F*ck Altadis

[Halon]

So I go into work today and see this poster and a pamphlet from Altadis. A co-worker tells me I should check it out because I would get a kick out of it. It's about Montecristo cigars, and how to spot counterfeits. I thought it was a little odd, because domestic Montes suck and I had no idea why anybody would want to counterfeit them. I read a little more, and Altadis is saying how they own the name Montecristo, and that ANY other Montecristo cigars are counterfeits, including the ones made in Cuba! They say that they own the name Montecristo, and any other Montecristo cigars are absolute violations of their intellectual property rights. It even goes into detail about the Cuban seals and holograms, telling you that if you own a box of CUBAN Montecristos that they are counterfeits!!!
What a bunch of pompous assholes over at Altadis! I can't believe they would even think about saying such a thing, let alone provide brochures and posters on it! If anyone was naive enough to smoke their shit sticks before, they probably won't after they see this bullshit! Absolutely horrendous what they are doing. Altadis is a greedy company, and their cigars suck. No fucking way I'm going to recommend an Altadis cigar to anyone again (as if I have done it before!). Really bad move on Altadis' part. I cannot express how shitty of a move this is. If it were possible for Altadis to move down a notch in my book, they would have done so after this crap. Altadis, you're a shit company, run by shit people, and you make shit cigars.


TYLER

 

[kyleb]

Its alright Tyler, let it out. Tell us how you really feel.

I kid. That's pretty messed up. Actually, that's beyond messed up.

I'd love to see this pamphlet.

 

[ALostTexan]

Reminds me of a funny story that is just a bit off topic. I was at a herf in Ohio a few years ago, and a friend tells me that I am not going to believe a cigar he was given. He reaches into a plastic bag, and pulls out a fake MACANUDO.

He says he stopped by a gas station, and a guy working there finds out that my buddy likes cigars, and was thrilled to talk to another cigar smoker. The guy offers my buddy a a cigar, and my buddy said that he cannot say no. The guy gives him the fake Mac, and the guy at the gas station was so proud of it that my buddy said he couldn't bust the guy's bubble and tell him that it is a fake of an already bad cigar. It was not only a bad cigar, but the band was a horrible fake, but the guy didn't know any better.

We got to talking about it, and it actually makes alot of sense to fake a Macanudo if you are a counterfeiter. It is a very popular cigar, and if you can take a really crappy $0.50 cigar, throw a Mac band on it, and sell it to someone on a golf course or anywhere else that novices are buying and smoking cigars for $5.00 or so, you have made a great profit.

So, we all passed around the cigar and got a little bit of a laugh out of it. Sorry for changing the subject, but it took me back down memory lane...

 

[kyleb]

A fake Macanudo. ROFL.

 

[ALostTexan]

A fake Macanudo. ROFL.

One of the funniest, although bizarre, things I have ever seen...

 

[elderboy02]

Wow, a fake Macanudo :innocent:

 

[BradMc]

Tyler tell us how u really feel...........Hang in there bro

 

[Anthem]

Halon,

I would love it if you could share that literature with us.

Altadis is going throgh some big changes right now:

http://www.reuters.com/article/innovationNews/idUSL2255033920080122

With a few exceptions I agree with you assesment of their tobacco.

But what is more interesting is that they OWN some of Habannos:

"Western Europe’s third largest cigarette manufacturer, Altadis produces and sells blond, regular and dark cigarettes. Its major markets include the United States, Spain and France. It also sells a range of prestige Cuban brands, thanks to its acquisition of a 50% interest in Habanos SA in 2000. Altadis also purchased Consolidated Cigar Corporation in the United States. Consolidated Cigar was a large purveyor of cigars such as the Dominican made Romeo y Julieta and Montecristo. In 2003, Altadis acquired 800-JR Cigar, Inc., one of the largest cigar retailers in the United States"

Anyway, interesting post.

 

[N2Advnture]

Could you scan the brochure and post it? I'd love to look at it.

~Mark

 

[Moro]

What a load of crap! Could ye post up the brochure?

 

[Angry Bill]

Lol.. Typical Altadis...

 

[Boppa-Wasch]

WOW! Sounds like you need a night out Tyler. Friday is getting closer!!!

