How does a cigar line become branded (and expensive)?
Given the volume of different offerings of some high cigar brands, I'm curious how they come to market particular blends, especially when they don't seem to own facilities of their own. By that I mean guys like Alan Rubin and Kaizad Hansotia don't grow any tobacco, yet at some point in the process cigars appear with their bands on them--ready to go out by the thousands often at exorbitant price points. So my question is: how do these expensive lines proliferate? I get the feeling the magnates walk into factories where they don't control production, try some offerings, then contract for as many boxes as they think they can sell. Am I close to the truth here, or way off base?
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"If you do not read the newspapers you're uninformed. If you do read the newspapers, you're misinformed." -- Mark Twain
since the tobacco is rare, or aged, or limited quantity, they often pay a good amount for it and then are able to advertize it as rare or short run-- adding to the price.
not owning a factory and contracting out also adds to the cost and in the end price.
of course if you look at the other end, or total control from soil to sale, you often will get higher prices as well. For example Davidoff buys very little tobacco (and the stuff they do buy is still scrutinized), they own all of their factories, they even select who gets to sell their product. all the time and care and uncompromising quality adds up to one expensive cigar. on that note, the last time a Davidoff made the top 10 in CA cigar of the year was in 2004 in the #9 spot with a 91 rating. It was the Millennium blend Robusto. I rarely see Davidoffs with a rating over 90.
Last year's #1 was the Flor de las Antillas Toro with a 96 rating and a $6.90 price tag
the other thing that will make most sad is the wholesale prices.most cigars are 1/3 of the MSRP.
really shouldnt make people sad though. i mean its IS a business. they do need to employ people. there are unseen costs. and its not like every company ever doesnt do the same thing.
im still willing to pay for it.
the brand is all bling and no taste. It seems to be marketed to the early 20 somethings that want to look cool by smoking a cigar and not people who actually enjoy cigars.
however, there are good people in the industry. there are also many many independent minds.
the key here is to have an independent mind. smoke what tastes good and pay zero attention to marketing or what others say. i have actually been made fun of for not liking Padron, but i did not let that change my opinion about them.
if you buy what you like and are willing to pay what it costs, then good.
a little post script here...
there are also indicators other than taste and visual design that contribute to cost. pay attention to quality. are AVO cigars expensive? hell yes. Have i ever been let down by the brand? nope. im guessing that this lack of disappointment isnt because AVO cuts corners and raises the price due to marketing.
just be smart and dont buy into BS.
Hey, hey, hey, hey, HEY!!! That's how I got into this money-sucking hobby. And my $29 sampler with the quite decent humidor and (mostly) very decent sticks was from C.com, not *cough*son. I doubt that I would have got into it any other way, since I wouldn't have any idea of what to buy and certainly wouldn't have to overpaid for a single car or a 5-er or box. And if at least a few of the cigars they included hadn't been good I wouldn't be spending far too much money on this hobby today. So give 'em credit.
Well, I admit that I am an absolute frickin' SUCKER for cigar company emails and catalogs (hell, I even read the "second of the month" c.com catalog that has essentially the same content as the first of the month). I get 'em from three of the biggie online cigar companies and auction houses (*cough*son is not one of them). Most of the time I ignore 'em because they're not offering anything I like but I never opt out of them.