Stogie News: Fresh Twists on Old Products
29 Aug 2006
While CAO has lately been the most creative company as far as cigar marketing is concerned, other brands are now putting new spins on old products to try to get more of their stogies into your humidors.
Take H. Upmann, for example. In cooperation with Michael Argenti, the manufacturer recently released a new version of two old lines – the H. Upmann Signature Series and the Por Larrañaga Cuban Grade.
The Signature line is really Argenti’s take on the esteemed Upmann label with a new tobacco blend and a new box. While the Por Larrañaga Grade is also a new blend, the most noticeable change is the unique silver box – a product of Argenti’s obsession with design.
Another current example of cigar manufacturers putting fresh twists on old stogies is that Rocky Patel’s unbanded cigar is slipping out of its birthday suit and into a tiny band. The Edge, which has been naked since its debut in 2004, will now have a thin, pastel yellow band around the foot of each cigar. The first of these newly-packaged stogies are scheduled to arrive in America by early September.
But as fancy boxes, new bands, and other creative marketing tools begin to flood your tobacconist, remember that new advertising strategies can be helpful in prompting you to try new cigars – but they should never dictate your preferences. A great cigar in a new box or band is still a great cigar…and a piece of crap in a new box or band is still a piece of crap.
Patrick Ashby
Co-Founder & Editor in Chief
Patrick Semmens
Co-Founder & Publisher
George Edmonson
Tampa Bureau Chief
Speaking of new variations on existing products, what’s the deal with these so-called “sun grown” cigars? I know Ashton has an ESG and Rocky has some sun grown line, but are they really worth the extra dollars?
As I understand it, sun grown cigars are, well, grown in the sun. They will have bolder, more complex flavors and will be more oily than traditional stogies.