Codes on boxes 2014

[Bob123]

I am curious is there any statistics about codes on boxes in one thread?
I get this summary for 2014 boxes from friend, I never compared Cuban cigars by codes on boxes.
Is there low quality factories and hi end factories or it is only hoax?

TOPPREMIUM

UME
MUL
MUO
ULA
LUB


GOOD

RAE
MOB
ULE
AME
BMS


AVERAGE

RUE
EML
PSM
ESO
ARG


NOTRECOMENDED

OEP
SUE
LAS
LOM
ELU

[cj121]

Hey Bob
Are your friend's ratings based on personal experience or from a wider range of smokers/groups?

It would be interesting if a few members checked any '14 boxes we have and make comparative observations

Have you any of the above codes Bob?

IMO, I'd imagine there's more to just factory of origin that impacts upon quality, leaf being a biggy. There again, I don't know anything about the distribution of tobacco to various factories.

[cj121]

[MENTION=13379018]butternutsquashpie[/MENTION] might have some thoughts on this one...

[butternutsquashpie]

I'm not quoting all of this. Click the quote button on in this quote box to see the original post

To the best of my current knowledge at this moment...
LUB - H. Upmann Factory
MUO - El Laguito (Cohiba)
ULA - Partagas Factory
UME and MUL may be other factory codes
Oddly enough, The RA Gigantes seems to be dominantly MUL... I'm not bothered to remember anything outside of Upmann, EL, and Partagas
To the best of my knowledge, SUE, APU, and AEM can 2014 for the Trinidad (Pinar del Rino) factories.

Now, to answer your question:
I am curious is there any statistics about codes on boxes in one thread?
I am too. This is honestly something that polarises people. As you smoke more and more cigars, you'll start to make conclusions on YOUR OWN PERSONAL EXPERIENCES. This often leads to confirmation bias which is something to watch out for in cigars (leads to nasty confrontations sometimes, too).
There's a lot of conjecture when it comes to box codes. But there's no doubt that some box codes are better. For me, i love the TEB 07/08 box code. Partagas from that year did some PHENOMENAL work. All the Bolivar and Ramon Allones regionals from 07-08 have all been the BOMB.
Especially the regular production stock. Their Corona Extras and Gigantes are normally a great cigar. But the TEB just blow them out of the water. Compared to the 05 CGs and CEs, the TEB far outweighs them.

Alas, I digress. "Box codes are not bible. But they're one of the only things that one can go on nowadays". That's a paraphrase on a very well learned BotL's wise piece of advice.
Statistics is definitely what I would call it. When you buy cigars, you just look to maximise your potential of getting GOOD cigars. Box codes definitely help. Age helps. Marcas help. Etc.
Box codes help you choose a good box from the same year. Normally, the older the cigar, the better it is. This has a few linear correlations but it is never completely true either - I've had some pretty bad early-90s cigars last year. Normally, notable factories produce more consistent and "better cigars". The top three I worry myself with are the El Laguito, Partagas, H. Upmann, and a bit of the Trinidad.

That leads to your second question:
Is there low quality factories and hi end factories or it is only hoax?
DEFINITELY not a hoax. Having been there briefly on a trip to Cuba (and swiping a few Robustos ), and from many accounts of EL, notably from our Cuba expert: [MENTION=297]Ryan[/MENTION], I can attest that El Laguito has a much more different atmosphere for a "cigar factory". Apparently birthday parties and high moral levels are notable about the factory. They also are tasked with the harder cigars and more premium ones. Happy, skilled blenders and rollers.
Now, these are HAND-MADE products. There is bound to be variation... Especially on a whole factory line. On top of that, I can also attest that there are multiple accounts 1st, 2nd, 3rd hand for variations in the same box. Kinda puts a damper on your search for the best cigar vitola, right?

But who am I to say? My favourite Cohiba is Siglo III that is the only cigar NEVER rolled at a notable national factory - it's always rolled at unknown coded provincial factories. I also find it to be so damn consistent... Kinda puts a downer on the box code hypothesis, eh?
NOT REALLY. Rather, it proves that provincial factories can do a very good job of rolling cigars. My favourite recently was the LOE box codes in 2013/2014. Every cigar from that box code smoked well for me.

To re-iterate my point... Everyting is about increasing the possibility of having a good cigar. The boxes codes really adds to increasing the probability. But the best method is either doing it yourself or by experimentation - most importantly, to gain experience.
There are only 356 days in a year and I am not going to waste one by smoking a cigar that I have a greater probability of disliking. Life's too short. On top of the fact that box code selection doesn't cost more money, I would much rather pick at the enigma that is box codes

To finally answer your question - Yes there are "high-end" factories. There's a reason why only 6 factories are national and notable... whilst the others remain hidden and never have their box codes tracked.

TOPPREMIUM
UMEMULMUOULALUB


GOOD
RAEMOBULEAMEBMS


AVERAGE
RUEEMLPSMESOARG


NOTRECOMENDED
OEPSUELASLOMELU

I am very curious to how these "smoking friends" of yours came up with this list here... I definitely cannot attest to the validity as I have barely smoked any of these box codes. I can attest that cherry picking MUO, ULA, LUB, and RAE box codes, they have rewarded me well. But then again, most of the cigars I smoked from 2014 have been those box codes. Lmao, so I have that going for me.

[butternutsquashpie]

[MENTION=13379018]butternutsquashpie[/MENTION] might have some thoughts on this one...

Sorry I wrote such a long message; I don't have time to write a short one.
Back to fade into the background... Ueber busy nowadays But I'm still lurking in occasionally just to check that the forum isn't on fire

[Bob123]

I asked from where is the list. Answer - I got it through internet from Australia distributor, he takes cigars from every box code and compare them, for quality, taste etc. Than make list. I will also have 2013 list so I will post it afterwards. I also tried to find list of factories with codes, no luck so far, I have found only old list which doesnt match this list. I will check my boxes during weekend and try to compare boxes if There will be good and poor as well.

[butternutsquashpie]

I asked from where is the list. Answer - I got it through internet from Australia distributor, he takes cigars from every box code and compare them, for quality, taste etc. Than make list. I will also have 2013 list so I will post it afterwards

Huh. I didn't know he did that... something to look into for sure.

Thanks, Kris!!

Sent from the Enigma via Tapatalk for BlackBerry.

[Simon Bolivar]

Cheers Butters, you see you can write perfectly understandable answers that make very interesting reading, have a cigar young man!

[butternutsquashpie]

Cheers Butters, you see you can write perfectly understandable answers that make very interesting reading

Who wodda thunk it!?