First Quarter 2017 Wrap Up

[rusticdonut25]

On 3/29/2017 at 8:52 PM, gusto616 said:

Wow, thank you for the heads up, Prez.

That would probably explain why I received the following Coros from a friend who recently visited Havana and bought two boxes at the Nacional Hotel store. I thought the salesperson must have just taken him for a novice, which he is, and sold him fakes.
Some ugly wrappers & way under filled... was disappointed to see it. However the one I tried, which had a single thick black hair sticking out of the foot (as I mentioned in a different thread), tasted pretty good though lacking some expected oomph.




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I am somewhat newer to collecting Cuban cigars, but I will comment that any cigar I am pulling someone's hair out of is going in the trash. After everything I have read about some fakes having "floor sweepings" amongst other things in them, Im not sure its safe to risk smoking something like that. Maybe I am just a germaphobe. 

[olotti]

And this sir is why you get my money for your time and honesty and expertise. Thank you rob for posting this and letting us in and to be aware of what's out there. 

[Bohn007]

On 3/29/2017 at 8:01 PM, dangolf18 said:

Ouch. Those bands are pre-2014.

Which is strange because it would be hard to find CoRo that old at a legit Casa in Havana. 

[Smokin Joe]

Thanks Prez. Just curiously it is more likely poor construction or an effort to save on filler?

[Smallclub]

I don't want to be picky but in my experience the problem with the Reyes started at day one of production. In 2005 in Andorra I had to open and check dozens of petacas before finding something acceptable…

[Kbb]

On 3/29/2017 at 6:39 PM, El Presidente said:

Hard to believe that the first quarter of 2017 is over 

The one big cloud on the horizon is wrapper quality and underfilling of mid to late 16 stock that we are seeing in 2017 to date. 

Three points. 

1. Take a deep breath. Not all is bad. Far from it. There are some exceptional cigars coming through. I am not running a Chicken Little Line. 

2. First quarter 2017 is the worst quality wrapper I have seen on average since 1999/00. 

3. Underfilling is becoming a noticeable problem again on some cigars. 

Be careful when purchasing 2016 stock blind this year. Work with vendors who will work with you.  If buying blind and you have a choice of 15 or 16 stock then go 15. 

 

Has the 2016 quality (now showing in 1st Qtr. 2017) been bad enough on certain marcas to change your 2016 Top 25 list?

http://www.friendsofhabanos.com/forum/topic/129552-happy-new-year-any-plans/

[joeypots]

Thanks for culling the stock for us, Rob. I'll take that box of Wide Churchils, please.  Those COROs remind me to keep my mouth shut when friends come back from Cuba and show me cigars they bought from people who wouldn't think of selling counterfeits. I wonder, are you more likely to get fugasies on line or in the island?

[Islandboy]

On March 29, 2017 at 2:13 PM, mcease022 said:

I am curious what happens to the cigars that are sent back. I meant to ask this before. Do they get discarded by PCC or by H. SA or do they get distributed by PCC to other vendors?  

Not sure how true this is but it makes some sense - I was told by a vendor at an LCDH that much of the rejected stock ends up in the hands of online retailers, who mostly sell to the US market. That would certainly help explain scrubbed serial numbers, broken seals, etc that are fairly common in this market.

[Smallclub]

5 minutes ago, Islandboy said:

Not sure how true this is but it makes some sense - I was told by a vendor at an LCDH that much of the rejected stock ends up in the hands of online retailers, who mostly sell to the US market.

No. As Rob explained 2000 times, stock rejected by distributors go to the non-specialized circuit: gas stations, bars, restaurants, night clubs, etc.

You don't expect a LCDH manager to tell you that online-only retailers get exactly the same random quality than a cosy shop in a luxury district of a big city, do you? (I don't ).

[Corylax18]

11 hours ago, Bohn007 said:

Which is strange because it would be hard to find CoRo that old at a legit Casa in Havana. 

Not ones that look like those. They are certainly fake, but those wrappers would define "shelf sitter" if they were on real Cohibas. 

Ask your friend were he actually got them. I have seen some moldy/rough boxes at the LCDH Nacional (it is the tourist hub after all) but never fakes. 

