Pre Embargo H. Upmann Lonsdales Cellophane

[benjamin831]

Interesting find. Early 1960s. Internal condition unknown but it has been properly humidified as far as I know. 

[Fezztone]

Very cool.  What's the backstory?  Are you going to open them up and try one?

[teamrandr]

That is begging to be opened. 

[Ford2112]

I think I would have to crack that open!

[benjamin831]

It came from a larger collection of both modern and vintage cigars from a collector here. The collection was properly humidified but not cared for and unfortunately suffered from pretty significant beetle damage in quite a few boxes, which was heartbreaking. Boxes of vintage Monti 2 and RyJs had to be thrown out. 

[MrBirdman]

Almost cruel to post the box without a peek inside! Hopefully they’re in good condition. 

[Edicion]

45 minutes ago, benjamin831 said:

It came from a larger collection of both modern and vintage cigars from a collector here. The collection was properly humidified but not cared for and unfortunately suffered from pretty significant beetle damage in quite a few boxes, which was heartbreaking. Boxes of vintage Monti 2 and RyJs had to be thrown out. 

Sorry to hear but some people don't mind playing cigar flute for the right stick!

[benjamin831]

I think opening it will destroy the value of it but then again, who can know the value without seeing the inside? No idea, anyways not my call to make haha

[ha_banos]

Weird world. It's like those garage auctions. You bid on an unopened garage with no ideas what's inside!

[Fugu]

Is that your personal acquisition?

That’s a pretty interesting one. First the cigar, which has never been a volume production after the revolution. Then, the date and the question of whether it could really be qualified as ‘pre-embargo’:

The box can be dated to within a very brief period when that particular Hecho en Cuba brand had been in use, starting February 1962. The Embargo (the first executive order) had been signed by Kennedy February 7. So, technically, there may theoretically be a wee bit of temporal overlap. While the cigars may have been rolled pre-embargo (and part of the tobacco certainly grown pre-revolution), the box likely is embargo-period already. The tobacco will have been grown and processed, perhaps aged, the blend been developed still under the auspices of the Menéndez family, while the cigars have been made under Cubatabaco (who took over in 1960).

If authentic (haven’t you been the one been duped on a fake box Epi2 recently? Sorry 😐😅) this is a rare historic piece, and I would leave it untouched. Although, from outer appearance and given its cello-ed cigars, good chance they are in good condition.

[benjamin831]

9 hours ago, Fugu said:

Is that your personal acquisition?

That’s a pretty interesting one. First the cigar, which has never been a volume production after the revolution. Then, the date and the question of whether it could really be qualified as ‘pre-embargo’:

The box can be dated to within a very brief period when that particular Hecho en Cuba brand had been in use, starting February 1962. The Embargo (the first executive order) had been signed by Kennedy February 7. So, technically, there may theoretically be a wee bit of temporal overlap. While the cigars may have been rolled pre-embargo (and part of the tobacco certainly grown pre-revolution), the box likely is embargo-period already. The tobacco will still have been grown and processed, perhaps aged, the blend been developed under the auspices of the Menéndez family, while the cigars have been made under Cubatabaco (who took over in 1960).

If authentic (haven’t you been the one been duped on a fake box Epi2 recently? Sorry 😐😅) this is a rare historic piece, and I would leave it untouched. Although, from outer appearance and given its cello-ed cigars, good chance they are in good condition.

Excellent insight, thank you. Just, just based on my preliminary research before posting, they seem to be released during a very narrow range of time. Interestingly, it is the most common type of cigar in the collection with more than 10 boxes of it. 

No, they are not my person acquisition, as they belong to a larger collection from a collector. I hope to get more pictures soon.

[Fugu]

1 hour ago, benjamin831 said:

they seem to be released during a very narrow range of time.

Yep, it’s only a one-year window.

1 hour ago, benjamin831 said:

Interestingly, it is the most common type of cigar in the collection with more than 10 boxes of it. 

Well, if there’s even as much as ten of them, then there may perhaps be a chance we’d see a box being “slaughtered”. 😄. I got a few boxes from the end of their production life, so would really love to see those being reviewed. So anything you can do to push it? 😉

[benjamin831]

11 hours ago, Fugu said:

Yep, it’s only a one-year window.

Well, if there’s even as much as ten of them, then there may perhaps be a chance we’d see a box being “slaughtered”. 😄. I got a few boxes from the end of their production life, so would really love to see those being reviewed. So anything you can do to push it? 😉

Without saying too much... Sadly the collector isn't with us anymore, so much of it is still up in the air.

But here are some photos of a box of RyJ Churchills that had been opened already. Based on the markings, it seems to be mid to late 60s, so definitely post-embargo. The sticks are in pretty good condition, all things considered. The wrapper is mid to dark olive in color (claro) and have an interesting but unfamiliar vegetal aroma, tho some of them have a slight dusting of mold (last pic).

 

[MrBirdman]

2 hours ago, benjamin831 said:

Without saying too much... Sadly the collector isn't with us anymore, so much of it is still up in the air.

But here are some photos of a box of RyJ Churchills that had been opened already. Based on the markings, it seems to be mid to late 60s, so definitely post-embargo. The sticks are in pretty good condition, all things considered. The wrapper is mid to dark olive in color (claro) and have an interesting but unfamiliar vegetal aroma, tho some of them have a slight dusting of mold (last pic).

Wow, what a treasure. Someone at FOH needs to buy these and post a review. 

[Fugu]

3 hours ago, benjamin831 said:

The wrapper is mid to dark olive in color (claro) and have an interesting but unfamiliar vegetal aroma, tho some of them have a slight dusting of mold (last pic).

From the pics I‘d consider these in pristine condition. Very nice! That’s actually a clarisimo wrapper, or candela.

Are we talking about a US-based collection here?

[benjamin831]

Yes, sorry meant to say double claro. Yep, US based collection, all vintage cigars are claro or double claro or marked AMS.

Probably the most interesting piece. I'm unable to remove the glass tube from the box unfortunately.

[Fugu]

Great! And visibly in perfect shape. This has been the largest format made, a 56 x 21’’ behemoth. Or should we say long & skinny? 😅

[traveller]

On 10/16/2022 at 8:06 PM, benjamin831 said:

Without saying too much... Sadly the collector isn't with us anymore, so much of it is still up in the air.

But here are some photos of a box of RyJ Churchills that had been opened already. Based on the markings, it seems to be mid to late 60s, so definitely post-embargo. The sticks are in pretty good condition, all things considered. The wrapper is mid to dark olive in color (claro) and have an interesting but unfamiliar vegetal aroma, tho some of them have a slight dusting of mold (last pic).

Why does the dress box and the tubos boxes say Habana but the tubos say Havana?

[benjamin831]

19 minutes ago, traveller said:

Why does the dress box and the tubos boxes say Habana but the tubos say Havana?

Not sure but that's how RyJ printed all their tubos up until they switched it to the modern red and white (ghastly) design haha 😆