International pricing policy by Habanos SA

[MrBirdman]

1 minute ago, El Presidente said:

Czar Velvet range 

.....carefully crafted by hand but finished by the most exacting fungi, the Czar Velvet collection promises to titillate the most exacting palate. 

Brilliant. And you can update the whole “rolled on virgin thighs” thing by claiming that one of the fungus strains originated under Castro’s toenails. 

[El Presidente]

2 minutes ago, MrBirdman said:

Brilliant. And you can update the whole “rolled on virgin thighs” thing by claiming that one of the fungus strains originated under Castro’s toenails. 

Nice one big mouth. 

That was to be my Edicion Limitada 

[NSXCIGAR]

1 hour ago, MrBirdman said:

Rumor mill says that last month’s shipment to Munich’s LCDH from their distributor contained a few boxes of Mille Fleur and that’s it. 

It's amazing how many MF and Super Partagas and Romeo Tubos they can pump out yet nothing over 42 RG. 

 

1 hour ago, MrBirdman said:

Without naming names, I swear I once saw a video with a British cigar merchant (not Fox) say (I’m paraphrasing) “that white material is plume, it’s a sign the cigars have been well aged. It isn’t mold, but don’t let any get on the foot of your cigar.”

I think I know what you're referring to. This was a little different as the cigars pretty obviously had what has always been considered mold and the merchant tried to pass it off as plume. In fact I believe this interaction occurred before Rob's mold study. But the point was that the merchant in question would certainly have known the difference between "mold" and "plume" yet chose to pass it off as the more desirable plume hoping the camera didn't catch it.  

[...]

13 hours ago, MrBirdman said:

Like many myths it’s grip remains strong generation after generation. Plume on aged cigars seems more plausible for American NC consumers because they’re virtually never sold fresh with mold. I’m a little less sure how CC smokers rationalize it when it’s not uncommon to find it on fresh cigars. 

Without naming names, I swear I once saw a video with a British cigar merchant (not Fox) say (I’m paraphrasing) “that white material is plume, it’s a sign the cigars have been well aged. It isn’t mold, but don’t let any get on the foot of your cigar.”

It is at least a harmless myth, so long as no one is growing mold on cigars to sell them at a premium. I feel as though I might regret putting that idea out there…🤔 

Rumor mill says that last month’s shipment to Munich’s LCDH from their distributor contained a few boxes of Mille Fleur and that’s it. 

Grain of salt recommended of course, but it wouldn’t surprise me if indeed true. 

They had boxes of Partagas and RyJ Mille Fleur in Luxembourg as well

 

12 hours ago, El Presidente said:

Sounds like a pricing repositioning move.

All new pricing globally should be in effect as of today (1st). It will be interesting to see if those shelves are a little fuller this morning.

We will go a few more days. 

Planning to visit the Amsterdam LCDH this Thursday, will report back. Cheers!

[Rhinoww]

Buddy of mine visiting Rome found an ERDM CS single for 12 Euros, and a Romeo 2 single for 7. It seems some stock is available but limited. He comes back today. I’ll be curious if he saw much on the shelves in Rome beyond what he sent me pics of him smoking. He took four big dogs with him to smoke at his rural villa. Those lasted the four or so days I had predicted. But he was glad to have them as he would otherwise been SOL until he got to Rome. 

[Ciscojohansson]

I just went through Oslo airport. Last week, maybe three boxes. I bought some Churchill tubos. Now, boxes and full of cohiba threepacks and sig 1&2 boxes. Esplendidos for about 115 dollar for a three pack. I grabbed them all. At the registrer the price was double 😭. They just got the new prices. Tried a three pack coros, from 60 to 160 dollars. More or less. Manage to get a box of mag 46 for the old price  280, new was 300. So, if you dont by cohiba you will be allright.  Hope I did not break any rules.

[Lunettesman]

Zurich duty free totally empty. They only had Davidoff. 

[Fezztone]

17 hours ago, Jeanff said:

They had boxes of Partagas and RyJ Mille Fleur in Luxembourg as well

 

Planning to visit the Amsterdam LCDH this Thursday, will report back. Cheers!

