A Closer Look at Online Cigars

[blessednxs65]

I read this piece whilst away and could identify with a lot of what the writer pointed out. As one who does the bulk of his buying at the B&M's, this only helps affirm my position with the exhttp://velvetcigar.net/?p=943ception of one particular site sponsor.

 

[Dread]

Doesnt suprise me but at the same time doesnt really effect me since I also do the majority of my buying at B&M's even with NY's ridiculous pricing. As much as I love this industry there is a price for everything unfortunatly.

 

[sonarman]

Same here not surprised given (or hidden) the parties involved. I have always thought there is no way that so many blends could come from a factory and quality not suffer. It is a shame however to drive your flagship cigar that had a part in the boutique era into the ground, a cigar I used to smoke the crap out of and was severely disappointed after buying some at C.I. Thanks for the link bro:applause:

 

[ciggy]

Well tecnically it's just hearsay anyways. Not saying it couldn't happen but if it were true I would think CI's rep would be damaged as well. I don't buy from them anymore anyways and haven't for a long long time, but the articall in question is still...Hearsay.
However should it turn out to br proven then Shame on any Online realator using this practice.

 

[tobii3]

as someone on another board called it so long ago -

The ""CI Special Sh*tty Blend""

Case in point - go back a few years - Drew Estates stopped the La Vieja Habana - The Early Years.....CI continued on with it...well, the NAME continued, the blend sure as hell didn't!

 

[danthebugman]

Not surprised either. One example that I can give is those super sampler ads in the CI catalog...20 6 x 60 90+ rated blends :laugh:. Well if you look closely at what brands they are, some don't offer a 6 x 60 in their regular line so how do they have a 6 x 60 for their super samper :scratchhe...

Dan

 

[bresdogsr]

Very interseting article. Thanks for the insight.

 

[Topper7788]

It must be true! After all its posted on the Internet!

 

[Docbp87]

Been saying this for a while now, having noticed exactly the thing Dan is talking about.

 

[DOMD]

I learned this lesson after trying the Nica Libre 5 pack. I'm just happy I bought the five pack and not an box haha.

 

[tx_tuff]

Rather that article is true or not doesn't matter, from experience I do not trust CI. I have bought some great deals from CI and CBid and have been happy with them, I have bought what I thought where great deals from CI that where from companies that I enjoyed their cigars but these where CI only cigars and they sucked. Then I have bought cigars from CI that should have been great deals on cigars same band and size you can get in the B&M and it just didn't taste like the same cigar.

I bought a box of the Padilla Miami Robusto at a great discount from CI, also got the same box at the B&M. The CI smoke was bland and lacked flavor, the B&M smoke is a great smoke. They both look the same and even have the same color ash (dark grey) but they don't even come close to tasting the same. I not sure this is different tobacco, they taste like they dried out at one point or just wasn't taken care of. Either way I don't trust CI anymore.

I now buy most of my cigars at the local B&M, its a great place that has great events and very good prices. Helps that they are also a pretty large online seller, so they are not all the same.

 

[Topper7788]

Rather that article is true or not doesn't matter, from experience I do not trust CI. I have bought some great deals from CI and CBid and have been happy with them, I have bought what I thought where great deals from CI that where from companies that I enjoyed their cigars but these where CI only cigars and they sucked. Then I have bought cigars from CI that should have been great deals on cigars same band and size you can get in the B&M and it just didn't taste like the same cigar.

I bought a box of the Padilla Miami Robusto at a great discount from CI, also got the same box at the B&M. The CI smoke was bland and lacked flavor, the B&M smoke is a great smoke. They both look the same and even have the same color ash (dark grey) but they don't even come close to tasting the same. I not sure this is different tobacco, they taste like they dried out at one point or just wasn't taken care of. Either way I don't trust CI anymore."


CI / Cbid does big volume with lots of inventory turn, especially on brands they push like Padilla. Not to say one way or the other but chances are the box from Cbid was pretty fresh and the retailers may have had quite a bit more age on them.. Miami's in particular really benefit from some age... Chances are that is the only difference in your smoking experience...

I read the article and quite frankly have doubts as no source was named, I've heard directly from Nick Perdomo and Ernesto Padilla at events that they make no different cigars for CI and if there name is on them it's the same as at a B&M

 

[tx_tuff]

Rather that article is true or not doesn't matter, from experience I do not trust CI. I have bought some great deals from CI and CBid and have been happy with them, I have bought what I thought where great deals from CI that where from companies that I enjoyed their cigars but these where CI only cigars and they sucked. Then I have bought cigars from CI that should have been great deals on cigars same band and size you can get in the B&M and it just didn't taste like the same cigar.

I bought a box of the Padilla Miami Robusto at a great discount from CI, also got the same box at the B&M. The CI smoke was bland and lacked flavor, the B&M smoke is a great smoke. They both look the same and even have the same color ash (dark grey) but they don't even come close to tasting the same. I not sure this is different tobacco, they taste like they dried out at one point or just wasn't taken care of. Either way I don't trust CI anymore."


CI / Cbid does big volume with lots of inventory turn, especially on brands they push like Padilla. Not to say one way or the other but chances are the box from Cbid was pretty fresh and the retailers may have had quite a bit more age on them.. Miami's in particular really benefit from some age... Chances are that is the only difference in your smoking experience...

