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First Oliva G - Hard - cracking wrapper.....Happy Ending!

jadeltjadelt Posts: 763 ✭✭
in Cigar 101
I have been smoking cigars for a few months and have had many I liked... Punch, Rocky Patel, Cohiba, and the CCom sampler. Liked almost everything. Tonight I went to a local shop and picked up a Oliva G Robusto. It was hard, so tight it was hard to smoke. I hoped it would loosen up. The wrapper even cracked..... so here is my question of etiquette ... do I take it back and tell them .... should I just forget about it..... not sure what the right thing to do is.... I plan to go back to the store tomorrow and talk to them.... did I just get a bad apple? I even tried punching a hole with a toothpick.... hard as a rock in the middle..... what would you do ? Thanks

Comments

  • docbp87docbp87 Posts: 3,521 ✭
    Sounds like a serious dud, improperly stored... over packed and overhumidified.
  • jr_p951jr_p951 Posts: 1,121
    Some have mentioned complaining or taking smokes back, but i never have. I know there will be good and bad in just about every brand. BUT...if I would buy two and both be duds, I'd bring it up so the shop can tend to the box. That way others don't share the same fate. Maybe they'll be generous but I wouldn't expect it. I've never had the Oliva G but hear its a good smoke.
  • jadeltjadelt Posts: 763 ✭✭
    Thanks..... I will stop in tomorrow since I will be in town and talk to them.... I put the bad smoke in a ziplock so they can see for themselves.

    I am not expecting anything but maybe they should know.

    Ironically, other than shared cigars with friends this is the first time I purchased at a store..... the rest were all online purchases I have made and they have all been in great condition and great smokes.

    I will let you know what they say..... Thanks again

  • AJGARLETTAJGARLETT Posts: 648
    If it were me, I'd forget about it quickly and buy something else (probably not from the same shop, unless you've had good experiences with them before).

    That being said, if you feel like you want to say something to the B&M about it, an easy way to "casually" bring it up would be as follows:

    You: "Hi, I've purchased a few cigars from your shop before never had an issue, I recently purchased an Oliva G and experienced a plugged smoke with a cracking wrapper.....do you know what could cause something like this??" This might be a little "passive" for some on these boards but I like to create lasting relationships with B&M's which sometimes involves not bruising egos.
  • J.S.J.S. Posts: 754 ✭
    AJ makes a good point. I would not take it in myself. Anytime you put a guy on the defensive it never ends well. They might lose you but you might lose in the end. The relationship is more important then one bad smoke especially if you don't have dozens of B & M's to chose from. If you have another then I would consider raising the issue. You have the right attitude. Don't expect anything out of it.
  • Gurkha Man!Gurkha Man! Posts: 232
    what aj said he could have just got them in and just thrown them on the shelf i really enjoy the olivia g maduro myself
  • RhamlinRhamlin Posts: 9,022 ✭✭✭✭✭
    I'd just suck it up but I'd give them another try and if you have the same expierence then I'd definitely say something.
  • jadeltjadelt Posts: 763 ✭✭
    OK... so I stop in the shop this morning..... said to the guy there "I need some help and education..... bought these two cigars yesterday, smoked one and had problems..... not sure if it was me or what I did wrong..... tough draw, wrapper cracking.... bad experience..... so will this one (the un-smoked one) have the same problem?"

    He felt it said it feld hard and he noticed a big knot (plug) near the band.... said it was bad......., so he took it, and got me two to replace the bad one and the one I brought in. He went through a few to find a good one so it might have been a bad batch. He taught me what to look for and how hard to press when examining a cigar.

    He said he was glad I brought it to his attention.

    Overall a very good experience....., tonight I will try the replacement.

    Thanks to everyone for the suggestions and education. Much appreciated.
  • jr_p951jr_p951 Posts: 1,121
    Awesome outcome! Sounds like some stand up business! I'd support that shop any day!
  • kaspera79kaspera79 Posts: 7,257 ✭✭✭
    That's what I would have expected to happen. It's nice when an owner cares about his customers, and their satisfaction.. Kind of like this place.
  • bearbbearb Posts: 1,128 ✭✭✭
    Absolutely the right thing happenned, IMHO. Well done in your approach, as you left him an 'out', a way to make it better, rather than being confrontational. Not sure how long people stay in business without trying to make things right...and since it over a few dollars, big deal...so he is out $2...BUT he has now earned the respect of you...who tell the story...and likely continue to shop there.
  • JudoChinXJudoChinX Posts: 775 ✭
    I'd probably never mention it... and probably never go back again. I know. I'm one of THOSE people, but confrontation makes me sad.
  • JonathanEJonathanE Posts: 401 ✭
    jr_p951:
    Awesome outcome! Sounds like some stand up business! I'd support that shop any day!
    +1

  • kuzi16kuzi16 Posts: 14,633 ✭✭✭✭
    jadelt:
    OK... so I stop in the shop this morning..... said to the guy there "I need some help and education..... bought these two cigars yesterday, smoked one and had problems..... not sure if it was me or what I did wrong..... tough draw, wrapper cracking.... bad experience..... so will this one (the un-smoked one) have the same problem?" He felt it said it feld hard and he noticed a big knot (plug) near the band.... said it was bad......., so he took it, and got me two to replace the bad one and the one I brought in. He went through a few to find a good one so it might have been a bad batch. He taught me what to look for and how hard to press when examining a cigar. He said he was glad I brought it to his attention. Overall a very good experience....., tonight I will try the replacement. Thanks to everyone for the suggestions and education. Much appreciated.
    another solution, if you can figure out how to do this, is to deal with oliva themselves. the woman who runs quality control told me personally that if i ever have an issue with their quality of cigars, send them back and give her an explanation and they will make it right. they care about quality and want the feedback.

    maybe the guy at your B&M is doing just that but i thought it was cool that oliva would have a policy like that.
    Kuzi's Forum Links Page
  • MarkerMarker Posts: 2,524 ✭
    Oliva has some pretty great QC. I have really never had bad construction out of the multitude I have had.
  • MonteWhiteMonteWhite Posts: 200
    Yeah Oliva is pretty great. Not only are their cigars great, but they really care about their products, and it shows through their customer service. I've never had a bad stick from Oliva, but of course it happens to the best. I'm glad things worked out for you and your B&M!
  • jadeltjadelt Posts: 763 ✭✭
    FINAL UPDATE !!

    OK so I smoked one of the replacements today..... I didn't realize it at the time but he gave me the Oliva O Maduro instead of the G that I returned..... any way ....

    FABULOUS CIGAR !!

    I Smoked it to the end (almost two hours) and I can say this was maybe the best cigar I have ever had in my few months of smoking cigars once again.

    I will shop there again and this will be a memorable cigar.

    Thanks again to everyone for the comments and suggestions...... turned into a wonderful experience all around.

  • kaspera79kaspera79 Posts: 7,257 ✭✭✭
    Don't you just love a story with a happy ending ? Okay long timers help me out here .. Someone posted a story about a cigar with this long red thread through it. He called and sent a picture and got like, two boxes of cigars as a replacement. Now that was customer satisfaction.
  • BigT06BigT06 Posts: 3,899 ✭
    that makes me warm and fuzzy. lol

    on a serious note, glad it worked out!
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