Stogie Guys Friday Sampler LXXXIII

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) The cigar industry may not have its act together, but Big Tobacco (the cigarette industry) certainly does. At least in Illinois, anyways. Lobbyists in Springfield are working at a record pace towards a hearing that would create exemptions in the newly enacted statewide smoking ban “to allow indoor smoking at many bars, riverboat casinos, strip clubs, and American Legion halls.”

2) If you’re a smoker and a fan of musician Joe Jackson you may like him even more than you thought. He’s a defender of smoking, saying in a recent AP story that “we’re really only hearing one side of it because the anti-smoking move- ment is so powerful.” He’s written passionately about his views, and many of his essays can be found on his website.

3) Factions of the New Hampshire legislature are pushing hard for the state to classify little cigars as cigarettes. Why? As our May 2006 commentary explains, it’s easier for politicians to tax cigarettes than cigars. The Union-Leader wrote a nice editorial on the issue this week, explaining that the bill will “hurt convenience stores and cigar shops” while driving business out of the Granite State.

4) Around the Blogs: Stogie Review reviews the Old Powder Keg. Velvet Cigar smokes the Arganese Chairman. Cigar Inspector inspects a Partagas 8-9-8. Cigars by Matt smokes a Don Francisco. Cigar Jack is holding a month-long contest with tons of great prizes.

5) Deal of the Week: We’ve made no secret of the fact that we’re big fans of Don Pepin Garcia’s cigars. That makes this “Ultimate Don Pepin Garcia Sampler” so special. It includes some of the rarest limited edition cigars made by the master. At $99 it isn’t cheap, but many of these cigars are not available anywhere at any price (and you’d pay a lot more if you could find them). Grab yours here while supplies last.

–The Stogie Guys

photo credit: Flickr