Holt's announces Padilla's demise?

[ironpeddler]

On behalf of Holt's, I want to issue an apology to Ernesto Padilla and Padilla Cigars for the tenor of recent comments in our Father's Day 2008 Catalog. The tone of these comments and the copy in question steps over the line of good taste. I assume personal responsibility as part of my role at Holt's is to approve final copy, and in the rush of going to press, this one slipped past me. For over 100 years, Holt's name has been synonymous with high-quality products, premier customer service and a respect for our customers and our industry and this copy does not comport with those high standards.

Sincerely,
Sathya Levin
Holt's Cigar Company

Sounds like Roger Clemens...without the 'taking personal responsibility' part..... :laugh:

But by the same token, the man did apologize and I would think has learned a valuable lesson....don't try to be cute at other people's expense....especially with their livelihood.

He knew what he did and got caught doing it....'nough said.

The Decency Police are at work at CP, it's refreshing to see quite frankly.

 

[tigger]

Holt's has made a stupid, hurtful, and careless blunder, but let's not drag anyone else down with them. Fuente and the Levins(Holts) are partnered in a few ventures like Ashton cigars and Casa Fuente, but I have never heard or read that the Levins represent the Fuentes in any manner. They are seperate entities and AFAIK, these statements have nothing to do with Fuente.

My recollection is that the Fuentes helped take Holt's private in the early part of this decade. It's possible that the Levins bought them out at some point, but I'm not aware of that happening.

 

[Mark Twain]

Onesock posted this over at CF. Linky

When Pepin Garcia came to the United States, he had nothing and might as well have been "Don Nobody". A mutual friend in the industry, Paul Palmer from Tabacalera Tropical introduced us. I was asked to buy cigars from Pepin to help him out. Pepin came to Philadelphia, sat on my floor, and rolled cigars on a stool so we could sample blends. I would bring back great duty-free scotch from trips and we would drink the bottle in his small office in Miami. I considered him a friend and his cigars were fantastic. I loved one of the blends Pepin made and he started to sell them to me for my personal use.

Around 2005, Pepin began to make a brand for us exclusively called Rey Miguel. I think it's one of the best cigars in the world. We began spreading the word of this terrific cigar maker along with a select few others who were with Pepin since his early days here in the U.S. Pepin became an overnight sensation and his cigars and popularity have reached unprecedented levels.

As a thank you, in March I received a very sad phone call. A man I've never met, John Gonzales, who has some kind of title in Pepin's organization informed me that Pepin's factory would no longer make cigars for me or make the Rey Miguel. I was and still am upset as I considered Pepin a friend. I was blown off.

Enjoy these cigars at rock bottom prices as I no longer wish to help my former friend. I hope that one day soon our relationship can be reconciled. As my good friend Jose Blanco once said to me. " Never forget who brought you to the big dance because just as fast as they built you up..."

It looks like some companies are taking business dealings which should be left behind the scenes to a personal level that involve public statements. First it was Padilla, now it’s Pepin, how many manufacturers are involved?

Just so it's clear, this text has nothing to do with Holt's, but is from Black Cat Cigars.

While it strikes me as somewhat disloyal of DPG to stop making cigars for folks who helped him become who he is today, what Holt's did in their catalog is far, far worse.

I don't disagree with you. But it's the personal nature of the public statements that strikes me. I don't know why Pepin stopped making cigars for Black Cat Cigars. I have a feeling that loyalty wasn't the issue since Pepin is cutting most of house blends for several companies. We've discussed the insane number of Pepin blends before. I'm not surprised to see him cutting some blends. I've just never seen a company use this as part of their sales ad to move product.

 

[tone-ny]

Holt's has made a stupid, hurtful, and careless blunder, but let's not drag anyone else down with them. Fuente and the Levins(Holts) are partnered in a few ventures like Ashton cigars and Casa Fuente, but I have never heard or read that the Levins represent the Fuentes in any manner. They are seperate entities and AFAIK, these statements have nothing to do with Fuente.

My recollection is that the Fuentes helped take Holt's private in the early part of this decade. It's possible that the Levins bought them out at some point, but I'm not aware of that happening.

