2025 First Third Update: FOH/BR Auctions/BR Cigars/Nudies/MOFOH.

[El Presidente]

 I always see the 4 day Easter weekend as a good time to reflect on the first 1/3rd of the year.  I see FOH members as shareholder mates and as such I don't have any problem sharing my thoughts. Hell, many of you have been on this journey for 20 years and in some cases more. 

2025.  It has been hectic. It hasn't been easy, however overall I would give it a solid score of  8/10. 

FOH

Stock situation has slightly improved. PCC have looked after us as best they can. Compared to many retailers across the globe, in the stock supply situation, we would be in the top 5%. I am concerned in regards to pricing (Habanos increases), but they are not hurdles we haven't faced before. We all know Cuba is in dire straights and the "new" bottom of the barrel started midway through 2024. I suspect we will feel some of those pressures transferring to stock supply in the second quarter of 2025. We will see. 

There has been an influx of new members into FOH in 2025. You are all welcome and I have to say thank you for the way you have integrated as well as to how existing members have welcomed you on board. This is a great house. You are all custodians of this house. 

A heartfelt thank you to all the mods + Diana, Lisa and the team. Best in the business. Any business. 

 

BR Auctions

Continues to go from strength to strength. Alexander Groom, Ben Ayala and Alex Retamal have done a magnificent job. In terms of skill sets, those three names would be in the top 2% of Habanos authority/authenticity. The world of Habanos authenticity is increasingly challenging. You are in good hands. 

There is a new BR Auctions platform being rolled out late May 2025. it is a serious upgrade and that upgrade will allow a host of new features being progressively rolled out for the remainder of 2025/early 2026. 

 

BR Cigars

The 109 will be launched internationally in May 2025 (expect third week). This is a magnificent cigar.  Following the 109 will be 4 new vitolas launched between May and December 2025. I will detail those vitolas further upon my return from blending and tasting duties on the 5th of May. 

Angel Miranda is in charge of packaging and there are some exciting concepts for me to approve. Again I will see them presented next week. We were hampered in production 2nd half of 2024 with a lack of appropriate wrapper. That has now been solved and we are now good for 2025/26/27.  Rob Fox, Hamlet Paredes and I have a big week ahead. 

 

Nudies/MOFOH

Hamlet is like a kid in a candy store. Our new factory commenced being built in January of this year and is now fully operational. Hamlet, Sergio and Nahun are doing a brilliant job.  We had previously suffered second half 2024 with lack of appropriate wrapper. Like BR, that has now been solved. We will have full lines of Desnudo and MOFOH stock available within 3 weeks + 4 new lines being rolled out progressively including the Sovereign Suns Half Corona + which is an absolute cracker. 

There is nothing that we cannot do. I intend to take you on the ride alongside us. This factory is your factory. 

Our FOH tasting teams will have their hands full in the next 4-5 weeks as we plot our course for back-end 2025 and beyond. 

 

Summary

Good start to the year. The tariff imbroglio has put us a month behind target but that appears to have settled down for now. There will be some price increases for Nudies/MOFOH as they are direct imports into the US distribution channel and hence 10% Tariff hit as of 10 days ago. I won't move the pricing until I have to. 

 

[El Presidente]

Feel free to ask any questions you may have. 

[wjs]

As someone painfully ignorant in matters like this, using Carlota as an example - if it’s been awhile since you last produced a batch, what is the thought process/approach in making it again? Same source material? Blend to a profile? Make the best tasting blend regardless of prior profile?

 

[benfica_77]

Thanks for the update and transparency Prez!

[TBuck]

Bloody brilliant update. I’m long on FOH.

[El Presidente]

8 hours ago, wjs said:

As someone painfully ignorant in matters like this, using Carlota as an example - if it’s been awhile since you last produced a batch, what is the thought process/approach in making it again? Same source material? Blend to a profile? Make the best tasting blend regardless of prior profile?

Same source profile. Same tobacco strain. 

Hamlet re-blends the cigar for each new production rollout. Even if you had the same tobacco, it is a year older and a re-blending will be required if you wish to maintain the same/initial flavour profile. 

[Capn_Jackson]

Excellent updates, excited about the new lines!

[phlipp]

Will the BR 109 also be available through COH or any other retailers shipping to the US? 

[Islandboy]

Great photo...which vitola is this?