Cohiba Siglo VI Gran Reserva...

[Padrino]

Quoted from James Suckling:

The limited production Siglo VI, which was officially launched on Friday night, is made with five-year old tobacco and comes in numbered boxes of 15 smokes. Only 5,000 cigars were produced at El Laguito, according Habanos, the marketing and distribution company for Cuban cigars. (I originally thought it was made at Partagas!) It is supposed to retail for close to $1,000 a box, depending on the market.

Ouch.

[phxkev]

I saw his blog. He said it was the best young smoke he has had in his entire life and he scored it 100 points unblind. But with only a little more than 300 boxes produced, they may be impossile to find even if you'd pay US$60 a stick.

[El Presidente]

It was a very good cigar. They would sell 50,000 boxes at $1000 a box even given the current environment.

So much to talk about when I get back in the next few days

[Colt45]

They would sell 50,000 boxes at $1000 a box even given the current environment.

To Whom???

[Jimmy2]

I will pass as regular production CC have been excellant (Boilivar,Partagas ,Upmann R&J and more) why waste money when you could get 3 or 4 boxes of something just as good.

Dont get me wrong would LOVE to try one just to see what it has to offer but for that kind of $$$$ it does not make sense to me at least.

But there is plenty of the LOOK WHAT I HAVE CROWD so i am sure they will sell out very fast.

[brian1]

Yeah I saw that too. I dont believe there will only be 300 boxes. Why bother? I would think there would be at least 1000 boxes and perhaps as many as 5000. Rob??

I saw his blog. He said it was the best young smoke he has had in his entire life and he scored it 100 points unblind. But with only a little more than 300 boxes produced, they may be impossile to find even if you'd pay US$60 a stick.

[terrantheman]

I agree with Jimmy2 on this! For a G I could get 10 boxes of monte #4's!

[Jimmy2]

Tom take me to Cuba next year and i will explain what i ment .

[Padrino]

I believe the future of the Habanos industry is the connoisseur market.

To a certain extent we're all connoisseurs. Unless some are more connoisseur than others....

As history has shown all bubbles eventually burst, and so it will be for habanos. They might as well ride the wave for as long as it lasts and milk that cow with endless EL's and RE's. It won't last forever.

[Jimmy2]

It really comes down to some have more $$$ than others and thats what this is for the well off people and they can have them.

As i know and others there are far better choices out there to smoke and enjoy just as much if not more.

I think in the long run these high price cigars they are pumping out is going to bite them in there ass as do they have any idea on whats going on in the world with the money problems ? Hey maybe we will get these at a discount ? LOL

I am sure they are great cigars ...

[Colt45]

To a certain extent we're all connoisseurs. Unless some are more connoisseur than others....

As history has shown all bubbles eventually burst, and so it will be for habanos. They might as well ride the wave for as long as it lasts and milk that cow with endless EL's and RE's. It won't last forever.

Anyone with the money can go out and buy Roederer Crystal or Moet Dom Perignon - they're not necessarily the best, but they have the press.

These cigars may well be very good. Availability and cost aside, the size first and foremost would make them a pass for me, and the "hype"

cements that feeling. If HSA truly is moving toward the collector market, my only hope is that the Cuban cigar market will open up to

competition sooner, rather than later.

[Padrino]

If HSA truly is moving toward the collector market, my only hope is that the Cuban cigar market will open up to

competition sooner, rather than later.

One wonders when Habanos SA ceases to be state owned will the likes of the Padron and Fuente family return to the island and claim back what was taken from them. Only in my dreams can imagine a Fuente Lonsdale rolled in Cuba.....

One day.

[Padrino]

Thanks for the article.

Interesting bit on the RE's that have been lying about for almost a year with the boxes still under construction.

[Colt45]

One wonders when Habanos SA ceases to be state owned will the likes of the Padron and Fuente family return to the island and claim back what was taken from them. Only in my dreams can imagine a Fuente Lonsdale rolled in Cuba.....

One day.

I can't imagine any kind of reclamation ever happening. And remember that Imperial Tobacco has a half stake in Habanos.

I was thinking more along the lines of someone already in the Cuban cigar industry breaking away and doing their own thing,

unfettered by HSA's logic - someone simply interested in producing great cigars.

If there were "outsiders" able to produce in Cuba, I'd love to see what Hendrik Kelner would do.

For now I'll stick with my plebeian Sir Winstons, Bolivar CGs, Partagas SdCs, etc.....

[Jimmy2]

Fuente had nothing taken form them they came to America i think about 100 years ago they made machine made cigars at first. I am almost sure

I think all these Blood suckers NC companies will cash in and ruin everything when they get there hands on Cuba which i dont want to happen.I think all they care about is making tons of money and dont give a crap about there customers phonies most of them.

And why should any of the people get anything back when they left or got kicked out and who the hell is the USA to say that as Cuba was never part of the US.I feel bad for them but they will never get anything back greed is what caused the problems in the first place with Batista and most of the people who followed him that live in Miami.

