Qdo 54 hype

[El Presidente]

5 hours ago, Lotusguy said:

It’s a good price for the size and a new release

HSA have announced to distributors that they are going up 8% (All QD). 

[RDB]

32 minutes ago, El Presidente said:

HSA have announced to distributors that they are going up 8% (All QD). 

Well that’s just no surprise. They have a product that won’t stay on the shelves at the current price...

[koosh]

1 hour ago, RDB said:

Well that’s just no surprise. They have a product that won’t stay on the shelves at the current price...

So is the right thing to do is to increase production by 8% or to decrease production by 8% AND increase cost by 8%? ?

[ohbob976]

I’ve smoked a few 54s and few 50s. Don’t really get the 54 hype but the 50s have been a recent favorite. The 50s give me this vanilla nutty creamy deliciousness. 

[canadianbeaver]

Is this hype of which you speak among us cigar chatter peeps or the media? I only ever have read about them here or an online article maybe at launch which is totally valid. Other reviews etc too.

Another thing I was thinking when I see the SOLD OUT stuff on 24/24. Why not use a lifeline and trade a couple? ☎️

CB

[CaptainQuintero]

  I'm kind of torn. I love the fact that QdO is getting the mass recognition it has always deserved; it's always been like a classy understated version of Cohiba. I hope it means the Corona will stay around now, it was uncertain before.

  But I hate the fact that they had to decimate the line and introduce the fatties to do it. The QdO panetela is probably right up there with the very best cigars that Cuba ever made (For me). It's like a club selling it's soul, jersey design and best players in order to refinance and then buy in a new group of solid and efficient players who start winning trophies but in a way without the flair and excitement of the old team.

  I dunno, it's progression, new changes, I just wish that HSA had been able to push the brand previously without having left it too late and it needing such serious work

[FireMedic]

5 hours ago, koosh said:

So is the right thing to do is to increase production by 8% or to decrease production by 8% AND increase cost by 8%? ?

Like there is even a question, decrease production by 16%, so eventually the price can be raised from 8% higher to 16%, just setting the hook to real in the big ones ? good stick at a currently good price

[RDB]

I think we should all be celebrating the QdO story! It's a good product at a reasonable price, and it's certainly off the deletion list now. Even if it goes up 10% there will be loads of customers. Ask yourself the question: would you pay a 10% premium to guarantee the next box advertised on 24:24? What about 20%? And the range of sizes is fairly sensible, even if many of us would have preferred say corona, robusto and dalia or maybe a corona gorda.

The big risk is surely that HSA ramps production at the expense of quality.

Also I am mighty impressed that Rob holds the price down when he could certainly increase it himself.

[Lotusguy]

HSA have announced to distributors that they are going up 8% (All QD). 

Shocker

Can’t blame them. Why leave all the profit to the secondary market.

[fabes]

8 hours ago, CaptainQuintero said:

  I'm kind of torn. I love the fact that QdO is getting the mass recognition it has always deserved; it's always been like a classy understated version of Cohiba. I hope it means the Corona will stay around now, it was uncertain before.

  But I hate the fact that they had to decimate the line and introduce the fatties to do it. The QdO panetela is probably right up there with the very best cigars that Cuba ever made (For me). It's like a club selling it's soul, jersey design and best players in order to refinance and then buy in a new group of solid and efficient players who start winning trophies but in a way without the flair and excitement of the old team.

  I dunno, it's progression, new changes, I just wish that HSA had been able to push the brand previously without having left it too late and it needing such serious work

I feel the same way. 

 

I also wonder how many people fawning over the 50 & 54 have ever tried the corona? 

[Fugu]

8 hours ago, CaptainQuintero said:

selling it's soul

This is it. It is becoming undefined and arbitrary.

[CaptainQuintero]

  At the same time I don't know what could have been done to 'save' it. I don't believe simply putting cardboard sections into the boxes and changing the band did it.

  Maybe simply adding the new sizes without any deletions would have resulted in the hype we have now, and that would have spread to the rest of the line? 

  Habanos acknowledging QdO actually existed with gala/festival pushes like the new releases have got would have gone a long way

[Lotusguy]

I’m happy the brand is finally getting some recognition. I was really worried when they deleted everything except the Coronas. I would have preferred if they had left the Panetelas alone but long and skinnies are simply out of favor these days. Adding new vitolas is a good thing and at least it wasn’t a Montesco

The RE releases have been consistently some of the better RE as well.

It’s interesting how the brand evolved from obscurity to hype, though. I think we are seeing a major example of FOMO

[Fugu]

22 minutes ago, CaptainQuintero said:

At the same time I don't know what could have been done to 'save' it.

I admit, I don't have a good answer to that. That is - what works good for Habanos is not necessarily also what works good for me. But I am (and the likes of me are) obviously not representative of the current-day's market. So, really can't blame HSA. Just less and less offerings for me to choose from.

