Consistency, questions, & a theory

[RevSmoke]

I was just reading the thread about the La Flor Dominicana special release. In so doing, I reminisced about some of their blends - many of which seem to be non-existent, and it got me to thinking about other makers and what they produced in ages past and what they produce now. Have they any vitolas that have stood the test of time and are still available? Over time, have they remained consistent?

And by time, I am talking going back at least 10 years, or even better to the 1990s (minimum), and even longer.

What I mean by a cigar that is consistent, is that when you get another box of them, the taste will be the same, or at least very, very similar. I should be able to pick up the same vitola I got 2 years ago, and it should be consistent, that should at least be what is expected. Unfortunately, it seems that is not the norm in today's market. I picked up a couple 5ers around Christmas of some "name" brands that I enjoy. I thought to add them to my dwindling supply of that marca and vitola. As always, I tried one after a time of rest from travel and was disappointed, they were not the same cigar at all.

I do not smoke everything I used to smoke, and some of my tastes have changed a bit, but...

So, I did some thinking about this.

I know I can go get an El Rey del Mundo Robusto, Robusto Larga, or Robusto Suprema and it will be pretty much the same cigar I smoked in the 1980s & 1990s. I lit one up while walking the property up north last spring and was just amazed, I wasn't really paying attention and all of a sudden I was reminiscing - I realized that without any conscious thought, the flavors and aromas were so family that I was transported back in time, they are that similar.

Other cigars that have that same consistency from the past are Punch Rothschilds and Hoyo de Monterrey Rothschilds (I am not sure of their other vitolas as I do not smoke many of the other sizes, but these are definitely very similar to what they were).

Paul Garmirian, the Gourmet line, has also shown and incredible consistency. I can grab one of these and know exactly what I am going to get. Same is true of the Padron 1964 series.

AF Hemingway Short Stories however are an example of one vitola that I smoked regularly which has lost something over the years. It was an incomparable smoke - rich, sweet, spicy, complex. Today's version, while good, lacks much of what it had.

Padron's regular also seems to have changed a bit. This is not to say that it is lacking, as with the AF Hemi SS, but that it is different. I think it is stronger and a bit less complex.

Of course, there are a couple brands that, while the manufacturer is still making cigars, certain marcas are simply gone. One that was truly impressive was La Tradicion Cabinet Series Perdomo Reserve - a gorgeous box-pressed (you could almost cut yourself on the edge) line made by Nick Perdomo. What an incredibly rich, smooth, spicy, and tasty stick. But I do not know where it has gone. You see other versions of the band in the Perdomo Reserve lines, but it is simply gone.

So, has anybody else noticed this? Am I all alone? Are there some cigars you have had over the years that are consistent? Some that stand out that are blatant examples of inconsistency?

I wonder about these overnight wonders and HTF cigars. Are companies going to these sorts of things because they cannot get the quantity and quality supply of tobacco to be able to string a blend along to keep that consistency from year to year? Are some just cashing in while they can, finding and buying tobacco that smokes well now?

I guess part of my question arises from the fact that I have some cigars that have aged very well - those with great consistency above are among that group. I have others that have not fared so well, and some have lost absolutely everything that makes them enjoyable after only 2 or 3 years in the humidor.

So, what are your thoughts.

Peace of the Lord be with you.

[shilala]

Todd, I haven't found much consistency in anything in the short years I've been smoking.
I take that as a given, so I load up if something is good.
I also know that other stuff will come around that is decent, or even excellent, so I don't sweat it. I keep enough smokes that I know there's always good smoking here even if the whole NC cigar world turns into 70rg blueberry and astroturf flavored beasts with candy buttons you can pick off and eat as you smoke.

I was thinking on this...
"I wonder about these overnight wonders and HTF cigars. Are companies going to these sorts of things because they cannot get the quantity and quality supply of tobacco to be able to string a blend along to keep that consistency from year to year? Are some just cashing in while they can, finding and buying tobacco that smokes well now?"
I'm sure a small cigar maker can't buy and store a huge amount of tobacco to sustain a 10 year run of wildly popular smokes. Plus, if a cigar is commonly available, it may be wildly popular but may not fly off shelves because guys know they'll always be there.
If an outfit can crank out htf after htf, they have no real inventory investment and very low risk.
A Punch or Hoyo NC relies on it's consistency to remain popular. That strategy requires a large amount of tobacco to be bought and stored for a long time. Investment in tobacco farms maybe. They know they'll be around in 20 years whereas the little outfits don't.
Then there's the smoking nazi's. I think this new htf strategy is mindful of that dynamic and they're protected by a quick "pull the plug". A big outfit can likely just push into new/more overseas markets.

When the day is done, if worse comes to worse, we can always grow our own tobacco.

[cmitch]

This is one reason I like to find Hemingways that are pre 2009. Just a much better smoke. These recent ones are missing the richness that I remember. I thought it was my palate but I pulled an 08 that was slightly yello cello and it was much better.

[688sonarmen]

Originally Posted by shilala

70rg blueberry and astroturf flavored beasts with candy buttons you can pick off and eat as you smoke.

Those are sold out everywhere!!

[shilala]

Originally Posted by 688sonarmen

Those are sold out everywhere!!

I have a fiver coming, but everyplace sold out in 10 minutes!!!

[RevSmoke]

Originally Posted by cmitch

This is one reason I like to find Hemingways that are pre 2009. Just a much better smoke. These recent ones are missing the richness that I remember. I thought it was my palate but I pulled an 08 that was slightly yello cello and it was much better.

I am talking pre-1995. From 1995 to 2009 (last year I bought the regulars, I found to be woefully deficient from the pre-1995 version. If you thought those were good, you would have been amazed at what came before.

[RevSmoke]

Originally Posted by shilala

Todd, I haven't found much consistency in anything in the short years I've been smoking.
I take that as a given, so I load up if something is good.
I also know that other stuff will come around that is decent, or even excellent, so I don't sweat it. I keep enough smokes that I know there's always good smoking here even if the whole NC cigar world turns into 70rg blueberry and astroturf flavored beasts with candy buttons you can pick off and eat as you smoke.

I was thinking on this...
"I wonder about these overnight wonders and HTF cigars. Are companies going to these sorts of things because they cannot get the quantity and quality supply of tobacco to be able to string a blend along to keep that consistency from year to year? Are some just cashing in while they can, finding and buying tobacco that smokes well now?"
I'm sure a small cigar maker can't buy and store a huge amount of tobacco to sustain a 10 year run of wildly popular smokes. Plus, if a cigar is commonly available, it may be wildly popular but may not fly off shelves because guys know they'll always be there.
If an outfit can crank out htf after htf, they have no real inventory investment and very low risk.
A Punch or Hoyo NC relies on it's consistency to remain popular. That strategy requires a large amount of tobacco to be bought and stored for a long time. Investment in tobacco farms maybe. They know they'll be around in 20 years whereas the little outfits don't.
Then there's the smoking nazi's. I think this new htf strategy is mindful of that dynamic and they're protected by a quick "pull the plug". A big outfit can likely just push into new/more overseas markets.

When the day is done, if worse comes to worse, we can always grow our own tobacco.

There may be something to what you say here. Very good possibility.