Cigar Review Index posted on January 9th, 2009
Ask The Readers: Tatuaje Monster Series
Over the weekend, the Unlucky 13 retailer list that will carry an allotment of the dress box of the The Wolfman was released on the Saints and Sinners forums with several blogs publishing the list a few days later. Just like it does every year, it causes a firestorm of reaction amongst the cigar community, Tatuaje lovers and retailers. Last I heard, all of the Unlucky 13 retailers have all their dress boxes spoken for with many having an ever growing wait list. Why do people get upset? There are many reasons, though I suspect the primary reason is that most want the dress boxes. Those who have dress boxes from the previous releases of the Tatuaje Monster Series want to continue the trend. These collectors get upset that they can’t continue to collect these dress boxes if one of their local retailers are not on the list of the Unlucky 13. Here are a couple of tweets that Pete Johnson posted on Twitter.
So whats the solution? Ending the Monster Series would be a bit of an extreme right? Do you do away with the dress box altogether? Do you do the entire release in dress boxes? I don’t think Pete’s solution of creating two different dress boxes is the answer. I think that would just compound the problem as collectors would then want to hunt down both versions. There probably isn’t a perfect solution.
Personally, my solution would be retailers get bundled or regular boxes of the Monster Series with empty dress boxes available for sale to members of Saints and Sinners. Again, not a perfect solution but at least the money from Saints and Sinner memberships and possibly dress box sales would go to charity and another benefit of being a member of Saints and Sinners. As a member myself, it sucks that I pay a premium but have no advantage in any aspect of the Monster Series.
Flood the market with boxes, keep the cigar allotment the same.
I think if it isn’t fun for him anymore then he shouldn’t do it anymore. And yea it’s cool that some people collect the boxes, but i collect cigars.
If it isn’t fun for him anymore, he should stop doing it. I have tried in the passed to get my hands on the cigars/boxes. With zero luck, it was frustrating to the point I won’t even try to get them anymore.
The curse of success?
Exactly. It’s kind of a “be careful what you wish for” type of thing. I agree with Pete that the cigar should be the focus rather than the collectible (or investment) factor, but he is the one in control, after all.
Maybe auction the boxes? With profits going to Pete’s preferred charities?
I understand the desire to collect the dress box. I want one to add to my display but also because of the extra 3 cigars. I am relatively new to tatuaje & largely because my “local” was one of the 13 last year. I wasn’t aware of the monsters until they mad the 2010 list. I got a dress box last year so I could have the largest allotment of cigars. Then as the year went on I acquired an empty box of each of the drac & the frank. So, the dress boxes are going to be available in time. For now, give me the cigars!
Not really bothered to be honest.
The misguided sense of priorities people seem to have these days truly frustrates me.
This is JUST the BUZZ Pete is looking for. Very smart. The Monster Series is like Cigar crack and my hat is off to Pete for creating a very rare yearly BUZZ in the industry. …..
I think Jerry said he has a box for ALL of us …right Jer ??
Keep up the great work SR
Pete,
Don’t change a thing…it is what it is. Trick or Treat. As a retailer I would love to be one of the unlucky 13. This is not a cigar for the masses. It’s fow the unlucky few that are willing to go the extra distance for a cigar. Keep it real, keep it fun.
Also on a side note…I think that twitter is as much use to the cigar industry as Simon Cowell is to Gustav Mahler.
I’ll stick with Tatuaje brown labels. I’ve never had any problem finding a box. As for the box, anything that fits in a wood burning stove once emptied is fine by me.
I’m a collector of things, Baseball cards, Masonic Reglia, and I’m slowly getting into cigar Collecting although thats proving harder then I thought it would be. I totally understand the need for the dress box by collectors and the thrill of the hunt keeping the whole collection in your grasps. I guess what I don’t understand is the whole mistique behind Tatuaje and to be totally fair its probably because I can’t find them locally, and their prices are just out of my range. I have had the chance to smoke 2 different types of Tats, and they were great, no questions, now they werent the Monster series so I can’t judge on how those are, but I’m assuming the box and the very limited series makes them better then they are and more of a collectible then a smoke. What I do know if you have a limited amount of things in a nice neat box that changes yearly they will be gone before you can blink. Its a lot like Anchor Steam Beer every year they release a Holiday Blend that changes and their Label Changes, its such a big seller in the bar and beer stores thats its hard to find just do to the Anchor Fans will buy it cause its a yearly release and hard to find. Good luck to those who collect the Monster Series, as a collector or things I wish you the best of luck.
The box has nothing to do with the flavor of the cigar. I understand that people want to collect the coffin. I’m a collector also and want things just like this but don’t always get them. My black iPod works the same as the limited edition red one but I could find the red one.
