Are Limited and Reserve Labels Accurate?
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I think it depends on the brand and blend to some extent. The Plum Pudding Special Reserve seems to be available pretty much all the time.
The ones they call "small batch" are limited and often come with a number on the can indicating the total made for a year and that cans place in the production (or at least the labeling). Some of those are only released once per year, as we are seeing with the holiday blends, Eight State Burley, Carolina Red Flakee, etc. Others are one-offs like the C&D Anthology.
There are also brands like Gawith Hoggarth, Samuel Gawith, and others that sell out of certain blends so fast it feels like they are limited edition.
The ones they call "small batch" are limited and often come with a number on the can indicating the total made for a year and that cans place in the production (or at least the labeling). Some of those are only released once per year, as we are seeing with the holiday blends, Eight State Burley, Carolina Red Flakee, etc. Others are one-offs like the C&D Anthology.
There are also brands like Gawith Hoggarth, Samuel Gawith, and others that sell out of certain blends so fast it feels like they are limited edition.
If you notice, since C&D started with the small batches, their total tin production per small batch blend has really increased each year- doubled and even tripled in some cases.
Even Sam Gawith has done "Limited Run" blends, usually for pipe clubs like the London Pipe Club. The Aged Limited FVF was/is spectacular.
Reserve doesn't mean much. Usually refer to jacked up price for whatever was done to it. Limited release means just that. Released for limited time even if it get released again next year.
I'm somewhat reserved about limited releases.
Unless I'm misinformed, Plum.Pudding Special Reserve has some higher quality leaf than the standard PP. They're certainly different and I prefer the Special Reserve by a good margin. I don't recall seeing anything about limited quantities.
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I’d say limited refers to quantity and reserved to quality. If seating is limited their are less chairs, if seating is reserved it usually the good seats.
I guess it comes down to questions of scale.
It you're a corporation trying to pass itself off as a sort of mom and pop operation, your view of "reserve" "small batch" or "limited run" might scale a bit differently. KBV puts out small batches and limited runs all the time and they're maybe 30 to 100 lbs of product created by a unique and temporary collision of ingredients. Other corporate "small batch" run from 1,500 to 20,000 units. For them it's a small batch. For Mom and Pop it's a significant part of their overall income and up to 20 times what they would consider a small batch.
It you're a corporation trying to pass itself off as a sort of mom and pop operation, your view of "reserve" "small batch" or "limited run" might scale a bit differently. KBV puts out small batches and limited runs all the time and they're maybe 30 to 100 lbs of product created by a unique and temporary collision of ingredients. Other corporate "small batch" run from 1,500 to 20,000 units. For them it's a small batch. For Mom and Pop it's a significant part of their overall income and up to 20 times what they would consider a small batch.
That’s a great point, thank you. Would you have other suggestions for shops to keep an eye on for more limited items such as your KBV comparison.
Watch City Cigar has some really excellent limited run releases, like Glass Slipper, Rogauraux, and Old Dominion 25th Anniversary.
Everything is limited.
But mostly, this is a gimmick that draws in suckers. A continuing, unending parade of “limited” products just encourages the OCD types to pay more per ounce. Is it worth it? It’s your money, you be the judge.
But mostly, this is a gimmick that draws in suckers. A continuing, unending parade of “limited” products just encourages the OCD types to pay more per ounce. Is it worth it? It’s your money, you be the judge.
And, encourages the, 10 year old 8 ounce bag of Estotrica, selling for $500 BS! LOL
It’s just sad...
it is what it is. If you're like me it only holds limited appeal but I love that as a pipe smoker I get so much choice. I can smoke the same thing everyday or I could probably try a new blend daily for a long long time. That's awesome I'd rather be spoiled with choice and options I don't care for then to have two blends to choose from. I get not wanting this blends but to be upset almost implies that by offering these choices that people clearly want, that the people making them are pulling one over on us. But at the end of the day I'd rather have the choice to buy a blend that can't for whatever reason be regularly commercially available. Only some farms grow the tobacco there is only so much demand or it's aged extra long (which taxes the suppliers limited storage space, you space that they not only have to pay for but that could be used for something that can be moved out of their space quicker.).
I think you must have a hammer, cause I think you hit the nail on the head.
Both terms are meaningless unless defined and delineated. And isn’t an unending stream of “limited” products the very definition of “unlimited”? It reminds of Hummels and The Franklin Mint. Are you buying the steak, or the sizzle?
i mean i have never bought a limited blend but even if they have a new one on offer as long as the last one is different it seems limited to me. and while not interested i don't get made that they offered something there is a clear demand for. kinda like how there are a few blends i don't like but i don't get mad over capin black being constantly available ane unchanged
It's kind of like the federal reserve...it's not really federal and it has no reserves. They come up with some great terms too, like quantitative easing and quantitative tightening...we could probably figure out a way to apply those to the tobacco market.
Oh, and they also have unlimited zeros on their keyboards.
Oh, and they also have unlimited zeros on their keyboards.
I’m not mad. On the contrary, I’m amused. And impressed with their marketing. A tobacco company’s job is to sell as much tobacco as possible, at as high a price possible, not to create new and unique blends. Creating “limited” and “reserve” blends is a marketing tool that they use to sell smaller product runs at higher prices. The inverse tool is selling high volume blends at lower prices. If tobacco companies could get away with just manufacturing one product, and selling the bejeezus out of it, they would!