Cohiba supply rumours?

[shlomo]

Rob, is it just you and your area getting shortchanged? I checked with a dozen or so other vendors and they are readily available. All of them.

[Cohiba007]

I heard that the CoRos on the 24:24 sold out before I got any

[Rye]

Geez Rob, just what kind of shenanigans did you guys pull off last November???

[Bclass1]

What I can't work out is that given only a small % of Cohiba are actually rolled at El Laguito.....where has the rest gone?

This was more to my point Rob, I should've been clearer... I assumed that the MUO coded CoRo and Esp were indeed rolled previous to the closure of El Laguito due to their quality. That's also based on the assumption that the quality rolled at El Laguito is generally better than other factories, hence the Behikes prior to them being "subed out", if you will, to other factories for increased production.

[El Presidente]

Rob, is it just you and your area getting shortchanged? I checked with a dozen or so other vendors and they are readily available. All of them.

No, have spoken with four of the top retailers and two distributors over the past few weeks. Outside of Maduro series, CRS, CPE, Carton packs and a few tubes......thin on the ground.

I would love to see anyone who has some Siglo 1/2/3/4/5/6 (SLB'S) Sept to December 2014. Anyone? That would ease my mind somewhat.

[CaptainQuintero]

i always see/hear "cohiba costs too much, they're selling the name not the cigar. theres better smokes out there"... is there another smoke out there that has  similar flavors with a better price?

Based on the the two blind tasting contests, grab some bolivar royal coronas.

[Smallclub]

PL Panetelas

PL panatelas, similar flavors to Cohiba? It's at the opposite of the flavour spectrum.

[tmac77]

I did hear a rumour about 8 months back that a very senior individual in Tabacuba , with no real background in cigars, rerouted a significant amount of high quality leaf to the cigarette manufacturing folks. Apparently this individual had no knowledge that leaf destined for high end cigars would be any different from that used in cigarettes and visa vera. Sounded rather a stretch to me but it was related to me by a couple of well placed people in the cigar industry while on a trip to Cuba last year. I have no idea if this is possible or true but my sources believed it to be so.

[TonyAccardo]

I did hear a rumour about 8 months back that a very senior individual in Tabacuba , with no real background in cigars, rerouted a significant amount of high quality leaf to the cigarette manufacturing folks. Apparently this individual had no knowledge that leaf destined for high end cigars would be any different from that used in cigarettes and visa vera. Sounded rather a stretch to me but it was related to me by a couple of well placed people in the cigar industry while on a trip to Cuba last year. I have no idea if this is possible or true but my sources believed it to be so.

I've heard the same thing , not that it means anything but it kinda widened my eyes when I read your post as its the exact same information I've received also. I can understand how this can happen I guess but it's too bad it did if it is the case. No matter how high end a cigarette is, the whole method of delivery/smoking/inhaling doesn't allow for the full enjoyment of this high of quality of tobacco.

[DWC]

... I would love to see anyone who has some Siglo 1/2/3/4/5/6 (SLB'S) Sept to December 2014. Anyone? That would ease my mind somewhat.

I have a SLB of HQ Sig III that I got here. ESO SEP '14

[Smallclub]

note to self: purchase a carton of Cohiba cigarettes.

[cigarsdelcuba]

what i have heard from official channels is this is an issue of the wrapper shortage as well the closure of the factory for major repairs. the combination of the two have lead to a major shortage.

[DWC]

I have a SLB of HQ Sig III that I got here. ESO SEP '14

My first thought was they at least still had high quality wrappers/tobacco in Sept. but after thinking on it a little more, The Sig III is not a fast mover and the date on the box is when the box is completed, not when the cigars are rolled. The cigars could have been rolled months before. So the III would probably not be a good gauge to go by.

[joeypots]

I'm cynical enough to think that Cuba would crate a shortage of the premier marca prior to the end of the embargo. The dearth of Cohiba and the thaw in US-Cuba relations are coincidental if not related.

[potpest]

No conspiracy theories to speak of,however I read on one retailer's blog recently that there will be a general shortage of Cohiba's and this is likely to last until the Autumn. So this could continue for months.

[Smallclub]

No conspiracy theories to speak of,however I read on one retailer's blog recently that there will be a general shortage of Cohiba's

and retailer's blogs are soooooo reliable

[potpest]

and retailer's blogs are soooooo reliable

Haha true. Just for the record though it wasn't "that" retailer.

[earthson]

PL panatelas, similar flavors to Cohiba? It's at the opposite of the flavour spectrum.

I guess I got me some really nice, grassy, creamy PL Panetelas, recently!

[BonVivant]

I guess I got me some really nice, grassy, creamy PL Panetelas, recently!

If you try some Cohiba Corona Especial, Montecristo Especial no.2, wink, wink @ Frank?

and PL Sobresalientes RE UK, along with grassy PLPs,

you might find that the none of the above have any business at that factory, whatsoever?

[shlomo]

If you try some Cohiba Corona Especial, Montecristo Especial no.2, wink, wink @ Frank?

and PL Sobresalientes RE UK, along with grassy PLPs,

you might find that the none of the above have any business at that factory, whatsoever?

Are you saying that CCEs taste similarly to M0nte Esp. 2?

And that PL Sobr are similar to PLPs?

Do they all have the same factory codes? What difference would factory have on taste?

What factory are we talking about here?

[SmittyinAZ]

Simple, US relations. Things are moving at warp speed behind the scenes. Cohiba is the first. More shortages to come but not as drastic. They will have demand for US distributors like they have never seen.

*US banks have established accounts with cuban government already.

*NC retailers are already asking if I want to be on list for when CCs are available in their stock.

Getcha popcorn ready.

[tmac77]

Just thought that I would add a note to this. Here in Toronto Havana House and the LCDH here have had a fairly steady supply of Cohibas of all vitolas over the last 6 months.

[SCgarman]

Simple, US relations. Things are moving at warp speed behind the scenes. Cohiba is the first. More shortages to come but not as drastic. They will have demand for US distributors like they have never seen.

*US banks have established accounts with cuban government already.

*NC retailers are already asking if I want to be on list for when CCs are available in their stock.

Getcha popcorn ready.

I would imagine Cuban cigars would have to be sold in LCdH shops in the U.S. just like they are in the rest of the world. And I don't think HSA would want their product sold next to Nicaraguan,Dominican and Honduran cigars.

[tmac77]

I would imagine Cuban cigars would have to be sold in LCdH shops in the U.S. just like they are in the rest of the world. And I don't think HSA would want their product sold next to Nicaraguan,Dominican and Honduran cigars.

Not every country that sells CC's uses LCDH's and even those that do have other retailers that sell CC's. I would think that the existing cigar retailers would strongly object to any sort of exclusivity on selling CC's via LCDH's only.

[avaldes]

Correct, there are plenty of cigar shops in the world that are not LCDH's. I believe our host fits that description.