so ive been smoking cigars for over a year now. bought and tried a lot of different smokes. but i still consider myself a newbie. so heres my newbyish question. when ordering habanos, what does SLB and CAB mean. i notice that the CAB's are ususally around 50 sticks (2 boxes im figuring) but what about the SLB's..... :scratchhe
ok, heres a dumb question... lol
- Thread starter kirscovitch
- Start date
OK, let me try to clarify just a bit further:
As has been mentioned, "CAB" and "SLB" are somewhat synonymous. "CAB" stands for "Cabinet" and "SLB" stands for "Slide Lid Box". It gets confusing because both are technically Slide Lid Boxes. "Cab" is typically reserved for the 50 count box, but not always and it will depend on who you are talking to. Both are all wood boxes and are fairly un-adorned. For the record, CAB should never mean two boxes.
Where some of the confusion comes in is that there are some cigars that come in both "SLB" and "DB" or Dress Box. A perfect example would be RyJ Belicosos Finos. These come in both "DB" and "SLB". The SLB version tends to cost more as the packaging, I'm sure, costs a bit more. Further, they are more prized due to the fact that there is a common belief that cigars age better in Cabs or Slide Lid Boxes than they do in Dress Boxes.
Below, in order: 50 Count Cab of Boli PCs, 25 count SLB of Boli BF, 25 count DB of Boli BF.
Hope this helps.
As has been mentioned, "CAB" and "SLB" are somewhat synonymous. "CAB" stands for "Cabinet" and "SLB" stands for "Slide Lid Box". It gets confusing because both are technically Slide Lid Boxes. "Cab" is typically reserved for the 50 count box, but not always and it will depend on who you are talking to. Both are all wood boxes and are fairly un-adorned. For the record, CAB should never mean two boxes.
Where some of the confusion comes in is that there are some cigars that come in both "SLB" and "DB" or Dress Box. A perfect example would be RyJ Belicosos Finos. These come in both "DB" and "SLB". The SLB version tends to cost more as the packaging, I'm sure, costs a bit more. Further, they are more prized due to the fact that there is a common belief that cigars age better in Cabs or Slide Lid Boxes than they do in Dress Boxes.
Below, in order: 50 Count Cab of Boli PCs, 25 count SLB of Boli BF, 25 count DB of Boli BF.
Hope this helps.
Attachments
SLB = Slide Lid Box. These are not the pretty looking dress boxes, but are the rather plain looking all solid wood boxes with print or the lettering branded into the wood.
CAB = Cabinet, also refered to as a "wheel" of cigars cause of how the bundle looks when you take them out. Come in a SLB in a bundle of 50 cigars with a ribbon securing them together.
( Edit: I am too slow typing, JW covered this already!)
CAB = Cabinet, also refered to as a "wheel" of cigars cause of how the bundle looks when you take them out. Come in a SLB in a bundle of 50 cigars with a ribbon securing them together.
( Edit: I am too slow typing, JW covered this already!)
I have to say, in response to Steve's comment on "pretty" that beauty is in the eye of the beholder. I much prefer the look of SLBs and Cabs to dress boxes. They just have a more classic look to them that I find more appealing than the gaudiness of most DBs.
avid toker
Regulator
I had to do a double take. You had me confused for a second there. Then I thought Bolivar Belicoso Fino.
Everyone pretty much answered the question already. Generally they're the same just different quantities. Everyone just refers to the 50 counts as the cab and the 25 count as the SLB.
but the RyJ maduro reserves ARE worth trying, IMHO
I asked the same question not to long ago in another forum. You got better answers than I did LOL. I've been told that its believed that cigar ages better in Cabs as opposed to boxes as well. Also that the "better' cigars also go to the Cabs 1st.
I think there's something to the aging in cabs vs. dress boxes - that makes sense. I have heard the rumor that better cigars go in the cabs, but that sounds kind of fishy to me.
I bet someone around here knows for sure.
Believe me in no way am I an expert in this. Its what others have told me. Here is the quote from another brother who was told when visiting a cigar factory in Cuba
"Cabinets are the first pick of selection when all the cigars are rolled and put into packaging. Next is dress boxes, then 3 packs... Cigars are sorted by color, and the cabinets get the mid-range of color for the day's rolling. Assuming the rollers were consistent, there should not be a difference, but most smokers/collectors will chime that cabinets are just better all around."
it makes sense that you'll get a more consistent cigar when you have 50 that have been matched together as opposed to a smaller number
good info and it clarifies a lot. i always thought that Cab was just like ordering 2 boxes as a lot of the time there would be one type of cigars in qty's of 25 and the same cigar under it in a CAB of 50.
thats what i love about this site. if someone has a question, somebody else is sure to have an answer. everyone is so helpfull and friendly.
thanx again for the info. it'll make shopping a little easier
thats what i love about this site. if someone has a question, somebody else is sure to have an answer. everyone is so helpfull and friendly.
thanx again for the info. it'll make shopping a little easier
avid toker
Regulator
There's a raging debate whether the quality of cigars in Cab's are superior to SLB's. No one can say for sure. If looked under a microscope for the same year, then they're the same blend and the cigars that go into slb's vs cabs that year could have been rolled by the same person, therefore construction could be the same. "Generally" the wood is the same for both the SLB and cab except for any SLB's that might be varnished. There are some who have tried scientifically to prove that aging over the long term is better in a cab due to the way the air flows over the wheel of 50 cigars versus the airflow over cigars in rows of 12 and 13 in the SLB. I would agree there may be a difference via a dress box since less cedar may be coming in contact with the cigars and could alter the aging characteristics. Again, no scientific evidence to prove this. But boy do I love pulling out a 50 count cab and taking a long whiff.
