What has changed with Habanos?

[Tampa1257]

Many of the members here travel around the Worldwide Cigar BB system in persiut of knowledge about Cuban Cigars. Many of the cigars coming from Cuba had construction issues in the late 90's and early 00's. I know that part of the issues were construction, and part was a shortage of ligero, but while many of the less than consistant Habanos (Monte # 2 comes to mind) changed turning sometime during 2003, but even more so during 2004. Now before the Monte #2 lovers jump me, I love the Monte #2, it was actually the very first cigar I ever smoked back in 1981, but until recently, the consistancy of the Monte was hit or miss, and frankly until 2003, it was missing more than being on target.

That said, I am bringing out for discussion: What changed at Habanos that has brought more consistancy, flavor and complexity during the past 1.5-2 years?

Tampa

[Guest Sailor]

The money from Altidis buying 50% of Habanos.

[ilikecigars]

i believe the curing of the leaf is different, there not useing natural drying anymore but push it a bit in some sort of heated shed...

i believe it ages it quicker so the cigars taste better now...however we dont know the long term effects as too how these cigas will age further down the line.

there could be a drastic difference and not a good one.

[Tampa1257]

» i believe the curing of the leaf is different, there not useing natural

» drying anymore but push it a bit in some sort of heated shed...

» i believe it ages it quicker so the cigars taste better now...however we

» dont know the long term effects as too how these cigas will age further

» down the line.

» there could be a drastic difference and not a good one.

I have heard these rumors also, part of which does coincide with Altadis buying the 50% share of Habanos S.A.. I hope that the tried and true methods of curing the tobacco has not been altered in the expediency of taste right off the truck of the cigars. One of my favorite past-times is sitting down to smoke a well aged cigar because the taste is more mature and not as rough around the edges as a new "young" cigar. If the method of curing has been altered, no one knows what the long term effects will be on aging Cuban cigars.

Now with the use of "Draw Machines", I have read that many complain of looser draws and underflled cigars. Frankly, I have seldom if ever had this happen to me (the underfilled that is). I have noticed a looser draw on many of the 2003 and 2004 dated cigars I have smoked, but I would not consider them too loose. I think that it really boils down to someone's smoking tachnique. I tend to smoke slowly, and a looser draw provides an excellent amount of smoke for me. I typically prefer a cigar draw that has a little resistance, not really tight, but a tad on the firmer side as I can draw the heck out of it with a good puff. During the years that many people were claiming issues with tight and plugged cigars, it was considered that the construction and quality control was the cause. The cigars that were tight and plugged back in 1999 or 2000 are still tight or plugged today, and no amount of aging is going to change that unfortunately. So given the choice of a very tight draw vs a looser draw, I'll take the looser of the two. I still prefer a cigar that has a slight resistance to the draw.

Tampa

[Guest Sailor]

Man, there is more knowledge right in Tampa about cigar tobacco than you would ever what to know if you sought it out. Stroll over to Tampa Sweetheart and say hello to Darlene for me.:-P

The use of propane heaters in curing sheds has been going on for a long time in other parts of the world. In Tampa, Olivia Tobacco, largest grower and supplier in the world, can tell you about the chemistry involved, but without the propane heat, Candela wrappers would never have been born. (Personaly I hate them,better used for wrapping packages for your mother-in-law than smoking)

I bring up other parts of the world because after the "Cigar Boom" in the US, the quality decline in the Cuban product, the stabilization of a Central American country, people returned to smoking cigars that tasted good rather than smoking the band. The Cubans had been resting on their laurels and were turning out a shoddy product. Two major reasons, 1. The need for hard currency 2. A increase in demand that had far exceeded their level of quality production.

Altidis brought new capital, equiptment, marketing stratget ( LE's)

and the product has changed and we have benifited. Now, here comes the price increase for a ROI for Altidias.

[SMOKOZUNA]

I believe the Draw testing machines have made a major impact on how the cigars are being rolled.

