Sealed boxes

[PHL425]

I just got a box of COROs in today from our gracious host that was still sealed/never been opened. Obviously nothing was wrong with them, just wondering if anyone else has had this happen? 

[JZBdano]

I often request sealed boxes from other vendors, they arrive sealed @25% of the time.  Some vendors more than others will ship them sealed.

[NSXCIGAR]

Well, several trusted vendors ship sealed which I don't have a fundamental problem with--it's the nature of the beast when buying blind many times. But this is the first incidence I've heard of Rob (if I'm correctly reading your post) sending out a sealed box. That doesn't make a whole lot of sense. Every box he sends should be inspected, particularly something like CoRo. 

You might want to let him know about this.

[PHL425]

20 minutes ago, NSXCIGAR said:

Well, several trusted vendors ship sealed which I don't have a fundamental problem with--it's the nature of the beast when buying blind many times. But this is the first incidence I've heard of Rob (if I'm correctly reading your post) sending out a sealed box. That doesn't make a whole lot of sense. Every box he sends should be inspected, particularly something like CoRo. 

You might want to let him know about this.

You read it correctly. I haven't heard of that happening either. Maybe it just slipped through the cracks, I'm not upset by it. I was just wondering if all were good in a master case maybe they don't open every box. 

[El Presidente]

If we can flip up the warranty seal without cutting it, we do. Just a matter of putting it back down in that case. 

Either that or it slipped through the cracks. 

[TBird55]

1 hour ago, El Presidente said:

If we can flip up the warranty seal without cutting it, we do. Just a matter of putting it back down in that case. 

Either that or it slipped through the cracks. 

From my experience, the cracks here, are very small. 

[spivey6690]

Heh heh.  Cracks.  

[garbandz]

remember the customer who demanded some sealed PSP boxes a while back?

tough job grading a box without opening it.............

[...]

34 minutes ago, garbandz said:

remember the customer who demanded some sealed PSP boxes a while back?

tough job grading a box without opening it.............

There is always a risk of confusing bullsh*t and barnyard smell ?

[shlomo]

What's the problem?

Premium Sealed Program.

[garbandz]

"There is always a risk of confusing bullsh*t and barnyard smell ? "

Never..........

[garbandz]

17 hours ago, JZBdano said:

I often request sealed boxes from other vendors, they arrive sealed @25% of the time.  Some vendors more than others will ship them sealed.

I am still trying to think of a good reason to request a sealed box.

[mkz]

49 minutes ago, garbandz said:

I am still trying to think of a good reason to request a sealed box.

I would also like to get a good reason for this kind of request... 

[shlomo]

1 hour ago, garbandz said:

I am still trying to think of a good reason to request a sealed box.

In Cuba, I refuse any box that has previously been opened. I simply don't trust the employees. I buy sealed boxes only and open them in front of the employee right after purchase to check for mold or bugs.

I have occasionally received sealed boxes from online vendors . Found mold once, sent pics, got it sorted out without a hitch.

[BrightonCorgi]

I expect any box I get to be inspected before hand.  I, nor do they want an issue that could've prevented.  

[Corylax18]

I used to request sealed boxes from grey market vendors that were, maybe I didnt have full faith in. I figured if the box was still sealed, the chance of it being filled with fakes would be far lower. Generally quality was much lower on my list of priorities than getting real cubans at that point. I learned, I realized that an inspection and trusting your vendor, are definitely the superior route. I have received boxes with an intact warranty seal from our host before. However the "Habanos SA" band along the opposite corner had clearly been cut indicating the box had been opened. The adhesive they use on the warranty seals can be dodgy, I've had entire stamps completely fall off before. Maybe they were applied on a humid day at the factory. The only thing consistent about buying/smoking cuban cigars is the inconsistency!

[kuma]

Dealing with FOH (Rob and crew) almost 4 years going forward every box I have ever received has been opened.  I feel that has to

be done to grade / inspect each box and I'm all for that.

[shlomo]

47 minutes ago, kuma said:

Dealing with FOH (Rob and crew) almost 4 years going forward every box I have ever received has been opened.  I feel that has to

be done to grade / inspect each box and I'm all for that.

Well it would be curious if the boxes were sealed and that you'd be charged a premium for the various "programs"...next level of the program; Touched by Rob, TBR level! It's Cuban roullete. !

[gusto616]

I recently received separate shipments of a 15 Ct 5x3 box of CoRo tubos & 5x5 HHC tins from our host and all the individual packs were still sealed.
I cut the respective seals, inspected each individual stick myself, and would have to rate the CoRos as perfectly gorgeous & the HHCs as beautiful.


