded me of that vendor back in the day, that used to have his own bands and crappy boxes, that I think were made out of pine or something, and they would never close right.  Whatever box of CCs you ordered, came rebanded with his bands, in his crappy boxes.  Cigars tasted great though.

You don’t happen to remember what the brand was called, do you?  I’m drawing a blank.

[Wookie]

In the early 2000s I had a shop that sent them in "Dominican" labeled boxes, unbanded. The actual labels came in an envelope a week or two later. 

[Lotusguy]

This reminded me of that vendor back in the day, that used to have his own bands and crappy boxes, that I think were made out of pine or something, and they would never close right.  Whatever box of CCs you ordered, came rebanded with his bands, in his crappy boxes.  Cigars tasted great though.
You don’t happen to remember what the brand was called, do you?  I’m drawing a blank.

Weren’t those the famous “El Dente”?

[SigmundChurchill]

2 hours ago, Lotusguy said:

Weren’t those the famous “El Dente”?

Yes.  El Dente!  

Thank you!  I was having a total brain fart.

[PigFish]

3 hours ago, SigmundChurchill said:

Yes.  El Dente!  

Thank you!  I was having a total brain fart.

Yes, some ordered noodles with some tooth and the name was born!!!

I think I bought him out of Diplomaticos #1's and filled old SLR cab boxes with them!

-the Pig

[Kayslay]

I will say I like the bands on the RyJ. Well- minus the foot bands. It screams "LOOK A NICE CIGAR". I too enjoy the look of a regular SLB.

[SigmundChurchill]

6 hours ago, PigFish said:

Yes, some ordered noodles with some tooth and the name was born!!!

I think I bought him out of Diplomaticos #1's and filled old SLR cab boxes with them!

-the Pig

Hmm.  I never really got the humor in the name until now.  That’s pretty uncharacteristic of me.

So was he trying to tell us that he was sending us undercooked cigars?  LOL

 

....And now that I said that, it is bringing up memories of rumors about Cuba “cooking” the tobacco.  I dont even remember what that is supposed to have meant, but people were accusing Cuba of doing it.

[PigFish]

2 hours ago, SigmundChurchill said:

Hmm.  I never really got the humor in the name until now.  That’s pretty uncharacteristic of me.

So was he trying to tell us that he was sending us undercooked cigars?  LOL

 

....And now that I said that, it is bringing up memories of rumors about Cuba “cooking” the tobacco.  I dont even remember what that is supposed to have meant, but people were accusing Cuba of doing it.

Yes, this made the rounds. I cannot understand that a maker makes cigars ready to smoke today, and some steeped in myth and conspiracy theory think that it is a bad thing. Anything that threatens a collector's hoard turns into what is 'bad' for Cuban cigars.

I remember some time ago (here) some bloke said that I had written I that believed in that tripe and wrote about it. Chalk it up to people confusing their Pigs...!

Now to really test your memory. Our 'friend' used to have a another brand name as well. I thought it was La... 'something' but I cannot remember. I cannot imagine that I have any of those boxes around any more. Maybe I have one of those old customs tariff receipts around here!!! -LOL

-Piggy

[parabola66]

On 2/25/2020 at 8:07 PM, TheCigarslayer said:

 My local is packed to the gills with ton of brands. 

Its still amazing... walking through a local 100% NC shops... so many cigars... so little desire to try any of them..

I come here  eager to buy a box of just about anything, even if I've never tried it.

[SigmundChurchill]

3 hours ago, parabola66 said:

Its still amazing... walking through a local 100% NC shops... so many cigars... so little desire to try any of them..

I come here  eager to buy a box of just about anything, even if I've never tried it.

This is my regular hangout.  10 minutes from my house.  In fact, I am here right now.  

Whenever I walk through the humidor, The Rime of the Ancient Mariner always comes to mind.

”Water, water everywhere, Nor any drop to drink.” 

 

3 hours ago, PigFish said:

Yes, this made the rounds. I cannot understand that a maker makes cigars ready to smoke today, and some steeped in myth and conspiracy theory think that it is a bad thing. Anything that threatens a collector's hoard turns into what is 'bad' for Cuban cigars.

I remember some time ago (here) some bloke said that I had written I that believed in that tripe and wrote about it. Chalk it up to people confusing their Pigs...!

Now to really test your memory. Our 'friend' used to have a another brand name as well. I thought it was La... 'something' but I cannot remember. I cannot imagine that I have any of those boxes around any more. Maybe I have one of those old customs tariff receipts around here!!! -LOL

-Piggy

I was racking my brain to remember El Dente, and just as my mind was at ease, you put me back to square one.  LOL

I don’t remember the name.  Hopefully it will come to me soon.