Was at the Amsterdam LCDH last month. The guy behind the counter was an unpleasant individual. They have plenty of nice boxes roped off on the back wall but available only to those customers that have had a minimum spend of 3,000 euro. So, you couldn't even spend 3,000 on a few nice boxes even if you wanted without the history.  I did get a dozen discontinued Bolivar Tubo #1s at a decent price. Hope you have a better overall experience.

[AirOne]

On 6/1/2022 at 5:10 PM, Fezztone said:

Was at the Amsterdam LCDH last month. The guy behind the counter was an unpleasant individual. They have plenty of nice boxes roped off on the back wall but available only to those customers that have had a minimum spend of 3,000 euro. So, you couldn't even spend 3,000 on a few nice boxes even if you wanted without the history.  I did get a dozen discontinued Bolivar Tubo #1s at a decent price. Hope you have a better overall experience.

Although I was in your situation 2 months ago in NL, I do get their point. They know that the boxes will go no matter what, so favor their local/regular customers makes sense to me. In Belgium (Bxl) they also limit to 2-5 cigars per customer if they have only a few boxes left. I also understand this. 

[dangolf18]

Was at the Amsterdam LCDH last month. The guy behind the counter was an unpleasant individual. They have plenty of nice boxes roped off on the back wall but available only to those customers that have had a minimum spend of 3,000 euro. So, you couldn't even spend 3,000 on a few nice boxes even if you wanted without the history.  I did get a dozen discontinued Bolivar Tubo #1s at a decent price. Hope you have a better overall experience.

Same story when I was there a few years ago (2019). Quite frustrating given how many they had in stock. Not a great experience overall with the gentleman that was working there.




Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[MrBirdman]

4 hours ago, Fezztone said:

Was at the Amsterdam LCDH last month. The guy behind the counter was an unpleasant individual. They have plenty of nice boxes roped off on the back wall but available only to those customers that have had a minimum spend of 3,000 euro. So, you couldn't even spend 3,000 on a few nice boxes even if you wanted without the history.  I did get a dozen discontinued Bolivar Tubo #1s at a decent price. Hope you have a better overall experience.

I guess this is the kind of attitude HSA is looking to inculcate around Cohiba. I want no part of it. In fact it’s hard to enjoy smoking any Cohiba right now because it’s not a cigar anymore - it’s a “lifestyle.” 🤮

[JohnS]

2 minutes ago, MrBirdman said:

I guess this is the kind of attitude HSA is looking to inculcate around Cohiba. I want no part of it. In fact it’s hard to enjoy smoking any Cohiba right now because it’s not a cigar anymore - it’s a “lifestyle.” 🤮

I was intimating the same thing on FoH ZOOM last week. Seemingly overnight, smoking a Cohiba has taken on a new meaning, an 'opportunity cost' you could say, in a way I hadn't imagined before myself.

[El Presidente]

4 hours ago, Fezztone said:

Was at the Amsterdam LCDH last month. The guy behind the counter was an unpleasant individual. They have plenty of nice boxes roped off on the back wall but available only to those customers that have had a minimum spend of 3,000 euro. So, you couldn't even spend 3,000 on a few nice boxes even if you wanted without the history.  I did get a dozen discontinued Bolivar Tubo #1s at a decent price. Hope you have a better overall experience.

Absolutely no reason to be unpleasant. 

However I can understand their thinking.  

• They have no idea when they will be resupplied.
• They have lost faith in their supplier. 
• They don't understand the current supply turmoil
• Without  purchasing barriers, they would be out of stock in days
• They are trying to hold on to their regular customers. 

Not easy times 

[HarveyBoulevard]

1 hour ago, dangolf18 said:

Same story when I was there a few years ago (2019). Quite frustrating given how many they had in stock. Not a great experience overall with the gentleman that was working there.

All that stock and they won't even let us plebs buy any, even at their ridiculous asking prices...

They are acting like Ferrari.

I would tend to feel bad for the retailers just as I would for us smokers but retailers that take that attitude get no sympathy...

I have no problem limiting quantities to prevent getting cleaned out but refusing ANY seems a bit pretentious, especially while they are sitting on the shelves for the world to see...just not buy...at least unless you are special enough...

