Opus X Question

[Flynnster]

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!

[Zane]

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.

[Tio Gato]

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?

[dijit]

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.

[NCRadioMan]

Originally Posted by Tio Gato

Opus X usually arrive twice a year around Father's Day and Christmas.

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

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

[DaBear]

Originally Posted by NCRadioMan

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

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

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.

[NCRadioMan]

Originally Posted by DaBear

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.

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.

Originally Posted by Zane

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.

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.

[pattersong]

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.

[Rockestone]

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

[RobR1205]

Originally Posted by Rockestone

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

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

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

[JohnnyFlake]

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.

Originally Posted by JohnnyFlake

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.

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

Are these stocks worth the premium price?

[Sweet_Leaf_PDX]

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.

[Flynnster]

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.

[Flynnster]

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.

[shark]

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?

[stevef2005]

Originally Posted by shark

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?

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.

[DaBear]

Originally Posted by PCaponi

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!

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).

Originally Posted by shark

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.

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.

[Flynnster]

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.