International pricing policy by Habanos SA

[SCgarman]

14 minutes ago, djrey said:

Seriously, the jumps are wild. Look into things like Partagas shorts and the like. Can still be found at good prices and should give you your fix. Worst case just jump to the NC train. No need to exit the hobby 

I love a good Padron 1964 and 1926 but even these have shot up price wise for a box. 

[djrey]

Just now, SCgarman said:

I love a good Padron 1964 and 1926 but even these have shot up price wise for a box. 

Not sure what they were but I just looked today a Padron 2000s are just under $190. Solid robusto for the money 

[Kaptain Karl]

China just has to ruin everything don’t they? 
 

Unfortunately this is going to truly become a rich man’s game. It’ll be much harder for the regular guy to accumulate a great collection over the years. 
 

[Juliano88]

Luckily I have years of inventory of my cc’s and enjoy nc’s very much. I love supporting FOH and the Cuban economy, but getting tired of supporting Habanos. 

[Arctic Dude]

I had already stopped buying with the plan to just enjoy what I’ve stocked up on. Now my new plan will be to start selling off all that I have once the price hike is in!! 🤑

[JohnS]

As an Australian, I feel I can't add much to what has already been said other than I went through a gradual 'squeeze' over the last five years or so due to excessive 15% to 16% annual tax increases by the Australian Government on tobacco. This current situation kind of feels the same, only it's happened in a much shorter time frame. So where to from here?

Most likely, a greater majority of you will continue to smoke Habanos cigars but at a much lesser rate than what you are used to. Similarly, new acquisitions will be done in lower volumes; either by purchasing less regularly or purchasing 10-count boxes etc. Personally, speaking I'm extremely grateful that our host offered quarter-box options years ago. That has at least allowed me to continue to sample and gauge a wider variety of Habanos cigars in the time prices were increasing for Australian consumers.

Some of you have got into this hobby at the right time and stocked up years ago when you first got into it. I did the same and I tell you what, in light of these price increases, it feels good doesn't it?.. I must say.

On a lighter note, the exorbitant increases on Cohiba and Trinidad will make me reminisce somewhat within the Daily Smoking thread because it's quite possible that @SigmundChurchill may have to cut back on his delightful posts smoking Cohiba and Trinidad cigars in exotic locations (e.g. in his car, on the beach, at the snowfields etc).

It all just makes you think, "Aah...the good 'ol days!"

[SCgarman]

6 hours ago, SGD316 said:

I don't know who is making these decisions, but it's clear they lack any long term vision. An increase of this magnitude will cause people to either quit the hobby or smoke NCs once they're out. 

Even if revenue stays the same or increases, the loss of market share will become an issue. Add to that to the fact that Cuba's quality control is very suspect compared to NCs and this is all around silly business decision making. 

And what will happen if Cuban tobacco farmers start disappearing. They may just say F-it, and grow food. Heck the entire country is practically in a famine. Don't say it won't/can't happen. Sounds like the incentive to grow tobacco is no longer what it was. Even the farmers get screwed selling the tobacco to the gov't

[TheCigarslayer]

I'll toss my hat into the ring with "already transition a bit more back to Non Cubans" at this price point. If they are going to ratchet the prices up to Davidoff and above levels they will at least need to bring QC in line with Davidoff or it'll be a rare to never enjoyment for me after I burn through my current stock. Personally I think this is a short term strategy if they are indeed shifting focus just to one region. All it takes is a drop off in one region to wipe out their market. Non Cuban has already incubated a solid selection leveraging the USA during the embargo decades. I can see NC eeking their way into non USA hands at a faster clip at this point. Oh man do I miss the days of cheap D4s and affordable Cohiba/Trinis

[El Presidente]

Deep breaths. 

There is a lot going on behind the scenes. See how it plays out. Obviously they plan to make Cohiba and Trinidad the cigar version of Rolex. 

What is concerning is what they are planning to do with Cuba retail pricing. Let's get things confirmed first. 

There are other cigar options. Exercise your right to choose. 

In the meantime, don't worry about things that you can't control. Let's see the impact in black and white when the detail comes to the surface.  I will be transparent as the information comes to hand. 

These are dire times in the Cuban cigar industry. If you had any doubts about the reasons why, check out the photo of the Partagas right wing rolling room in " Tidbits from Cuba"

 

[Bijan]

8 hours ago, MrBirdman said:

Nice knowing you guys! It’ll take a few years but once my present stock is depleted I will be done with this hobby for good. I really like cigars, but not that much. I can get my occasional fix from non-Cubans if necessary. It’s not that I can’t afford cigars at that price, but that I’d never spend so much money on them. 

Kinda saps the joy from smoking now though knowing I’m doing so on borrowed time. I feel for the retailers out there who will have to close their doors.

That was part of my motivation for my buying spree last year before this went down. Seeing what is happening with taxes and plain packaging in Canada (and what happened in Australia and elsewhere).

From that perspective it won't matter if CCs cost half as much as before they might still be much harder to get here in 10 or 20 years.

As @JohnS we're all pining for the good old days now...

[MrBirdman]

31 minutes ago, Bijan said:

That was part of my motivation for my buying spree last year before this went down. Seeing what is happening with taxes and plain packaging in Canada (and what happened in Australia and elsewhere).

From that perspective it won't matter if CCs cost half as much as before they might still be much harder to get here in 10 or 20 years.

As @JohnS we're all pining for the good old days now...

I bought for much the same reason - I have years of cigars, but I must admit it’s less enjoyable to smoke through them with the sense that they’re never getting replaced. I’ve already been enjoying Cohiba less, and I’ve got hundreds of them saved up. I’d almost rather sell them at this point and tear the band aid off (I won’t though). 

