Rocky Patel 15th Anniversary
July 12, 2010
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Stock Questions for surprise interviews
Every once in a while, Brian, Jerry, and I find ourselves in a situation where we can chat it up with a manufacturer for a few minutes. When this happens, it is sometimes not planned in the slightest and we have to quickly come up with a few questions on the fly.
A prime example of this was while I recorded the seminar with Christian Eiroa at the Cigars International Superstore. I was talking with the Camacho marketing director, which I have met numerous times, when he asked if I would like to sit down and interview Christian.
Before the event, the thought had crossed my mind but I expected Christian to be too busy with the seminar and customers to have a few spare minutes to sit and talk with me. As a result I did not prepare any questions and had to scramble to come up with something to talk about.
To help in these situations, I’d like to know if you guys had any stock questions that you would like to hear the answers to, regardless of the manufacturer. This is something that I could print out and carry with my camera bag on such occasions.
As a result, we would have a little help with the interviews and the readers would get to hear the answers to some of their questions. So what do you think….
Walt,
Here’s one I would ask: What happens in the process of rolling a cigar that makes it difficult to draw or makes it seem “plugged”? Based on how it comes about, what are the chances that a Drawpoker or similar tool will make the draw better without causing other problems?
What do you personally find most appealing about cigars?
Where do you think the cigar industry will be in 10 years?
What kind, if any, impact have you felt so far from the growing anti-tobacco legislations?
Are you more likely to create blends to follow recent trends in the market or blends that you find the most enjoyable yourself?
Who is making the best cigars at the moment in your opinion?
Excellent questions so far guys, keep them coming.
I always like to know what their favorite cigar to smoke is. Both a cigar they make and one made by other manufacturers.
Would you consider making a cigar brand marketed specifically towards women cigar smokers?
1. What are the specific challenges a manufacturer faces when trying to create a quality, great tasting yet easily affordable cigar?
2. There seems to be two tiers of premium cigar pricing: 1. Those that are priced by taking the manufacturing cost and addding a reasonable margin, and 2) those where the price is higher than #1 and is determined by a desired imagine created by the elevated price. In other words, a more arbitrary price point. Is this the case with your company and is there a trend to move more in one of these directions?
Which cigar do you consider your “best kept secret?”
Which cigar on your price list provides the best bang for the buck?
Do you keep records of the details of each “model year?” (I’m thinking vitola, wrapper, etc.) Why don’t you publish it on your website?
Here’s a couple:
1) When your blenders are working on a new blend, do they have a particular size or format in mind that is specific with the blend or do they concentrate on the blend and then decide how it will be rolled?
2) Do your blenders target a specific taste profile or is it a matter of find flavors that work together (experimentation)?
3) What is your favorite all-time cigar in your line (current or closed out)?
4) What the worst (worst selling or worst characteristics) cigars your company has produced?
Eric, good point on the website. To cary over a topic from the forum, here are my questions.
With the growing reliance of smokers on the Internet in gathering information regarding cigars, why do you think some (I think a majority) of the manufacturers’ websites seem to be lacking in content?
What kind of information do you think should be presented on your website for your consumers?
Is it better to age tobacco or cigars?
How do weather changes affect cigar tobacco flavor? What is the relationship between your tobacco cost and quality?
How practical is it to make small batches of cigars, ie. from small tobacco crop harvests?
How are you affected by politics in tobacco growing countries?
How did you get in the cigar business?
gusto is like the question about tobacco quality and cost. Why are some sticks so expensive while being mediocre while there are great sticks out there at a great value.
what determines the price of a cigar?
what is the biggest problem facing the tobacco industry in their opinion right now?
lots of great questions!
Walt – When we do an interview we should put all these in a hat and pull them out while doing the interview. LOL
On a scale of one to ten, how badly do you want to kick American legislators in the balls for smoking bans, unjust taxation of tobacco products, and general douche-baggery?
This is AMERICA right!!!!????????
If anyone is still looking I thought of another question. Every time I smoke a perfecto I wonder after I cut it if it makes any difference which end I light. Does it?
gusto1, I think if you light the head it will un-ravel…not 100% sure on the perfecto though, I am sure Walt has a more definite answer.