Regional Releases

[Colt45]

I have spoken to some importers from canada, Israel and a few others and they have told me that they have a say (sometimes less, sometimes more) in how they want the cigars blended.

Rob had this to say in a discussion regarding the RA Celestiales Finos a few years back:

I have no doubt the blend was intentional. Keep in mind it is not a mass market HSA production. It is a blend approved by PCC (David Tang I suspect) so keep in mind the Tang Monarch etal which also took years to find their feet.

The Regional Release Program is designed to push the envelope. Distributors have the opportunity to have a play and to back it with their own money. If they want a lay down cigar then let them do it. No one is under compulsion to purchase. The distributors set the price and take the risk. For every one person who wants a smoke good now cigar there will be one who is prepared for a little magic/X Factor to evolve wth time.

If anyone is interested in a little reading, here's a link to the discussion:

Link

[Lant63]

I love the Regional Edition Program. It produces some of the best cigars, that I have ever smoked. The Bolivar Especiales no 2 is priced comparable to the Cohiba Lancero. However, I would choose the Bolivar every time. It is a 97 point smoke with a flavor profile not offered in that format in any other regular production cigar. The Platinos are an elegant smoke as well that I think will age gracefully. It is the exact same size as the regular production Punch Double Corona but NOT the same blend. My review is here: http://www.friendsofhabanos.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=119326&hl=platino The PL Encantos is a great smoke as well that is true to the PL Marca and priced quite well compared to other RE. The PL Robusto Asia is a great cigar as well. Much much better than the picadores(which is good as well 84). THe punch Super Robusto is a great smoke as well. The RE program also gives you a chance to try different brands that one might not always buy or smoke. For instance ERDM. The UK release I did not like, the Asia was better, but the Suiza shows what ERDM can smoke like as an aged cigar because usually they are available for some time. Also, there are blends like Edmundo Dantes which is not matched by any regular production smoke. They are the single best cigar I have ever smoked and well worth their price in my opinion. I love the RE program, which is why I just purchased two boxes of PL regalias de londres, and plan on getting multiple boxes of the sober aliens.

There are a lot of fabulous RE and some bad ones. Usually I am very impressed with the RE that I smoke. I smoke a lot of regular production, and a lot of Regionals, of all the special release programs I feel like they present the best product, the LCDH is close, but I am a regional *****, and I will continue to track down boxes of the ones I like best especially the Edmundo Dante.

[Lotusguy]

LGC Gloriosos, ERDM Torpedos, PL Secretos (+ a few PL Robustos), JL Seleccion Suprema, Diplomaticos Coleccion Privada…

I am so sad I missed out on those Diplomaticos...

[Maplepie]

I am so sad I missed out on those Diplomaticos...

my lord were they harsh and annoying for me... Didn't miss out much, Claus. Only the price made them really attractive. they're the cheapest REs that have existed (rivaled by the PL Secretos).

sure they'll get better with a bit of age but if i wanted to lay down a few Short Robustos from the RE, I'd lay down the JL Ideales or the new RA Robusto Cortes.

I also wish to express distaste for the fact that there are now 5 Short Robustos from RA... and around 4 Belicoso/Short Piramide sizes from RA in the RE programme.

Is it really that much to ask for an RA Lancero?

[Ryan]

I have heard from distributors that they have a say in the blends for their regionals. While they might be making it up to 'add to the aura' or whatever, I have no reason not to believe what I heard.

They certainly have a say in packaging style/bands etc. as long as there is agreement with Habanos directly.

Simon Chase wrote quite a lot at the time about the development of the 2007 UK PL Magnifico.

There was a time, until the early 90s, when retailers got their own marcas/vitolas and packaging. Dunhill, Davidoff, Fox, Robert Lewis etc. there were quite a few of them. That went away when Habanos got more control.

The regional program is seen, by some retailers at least, as a distributer level version of what they, the retailers, used to have. That is, sole right to sell certain, specific cigars made for them.

[1LegLance]

I would have less of a problem with the RE, EL and all that if Habanos, SA wasn't also busy killing off so many great regular production cigars.

It is getting really hard to find the great coronas, petite coronas and lonsdales of years gone by.

Saint Luis Rey

Ramon Allones

Bolivar...

just look at the dc list on cubancigarwebisite at all the wonderful sticks that are gone.

Sure some were never big sellers but I trried to do my part

[Webbo]

I don't mind the concept. I don't always admire the execution.

Pretty much my philosophy on women too.

[potpest]

I love the concept of them as it means there are cigars which we would never see in regular production out there. However the price is where they lose me. I'm not going to spend extra coin on a regional piramide when I can buy a box of DC's of the same marca for less money.

[Smallclub]

my lord were they harsh and annoying for me... Didn't miss out much, Claus. Only the price made them really attractive.

Seriously? All the smokers that I know, from forums and in real life, got crazy about them. They were sold out in Spain in record time. And in Spain all the marevas are less expensive.

[shlomo]

my lord were they harsh and annoying for me... Didn't miss out much, Claus. Only the price made them really attractive.

Seriously? All the smokers that I know, from forums and in real life, got crazy about them. They were sold out in Spain in record time. And in Spain all the marevas are less expensive.

I have only smoked one, but wish I had MANY more...send them my way Jeremy. I'll buy them from you.