I'm assuming you didn't get a response to your inquiry to them?

 

[MiamiCubano]

Holt's has made a stupid, hurtful, and careless blunder, but let's not drag anyone else down with them.

The point is, Sleeper, that it may not be a blunder at all but a calculated, vindictive action backed by a specific intent to harm.

Without Mr. Levin's commentary, we have nothing at all to judge for certain. The circumstances, however, do not support the more charitable interpretations.

We're waiting on you, Sathya Levin.

Wilkey

Exactly Wilkey, as I pointed out above. Further, based on what we've seen thus far from Mr. Levin's "apology" at CF, I doubt much will be answered and/or resolved herein; nor would I lend much value to anything Holt's would have to say. Their true colors have been shown.

 

[tigger]

I'm assuming you didn't get a response to your inquiry to them?

Anthony,

I've not received a reply. I'll post it if I do.

I don't disagree with you. But it's the personal nature of the public statements that strikes me.

I hear ya'.

 

[Ginseng]

...Fuente and the Levins(Holts) are partnered in a few ventures like Ashton cigars and Casa Fuente, but I have never heard or read that the Levins represent the Fuentes in any manner. They are seperate entities and AFAIK, these statements have nothing to do with Fuente.

Right. I neglected to respond to this part of your post but you're absolutely right on. This discussion should stay focused on the issue and players of interest to keep things from going too far afield.

Wilkey

 

[Rod]

Ernesto - Thanks for posting a response. CP is a very large and well-recognized community; the word will get around fast, guaranteed.

As for companies such as Holts, apparently they have no idea who their audience is. Selling cigars is not like selling auto parts, computers, housewares, etc... The cigar community is large, yet small at the same time. Ordinary people build relationships with manufacturers like Ernesto, Patel, Torano, etc... Yes, ordinary people! Unlike other industries where the owner of a company (be it a manufacturing company, artist, celebrity, etc) is so remote from the buyers/fans, most cigar manufactures actually get out there to meet their fans. This is where Holts has it all wrong. The new generation of Holts is in the business to sell cigars, and nothing more. Little do they know that by throwing a jab (and a classless one at that) at a manufacturer such as Padilla, they are not only insulting Mr. Padilla, but also his fan base, and a good portion of the cigar community as a whole.

I'm sure a good percentage of people who buy from Holts are not serious cigar smokers (ie: aren't on the boards, don't go to herfs, only smoke while on the golf course, have no idea who Padilla, Patel, Fuente, Torano really are, etc)... Then, there are the more hardcore cigar smokers who want to stay up on all of the news, meet the manufacturers, goto cigar events, meet local BOTL's, support the industry in any way they can, and so on... Holts seems to be going the way of JR Cigars, in terms of the sarcastic copy they're now printing. Personally, I find it to be a turn-off, and quite immature.

As I always say, I'll stick with the smaller retailers, as many of them actually understand the cigar community quite a bit better, and provide a much better service.

Best of luck to you, Ernesto!

 

[LilBastage]

My list of retailers gets smaller and smaller every few weeks.

I think I've reached the point where I don't think I need to buy from anyone other than the fine folks I've met and dealt with on CP. I know that the retailers that are active here are good folks. I'm going to support them and no longer support any of the "big boys".

 

[Phlicker]

My response on CF:

Sathya, I appreciate your reply and willingness to accept responsibility for the comments in your most recent catalog. That being said, I have a hard time believing that something like this could simply be a mistake that "slipped past" you. Rudimentary logic would seem to indicate that something bigger was at play behind the scenes: bad blood, hurt feelings, etc. Copywriters don't accidentally refer to products as "discontinued, sedentary, totally immobile inventory," predict a manufacturer's demise without more proof than a mere hunch, or close with a line like "Buh-Bye."

My take is this was completely intentional, and meant to be a jab at Ernesto for whatever has happened between the two of you. While I appreciate the apology now that there's egg on Holt's collective face, please don't insult our intelligence by leading us to believe this was an accident.

 

[Ginseng]

My list of retailers gets smaller and smaller every few weeks.

