Okay, guys, once again I need help from the learned masses. I keep seeing references to "boutique cigars" and I don't know what that means. Are they referring to little 'mom & pop' cigar factories like the Conch Republic Cigar Factory in Key West, Florida or maybe Casilla's Cigars in Sacramento, CA?

Or is a boutique cigar something else altogether?

Thanks for your help.

Marty

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Marty


Some expensive sour mash bourbon, an excellent handmade cigar, an exceptional woman....Life is good!
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Life's too short for bad cigars, Grasshopper......
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I think Boutique cigars are cigars that are not cheap but are made by smaller companies and not mass produced like Fuente, Ashton, Upmann, Partagas, Monticristo, R&J, etc... That is what I have gotten out of it.

Marketing ploy, in my opinion. For example, the Padilla Obsidian is listed as a Boutique cigar, but it's pretty common.

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Ubi Cigar

rwheelwright:

I think Boutique cigars are cigars that are not cheap but are made by smaller companies and not mass produced like Fuente, Ashton, Upmann, Partagas, Monticristo, R&J, etc... That is what I have gotten out of it.

 

The ones you listed are Brands. They make the same type of cigar year after year with little or no variation.

 

I love the guy's cigars, but to me Rocky Patel is a perfect example of a Boutique cigar maker. How many new names does he come up with and for how many big distributors such as Famous, Cigar.com or Holts? On Holts for example you can buy "Ocean Club", but not on the other sites. Cigar.com you get "Royal Vintage or Summer Collection". It's the same for all the online stores. 

 

Like I said I like and buy his cigars, but he should just cut all the BS and make cigars that are his and everyone sells them. Quit trying to BS me by calling the same cigar a different name and give it a fancy label and calling it New and Different.

 

Dan 

jlmarta:

or maybe Casilla's Cigars in Sacramento, CA?

Wow, I thought for sure no one would ever mention these guys. Every time I go to Sacramento for the last 20+ years I visit them. They split in two a few years ago. A cousin runs the original shop under his name and down the street on the opposite side of the street is Casilla's.

 

Too bad they don't hand roll like they used to. When California passed that Tobacco prop, they had to stop as it just got too expensive. But they do have the most aromatic blend I have ever tasted. Every size you can think of and they infuse some of their cigars with cognac. They also do mail order. A great little family business.

 

I'll visit them this Saturday then off to Capitol Park for a relaxing morning smoking, read the Sunday paper and have a Starbucks triple venti mocha with hazelnut.

 

Dan

betasynn:

Marketing ploy, in my opinion. For example, the Padilla Obsidian is listed as a Boutique cigar, but it's pretty common.

I'm not trying to be an antagonist, but I couldn't find where the Padilla Obsidian was a Boutique cigar. I did read that originally in 2006 there were only supposed to be 50,000 produced, but in 2007 CI obtained the blend and is will be continuing it.

Fairwind:

I love the guy's cigars, but to me Rocky Patel is a perfect example of a Boutique cigar maker. How many new names does he come up with and for how many big distributors such as Famous, Cigar.com or Holts? Holts for example you can buy "Ocean Club", but not on the other sites. Cigar.com you get "Royal Vintage or Summer Collection". It's the same for all the online stores.

But I totally understand what you are both saying about marketing. But then again, if you could increase business and profit by offering a different label to another distributor, would you? I've always dreamt about what it would be like to own and manage my own cigar company, and if the opportunity arose to expand my blend among a larger demographic, it would be hard to pass up.

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"If I cannot smoke in heaven, then I shall not go" Mark Twain

according to Smoke magazine online

Smoke Magazine Online:

"boutique" cigar brands - defined here as brands with a production of less than 1.5 million sticks per year

and according to Stogie Review

Stogie Review:

a boutique manufacturer in my eyes needs to be a manufacturer and not just a brand owner. They need to produce a limited number of cigars, and they need to be limited due to a small number of employees and high quality control standards rather than a manufactured “limited production”. A boutique manufacturer needs to pour their heart and should into their brand and stand behind it. In my eyes, a manufacturer looses the boutique designation as soon as they loose the above mentioned qualities. While I love cigars produced by individuals such as Don Pepin Garcia, I could never consider him, or any of his brand extensions, boutique simply because of the overall size of his operation.

