Another boom?

[bruceolee]

No this isn't a bomb thread so no need to get excited. I heard someone say the other day that the cigar industry is in another boom and there are reasons to believe it. I remember the days when my cigar store could stock and keep opus x and other hard to find fuentes as well as other brands that all seem scarce right now. supply chain issues add to it of course and this may be creating some of the demand but is the cigar industry facing another boom like the 90's or just a little boom whee you can find most cigars but the aforementioned cigars are hard to find? Of course opus x is overpriced and it may be controversial to say but, overrated. What are you guys seeing out there? let me know what you think? God bless you all!

[Wharf Rat]

Fuente has always used deliberate scarcity as a marketing tactic. I wouldn’t try to draw any general conclusions.

I remember going to a B&M and being told I had to buy 2 other cigars for the privilege to buy 1 Opus X. I took it home and l reverently smoked it. Then I thought, “What’s the big deal?” My later experiences have confirmed this. But, I know a certain group is reading this and thinking I just don’t understand. That’s OK. Everybody can have their own tastes.

[bruceolee]

Originally Posted by Wharf Rat

Fuente has always used deliberate scarcity as a marketing tactic. I wouldn’t try to draw any general conclusions.

I remember going to a B&M and being told I had to buy 2 other cigars for the privilege to buy 1 Opus X. I took it home and l reverently smoked it. Then I thought, “What’s the big deal?” My later experiences have confirmed this. But, I know a certain group is reading this and thinking I just don’t understand. That’s OK. Everybody can have their own tastes.

over a decade ago i bought the dvd set they put out with the 2 forbidden X's and i reverently kept them in my humidors for years before i decided to try one and i thought it was just okay. I'd rather smoke a hemingway more than an opus x anymore. I'm not even trying to jump onto the "all opus x's are bad" bandwagon either. Honestly i'd like to try some now but not at $30 a cigar. That's just way too much for me. God bless!

[357]

I have enjoyed the Opus X's I've smoked but I won't pay what they ask for them. Better can be had for less in my opinion.

That said, I don't know about another boom. I was not part of the 90s boom, I graduated high school in '97 and I didn't smoke my first cigar until '03. Maybe I got in on the tail end of that surge. What I remember about the ought's is always someone smoking in whatever 2-3 seat lounge a B&M had, standing room only. The activity on cigar enthusiast boards like CS and later CA was off the charts. Sadly I think we're in the ebb part of the pendulum swing. I believe it'll come back but cigars are a social thing too and with all the social distancing, lockdowns and political stuff going on around it; people are a lot less social. For the months I've spent in Florida, it has felt like a welcome respite from that. It has felt semi-normal hear but still not pre-COVID by any stretch.

Another side of it is economic. Cigars are bought with primarily disposable income. The more people have the more they buy and the reverse is true as well. Since this all began in early 2020 people have been more cautious with their money.

[bruceolee]

Originally Posted by 357

I have enjoyed the Opus X's I've smoked but I won't pay what they ask for them. Better can be had for less in my opinion.

That said, I don't know about another boom. I was not part of the 90s boom, I graduated high school in '97 and I didn't smoke my first cigar until '03. Maybe I got in on the tail end of that surge. What I remember about the ought's is always someone smoking in whatever 2-3 seat lounge a B&M had, standing room only. The activity on cigar enthusiast boards like CS and later CA was off the charts. Sadly I think we're in the ebb part of the pendulum swing. I believe it'll come back but cigars are a social thing too and with all the social distancing, lockdowns and political stuff going on around it; people are a lot less social. For the months I've spent in Florida, it has felt like a welcome respite from that. It has felt semi-normal hear but still not pre-COVID by any stretch.

Another side of it is economic. Cigars are bought with primarily disposable income. The more people have the more they buy and the reverse is true as well. Since this all began in early 2020 people have been more cautious with their money.

I tell people living in Florida is what living in America used to be like which is pretty great. Also i thought you were some 70 year old running around in his RV. if you graduated in 97 then you're almost my age. Good for you though doing the RV life this young. God bless you!

[357]

Originally Posted by bruceolee

I tell people living in Florida is what living in America used to be like which is pretty great. Also i thought you were some 70 year old running around in his RV. if you graduated in 97 then you're almost my age. Good for you though doing the RV life this young. God bless you!

I might feel like I'm 70 some days. Yeah, about doing the RV life fulltime, most people think my wife and I are nuts. Maybe 30-40% think it's great. When they hear we have 9 kids and we're doing it fulltime, 99.999999.% think we're insane.

I was thinking about starting my own thread to post more details of our travels. Document some of the places we go, more pics, etc. Not so many details someone could stalk us but kind of a way for me to document it and for others to follow along if they want.

[bruceolee]

Originally Posted by 357

When they hear we have 9 kids and we're doing it fulltime, 99.999999.% think we're insane. .

9 KIDS!? Wow good for you! God has blessed you! also are you both part rabbits? God bless you!

[gravel]

Originally Posted by 357

I was thinking about starting my own thread to post more details of our travels. Document some of the places we go, more pics, etc. Not so many details someone could stalk us but kind of a way for me to document it and for others to follow along if they want.

That would be great. I’d love to live vicariously through you. When did you start?

[357]

Thanks Geoff. I sold my house in Michigan in September, handed over the keys on 11/5. That day we hit the road. First campground was in Hohenwald TN but our lack of experience with our new life cost a bunch of time. Some of it's pretty comical stuff. I'll start working on putting it all together.

Also, we are not rabbits. I do remember someone wise once saying "stick with what you're good at" though. Apparently we're good at makin babies.

[kydsid]

I don't know right now what it's like, but years past the availability of cigars in Florida was not similar to the availability anywhere else in the country. I traveled a lot in the past and Florida shops would always have things others didn't and strangely be out of things commonly stocked elsewhere at times. And Fuente as above is always all over. Was just in a shop a couple weeks ago that had the entire grand lineup of Fuente all the way thru the XX Fuente Fuente XX Fuego en Fuego Grande Mucho Mas Negro Grandaddy cigars.

[bruceolee]

The Fuentes are BIG time Florida guys so it's no surprise we get more of the hard to find and rare fuente stuff. we also seem to get a lot of Padron. I have yet to go into a Florida cigar shop and not see it fully stocked with padrons