MadMonk
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- Feb 21, 2008
- Messages
- 6,657
Steve Saka said:
Muestra de Saka Exclusivo seems to be causing confusion for some retailers and consumers. So here is a basic primer:
1 - MdS is a line of cigars in which I will be releasing unique ligas of various blends, shapes and strength levels. It is basically me sharing something different with my fellow cigars smokers that I have blended - often in the process of working on something else.
2 - The first vitola to be shipped out nationwide is the 6 x 52 Exclusivo. It is a milder blend that has been best been describe by a friend of mine, Ed Sullivan, as "creme brulee".
3 - I have been trying to discourage people who only like smoking strong ligas to NOT buy this cigar as it is important to not smoke it too fast as it will become too hot and the liga will then become acrid and unsatisfying.
4 - The reason I specifically warn these customers is I do not want them to be disappointed. As someone who tends to smoke strong ligas myself, I know I have the natural inclination to puff more frequently on a milder liga almost unconsciously, it is me trying to get the cigar to give me more strength than it was blended to do. When I do this I ruin the cigar - no different here. This should be a non-issue for those who tend to smoke almost exclusively mild to medium cigars.
5 - So please keep this in mind when trying the MdS Exclusivio - it is not meant to make everyone happy - it is OK that it is not for you, no cigar is perfect for everyone.
6 - Initial Production was 1,650 boxes all of which have been sold via pre-order. All of our accounts had equal opportunity to purchase, some did and some did not. I set aside a few boxes for my own humidor, but I am starting to get the feeling Cindy has sold these too... :<
7 - We are in the process of shipping them out now - please be patient, we are a tiny family owned and run craft cigar company. It takes us time to contact every retailer who ordered and reaffirm their order, plus most want to restock Sobremesa and Mi Querida to reduce their shipping cost. We hope to have them all shipped within the next week or so.
8 - As with all small batch production, there is always some amount of over-production to allow for proper quality control and color sort. So there is likely to be a few more boxes imported once I get a chance to review this "stranded" stock in Nica.
9 - I never claimed this was a limited, one time only production - these cigars are meant to be smoked, not saved or hocked for ridiculous prices on auction sites - I hate that.
10 - That being said, I have no intentions on producing anymore of these in the short term. I am already moving on to the second in the series, a 6 x 48 liga that utilizes a special hybrid criollo tobacco from a new vega in Nica that caught my attention early last year - this is rather potent liga. It is called the Nacatamale.
11 - So the current MdS is milder than I typically smoke and the next one is stronger - I will be warning mild cigar people about that one. Yes, I know this is confusing for the average retailer and consumer - these cigars are not made for either, but rather those who appreciate taking a journey with me.
12 - We have NOT begun to take orders on the MdS Nacatamale, but we have begun production. Not sure of when we will take orders or when we will deliver it, but it is my current plan is to do both in 2017. Again, all Select Purveyors who stock our other brands will be afforded the opportunity to purchase or not purchase.
13 - There are roughly 20 distinct ligas completed for this line, however only 7 to 8 of them were imported and commercially available prior to the 8/8/2016 deadline. Therefore the future of most of them depends entirely on the FDA. Plus I am making interesting stuff all the time... again, talk to your government.
14 - Yes, they are expensive. Yes, the packaging in the individual coffin adds to the cost. The custom screened silk ribbon bands add to the cost. No, I am not going to change it. Making unique batches in small quantities like these is costly due to how stupid picky I am when it comes to quality control, many end up shredded in those first few weeks of production - it takes a while for the pairs to hit their stride. It is not my job to make cigars for every consumer's wallet, there are plenty of great economy priced cigars on your retailer's shelves, MdS is not one of them, nor will it be.
15 - MdS is not intended to be anyones daily smoke, but rather an excursion with me into different tobaccos and ligas that I personally found interesting. They are meant to share with and hopefully discuss amongst friends.
