Back from the Warehouse

[El Presidente]

I spent yesterday sunrise to sundown in the warehouse pulling PSP/HQ and PE stock. There as certainly some excellent stock and a couple of thousand hand selected sticks will arrive here next week for re-assessment (just to make sure) and then we will let those know who asked us to keep an eye out for something special....before publishing the list on the forum. I am sure none of that made sense !LOL!

Just a couple of general observations.

1.I am now starting to see a lot of 2009 stock and I must say I like what I am seeing. We hypothesized a half year back that due to production cutbacks and good stores of aged leaf, 2009 may become a real stellar year. 2006-2009 appear to be a year on year improvement.

2. Underfilling is an issue. Predominantly spotty underfilling. Thin gauge cigars suffer worse than larger gauge. I know I have had this conversation with a few members here. What confuses me is that in many cases looking at the bunch doesn't reveal an obvious underfilling. The touch doesn't lie however. I will be taking with me a selection of underfilled cigars to Havana in a couple of weeks to show some factory managers and try to get an answer if it is to do with a change in policy at the production level. to me it is becoming a bigger problem than tight cigars. I am rejecting far more boxes to underfilling than overfilling for the first time in 12 years.

3. Some old favourites are making a stunning comeback. Wrapper quality is the best in a decade. Variation in wrappers on EL's however is disturbing. They really need to reign in the quality control on El'sif the concept is to be taken seriously.

[OZCUBAN]

Well said Rob will look forward to the list and the 09 stock I must say the PQ and HQ & PE is a bloody good concept it shows you have taken the care to look. And as you said you can better spot trends like the underfilling

Cheers Mate

OZ

[FlyFishingDude]

WooooHoooo, let the good times roll, pun intended........

[mkz]

Thanks for the update Prez!

I see that Habanos still has a long way to go when it comes to consistency and quality. Good to have you guys at Czar´s sorting out the trash for us. Really appreciate it!! One of many reasons why you are my number one supplier.

[Buch0]

Im with Oz, very keen to check the list out

Just a quick thought, do you think the underfilling element of the newer stock could have something to do with the percentage of plugged cigars in recent years? Maybe they are underfilling the cigars trying to make less plugged ones?!? Ridiculous if thats the case..

[jfury76]

I am drooling in anticipation of what we are going to see over the next week. Glad to read your astute comments, Prez. Yet another reason why Czar is the BEST place for habanos on the planet.

[samb]

Glad to hear the update! Thanks Prez!

[Habanos2000]

I'm just thrilled to death at the increase in quality, ready to smoke, cigars since 06. I'm laying down ones that are smoking great now and look forward to reaping the rewards of my investment for years to come.

thank you rob!

[cohiba]

Very exciting! Cant wait to see what the 09 stock brings to the table. Look forward to seeing your list.

[BolivarSmoker]

I'm so thankful for the guys at Czar having our backs. If there is one thing that pisses me off it is an underfilled, wind tunnel of a cigar. The PSP/HQ/PE programs are SO valuable.

[android]

Let the sales begin baby!!!!!

[daboose]

Ditto Ditto Ditto

This is utterly brilliant. I received a box of HQ Bolivar RC's today. Wow! OHS is on the radar screen.

[i had an unfortunate experience with another vendor and returned the 'pretzels'. ]

Y'all at the Czar are great. Thanks!

[Stalebread]

. . . I will be taking with me a selection of underfilled cigars to Havana in a couple of weeks to show some factory managers and try to get an answer if it is to do with a change in policy at the production level. to me it is becoming a bigger problem than tight cigars . . .

Thanks for the observations, Prez.

It'll be interesting to hear how the factory managers reply to your question.

I don't understand what kind of "change in policy" it could be, though.

Certainly a policy would not say, "Beginning this date, all cigars of 42 ring gauge and smaller will be rolled with less tobacco so as to achieve optimal underfilling thereby creating the loosest possible draw."

Could it?

[Stormin691]

Hey Prez Good to hear! Which brands do you see making the comeback? -Mike

[PADDYWHACK121272]

Thanks for the info - insightful as always - pardon my ignorance but do the Cuban factories do draw testing on any / all batches or do they just rely on feel and smoking the odd few?....

[Mel]

I do like a well made cigar but I hate the tight more than the loose. I can smoke an underfilled cigar but not a plugged one. I would like to smoke a few gars with ya and see if we have differing opinions as to what constitutes a poor cigar. I do know a bloke who likes the tight cigars that I find maddening.

[cgarner]

Can't wait to see what goodies you have found for us.

[gfoster]

I do like a well made cigar but I hate the tight more than the loose. I can smoke an underfilled cigar but not a plugged one. I would like to smoke a few gars with ya and see if we have differing opinions as to what constitutes a poor cigar. I do know a bloke who likes the tight cigars that I find maddening.

I tend to agree. I hate overly tight draws more than loose ones.

-- Gary F.

[LiLo]

excellent info thanks for the update!

[kyee]

I tend to agree. I hate overly tight draws more than loose ones.

ditto. Unlike another thing, where I prefer the tighter ones over the loose ones!

[demiurgic]

Thanks for the assesment Rob. We count on you to tell it like it is!

I remember Don and Hiroshi R mentioning someplace that the 09 wrapper crop they had was the best in 15 years.

So better wrappers in general makes sense.

Keep up the good work mate.

[kjellfrick]

I wish you all luck with your visit, Rob! Hopefully you can shed some light on this strange underfiling spate!

[Cubanface]

Can I found a charity that will supply Drawmaster machines to every factory on the island?

[Van55]

The underfilling issue prompts me to load you with another question for you to ask on your visit to Havana, Rob.

It was my thought that the introduction of draw testing machines would likely lead to an epidemic of underfilled cigars. My assumption is that the rollers get some kind of punishment if they produce too many rejected cigars. So I guessed that rollers would underfill rather than risk rejection by the draw machines. Is there any factual basis for these suppositions at all?