Blending, Boxing and other things I don’t know...

[Chas.Alpha]

Time to bring in the experts: There are several different factory codes for the same cigar, same month/year. How does that work? Is there a central warehouse where the bales are brought and sorted/blended, then shipped to the various factories for production? There are certainly differences in the storage facilities at the various factories.

How long is it from harvest to cigar? (Regular production)

How long (generally) are they stored before boxing?

Has anyone else noticed a drastic upswing in quality from late ‘18 through ‘19, or have I just been blessed? Fearless Leader, that one’s for you. I haven’t been a member long enough to know how many PSP/HQ boxes generally show up in a master case, but most everything I saw in Havana this past year and literally everything I have seen/bought from FOH from ‘19 has been stellar!

I’m tired. I think I’ll go home now...

 

[NSXCIGAR]

4 hours ago, Chas.Alpha said:

There are several different factory codes for the same cigar, same month/year. How does that work?

Almost all brands and models are rolled in multiple factories. The most prominent exception is Cohiba Lanceros, for example, which is rolled exclusively at El Laguito.

4 hours ago, Chas.Alpha said:

Is there a central warehouse where the bales are brought and sorted/blended, then shipped to the various factories for production?

Yes, but there may be multiple warehouses or processing centers. The tobacco is assigned a code number to be used by the factory managers in the recipes for the specific cigar being rolled. 

4 hours ago, Chas.Alpha said:

How long is it from harvest to cigar? (Regular production)

https://www.cubancigarwebsite.com/cigar/production

4 hours ago, Chas.Alpha said:

How long (generally) are they stored before boxing?

Rolled cigars are banded and boxed fairly soon after rolling and color sorting, however they're not stamped until they leave the factory. All cigars for export are then taken to the freezing facility. 

4 hours ago, Chas.Alpha said:

Has anyone else noticed a drastic upswing in quality from late ‘18 through ‘19, or have I just been blessed?

I'd say I've seen some cigars that had been "off" pick up in late 18-19. However most cigars have been pretty stable from 16 onward. Recent production has just continued the trend and picked up some of the stragglers. For example, I've been happy with almost all Monte PEs and DEs from 16-19. But SC La Fuerza, for example, hasn't really been great since late 18. And I haven't had one, but as you pictured above it seems RyJ Churchills have really come on strong since late 18.