Pardon the Rant.
I just finished reading the CA article on Kaizad Hansotia and this man came off as one of the most pretentious pieces of work in the industry. While not knowing him personally, I can't confirm that this is who he is but, based on the article and the outlandish, almost ghoulish creations of his in terms of packaging made me want to puke.
There's a part of the article that really did not set well with me including a quote by Kaizad himself: "It doesn't take an economist to realize that not everyone can drive a Rolls Royce or Bugatti Veyron. There are certain levels of wealth l, and Hansotia is completely at peace with that."
It goes on to say (and this is the piece that got me)? "As with any symbol of wealth and prosperity, Gurkha gets its share of criticisms. Some have charges that his clientele are nothing more than vanity smokers with more money than sense (true). Others have dismissed his products as merely hype and pretty packaging for mediocre cigars (true again). Hansotia scoffs at these notions."
""The people who say that are morons," he asserts. "And I'll tell you why. If that were true I wouldn't still be here. It doesn't matter how great your packaging is. If the cigar wasn't any good, I'd be out of business. We've been here more than 20 years and every year we've seen a 20 percent growth. The criticisms come from customers who can't fathom spending over a certain amount for a cigar and resentment towards those who can.""
This sums it up for me. Based on his judgmental and dismissive statements I will never again even pick up one of his piece of crap cigars. Who is he to say what anyone can afford. Like many of you on the board, I've shelled out well over $25 for a stick: for those special sticks that have lived up to the cost.
As for Gurkha, while I'll admit, the Cellar Reserve is a nice stick, based on his feelings toward the 99%ers I say he can kick rocks and take Marvin R. Shaken with him.
I just finished reading the CA article on Kaizad Hansotia and this man came off as one of the most pretentious pieces of work in the industry. While not knowing him personally, I can't confirm that this is who he is but, based on the article and the outlandish, almost ghoulish creations of his in terms of packaging made me want to puke.
There's a part of the article that really did not set well with me including a quote by Kaizad himself: "It doesn't take an economist to realize that not everyone can drive a Rolls Royce or Bugatti Veyron. There are certain levels of wealth l, and Hansotia is completely at peace with that."
It goes on to say (and this is the piece that got me)? "As with any symbol of wealth and prosperity, Gurkha gets its share of criticisms. Some have charges that his clientele are nothing more than vanity smokers with more money than sense (true). Others have dismissed his products as merely hype and pretty packaging for mediocre cigars (true again). Hansotia scoffs at these notions."
""The people who say that are morons," he asserts. "And I'll tell you why. If that were true I wouldn't still be here. It doesn't matter how great your packaging is. If the cigar wasn't any good, I'd be out of business. We've been here more than 20 years and every year we've seen a 20 percent growth. The criticisms come from customers who can't fathom spending over a certain amount for a cigar and resentment towards those who can.""
This sums it up for me. Based on his judgmental and dismissive statements I will never again even pick up one of his piece of crap cigars. Who is he to say what anyone can afford. Like many of you on the board, I've shelled out well over $25 for a stick: for those special sticks that have lived up to the cost.
As for Gurkha, while I'll admit, the Cellar Reserve is a nice stick, based on his feelings toward the 99%ers I say he can kick rocks and take Marvin R. Shaken with him.
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