Difficult discussion. Important discussion. your cigars and your will.

[MrBirdman]

FYI for those in the US, I had investigated whether Cuban cigars are taxable for estate purposes because, of course, one cannot legally sell them. Naturally though, Uncle Sam always gets his due - tax court has ruled that even items which are illegal to sell are taxable at FMV. If you think that's bad for cigars, imagine getting a $29 million tax bill for a work of art you're prohibited from selling (it contained bald eagle remains, which are illegal to sell in the US). 

https://www.nytimes.com/2012/07/22/arts/design/a-catch-22-of-art-and-taxes-starring-a-stuffed-eagle.html

[LizardGizmo]

This is a great question and something to think about given Mike's recent passing.

@El Presidente
Do you think there's a potential living web resource that can be created for families to be directed to (in a will, or the like) to make the process easier for the uninitiated? Maybe it's own domain name or an extension of FOH.com?

I feel like my wife, if I passed, would stare at my tower and just feel completely overwhelmed even if I left some care/sale instructions for her. A trusted online source that could be updated/living might be a good thing for all of us to share with our loved ones. My wife feeling that she could fill out a form and upload a spreadsheet to get help from a compassionate human being would be very helpful, even if that would ultimately mean unloading it all on Bond Roberts. I certainly wouldn't mind my collection going to the folks on BR/FOH if it means she actually would receive something from it.

Focused on: legal and fair selling, humidity/temp maintenance, pricing resources, selling resources, shipping resources, etc. 

High likelihood that even an extensive google search wouldn't provide anything of value...

I dunno, just a thought.

[jakebarnes]

Interesting discussion and definitely something that I have to figure out. Maybe some specific instructions are going into the humidor. 

Also, @ElJavi76 that is very true. I sadly am a "pick 1-2 and stick with them" on fragrances, but they keep discontinuing mine. First Gucci Rush for Men. Now Prada Infusion d'Homme. Rather than "not smell like anyone else in the room" I just prefer "smell subtle but still have a fragrance." Seems there is less of a market for that given the discontinuations. It's like the lonsdale of scent profiles. 

[ElJavi76]

@jakebarnes if you want you can find a 100 ml bottle of Gucci Rush for a mere $250 on eBay. For a bottle that was once gotten for like $50 bux USD. It’s insanity! Original bottles of D&G Pour Homme I’ve seen for over $400. 

I have discounted bottles from the Christian Dior  Colección Privee that could fetch a pretty penny. However just like with my cigars… I buy to enjoy and for personal consumption. Maybe one day if I wanna buy something and I’m being offered an obscene amount for a particular box. I’d flirt with the idea. Be happy that it’s worth that much in someone else’s eyes but chances are I still wouldn’t sell. I haven’t finished a full bottle of cologne in like 10 years. I think the last thing I finished was a Chanel Allure Homme bottle. 

My wife V keeps bugging me about making a will. We really need to address it for this and for other more serious reasons. I had a bit of a morbid talk with my youngest (turns 21 in April) about what to do if we don’t come back from a vacation or something unexpected happens. Needs to be more formal than that tho. 

[jakebarnes]

@ElJavi76 Putting on my attorney hat for a second--definitely make a will. It's hard to have a morbid talk like that, but it's much better than the alternative of uncertainty about how you want to dispose of your assets. Lots of families stop being close in those situations of uncertainty and turn into bickering and vitrol.

[GoodStix]

5 hours ago, ElJavi76 said:

there’s also my fragrance collection which sits at around 250-275 bottles.

One of the FOH videos suggests Ken would be a likely buyer 😉

[El Presidente]

5 hours ago, bambambam said:

@El Presidente

Do you think there's a potential living web resource that can be created for families to be directed to (in a will, or the like) to make the process easier for the uninitiated? Maybe it's own domain name or an extension of FOH.com?

Let me kick it around with the team over the next week. Perhaps a downloadable PDF

[Frinkiac7]

In a former life, I have done many, many wills as an attorney, and have never seen anyone specifically provide for their collection like this. Or anything similar such as wine, etc. Most of my clients have been people of not very great means, which may account for it. Most people just trust that their loved ones will "know what to do" when the time comes. It would not be very hard to provide specific instructions or leave specific items to specific folks, but it seems like few have the time or inclination. Particularly if you are in a state (U.S. specific here) that allows for the use of a "personal property memorandum," which is basically a list external to the will that you can update or change as many times as you like without having to change the will itself. Contemplating your own mortality is very hard for most folks, and I don't think many people are inclined to dwell on it for long. Or they take the stance that, "I'll be dead, so I'm not going to worry about it."

I have young kids, so I am still far from the days where I can smoke with them and pass along the knowledge or share the experience, but assuming I make it that far, my intent is to pass along the good stuff while I'm still alive, along with a few words of wisdom. That is one thing I've counseled folks on...if there is any piece of personal property you want to be sure gets to someone, give it before you die and make sure you have those discussions while still above ground.

[riderpride]

On 3/22/2022 at 7:49 PM, Fuzz said:

Put my corpse on a boat, load it up with my cigars and booze, set me on fire and let me sail away.

 @jay8354 can pick out a box and bottle to celebrate beforehand.

I would have two problems if this were my wish

1) my wife would have concealed my body for decades

2) she would use my collection to bait my successor 

Thanks for the pleasant thoughts Fuzz! Good luck achieving your dreams

Cheers

[Fuzz]

1 hour ago, riderpride said:

I would have two problems if this were my wish

1) my wife would have concealed my body for decades

2) she would use my collection to bait my successor 

Thanks for the pleasant thoughts Fuzz! Good luck achieving your dreams

Cheers

The benefits of being single.