And of course I really don’t want to entirely give up Cubans - I love Montecristo too much. But then again, if they want $500 for Monte 4, then thanks but no thanks. Everyone in my life is already on my ass to quit smoking cigars as it is.

[SigmundChurchill]

1 hour ago, JohnS said:

As an Australian, I feel I can't add much to what has already been said other than I went through a gradual 'squeeze' over the last five years or so due to excessive 15% to 16% annual tax increases by the Australian Government on tobacco. This current situation kind of feels the same, only it's happened in a much shorter time frame. So where to from here?

Most likely, a greater majority of you will continue to smoke Habanos cigars but at a much lesser rate than what you are used to. Similarly, new acquisitions will be done in lower volumes; either by purchasing less regularly or purchasing 10-count boxes etc. Personally, speaking I'm extremely grateful that our host offered quarter-box options years ago. That has at least allowed me to continue to sample and gauge a wider variety of Habanos cigars in the time prices were increasing for Australian consumers.

Some of you have got into this hobby at the right time and stocked up years ago when you first got into it. I did the same and I tell you what, in light of these price increases, it feels good doesn't it?.. I must say.

On a lighter note, the exorbitant increases on Cohiba and Trinidad will make me reminisce somewhat within the Daily Smoking thread because it's quite possible that @SigmundChurchill may have to cut back on his delightful posts smoking Cohiba and Trinidad cigars in exotic locations (e.g. in his car, on the beach, at the snowfields etc).

It all just makes you think, "Aah...the good 'ol days!"

After reading this, it was very tempting to me to go buy some Swisher Sweets and post a Daily Smoke pic of me smoking one in the slums of Newark NJ, but I'm a too tired after a long day of work today, so you will just have to use your imagination.  😂

[Bijan]

27 minutes ago, MrBirdman said:

I bought for much the same reason - I have years of cigars, but I must admit it’s less enjoyable to smoke through them with the sense that they’re never getting replaced.

That's true. But on the other hand any cigar I don't have a lifetime supply of I have always felt a tiny bit sad thinking about how I'll run out eventually (that's always been the case before I really knew that would be the case with cigars in general).

I think that's part of the thinking that has guys with several lifetime supplies still chasing more CCs.

Cigar smoking is one of the rare hobbies where we're collecting something rare and precious while we're consuming our collectibles and slowly burning our collections at the same time.

[LordAnubis]

My heart bleeds 😂. I only wish it’s a standardised price globally. We’ve been paying it for years. It’s not the end of the world. 

[HopeUgood]

Maybe an increase in Nudies production is on the horizon 😬

I got into the CC game just a few years ago, I have a a couple year supply for myself as I was trying to build an aged inventory that would be constant.  I am a working man, so price will affect my consumption. All in all, life could be much much worse. 

Turning the big Four Zero, anyone wanna recommend me a box to gift myself before the prices hit insanity hahah?  Swung and missed yesterday on the HdM DC

[Hammer Smokin']

China's happy. more supply for them. 

 

wonderful.

[Bijan]

3 minutes ago, Hammer Smokin' said:

China's happy. more supply for them. 

 

wonderful.

Supply is less than half of what it was in the past and they likely were buying more before than total production now.

[Fosgate]

Glad I stocked up when I did…now I’m afraid to smoke what I have.


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[El Presidente]

49 minutes ago, Hammer Smokin' said:

China's happy. more supply for them. 

 

wonderful.

 Couldn't be further from the truth. Supply there is as bad as anywhere else right now.

[Jack]

Pre-war (1st war-to-end-all-wars) Johnnie Walker white label; Sobranie Black Russian cigs (Sobranie House and prior); Asprey silver (Old Bond Street); Colt manufacture AR-15's, The Doors in San Diego, a nice Horch, a horrendously degraded copy of Newton's Principia, Lawn Darts, etc.

All things that I've enjoyed that are no longer available.

This too will pass, and move on to something else - or not.

I'm reminded of a stanza from Omar the tent maker, but I'm far to deep into Fryday to do it justice.

[Hammer Smokin']

20 minutes ago, El Presidente said:

 Couldn't be further from the truth. Supply there is as bad as anywhere else right now.

I understand there is a finite amout of cigars available to the entire world. 

But the higher the costs the more cigars that will find their way to China.

Hope that clarifies what I meant. Not that they have more there but the higher the cost the easier they can access...thus making more available there.

 

[Bijan]

11 minutes ago, Hammer Smokin' said:

But the higher the costs the more cigars that will find their way to China.

Hope that clarifies what I meant. Not that they have more there but the higher the cost the easier they can access...thus making more available there.

They were buying 80% of Cohiba. There's 1/10 the Cohiba. You do the math 😂

[Hammer Smokin']

By that math the rest of the world gets 2%...and sorta supports my point.

[Bijan]

29 minutes ago, Hammer Smokin' said:

By that math the rest of the world gets 2%...and sorta supports my point.

Actually by that logic the rest of the world would go to practically 0.

But the Chinese aren't happy going from 80% to 10% or 8%.

 

On the bright side Reddit CC forum is now posting about how they're getting fake Havana club Rum...

Guess supply chain of glass tops is getting affected too 😂

[JoshD]

1 hour ago, Bijan said:

Cigar smoking is one of the rare hobbies where we're collecting something rare and precious while we're consuming our collectibles and slowly burning our collections at the same time.

 

Similar to a standout bottle of a single barrel whiskey......most likely there's only 100-150 bottles in existence, so when its gone, that's it.