Barcodes on the Bands

[skullnbones]

When I smoke I usually will leave the band on until the very last minute. I'll sit and roll the cigar around in my fingers, admire the artwork that the maker has put into the band while I try to pick out different flavors. As I sit here and smoke a Ortega D (my first) I noticed that they put a barcode on the back of the band. I've seen plenty with barcodes on the cello but never on the band itself. I guess it bothered me a little more than it should, but to me it takes away from the whole hand crafted aspect of cigars. It may be romantic of me to think that not much has changed about the ways cigars have been made for the past 100 years, but I like to think so. The barcode just seems far to industrial and out of place to me.

 

[StogieNinja]

I'll forgive them since its a tasty cigar, but I'm with ya. Not a fan of that.

 

[skullnbones]

Yeah, not knocking the cigar at all, it's a really tasty smoke.

 

[Smokin Aces]

I don't there is anything wrong with that opinion. One of the best things about the cigar from an artistic perspective is the hand crafted workmanship of the cigar itself and the boxes and bands are also a part of the tradition. I have always loved knowing that essentially very little has changed in the entire process for the last 100 years. Adding a barcode to any part of the entire package, while better for inventory & tracking purposes, just seems to cheapen the whole thing.

 

[javajunkie]

realize, if they did it for pure aesthetic, either they wouldn't make any money and go broke, thus no more cigars, or they wouldn't be able to afford decent tobacco or good QC, thus no more decent cigars.

and, yes, i am with you, it ruins the feel. then again, the way ortega did it, to me, actually kept the look of the cigar intact while making them easier to roll out the door for shops. there are a lot of people who tag their cello, but if you choose to go commando (which, in this stick is a wise choice, to me), what are you going to do?

 

[thedismaltrade]

I don't care about bands at all. I take them off immediately anyway...

 

[FUHNAHTIK]

If its on the reverse (not seen) side it could be to attempt to track counterfeits. Kind of a way to verify this one is real? I was reading up on how to spot fakes abroad before a cruise in March and discovered something about some companies "signing" the reverse side so you could tell it was legit.

 

[remy swagger]

doesn't bother me, but I see the op's point

 

[milhouse]

what about the padron anniversary? does that bother you?

 

[whatadam]

I agree. I appreciate a nice band and leave it on until the last moment. A barcode would bother me but not prevent a future purchase.

 

[gui_tarzan]

I save every band and have put together three picture frames full of them for my walls.

 

[skullnbones]

what about the padron anniversary? does that bother you?

It doesn't at all. Padron took a lot more care in making the serial number a part of the band, not just a tracking system. I still really enjoyed the Ortega, and will buy them again. I just wanted to see what others thought about it.

(Pic stolen from JDog's Review - http://www.botl.org/community/forums/showthread.php/61163-Ortega-Serie-D-No-7 )

 

[KcJason1]

what about the padron anniversary? does that bother you?

It doesn't at all. Padron took a lot more care in making the serial number a part of the band, not just a tracking system. I still really enjoyed the Ortega, and will buy them again. I just wanted to see what others thought about it.

(Pic stolen from JDog's Review - http://www.botl.org/community/forums/showthread.php/61163-Ortega-Serie-D-No-7 )

Lol dude that's the barcode the b&m put on so they can ring them up... They put them on the band of cigars that come without cellos so they do not destroy the wrapper with the barcode! :headroll:

On cellos they put them anywhere!

 

[Craig Mac]

The barcode on the Ortega is printed on the band as shown above in the picture, not put on by a B&M