Cuba’s American Plan

[CigarSeeker]

This article covers a lot of what we have been discussing lately.. Cuba/America, shortage of premium tobacco, and thicker RG cigars.

http://www.cigaraficionado.com/webfeatures/show/id/cubas-american-plan-18551

[gojira]

Yep, just finished reading it as well.

"We are expanding mostly in traditional areas where tobacco has been grown before, and we are recovering farmland for tobacco production."

I don't want to know how they are "recovering" the farmland.....

[CigarSeeker]

Lol .. I really hope they don't go mass production and the quality goes down the drain ?

[skalls]

Those large ring gauge cigars are doing to enter the market with a giant thud at their price point.

The average Joe consumer isn't going to drop $20 (likely more if your in a high tax state) for a 6x60 Cuban when they can get an El cheapo for $8 or less. Almost certainly won't get them to buy more than 1 or 2 to try because they are Cubans.

[Orion21]

Lol .. I really hope they don't go mass production and the quality goes down the drain

The average American cigar smoker wouldn't know the difference. They've done it before, so why not again? The island is only so big. This is exactly the reason I have been stocking up for the past few years . . . this was going to happen and the time is upon us.

[Blakes]

"We will never abandon thinner ring gauge cigars" - Sánchez Harguindey

Really? You could have fooled me!!!

[Fugu]

" "Just like the situation with the Ediciónes Limitadas, we do not want to saturate the market with these special cigars, but given the value they have brought to us, it is clear that next year we are going to have some surprises in this category," he says."

I'd say, go and get fair-priced regular production as long as available...

It is quite obvious that the trend of allocating more and more means to the "special eds" will continue. The revenue is just so much higher.

[LukeC]

The biggest concern with the expanding US market on the horizon is a continued drop in QC/QA of outgoing product. CCs already suffer from lack of fermentation/over stuffing/tight rolling in an attempt to get product out to meet demand. I'm afraid that when the embargo is dropped, CC quality will be that much worse. Instead of modifying product to cater to the USA, how about they focus on better QC. Who cares if they make a fat toro Boli etc. to fit the vitola profile many Americans like, if it won't smoke well.

Be ready for a huge drop in quality folks. It's coming. Looks like more Nic/Dom cigars for me in the future.

[Habanos2000]

Lol .. I really hope they don't go mass production and the quality goes down the drain

You can bank on this happening! If you recall the cigar boom in the 90's, that's exactly what happened. Unfortunately.

SUN (Stock Up Now)

[El Presidente]

I think we are quickly approaching the end of the "Golden Years" of Cuban cigar retail purchasing.....and I am talking about International purchasing.

Pricing is on a steady spiral upwards with new releases (both regular production and special production).

The supply and demand equation will get increasingly out of balance.

Taxation at point of entry will become firmer and higher.

Increasingly, more nations will experience straight out bans on the private importation of tobacco

[CigarSeeker]

You can bank on this happening! If you recall the cigar boom in the 90's, that's exactly what happened. Unfortunately.

SUN (Stock Up Now)

More stocking up than what I'm already doing will call for a divorce and I been only married for 1 year exactly .. ?

[CigarSeeker]

I think we are quickly approaching the end of the "Golden Years" of Cuban cigar retail purchasing.....and I am talking about International purchasing.

Pricing is on a steady spiral upwards with new releases (both regular production new releases and special production).

The supply and demand equation will get increasingly out of balance.

Taxation at point of entry will become firmer and higher.

Increasingly, more nations will experience straight out bans on the private importation of tobacco

Supply and demand is what really scares me... The demand is going to shoot through the roof which will increase the pricing accordingly to create a market equilibrium. After all they can only supply so much regardless of what they do.

[Fugu]

CCs already suffer from lack of fermentation

Actually, haven't had such in a looong time.

[GavLew79]

The biggest concern with the expanding US market on the horizon is a continued drop in QC/QA of outgoing product. CCs already suffer from lack of fermentation/over stuffing/tight rolling in an attempt to get product out to meet demand. I'm afraid that when the embargo is dropped, CC quality will be that much worse. Instead of modifying product to cater to the USA, how about they focus on better QC. Who cares if they make a fat toro Boli etc. to fit the vitola profile many Americans like, if it won't smoke well.

Be ready for a huge drop in quality folks. It's coming. Looks like more Nic/Dom cigars for me in the future.

Hi mate. Please don't take this personally, but is this your opinion or do you have a source from which this was taken?

You recently posted that you had started smoking cigars 6 months ago. Have you really been put off that much by what you have experienced in CCs? Cheers.

[Crash712us]

Honestly I don't see much of a change in demand for CC's. How many Americans are already buying them already? But from all the different cigar groups I belong to I'd say 50% are buying regularly and half of them are supplying everyone else. That my 2 cents any how.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[mgravito]

Those large ring gauge cigars are doing to enter the market with a giant thud at their price point.

The average Joe consumer isn't going to drop $20 (likely more if your in a high tax state) for a 6x60 Cuban when they can get an El cheapo for $8 or less. Almost certainly won't get them to buy more than 1 or 2 to try because they are Cubans.

