Plume or Doom?

[MNBrian]

8 and 9 year old boxes of Padrons at a cigar shop.  Damn.

Yeah! Pretty awesome, but it sort of makes sense. Minnesota is B*$%*( for cigar tax. We've got the highest of any state! 
 
They mark them up 95% over cost just for tax, let alone for breaking even. In the last few years they realized how insane this is, so for cigars over $10 bucks a stick, the 95% is capped at... 3.50.... so add 5 bucks at least to any cigar over 10 bucks and the ones that are under are ridiculous.
 
I saw a single Partigas black label going for $18.00 and that was a ROBUSTO. CI.com has a 5 pack for $6 more...
 
Let's just say I really hope I can work out a deal for a starter pack with someone!
Half the stores can't even stock the Fuente Opus X because it's too dang spendy. nobody would buy it...
 
Heck, this particular owner doesn't stock Montecristo's because he can't SELL them and turn a profit. $19 bucks for a yellow label churchill.
Moral of the story? Minnesota is not cigar friendly.

I was stunned last year coming back from Canada and stopped at someplace just south of Minneapolis named Egan and bought a few smokes for the rest of the ride home as I ran out approaching the border, complete sticker shock.  Spent $80 on 6 cigars that should have cost $40.


Yup. Supporting B&M shops around here requires a second mortgage... Sadly! When whole companies (namely rocky Patel) lower their regional price for just one state, you know it's bad. Rockys cost about 10 bucks a stick whereas Gurkha's, montes, tats, cohibas, they'll cost between 18-25. It's junk.

 

[Brlesq]

Looks like plume to me.  Like a fine white dusting.  Great find!