Hope this helps - thanks!
edited: added that source was Steve Saka
Muestra de Saka Exclusivo seems to be causing confusion for some retailers and consumers. So here is a basic primer:
1 - MdS is a line of cigars in which I will be releasing unique ligas of various blends, shapes and strength levels. It is basically me sharing something different with my fellow cigars smokers that I have blended - often in the process of working on something else.
2 - The first vitola to be shipped out nationwide is the 6 x 52 Exclusivo. It is a milder blend that has been best been describe by a friend of mine, Ed Sullivan, as "creme brulee".
3 - I have been trying to discourage people who only like smoking strong ligas to NOT buy this cigar as it is important to not smoke it too fast as it will become too hot and the liga will then become acrid and unsatisfying.
4 - The reason I specifically warn these customers is I do not want them to be disappointed. As someone who tends to smoke strong ligas myself, I know I have the natural inclination to puff more frequently on a milder liga almost unconsciously, it is me trying to get the cigar to give me more strength than it was blended to do. When I do this I ruin the cigar - no different here. This should be a non-issue for those who tend to smoke almost exclusively mild to medium cigars.
5 - So please keep this in mind when trying the MdS Exclusivio - it is not meant to make everyone happy - it is OK that it is not for you, no cigar is perfect for everyone.
6 - Initial Production was 1,650 boxes all of which have been sold via pre-order. All of our accounts had equal opportunity to purchase, some did and some did not. I set aside a few boxes for my own humidor, but I am starting to get the feeling Cindy has sold these too... :<
7 - We are in the process of shipping them out now - please be patient, we are a tiny family owned and run craft cigar company. It takes us time to contact every retailer who ordered and reaffirm their order, plus most want to restock Sobremesa and Mi Querida to reduce their shipping cost. We hope to have them all shipped within the next week or so.
8 - As with all small batch production, there is always some amount of over-production to allow for proper quality control and color sort. So there is likely to be a few more boxes imported once I get a chance to review this "stranded" stock in Nica.
9 - I never claimed this was a limited, one time only production - these cigars are meant to be smoked, not saved or hocked for ridiculous prices on auction sites - I hate that.
10 - That being said, I have no intentions on producing anymore of these in the short term. I am already moving on to the second in the series, a 6 x 48 liga that utilizes a special hybrid criollo tobacco from a new vega in Nica that caught my attention early last year - this is rather potent liga. It is called the Nacatamale.
11 - So the current MdS is milder than I typically smoke and the next one is stronger - I will be warning mild cigar people about that one. Yes, I know this is confusing for the average retailer and consumer - these cigars are not made for either, but rather those who appreciate taking a journey with me.
12 - We have NOT begun to take orders on the MdS Nacatamale, but we have begun production. Not sure of when we will take orders or when we will deliver it, but it is my current plan is to do both in 2017. Again, all Select Purveyors who stock our other brands will be afforded the opportunity to purchase or not purchase.
13 - There are roughly 20 distinct ligas completed for this line, however only 7 to 8 of them were imported and commercially available prior to the 8/8/2016 deadline. Therefore the future of most of them depends entirely on the FDA. Plus I am making interesting stuff all the time... again, talk to your government.
14 - Yes, they are expensive. Yes, the packaging in the individual coffin adds to the cost. The custom screened silk ribbon bands add to the cost. No, I am not going to change it. Making unique batches in small quantities like these is costly due to how stupid picky I am when it comes to quality control, many end up shredded in those first few weeks of production - it takes a while for the pairs to hit their stride. It is not my job to make cigars for every consumer's wallet, there are plenty of great economy priced cigars on your retailer's shelves, MdS is not one of them, nor will it be.
15 - MdS is not intended to be anyones daily smoke, but rather an excursion with me into different tobaccos and ligas that I personally found interesting. They are meant to share with and hopefully discuss amongst friends.
Hope this helps - thanks!
edited: added that source was Steve Saka
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