Buy means they are desirable and increasing sought after with consistently excellent quality or are an improving brand expanding with new exciting blends. Bargains of excellent quality for the price as well as expensive cigars that are worth the money can be included.

Sell means you are tired of this brand and they are not keeping up with their prior standards, keep coming out with duds or were never very good. Include cigars that are overpriced for what they are.

Hold means that you won't seek them out or avoid them but they are OK for what they are and you will smoke what you got (or what someone shares) but not looking to buy more - and hopeful they will improve with age or with new or reintroduced blends. Good cigars but that are overpriced could fit here.

Not looking for what you think the industry thinks, just what you think personally as a general overview of the major companies. Curious.

wheel,

Sell = Gurkha, EPC

Hold = PDR,

At the end of the day, I concur with the midget. You're over thinking things.

What made me think of this are some old outfits like Torano that have seemed to lost its mojo. Brand new ones like Recluse were hot last year but no staying power it seems. I see other brands loosing shelf space at the b and m. Will new Camacho suceed? Fuente and oliva have maintained a reputation but are slow and steady. Crowned heads is leveling from their meteoric upswing but still one to watch. Tatuaje and My father seem to be a buy. Don Lino looking for relevance. Gran Habano?

A lot of others seem to run hot and cold depending on vitola so grouping them one way or another may be unfair. Which companies and brands will be gone in 5 years is a better question. There seem to be a reckoning coming as demand continues to shrink. I haven't even figured in cuban competition.

Maybe I am overthinking but i think of it as entertaining to wonder about.

DED

That being said, the short guy is right.

I think it's an interesting question, although I would have to ponder my response . . .