Date codes

[n2advnture]

»

» 1. There is absolutely no proof that because someone had a great box of

» FEB 99 smokes coded *** *** ** that the next box with exactly the same

» code will be great.

Agreed but if you have had boxes in the past there were your preference, the box code is certainly a good starting point - if a vendor had that code, of course the second question would be their opinion on quality.

I think where the differing of opinions comes in is in the purchase of anything with age on them. If you're looking to purchase a newer smoke, then I would agree that codes mean very little.

[wasch_24]

» Well Todd, I owe you an apology in that case. Please e-mail me the details

» and I will take it up with Lisa and Smithy.

Email sent.

» Finally, when reading a post from anyone, seek out humour before

» insult. Each person has a different sense of humour but humour also

» differs culturally. If you feel you have been malighned or

» slighted....have a re-read to ensure that someone is just not taking "the

» piss out of you"

"Get a life" seems pretty straight forward to me.

» »N2Advnture If find this hard to believe as many forieners I talk to (HK & European

»

» »Colt45when I'm on an international board (such as this one), I

» consider myself a foreigner.

Really?. Personally, I consider anyone not from the same country as myself a foreigner.

This thread has really gotten nowhere. Mainly because I see a lot of people speaking out both sides of their mouth regarding date codes as compared to their statements on other online forums.

[guilow]

ROB,

What do you do when you open of the those boxes and see sub-par quality? I see you talking about sending the "best stuff" to preferred customers. What you do with the "worst" stuff?

alan

[Van55]

If the box codes are meaningless, then this thread is much ado about nothing, eh?

I am with N2Adventure in believing that American consumers are NOT the only ones who are keenly interested in the ages of the cigars they are purchasing. One HK vendor has publicly stated that he can't move any boxes dated after SEP 03 off his shelves.

I also think that whoever joked "It's all Min Ron NEE's fault" made a great point. Although I aften read a great deal of discussion of box and date codes before the Encyclopaedia was released, I think an obsession with them among some consumers has increased with MRN's observations regarding aging and aged Cuban cigars.

Date codes, for me, are nothing more than signposts. For example, if given a choice between a box dated on '99 or '00 and one dated '01 or '02, I will opt for the latter because I think the quality will more likely than not be better, even though experence teaches, as Rob has pointed out, that there can be extreme quality fluctuations between boxes of the same cigar with the same code.

Another point to be made here, is that not every vendor offers the kind of personal service and smoking experience that Rob has. Most just want to move the product and will send what the comsumer asks for, regardless of quality. Others have drummed up so much business that the individual customer is swallowed among the masses. With these vendors, there is little or nothing more than the box code information with which to make an infomed buying decision.

[El Presidente]

Van.

The sept 03 comment is all because some idiot came up with the theory that Cubans started "cooking" their tobacco then. "Sure....it tastes better now but what about long term aging?" ran the argument.

Elitist Bullshit peddled by self interest.

[El Presidente]

Alan.

Below par stock heads to our wholesale unit. Pubs, Clubs, Casino's etc. We are Habanos distributors for our state.

[El Presidente]

Todd:

In the UK & OZ "Get a Life", "You're a Moron", "You dumb bastard" or "You Stupid Git" are all considered terms of endearment

[Fatshotbud]

» This is an interesting thread.

»

» I do ask for boxcodes before I order, but I recognize that this can only

» tell me so much.

»

» To my palate, some cigars are better young, or at least younger than

» "vintage" stock.

»

» For most cigars, rather than buy aged stock, I prefer to age my own. There

» is a lot of satisfaction in opening a box that you have had the patience to

» wait for.

»

» It's also fun and a challenge to source specific aged stock that I have

» reason to believe will be outstanding, and ready to smoke soon.

»

» However, I have bought boxes of aged stock, highly recommended by people

» whom I respect, that turned out to be duds.

»

» I have smoked from different boxes, of the same date and boxcode, and the

» cigars were dramatically different in quality and flavor.

»

» Collecting and enjoying cigars is an art, not a science, and there is

» plenty of room for luck.

