Nostalgia - just a fading memory?

[MarkinAZ]

Yesterday after having lunch with a friend, I stopped by my local B&M and purchased the following singles:

Excalibur Legends Challenger
Punch Magnum Oscuro
R y J Reserva Real Robusto

The R y J was turned into ash this morning

Of interest, while at the B&M, I noticed they had the new Room 101 cigars. I looked at the 305 robusto and its price tag of $10. The guy behind the cigar is not even the blender. This cigar is manufactured by the Camacho family and Christian Eiroa. So is it a $10 cigar? I don't know.

Also present were the new Black Tat' and Red Tat' in the tube going for $15 each. Noticed some Anejo #46 @ $14.99 each. Go figure...

[Starscream]

Originally Posted by Emjaysmash

I have made sure to steer clear of the old brands... why? NO effin' clue! I can tell you, this thread has definitely made me think twice about some of these brands, and giving them another chance.

Not calling out anyone on this board or group in general, but I get the feeling that a lot of these older brands are looked down upon here as low quality smokes. Can I point out any posts in particular? No, but I just get that feeling. It is nice to know that many other brothers here see that that is not the case. I thought for a while there that I was in the minority for liking many of these brands (Padron excluded).

Originally Posted by MarkinCA

Yesterday after having lunch with a friend, I stopped by my local B&M and purchased the following singles:

Excalibur Legends Challenger
Punch Magnum Oscuro
R y J Reserva Real Robusto

The R y J was turned into ash this morning

Of interest, while at the B&M, I noticed they had the new Room 101 cigars. I looked at the 305 robusto and its price tag of $10. The guy behind the cigar is not even the blender. This cigar is manufactured by the Camacho family and Christian Eiroa. So is it a $10 cigar? I don't know.

Also present were the new Black Tat' and Red Tat' in the tube going for $15 each. Noticed some Anejo #46 @ $14.99 each. Go figure...

Very astute observation.

[Snake Hips]

Originally Posted by RevSmoke

You make the point I was hinting at much more boldly than I - as I tried to make it by hinting at it with subtlety. I do have a question. Might it be a price issue that leaves the boutique brands on the shelves? Sometimes they are $3-$6 (or more) more than some of the other blends.

CA is a corner of the cigar smoking world, and even with almost 3,500 inmates, it is a relatively small (miniscule) corner of that world.

As we talk here, what are the non-CCs that find their way into our discussions? It seems that the venerable brands that have stood the test of time, and still outsell the nouveau boutique brands, don't get as much print space here at CA as do those consisent selling old names.

Again, I am not knocking the new kids on the block. Hey, I got one Boris and one Drac (there are two cigars that took up a few threads and a couple thousand posts here at CA). They will wait for the right moment to be smoked (don't ask me what that will be, for I don't know, maybe next Halloween). RP Edge is one of the smokes I keep stocked, Taboo HSGs are a go to, I love my Cabaiguans (though I don't keep many as they are a bit pricey for me), Oliva are also regular smokes of mine, and when I can, Pepins and other Tats find their way into the humidor.

But, my Padrons, AFs, Punch, and LGCs are the stalwarts. Except for the Taboos and Olivas, a big part of it for me is the price - and the simple fact that, while good, are the boutiques that much better tasting? I must say though, as a tightwad, even on the older blends, I look for the specials (same for the boutiques).

I wonder, as smokers get started, do they get into the boutiques because that's what everybody is all excited about, and so, the excitement grows? Is that especially true here? While it isn't as overtly prevalent on this board as on others, is there a certain snobbishness that runs as an undercurrent?

Here's an interesting side-light to this. The brands that are disparaged here are also what I personally would consider short-timers. How often are Gurhkas trashed? RP takes a hit once in a while. Perdomos have many detractors. And Puros Indios has a rep almost as bad as Cremosas.

It is just intriguing to me that the old brands still plug along. And from what I've been reading here, will continue to do so. Kind of reminds me of football, the quarterback wins or looses the game, but it is the offensive line who are the boys in the trenches that get the job done and never any of the glory.

Hey, this has been a fun thread. I think some others have enjoyed it too. I think I might start another banter thread, Venerable Brands Banter - no boutiques allowed. What do you think?

God's blessings on your day.

At the B&M I mentioned, it's both price and taste. Most if not all of the members can't (or refuse to) pay more than a few bucks for a cigar, and shun cigars that carry $7-15 price tags, unless they're Padrons or Fuentes. They also have attested to disliking the pepper profiles of Don Pepin-blended smokes. As such, La Flor Dominicana, an old stalwart brand, doesn't move too quickly either, but much faster than the boutique brands.

[Starscream]

I noticed looking through the CI magazine that they don't focus on the old dogs at all. The like to pump Pepin, MOW, Ghurka, and their house blends more than anything.
However JR primarily focuses on the old dogs with a little bit of emphasis on new things.

Originally Posted by MarkinCA

...The guy behind the cigar is not even the blender.

Funny you should mention that...

[Snake Hips]

Originally Posted by andysutherland

I noticed looking through the CI magazine that they don't focus on the old dogs at all. The like to pump Pepin, MOW, Ghurka, and their house blends more than anything.
However JR primarily focuses on the old dogs with a little bit of emphasis on new things.

JR is also owned by Altadis...