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[havanaclub]

I recently received separate shipments of a 15 Ct 5x3 box of CoRo tubos & 5x5 HHC tins from our host and all the individual packs were still sealed.
I cut the respective seals, inspected each individual stick myself, and would have to rate the CoRos as perfectly gorgeous & the HHCs as beautiful.


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I have seen rob post on 24 sales for tubos, individual cardboard boxes and coffins that he doesn't open all of them to inspect. When he sees enough he is happy with I would guess it doesn't make sense to open all them. That's my guess.


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[NSXCIGAR]

My position on sealed boxes is that's what I expect to get buying blind, which I tend to do very infrequently these days, but I do occasionally. A box inspection is always preferable and as that's what Rob offers, and with prices that are in line with many trusted vendors who don't there's very little reason to buy something he puts up elsewhere. I am not a huge PSP adherent, so in many cases the premiums on them price me out but I am glad he offers varying degrees of quality at different price tiers. The more options for us, the better. I'd rather have a PE or hand-picked clearance level cigar at Rob's prices than buy blind from any other trusted vendor. I can count on one hand the number of times I've received a PSP-level cigar buying blind in over 16 years of doing so. Since only the top 1-2% of cigars (according to Rob) qualify for PSP, that's only one or two boxes out of a hundred you'd order blind, which is exactly my experience buying blind over the years.

5 hours ago, gusto616 said:

I recently received separate shipments of a 15 Ct 5x3 box of CoRo tubos & 5x5 HHC tins from our host and all the individual packs were still sealed.
I cut the respective seals, inspected each individual stick myself, and would have to rate the CoRos as perfectly gorgeous & the HHCs as beautiful.

Yes, tubos are the one exception but this is explicitly stated in the post by Rob as @havanaclub notes. Rob knows a good seam when he sees one and will stop opening the tubos of the same code and mastercase at some point. And if there were ever an issue with them upon arrival I'm sure Rob would make it right.

[Fugu]

5 hours ago, havanaclub said:

I have seen rob post on 24 sales for tubos, individual cardboard boxes and coffins that he doesn't open all of them to inspect. When he sees enough he is happy with I would guess it doesn't make sense to open all them. That's my guess.


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Yup, same holding for RyJ Cazzies, and he is usually stating it.

[Winchester21]

I can not imagine why anyone would specify sealed boxes from a trusted vendor. I sometimes buy tubes from Rob out of necessity if boxes are scarce or unavailable but have never had an issue. OTOH in the past I have bought sealed boxes from other vendors only to get light wrapper garbage that was unsmokable. I have no doubt that these were genuine but trash nonetheless. I have too received boxes were one seal was intact

[NSXCIGAR]

1 hour ago, Winchester21 said:

I can not imagine why anyone would specify sealed boxes from a trusted vendor. I sometimes buy tubes from Rob out of necessity if boxes are scarce or unavailable but have never had an issue. OTOH in the past I have bought sealed boxes from other vendors only to get light wrapper garbage that was unsmokable. I have no doubt that these were genuine but trash nonetheless. I have too received boxes were one seal was intact

There is no good reason, but I have heard some kooky theories by people who obviously don't know what they're talking about that sealed boxes help insure authenticity, which they in no way do. I get the logic, but that's just not how it works. The best method of insuring authenticity is simply to use trusted vendors. 

I am very particular about the cigars I purchase blind and/or sealed. I do it very rarely as it's generally not worth the risk, but I have done it, most recently with Party Aristocrats and PLP. That gives you an idea about what kind of cigars I buy blind--cheap and cheerfuls for the most part. If I'm spending more than $4/stick, I'll almost certainly not be buying blind.

[SCgarman]

8 hours ago, NSXCIGAR said:

There is no good reason, but I have heard some kooky theories by people who obviously don't know what they're talking about that sealed boxes help insure authenticity, which they in no way do. I get the logic, but that's just not how it works. The best method of insuring authenticity is simply to use trusted vendors. 

I am very particular about the cigars I purchase blind and/or sealed. I do it very rarely as it's generally not worth the risk, but I have done it, most recently with Party Aristocrats and PLP. That gives you an idea about what kind of cigars I buy blind--cheap and cheerfuls for the most part. If I'm spending more than $4/stick, I'll almost certainly not be buying blind.

Some people like the anticipation of cutting the seal and stickers on a sealed box and prying open the lid for the first time since it had been nailed shut at the factory. And then holding the box up to your nose for that big Cuban barnyard aroma whiff.