Just coming from another thread - I don't own a single box of Talisman, no Topes, no QdO 50, 54. What I own of Quai d'Orsay is the old vitolas. So what? I am restricted to buying the Corona now, perhaps I can see the 50 on and off. But I have to live with it. Can't fault Habanos, that's the market, can only fault my dear smoking-brethren.....Or is it instagram we have to blame? - a time when looks are more important than character?...

[Fugu]

Well, that sounds a bit bitter - let me just reassure, I am not bitter.. I am not BITTER... I AM NOT BITTER!!!

[CaptainQuintero]

  Lol no I get it, I'm in the same boat. When my 'old' stock is gone I can't see myself buying the new stuff. It's not bitterness, it's something else. Sad that something has gone when it seems that it could have been saved by so little?

  HSA can't give it the excuse that it's s big modern corporation that can't can't stragglers, look at cuaba! They could have simply done a restricted construction schedule like with the Sir Winston on any deleted cigar that distributors/retailers told them their customers were kicking up a stink over, in addition to the new changes. Would 500 boxes of SdC #1 a year kill their production lines? 200 boxes of ERDM GdE etc

  Or is it simply that they knew that when rereleased as future special editions like the upcoming UK ERDM Lanceros would be eaten up by all Cuban enthusiasts and at a higher premium? I'm thinking towards that.

[fabes]

14 minutes ago, CaptainQuintero said:

    HSA can't give it the excuse that it's s big modern corporation that can't can't stragglers, look at cuaba! They could have simply done a restricted construction schedule like with the Sir Winston on any deleted cigar that distributors/retailers told them their customers were kicking up a stink over, in addition to the new changes. Would 500 boxes of SdC #1 a year kill their production lines? 200 boxes of ERDM GdE etc

  Or is it simply that they knew that when rereleased as future special editions like the upcoming UK ERDM Lanceros would be eaten up by all Cuban enthusiasts and at a higher premium? I'm thinking towards that.

This is definitely what’s happening. Pull the vitolas that don’t sell, wait a couple years, then bring them back with a shiny box & second band and charge double or triple. The new QD LE is roughly the same vitola as the Imperiales, but with a gaudy box and inflated price tag.  

[Fugu]

22 minutes ago, CaptainQuintero said:

They could have simply done a restricted construction schedule like with the Sir Winston on any deleted cigar that distributors/retailers told them their customers were kicking up a stink over, in addition to the new changes. Would 500 boxes of SdC #1 a year kill their production lines? 200 boxes of ERDM GdE etc

Seems absolutely doable. But that would demand a decent logistics and forward planning.... (cough cough)

Also, those sticks will have been way too cheap by today's standards. The plan was to kill those to make that tobacco reappear in new shiny releases with higher return margins. I think time won't get turned back. As a special perhaps, yes, but not a limited run of intermittent "regular" production. I just don't see that.

 

[CaptainQuintero]

13 minutes ago, fabes said:

This is definitely what’s happening. Pull the vitolas that don’t sell, wait a couple years, then bring them back with a shiny box & second band and charge double or triple. The new QD LE is roughly the same vitola as the Imperiales, but with a gaudy box and inflated price tag.  

  I mean it's working too, I bet they will have sold more weight of QdO tobacco in the last year then the imperial did in the last 5...8? 

  I just wish there had been a little wiggle room left for the old faithful gang of whingers like me

[Lotusguy]

The new QD LE is roughly the same vitola as the Imperiales, but with a gaudy box and inflated price tag.  

I think that isn’t a fair comparison - that particular importer only has the rights to the QdO Marca in France so they have no choice. It’s not driven by HSA but by the importer. Also, the Sublimes vitola is substantially larger than a Churchill. Not that I think the very high price is justified, mind you...

[fabes]

27 minutes ago, Lotusguy said:

 

I think that isn’t a fair comparison - that particular importer only has the rights to the QdO Marca in France so they have no choice. It’s not driven by HSA but by the importer. Also, the Sublimes vitola is substantially larger than a Churchill. Not that I think the very high price is justified, mind you...

 

I was referring to the upcoming 2019 LE (a hermosos #2), not the most recent French RE.

[LLC]

So is the right thing to do is to increase production by 8% or to decrease production by 8% AND increase cost by 8%? 

I’d increase production and the price by 8%. I just picked up a box of 25 No. 50’s in Havana for 120 CUC; dirt cheap for what you get. The 8% won’t make a difference in the value it offers.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[LLC]

So is the right thing to do is to increase production by 8% or to decrease production by 8% AND increase cost by 8%? 

I’d increase production and the price by 8%. I just picked up a box of 25 No. 50’s in Havana for 120 CUC; dirt cheap for what you get. The 8% won’t make a difference in the value it offers.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Lotusguy]

I was referring to the upcoming 2019 LE (a hermosos #2), not the most recent French RE.

Gotcha. That will be an eye opener in terms of price, I bet.