Firecrackers

[Marc L]

I can hardy wait to get some LFD Firecrackers. On Saturday I thought they where coming in next week and, my need to have the Exceptional Premium Wheel 
in my cart was to great at that time. I didn't want to wait so, I will leave the Firecrackers in the cart for next weeks delivery. I'm glad now knowing I'll have the wheel tomorrow.

I would like to know about the alleged bait and switch.

As I recall from a Cigar Authority ustream broadcast lost in history, when the Don Pepin Garcia came out with the blue label blend, Dave had conceptualized the Firecracker vitola. A 3.25 X 50 parejo with a tailed cap that would run the full length of the cigar.
Dave desired the Blue Label blend for this cigar for 2 guys exclusively. Pepin had an initial production for Dave. Then, Pepin added it to his Blue Label line up never making more for 2 guys.

So it seems Pepin took Dave's idea and ran with it leaving 2 guys in the dust.

[Marc L]

"Monday, March 12, 2012 @ www.cigar-coop.com/-dpg-blue

Don Pepin Garcia Blue Label Firecracker

In the past year, the Garcia family has been promoting many retailer exclusive cigar blends and vitolas under the My Father Cigars brand. Retail exclusive cigars are nothing new to the Garcias and in particular Don Pepin Garcia. A few years ago, under the Don Pepin Garcia brand, a retail exclusive cigar was provided to Two Guys Cigar Shop in New Hampshire. This cigar was a special vitola of the popular Don Pepin Garcia Blue Label and is called the Firecracker. From it's appearance, it looks more like a M80 - complete with a fuse. In addition, when examining this cigar, it appears to be more like a 1/2 size cigar - which it basicaly is. This little cigar delivers a powerful bunch and provides some very nice flavors making for a nice smoking experience in a short amount of time.

The Don Pepin Garcia Blue Label series comes from Garcia's original company, El Rey de los Habanos. It was originally made at the factory in Miami bearing that company's name and then production was shifted to Tabaclaera Cubanas S.A. in Esteli, Nicaragua. The Blue Label series has produced one other retail exclusive vitola, a special lancero (for Puff n Stuff in Georgia). The Firecracker is a unique vitola in terms of the porfolio of cigars offered by the Garcia family (El Rey de los Habanos and My Father Cigars). Measuring three inches in length, it is definitely one of the shortest cigars I have seeen with a 50 ring gauge vitola.

Let's take a closer look at this cigar and see how it breaks down. I will disclaim that this assessment is based on a single smoke of the Don Pepin Blue Label Firecracker."

[Marc L]

Is this how roomers get started?

"Will do.......I found out from Kevin the Firecrackers are Victor Sinclair."

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[barry2guys]

So the story goes like this...

The Firecracker was the first cigar with a Fuse and there was plans to come out with various forms of the cigar. Pepin then made La Bomba which had a fuse and it turned into a little how do you do. So when the original firecracker sold out, it was time to make them again. Dave went to another factory, and changed the band up. All references to Pepin were removed. Now you can make an argument people didn't read the band and that the description no longer mentioned Pepin. Or you can argue that it wasn't put in bold "THESE ARE NO LONGER MADE BY PEPIN".

Long story short, this years limited edition Firecracker was made by LFD. Next year we might make them at another factory.

So thats the story behind the the Firecracker.

It was truly never the intention to mislead people and for those who felt 2 Guys did, I personally extend an apology.

[Marc L]

Thanks Barry. were you able to get the video connection with Rudy strait?
If not, I am wiling to work it out with you if you like.

[barry2guys]

He's going to be at a hotel on Saturday.. so we will test it then.

[Marc L]

Sounds good. I didn't know what to think yesterday when you invited me in.

[StogieNinja]

Now you can make an argument people didn't read the band and that the description no longer mentioned Pepin. Or you can argue that it wasn't put in bold "THESE ARE NO LONGER MADE BY PEPIN".

Or you could argue that using the phrase "Often imitated, never duplicated" as a headline was incredibly misleading, especially since the new Sinclair version actually was an imitation.

Or you could argue that using the phrase "The factory said I was "loco"" and never mentioning that any other factory was involved at any point implied that "the factory" hadn't changed.

Or you could argue that 2 Guys could have tried to change the look somehow (for example, changing any of the three colors on the band), instead of trying to mimic the DPG version as closely as possible.

Or you could argue that instead of just saying "This year we made a very limited amounts of a Maduro version" in the copy (making it sound like that was the only change) 2 Guys could have said "We moved factories this year, and are now making both a new Firecracker and a new maduro Firecracker."

You could argue any of those things, instead of just clinging to "we didn't use Pepin's name in the copy."


Now, all that being said...

It was truly never the intention to mislead people and for those who felt 2 Guys did, I personally extend an apology.

Barry, I have a lot of opinions about some of the things that have come from 2Guys/CigarAuthority, but I'm also of the opinion that a genuine apology goes a long way. This is the first of any kind of apology I've seen regarding the whole debacle, and I appreciate it.

[barry2guys]

Barry, I have a lot of opinions about some of the things that have come from 2Guys/CigarAuthority, but I'm also of the opinion that a genuine apology goes a long way. This is the first of any kind of apology I've seen regarding the whole debacle, and I appreciate it.

I'll be the first person to admit some of the stuff to come out of Mr. Jonathans mouth is asinine, but I will also tell you Dave is one of the most genuine people I ever met and easily hands down the greatest boss I ever had the privilege of working for. Things are changing here for the better but please don't lump the actions of one and the words to come out of his mouth as the gospel.

I've been around forums since 2007 or so, and all I ask is you judge me for who I am and then if I earn your trust, that maybe you give to thecigarauthority.com and/or 2 guys. With me, WYSIWYG (What You See Is What You Get).

See you around the forums, and maybe one day lighting one up with you.

[StogieNinja]

Fair enough, Barry. I do appreciate your candidness, and I'll look forward to seeing you around.