I feel that you can insert rockey patel, gurkha, and maybe even oliva into that statement and have it be true.


so what do I feel is a brand that is a boutique?

Verdadero Organic, maybe Stradivarius and G.A.R.

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Kuzi's cigar catalog blending 101 developing your palate

A curious thing about Casilla's...I used to check out their website periodically to tease myself with their offerings. I looked at all the photos of Pedro and Luis (I think his name was Luis) etc., yadda, yadda.

Just the other day I tried for the website again but the server couldn't connect. So, I called them to see if they were still in business. The guy who answered said they are but, here's the curious part, he spoke with an East Indian accent.

I was so surprised I didn't think to ask if the Casilla family had sold out or just what was going on. I plan to swing by there this Saturday to find out for myself. I only live about 50 miles away from there.

Marty

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Marty


Some expensive sour mash bourbon, an excellent handmade cigar, an exceptional woman....Life is good!
_____________________________

Life's too short for bad cigars, Grasshopper......
_____________________________

And the heavens part as the light from the mighty kuzi pours down upon us.
Very impressive mr. kuzi. Your ability to obtain and retain knowledge is always accurate and precise. If I ever get filthy rich and try to dive in to the world of cigar manufacturing, I'll come to you with a huge list of questions.

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"If I cannot smoke in heaven, then I shall not go" Mark Twain

nightmaremike31:

And the heavens part as the light from the mighty kuzi pours down upon us.
Very impressive mr. kuzi. Your ability to obtain and retain knowledge is always accurate and precise. If I ever get filthy rich and try to dive in to the world of cigar manufacturing, I'll come to you with a huge list of questions.

flattery will get you everywhere...

however, im not good at retaining knowledge. I good at remembering where to find things. I have about 75 bookmarks just on the topic of cigars.

and i have a very good circle of friends made up of search engines.

again, my nerd is showing.

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Kuzi's cigar catalog blending 101 developing your palate

Your friends will always be there when you need anything. I "goog" all over the place about anything and everything too.
You shouldn't keep your nerd locked up all the time, let him air out every now and then. Let it run free through the digital tobacco fields of CCOM!

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"If I cannot smoke in heaven, then I shall not go" Mark Twain

And NightmareMike just reminded me that I could probably have answered my own question had I "googled" boutique cigars in the first place. Here are some of the answers I located:

http://www.smokemag.com/0699/feature.htm

http://stroblecigars.com/whatisaboutiquecigar

http://cigars.about.com/od/reviewsratings1/fr/gurkhacigar.htm

http://www.thompsoncigar.com/products/p-69983.shtml

http://cigaradvisor.blogspot.com/2009/01/brain-dead-cigar-smokers-come-on-really.html

So, if you've looked at all these, you'll know that I don't know any more now than I did before with the possible exception of the 'production of 1.5 million or less' thing.

Oh, well, I didn't want to know as much as Kuzi does about cigars, anyway. (Just kidding, Kuzi - no offense)

Marty

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Marty


Some expensive sour mash bourbon, an excellent handmade cigar, an exceptional woman....Life is good!
_____________________________

Life's too short for bad cigars, Grasshopper......
_____________________________

A nephew or cousin runs it for the original owner who moved back to Nicaragua. He runs the rolling down there. The guy who answered the phone is counter help.

 

I'll be there around 11 to 11:30, ask for Dan if you want to meet me. BTW, it's not the original location but the one up the street on the left side. Here's the map

http://yellowpages.kcra.com/casillas+cigars.327667.69054870.home.html

 

Dan

Nightmare Mike: s'ok, not antagonizing me.

Kuzi: I bow to thy knowledge. Seriously, you're an encyclopedia, and/or a google master.

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Ubi Cigar

Thanks for the info, Dan. I was talking about the store on Madison, near Sunrise. That's the one I called and the guy told me they had taken down the website.

If memory serves me correctly, there's (or was) another store in Reno.

It just gets curioser and curioser, don't it?

I'd look forward to meeting you, Dan, but I'll be going to the store on Madison. Any chance of you going to that one?

Marty

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Marty


Some expensive sour mash bourbon, an excellent handmade cigar, an exceptional woman....Life is good!
_____________________________

Life's too short for bad cigars, Grasshopper......
_____________________________