inconsistencies and quality control

[Kdot]

I purchased a cabinet of Juan Lopez 2's last month due to all the hype on this forum, smoked a couple and enjoyed them.

I returned to the afore mentioned box for one tonight and rather than go for the first puro sitting at the top, I decided to have a finger through them and select an extra special one. On this search for the perfect specimen I noticed one that had a few patches that were very green (think incredible hulk). It's not mold so i put it down to the chlorophyll in the leaf. I've never came across such a green stogie before

Upon further inspection It felt slightly lighter than its brethren. This now required a detailed investigation. Out came the kitchen scales. These were analogue scales, so proved nothing...

Next I noticed that this particular cigar was more squishy than than the rest. It was fairly loosely packed...hmm, green and loose.

The last inconsistency I noticed was the ring gauge. These are supposed to have a ring Gauge of 50, but this malnutritioned runt was slightly thinner than a Churchill, Gauge 47.

The point I'm making is surely this cigar should have never made it past quality control at the factory. It fails on a number points. We pay top dollar for these, albeit its not the most expensive cigar, but still consistency should be perfect IMO.

I understand these are hand made so no two will be the same and to expect slight variations, but never to this extent.

I chose not to smoke this, so cannot comment on taste but has anyone else came across this?

[Paulie]

Kdot,

Would it be at all possible to see a picture of said stick alongside a couple of good ones for comparison??

[cj121]

Yeah a pic would be good.

Sounds like it got past the QC, but like you say Kams, for the price these baby's dictate, not good enough.

Maybe boxes/cabs get the occassional top up with the odd inferior bugger (wash my mouth out)

Did you notice any more like the one you had issue with?

[MaledettoToscano]

That's a bugger KDot.

did the green patces look anything like the ones in the pictures shown here?

What really would bug me is the ring gauge. The green patches and weight variations shoudn't happen, but I can understand how they come to be during production.

But the cigars are pressed into moulds that should have the right ring gauge... unless they shrunk after that??

[Simon-JG-hr]

That sounds very poor Kdot.

It would be good to see a comparative pic, though I think your description paints the picture well enough anyway.

The one that got away? Still awful when you consider what we pay for cigars.

[daverave999]

I've had a noticeably thinner cigar in my box of RASS. Still tasted the same but still, a bit strange that it slipped through the QC. I'd smoke it, and let us know what you think.

[larrysputnik]

Did the vendor open the box prior to shipping? If so, that really should not have been sent out to you. I can understand a mistake at one inspection, but two is unacceptable.

Could it be that the vendor tossed in a couple fakes to make a few more bucks? That seems unlikely, but I guess you never know what some people might do.

If I were you I would put it up in a new thread titled "UKCF's Hall of Shame" and then raffle it off.

[TJCoro]

Shit Happens!

Senor KDot, I've seen this before in a box of Cohiba Robustos purchased at a LCdH in Mexico several years ago.

The sticks varied in color and girth, but smoked fine. Still, I wasn't happy with the box, so the owner of the LDdH took them back and returned them to the Mexican Distributor. He mentioned that this happens on rare occasions, but agreed that they never should have been released from the factory in such condition.

As another distributor of fine Habanos once told me after I noticed some inconsistencies in a box - "What do you expect??? It's a communist country and shit happens!"

TJ

[Kdot]

Did the vendor open the box prior to shipping? If so, that really should not have been sent out to you. I can understand a mistake at one inspection, but two is unacceptable.

Could it be that the vendor tossed in a couple fakes to make a few more bucks? That seems unlikely, but I guess you never know what some people might do.

If I were you I would put it up in a new thread titled "UKCF's Hall of Shame" and then raffle it off.

Doubt it's fakes. Its an H&F cabinet from Gibraltar that I purchased in person. It was sealed and I did have the shop keep open it so I could give it a quick once over. So my fault for not picking it up in the first instance.

I'd be pissed off if it was cohibas as mentioned in TJ's post, but doubt I'll make the trip to return it, though they do have a website so I could email them if I've got nothing better to do. However I did notice another stick that was also less packed than the rest...

I'll post pics so you can decide if I'm over reacting.

[Kdot]

Pics

As promised...

The pics show the green patches, the difference in ring gauge and the squishyness, to show how loose it is compared to a healthy specimen. (the last pic is me squeezing the good one)

[Simon-JG-hr]

Bloody hell! That's awful! I can't squeeze a toothpaste tube that much! (Must go back to gym... ).

[Simon-JG-hr]

PS. As I understand it, all H&F distributed cigars are opened for quality control prior to distribution, so I'd be a little suspect if they were sealed (unless they had a second seal...)

[Kdot]

PS. As I understand it, all H&F distributed cigars are opened for quality control prior to distribution, so I'd be a little suspect if they were sealed (unless they had a second seal...)

Are you 100% about that Si? As I bought 3 sealed boxes from the same vendor, with no second seal. They are Gibraltars main retailer and I got a recommendation from a fellow BOTL...They all have the H&F sticker with a serial number, i could email H&F to verify i guess. All cigars taste genuine.

[Jimmeh]

Are you 100% about that Si? As I bought 3 sealed boxes from the same vendor, with no second seal. They are Gibraltars main retailer and I got a recommendation from a fellow BOTL...They all have the H&F sticker with a serial number, i could email H&F to verify i guess. All cigars taste genuine.

I also believe this is the case- but this is in the UK - i have no idea for Gib!

[Simon-JG-hr]

Kdot - you might be right about there being a slightly different process for those boxes which H&F distribute to Gibralter. I might email them myself to find out.