[Maplepie]

Seriously? All the smokers that I know, from forums and in real life, got crazy about them. They were sold out in Spain in record time. And in Spain all the marevas are less expensive.

Aye... Seriously. Had three from one box and they all disagreed with me

Again, I can only speak for myself as i've never really discussed them outside of face-face, short conversations about them.

I have only smoked one, but wish I had MANY more...send them my way Jeremy. I'll buy them from you.

Sorry, Shlo. i just bombed them out left and right and am down to three.

everyone wanted to try them and I sat there and said "They would be better enjoyed not by me"

[shlomo]

Aye... Seriously. Had three from one box and they all disagreed with me

Again, I can only speak for myself as i've never really discussed them outside of face-face, short conversations about them.

Sorry, Shlo. i just bombed them out left and right and am down to three.

everyone wanted to try them and I sat there and said "They would be better enjoyed not by me"

Shoot the three my way, I'm desperate even for scraps!

[maverickdrinker]

distributors do have a say, in terms of brand, vitola and blend.

Some distributors tend to be move involved than others.

For example, Havana House sends out annually a questionaire asking for consumer opinion on a few different marcas/vitolas. This was how the RA Rodolfo was chosen.

The UK RA short 109 is being aged upon request to release in conjunction with their upcoming anniversary and were rolled a couple of years ago.

There is also a 'tasting committee in Havana' that tastes each regional to ensure that the blend is within the marca's general flavour profile, taking into consideration the distributor's requests. Many examples of how certain releases are stronger in flavour than its regular production peer.

To answer the question, I do enjoy the RE program as it provides additional variety. Is it a money maker for Habanos? yes. Is it better than/replaces regular production. no. Everything has its place and people have the choice to buy than not buy. I do like the ability to have more variety than less.

[mk05]

Regionals

* Allow distributors to offer something unique to their retailer and consumer newtwork.
* Allow expansion of product line outside of the top selling Marques
* Allows market testing for future mainstream releases.
* minimum order is 25000 units.

Unfortunately

* Not enough input from the distributors on the blend. Far too many choose a marque/size/packaging and let Habanos do the rest. No passion in....no passion out. Distributors should be there ath the tasting for the final blend and again to supervize the first days roll.

* Too many are produced. There are regionals for countries/regions I have not known had a Habanos Distributor (who are doing huge numbers ). 25000-100,000 cigars would to me be a sensible production run. 200,000 + is ridiculous.
* Once a regional size has been produced for one region (RA Beli) it should be on a "banned from regional or LE production for 10 years". You can't do the same cigar again for another distributor two years later!
* Construction consistency is all over the place. Distributors need to be more involved. They are underwriting the venture so get a few bums in the factories on rolling days. Watch the improvement in construction.

All not created equal.

[BonVivant]

all mixed in - the good, the bad and the ugly - all depends on taste, or lack of it, to decipher

since late 2011, there is a tendency of most REs coming with the same code/factory - lots of REs out there, since then - enjoy!

[Bartolomeo]

Love some, and not so much on others

I think I read somewhere where Max Gutman had a say on the blend on the Conde 109/54 down in Mexico as an example

Lots of examples of RE to me that dont taste like their reg production counterparts

[Lotusguy]

I am so sad I missed out on those Diplomaticos...

I'm an idiot - I mixed them up with the older QdO French RE...

I actually have some of those Dips and don't like them much.

Sorry!

[shlomo]

I'm an idiot - I mixed them up with the older QdO French RE...

I actually have some of those Dips and don't like them much.

Sorry!

Damn, somebody who doesn't like them, send them my way!! LOL

Which QdO, C man?

I'm glad I remembered the info on blends correctly. Had me second guessing myself for a while....

[CaptainQuintero]

"Regional Editions are only distributed in certain parts of the world, usually they are made in the less well-known of the 27 Habanos brands, which have particular associations with different countries. While they are made from the standard tobaccos and blends for the brands in question with no special features, they are produced in sizes not normally associated with those brands and are presented in numbered boxes" - Habanos S.A

Taken directly from Habanos S.A, published in their world of habanos book, and on their website...

You can argue all you want, and you are entitled to your "opinion". However, here are the facts, whether you like it or not Habanos S.A wouldn't falsify this information...

What gets published as official HSA statements is not really something to base reality on. Take them as good intentions at best.

[kittipong]

Damn, somebody who doesn't like them, send them my way!! LOL

Which QdO, C man?

I'm glad I remembered the info on blends correctly. Had me second guessing myself for a while....

I think he mean the Robusto Embajador which is released two years ago ( before Belicoso Royal).

[cigardude]

I don't smoke a lot of RE's on a regular basis, but I like to collect them. Some people collect stamps from around the world, I collect RE sticks.

[Puros Y Vino]

I don't mind the RE program. Some great cigars have come out of it. (La Escepcion, RACF, RA Unicos, Encantos, etc) I would prefer that these great cigars come out as regular releases but it is what it is. The programs seems to be getting a bit too big. It comes across more as an obvious cash grab vs something special and exclusive.

[Lotusguy]

I think he mean the Robusto Embajador which is released two years ago ( before Belicoso Royal).

Exactly! Only scored two singles and LOVED them. So much better than the wind tunnel APAC RE QdO Superiores of the same year.