This week on Lounge Lizards: Montecristo Double Edmundo with eighteen year aged La Marielita rum/New Cohiba and Davidoff releases/Raising the dead/cigar polygamy/Maldives morons.

[El Presidente]

 

This week the Lizards pair Montecristo Double Edmundo with eighteen year aged La Marielita rum from Panama. The guys discuss new releases from Cohiba and Davidoff, they debate how Habanos S.A. could rehabilitate underselling marques and they discuss their recent cigar rotation changes. PLUS: Panamanian Rum and La Marielita History, Davidoff's Year of the Lacquer Boxes and Collectible Coins, Maldives Generational Smoking Ban, Pre/Post-Pod Lizard Rituals & More Join the Lounge Lizards for a weekly discussion on all things cigars (both Cuban and non-Cuban), whiskey, food, travel, life and work

 

 

[NYGuido]

Just another fantastic episode by the Lizards, particularly their discussion of the outrageous Davidoff Year of the Horse (that sound effect was hilarious). And @LizardGizmo, if the Lizards need in house counsel, sign me up! A worthy pro bono project if ever there was one (you guys don't get paid, so why would I?). Thank you, as always, for giving me something to look forward to every week.

-Lizard Guido, Lizard Chris, etc.

[SonicStag]

The mispronunciation just keeps on giving the laughs… 🇲🇻 What’s happened to Poobah? He’s not been on for ages, it seems.

[SonicStag]

After listening to the whole podcast & ratings, I think we know which cigars are being rolled in the prisons in Cuba. After the recent run of recent Cubans was shocked it did so poorly, but then your whole experience with Montecristo is not that good, made me think twice about purchasing.

[LizardGizmo]

16 hours ago, SonicStag said:

The mispronunciation just keeps on giving the laughs… 🇲🇻 What’s happened to Poobah? He’s not been on for ages, it seems.

Poobah's been in Florida for work. He works in an intense field and unfortunately just has too much going on. We actually had a cigar a few days ago - but he was turning right back around to another airport. All is well with him and I hope he's able to join us when work slows down for the holidays.

5 hours ago, SonicStag said:

I think we know which cigars are being rolled in the prisons in Cuba.

My assumption would be that all parejo, especially smaller format, are subject to potentially being rolled in the prisons. If I had to suggest a marque that might not be affected it would be Cuaba, as those perfecto shapes require a lot more skill than newly-trained prisoners are likely developing. But who knows...

[TommySnark]

Great episode, as always, but I think the hate on Davidoff was confusing - they’ve always set themselves apart as a premium brand with premium pricing, so there should be no surprise that their “Year Of” cigars are also premium (and, as with all cigars, flavor is subjective, some people will love them, others won’t). As for the packaging and associated merch, all companies do something similar (Porsche sells keychains, coffee mugs, clothing, etc - does that diminish the brand? I don’t think so). And some people value the fact that a $600 + box of cigars comes in a fancy package, which adds to the overall experience (the Lizards often comment on a given cigar’s packaging, so it obviously matters on some level even to them). Finally, to put Padron on a higher pedestal is misplaced - again, you can argue that their cigars are “better,” but that’s all subjective. If we’re talking about price, Padron also has some extremely expensive offerings (have we already forgotten the $7000 Legends humidor, and $180 individual sticks?). Sure, you can  argue that, while Davidoff may be a faceless conglomerate of a cigar company, Padron (and Fuente) markets the hell out of their family roots, almost to an absurd extent (do they really need to parade the entire family tree out at PCA every year?). At the end of the day, they’re both huge companies, making tons of high-quality cigars, making big money along the way. Personally, I could care less if Jorge Padron himself, or some anonymous staffer, is blending the cigars as long as they’re good. But that’s just my 2 cents. 

[LizardGizmo]

I appreciate you writing, @TommySnark, and I will read your comment on an upcoming episode. However, the absolute emphasis from Davidoff on everything BUT the tobacco is what frustrates me. I elevate Padrón in the discussion, not because I necessarily think their cigars are better, but because their first priority always seems to be the tobacco. I agree the constant family tree and Carlito crying in every filmed conversation he's in is also ridiculous.

