What information would you want to see on (or in) a box of cigars?

[El Presidente]

What information would you want to see on (or in) a box of cigars?

 

I am going through the process currently in designing a box for a future release and have reached the stage of determining what information the purchaser is looking for. 

Date of rolling/blender/country of origin, are all a given. 

However, do you perceive any benefit to an insert or inscribed panel detailing the above as well as strength/approximate burning time, perhaps even a review of the cigar in terms of what the blenders were seeking to achieve?

Anything else? 

All opinions/input welcome 

[jakebarnes]

I like the strength and burning time. Perhaps with strength, certain attributes. Lots of coffee places here usually provide some notes about the flavors of the beans (citrus, chocolate)

[foursite12]

Maybe what the blender had in mind; much beyond that, you start getting subjective or evaluative, which is risky for both buyer and merchant.

[Islandboy]

I’m probably an outlier, but less is more for me. Anything written on a box of cigars other than a date for aging reference, cigar marca/vitola, and country of origin is fluff to me. I can’t imagine a scenario where I would buy a box of cigars without having already read up elsewhere on what to expect.

[DaBoot]

I personally think a padron box nailed it. Classic, simple. A little background on the company inside the lid to make you reach for one at a B&M. 

[El Presidente]

5 minutes ago, Islandboy said:

I’m probably an outlier, but less is more for me. Anything written on a box of cigars other than a date for aging reference, cigar marca/vitola, and country of origin is fluff to me. I can’t imagine a scenario where I would buy a box of cigars without having already read up elsewhere on what to expect.

It could certainly be an insert or a mix of both. 

[Chibearsv]

37 minutes ago, DaBoot said:

I personally think a padron box nailed it. Classic, simple. A little background on the company inside the lid to make you reach for one at a B&M. 

A company “about us” is something I always like to check out. 

[GoodStix]

22 minutes ago, Chibearsv said:

A company “about us” is something I always like to check out.

Yep.  Unless it's BS marketing fluff.  Call me jaded.

[GVan]

To me it's all about the info on the tobacco.  I support not divulging the exact composition of the leaves as these should be proprietary info of the blender.  That said anything extra to me is fascinating, such as: origin (country or region) of the tobacco, year harvested, age of the tobacco, wrapper leaf used and as you said above date of rolling.

There was a suggestion above comparing cigar tobacco with how they market coffee beans nowadays.  I do find it fascinating when they tell us something about the farmers that actually grew the coffee beans.  Don't know if that's a practical suggestion for the farmer that grew the main tobacco used in the blending.  I understand that it might get to be too much if all of the leaves and farmers were described that the blender chose.

[Rushman]

Maybe what the blender had in mind; much beyond that, you start getting subjective or evaluative, which is risky for both buyer and merchant.

This!!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[BrightonCorgi]

Signature of someone that inspected the box.  Handwritten indication of how many boxes and which number box that was.  Perhaps detailed information on origin and strains of tobacco used.  Stuff that brings you closer to the product and reiterates the hand made low volume nature of the product.

[RDB]

I’d like to know where the tobacco was grown and when it was harvested.

[Tunkat92]

15 hours ago, Islandboy said:

less is more for me

This for sure. I like a cab that is simply designed

[garbandz]

Component country of origin and wrapper variety

Relative strength

Date rolled...

One of my pet peeves is my coffee vendor, they spend 3 paragraphs telling me about the grower's father, his donkey, elevation above sea level, where his

kids go to school, how many hectares his field is, and on and on.

How about flavors and roasting recommendations? I will need this info since I am the guy roasting the coffee.

It's nice to know a little about cigar background, but it is not an influence for me to buy.

 

 

[Meklown]

Simple tasting notes, strength and body rating out of a scale of 5. As mentioned above I'd usually do enough research before buying but this will help either small batch releases (where it's impossible to read about or remember every single batch), or people who are unfamiliar with the brand/cigars.

A bit like the bottom half of this whisky label

[Ford2112]

For me just the date and factory. 

[djrey]

I think simple is better. Cuba pretty much nailed it. Date code is all that is necessary imo. Company/brand info seems like a marketing push and thus a turn off for a premium product. If the more info route was to be taken I would include a leaflet with a QR code. Scan that and it leads to a website with farm pics, production and any other info imagined. Though a QR is a modern touch on an otherwise old world tradition, it beats a few big paragraphs of info. That ultimately would be fairly bland compared to what an interactive website could tell about the cigar and its makers. ie. don't make the box a billboard for information, but leave the means to find out more available to the consumer if desired. 

[SCgarman]

Refer to a Padron 1964 wooden box. 'Nuff said. 😁

[Bijan]

Old time wrapper shade maybe.

Claro, etc.

[MrBirdman]

On 10/19/2023 at 5:52 PM, El Presidente said:

However, do you perceive any benefit to an insert or inscribed panel detailing the above as well as strength/approximate burning time,

If you are looking to do well on B+M shelves here, I think strength and tasting notes would be hugely helpful if displayed with the open box. People here have so much choice that the more info on what they’re getting into, the better. The only retailer I can think of that offers burn time info is Davidoff, and their times are comically low (I just got some of the Anniversario 1 LE, an 8.7 inch stick. Suggested smoking time: 90 minutes).

[El Presidente]

Cheers fellas 

[PigFish]

…rotted teeth, damaged lungs… maybe Covid booster propaganda. The usual stuff of value provided by most governments. I miss those days!

[gormag38]

On 10/21/2023 at 6:41 PM, MrBirdman said:

their times are comically low (I just got some of the Anniversario 1 LE, an 8.7 inch stick. Suggested smoking time: 90 minutes).

😆 This couldn't be more true. There are some online retailers that do the same thing and again, they're comically low. However, if it was done correctly, I think it would be extremely useful.  Especially if they're trying to get nudies to sell off of shelves at B&Ms. The choices in the NC world can get SUPER overwhelming, and having a bit of extra, easy to digest information would probably go a long ways. 

[GoodStix]

Glass top? 😉

[El Presidente]

9 hours ago, gormag38 said:

 Especially if they're trying to get nudies to sell off of shelves at B&Ms. 

...this is not for Nudies.  That will remain "no box, no bands, no bullshit".