I agree that the My Father isn't a rare stick, but the almost $2.00 over-put might make up for the rarity factor.
DING DING DING!!!
I think I'm finally starting to understand how this whole thing works now.
While the rules set forth at the beginning of the pass are rarity for rarity, price for price each put and take is handled on an individual basis at the discretion of the pass host. Meaning if the host, Jake in this case, really wants to a Le Bijou and doesn't mind trading a cigar with more rarity, an Anejo, then he can decide that the over-put on price makes up for the rarity. All that being said, as a general rule each put & take still needs to stand on it's own.
Personally, I kept getting hung up on the rarity for rarity, price for price rule and somewhat confusing that with the each P/T stands on it's own. I had it in my mind that if you're taking a rare smoke you have to put a rare smoke. Obviously if you want to virtually assure that your P/T will be approved this is what you should do, but in other passes these types of discussion (under putting on rarity and making up for it in price) would happen via PM with the pass host to avoid any sense of embarrassment (not that there should be any to begin with) that might be associated with having a P/T rejected.
I think I do have another question though as it relates to other passes. Do most passes have the rule regarding each P/T stands on it's own and if so is there a reason for it? I'm having a hard time coming up with a scenario where if each P/T is treated as a trade between the host and the participant, then if both the host and participant are happy with a set of P/T's in which each wouldn't stand on their own as a fair trade but do as a collective trade, why that would be frowned upon.
I don't think it really has to do with if Jake (or any pass host) really wants a certain stick or not, it has more to do with if you want a HTF cigar and you are going to put in a regular production cigar, then you (as the pass participant) need to make sure that you make up for the rarity with some additional cost. Of course the pass host will always have final say as to if they think the price difference makes up for the rarity of the cigar.
From what I have read in past passes, the rules we are following are pretty standard. I think the reason that each P/T is considered on it's own is because of potential over-puts.
If a P/T is treated as a "bundle deal" then you can essentially put in one really expensive stick and a few "yard-gars" to make the P/T "bundle" equal out. Then you would probably get say 3 premium sticks for the price of one super premuim stick and 2 yard-gars.
For example:
Put - Opus Lost City Lancero (2010) - $31.00
Take - Anejo Shark - 10.25
Put - Puros Indios $1.75
Take - Opus Reserva D'Chateau 14.00
Put - AF Curly Head 2.50
Take - Diamond Crown Maximus Double Robusto - 10.85
Total "Put" value - 35.25
Total "Take" value - 35.10
If you were to take the whole "bundle" into consideration, then the prices actually come out to a $0.15 over-put on your part. But if you look at each individual P/T as it's own transaction, there is only one P/T that would work. Not that any BOTL here would ever consider doing these P/T in a real pass, but you get the idea. Obviously this is a worst case type of thing..
This is just the way that I would look at it. It could be a totally different reason, and I am just smoking crack...
Edited for clarity.
