Nestor Miranda Day 2011 Video
You probably have plans for Cinco de Mayo but what about Seis de Mayo? If you’re a cigar smoker then you are in luck because Seis de Mayo is actually Nestor Miranda Day! This is how it works: go into a participating tobacconist and buy a cigar, any cigar, and they will give you a Nestor Miranda Art Deco cigar for free while supplies last. That sounds like a pretty good deal to me. For more information watch this video.
Online vs. Brick & Mortar Cigar Shops
A couple weeks back I had a conversation with one of the proprietors of StogieBoys.com, which is an online cigar retailer. He mentioned that he would like to write a piece about online versus brick & mortar cigar shops and I liked the idea. It’s a very thoughtful piece of writing and presents both sides of the debate well. In the end, there is a place for both. (By the way, if you place an order on StogieBoys.com during the rest of this month you need to put in the code “perfectdraw” to get 10% off of your order.)
Over the past several years a great deal of anxiety has developed over the retail channels used to sell premium cigars. The angst has largely centered around online cigar retailers and brick and mortar shops.
For many decades, cigars, like nearly every other consumer product, have been sold throughout the U.S. via brick and mortar stores – mainly local cigar shops. Over the past 15 years or so a new sales channel has begun to make considerable progress in the retail cigar market – online or internet retailers. This success that has been enjoyed by internet cigar retailers mirrors the increasing success online retailers have had in nearly every retail category throughout the U.S.
As online sales of premium cigars have grown, brick and mortar supporters have increasingly expressed their dislike for the internet cigar channel. The argument is generally that there is not a level playing field between traditional brick & mortar shops and online retailers, and that the online retailers put downward pressure on pricing, which makes it difficult for brick and mortar shops to compete.
The competitive pressures between internet cigar retailers and brick & mortar shops are very similar to the competitive pressures between retailers in nearly every other retail category. Each channel and type of retailer is pressed to find a way to stay relevant and deliver value to its target constituents in order to grow and thrive.
It is no secret that retail sales via the internet in general have grown much faster than any other retail channel in recent years and this trend is expected to continue for the foreseeable future. Consumers are becoming more comfortable buying online and from catalogs, and increasing capital is being invested in online advertising and technology to facilitate these transactions. Forrester Research projects online retail sales to increase 10% each year for the next 5 years, exceeding $280 billion by 2015.
Below is a brief examination of the future of premium cigar retail sales and, more specifically, the divide that is perceived between internet retailers and traditional brick and mortar shops. Internet cigar retailers are clearly here to stay, but brick and mortar shops are as well, at least the shops that adapt and compete effectively.
What are cigar smokers looking for in a cigar retailer?
Cigar enthusiasts are consumers like any other. When they purchase premium cigars, like when they purchase any other consumer item, they look for convenience, value, quality and service. They desire a simple, hassle free shopping experience and they want access to products that meet their needs and desires, at a good price.
With premium cigars, as with many other consumer items, there are a myriad of brands, sizes and products, and finding what you want or what meets your objectives is often a daunting task. Cigar smokers are generally becoming more discriminating and more information hungry as they attempt to choose their brands and cigars from the long list of choices available. As a result, many cigar smokers appreciate quality product information and assistance to make their selections easier and more meaningful.
What do premium cigar retailers need to do to compete?
Cigar retailers, like any other retailer, need to understand what drives cigar smokers to make their premium cigar purchases and they need to effectively meet those drivers to win the customer’s business. They simply need to adapt and aggressively meet the needs of the cigar smoking consumer, and they need to do it in a cost effective manner.
Some of the drivers mentioned above are more significant than others in the eyes of cigar smokers, but retailers can use any or all of them to differentiate themselves and compete effectively.
What advantages do cigar shops have over internet retailers?
Local cigar shops have served and met the needs of lovers of the leaf for many decades. They have built strong, loyal relationships with their customers and delivered excellent service and value. Below is a list of several significant advantages that these local shops have over internet retailers:
- Ability to deliver highly personalized customer service to individual customers
- Ability to build and maintain strong personal relationships with customers
- Access to premium brands not available to internet retailers
- Ability to deliver product to the customer immediately & no shipping/delivery costs to get the product to the customer
- Ability to discuss, make recommendations and pass along relevant product information personally
- Ability to provide a place for cigar enthusiasts to smoke and enjoy the camaraderie of other cigar smokers
- Opportunity to display physical products to customers rather than photos and descriptions
What advantages do internet retailers have over local cigar shops?