I couldn't agree more. IMHO, what's driving the idea of the 6x60 is the idea of perceived value. The people who buy them aren't concerned about taste or burn so much as they are hooked on the idea of "look at all this tobacco I get for $8!". They're may be some singles purchased at $20, cuban or not, but I would assume that what drives the industry is box purchases, no? I really hope this doesn't come off as condescending (although it probably will) but I just don't think that smoker will "get" cc.

I'm hoping that at least drives production in to the sub 52RG range, although I'm realistic and realize it won't drive it down to sub 48RG either.

[sactochris]

I couldn't agree more. IMHO, what's driving the idea of the 6x60 is the idea of perceived value. The people who buy them aren't concerned about taste or burn so much as they are hooked on the idea of "look at all this tobacco I get for $8!". They're may be some singles purchased at $20, cuban or not, but I would assume that what drives the industry is box purchases, no? I really hope this doesn't come off as condescending (although it probably will) but I just don't think that smoker will "get" cc.

I'm hoping that at least drives production in to the sub 52RG range, although I'm realistic and realize it won't drive it down to sub 48RG either.

I also tend to agree with this point of view.

[LukeC]

Hi mate. Please don't take this personally, but is this your opinion or do you have a source from which this was taken?

You recently posted that you had started smoking cigars 6 months ago. Have you really been put off that much by what you have experienced in CCs? Cheers.

No offense at all. Yes I recently got back into the cigar scene (after a 10 year hiatus) but I have done my home work especially when it came to CCs. Over the past few weeks I've been able to get my hands on several CCs and try them myself. Most of the ones I've tried have had extremely tight draws and simply taste young. Yes the consensus says that CCs need to lay down for awhile to hit their prime. That's fine. I don't mind waiting. But after talking to many people, it seems that many have run into the aforementioned problems I experienced.

Will I still buy CC? You bet! Now is the time to stock up. But you cannot deny the fact that the existing QC issues that exist now won't get worse in an attempt to rush into the American market. Fortunately we have places like FoH where we can be sure we are getting quality. That being said, many people are here because they know Rob only sells quality. The same cannot be said for other retailers that don't care about selling CCs without doing their own QC/QA.

[btp1979]

There is no problem moving $20+ cigars in the US. Padron moves their 1926, 50th anniversery, and Family reserves by the box full. Prometheus/Fuente and the God of Fire line, the upper price point Opus the list goes one. There is a market here for pretty much any price point. If there was no or limited market for $20 cigars in the US, then you wouldn't see them. That's kind of how the free market model works.

[El Presidente]

There is no problem moving $20+ cigars in the US. Padron moves their 1926, 50th anniversery, and Family reserves by the box full. Prometheus/Fuente and the God of Fire line, the upper price point Opus the list goes one. There is a market here for pretty much any price point. If there was no or limited market for $20 cigars in the US, then you wouldn't see them. That's kind of how the free market model works.

Don't forget Gurkha

[PointFivePast]

Don't forget Gurkha

Clash of the Titans stuff right there when Kaizad Hansotia and Habanos SA get the chance to go head to head to see who can produce the most exclusive cigar in the world!

[GavLew79]

I've been able to get my hands on several CCs and try them myself. Most of the ones I've tried have had extremely tight draws and simply taste young.

That's a shame. I think youve had a bad run, especially given the relatively low number you have encountered (I'm assuming you're not smoking 25 cigars a day).

Out of the 600-700 or so CCs I've smoked I can count the completely plugged ones on one hand. The ones with a firmer draw than I like on two hands and a foot. Most of the plugged ones came from B&M vendors. I now buy exclusively by the box. I've not had a single plug in 12 months.

Out of the 700+ bottles of wine I've drunk in the same period, I've had probably 50 corked or faulty bottles, maybe more. That's a far worse failure rate.

I am an exlusive CC buyer now after dabbling briefly with NCs in the early days. I find those very generic and samey. I am the complete opposite in that i will be buying more Cubans not less.

[LukeC]

Out of the 600-700 or so CCs I've smoked I can count the completely plugged ones on one hand. The ones with a firmer draw than I like on two hands and a foot. Most of the plugged ones came from B&M vendors.

I think it honestly comes down to personal preference really. I'm smoking a JLS1 at this moment and again the draw is way to firm for my liking. The flavors are very nice but I like my draw to be effortless.

You said you buy only boxes now. Do you buy exclusively from FoH?

[GavLew79]

Indeed...and each to their own. I'm just curious. Effortless draw, perhaps synonymous with the term "wind tunnel", often leads to overheating in CCs and overly bitter flavours, at least for me anyway. Some attribute that to 'youth' and mistakenly so, in my view.

I've seen guys chuffing away on NCs, a puff every few seconds, blazing hot red cherries on the end and happily enjoying. That's not my bag.

Anyway, perhaps we have drifted off the OP's topic but yes, I buy from FOH mainly and a select one or two more.