[markem]

I agree with the Rev regarding some of the traits of the expansion and contraction of the market for new cigar offerings. I've been smoking cigars since I was a junior in high school (and coincidentally simultaneously a freshman in college), which makes it late in '76 when I started.

It is possible that the current trend of more marcas and vitolas as well as the trend towards special releases is short term (few years), but it is also possible that it is here to stay. I am tending to believe that it (the trend of more marca and vitolas) is here to stay since the economy and product availability that we see today is substantially more global than in the 80s. The idea of a boutique cigar being able to pop up and be profitable for a few years and then disappear is a very real business model now, one that I don't think existed in the 80s. Certainly there was very little ability for there to be an "Internet buzz" (NSFNet buzz back then) in the 80s to drive the interest in marcas that come and go.

Now, I do believe that there will be a trend for cigar companies to come and go quite quickly but that there will continue to be relatively few players behind all this change. The idea of being in on the next great smoke seems to drive many in our hobby regardless as to whether or not the next great smoke is merely a rebanding or rerolled version of last year's hot stick.

I think I'll haul this topic to the cigar bar this afternoon for some conversation in between US Open banter.