As for their absurdly priced Legends offering with Fuente, we were not kind on the pricing. I believe we are equal opportunity commenters when it comes to our pricing frustration.

Davidoff is one of - if not the - highest average scoring manufacturer on the podcast at a 9.1 across the ten cigars of theirs we've tried. The Chef's edition from this year was the first we didn't really like - and it wasn't because of packaging or price. (In fact, we said they didn't do enough on the packaging compared to the 2021 Chef's).

The wider industry pivot to - with false scarcity in tow - selling fancy lacquer boxes and collectible coins with rolled up tobacco inside is absolutely counter to what smoking cigars is about.

[NYGuido]

1 minute ago, LizardGizmo said:

The wider industry pivot to - with false scarcity in tow - selling fancy lacquer boxes and collectible coins with rolled up tobacco inside is absolutely counter to what smoking cigars is about.

(Bold added by me)

YES! This is the thing that watch collectors see, as well. I think it happens when a product stops being intended for use/consumption and starts being intended for collection/"investment." I get it with watches to an extent. But cigars are made to be smoked, and when we save or hold them it usually is because we want to make them TASTE their best not be worth the most.

[ha_banos]

I'm well behind on episodes. Liking the controversy being generated. Like the gossip in Coronation Street of old. At least folk have an interest. 

Had some great double Edmundos. So curious to have a listen. No mention of the pairing in these comments.

 

[TommySnark]

9 hours ago, LizardGizmo said:

I elevate Padrón in the discussion, not because I necessarily think their cigars are better, but because their first priority always seems to be the tobacco. 

The wider industry pivot to - with false scarcity in tow - selling fancy lacquer boxes and collectible coins with rolled up tobacco inside is absolutely counter to what smoking cigars is about.

Thanks for replying, Giz - I appreciate and respect your points. And I 100 percent agree that Davidoff seems to have lost site of original mission, ie, creating top-tier premium cigars. When I was a new-ish smoker, circa 2018, I respected the Davidoff name and pursued their limited releases until the price no longer matched the quality. As you guys have repeatedly mentioned on the podcast, there are just too many high-quality cigars out there now to justify the prices demanded by some of these manufacturers (obviously including Habanos). Best wishes to those who still can and do, but it’s no longer me. The pod has done a fantastic job highlighting some of these affordable smokes, and I’m grateful for the content you guys have created.

Cheers and Happy Holidays. 

[DrinkSmokeGolf]

The combined age statements being used by Davidoff have me considering a total boycott of the brand. 
 

 

[NYGuido]

5 hours ago, DrinkSmokeGolf said:

The combined age statements being used by Davidoff have me considering a total boycott of the brand. 

I can't quit the Millennium Robusto, but I'm otherwise with you.

[TheCigarSoldier]

6 hours ago, NYGuido said:

I can't quit the Millennium Robusto, but I'm otherwise with you.

I'm with you. Always preferred the Millenium Robusto to the Pyramid. Although I haven't actually bought one in a few years, just been smoking through what I have. Davidoff as a whole has pretty much fallen out of my rotation. I wouldn't be surprised if the newer ones aren't as good as what I remember. 

[NYGuido]

29 minutes ago, TheCigarSoldier said:

I'm with you. Always preferred the Millenium Robusto to the Pyramid. Although I haven't actually bought one in a few years, just been smoking through what I have. Davidoff as a whole has pretty much fallen out of my rotation. I wouldn't be surprised if the newer ones aren't as good as what I remember. 

I like the cream in the robusto more than the depth in the pyramid, but both are fantastic. And I’m so sorry to tell you, but the current ones are just as good 🤤

[WestCoastSmokin]

The same thing has happened with sneakers and sports cards. They have shifted their focus to “scarcity, artwork, and fanciness” and it’s all BS. It’s all about how they can increase price to generate more revenue. It’s one of the reasons why I stopped with those hobbies and solely focus on cigars/golf. I agree with the Lizards when they said that the Standard production cigars are the way to go.

[JPark3]

I tried a couple of the Churchill 2025s, I think they're called The Artist? I wish I'd have only grabbed one instead of two, not good, in my opinion. Draws were worse than some of the Cubans I've had