 

[dpricenator]

Dude that sucks...They figure since America doesn't recognize Habanos SA or it's cigar companies as legal entities, then they can just tell everyone they are the only Monte around. however any cigar smoker worth his salt knows the difference. There are a couple of Altadis cigars I enjoy, mostly because they send me free boxes of smokes to pass out at herfs. But some of the RyJ smokes are good, H.uppman Cameroon is good. I just got a box of RyJ Habana Reserves, which I do like, and a box of Vega Finas, which I do not like, but are great for the guys that don't smoke or who need a really light cigar. I wouldn't smoke one past about 9am, kind oif like smoking dirty air. I can't pass up free smokes to hand out, and some are perfect for the occasional smoker.

This is why we like companies like Tatuaje, Padron, Illusione and Oliva. They just make good cigars and aren't in need of rediculous marketing, well Dion's marketing is out there, but it's more high concept. Oppossed to blatant lies that hide under a guise of legal truthh due to an outdated fued between two leaders of yesteryear. Any how I don't like the way Altadis comes across on the piece tyler is talking about, but that is just big business.

To look on the bright side of this. A guy who might believe this crap, otherwise might have gone out and tried to buy some Cuban Montes, most likely wasting his money of fake Cuban cigars, or use a source that draws attention to his purchase and gets him caught. So this piece may have saved some total noob, alot of grief. Now he'll just go on blisfully smoking his NC $12 montes, until he finds us andd we show him the difference. I know that's out there, but every cloud has a silver lining. like free smokes.

BTW the rep from Altadis is coming to the herf on Saturday, I'm sure one of us will approach him about this.

 

[Halon]

Sorry if it sounded like I overreacted, but I just can't believe how Altadis did this! I mean, if it weren't for Cuba, they wouldn't even have half the brands that they do today, and now Altadis has the balls to tell Cuba that they own the names?!? I think it's just plain disrespectful, and in an industry that is very closely-knit and where relationships are more important than business management, Altadis is essentially destroying themselves. We all see the effects of tobacco taxes and smoking bans every day, and if companies decide to badmouth other companies and cannibalize the industry, there's no way we're going to be able to survive. This kind of stuff proves that Altadis is only in it for the money, and that shit won't fly in my shop. Go peddle your crap with the Swishers at the gas station if that's how you are.


And I'll see if I can get the thing scanned. I don't have a scanner, and I've gotta run to a group meeting before classes and have work all day afterward, but if I have a few spare minutes I'll try and get it scanned.


TYLER

 

[dpricenator]

Dude, I'm glad you shared this with us. They may be making a pre-emptive strike for when and if the embargo is lifted. Becuase when that happens there are going to be some serious arguments over who owns the names.

 

[Angry Bill]

It's actually going to be funny what Altadis does if and when the embargo is lifted, since they do not legally own the rights to the name, but are only allowed the usage of the name.

 

[Mitch]

I don't side with Altadis, but living in south Florida, I understand the other side of the argument. These brands were built up by families over generations, and when Castro stole their land, homes, stores, and factories he also stole their brand names. These people took some seed and started all over again outside of cuba and all that most of them took with them was their brand name. It's kind of like if Levi Straus were to have his factories stolen and be kicked out of the US, but kept making jeans. Would the goverment run machine that stole his factory have a better claim to the brand Levi's or the person who made it what it is today?

Granted, I don't like the NC cigars using those old names, and for the most part they have all been sold out to big bussinesses who use the names to sell poor cigars at high prices. But, I can understand the anger held by the many Cubans who lost so much when they ran from Castro and recognize their belief that they own the brand name more than Castro does. For Altadas I think a large part of this is bussiness, but for some at least it's a point of pride and principal.

Did you know that some Cubans in America refuse to smoke cuban cigars for this reason?

 

[Asher]

and now Altadis has the balls to tell Cuba that they own the names?!?

Altadis does own those names, or at least a 50% share in them:

http://www.cubanet.org/CNews/y99/dec99/09e10.htm

 

[weskimad]

It's a very tangled web. One thing for sure, the lawyers will get rich.

Altadis registered the Monte trademark in the US.

Cuba's ownership is not as clear cut, because they STOLE the name after the revolution.

Altadis owns a sizeable part of Habanos. Therefore they own or partially own the Monte name regardless.

I can't even begin to comprehend their strategy.

 

[srduggins]

Altadis will get involved with the CC Montes and make them suck as much as their NC. I actually thought the white label Monte was pretty good and well worth the money I paid for it. (It was free).