- Convenience of 24/7 shopping without customers having to travel to a store
- Lower overhead and infrastructure costs for merchandising and selling, which may result in:
- Ability to price products lower
- Lower barriers to entry in terms of opening stores (minimal infrastructure investment)
- Ability to carry a larger selection of brands and products
- Opportunity to reach and sell to a larger, more geographically dispersed target audience
- Ability for consumers to easily compare products and prices, and get relevant feedback from other consumers on specific products
Is there room for both online retailers and local shops in the premium cigar retail market?
There is plenty of room for both types of retailers now and in the future. Both must be creative in meeting the needs of cigar smokers and differentiating themselves.
Each of these retail channels has meaningful advantages over the other and the strengths of one generally represent the weaknesses of the other. The ability of each retailer to capitalize on their strengths and differentiate themselves from the other will determine the kind of success they enjoy.
What can local shops do to effectively compete with online retailers?
As noted above, brick & mortar shops have several advantages over online retailers. Strong local shops that adapt to the changing market and the new type of competition that is being brought by online retailers will continue to be very relevant and will continue to thrive.
Some of the things that local brick and mortar shops can focus on to compete effectively include:
- Deliver highly personalized service that is not available from online retailers – cigar lockers onsite, ability to try a cigar before buying, large selection of products that can be touched and seen before buying
- Give customers good reasons to frequently come into the store and create more of a social destination
- Possibly club type atmosphere
- Provide a comfortable place for customers to smoke
- smoking events, entertainment, manufacturer visits, etc.
- Add other products that are complimentary to cigars, such as hookah, beverages, etc.
Cigar lounges are becoming increasingly popular among cigar enthusiasts. They represent an excellent venue for cigar smokers to enjoy their favorite cigars in a comfortable atmosphere, along with other people who share their affection for good cigars.
Lounges represent an excellent opportunity for brick & mortar cigar retailers to develop a stronger bond with their customers and create frequent opportunities to get them back to their establishment. They are also serving to get more people interested and involved in cigar smoking, which will increase the ranks of cigar customers in the future. These lounges are also being well supported by cigar manufacturers, which has helped to mitigate the capital required to develop them.
In addition, increasing anti-smoking legislation is actually having a positive effect on cigar lounges across the country. As the laws become more aggressive in limiting the places where cigars can be smoked (legally), cigar lounges provide one of the only public venues for cigar smokers to enjoy their smokes.
Cigar lounges should and will play a large role in the local cigar retailer’s future and will make them tremendously competitive.
Conclusion
Online cigar retailers are here to stay and they play a meaningful role in the premium cigar retail market. Many cigar smokers are becoming increasingly comfortable with purchasing items online and they are naturally extending this to premium cigars. They enjoy the convenience and some of the other benefits of purchasing their cigars online, including competitive pricing.
Local brick & mortar shops are here to stay as well. They will take full advantage of some of the leverage they have to maintain strong relationships with customers and they will deliver facilities and events that will keep their customers entertained and coming back to smoke and enjoy the company of cigar smoking comrades.
I, for one, will look forward to enjoying both of them for many years to come.
Happy Easter
Happy Easter everyone.
Don’t have much else to say but, if you find yourself directionless for about half an hour you should watch this video; it’s pretty funny. On the other hand, if you really love your family and don’t mind spending every second with them on Easter then keep on keepin’ on.
Punch Rare Corojo 10th Anniversary Cigar Review
I received some samples from General Cigar that I have used for this review. In the past when I have smoked some Punch Rare Corojos I didn’t think they were spectacular but they were solid cigars. This cigar might be a little better than solid.
The look of the wrapper is a mottled combination of mostly dark brown and some lighter brown. Box pressed, this cigar looks like the wrapper was stretched a little too much as there are a few instances of stretch marks near the veins of the wrapper. Other than that the cap cuts nicely for me and the wrapper has a moderate amount of oils on it.
