[neoflex]

I don't think they are hype sticks. They have been producing these for many many years and for a while they were always in stock as the demand wasn't that high. They sell out faster and faster simply because people talk and word spreads about how good of a smoke these are and word gets around. As far as bundled cigars I think these are one of the best and priced fairly well for a bundled cigar unlike some other shops that still charge $6-$7 for what esentially is a house brand/bundled cigar. Yes, the taste will change from year to year slightly. It's to be expected as the taste can change slightly with each crop. You will see this even with high dollar smokes and if you happen to pull a 2 year old stick and compare it with a stick that you bought a few days ago they will taste different. Different crops and one has been aged. These used to be a part of my regular rotation a few years ago but than I moved on to other things. I did recently smoke a newer release and I still think they are a great cheap smoke.