UK/EU Market Cigar Brands Needs To Be Improved

[Willie1]

Over the past number of years, looking around on various cigar retailers in the UK, I can't help notice that the range of brands and blends available in the UK is just a load of tosh and it's about time that more brands, blends and boxes of cigars from around the world were made available to buy within the UK/EU market.

For Example, it would be nice to try some RyJ Reserve maduros, or RP Fusion 2x Maduro churchills, but unfortunately these cigars are not available to the UK/EU market and it just seems like a stupid and somewhat selfish move to have brands/blends of cigars restricted from purchase in 1 market or another.

What do you guys think?... does the UK/EU market need a increase in available brands/blends/sizes of cigars?

Willie

[Drewmidorn]

Erm... I'm not massively fussed about the range, I think we're a little light on the NCs but many of the NCs will come up with trademark problems outside of America I'm sure.

You are right that there is a lot of stuff we don't get... it's just not stuff I'm massively aware of missing out on.

[Willie1]

Agreed, it's mostly the lack of NC cigars that I'm getting at and I notice that there are also a few extra blends of Cuban cigars that aren't available in the UK market, which I can't help thinking is stupid, especially in the economic climate, cigar companies would be much beter off if they would have all their ranges/blends of cigars available to much wider markets, instead of just having so many blends for 1 market and the rest for a different market.

Selective and restrictive marketing reduces the potential of product sales and it also robs the cigar smokers of extra choices of sampling more new cigars.

Willie

[omegar]

On my recent visit to the USA I was astounded by the selection that was available there, 99% of which are not in the UK. There is also a much wider variety of different tastes available.

I have already acquired a taste for some of the samples that I brought back with me. It is true that none of them (that I have so far sampled) are as good as the very best Cubans, but some are extremely good and definitely worth buying again.

Rod

[monkey66]

I have no problem with not having piles of NC's to wade through. Not sure how it helps the economic climate though. Remember the tax structure in the UK ensures even 'cheap' cigars are expensive by the time they hit our shelves.

I am also not sure one can sell all the US brands that are using Cuban brand names (such as 'R and J Reserve') anywhere else as it would probably be a copyright/trademark issue.

Which additional Cuban brands would you like to see here?

[JOAO LA PEZ]

San Christobal Muralla would be nice, perhaps Mitch could give us the heads up as to the why's and wherefores, as there must be a good reason, as no business would turn away another line of income.

[peanutpete]

[QUOTE=JOAO LA PEZ;159178]San Christobal Muralla would be nice, perhaps Mitch could give us the heads up as to the why's and wherefores, as there must be a good reason, as no business would turn away another line of income.[/QUOTE]

I think you would just be substituing one source of income for another as i am sure when you do not see a muralla on Mitch list you would buy another cigar (of course you can buy most things from anywere in the world with the internet but they would be subject to tax)

[Eddie]

Also AFAIK all the cuban brands are owned by the government so it won't increase their sales by shipping more brands / vitolas to any territory.

[peanutpete]

Also AFAIK all the cuban brands are owned by the government so it won't increase their sales by shipping more brands / vitolas to any territory.

correct

[Willie1]

Agreed, but at the same time it'd be nice to see more Cuban brands like Vegueros, Belinda, Caba?as, Los Stratos De Lux, Troya, Gispert, Flor De Cano

Also, it would be nice to sample more of the better quality quality NC's like RP, Macanudo 1977 Vintage maduro, Cohiba Black or Cohiba Red Dot, Ghurkas, Ashton Aged Maduro, Onyx Reserve, etc

It just seems stupid that we're unable to buy/try these cigars in the UK and tbh, I think the overall choice of CN & NC cigars as a whole needs to be beefed up and improved.

jmho

[Smallclub]

Also AFAIK all the cuban brands are owned by the government so it won't increase their sales by shipping more brands / vitolas to any territory.

Not exactly. The brands are owned by Habanos SA, a Cuban joint venture with the share capital owned 50%-50% by Cubatabaco, a Cuban Government company and Altadis, a Spanish/French company, now owned by the British IMPERIAL TOBACCO GROUP PLC.
If the marketing department of Habanos SA would decide to create a new brand I don't believe that the Cuban Government would oppose?

[senor_robusto]

reading this thread, tbh i'm finding a really pointless arguement/ debate! i think as far as brands are concerned we have the best of cuban!!! i'd say there's a very good reason why the brands you've listed are 'under the radar'!! same as the non cubans you listed!!! i'm by no means a cigar snob, but in my experience, nc's are generally bland and tasteless or too strong and horrible!!we have the choice here in the uk of 20+ cuban brands, with a real variation in strength, size and flavour to suit any taste or occassion!!! as for non cubans, i've tried the cohiba red and black dots..... horrible things!! same as ghurkha!!! rocky patel were okay i guess.....

[monkey66]

reading this thread, tbh i'm finding a really pointless arguement/ debate! i think as far as brands are concerned we have the best of cuban!!! i'd say there's a very good reason why the brands you've listed are 'under the radar'!! same as the non cubans you listed!!! i'm by no means a cigar snob, but in my experience, nc's are generally bland and tasteless or too strong and horrible!!we have the choice here in the uk of 20+ cuban brands, with a real variation in strength, size and flavour to suit any taste or occassion!!! as for non cubans, i've tried the cohiba red and black dots..... horrible things!! same as ghurkha!!! rocky patel were okay i guess.....

+1

Sent from happy tappy tap.

[Zigatoh]

Plus this thread seems to be trying to persuade vendors to sell more variety of product based on the premise that more variety = more sales which is fundamentally flawed. Otherwise it'd be easy, buy a bunch of everything and business is good (as opposed to lots of money tied up in stock that doesn't sell!).

And to suggest the vendors are being selfish by not stocking more brands, pretty much equates to them being selfish wanting to make money (only stocking proven products that sell, oh you meanies!)

It isn't exactly difficult to order NC cigars in from the states for instance anyway, given that you pay whatever relevant import costs/taxes are required then you're likely to be paying similar to what they would cost you to buy over here if a shop stocked the item.

[Bigboned]

Yeah!!