Cigar Snob: An Introduction.

[73mountaineer]

No with a grower from Nicaragua, companies kinda take it seriously when you start talking about how much of what is getting shipped.

I couldn't tell you off the top of my head of any lounges that sell cigars from General, Swedish Match or STG...Ive seen them collecting dust in many shops. The reason those cigar companies are so big is because of convenient store and grocery store sales they amount for the largest percentage of cigar sales.

And yeah whats still stopping those shops are taxes...Not many states are tobacco friendly and so the state tax they have to pay just to have those cigars in the store prevents competition online. But purchasing from b&m at least helps the cause...unless its the b&m arm of places like ci,jr,thompson,famous.

Oh, I get it now. I assumed it would be the Cubans that wouldn't want anyone to know if they were buying Nicaraguan tobacco, not the other way around.

Your comment about the brands that you see, or rather don't see, for sale in cigar lounges/retailers surprises me, as I don't think I have ever been in a shop that didn't carry the major brands from those groups. What are some of the ones that you frequently visit?

I don't suppose you would happen to know of a listing available anywhere that shows tobacco taxes state-by-state, do you? I'm curious now since a lot of the cigars and tobacco that I do purchase online are from B&M-based retailers in what would normally be fairly tax-heavy states. Iwan Ries is one that I have found to be pretty competitive on pricing, but has a trifecta of tax disadvantages being located in: 1. Illinois, 2. Cook County & 3. The City of Chicago. Others that I buy from are in various locations such as PA, NY, SC & VT, so it seems odd that they are able to consistently beat the prices of my local B&M's located here in a low tax state like Alabama, and not just by a little, often by $.50-1.00 or more per stick. I won't even get into box pricing because that number grows substantially at those quantities.

 

[The Count of Merkur Cristo]

I think many of you would be shocked by how much Nicaraguan tobacco is used in the making of your favorite Cuban blends.

I'm not trying to be uncouth but, where do you get your info? Why on earth would Habanos S.A. authorized Cuban growers / farmers want to 'blend' the pride & soul of Cuba with Nicaraguan tobacco?

I know the answer...because thier not Habanos S.A. authorized and simply offering 'fakes & black market' cigars. Habanos S.A. is the ever so strict, government controlled department of Cuba (Part of Cubatabaco) that simply monitors the production and distribution of Cuban tobacco around the world. Habanos SA has ‘authorized’ distributors across the globe (and in Cuba), to help them distribute the finest cigars in the world.

I wish I was at liberty to share, but nda's suck.

I'm confused..if you're not 'at liberty' to disclose and/or share...isn't it then just your opinion?

No with a grower from Nicaragua, companies kinda take it seriously when you start talking about how much of what is getting shipped.

I find that very hard to beleive that any grower / farmer would talk to you and you're not a 'tobacco man' and/or in the business?

Would you care to clarify / quantify your position?

Don't know where you get your info from, but to my knowledge all Cuban cigars are Puros, i.e. they are all Cuban tobacco.

Georg:
+ 1... all the way...since 1700!!!!

Those who Smoke Havana’s will never die of Cancer...but those who don't...will die of Envy". Cuban Cigar Slogan

 

[Swagger]

Oh, I get it now. I assumed it would be the Cubans that wouldn't want anyone to know if they were buying Nicaraguan tobacco, not the other way around.

Your comment about the brands that you see, or rather don't see, for sale in cigar lounges/retailers surprises me, as I don't think I have ever been in a shop that didn't carry the major brands from those groups. What are some of the ones that you frequently visit?

I don't suppose you would happen to know of a listing available anywhere that shows tobacco taxes state-by-state, do you? I'm curious now since a lot of the cigars and tobacco that I do purchase online are from B&M-based retailers in what would normally be fairly tax-heavy states. Iwan Ries is one that I have found to be pretty competitive on pricing, but has a trifecta of tax disadvantages being located in: 1. Illinois, 2. Cook County & 3. The City of Chicago. Others that I buy from are in various locations such as PA, NY, SC & VT, so it seems odd that they are able to consistently beat the prices of my local B&M's located here in a low tax state like Alabama, and not just by a little, often by $.50-1.00 or more per stick. I won't even get into box pricing because that number grows substantially at those quantities.

Lounges I frequent, Tobacco Republic, Perfecto Lounge, Fatman Cigars, Casa Bella Coso, Casa Fuente...those are the ones I hit the most.

You can google tobacco tax by state. California is terrible, New York is terrible. You save .50 and a 1.00 if I were to order online I would save more like $3+ .

 

[Swagger]

I find that very hard to beleive that any grower / farmer would talk to you and you're not a 'tobacco man' and/or in the business?

Would you care to clarify / quantify your position

I'm about as close to being in the industry as possible, currently working with manufactures to build a new website to become a repository of cigar knowledge online.

