Stogie Guys Friday Sampler LXII

In our ongoing effort to make StogieGuys.com as entertaining and reader-friendly as possible, each Friday we’ll post a selection of quick cigar news and stogie-related snippets. We call ‘em Friday Samplers. Enjoy.

1) StogieGuys.com Exclusive: Although you’ve probably already read that the compromise proposal to extend the State Children’s Health Insurance Program (SCHIP), now being negotiated in Congress, is thought to include the cigar tax plan approved by the U.S. Senate, that’s not what a couple of staffers on Capitol Hill told George Thursday. They said the cigar tax issue was among those still being discussed and that some lawmakers were working to reduce the cap, which is $3 in the Senate plan. Also, while there’s been talk of a Tuesday vote in the House, one of the staffers said it was possible the language might not be finalized until Monday. With all this taking place in the next few days, now would be a good time to contact your representatives.

2) Newly announced presidential hopeful Fred Thompson says he would “definitely” continue the Cuban embargo, but doesn’t check the “heritage” of the boxes of apparent Habanos that friends give him, according to Sunday’s St. Petersburg Times. Kind of reminds us of JFK’s hypocrisy.

3) As reported in our top item, the $3 cigar tax may not be finalized but it is very close. So just what would that proposed tax do? Rich Perelman reports a cigar that currently retails for $3.00 (like a Gispert Lonsdale) would likely increase to $4.60 before state tobacco taxes are included. While a cigar that retails for $10.00 (such as a Montecristo Churchill), will likely go to $15.31 before state tobacco taxes are included, or from $250.00 per box to $382.75 before state taxes.

4) Cigar Aficionado’s Jack Bettridge has a blog entry on what sounds like a great book: Churchill’s Cigar by British journalist Stephen McGinty. A quick search reveals this fascinating excerpt from the London Sunday Times.

5) Around the Blogs: Cigar Inspector inspects a Gurkha Double Maduro. Stogie Review reviews the Oliva Serie V Ligero Especial Lancero. Matt lights up the Tatuaje Reserva “A”. Cigar Command smokes a Dunhill Signed Range. Keepers of the Flame flames up a Tatuaje Series P2. Cigar Jack smokes the MAXX by Alec Bradley.

6) Deal of the Week: This ten cigar sampler from Tinderbox.com features six – count em’ six – cigars made by the hottest cigar maker in the business, Don “Pepin” Garcia. That includes two Tatuajes, a Padilla Miami, a 601 Blue, and two from Pepin’s own line. (Oh, and the other four sticks aren’t bad either.) All this for just $69. Pick yours up here.

–The Stogie Guys