Cuban Factory Codes (2003 – Current) PDF

[LizardGizmo]

4 minutes ago, NSXCIGAR said:

As stated above I see no reason there would be a blend difference between factories.

My comment is strictly related to quality control. I do not want to pay $85 for a CoRo out of a provincial that I am not certain has the same level of QC that Laguito does.

 

[NSXCIGAR]

3 hours ago, LizardGizmo said:

My comment is strictly related to quality control. I do not want to pay $85 for a CoRo out of a provincial that I am not certain has the same level of QC that Laguito does.

I can appreciate that. I'm not sure what the likelihood is that a given non-EL factory will produce a lower standard of construction than EL but I suppose there is a chance. As I said, however, the problem is finding EL Cohiba. I'd estimate maybe only 5% of all CoRo is and probably 4 out of 5 boxes from any provincial are going to be perfectly fine. 

[Fugu]

11 hours ago, NSXCIGAR said:

There's no mandate that Esplendidos come exclusively from EL.

Exactly (and even Lanceros have been made elsewhere, though rare instances). But that has neither been my point. I tried to address the fact that, for a certain period, you would even see Espléndidos having been rolled exclusively outside EL, no parallel production from the mother factory then (as far as I was able to verify). So, the alleged “only true coming from EL” wouldn’t hold much water for one of the hallmark Cohibas back then. That was widely meant in support of your stance that the leaf and blend between factories are aimed to be maintained identical.

That said, there are certain provincial factories doing a tremendous job. So much so that I would not hesitate to even pick them out.

[Nocoins]

On 1/22/2024 at 1:08 AM, NSXCIGAR said:

I can appreciate that. I'm not sure what the likelihood is that a given non-EL factory will produce a lower standard of construction than EL but I suppose there is a chance

Agreed. I don't typically chase EL codes, and for some cigars, non-EL has been all that's available and I've not noticed much of a difference between EL and others.  I find the box code sheet to be very interesting because it shows a number of my favorite boxes were rolled at a provincial factory.  Meanwhile, perhaps my most troublesome box of Cohiba is a box of CCE from EL -- REG ABR 18 (I think). Everything from blend to construction has been disappointing too frequently.  But the 2019 UAO Siglo II boxes -- amazing.  

[NSXCIGAR]

7 hours ago, Nocoins said:

perhaps my most troublesome box of Cohiba is a box of CCE from EL -- REG ABR 18 (I think)

REG was Camajuani, VC. 

I can't ever recall seeing CCE coming from EL. It's extraordinarily rare. Probably has happened but since I've been paying attention the last 15 years I've never seen any. 

Interestingly quite a bit of BHK had REG codes at that time as well. 

[Nocoins]

Indeed! Either I always assumed REG was an EL code because of the BHKs and never bothered really to read top line of the chart, or I switched MEG to REG in my mind's eye.  

Another box of CCE I have is that rare EL CCE -- LBT ENE 10, PSP from the glorious days of LFTW.  If we need pictures to confirm for the integrity of the chart, I can provide.

[Gubbins]

Any idea what SER code is?

[ChangBang]

7 minutes ago, Gubbins said:

Any idea what SER code is?

You know how I know you didn't look at the first post or attached pdf 🙄

[Gubbins]

6 minutes ago, ChangBang said:

You know how I know you didn't look at the first post or attached pdf 🙄

I’ve seen about 15 pdfs scouring google which claimed to be from this site and couldn’t find it.  Presumed this pdf was that. Just check it out now, and it’s a lot more extensive. Thanks for pointing me in the right direction.

[MedV3]

Any thoughts on Holguin factory? ALU box code.  Thanks in advance 

[Salomones]

ALU is the actual Code for Felina 1 since 2022. I have been there multiple times.

Most of the produced Cigars are going to Havana factories for sorting and boxing. 

 

[Tstew75]

On 1/22/2024 at 2:56 PM, LizardGizmo said:

My comment is strictly related to quality control. I do not want to pay $85 for a CoRo out of a provincial that I am not certain has the same level of QC that Laguito does.

Exactly. El Lag Cohibas have proven over the years to be the best of the best...it's the history, the top-flight Torceadors, etc. I'd never buy CoRo or CoLa not from EL, why gamble on provincial when you can have the holy grail?

[Salomones]

New codes will probably start this month. Does anyone know anything more specific?

[LizardGizmo]

New codes will probably start this month. Does anyone know anything more specific?

I haven’t gotten any concrete information yet, but I’m anticipating new codes will be coming in very soon. I wouldn’t be surprised if they changed after festival week. I’ll be in Havana in a few weeks and will do my best to get more info.

[cl0udmaster]

On 1/22/2024 at 12:48 PM, LizardGizmo said:

Unfortunately I was asked to not share this piece on the interview we recorded this week.

This begs the question, what else was asked to be removed from the interview?

[LizardGizmo]

5 hours ago, cl0udmaster said:

This begs the question, what else was asked to be removed from the interview?

Only thing I asked about that was off-limits for him was anything relating to production at other factories. He was only willing to talk about his own work at his factory - which seemed very fair to me.