Cigar Stats
Length: 5″
Ring Gauge: 50
Wrapper: Connecticut Corojo
Binder: Connecticut Broadleaf
Filler: Dominican, Nicaragua & Honduras
Price: $6.50/cigar
It starts out very nice if not a bit too aggressively. According to the cover letter that was sent along with these samples spice is something that they strive for in the formulation of these cigars. Well, they achieved what they set out to do. What is nice about this version of spice is that while it is strong it is not crazily strong. Buffeting the spice is a nice mixture of cherry and oak. Even though I rarely drink wine that is the kind of fruity/oaky flavor that I think I am getting here. (Don’t ask me what variety of wine it reminds me of – suffice it to say it’s something red. Very tanniny I think.)
During the end of the first third the burn starts to go a little off. I have corrected it and I hope that it doesn’t affect the flavors too much because I am liking this cigar. I have run into varying degrees of this problem with the previous samples I have tried, so be forewarned.
The second third presents somewhat of a reversal of the first third in that the cherry and oak flavors are now dominant and the spice is taking on a lesser role. Actually, I almost think it’s more accurate to say that all three flavors are basically on equal footing here. What I am tasting here is very enjoyable and is in line with what I have experienced with my previous samples.
Harsh is not an unfair description of the final third. The main flavor is burnt hay but the cherry flavor still peaks through from time to time. It is a medium-full bodied cigar with a good-loose draw and the burn had to be corrected a couple of times. After that first significant adjustment to the burn during the first third there were a couple of minor adjustments.
Overall, I liked this cigar. The first two thirds were very enjoyable and I think nearly everybody can find something to like from them. The final third, on the other hand, did have some problems that I have already noted. Like my memories of the Punch Rare Corojo this is likewise a solid cigar.
88 points
Nestor Miranda Day 2011
I like Nestor Miranda cigars: I gave the Nestor Miranda 1989 89 points, the Nestor Miranda Special Selection also received 89 points and the Nestor Miranda Collection Dominicano received 91 points from me. Those are some pretty good scores and that is why I think you should be excited about the upcoming Nestor Miranda Day on May 6th. Here’s the press release:
Miami, FL, 14 April 11 … Miami Cigar & Company is back at it again, always willing to show their gratitude to the cigar smoking community, they have decided to bring back the heralded National Nestor Miranda Cigar Day. On Friday, May 6th, all authorized Nestor Miranda Collection retailers will participate and enjoy all of the perks that only a day named after “The Most Interesting Man In The Cigar Industry” could include.
Similarly to the original holiday, Miami Cigar will be awarding consumers that enter any of the authorized retailers with a Nestor Miranda Collection cigar at no charge. All the smoker has to do is buy a cigar – any cigar, made by any cigar maker. Again, that’s any cigar; made by any cigar maker. The twist to this year’s festivities is that the consumer will have the opportunity to smoke the newest addition to the Nestor Miranda Collection, the Art Deco (5.5 x 54).
The ‘National Nestor Miranda Cigar Day,’ is Miami Cigar & Company’s way of thanking the smokers for their enthusiastic support of the company’s brands for the past twenty-two years, and to reassert Miami Cigar’s commitment to bringing you great cigars in the years to come.
To locate your Authorized Retailer, go to www.miamicigarcompany.com and follow the instructions on the site. (New enhanced authorized retailer search engine to launch, April 18th)
“Finally, the best holiday of the year has returned,” said Nestor Miranda, “I am very excited to once again show our customers and consumers our appreciation for their loyalty and support”.
Tampa Humidor will be hosting Nestor Miranda for this year’s festivities. 1418 East Bush Blvd, ste. 105 Tampa, FL 33612
NOTE: The cigars will be available at each Nestor Miranda Collection Authorized Retailers as long as supplies last.
Miami Cigar & Company distributes Tatiana© flavoured cigars, Nestor Miranda Collection cigars©, La Sirena© as well as La Aurora©, Leon Jimenes©, Ducados© which are trademarks of other companies.
Update: To find a local retailer participating in this event go HERE.
PS: I have smoked some Art Decos but have yet to do a review on one. Suffice it to say, they are solid cigars.
