Stogie Commentary: Questions, We’ve Got Questions

I think it’s difficult to smoke cigars very long without having a few questions that don’t seem to ever get asked—or answered, for that matter—at your local B&M or on any of the cigar websites and podcasts.

Here’s one that’s been bugging me for years: Who smokes all those cigars you’ve never heard of or seen that they sell in the catalogs? I mean, honestly, have you ever spotted anyone smoking one of them? Imagine someone sitting at home thinking to himself, “Gee, I’m glad this company offers overnight shipping for only $25 more because I just can’t wait to start smoking that bundle of Mexican factory seconds.”

Speaking of catalogs, why is it necessary to print and mail them so frequently when about 90 percent of the content is the same time after time after time?

Then there’s the matter of boutique cigar manufacturers. In an industry steeped in Latin culture and language, why use a French word to describe the smaller cigar makers? It’s somewhat similar to the way ring gauges are calculated and the lengths of cigars are measured. While ring gauges seem to be universally stated in measurements of 64ths of an inch regardless of the country, most of the rest of the world uses the metric system.

I know it’s cheaper, but how can humidor makers—even those that turn out the flimsiest, poorest boxes imaginable—continue to include floral foam as a humidification device? Hey, charge $1 or $2 more and put beads in that will actually work!

Finally, I submit the photograph (above right) from a recent cigar company catalog. I would have loved to have been a fly on the wall at the meeting where someone OK’d this picture as a fine example of their wares that would surely make customers want to part with their money.

-George E

photo credit: Stogie Guys