I read the article and quite frankly have doubts as no source was named, I've heard directly from Nick Perdomo and Ernesto Padilla at events that they make no different cigars for CI and if there name is on them it's the same as at a B&M

Here is the deal, these where the first release Miami with the new band before Padilla had the boxes ready. CI shipped them in the old Miami box, the B&M had them in bundles. They both where bought at the same time, they both had cello that was longer then norm for their size, the cello when folded around the foot goes back up about 2/3rds of the cigar. No doubt these where produced at the same time. I don't know why but both cigars just tasted different. I still have some of both now with the same age on them and it's still the same. So there you go. Not saying this is a norm for CI but it did happen.

 

[Topper7788]

Here is the deal, these where the first release Miami with the new band before Padilla had the boxes ready. CI shipped them in the old Miami box, the B&M had them in bundles. They both where bought at the same time, they both had cello that was longer then norm for their size, the cello when folded around the foot goes back up about 2/3rds of the cigar. No doubt these where produced at the same time. I don't know why but both cigars just tasted different. I still have some of both now with the same age on them and it's still the same. So there you go. Not saying this is a norm for CI but it did happen.

Sounds more like a CC than a NC... Weird. I have had lots of variation even out of the same box on CC at times... the Miami for me has been a consistent smoke... They for me anyway seem to mellow nicely with age... Unfortunately I'm out of aged ones and need to restock... I smoked the last Pepin rolled I had recently and the last of my early non Pepin as well... But quite frankly have spent way too much lately on other stuff...

Interesting thread though.... Thanks for following up...

 

[BrandonP]

I can say that the Graycliff you can buy at the online retailers, the G2 yellow band it is, is not an actual Graycliff made product. The online retailer bought the naming rights and has the cigar made elsewhere. This was confirmed by Jean Armand, the Global Ambassador of Graycliff. This points to the article not being hearsay.

 

[dannysguitar]

I can say that the Graycliff you can buy at the online retailers, the G2 yellow band it is, is not an actual Graycliff made product. The online retailer bought the naming rights and has the cigar made elsewhere. This was confirmed by Jean Armand, the Global Ambassador of Graycliff. This points to the article not being hearsay.

Ding Ding. Same thing with the 1966 and these http://www.cigar.com/cigars/viewCigar.asp?brand=907

I believe the 1966's are made by Nestor and the Edicion Limitada are made by AJ Fernandez. Nothing made in the Bahamas about these 2 brands. It really cheapens Graycliff as a high end manufacturer IMO...

 

[AlohaStyle]

I'm not saying I don't believe it, but I think we don't have to worry about any reputable cigar manufacturer doing this. Quite frankly, if there is a cigar that the manufacturer doesn't care enough about and sells the rights to that cigar and let someone else make it, then it's probably not that good and I won't be smoking it anyway. I have better things to do than waste my time smoking yard gars. Nothing against people smoking yard gars, but I don't smoke enough the way it is and I would rather enjoy a smoke I know I like.

I also call BS that a reputable manufacturer would do this because why would a good company simply allow another company to make cigars with their name on it and to possibly tarnish their reputation? Why would they allow their name to be used with no control over quality? Any good company would not allow this, or at the very least, tell inquiring customers that they do not make said cigars but gave exclusive rights to CI to make them etc.

It is laughable to me to think someone like Pete Johnson, Dion, J Drew, the Garcia's, Fuentes, Padrons etc would simply let someone else make cigars with their name on it without disclosing the true nature of that cigar. To any random manufacturer out there doing this... shitty business practice = shitty cigars = no buying from me = I don't really care.

 

[Topper7788]

I'm not saying I don't believe it, but I think we don't have to worry about any reputable cigar manufacturer doing this. Quite frankly, if there is a cigar that the manufacturer doesn't care enough about and sells the rights to that cigar and let someone else make it, then it's probably not that good and I won't be smoking it anyway. I have better things to do than waste my time smoking yard gars. Nothing against people smoking yard gars, but I don't smoke enough the way it is and I would rather enjoy a smoke I know I like.

I also call BS that a reputable manufacturer would do this because why would a good company simply allow another company to make cigars with their name on it and to possibly tarnish their reputation? Why would they allow their name to be used with no control over quality? Any good company would not allow this, or at the very least, tell inquiring customers that they do not make said cigars but gave exclusive rights to CI to make them etc.

It is laughable to me to think someone like Pete Johnson, Dion, J Drew, the Garcia's, Fuentes, Padrons etc would simply let someone else make cigars with their name on it without disclosing the true nature of that cigar. To any random manufacturer out there doing this... shitty business practice = shitty cigars = no buying from me = I don't really care.

Good take on it, if true I would hold the cigar brand accountable, not CI or any other retailer... If they are licensing their brand, then it's theirs. For better or worse.... Of they are OK with shi**y cigars, than it's their shi**y cigars.

 

[NCost]

does it happen, probably, does it happen to the smokes I typically smoke, not that I've found yet.

I buy 80% of my smokes from CI and JR and haven't had one that smokes differently than the ones I get at the B&M...other than a couple JR Exclusives which are named, JR Exclusive which I happen to like. :grinFU:

 

[Messiah]

I have also had brands that were sold off and revived by CI. I got them in samplers. They were okay. Typical sampler filler. I never had the old ones to compare it to.

Anything of actual value that you buy is not going to be something that was licensed like this. Companies take pride in anything they have done that is worthy of notice and that is still selling.