Am I Doing the Math Right?!

[pcfdave]

Title edited for caps. Please read Rule 9! -jpm

Got to thinking the about all of these limited releases of tobacco. I usually track with Ken Byron Ventures limited stuff of which seem to be in batches of 4-10 pounds. I got to thinking about C&D’s limited releases and them stamping it X/5000 so I divided that by 8 and got 625 pounds. Is this right! I can’t imagine that much tobacco for just one blend. Given how much C&D releases in their line it’s got to be tobacco in the 1k’s. Am I thinking this out right?! Any insight is much appreciated. Cheers!

 

[kcghost]

I am trying to find a problem here and I see none.

 

[mso489]

I'm not trying to follow your computations in particular, but considering the customer base and the investment involved in the tobacco, staff, and equipment, 625 pounds doesn't sound like an unimaginable amount.

Not exactly the same subject, but along these lines, I've seen photographs of mountains of discarded cell phones, probably weighing tons. A lot are made to make a lot of money.

 

[kschatey]

Got to thinking the about all of these limited releases of tobacco. I usually track with Ken Byron Ventures limited stuff of which seem to be in batches of 4-10 pounds. I got to thinking about C&D’s limited releases and them stamping it X/5000 so I divided that by 8 and got 625 pounds. Is this right! I can’t imagine that much tobacco for just one blend. Given how much C&D releases in their line it’s got to be tobacco in the 1k’s. Am I thinking this out right?! Any insight is much appreciated. Cheers!

Some C&D Small Batch blends are 15,000 tins. Does it really matter though? It's just a marketing name for a limited run that may never be reproduced. The amount is typically limited by the available component tobaccos. In the end, who cares if it's a boutique blend of 4 lbs or a limited batch of 1000 lbs or even nearly a ton? Buy it if you want some, or not. Somebody else is likely in line behind you any way. Just enjoy what you want to enjoy whether it's a limited release or available in nearly unlimited amounts.

Do C&D, just think about how much tobacco they process in a year and then compare that to the amounts for their limited releases. I don't know the actual numbers, but the small batches probably constitute low single digit percentage of overall production for the year if not less.

 

[pcfdave]

Yeah I am not equating scarcity as quality but just amazed at how much tobacco we are talking about and how much a company like C&D would have on hand to make all their blends. Kinda blows my imagination.

 

[Jimmy_Jack]

Yeah I am not equating scarcity as quality but just amazed at how much tobacco we are talking about and how much a company like C&D would have on hand to make all their blends. Kinda blows my imagination.

You need to watch some of their videos on YT. They have huge boxes of tobacco that they go through. Like 5ftx5ftx5ft

 

[verporchting]

I was told there would be no math.

 

[kschatey]

Yeah I am not equating scarcity as quality but just amazed at how much tobacco we are talking about and how much a company like C&D would have on hand to make all their blends. Kinda blows my imagination.

Just think about even bigger producers such as MacBaren. They have warehouses full of tobacco on hand to use int their various products

 

[The Amish Tyrant]

Watch City Cigars releases Rouxgaroux twice a year.

Upon the good source of @sablebrush52 , they process it by hand and made 500 pounds for the Fall 2021 release.

I could be mistaken, but they only have the head blender, Ernie Q., and maybe 2 staff.

 

[btp79]

So this is where all the fine leaf for Cap'n Black Grape got re-allocated to

 

[Jimmy_Jack]

Watch City Cigars releases Rouxgaroux twice a year.

Upon the good source of @sablebrush52 , they process it by hand and made 500 pounds for the Fall 2021 release.

I could be mistaken, but they only have the head blender, Ernie Q., and maybe 2 staff.

I’d volunteer to help. Can’t imagine the knowledge gained from doing that. Plus it’s a great blend.

 

[sablebrush52]

Watch City Cigars releases Rouxgaroux twice a year.

Upon the good source of @sablebrush52 , they process it by hand and made 500 pounds for the Fall 2021 release.

I could be mistaken, but they only have the head blender, Ernie Q., and maybe 2 staff.

I understand it to be Ernie and one other guy, but I've never been to the store.

 

[sablebrush52]

Got to thinking the about all of these limited releases of tobacco. I usually track with Ken Byron Ventures limited stuff of which seem to be in batches of 4-10 pounds. I got to thinking about C&D’s limited releases and them stamping it X/5000 so I divided that by 8 and got 625 pounds. Is this right! I can’t imagine that much tobacco for just one blend. Given how much C&D releases in their line it’s got to be tobacco in the 1k’s. Am I thinking this out right?! Any insight is much appreciated. Cheers!

I think that you're underestimating the size of the KBV micro batches. Endless Void, which was a really small one, was about 33 lbs. Small batches are whatever the blender claims that they are. 625 lbs isn't a large amount. A normal release might be 5,000 units and up.

 

[The Amish Tyrant]

I understand it to be Ernie and one other guy, but I've never been to the store.

Thank you for clarifying.

I heard WCC had at least 1 other person and wasn't sure if the wife (or another) was involved too (especially around the special release dates).

Regardless, it's a small operation with big time products.

Persian Slipper and Deluxe Crumb Cut were game changers for me. I'm working my way through the rest of WCC's bar.

 

[jpberg]

WCC limited releases are basically Ernie, with a little help here and there.
5-600 pounds is a major undertaking, but was done based on demand from the last release.

 

[pcfdave]

I think that you're underestimating the size of the KBV micro batches. Endless Void, which was a really small one, was about 33 lbs. Small batches are whatever the blender claims that they are. 625 lbs isn't a large amount. A normal release might be 5,000 units and up.

I only reflected on this when a recent release of "Your Welcome" he posted only having 120 bags (2oz). I may be reading what he meant wrong, hearing other people's insight through is enlightening. Been to distilleries and breweries but yet to a tobacco mixing plant. Would be an awesome tour to take if they ever offered it. Cheers

 

[Streeper541]

625 lbs isn't that much unless you're trying to qualify for a spot on a Discovery channel reality show... then you'll need more.

Just appreciate it, don't over think it.

 

[Mopiper]

I dont chase small batch stuff. To many other readily available great blends out there.

 

[swilford]

Do C&D, just think about how much tobacco they process in a year and then compare that to the amounts for their limited releases. I don't know the actual numbers, but the small batches probably constitute low single digit percentage of overall production for the year if not less.

Yes, low single digits is right. And C&D is small by tobacco factory standards. And pipe tobacco factories are all tiny by big factory standards.

Industrial scales are mind-boggling sometimes, particularly for fairly inexpensive consumables. I was reading about the Jiffy mix factory (my kid likes the blueberry muffins and we were briefly curious one Saturday morning) and they--in one plant in Michigan--make something like 600 million boxes of Jiffy mix a year. That's about 145,000 metric tons of mix a year.

So, yeah, 625lbs (or 1,875lbs for the largest Small Batch we've ever done)? Not huge by any factory standard, unless you're talking precious metals.

Sykes

 

[DanWil84]

Allthough the comparison might sound crooked, but if you think for a small batch is that a lot of tobacco, watch a warehouse from other tobacco companies like mentioned Macbarren. They have a few videos on YouTube where Per Jenssen explained about tobacco. He showed big bags on pallets and those pallets where stacked in the background.

Now C&D is in volume not as large as MB, but I really don't think the amounts for small badges are that large. Just imagine the amount of "over the counter" blends C&D has, mainstays like Haunted Bookshop or Pegasus (which was to my memory their best sold blend the past years), I think smallbadge blends turn pale in amount of tobacco.