Has any one smoked any of the Rocky Patel Factory Selects offered by Famous Smoke Shop. The description of the R80, sounds a lot like the Edge Lite, but famous customer service will not confirm this. Does any one know anything about these.
Rocky Patel Factory Selects
- Thread starter gardog
- Start date
Yes I smoke the xouts a lot, but it looks like CI is running out of these, and am looking for a replacement.
I don't know about that selection specifically, but there's a Rocky Patel factory tour video out there where he points out that Factory Selects are cigars that pass every inspection but they are slightly off color, and sticks that are two-toned become seconds. I guess the big variable is if Famous Smoke and Rocky Patel are using the term "factory select" in the same way.
I have watched the video, and that's what prompted me to ask Famous about these cigars. Their reply was that these are their own brand. I know the cigar business is full of misinformation, but dam it would be nice to get a straight answer once in a while. If Rocky Patel says his rejects are "factory selects" how can Famous call "Rocky Patel Factory Selects", their brand.
We aren't allowed to say what they actually are. Part of the contract. Not disinformation. These are factory selects from rocky. Rolled, banded and packaged by Rocky Patel at his factory. We aren't allowed to say anything else.
We do factory selects with a bunch of manufactures. Each has their own process on what goes into the bundles, and different rules for what we can say about them.
It's marketing for them, not disinformation. If they let us say "these are brand x" they would never sell the actual brand.
Last edited:
That's some pretty good info, and makes a lot of sense. If they come all packaged up from Rocky, they would indeed be treated as a different brand.
8ball
Ruler of Grayskull
Mike, let us know if you try these. I personally like some RP's, but think they are a little overpriced. Who know maybe they are the same thing as the xouts, just a different distributor and name.
Well I'm going to try some R80's. The description sounds like the Edge LIte. The only answer that I could get from Famous, was that if I like Edge Lite, then I'll like the R80. I understand their not being able to tell what the cigars actually are but it seems like they could at least say they are indeed rejects from RP, just like x-outs.
But maybe their contract doesn't allow even that information.
But maybe their contract doesn't allow even that information.
I'm with you, Mike. In an industry where so much is considered "proprietary information", from tobacco sources to what color the boss' socks are that day, it can get pretty frustrating on the consumer side of the game. I definitely understand the need for companies to have that info kept secret, but a simple "these are rolled and packaged at Big Name's factory" would go a long way in a case like this. There are a lot of strange goings ons in the cigar industry centered around less than honest retailers, but it's good to think this is not one of those situations.
Anyway, please remember to report back on your findings!
Well I'm no marketing expert, but the manufacturers do want to sell all those 2nd's. And I'll bet there are lots of people that have to watch their cigar budget, and like the top line cigars. Seems to me people would spend their hard earned money on something that know, and at the same time people like me are not going to pay the price of say a RP Vintage, or Edge. But we will for sure buy 2nd's of those brands before spending money on unknowns.
The brand is called "Rocky Patel Factory Seconds" that's all we are by contract allowed to say. Appreciate that you guys want more info, but we can't legally share anything else. Sorry.
Thanks for your reply problemsolverjc, I understand your dilemma. I just thought that the manufacturers are looking at this the wrong way. They want to move all those 2nd's, and budget minded buyers are happy to buy them, if they have confidence that it is a good product. If I only have so much money to spend I will spend it on brand name 2nds and I don't want to try several different lines of cigars to find out what I like. I just wish the manufacturer would let the retailers give a little more info.
Buy em and smoke em. It's all just rolled tobacco 
I hope I didn't come off sounding negative towards Famous or Rocky Patel in this case. That wasn't the intent, more of a comment on the industry in general. Even though I really have no plans to buy the RP Selects specifically, the scenario is familiar, and website descriptions can be less than full of accurate information (per contract with the manufacturer or otherwise). I appreciate your honest answers with the info you can give!
The brand is called Rocky Patel Factory Selects, not seconds, and in my first contact with Famous, customer service told me that they were not 2nd's or rejects of any line, that they were in fact a brand of Famous smoke shop, but Rocky Patel himself says that cigars rejected for color or blemishes are Factory Selects.
ChefBoyRG54
BoM Sept '14 & BoY 2014
My goodness, you guys are beating Jimmy to death
I'll give the secret you're looking for. They have rp on them so they're probably not that good
I'll give the secret you're looking for. They have rp on them so they're probably not that good
I thought the secret was to just buy the damn things,and see if you like em same as with any other cigar you're interested in.