I think I've reached the point where I don't think I need to buy from anyone other than the fine folks I've met and dealt with on CP. I know that the retailers that are active here are good folks. I'm going to support them and no longer support any of the "big boys".

I hear you. I doubt that there is a cigar that we can't find at one of the top notch dealers that make a home here on CigarPass. And at uniformly good prices too. There's truly something satisfying and enriching about dealing with outfits like PuffStuff, Uptown, Silo, Sabor, Tower, and or course, Outlaw. I apologize in advance for the folks I've missed.

Although I've never met any of these gentlemen, almost every time I've spoken with them when placing an order, they've taken the time to chat, share stories, ask about my thoughts, etc. Doesn't feel at all like shopping at the local XXX Video store.

Wilkey

 

[tsmckenney]

My list of retailers gets smaller and smaller every few weeks.

I think I've reached the point where I don't think I need to buy from anyone other than the fine folks I've met and dealt with on CP. I know that the retailers that are active here are good folks. I'm going to support them and no longer support any of the "big boys".

Someone here mentioned that these are the days of Wal-mart. Hard to disagree with that, but it does not mean we have to play ball. There are choices.

I'm with Alan. My money will stay right here, where the community gates are always open.

 

[Phlicker]

Interesting...the copy in the PDF version of the catalog on their site seems to have changed:

Unfortunately, Ernesto Padilla is no longer having cigars manufactured by Pepin Garcia or the Oliva family. We have always been big Padilla supporters, so when we found out that the Padilla Miami, Padilla Signature and Padilla Habano were all being discontinued we became very dismayed. We are sitting on a large inventory of these 3 brands and now that they’ve been discontinued, we are left with no other option then closing them out ourselves. So, get in on Padilla Madness and procure yourself some Padilla cigars today at these basement prices. These gems are manufactured by esteemed cigar makers, Pepin Garcia and Oliva, so you know the quality is top-notch.

Quite a far cry from the tenor and tone of the original, no? Now instead of "discontinued, sedentary, and totally immobile" they are "dismayed."

 

[Strayvector]

Although I've never met any of these gentlemen, almost every time I've spoken with them when placing an order, they've taken the time to chat, share stories, ask about my thoughts, etc. Doesn't feel at all like shopping at the local XXX Video store.

Wilkey

LOL...wore out your assless chaps eh?

 

[Devil Doc]

This whole debacle reminds me of something Winston Churchill once said,"The trouble with Communism is Communism. The trouble with Capitalism is Capitalists."

Doc.

 

[half full monty]

Unfortunately, I'm really going to miss the Ashton Heritage's. Was one of my favorite cigars.

 

[flamchop]

That's funny they say discontinued because Ernesto just said on this thread that they will continue just that they will be manufactured in their new factory? It's so confusing!

 

[Tapewormboy]

Holt's = Ashton, which = San Cristobal, which took all the tobacco Pepin had available that was used to make Padilla. So therefore Holt's put him out and it just seems to be some tasteless gloating about something that was probably said behind the scenes.
Jcritt, Holt's does not distribute Pepin products. Pepin makes a few of cigars for them. I assure you, as I spoke with the folks over at El Rey De Los Habanos (Pepin's distribution company) this morning. That Pepin distributes Pepin products, not Holt's.

Thank you Al for clarifying some of the information. The part about Ashton earmarking much of Pepin's tobacco I heard from my local shop as well, essentially causing what happened with Padilla and Black Cat. Not sure why I keep hearing that Pepin distribution rumor...someone got their facts mixed up.

 

[MandyPi]

I, for one, will not be buying from them again. Holt's should me more careful about what they write about people. It's a small world and you never know who knows who and how things will get to people. Ernesto is a really nice and gracious man, and what Holts almost got away with is appalling.

Mandy
MIAMI, FL (wink...wink...wink)

 

[Phlicker]

Just for comparison's sake, and because I was asked to post a scan as proof of my claim before Sathya responded on CF. I offer both "versions" of the catalog.

First, the original:

And the "revised" version placed online after the proverbial shit hit the fan today: