Cigar innovation.....has it all been done?

[El Presidente]

The topic of cigar innovation is one that was discussed recently and extensively while overseas in Maiori and London.

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I saw cigars that were made to look like spark plugs, cigars that had smoke-able bands (made from tobacco) but all in all, nothing that could represent a genuine innovation.

Now mind you, a good cigar is a good cigar but the question was raised and discussed..."has it all been done in the world of cigars?"

• Please post away any cigar / cigar manufacturer that is pushing the envelope of genuine cigar innovation (for better or worse).
• What do you believe the next cigar innovation may be

[Bill Hayes]

Perhaps a cigar sheisha for communal smoking of the one cigar. Just a thought. Went to an Arabic restaurant recently with a few mates and we shared a sheisha bong with apple flavoured smoke. Couldn't help but be left wanting and thought a true cigar experience would be more satisfying.

[Habana Mike]

To me the only real innovations I see beyond the ever-growing gobstoppers are blends using more exotic tobaccos from regions outside the usual suspects.

Gives producers the opportunity to introduce some unique characteristics to their offerings. I think there may be opportunities to innovate in the future with genetically modified strains and unique treatments of the leaf in curing, fermenting, aging, etc. though I'm not sure I'd be OK with Frankenleaf.

[btp1979]

I'm thinking Cuban, Nicaraguan, Honduran, and Dominican blends will be the next big thing. When the embargo falls, I don't see enough inventory of Cuban tobacco to keep up with the demand for puros, so I'd be willing to bet we will see a ton of Cuban blends. Some will be amazing, others............not so much.

[ethernomad]

Being stateside, I see a lot of innovative advertising of mediocre products. Along with that there is the never ending race to bring to production larger and larger ring gauge vitolas (why?). Aside from the occasional outstanding boutique blend, unfortunately, one of the only true innovations was when companies realized they could market Cuban brand names in the U.S. attached to non-Cuban products. Yay, embargo legality...

[avaldes]

Personally I would like to see a little effort made to duplicate the classic strains of tobacco used in Cuba in the 70's, 80's and early 90's. I am sure a lot of that knowledge is being lost purely due to the passing of great managers from those bygone eras. Enrique Mons comes to mind. I worry that the recipes from those days may not have been passed down.

With today's technology I would think it would be possible to grow those older strains in an environment that could preserve the higher yields of today's tobacco, with the better flavor of yesterday's blends. We have some pretty sophisticated methods for grape growing here in California, I could imagine similar improvements in Cuba's agriculture would create mind blowing tobacco.

[MPS]

Personally I would like to see a little effort made to duplicate the classic strains of tobacco used in Cuba in the 70's, 80's and early 90's. I am sure a lot of that knowledge is being lost purely due to the passing of great managers from those bygone eras. Enrique Mons comes to mind. I worry that the recipes from those days may not have been passed down.

With today's technology I would think it would be possible to grow those older strains in an environment that could preserve the higher yields of today's tobacco, with the better flavor of yesterday's blends. We have some pretty sophisticated methods for grape growing here in California, I could imagine similar improvements in Cuba's agriculture would create mind blowing tobacco.

That's exactly what they have done!

[shlomo]

Why did my post get deleted?

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[joeboxer]

In the U.S. I have been noticing a lot of cigars using exotic tobaccos (ie Brazil, Columbia, Pennsylvania, etc) as well as "fire-cured" tobaccos (which I strongly dislike). These blends are an opportunity to introduce new flavor profiles but I am growing tired of the push for novelty. With so many mediocre cigars I wish companies would spend more time making fewer, higher quality offerings. Unfortunately, it appears to be more profitable to have a "new," "exclusive," "special," and "exciting" product and I am sure my wishes will be washed away by waves of money coming from the mass public.

[CanuckSARTech]

A cigar with a special mint / mints / hard-candy / gum that's wrapped into the head of the cigar. That way, once you're done the cigar, you have something to freshen your breath afterwards.

It might take some unique engineering / design though, to ensure that the cigar doesn't taste all minty / menthol, and that it won't turn to a burnt charred coal or melty goop when the heat gets to it.

[RickHendeson]

Tell you what: Good ol' Cooba better get their act together with innovating a little more draw/construction testing, or this takeover of the U.S. market they are allegedly salivating over will wither on the vine. Once the novelty wears off the market will not put up with some of these plugging/overfilling/underfilling issues for long, is my prediction.

[CanuckSARTech]

Tell you what: Good ol' Cooba better get their act together with innovating a little more draw/construction testing, or this takeover of the U.S. market they are allegedly salivating over will wither on the vine. Once the novelty wears off the market will not put up with some of these plugging/overfilling/underfilling issues for long, is my prediction.

I'd say, with respect, you're wrong on that.

What makes the American market / American smoker so special? Do the rest of us not also think that draw/construction should be good? Do the rest of us not still continue to buy Cuban cigars??? It's the flavour profiles, richness, complexity, etc. of Cuban cigars that we all keep coming back for, construction/draw be damned. It's MUCH better now still compared to the dark period of 1998 to 2002 or so (maybe 1 or 2 out of a box of 25 plugged now, at max, compared to 5-plus back then).

I'd say your assertion is more relevant if coming out of the mouth of a U.S. / NC-cigar manufacturer / retailer, trying to find a way to dissuade customers from the Cuban cigars.