[gusto616]

Ask your friend were he actually got them. I have seen some moldy/rough boxes at the LCDH Nacional (it is the tourist hub after all) but never fakes. 

He just said the big cigar store at the Nacional Hotel, which is where they stayed during their visit.

[SteveH]

Thanks for the outlook and info - greatly appreciated.

 

[El Presidente]

8 hours ago, Islandboy said:

Not sure how true this is but it makes some sense - I was told by a vendor at an LCDH that much of the rejected stock ends up in the hands of online retailers, who mostly sell to the US market. That would certainly help explain scrubbed serial numbers, broken seals, etc that are fairly common in this market.

Habanos doesn't sell direct to online retailers. Habanos sells to distributors. Distributors sell to retailers (online/B&M/both). Some distributors have their own quasi online stores.

The online channel  is a reflection of general stock.  Some retailers have used it as a handy primary mechanism to move some  poor stock. They generally haven't lasted long and don't have a quality customer following. 

Everyone has their own business model. 

 

[Bohn007]

13 hours ago, Corylax18 said:

Not ones that look like those. They are certainly fake, but those wrappers would define "shelf sitter" if they were on real Cohibas. 

Ask your friend were he actually got them. I have seen some moldy/rough boxes at the LCDH Nacional (it is the tourist hub after all) but never fakes. 

I was in one of the cigar shops while I was there and the hydrometer read 88%rh. I am not surprise to see "plume" on some smokes. 

[Islandboy]

8 hours ago, El Presidente said:

Habanos doesn't sell direct to online retailers. Habanos sells to distributors. Distributors sell to retailers (online/B&M/both). Some distributors have their own quasi online stores.

The online channel  is a reflection of general stock.  Some retailers have used it as a handy primary mechanism to move some  poor stock. They generally haven't lasted long and don't have a quality customer following. 

Everyone has their own business model. 

 

Thanks for concisely making sense of it all. One follow up question I have (3 actually): How does an LCDH fit into the above equation? Do they have any type of advantage in the distribution process? Or are they just another retailer when it comes to doling out the stock? Mahalo Prez.

[Corylax18]

7 hours ago, Bohn007 said:

I was in one of the cigar shops while I was there and the hydrometer read 88%rh. I am not surprise to see "plume" on some smokes. 

Yes, when the Ambient RH averages in the 70s or 80s depending on the season its tough to keep the walk ins steady. There was a box of '13 Fonseca 1s at the Nacional that looked like a science experiment! The one sitting underneath it looked beautiful though, and now lives in my Humi! 

[Aussiegoldsmith]

Thanks for the heads up mate. I'll never buy blind again! You have my loyalty!


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[watches_whiskies_cigars]

Those look horrific. This is from a La Corona Q4 16 box. The QC was having a bad day.

 

 

[El Presidente]

On 4/1/2017 at 4:59 PM, Islandboy said:

Thanks for concisely making sense of it all. One follow up question I have (3 actually): How does an LCDH fit into the above equation? Do they have any type of advantage in the distribution process? Or are they just another retailer when it comes to doling out the stock? Mahalo Prez.

LCDH are among the first to have supplies of new releases.  

Outside of that, I am not aware of any other advantage that they hold. 

[n0s4atu]

For the extra travel time from Oz it's worth it to know that what arrives will be great to look at as well as smoke. I've yet to be disappointed with anything coming from here. Hell the biggest challenge is not immediately setting it on fire.

[gusto616]

I


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[canadianbeaver]

Thanks for the information, all of you. I have never seen these deflated cigars in person before so it is very interesting and educational to see them. Like wine talk, think I will be thinking 2016 perhaps might not be "a good year".

[gusto616]

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[Duxnutz]

On 31/03/2017 at 4:33 PM, Bohn007 said:

Which is strange because it would be hard to find CoRo that old at a legit Casa in Havana. 

Which makes this Lusitania I smoked on Saturday interesting. @JohnS pointed out that the band made it at least an '08, which turns out to be correct but I didn't even bother to look as the cigar came out of a container that has all the cigars I purchased in Havana last March. Either I've moved stuff around or there is plenty of aged cigars that make the distance or recirculated into the local shops. 

Boggle as it was magnificent.

 

[ajay]

Ouch. Those bands are pre-2014.

When did your friend get these? 2014-2016-2017?


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