»

» All this emphasizes the need to trust your vendor.

Well the PC I am using just crapped on my reply and I refuse to type it all again.

With that --- Big Ditto to shrink

[wasch_24]

» Todd:

»

» In the UK & OZ "Get a Life", "You're a Moron", "You dumb bastard" or "You

» Stupid Git" are all considered terms of endearment

Wow!

In the USA terms like "Kiss my ass", "You're a prick", "Sit and spin", and "Go F#@% yourself" all basically equate to "I love you you crazy bastard." too. That's amazing!

[El Presidente]

!ROTFLMAO!

The world really is a much smaller place........

[wasch_24]

» !ROTFLMAO!

»

» The world really is a much smaller place........

ROFL! :-D

[Van55]

» Van.

»

» The sept 03 comment is all because some idiot came up with the theory

» that Cubans started "cooking" their tobacco then. "Sure....it tastes

» better now but what about long term aging?" ran the argument.

»

» Elitist Bullshit peddled by self interest.

I am quite familiar with this issue, Rob. I am not at all sure that the notion of a change in the production method in late 2003 is either theoretical or idiotic. In fact, if I recall correctly, you posted on this forum that heaters had been installed in the curing barns, with a result that the curing time had been reduced by a couple of weeks or so. The individual who first told me that he thought there had been a change in method is very knowledgable and has no substantial economic interest, to my knowledge, in propagating misinformation.

Be that as it may, my point had nothing to do with whether or not there had been a change in production methods. Rather, it related to the unfortunate (IMO) generalization that only we State-siders pay attention to date codes as a criterion for making our purchases.

[Guest crossbow]

Van has a point...

Date codes, for me, are nothing more than signposts. For example, if given a choice between a box dated on '99 or '00 and one dated '01 or '02, I will opt for the latter because I think the quality will more likely than not be better, even though experence teaches, as Rob has pointed out, that there can be extreme quality fluctuations between boxes of the same cigar with the same code.

Another point to be made here, is that not every vendor offers the kind of personal service and smoking experience that Rob has. Most just want to move the product and will send what the comsumer asks for, regardless of quality. Others have drummed up so much business that the individual customer is swallowed among the masses. With these vendors, there is little or nothing more than the box code information with which to make an infomed buying decision.

This may be out of line but..

The way Rob was recommended to me was by a Brizzy local who is also active in one of the other Boards. The gentleman is not part of this board.

Rob and staff always checks the ordered cigar and states whether they are in perfect condition for smoking or they look bad or worse.. plugged. Then they make the recommendations to the buyer who is interested in the marca and Vitola.

That can never be said of most of the other vendors.

This info is not from Rob and staff nor any of his buddies but a person on another board that is also based in Brisbane.

just my .02cents

[wasch_24]

No one is questioning the service or love of product provided here. The point of the thread was lost a long time ago.

Edited for typos.

[El Presidente]

Van.

I have never denied there was a change in late 03. Dryers (fans) were introduced to maintain a constant temp. It reduced drying time by 10 days to 2 weeks.

Revolutionary? No. It is the same method being used in the Dominican Republic and Honduras by premium names.

Yet here we have a "Chicken Little" phenomena where a small group of HK and US centrist elitists run around declaring on BB's that the sky is falling down. Crapola.

You made this point Van which no doubt is true.

"One HK vendor has publicly stated that he can't move any boxes dated after SEP 03 off his shelves. "

Really? well he is not a retailers arse. No P2's? No Cohiba Siglo VI? No vested interest in his statement? BULLSHIT!

Who here doubts that the Partagas P2's or the Cohiba Siglo VI are not two of the top 10 new cigars released in the past 10 years? Anyone have any serious concerns over ageing them for 5-7 years? I didn't think so.

The only regret I have in this whole thread is that a few members have taken my US reference to heart as a personal slight. I have always referred to or inferred a minority.

The "I wan't a 1998 FPG Partagas Lusitania Cab rolled by Manuel on level 2 on a Tuesday" phenomena is not predoninant here.