People on this forum have a hard time believing that the demand on thousands of manufactures from Nicaragua,The Dominican,Honduras etc couldn't meet the demand posed on them by the U.S. market alone....But that Cuba alone can keep up the demand for 100% pure Cuban grown tobacco to the entire world and the U.S. black market. They wont even hold onto them long enough to give them proper aging, you really think they would have a problem using a different filler to keep up with demand? I guess you might believe all that if you also believe the sterling reputation of the incorruptible Cuban Government. I wasn't trying to shatter this legendary image you guys have of Cuban cigars, but being around the industry has opened my eyes, if Cuba or ANYONE could get away with putting shredded super market paper bags in their blends they would.

I've watched Nicaraguan tobacco shipped to factories and I've also been in a Habanos shop when a Cuban roller working there opened up a cigar and separated the tobacco into its different types and pointed out the Nicaraguan.

I've had friends come to me with plenty of fake Cubans and ask me if they are real. First thing I ask them is if they smoked one and if they liked it...if they say "yes" I tell them it really doesn't matter what they are then. If they press I'll tell them.

I'm happy you guys enjoy what you have, just trying to share the truth as I know it.....if it makes you feel better just chalk me up to an internet crack pot thats full **** and go about your day...I'll go sip on a Starbucks coffee and pretend that it to is the best the coffee industry has to offer

 

[Argonaut]

@ Swagger. This is a small community of tobacco lovers inside a big wet shaving forum that encourages gentlemanly behavior. The Brown Leaf is welcoming to everyone and their opinions as long as they are presented in a respectable manner. Since your first post degrading the cigar choice that a member had purchased for his late father, to your claims to have insider information on the cigar industry which you can’t divulge, could be making you come across a bit ungentlemanly. I won’t speak for anyone else here, but I don’t care to have people tell me how or what I should enjoy when it comes to my tobacco. There are plenty of cigar forums where braggadocio and elitism are part of the norm, this isn’t one of them. You are welcome to be an unapologetic cigar snob, a lot of us here are, but that doesn’t give you full reign to badmouth others personal preferences because of your claims to a higher understanding of the cigar world. Nobody is “The Big Man in Charge” here, and that’s how most of us like it. If you decide to stick around here and contribute to the discussions, you might want to tone it down a notch, or two. Welcome to B&B.

 

[The Count of Merkur Cristo]

@ Swagger. This is a small community of tobacco lovers inside a big wet shaving forum that encourages gentlemanly behavior. The Brown Leaf is welcoming to everyone and their opinions as long as they are presented in a respectable manner. Since your first post degrading the cigar choice that a member had purchased for his late father, to your claims to have insider information on the cigar industry which you can’t divulge, could be making you come across a bit ungentlemanly. I won’t speak for anyone else here, but I don’t care to have people tell me how or what I should enjoy when it comes to my tobacco. There are plenty of cigar forums where braggadocio and elitism are part of the norm, this isn’t one of them. You are welcome to be an unapologetic cigar snob, a lot of us here are, but that doesn’t give you full reign to badmouth others personal preferences because of your claims to a higher understanding of the cigar world. Nobody is “The Big Man in Charge” here, and that’s how most of us like it. If you decide to stick around here and contribute to the discussions, you might want to tone it down a notch, or two. Welcome to B&B.

Jason:
+ 1...and with that said, I propose this Thread to be closed so that some (many?), of us can retire and sooth our 'ruffled' cigar feathers since reading these pointed reverlations (for better or for worse...it's all in the believing). In my humble opinion, I find the point of this Thread has been made and any further discussion would be just a case of possible pointless semantics.

All in favor say "Aye"!!!

"Cigar smoking knows no politics. It's about the pursuit of pleasure, taste, and aroma." Anonymous

 

[Swagger]

Since your first post degrading the cigar choice that a member had purchased for his late father, to your claims to have insider information on the cigar industry which you can’t divulge, could be making you come across a bit ungentlemanly.

If someone asked me about the qualities of a case of 20 year aged Charles Shaw wine, I'm going to give them a realistic appraisal of what they have.

And would it matter if I could divulge how I know my information? It's not like it would come from a source that could be investigated.

Believe me or don't. I'm not the one questioning anyone else, just putting out my knowledge, the reasons for my taste in things.

I apologize to anyone thats been offended by my "claims".

 

[Argonaut]

Thank you for your apology. I'm certainly enlightened by your knowledge of the cigar industry. You obviously feel very strongly about what you believe in, consider that most of us don't have privy to your vast insider connections, and couldn't possibley know such details. I was merely suggesting some folks might not like it thrown in their face, so try not to make us feel bad for being so ignorant.

 

[jwhite]

I think everybody has had the opportunity to express their views, and I see little point in letting this go round and round.