Where does handpicked fall in the rating scale?

[hanjr]

Rob,

just wondering where "handpicked" boxes fall in the grading scale?  Are they PSP's or HQ's? thanks much

[HarveyBoulevard]

Hand Picked denotes they have been selected by myself and represent a mix of high end PE, HQ and sometimes PSP. We will not cherry pick boxes on request.

[garbandz]

have never been disappointed..............

 

always wanted someone to really pick out the best of what's available.............Worth the cost to me.....

( which is not bad, either )

 

when you have bought enough boxes elsewhere you will see a few you would never have picked  in person..............

[MahDooRow]

Have no fear with hand picked offerings.  As already stated above, "hand picked" usually includes boxes across the quality spectrum.  You may get PE, you may get HQ... and you may luck out once in a while and get PSP.  Whatever you get it will be a good box at a savings.  If you really want PSP/HQ (and that's all you want) then just stick to the PSP/HQ sales.

[retrofail]

Along those lines, I've wondered how much the quality rating matters to 24:24 buyers. 

From what I've seen, Rob is very upfront about any abnormalities (like damaged feet), but outside of that, I can't recall seeing a box on 24:24 that I would snub my nose at because it looks like crap. 

I'm sure there are buyers that only go for PSP/HQ, but where in the decision matrix (brand, vitola, price, box code, quality rating, etc.) would you put the quality rating?

[Fuzz]

For your every day cigar (PLPC, RASS, RG Perlas, etc), I wouldn't mind any of Rob's quality levels. However, for the more expensive or hard to find cigars (HdM DD, Sir Winstons, Cohiba, RE, skinnies, etc), I prefer HQ or PSP.

[MahDooRow]

12 minutes ago, retrofail said:

I'm sure there are buyers that only go for PSP/HQ, but where in the decision matrix (brand, vitola, price, box code, quality rating, etc.) would you put the quality rating?

If there is something I intend to age or to let rest for 2+ years, I usually try to get the best quality available.  That being said, I've become quite comfortable with Rob's descriptions, disclosures and posted photos.  As a result, the quality rating has become a secondary consideration.

When I want a box that I intend to smoke in the near-term (i.e. 30-90 days) I'll go for Rob's "clearance" sales or "seconds".  Clearance cigars (in my experience) are mostly PE quality.  Seconds are below PE and often have pale wrappers or a few sticks with cracked feet, but no construction issues.  The cigars won't win a beauty contest, but they still smoke great, they taste great, and the prices can't be beat.    

[hanjr]

thanks my friends for all your feedback

[TheLiquidGator]

This is the "Daffynition" of hand picked......

 

 

[El Presidente]

PE to PSP. 

 

[garbandz]

15 hours ago, Fuzz said:

For your every day cigar (PLPC, RASS, RG Perlas, etc), I wouldn't mind any of Rob's quality levels. However, for the more expensive or hard to find cigars (HdM DD, Sir Winstons, Cohiba, RE, skinnies, etc), I prefer HQ or PSP.

Absolutely my feeling ,and I see those boxes here more often than anywhere else.

Most  of my best boxes came from Rob.

[Wertman]

It's interesting seconds are below PE.  I have wondered into many LCDH not in Cuba mostly Cozumel to grand Cayman and Bahamas.  And I have found that even the seconds that Rob sells look much better than some of the ones put out.  Now this is not meant as a dig to some LCDH.  There are some that are amazing only meant to emphesize that Rob and the crew are awesome and it would be hard pressed to find cigars like the ones Rob puts out anywhere.  Trust me I tried before I found the brotherhood (sisterhood too)

[planetary]

I find this post explains a lot: 

Look at the bell curve graph in that post.  It should be no surprise that those retailers which do not filter out the crap would have crap on sale.

My interpretation:  Rob's seconds seem (from what I've been able to tell) to often be PE stock with some cosmetic flaw, which some might rationally object to -- like some cracked feet, or such.  In those cases, you're still getting cigars which have an excellent chance of being from the good side of the bell curve, given the declared exceptions.  In other cases, seconds fall just below PE, given the criteria.  And in those cases, they seem to be near misses -- but not "fails".