[El Presidente]

2 minutes ago, HarveyBoulevard said:

I would tend to feel bad for the retailers just as I would for us smokers but retailers that take that attitude get no sympathy...

I assumed that photo was 2019! 

The glory supply years 

The Dutch have always been happy jovial people 

 

[HarveyBoulevard]

2 minutes ago, El Presidente said:

I assumed that photo was 2019! 

The glory supply years 

The Dutch have always been happy jovial people 

 

I hope they are not taunting customers in the current climate and that they have introduced a modicum of decorum and at least hidden those gems away.  That would garner a little sympathy from me.

If that is a current photo with stock on the shelves behind a velvet rope, well, I don't really wish them well, jovial or not.

For what it is worth, I don't wish Ferrari well either 😄

[Cold Smoke]

On 5/29/2022 at 9:29 PM, El Presidente said:

So will I.  

Keep in mind they no longer want you nor I smoking CORO. Only the Uber rich/glamorous. 

They want the world to stop, stare and bask in the glow of the demigod  seen smoking a Cohiba of any sort. 

 

I'm now going to stand on my front porch and smoke a Cohiba Lancero in my underpants ...😡

[El Presidente]

11 minutes ago, Cold Smoke said:

I'm now going to stand on my front porch and smoke a Cohiba Lancero in my underpants ...😡

.....Ken has been doing that for years...

[Nevrknow]

12 minutes ago, Cold Smoke said:

I'm now going to stand on my front porch and smoke a Cohiba Lancero in my underpants ...😡

I will join the protest.

 

What's underpants? Oh well, commando it is! 

[CaptainQuintero]

4 hours ago, MrBirdman said:

I guess this is the kind of attitude HSA is looking to inculcate around Cohiba. I want no part of it. In fact it’s hard to enjoy smoking any Cohiba right now because it’s not a cigar anymore - it’s a “lifestyle.” 🤮

  I've been taking bands off prior to smoking for years, now it's probably the antithesis to what Hsa want, especially with Cohiba

[JohnnyO]

The MC Double Edmundo and No 2's are still holding in the 12 Euro range in 25 cigar dress boxes and 15 tubos petacas in T3 in Havana this weekend. I also saw Partagas Serie P2 in T3 10+ Euros, so not that bad yet. Many places you have to pay with a card as they dont have change. John

[vladdraq]

53 minutes ago, JohnnyO said:

The MC Double Edmundo and No 2's are still holding in the 12 Euro range in T3 in Havana this weekend. I also saw Partagas Serie P2 in T3 10+ Euros, so not that bad yet. Many places you have to pay with a card as they dont have change. John

In my understanding prices are going up in Cuba in June 11. Not 100% sure though.

[NSXCIGAR]

5 hours ago, vladdraq said:

In my understanding prices are going up in Cuba in June 11. Not 100% sure though.

I'll be there from the 8th-11th so I'll try and get some intel about any pending increases. 

As I've pointed out the only real increases above and beyond the typical annual increases plus what we know is very high inflation are in Cohiba, Trini, Monte 1935 and RyJ LdO.

There were very few Monte 1935 around in Apr and the RyJ LdO were getting scooped up very quickly. I actually didn't see any boxes on shelves although there were singles. Obviously Cohiba is not in Cuba outside of Siglo I, Exquisitos and Panetelas but I will try and find out if prices will rise for those.

The interesting one will be Trini. There were Reyes everywhere in Apr and a lot of them. Codes going back to 18. I did see Coloniales but not everywhere. If the price doubles for either put a fork in them. 

The only thing I could see happening is Reyes and Coloniales become a forced buy for distributors like the duty free crap is now and they end up just being wholesaled for a loss to the gray markets and we get prices for those two settling back down. But not a good look for the brand HSA is trying to make into an ultra-premium. 

[BonVivant]

popcorn time!

[NSXCIGAR]

We should start seeing retail prices in Hong Kong pretty soon here and find out if "HK pricing" stays HK pricing. 

I will say I'm seeing a lot more HK buyers on BR. All I can say is I'm very happy to be living in a country where CCs are illegal!