The SnS club is not a guarantee for members to get Monster boxes. It is meant to give you members a heads up on when all new product is being launched so you can get a jump start before the masses. Your premium Jerry paid for the club kit and the forum and soon you will see more benefits but it has nothing to do with the monster. There is no easy way to get members of the club a guarantee without upsetting a large group of retailers.
Will I change the plan. Not sure but appreciate the feedback everyone. Thanks Jerry.
Pete
Things seem to be working just fine the way they are…the unique nature of the series makes them a desired commodity. With success comes criticism, some will be constructive some will not. In the end some of us are cigar smokers and not collectors and if we get the opportunity to enjoy a rare cigar, great, if not there is always next time.
Rabid collectors really make a mess of fun stuff. Collecting is like a disease, many collectors don’t even really like what they are collecting but they are intense about having a complete set. In this case it should be about the smokes, the relaxation and comraderie that comes with them. This shouldn’t be about collecting at all.
Drop the boxes altogether.
Personally, I couldn’t care less what happens. I don’t get why people can get worked into such a frenzy over cigars. There is much more to life…
There is no way from a business standpoint Pete could release to SnS members early without really pissing off all his retailers. I am a SnS member (Tom D) and completely understand why we dont get first dibs. The fact we got advanced notice is more than fair.
That being said if Pete were to hook me up with a dress box I would hapilly carry his spit bucket at the winerery crawl in Jan….
(for some reason this didn’t post, but I’ll try again)
First off, MOST people only care about the cigars. It’s just the weird collector types (of which I am one) who go into a frenzy over things like this. Since there are an abnormally high # of collectors on cigar forums (because we’re crazy cigar freaks), I think that blows the “madness” of all this way out of proportion. To most people, the cigar is all that matters. Obviously, Saints and Sinners will have the highest % of Tat collector freaks, and therefore the most pissing and moaning … simple math.
I think there are in-forum things that could be improved at S&S, and made those suggestions on the thread. But it’s a new forum, so things can be forgiven. As to the future, I have several thoughts on the release. Keep in mind that it’s my firm belief that only the collector types really care about the dress boxes!
Solutions:
There are a couple of possibilities as I see it.
1) Run things exactly as they are now, but also offer to sell empty un-numbered dress boxes to S&S members. Since this would NOT be the sale of a tobacco product, just a wooden box, it should be easy enough to do through the website. [THIS IS MY FIRST CHOICE]
2) Release only plain boxes, period. Sell the empty coffins to S&S members on the forum, and also put a certain number of “Golden Tickets” into the plain boxes (maybe 666). These tickets are redeemable for a free empty coffin.
3) Instead of sending 1-3 dress boxes to each Tatuaje account, instead send the dress boxes ONLY to the “13.” However, 15 or so of these boxes (per shop) would be earmarked “For phone/internet orders only.”
4) If the #3 above would work, they could designate 1-3 of the “13″ to be specifically for “Phone/internet orders only” rather than forcing all of them do do a certain number.
For me it’s about the cigars not a limited box
Cigars not boxes. Simple as that. If not getting a box is your biggest problem, life must be pretty good.
I agree it’s about the cigars. The whole idea of collecting is sometimes the items you collect are tough to get and in limited supply. If you don’t get one stop the whining and get the hell over it. Sorry guys but this is much ado about nothing. Just keep giving us great smoke Pete!
They are just silly boxes. All these “collectors” need to get over it. The boxes have NO value. Smoke the cigars and quit whining. Jeeeez. What a joke.
Send all coffins to me and I will put a video up on YouTube with me burning all the boxes for all the hoarders to cry over. It’s a fucken box people, get over it.
I am an sns member. I will be getting whatever I can find and will not be crushed if I cannot find the dress box.
However, I really have to disagree with Pete’s response. He can’t have it both ways. He creates phenomenal packaging that adds to the hype and allure of his cigars, especially so with the Monster Series. Those creative elements have elevated his cigars and have helped build his brand and his loyal customers. If those cool elements can’t be delivered to people who were drawn in by the packaging/marketing, he will have to contend with negative reactions.
As customers, we can’t help but feel that we’re getting “less-than” when we have to settle for an item devoid of the cool elements that helped build our interest in the product in the first place.
Very well stated, Ron.
There isn’t a perfect solution to the Monster series phenonomen and I think Pete shouldn’t agonize over the success of his project. The current system is working and the increased non-dressed boxes is a good alternative.
Collectors will find them and those that can’t will need to seek them out.
PJ’s success of the Monster series has allowed the proliferation of other cigar makers to create their own LE series and in the end is good for the industry to discuss the merits and pitfalls of these offerings.
BTW, I can’t wait to try one of these gems before the holiday and smoke it while I trick or treat with my 4th grade son.
Happy Halloween.