"If we were here on the Czar Verandah discussing it over a beer no doubt I would say with a smile "For F$%^k sake Grow Up". Argue your point loud and proud....hell one e-mail yesterday called me Pompous and Condescending Pompous?...I prefer passionate. Condescending...probably have to wear that one on a re-read.

Should I apologise....hell No. You know me well enough. Agree to dissagree. We are a broad Church of equal opinion. All on this thread have earn't their right to an equal say.

And in regards to nasty e-mails people are sending, please remember that there are two s's in Tosser :wink:

Keep sending them. I keep finding Lisa Giggling on the computer before she prints them out. No doubt she will put them together for some form of Birthday gift

[Van55]

» Van.

»

» I have never denied there was a change in late 03. Dryers (fans) were

» introduced to maintain a constant temp. It reduced drying time by 10 days

» to 2 weeks.

»

» Revolutionary? No. It is the same method being used in the Dominican

» Republic and Honduras by premium names.

»

» Yet here we have a "Chicken Little" phenomena where a small group of HK

» and US centrist elitists run around declaring on BB's that the sky is

» falling down. Crapola.

»

» You made this point Van which no doubt is true.

»

» "One HK vendor has publicly stated that he can't move any boxes dated

» after SEP 03 off his shelves. "

»

» Really? well he is not a retailers arse. No P2's? No Cohiba Siglo VI? No

» vested interest in his statement? BULLSHIT!

The HK vendor is, indeed, a retailer; however he is not the first person who told me that he thinks there was a significant production change in August or December of 2003

»

» Who here doubts that the Partagas P2's or the Cohiba Siglo VI are not two

» of the top 10 new cigars released in the past 10 years? Anyone have any

» serious concerns over ageing them for 5-7 years? I didn't think so.

I, for one, have not argued that the recently boxed Cuban cigars are poor. Indeed, the ones that I have smoked have been suprisingly good for being so young. I am not steering clear of buying/collecting them.

»

» The only regret I have in this whole thread is that a few members have

» taken my US reference to heart as a personal slight. I have always

» referred to or inferred a minority.

Please understand that I did not take it as a personal slight at all. I merely tried to point out that keen interest in box dates is not the sole province of we yankees

»

» The "I wan't a 1998 FPG Partagas Lusitania Cab rolled by Manuel on level 2

» on a Tuesday" phenomena is not predoninant here.

»

» "If we were here on the Czar Verandah discussing it over a beer no doubt

» I would say with a smile "For F$%^k sake Grow Up". Argue your point

» loud and proud....hell one e-mail yesterday called me Pompous and

» Condescending Pompous?...I prefer passionate.

» Condescending...probably have to wear that one on a re-read.

»

» Should I apologise....hell No. You know me well enough. Agree to

» dissagree. We are a broad Church of equal opinion. All on this thread have

» earn't their right to an equal say.

»

» And in regards to nasty e-mails people are sending, please remember that

» there are two s's in Tosser :wink:

»

» Keep sending them. I keep finding Lisa Giggling on the computer before she

» prints them out. No doubt she will put them together for some form of

» Birthday gift

I'll try to think of a really creative nasty email to send you to add to Lisa's collection.

[Vetteman]

Yikes!! Who opened this can of worms anyway? Rob and Lisa ... you have my permission to insult me anytime ;-)

[jwrussell]

» Yikes!! Who opened this can of worms anyway? Rob and Lisa ... you have my

» permission to insult me anytime ;-)

Well, I guess that would be me! LOL

Hey Rob, so you mean I spelled "Tosser" wrong? Damn spellcheck! ;-)

[El Presidente]

!LOL!

My favourite one was "Nobody was ever sent to Australia because they had a lot of Friends"

[rumrogue]

I detect some anal retentiveness in this thread.

Jeez! We are talking about consumables which we set light to are we not?

We smoke them very often in conditions, surroundings & states of inebriation where we couldn't tell the difference between a Swisher Sweet or an Cohiba Siglo VI.

Get a life.

Move on.

[rumrogue]

Mate, see above.

;-)