[El Presidente]

Let me first explain the addition of heaters to the drying sheds. They have been added specifically to add consistency to teperature within the drying process. It has reduced drying time from 45 days to approximately 31 days. IT IS NOT REVOLUTIONARY

I can not see how it will affect long term aging potential of the cigar but I am welcome to be proved wrong. There is certainly no reduction in oil within the leaf that I can detect and from what I can tell.

As for what has changed with Habanos over the past 3 years...PLENTY HAS

The first change was the 50% ownership and influence of Altadis. Almost immediately there was a whole new emphasis on quality from cultivation to packaging and promotion. The progressive introduction of draw machines to all factories was the most obvious change but as important was the introduction of "carrots" to rollers (ie rewards) alongside the existing sticks. Today the religion of "Quality" is espoused from veguero to roller to packer. There is a new buzz in the factories. There is also the realisation by decision makers that quantities of premium cigars out of Cuba are capped. There has been a focus on trimming lines (sometimes painfull) whil maintaining excitement through the release of Limited Editions each year.

This direction has been criticised by many aficionado's but look att he runs on the board:

In the last four years we have seen cigars of the calibre of:

Cohiba Siglo VI (one of the best cigars of the past 10 years).

Cohiba DC LE

Sohiba Sublime

Partagas Serie D No 3

Partagas Serie P2

Hoyo LE Pirimide

Hoyo Epicure Especiales LE

...and these are just my favourites. There are plenty of others who would have others to add. My point is that there have been some tremendous cigars released in the past four years while at the same time they have lifted quality across all the existing range....not too shabby!

It has been a remarkable recovery. I almost left the industry after the disaster of 1999 and early 2000. I was depressed with what I saw...30% of stock was unsaleable to private clients and no-one in Habanos gave a flying F@#k.

Attitude and pride has made the difference. May the strides made...continue to be made.

[genevapics]

Prez:

Where is the industry now as compared to before the cigar boom? Obviously with the influx of hard currency, I would assume from an economic standpoint, things would be better now than before. But, the quality of the cigars now (2005) compared to the quality of cigars before the boom, how do the two compare?

Also, how long have you been in the cigar business? Thanks.

[spsurfin]

» Let me first explain the addition of heaters to the drying sheds. They have

» been added specifically to add consistency to teperature within the drying

» process. It has reduced drying time from 45 days to approximately 31 days.

» IT IS NOT REVOLUTIONARY

»

» I can not see how it will affect long term aging potential of the cigar

» but I am welcome to be proved wrong. There is certainly no reduction in

» oil within the leaf that I can detect and from what I can tell.

»

» As for what has changed with Habanos over the past 3 years...PLENTY

» HAS

»

» The first change was the 50% ownership and influence of Altadis. Almost

» immediately there was a whole new emphasis on quality from cultivation to

» packaging and promotion. The progressive introduction of draw machines to

» all factories was the most obvious change but as important was the

» introduction of "carrots" to rollers (ie rewards) alongside the existing

» sticks. Today the religion of "Quality" is espoused from veguero to roller

» to packer. There is a new buzz in the factories. There is also the

» realisation by decision makers that quantities of premium cigars out of

» Cuba are capped. There has been a focus on trimming lines (sometimes

» painfull) whil maintaining excitement through the release of Limited

» Editions each year.

»

» This direction has been criticised by many aficionado's but look att he

» runs on the board:

»

» In the last four years we have seen cigars of the calibre of:

»

» Cohiba Siglo VI (one of the best cigars of the past 10 years).

» Cohiba DC LE

» Sohiba Sublime

» Partagas Serie D No 3

» Partagas Serie P2

» Hoyo LE Pirimide

» Hoyo Epicure Especiales LE

»

» ...and these are just my favourites. There are plenty of others who would

» have others to add. My point is that there have been some tremendous

» cigars released in the past four years while at the same time they have

» lifted quality across all the existing range....not too shabby!

»

» It has been a remarkable recovery. I almost left the industry after the

» disaster of 1999 and early 2000. I was depressed with what I saw...30% of

» stock was unsaleable to private clients and no-one in Habanos gave a

» flying F@#k.

»

» Attitude and pride has made the difference. May the strides

» made...continue to be made.

Nicely stated. Once the under filled ’03 cigar issue is/was resolved, the quality has been incredible.