[jeromeroselli]

In some cigar bars in NYC I've seen $3 RYJ's go for $20, and I was dumb enough to pay. $60 for a 100/100 cuban would be completely worth it to me.

Does anyone think this cigar won't be noted as a classic because of the price tag? If it was $250/box would you call it a classic?

[Jimmy2]

Thats just it they have $250.00 or maybe a little more classic already MaG 50.

Its all marketing and they are learning it from Greedy NC companies like Fuente i mean do you ever see how much some of there crap costs ?

And people buy it so more power to them and these being Cuban cigars its going to sell like hot cakes not to mention their Cohiba's.

[Colt45]

Does anyone think this cigar won't be noted as a classic because of the price tag?

It shouldn't be considered a classic simply because of it's price tag either. The "classic" designation should be one of merit regardless

of price or rarity. In my eyes, rarity also would not be a factor in it's ultimate value.

[Jimmy2]

Punch Punch i have been hearing from alot of people the 07/08 are out of this world flavor and power like Punch SS1 but a little more tame.....If so goodbye SS1 i wont really miss you than as i love your flavor but if i can get it in my Corona Gorda size!! Yummie

[Jimmy2]

Connoisseur end of the market what's that over priced cigars ?

That's what defines a connoisseur than that's a joke.

Being a Connoisseur has nothing to do with money that's the point so if someone smokes a $100.00 cigar and I smoke a $30.00 one he's more of a Connoisseur than me? LOL

Being Connoisseur of cigars is a person who has the passion and wanting to learn the most out of this hobby and teaching others about the knowledge he has learned to better our hobby overall for years to come.

Buing Collectable cigars and rare ones that are very expensive does not make a Connoisseur maybe in there eyes it does but they are way off base.

The regular Joe is what keeps them going Monte,Punch,Upmann and so on who smoke there cigars everyday fresh right out of the box.Its only a hand full that collect and age there cigars like some of us but i hope they dont forget in years to come as to who keeps them in business.

As you read there sales are down why because the regular Joe's around the world are hurting because of the money crisis so i hope they just dont forget us regular Joe's

Sorry for the rant but when i get going it just flows.

Tom this was not tended to you your last post got me thinking..

[Jimmy2]

Tom hope to meet up with you one day and have a cigar I think we would have a great conversation about this topic. It so cold outside here in the apple smoking a cigar as I type.

It's not either/or it's AND. Habanos clearly recognizes that enthusiasts of their regular production cigars may want more vitollas from their favorite marks. So they "customize" blends and wrap them in new vitolas based on feedback that distributors get from their regular customers. They see this as an adjunctive growth market. Personally, I'm just as comfortable and content with a RASS, but the Benelux Regional of the Specially Selected Gran Robusto is interesting to me BECAUSE of the RASS. It's not either/or -- it's both.

[greenpimp]

My problem with the whole new dynamic is more than just the super pricey extra special releases like these. It's that every new cigar released, "regular" production as well as super-special, is significantly more expensive than other similar vitolas. With a few notable exceptions (PSP2) it seems they are pricing all new cigars much higher while slowly cutting the lower-mid range stuff (stalwarts like Punch SS#1, Bolivar Coronas Extra, Immensas, etc.)

Slowly pulling up the rear while they push the head of the line.

For instance, how comparatively expensive the petite edmundos are, how expensive the branch-out San Cristobal sizes are, etc. Far outpacing other members of the marca and other similar vitolas in other marcas.

This dynamic plus the explosion of high-end REs and LEs, plus the yearly double digit price increases...seems like they're really pushing the point of elasticity. Risky time to do it, IMO. Unless of course the embargo ends next month...

[El Presidente]

To Whom???

Colt, the depth of the Habanos market is quite staggering. For specialty items, $1000 is a pittance for many. The Hong Kong/China , Middle East, HK markets would take that number for a Specialty item alone.

[El Presidente]

I struggle with the term Connoiseur as it relates to Cuban cigars. I prefer "Enthusiast".

I don't have a problem with expensive limites edition cigars being produced. I have a problem when the ledger is not balanced by the production of regular cigars. HSA could rightfully say they did that this year through the release of the Monte Open.

The message has been given long and loud tme after time. We can only keep giving it and running the line of thought that this forum is becoming known for within and outside of Havana.

[PigFish]

I don't have a problem with expensive limites edition cigars being produced. I have a problem when the ledger is not balanced by the production of regular cigars. HSA could rightfully say they did that this year through the release of the Monte Open.

The message has been given long and loud tme after time. We can only keep giving it and running the line of thought that this forum is becoming known for within and outside of Havana.

I can agree with this. But this little Piggy ain't goin' to market, not for these. I suppose in 4 more years I will get 4 grand for original release Siglo-6's!!! Considering the price of these they must be worth about 2G's today. And even though I am into smoking any and all cigars that I own... I would sell them off in a heartbeat to these same people that have more dollars than sense. I love cigars, but they are simply not worth that kind of money.

Rolled leaves folks... rolled ******* leaves!

Thanks for the report anyway Rob. So did you enjoy the 898 tasting? I just saw some of Alex's pictures.