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Have Tatuaje and Pete "Jumped the Shark"???

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JxBr

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25$ for his new Churchill???

I've been on the PJ bandwagon since the very beginning. I think now though Pete has lost it. Maybe he needs more than one Ferrari. I don't know, nor do I care. But it seems to me he has "jumped the shark" as far as cigars go. For him to charge 25$ a stick is absolutly rediculous. It's going to be straw that broke the camel's back for me.

Some of the mistakes he has made recently as far as I'm concerned are:

1- charges 25$ for his new cigar

2- come out with a cigar that cost 14$ and claim it needs time (a year+) before it will be good. i.e. Black tubo (aka dog rocket)

3- Rush out with a shit stick that reeks of varnish. Only a paint huffer would love these. Then claim it wouldn't impregnate the cigars. Why treat your customers like they're dumb?

4- Make some online non-B&M retailer one of your main places to get new releases first a week or two before places that helped put you on the map and have been with you since the beginning. If Pete thinks more than a few retailers who have been with around since Tatuaje's infantcy aren't pissed about this he is mistaken.

Something tells me that in the early days it was about the cigars. Now it's about the cash.

Please keep in mind I've smoked boxes and boxes of Pete's stuff, way north of 50 boxes. I've never had any personal issues of any kind with him. Just fed-up with what's going on with the guy who is really behind some of my favorite everyday cigars of the last five or six years.

Like I said to my buddy Jay tonight, "there will always be something just as good or better coming out soon". Something tells me the next one for me won't cost near 25$ a stick.

As always, just my $.02
 

SkinsFanLarry

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25$ for his new Churchill???

I've been on the PJ bandwagon since the very beginning. I think now though Pete has lost it. Maybe he needs more than one Ferrari. I don't know, nor do I care. But it seems to me he has "jumped the shark" as far as cigars go. For him to charge 25$ a stick is absolutly rediculous. It's going to be straw that broke the camel's back for me.

Some of the mistakes he has made recently as far as I'm concerned are:

1- charges 25$ for his new cigar - The expected price of the Tatuaje La Verite Churchill

2- come out with a cigar that cost 14$ and claim it needs time (a year+) before it will be good. i.e. Black tubo (aka dog rocket) - Had no problems with the ones I smoked.

3- Rush out with a shit stick that reeks of varnish. Only a paint huffer would love these. Then claim it wouldn't impregnate the cigars. Why treat your customers like they're dumb? - Again, had no problems with the ones I smoked.

4- Make some online non-B&M retailer one of your main places to get new releases first a week or two before places that helped put you on the map and have been with you since the beginning. If Pete thinks more than a few retailers who have been with around since Tatuaje's infantcy aren't pissed about this he is mistaken. - Do you know that Dan from NHC wasn't with Pete in the very beginning?

Something tells me that in the early days it was about the cigars. Now it's about the cash. - I disagree, but that's just my opinion.

Please keep in mind I've smoked boxes and boxes of Pete's stuff, way north of 50 boxes. I've never had any personal issues of any kind with him. Just fed-up with what's going on with the guy who is really behind some of my favorite everyday cigars of the last five or six years.

Like I said to my buddy Jay tonight, "there will always be something just as good or better coming out soon". Something tells me the next one for me won't cost near 25$ a stick. - Which is your option, other may choose to buy them at that price.

As always, just my $.02
And those are my thoughts and feelings as it relates to the Tatuaje La Verite.
 
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You make some very go points. I tend to go with the grocery store method when I buy. I know what I like as far as flavors and price point. If they don't fit in to one or both I tend to stay away mostly on price. But if others want what I don't that's ok with me.
 
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look at the great success of the Padron 40th, 44th, 45th and 80th. All great smokes that I've willing shelled out the money for (except the 44th haven't found any yet). It goes to show that there is a market for the super high end smokes. Are these daily smokes? No, and they won't be released in the same numbers of hs other brands. And really juming "the Shark"? That sticks retail is like 13 bucks and you shouldn't pay much more thsn that.
 

njstone

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look at the great success of the Padron 40th, 44th, 45th and 80th. All great smokes that I've willing shelled out the money for (except the 44th haven't found any yet). It goes to show that there is a market for the super high end smokes. Are these daily smokes? No, and they won't be released in the same numbers of hs other brands. And really juming "the Shark"? That sticks retail is like 13 bucks and you shouldn't pay much more thsn that.
+1

There are plenty of $25 sticks on the market from the likes of Padron, Fuente, and special releases from other labels (not to mention limited/regional Cubans). I'll bet the market could use another. I myself don't spend that much on cigars other than for very special occasions (have never spent that much yet, actually), but some do, and good for them.