[JohnnyO]

On 1/21/2024 at 10:53 PM, NSXCIGAR said:

I'd agree that they are unlikely to get it right 100% of the time but the leaf should be the same and labeled properly for the recipe. There isn't any "thinking" involved by anyone at the factories, and in fact many times the roller could deduce what they're rolling in the case of Siglo VI or PE, and probably Siglo III and V as well. But the managers obviously know what's going on as everything is boxed and banded there anyway. 

My point is that outside of mistakes and rolling variations, if the leaf and blend is correct the cigars should be identical. The argument would have to be that they are intentionally blending Cohiba differently outside of EL. 

There's no mandate that Esplendidos come exclusively from EL. Only Lanceros, and to my knowledge that's still the only cigar with a dedicated factory. 

As stated above I see no reason there would be a blend difference between factories. There may be one but that to me would be a claim that needed some proof or extensive corroboration. The fact is that it's very unusual to see most Cohibas come from EL in the first place so most people would never even have smoked any Siglo or CoRo from EL. 

From what I understand EL has not banded or boxed cigars for a few years. That is done at another factory. In Giz's interview with Danilo from EL, they discussed the use of whiskey barrels for an additional "fermentation" process. Although I think the wording is incorrect (should have been aging/curing process) I am wondering if this is done at the other factories. Danilo also noted that the rollers in EL go through a stricter test to get in (70% get rejected) and that many of them have been there for a very long time. These factors might contribute to a different outcome in the cigars being rolled at EL. John

[LizardGizmo]

It was confirmed by one of my lizard compadres yesterday in Havana that box codes have not changed since the last update. I was surprised, as it’s certainly due anytime now.

[Tunkat92]

On 4/12/2024 at 9:15 AM, LizardGizmo said:

It was confirmed by one of my lizard compadres yesterday in Havana that box codes have not changed yet since the last update. I was surprised as it’s certainly due anytime now.

I have dreading the day! We have spoiled with how long these factory codes have been running.

[Cigar Surgeon]

So I'm not sure if it's a typo but I was grabbing a Fundadores for the pairing show I'm guesting on tonight and I have a box code that isn't in the PDF:

[KCCubano]

2 hours ago, Cigar Surgeon said:

So I'm not sure if it's a typo but I was grabbing a Fundadores for the pairing show I'm guesting on tonight and I have a box code that isn't in the PDF:

I'm guessing its a typo on PDF. I see PLM for 2011 at PdR where Trinis are rolled.

[LizardGizmo]

23 hours ago, Cigar Surgeon said:

So I'm not sure if it's a typo but I was grabbing a Fundadores for the pairing show I'm guesting on tonight and I have a box code that isn't in the PDF:

This was one of the first 'corrections' I made, based on a post from last July showing a PLM box from 11.

After seeing your post today, I was thinking it was either (a) @HDGSN's box was poorly stamped. (b) one of these two codes is for one of the factories that doesn't have a listed code in 2010-2012 or (c) this is from the same factory and there was a communication error between stampers or a technical error with a stamp.

I was originally thinking that it was (b), as the missing '–' from HDGSN's box from the same exact month as your box is odd to see.

However, after looking at Bond Roberts - and turning my OCD Gizmo switch on - I've found four unique boxes of Fundadores and a box of Connie 1 with the PLM code from May 11. (Direct links to boxes on BR: HUC1, TF1, TF2, TF3, TF4)

Looking at these photos closely after some master photoshop work, we can see that these PLM MAY 11 boxes were stamped with the same funky stamp with the misaligned short P.

Searching for BLM MAY 11 didn't show anything on BR, but there are three non-Fundadores boxes from July 11, which do have the dash seen on John's box. Here are all four images, with John's marked. (Direct links to boxes on BR: PCS1, VRDA, PCS2)

I'm pretty convinced all four BLM markings are from the same stamp, with the month changed, as we can see the identical 1's in "11" and the odd shape of the M and curvatures in the Ls.

I guess we'll never know for sure, given this is 13 years ago now, but I'm feeling that the correct explanation is (c) - a code communication error to one of the stampers in the Piloto factory in PDR or a broken stamp that didn't have the letter B available (very Cuba, if you ask me). Seeing so many fundies out of "PLM", and then another authentic box from "BLM" would also lead me to think it's the same factory. The original source document (I only have one for this specific timeframe, multiple for other years), does seem to show BLM.

My conclusion is that PLM=BLM and there was a broken stamp or messy communication in mid 2011 in Piloto factory in Pinar Del Rio.

I'm curious what others think!

(Also - $261.60 for a box of fundies...I wish I had a crystal ball )

[Li Bai]

5 hours ago, LizardGizmo said:

Also - $261.60 for a box of fundies...I wish I had a crystal ball 

Yeah, there must be a lot that feel the same 😮‍💨

I've come across the 2015 Coprova (french distributor for Habanos) price list and I cried 🥲

[NSXCIGAR]

On 4/25/2024 at 9:41 AM, LizardGizmo said:

Seeing so many fundies out of "PLM", and then another authentic box from "BLM" would also lead me to think it's the same factory.

I'd have to agree. And it's a logical error. P sounds like B even in Spanish and it somewhat looks like it also. I've never seen Fundys come from anywhere other than Pinar and no other Pinar factory had BLM. It's too close. Almost certainly the B was an error that wasn't caught. 

Interesting to find an error like that. There really have been remarkably few errors of this type which is nothing short of a miracle considering how things run down there. 

[Domsday]

Is there a listing for box codes after March ‘22?