Opus X Question
 

Hey guys,
Stopped by my favorite cigar shop today and saw that as always they had a whole shelf of Opus X cigars. I've always been under the impression that they were hard to find? The shop doesn't gouge on pricing as far as I could tell ($12.50 for a Belicoso)

My question is, should I go back tomorrow and grab a few more while I can? Also, I know they need some age on them to really come into their prime zone, how long are we talking? A year? 3?

Thanks fellas!

Re: Opus X Question
 

Opus are becoming easier to find. My B&M always has some. Usually the Angel Share goes quickly. I find they need at least a year.

Re: Opus X Question
 

Opus X usually arrive twice a year around Father's Day and Christmas. They are rare by design. The price you mention seems fair. Why not grab a few, let them rest for a while and see for yourself?:2

Re: Opus X Question
 

Zane and Jeff are both dead on. Fuente releases them twice a year. Since the cigar craze and the fad smokers have died down a little the Opus X line has become more accessible and Fuente has started to relax the purchasing restrictions. Many retailers will have almost year round stocks of a few of these and yes it has been my experience that between 1 and 3 years age is best for them to really grow and become what their true potential is.

Re: Opus X Question
 

Have you ever had an Opus? If It's your first, smoke it on an extremely full stomach and keep a bag of sugar handy!

I believe the Angel's Share is a milder version. .. I've never had one. If you can find one, it might be a good one too start.

Re: Opus X Question
 

I don't know how to let a cigar sit for a year!!!! I need to show better restraint.:)

Re: Opus X Question
 

That's a very good price for a belicoso. Don't pass up the chance, get as many as you can afford. Give the Petite Lancero a try if they have any.

Re: Opus X Question
 

Just buy some more cigars for your humidor, that way you can occupy your time with other sticks :noon

...that's what I keep telling myself at least :D

Re: Opus X Question
 

That's the Anejo. A much better cigar than Opus, imo, and less expensive.

Opus are distributed 4 times per year, once each quarter.

Re: Opus X Question
 

Anejo is only at Christmas. Some retailers will hide away a box or two to do a "Christmas in June/July," but they're only shipped once a year(excluding the No. 888 size this year). Opus used to be ~4 times a year, but anymore its only guaranteed to ship twice, though a third shipment is randomly thrown in there(typically after the show, but before Thanksgiving). That said, they can have a long shipping window so we often see them once right around Thanksgiving Day and then one more time just before Christmas. This doesn't include "special" Opus, like the Angel's Share or As, which tend to either be incorporated with show specials, like 8-5-8 SGs or SSMs, or with the Christmas Anejo shipment.

Re: Opus X Question
 

It really depends on how much white pepper to can handle. The fresher the Opus the more white pepper you get. I have found that the smaller sizes tend to calm down more quickly than the bigger ones.

Re: Opus X Question
 

I've work at a relatively small shop that gets 4 shipments each year of opus, and two anjeo and have for many, many years including this year. :sh

Re: Opus X Question
 

Well I ended up picking up another belicoso and a robusto. I'll probably let them all sit for a while, at least through the winter, and then give one of the belicosos a shot.

Re: Opus X Question
 

>jack on

Sorry for the interruption, but hallelujah, Greg is in the house!!

>jack off

Yes, and others have said, get a few. Smoke one in 6-8 month increments and judge for yourself. It's a great experiment to try.

Re: Opus X Question
 

I really enjoy an Opus. I keep about two dozen around. I like to let them age for at least two years. Down my way they are tough to come by. I know of only one B&M that gets them and the owner hides them for his close friends. I stopped in one day and saw one of the employees smoking one. When she asked if she could help me I asked for some Opus. She couldn't hide it fast enough!

Re: Opus X Question
 

Man, you just hit the nail on the head, as to why I hate B&Ms. If your not in the owners or managers personal click, you never get a chance, at the hard to find sticks! And for some unknown reason, they don't think anyone knows whats going on! What A--H----s!

Re: Opus X Question
 

Man, yall have got to find a good B&M! Back home in Michigan (where I got the Opus) they are awesome, never feed me any lines, totally tolerant of me bring a bunch of noobies in to use the lounge (I buy cigars to make up for the ones I brought of course)

Here in Chicago I know there are two places I can go that will give me hands down amazing service. While the one closest to me is full of pricks.

Re: Opus X Question
 

I have to disagree. The owner of a shop is patronized by particular individuals on a regular basis, which thereby puts the patron in the good graces of the owner (or in the owner's personal click). They take care of those regular patrons which provide the steady income to keep the B&M open throughout the year, as good business practices. If you have a loyal, regular customer that desires a hard to find stick, and you have a once a year customer that wants the same stick, save it for the loyal customer. That's exactly what I would do if I owned a B&M.

Why do you think airlines offer frequent flyer miles and upgrades for their regular customers? Do you expect to be bumped up to first class on a flight when you fly once per year, and expect to be treated the same as an elite status flyer who travels thousands of miles per month?