Just like wine--there are some $7 bottles I like a lot, and I rarely spend more than $15. But my favorite wine so far happens to be $36 when on SALE--I don't buy it a lot, but I always like to have a bottle on hand for a special occasion.
 
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Pete is a cigar maker and a business man. It's not like you have a subscription and have to buy everything that he comes out with. A good business man will try to appeal to as many customers as possible. If there is a market for him to make a "super premium", that appeals to a certain buyer, to compete with others that are on the market why should the business man not reach that sector of the market?

I will agree with your point that there have been some issues with his product recently. The varnish smell was really unpleasant, whether or not it effected the cigars it didn't leave a good image. Also my Black Tubos had some burn issues at first but after proper rest, one month in my vino, they are smoking just fine. He has also had some successes too, the Verocu Tubo is exceptional even in its youth. In the end you are the consumer and can choose to spend your money however you wish.

Tough for me to spend $25 on any cigar. For instance I smoked a Padron 45th Maddie and wished I had bought 2 1964 Anny's for the same price. Live and learn. Smoke what you enjoy and enjoy what you smoke no matter the price point.
 
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No. No one is forced to buy any cigar, so skip the Verite if you don't like the price. I doubt I'll ever smoke a 2nd one (but I will try it once). The other things you mentioned are just bumps in the road as far as I'm concerned. Shit happens! There are way too many superb Tatuaje products for me to think otherwise.
 
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There are a TON of $25 cigars out there now. I do think that the Robusto is around $12-13 which isn't all that bad. If it was about the cash and Pete was out to make a buck he would be doubling the price of the Monster Series stuff and they would easily sell at that price point.

I enjoyed the black tubo and I know plenty of other have as well. It was enjoyable fresh it will be even better in a year is my opinion. Take Opus for example...they are good fresh but much better rested, I think these are going to be the same way.

The Drac was a mistake and may have been rushed a bit, but he did own up to it. And that wasn't a problem with the cigars themselves, just the boxes. With any company there will be problems, I can live with something as small as a smell that went away after airing out some.
 

D Quintero

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ok, dracs were a let down and black tubos aint all that.

so what...

point is, tatuaje just claimed most sought after brand.

seems to me that fact alone makes the move into the high end stick market a no brainer.

those t110's at 10 bones surely kicked major ass though.
 

Soundwave13

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Really? Have Opus jumped the shark because of the Lost City? How about Padron with 'The Hammer'?

We don't know what the price will be on the La Verite, but because people didn't like the idea of 'pre-sales' he made the descision to hold onto the 'vintage' until it's ready.

I didn't have any problems with the Tubos - though he made the offer to take care of any problems or dissatisfied customers by buying them back. Same with the Dracs - which was only intended to be fun. The laquer was a big mistake. I 'aired' mine out for a few weeks & they are fine, in fact - I think they taste pretty damn good.

As far as dealings with retailers - I don't know of any other brands that do as many 'special-B&M' releases. You can't please all the people all the time.

I've met Pete a number of times & had quite a few conversations with him - I've never seen his intention as strictly to make money. How about when he donated the entire allotment of SW maduro proceeds to the family of a friend that recently passed away? Hardly sounds like someone who is out for a Ferrari.

Since when is it suddenly bad to make a good living doing what you love?
 

Clint

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Regarding the varnish as being a huge problem, and "why treat the customer is if they're dumb"... Marketing is my background, and the Monster Series is what this industry has been lacking for centuries:Something fun and creative that gets people exited, not insulted.

I think that Pete shows in his products and his creativity that he embraces the cigar as a passion, and his marketing is a breath iof fresh air.

My two cents.
 

Clint

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Soundwave makes a good point...There are more than a handful of brands that choose a few retailers for distribution...Viaje is another example. Why? It creates a stir, and gets them on the map. If the product is good, it serves as a springboard....Tatuaje and Viaje have good product, so the springboard has worked...Notthing wrong with that either.

Again, my 2 cents!
 

WkndSmoker

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Slippery slope here, generally the market drives the product. I feel you will have a direct answer sooner than you expect here from your rant.
 

kockroach

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I see no issue here. AF and Padron, among others, have lines that are low-end price and ones that are high-end price. As far as the Drac is concerned, I think it is a great cigar....the box should have nothing to do with it. The black tubos, while I have a bunch, I have yet to try...but I like all I have had from the black line, so I have no problem if they need to rest a bit. Nothing is perfect....we all have different tastes too.
 
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