So I stopped into a B&M that's just blocks away from where I work a couple a days a week. They carry Tatuaje and the Hemmingway Work of Art, so I figured I'd poke in, ask about Wolfman, see if they have Tatuaje Black, and maybe pick up a short story and Work of Art.
While I was poking around there, I saw they had some Opus X Lost City. Expensive, but it's nice to know they were there...so I open up the tubo, only to find it spotted with mold. I tried to brush it off to see if it was just "bloom" from the oils, and no, it was a white mold. I found several other sticks around there looking the same way. That's disappointing, especially on such nice sticks..
So on my way out, I'm asking about Tatuaje stuff, and was flat out told that nobody really wants the Wolfman stuff, so he didn't even bother asking for it. As he's telling me this, he's "repairing" several sticks that clearly have beetle holes in them, by gluing bits of wrapper over the holes using a typical vegi glue used on cigar bands.
So I inquire, "these aren't for sale, are they?". He says "No, I'm repairing these for a customer". Then I'm like, "but they have beetles", and he says, "all cigars have beetles, you've probably been smoking them for years". I say "any cigar can have beetle's eggs, but if they hatch, you're smoking beetle crap!" and he pauses...shrugs and says "more protein".
So, this reputable local shop, I think just lost my business.
