Made my first purchase with Thompson last month. It was a box at a good price and I'm pleased with the purchase.

However, their catalog came in the mail today. I really don't understand it. I thought CI & JR spent a lot of pages advertising crap cigars, but Thompson takes the cake.

Swishers, Phillies & Backwoods adorn the cover of the catalog. :-) The catalog cover features gas station cigars? :-)

Inside there are a couple pages of Fuentes and then it goes right into page after page of super cheap junk, most of which I've never heard of: Cosechero, VSOP, Hacienda Rio, Scoundrels, Explorers... then a couple of pages of Hoyo and Davidoff.. then back to Iguanas, DSR Reserves, Don Osvaldo, 829s, Palma Real, Escudo Cubano, Factory Fresh..

The centerfold features Marsh Wheeling, Black & Mild, Panter, Captain Black, White Owl.. followed by Leprechauns, Wildes, Trader Jacks, Al Capone, Flor de Filipinas, Krome, Good Days Rejects... etc. etc. etc.

A few pages of RyJ and La Gloria Cubana, and then the back cover finishes up with more Swishers and some $1 Antonio y Cleopatras.

I don't understand. Why would they put so much effort into marketing cigars via catalog which people can buy at the local liquor store if they're so inclined? Are these super-cheapos even bigger cash cows than Gurkahs?

The wikipedia article on Thompson says, "Thompson Cigar caters to a 69%, more affluent, male demographic.[7]" I'm not entirely sure what the 69% refers to, but it seems that affluent males wouldn't be purchasing White Owls.

Me very confused.
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It's where they get the biggest profit.
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Put the catalog in the humi for a few weeks and it should burn fine. :-)
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I buy from Thompson, CI,Famous Smoke and JR. I get so many magazines from these places. So I feel you. Great fire starters.
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I like to use catalogs from Thompson, CI, JR, Famouse, etc... as fire starters. They burn in purdy colors :-)
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All merchants have to cater to the market, and no cigar retailer would survive long selling only Davidoff and Ashton.

You may go to your local package store for microbrews, but they will always sell much more Bud.
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I was putting together a long response, but this sums it up succinctly.
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Thompson's caters to the really stupid cigar smoker of all ages, races and income levels.

I suggest you move and change your phone number now. ;-)
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junk
pure
junk...
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You know, we could talk about the crappy cigars in Thompson's catalog. We could talk about the crappy cigars sold at the local gas station, book store, and head shop.

We could lambast the "idiots" out there smoking dog rockets.

Why would we? Someone is smoking cigars! You and I may not like them, might even think they are crap! THAT IS OUR OPINION!!!

As part of the Embarrass Fire Department, when we have our regular meetings, there is a lunch served following. There is always beer available. OK, they call the available swill, and it is labeled, beer (ACCORDING TO MY OPINION). My thoughts about what constitutes drinkable beer puts me in the minority at fire meetings. And, when it is my turn to serve, and I bring some decent beer along, I am told how my beer tastes like crap.

Bud Light outsells Ale Asylum Ambergeddon a gadzillion to one.
Swishers outsell Arturo Fuente Heminway Short Stories a gadzillion to one.
Carter Hall outsells McClelland Beacon Extra (pipe tobaccos) a gadzillion to one.
American Cheese (processed garbage) outsells real cheese a gadzillion to one.

I may scratch my head over every single one of these (and I could probably come up with a gadzillion more) examples, but that's the way it is. I/We could write it off to poor taste, but wouldn't that be pretty arrogant on my/our part?

It is different tastes, different strokes for different folks.

I am not a big Viaje fan. (Ducking and running before the fallout hits) Does that make me an idiot in someone's eyes? I hope not! Does it mean I have different tastes than someone else? You betcha!

Personally, I am grateful there are gadzillions of people out there who are buying Swishers, Don Scoundrels, AyC, White Owls, Gurkhas, Viajes, and all sorts of "crap" cigars.

Why?

So that they are not buys gadzillions of the cigars I like, making them hard to find and driving up the prices to astronomical proportions. Hey, I already lived through the boom of the 1990s when that happened - do not want to repeat that.

Hey, live and let live....
Smoke what you like, and enjoy it...

Peace of the Lord be with you.
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I don't like Thompson's for their shady business practices and yes that is from personal experience. I was a victim of their bait and switch tactics, harassing telemarketing calls, unauthorized credit card charges, and the worst customer service of any business I have ever dealt with.

While it floors me the Rev doesn't like Viaje he makes great points. I have guys at work that smoke Black & Milds and I actually like working with them because I get to smoke my cigars. I could care less what they are smoking because in enables us to have a common connection and we get to smoke together on the job. We were all new once and I think everyone I know once loved Macanudos. I even smoked Swishers back in my first years and thought I was the man.

My local B&M stocks pretty vanilla cigars and very little of the boutique or hard to find cigars that I enjoy. RP, Gurkha, and General Cigar stuff sells and keeps them in business.
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I have had a few go arounds with them. I have recieved a few good deals from them. That being said and I quote DO Not join the VIP Club or the Cigar of the Month club. That being said I am waiting to get off work and enjoy the Macanudo Cru Royal 5 pack with a large Macanudo ashtray that came in the mail today!!!
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Well Said!:-)
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Punch Rothschilds are wonderful smokes, almost identical to what they were like in the 1980s and '90s. Bread and butter to lots of stores.
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Feeling better Todd?:-):-)

"Note to self: email Thompson tomorrow morning and ask them to remove Todd from their catalog list. This will help reduce his blood pressure..."
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My first ever Cigar was as a senior in high school, there was a coffee shop in town you could smoke in and I would have Macanudo Tubos out of boredom and the fact that I thought it made my 18 year old self look badass. 14 years later cigars are one of the few things in life that help me relax, reflect and recharge. I have no real desire to smoke one now but God bless Macanudo Tubos...
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Whoa Rev! Carter Hall is solid and not necessarily cheap. I would have used Smokers Pride.

Other than that, great post.
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I still will not turn my nose up at a Macanudo Tubo. I snork the hell out of them; not very interesting but they'll scratch an itch.
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My first humidor and cigar sampler came from Thompsons and that was my only purchase from them as smoking through those 20 cigars cured me of wanting any more Thompson house brand cigars. That being said, .... Well, I liked the box humidor. My second big purchase was from Cigar Intl and a bundle of Double Happiness cigars. I kind of wish I had Swisher Sweets or a White Owl story in place of those Double Happiness cigars but I was happy when they were all gone and I was happy they were inexpensive so double happy!
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Nothing wrong with my blood pressure. I did not rant, calmly explained a viewpoint. Actually, trying to callm another down. I just extremely verbose at times. I should spell check things though before posting. A grammar nazi or spelling nazi would have had a blast with that post. (doggone auto correct on the Ipad is my only excuse)

A great point to prove my point. I place CH on the same level as Smokers Pride. How could I do that? My palate detests burleys!

Now, you love Carter Hall, and I respect that! Enjoy it my man! In fact, if you enjoy it near me, I will enjoy the room note. Just don't want it in my mourth. I am also sure that there is some blend out there that I enjoy which you would probably snigger at.

Peace of the Lord be with you.
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