Archive for September, 2010

Autumn Cigars

Tuesday, September 7th, 2010

818539_a_smokers_tool_11Tastes and smells, sights and sounds… they all shout of autumn and become the focus of cigar mixtures being designed to recreate the essence of autumn. Does the cigar manufacturing industry in general consider seasonal products this seriously in designing, manufacturing and marketing the best autumn cigars? Do smokers respond to the marketing as they seek to choose the best autumn cigars?

The sale of rum seems to increase in late summer and autumn, and since cigars are products of the same region that produces rum, would one assume there is a natural connection there? With the right marketing, it might be equally natural to promote a robust smoke with some reference to its natural partner, rum. The next time you choose the best autumn cigars, will you, as a cigar smoker, consider combining your favorite rum-based beverage with a cigar choice that would compliment those flavors?

When selecting the best autumn cigars, you may run into a conflict between choosing what is seasonally popular and available and being loyal to a certain brand. Some cigar smokers will drive miles out of their way to maintain that brand loyalty, but what might happen when, in the face of extreme marketing, they are offered the opportunity to choose the best autumn cigars, perhaps something new - promising a totally different experience on a cool, adventurous autumn night? What about you?

Smoking in Autumn

Tuesday, September 7th, 2010

1294194_indian_summerWe know from the Bible, in Ecclesiastes 3:1 that to everything there is a season… is that true in selecting the best autumn cigars? If so, how do manufacturers and marketers address the seasonal needs of smokers? Does a cigar lover gauge a cigar by their immediate attraction through that first taste or smell, or perhaps the appeal of the packaging?

The whole idea of knowing how to choose the best autumn cigars makes one ponder what thoughts go into marketing cigars to sell in the autumn. Does the marketing message have to appeal to a larger demographic because of the season, or to a smaller one based on shapes, size, and flavor, or a loyal younger, hip group of cigar smokers?

Is a smoker, wanting to choose the best autumn cigars going to be looking for a specific fall-induced flavor? Autumn conjures up thoughts of licorice, and leather and spice, perhaps driving buyers to select the best autumn cigars that match those thoughts. The best autumn cigars may come at a price point that serves a limited market, and changing flavors may not appeal to diverse tastes. Sweetness, balanced strength, Cuban brands or Dominican blends… what considerations go into making the best autumn cigars? Do the best autumn cigars draw out fans of woody, musky bold flavors?

It is easy to think of apples and cinnamon flavors that instill memories of fall… the warm autumn sun falls upon the face looking to vibrant crimson and amber hues, as leaves trickle to the ground, and the sound of laughter break the silence, as children play hide and seek in the trees.