Re: Opus X Question
 

Now, I must disagree with you! You do not earn your way into the "Click" by simply being a faithful customer, it's far more complicated than that.

Re: Opus X Question
 

I don't know what you heard but it was college and it was only once, maybe three times, but that was it!


Seriously though my local B&M will let me know when they have 'special' items coming in or a heads up on events before they are advertised, I'm not in there every day but I am friendly with the owner and guys that work there, I always make sure to buy a couple sticks when I'm in or I'll bring them a CC now and then, surprisingly they don't have a lot of access to those (at least not these guys) so they are always greatly appreciated. So I agree with the disagreement there are many different variables to take into account.

I'll even give an example, when the FFPs were the "in" stick, I asked about them and was told they didn't have any left but their other store might have a couple and was told he would check when he was there the next day. I didn't really think much of it, I didn't expect him to remember because again I'm not an every day or every other day customer, yet a few days later when I went back he had one behind the counter for me and even gifted it to me.

Oh and if you all find yourselves in the San Diego area, might I suggest Churchill's Cigar Lounge :tu :)

Re: Opus X Question
 

My pet peeve is when I find a lot of them in stock, but they're marked up wayyy high, like starting at 20 bucks or so for a really small ring gage like a perfexcion#4. Smokey's in Royal Oak, MI is notorious for that.


As for shops setting aside HTF sticks for good customers or for their buddies. It's their shop, their rules I guess. I get regular discounts at the main B&M that I patronize, and they waive the 10 dollar minimum for CC purchases for their regulars, too. And I agree that being a special customer goes beyond just dollars and cents. You do agree that most owners of B&M shops are just as much a part of the whole BOTL/SOTL community as we are, right?

Re: Opus X Question
 

Well, it sounds like you have an "IN", so to speak, with your B&m. Good For You! Stay with them and you should do well.

Re: Opus X Question
 

I know the guys at the B&M I frequent are. I usually catch at least one of the guys in there on his day off enjoying a stick or two shooting the **** with everyone.

Re: Opus X Question
 

The one thing I'd keep in mind in that situation is that a lot of us have our own collections of sticks and it may be something from a personal stash, especially if its not in Opus season. That said, every market is different and in some markets Opus sell super fast, and in others(like our own), they sit for ever. We just sold our last from the pre-Christmas shipment today, and I've seen at other shops(McCranie's location by Lake Norman comes to mind) they'll have Opus at regular old SRP and its just sitting there half full at out of season times. It also could be something that was sitting for ages and not moving and the owner let the employee buy up the last of it just to get it off the shelf. I've had that happen with half a box of Dirty Rats once. They sat on our counter for over a month half full and the bossman let me take the remainder(no discount of course so it doesn't hurt him).

This absolutely kills me when I see it. Seeing retailers online trying to sell Angels Share Robustos for $560 a box(~$19 a stick) when they SRP for $12-13 is super frustrating.

Re: Opus X Question
 

DaBear, how large of a store do you work at? I always wonder if that makes a difference in what cigars they can get from manufacturers.

Re: Opus X Question
 

Ehhh, probably around 1500ish facings, probably more if anything since we went to the bin system. It plays a part somewhat as companies will want to reward the shops that buy more from them or carry the entirety of their lines, but sometimes how long that shop has been around can play a larger part. IIRC I remember hearing Padron has a few accounts still from when they were first hitting the market and those guys get massive discounts on their orders, I think I remember hearing that they stopped raising prices after a certain date for those handful of retailers as a thanks for being around forever.

Re: Opus X Question
 

There is a super old shop here in Terre Haute that always has Opus. I was told they were one of the first around to carry them so they seem to always have them. Plus they are hidden in the bottom of an aristocrat so you're not gonna happen upon them unless you look hard.

Re: Opus X Question
 

It was really bad when OpusX was first released. Finding a few singles was very difficult, and being able to score a sealed box of them was nearly impossible, unless you were in good with a retailer.

Re: Opus X Question
 

I buy opus x when i see them, at least a few each time....one can never have too many.

Re: Opus X Question
 

The B&M i use always has Opus X and the price is where it should be. I.E. Here in Ohio a Robusto is 13.99...I think that is VERY reasonable. My Fav. is the xxx they run 12.99
Angel Share there now...not sure of vitola...but i got a few on hold.

Re: Opus X Question
 

or five.....I have Opus sticks that have been resting for years and are delicious when the hot pepper subsides and turns to a creamy coffee. OP yes you should grab a couple and sit on them. Most discount them as overpriced and cultish, but I contend that they are delicious when given time to mellow out. Power Ranger Belicoso's and Perf 2's are my favorite.

Re: Opus X Question
 

Agree! I just saw those Belicosos at 19.99 this weekend. Only the coronas were 12.99!

Are these stocks worth the premium price?

Re: Opus X Question
 

Yes...you can always use another fiver for the humi.