Box Code help needed

[bigmac]

have just recieved a box with the code
JNL
JUL04

What does it mean?

 

[Fast4Dr]

JNL is the Factory they came out of and JUL04 means they left the factory in July '04

 

[golfgar]

I couldn't find JNL on any of the several sites I usually go to. That may only mean those haven't been updated.

PS....Check the pinned posting from MattR above in this section.

 

[bigmac]

I couldn't find JNL on any of the several sites I usually go to. That may only mean those haven't been updated.

PS....Check the pinned posting from MattR above in this section.

[snapback]146671[/snapback]​

Not in there, I was hoping someone who knows the new codes would be able to tell me.Thanks anyway.

 

[Matt R]

I'm not sure what JNL is, but will find out, or at least try.

 

[Horse]

Matt and his secret decoder rings

 

[oak]

I believe JNL refer to the Romeo y Julieta (Antonio Briones Montoto) factory. They make Romeo y Julieta, Cuaba, Saint Luis Rey, Quai d'Orsay, and Rey del Mundo there. No idea what the letters "JNL" actually stand for - as I don't think that factory name has changed. Possibly just an arbitrary switch or I could be wrong and this code refers to a factory I am unfamiliar with. Hopefully Matt can confirm/deny once he finishes his work with the rings...

Cheers,

- Oak

 

[Matt R]

OK, here's the asnwer I found. Not an answer anyone is going to want, but the only explanation thus far. The factory codes are being switched every few months from one factory to another. So, what might be RyJ today, could be Partagas tomorrow. This comes from very reliable sources in the industry. Now, as to the JNL code during July of '04. It looks like it may be Partagas for that time period. Reason being, a friend was told the Cuaba Salamones were only made at Partagas and the codes on those boxes are JNL JUL04. So, by way of deduction, we come to that conclusion. But, it's not really a firm conclusion. What it really comes down to is that factory codes are not much of an indicator of quality anymore. The factories are pretty much all modernized to the same degree and the rollers seem to be pretty consistent across the big factories. The reason for changing the codes from factory to factory is to keep people from thinking one factory is better than another and causing a "run" on certain boxes/lines.

 

[benjiev]

Send that boy a pipe and a hound dog Mr. Watson! Brilliant Matt. I was right in their with my guess or at least close........... yep they came from the ISOM in July of "04

 

[golfgar]

Nice work Matt, thanks for the update.

 

[oak]

OK, here's the asnwer I found. Not an answer anyone is going to want, but the only explanation thus far. The factory codes are being switched every few months from one factory to another. So, what might be RyJ today, could be Partagas tomorrow. This comes from very reliable sources in the industry. Now, as to the JNL code during July of '04. It looks like it may be Partagas for that time period. Reason being, a friend was told the Cuaba Salamones were only made at Partagas and the codes on those boxes are JNL JUL04. So, by way of deduction, we come to that conclusion. But, it's not really a firm conclusion. What it really comes down to is that factory codes are not much of an indicator of quality anymore. The factories are pretty much all modernized to the same degree and the rollers seem to be pretty consistent across the big factories. The reason for changing the codes from factory to factory is to keep people from thinking one factory is better than another and causing a "run" on certain boxes/lines.

[snapback]147165[/snapback]​

It doesn't look like the code was used in just one factory for the period of July 04. I've found reported boxes of RyJ (and other brands normally made at the RyJ factory) from July 04 with the JNL code. I found these initially by seeing a pattern in purchases reported on other boards an listservs - but confirmed them on a well known site that posts box codes. After looking for another few minutes, I just found some Cuaba stuff as well with the same factory and date code combo. As far as I know - Cuaba and RyJ are not made in the same factory, so I would suspect we're missing something - perhaps the codes have a 3-part context that combines date, brand, and code. (Or could Cuaba and RyJ actually be made, in some cases, in the same factory... god knows there is lots of aggregation and outsourcing so it wouldn't surprise me.)

Regardless, this is largely moot except for nerdiness purposes, as Matt's point about modernization and consistency make this less or unimportant. Still - I hate not knowing what everything means - it is part of being a cigar geek...

Thanks Matt,

- Oak

 

[Matt R]

Actually the distributors get a new list every 3-4 months with what codes were used when. The info I came across on that came from Simon Chase at H&F when we had a chat with him recently. So, H&F, for example, would know what cigars during July of '04 came from what factory. But, the list is not public and if I remember right, they are not allowed to distribute it to the retailers they sell to.

 

[bigmac]

OK, here's the asnwer I found. Not an answer anyone is going to want, but the only explanation thus far. The factory codes are being switched every few months from one factory to another. So, what might be RyJ today, could be Partagas tomorrow. This comes from very reliable sources in the industry. Now, as to the JNL code during July of '04. It looks like it may be Partagas for that time period. Reason being, a friend was told the Cuaba Salamones were only made at Partagas and the codes on those boxes are JNL JUL04. So, by way of deduction, we come to that conclusion. But, it's not really a firm conclusion. What it really comes down to is that factory codes are not much of an indicator of quality anymore. The factories are pretty much all modernized to the same degree and the rollers seem to be pretty consistent across the big factories. The reason for changing the codes from factory to factory is to keep people from thinking one factory is better than another and causing a "run" on certain boxes/lines.

[snapback]147165[/snapback]​

That would fall right in line with these, they are a box of partegas lusitanias with the july date.Thanks matt it was just a curiosity I had. I didnt question the validity of the cigars as when I smoked one it verified itself, LOL.Thanks again.