[polarbear]

Tell you what: Good ol' Cooba better get their act together with innovating a little more draw/construction testing, or this takeover of the U.S. market they are allegedly salivating over will wither on the vine. Once the novelty wears off the market will not put up with some of these plugging/overfilling/underfilling issues for long, is my prediction.

People forget they are dealing with a mass produced, hand made product sometimes.

It5s amazing how the US hoot a holler about Cubas short comings when it comes to cigars when they will happily deal with the odd bottle of wine that is corked or beer that is flat without anyone screaming blue murder.

I've had a number of NCs that were plugged over the years. Or sticks that have a wrapper so fragile that it splits the second I apply a flame to it. Don't get me started on cigars that start to unravel as soon as I take a couple of millimetres off the cap. I don't jump on the internet and denounce the entire NC industry as lacking proper quality control, I just shrug it off as cigars being cigars (the same as I would a corked bottle of wine or flat bottle of beer)

Does the US market denounce the dairy industry everytime someone buys a bottle of milk that is spoiled before its expiration date?

What about when you buy fruit that has been bruised in transit? Is the apple industry under fire for not supplying perfect fruit 100% of the time?

Its funny how the only people to ever denounce Cuba and the cigars they produce are the people who are somehow linked to their main competitors...

[polarbear]

Getting back on topic

The NC industry has tried a few new things over the years

Interesting vitolas include:

Funte Anjeo 77 (Shark), a box pressed torpedo with a rounded cap

The La Flor Dominicana Chisel, a torpedo with a flat cap instead of a pointed one

Quesada Salmone Press, I'm not sure how to describe this one...

They've also tried different tobacco fermentation techniques and incorporated them into new lines

The Drew Estate MUWAT Kentucky Fire Cured, the wrapper tobacco is cured over a flam instead of traditional techniques giving the wrapper a SERIOUS smoky character similar to smoked beef

A new trend also seem to be aging tobacco in Bourbon (and other spirits) barrels for a while before rolling

None of the above have really set the world on fire though.

They're more of a gimmick, in my opinion, but can be fun all the same

[Jeremy Festa]

It's all been done

Sent from my iPhone

[Munts]

Does there need to be innovation??

[JackFNQ]

How about instead of a Pyramid, launching a vitola Missile - with tail fins so as to stand upright for the longest ash. A FCWL, as opposed to a from Russia with love, nicknamed 'the finger' in commemoration of the ending of the embargo. And a little PC called the 'magic bullet' from the banker brand H.Upmann, one that would be right on target in JFK's flavour profile.

[sengjc]

I think the LFD Chisel is a novel idea - for those who have not tried a Chisel, the shape of the head allows you to do away with a cutter of any form. Likewise the figurado shape (Hemingways etc.) is supposed to enable the cigar to be easily lit.

Now if they combine the two, chisel headed figurado, you get a cigar that lights easily and does not require a cutter to enjoy.

[Ryan]

I don't know enough about non-cuban cigars to comment but regarding Cubans.

Heritage breed tobacco. Older strains, as has been mentioned. Find a way of growing it away from disease.

Single-vega tobacco, the filler comes from a single field within a farm. Fields have numbers 1, 2, 3 etc. Put five of each in a box of 25 and see if there's a difference.

Proper vintages, store and age tobacco from good years, then roll and sell appropriately, Only good years, like port.

Plain packaging is coming, to everywhere sooner or later, whether Habanos like it or not.

To get on top of this, produce plain 25/50 cabs of the top 20-50 most popular vitolas, with a small brand stamp on top of the box. No bands on the cigars.

Then, any region could attach any sticker they want over the brand on top, if necessary.

Plus we'll all get factory boxed cigars in cabinets.

[santela]

Consistency.

If they are able to innovate some kind of production process that gave us consistent quality and flavor I would be very happy.

[tmac77]

For the most part I believe that most cigar innovation has been done. So what do other industries do when innovation has stalled.

Go Retro.

Personally I would like to see the introduction of a perfecto (Figurado) for each Marca. Cuba sort of tried to do this with the Cuaba brand but quality control ( cuaba's are notorious for the inconsistent draw) and the lack variety in flavour and of a premium product meant that its launch fell flat.

[Puros Y Vino]

I don't think there's much left to explore. Different vitolas, new tobaccos, etc. I'd suggest the following:

• Habanos sticking to production schedules. Announcing releases and consistently being late is not cool.
• Truly limited, but wide releases. Pick an old Pre-Embargo brand. Create a unique, strong blend with aging potential. Release millions of them in the PC vitola and price them affordably. One run for the year. Never to be seen again. Next year, resurrect another older brand, new blend, rinse repeat. Over time, they will be highly sought after. Maybe have the option to release them in 100 count cajons as well.
• For those that travel down to Cuba; the ability to sit with a blender and roller and create a cigar suited to your tastes. Will not be cheap but I'd bet there'd be a lot of interest from some of the well-heeled individuals in the community. Pick your blend, vitola, custom band and box/humidor.
• A Havana Club cigar. Something blended to go with the rum. Not flavoured with it mind you. I like how the H&F 225 release has it's own special rum blend.

[BonVivant]

Who said that current innovation/evolution does not work?

(on the left)

[ethernomad]

Who said that current innovation/evolution does not work?

(on the left)

The ones on the right are fake NCs.