And always remember...

 

[riderpride]

3 hours ago, Fuzz said:

The benefits of being single.

And always remember...

 

[Chibearsv]

4 hours ago, Heels82 said:

My lady has the info for @Lord Verulam and then it's goes to you.  The bond is strong,

Perfect!  That works for me as well.  That's obviously me in the middle 😁

[MrBirdman]

On 3/23/2022 at 1:16 PM, ElJavi76 said:

if you want you can find a 100 ml bottle of Gucci Rush for a mere $250 on eBay. For a bottle that was once gotten for like $50 bux USD.

I’ve seen flacons of Creed’s Original Tabarome in excess of $10k. All time classic scent, discontinued so they can keep pumping out Aventus and other modern garbage. Shame what’s come of that firm, now that they sold out to private equity one can at least drop any hopes of a turn around. 

[ElJavi76]

2 hours ago, MrBirdman said:

I’ve seen flacons of Creed’s Original Tabarome in excess of $10k. All time classic scent, discontinued so they can keep pumping out Aventus and other modern garbage. Shame what’s come of that firm, now that they sold out to private equity one can at least drop any hopes of a turn around. 

Quality is out the window and it’s all about bottom line. What sells? And if it sells create 17 flankers of the same scent (see Sauvage from the house of Dior). Plus with the installation of IFRA years ago… cosmetic companies cannot use the same ingredients they once used. Tabarome use to be 2 sprays and you could smell it on your clothes for a couple of days. Nowadays… good luck smelling it 2 hours later. 

[ElJavi76]

11 hours ago, Heels82 said:

Do you have Curve?  or Woods by Abercrombie?  

I’ve owned Curve in the past but never the Abercrombie. I’m more into niche perfumery. This is part of the collection in image below. I do have multiple bottles of certain unicorns. Like 3 bottles of Dior Homme Parfum, 4 bottles of Dior Homme Intense, and 3 bottles of the original Dior Homme. Some of that aren’t even sold in US. Duty free or other international websites to procure these. 

[Hammer Smokin']

I love how you casually just dropped that question. 

If ElJavi is who I suspect he is, I bet that isn't easy to answer. 

 

(however, maybe I'm wrong)

 

Like someone asking me "what is your favourite rod and reel combo"? (I currently have 52 rod and reel combos)

[ElJavi76]

37 minutes ago, Heels82 said:

very nice!  Whati is your fragrance of choice?   

That’s like asking what’s your one fav cigar or your favorite child. 😂

 I’ll say this much Tom Ford Tobacco Vanille is a stunning frag. 

Loius Vuitton Ombre Nomad is an evening/cool weather stunner. 

Black tie is only Dior Homme Intense territory. 
 

Other fragrance houses worth a look:

Amouage

Nasomatto / Orto Parisi (same nose)

Profumum Roma

I know my family would make use of the frag collection and share it for years, if I met an early exit. Lots of unisex scents for all to wear and remember me by. Scent is heavily tied to memories which is why cigars can be just as memorable, especially when shared in great company. 

[SirVantes]

10 hours ago, MrBirdman said:

I’ve seen flacons of Creed’s Original Tabarome in excess of $10k. 

How much?! Well, in the spirit of recent threads, there is no scent I can’t use up, no cigar I can’t smoke, no wine/whisky I can’t drink, whatever the price inflation since I acquired them 

[MrBirdman]

15 hours ago, SirVantes said:

How much?! Well, in the spirit of recent threads, there is no scent I can’t use up, no cigar I can’t smoke, no wine/whisky I can’t drink, whatever the price inflation since I acquired them

Me want. 

Enjoy it while it lasts!

[Chibearsv]

13 hours ago, Lord Verulam said:

No I’m Bradley cooper !

You're probably right...he seems like more of a Crocs guy rather than a sandals and socks guy 😁

[Silverstix]

Did Di post this?  Nice try Di, nice try.....if I do this, then my wife will know how many cigars I have and how much I've spent!!! 🤪

[SCgarman]

Truthfully for many members here including myself, my surviving wife and daughter would have no idea how to liquidate my modest 50-60 box inventory. And let's face it Cuban cigars in the USA would only find interest amongst a very small percentage of people interested in buying them. Having to place the burden upon my next of kin regarding cigars, even if I had hundreds of boxes would be unreasonable considering all else that they would have to deal with. And I would certainly not want their safety to be jeopardized in some sort of transaction between a prospective buyer of my cigars, humidor, etc. For the members here that have hundreds or thousands of boxes in their collection, clearly they are wealthy enough to have a professional estate company liquidate their assets.

[MrBirdman]

1 hour ago, SCgarman said:

For the members here that have hundreds or thousands of boxes in their collection

I would like to see pictures of the storage setup for those members with a collection of boxes in the thousands (as in plural). 

I would also like to know if they are married, and if so, how? 😁

[Corylax18]

3 hours ago, MrBirdman said:

I would also like to know if they are married, and if so, how? 😁

Easy, the wife's shopping budget is even bigger! 😅

[SCgarman]

4 hours ago, MrBirdman said:

I would like to see pictures of the storage setup for those members with a collection of boxes in the thousands (as in plural). 

I would also like to know if they are married, and if so, how? 😁

Where there is a "will", there is a way.😂