The so called 'cuban sale' cigars

[WadeFillingame]

[quote author=MiamiE link=topic=4142.msg25550#msg25550 date=1276737105]
Anyone know what the predominant brands found in the sales were?
[/quote]

Why does it matter?

[MiamiE]

So I can be more specific in my search for some!

[jb]

It also matters b/c some people (myself) will avoid anything that was ever a "sale cigar" from those years.  To me, being a sale cigar is a certification that it completely sucks ass.  Every "sale cigar" box I've had has been somewhere between flavorless and a tent peg.  OTOH, Boli CE SUA OCT 00 was one of the best cabs I've ever had. 

[MiamiE]

Exactly so I will buy all your tent pegs!

[jb]

E, lemme check and I'll see if I have anything.

[bradleybaxter]

I have LOVED every Bachilleres from 00 and 01 that i have ever smoked, I find them absolutely delicious and would buy them for any reasonable price any day!!

[snerdley]

[quote author=reliefdvm link=topic=4142.msg23636#msg23636 date=1272751218]
Every now and then you will see a vendor kicking out boxes of 00 and 01 cigars at extremely low prices because they are finding quite a few of the cigars in a box plugged. Its generally agreed the the 00-01 cigars represent a low point in rolling quality of Cuban cigars. So when you see fivers of this era at really cheap prices, plan on at least one of them being unsmokable.
[/quote]

Hmmm, very interesting. Good to know. thanks

[chenvt]

[quote author=TNT Cigarguy link=topic=4142.msg25205#msg25205 date=1275973058]
I got it. Wow it is amazing what dbags people can be. It totally makes sense. Thanks
[/quote]

I'd say my luck with "sale sticks" has varied on the marca/vitola..  Of course take it as one person's taste because others will say the opposite.  

I've generally had horrible experiences with the Punch RS 11/12 and all the Hoyos.  25% were flavorless, 50% were tent pegs, 25% I could smoke the whole thing and it was a good smoke.  

On the other hand; QDO Coronas, Punch Coronas, and VR Classicos makes me wish I had picked up a bunch more when they were on sale.  

And on that note, while the general concurrence is that sticks from the 99-01 timeframe were generally poorer than other years due to a boost in production and a decrease in quality (which may explain the availability), I wouldn't discount those years automatically.  I've had some stellar sticks from that timeframe.  The Cohiba Lanceros (non "sale sticks") that I've smoked from those years have been excellent.

[Knuck42]

[quote]I'd say my luck with "sale sticks" has varied on the marca/vitola..  Of course take it as one person's taste because others will say the opposite. 

I've generally had horrible experiences with the Punch RS 11/12 and all the Hoyos.  25% were flavorless, 50% were tent pegs, 25% I could smoke the whole thing and it was a good smoke. 

On the other hand; QDO Coronas, Punch Coronas, and VR Classicos makes me wish I had picked up a bunch more when they were on sale. 

And on that note, while the general concurrence is that sticks from the 99-01 timeframe were generally poorer than other years due to a boost in production and a decrease in quality (which may explain the availability), I wouldn't discount those years automatically.  I've had some stellar sticks from that timeframe.  The Cohiba Lanceros (non "sale sticks") that I've smoked from those years have been excellent.[/quote]
Excellent post OMHO.  Had much the same experience except that my experience with the Punch Coronas was less then optimal, lots of rough draws.  Hoyo RS=SUCK though some of the "French" line certainly smoked well enough, RV Classicos, well... glad I bought 4 boxes!  The Familiars on the other hand are okay but lack that WOW factor, at least for me, still a very decent smoke though.  The QDO Coronas were great but just didn't suite my pallate.  SP Molinos and Bachilleres just did nothing for me at all.  Tasted kind of like smoking a cigarette, at least to me.  SLR A's from '01 taste wonderful, '99... not so much, go figure...  moral of the story... Cuba happens! 

[rjcdee]

Hoyo du roi fivers from 2000 are just amazing while  the boxed  doble coronas from the very same year were flavorless. Heard that the overproduction and resulting leaf shortages in those lost years forced some of the factories to substitute out the flavorful ligero leaf in their larger vitola blends.  :gotcha: