Current "Hot" box Codes.

[El Presidente]

12 hours ago, Derboesekoenig said:

Top 10? How many total codes are in current use for 2019/2020?

No idea.  From my records (if my memory serves me correct), I saw around 34 codes. 

[earthson]

On 12/28/2019 at 1:39 AM, El Presidente said:

I had a quick look but couldn't find any. 

So a small provincial factory?  Or is it possible they use an alternate factory identifier to obscure who actually rolled the RE?

[cmitch]

Just got a box of Monte #2 with SOP ENE 20. What factory is SOP?

[Chef86]

Any word on BSM I scored a box of la Trova BSM
ENE 20


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[NSXCIGAR]

Codes seem to be transitioning in Q1 20. Going to be awhile to figure anything out. I thought RAT was the new La Corona code but I've seen both LGR JAN 20 and RAT JAN 20. We do know MAR is El Laguito. I think Partagas MSU and Upmann BRE will be transitioning soon as well. 

[medzikone]

I saw boxes of RAS in the Partagas factory with code TUA FEB 20

[havanaclub]

I got Partagas Salamones TUA 19 DIC
Might be the new MSU


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[mbflash80]

3 hours ago, havanaclub said:

I got Partagas Salamones TUA 19 DIC
Might be the new MSU


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Just got in a box of monte supremo with the TUA box code...

[medzikone]

18 hours ago, mbflash80 said:

Just got in a box of monte supremo with the TUA box code...

[Cjake75]

Question? What does the RAT code mean?

[maverickdrinker]

Both 2019 Edicion Limitada Ramon Allones Allones No. 2 that I pierced up have the same box code: TUA MAY 20.


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[djrey]

4 hours ago, Cjake75 said:

Question? What does the RAT code mean?

Pretty sure it’s La Corona factory. Took LGR’s place 

[Tstew75]

17 hours ago, djrey said:

Pretty sure it’s La Corona factory. Took LGR’s place 

Correct, La Corona moves from LGR to RAT

El Laguito UAO>MAR

Partagas MSU>TUA

No word on Upmann yet

[maverickdrinker]

Another box code for the 2019 Edicion Limitada RA is SOR JUN 20


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[Cjake75]

17 hours ago, djrey said:

Pretty sure it’s La Corona factory. Took LGR’s place 

Thank you

[djrey]

One question I do have is why are there 2020 LGR AND RAT boxes. It seems both codes are being used interchangeably. Cuba being Cuba?

[Tstew75]

4 hours ago, djrey said:

One question I do have is why are there 2020 LGR AND RAT boxes. It seems both codes are being used interchangeably. Cuba being Cuba?

Most likely it was LGR in Jan 2020, and changed to RAT in FEB.

They never use 2 codes at the same time for any main factory.

[Zaxeiler]

6 hours ago, Tstew75 said:

Correct, La Corona moves from LGR to RAT

El Laguito UAO>MAR

Partagas MSU>TUA

No word on Upmann yet

What does this practically mean? I understand the code system logically, but not knowing anything about the El Laguito, Partagas, or Upmann factories, still don’t know what to think? Are some more consistent than others, produce more of a certain taste profile? Do I really only want Partagas from the Partagas factory for best results? Etc.?

[djrey]

9 hours ago, Zaxeiler said:

What does this practically mean? I understand the code system logically, but not knowing anything about the El Laguito, Partagas, or Upmann factories, still don’t know what to think? Are some more consistent than others, produce more of a certain taste profile? Do I really only want Partagas from the Partagas factory for best results? Etc.?

People will certainly chase certain box codes for one reason or another. This is one reason they developed the system of randomized rotating codes. Obviously there are many variables at play that would result in the quality of a finished cigar. Maybe management at MSU is better than another which results in happier employees and more pride in their work. Who knows... But as can be seen in El Prez's original post there are factories that tend to show higher quality. 

[Tstew75]

On 9/3/2020 at 8:16 PM, Zaxeiler said:

What does this practically mean? I understand the code system logically, but not knowing anything about the El Laguito, Partagas, or Upmann factories, still don’t know what to think? Are some more consistent than others, produce more of a certain taste profile? Do I really only want Partagas from the Partagas factory for best results? Etc.?

While not always delivering superior quality, most old school collectors trust the tradition/blending/quality of rollers that 'home' factories deliver. I can say with certainty that Cohibas from Laguito ARE better. Partagas, I'd just rather have Partagas factory examples. Upmann...Is there a better current code than BRE (Upmann F)? No.

It's all preference, but yea.

[Cjake75]

This is deeper than I ever imagined!!

[cleelv]

Helpful to know, thanks everyone!

[Shrimpchips]

Over interpreting, but here goes. Going off the inventory of another retailer, there seem to be at least 63 unique factory codes for 2020 boxes so far.   After correcting for potential typos on codes that only appear once (for example PSM -> BSM), that number is down to 53.

Top five box codes by number of boxes in inventory are RAT (La Corona), BSM, TUA (Partagas), SOU and MAR (El Laguito).  While influenced purely by inventory, we might reasonably assume more inventory from a factory is due to it being a bigger producer, thus it possibly being a “Casa Matriz”.  BSM is overwhelmingly represented with boxes from the Trinidad Marca (6 different vitolas: Coloniales, Reyes, Fundies, Topes, Esmeralda, Vigia), with a few VRs and Vegueros as the next most represented marcas. SOU is less clear, with boxes from 9 different marcas, with no clear majority for a single marca.  Two of the next most plentiful box codes in the inventory are GLE and MTS, both of which are majority Trinidad, and a few Vegueros, and one or two boxes of Cohiba and RyJ.

If @Tstew75 is correct in Q1 being the time to switch codes, based on inventory of this single retailer, it eliminates only 5 codes. Probably based more on pandemic than anything, but 8 codes do not appear in the inventory list after ABR.  I didn’t bother digging further to see when the first appearance in 2020 of certain codes is.  Given that some codes span ENE to JUL, not sure what that means either.

 

[Tstew75]

55 minutes ago, Shrimpchips said:

Over interpreting, but here goes. Going off the inventory of another retailer, there seem to be at least 63 unique factory codes for 2020 boxes so far.   After correcting for potential typos on codes that only appear once (for example PSM -> BSM), that number is down to 53.

Top five box codes by number of boxes in inventory are RAT (La Corona), BSM, TUA (Partagas), SOU and MAR (El Laguito).  While influenced purely by inventory, we might reasonably assume more inventory from a factory is due to it being a bigger producer, thus it possibly being a “Casa Matriz”.  BSM is overwhelmingly represented with boxes from the Trinidad Marca (6 different vitolas: Coloniales, Reyes, Fundies, Topes, Esmeralda, Vigia), with a few VRs and Vegueros as the next most represented marcas. SOU is less clear, with boxes from 9 different marcas, with no clear majority for a single marca.  Two of the next most plentiful box codes in the inventory are GLE and MTS, both of which are majority Trinidad, and a few Vegueros, and one or two boxes of Cohiba and RyJ.

If @Tstew75 is correct in Q1 being the time to switch codes, based on inventory of this single retailer, it eliminates only 5 codes. Probably based more on pandemic than anything, but 8 codes do not appear in the inventory list after ABR.  I didn’t bother digging further to see when the first appearance in 2020 of certain codes is.  Given that some codes span ENE to JUL, not sure what that means either.

 

I'm not certain the code turns are always Q1, it's just seemed that way last couple of years.

One relatively recent example that goes against this was when the Laguito code switched from AMO>UAO. This turn happened in July of 17, and I only know that because there was some fake CoLa boxes coming out of Europe awhile back, and some deep American collectors knew from their own experience/collections that the codes didn't exist. I wanna say the fakes were stamped UAO MAY/JUN 17. Anywhooo...

[PuroDan]

On 9/2/2020 at 4:22 PM, Cjake75 said:

Question? What does the RAT code mean?