Stogie Guys Friday Sampler XCIII

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) We’ll be on the radio again this Sunday talking cigars on the Livin’ Large with Geoff Pinkus radio show on WIND 560 AM in Chicago. The show runs from 5-7pm Central, and we’ll be talking stogies about halfway through the first hour. If you’re not in the Chicago area, you can listen live here.

2) According to Sports Illustrated, Atlanta Braves manager and cigar enthusiast Bobby Cox thinks the Mets’ smoke-free policy at Shea Stadium is “a great idea.” Under the policy, smokers can light up only in designated areas outside the ballpark. Cox, who always enjoys a post-game cigar and visits the in-division Mets many times each year, declared “the clubhouse doesn’t count.”

3) Tribune Co., owner of the Chicago Tribune, Los Angeles Times, Chicago Cubs, and other properties, announced this week it has killed its $100-a-month penalty for smoking employees enrolled in the company’s health plan. About 600 of approximately 16,000 staffers confessed they smoked after the fee went into effect on January 1.

4) Inside the Industry: Don Pepin is partnering with Ashton again to introduce a mixed-filler cigar called the Benchmade that will retail for around $2. Rocky Patel will be producing a limited edition Lancero sampler with five of his popular lines.

5) Around the Blogs: Cigar Jack checks out the Perdomo Habano Maduro. Cigar Beat trys out a car cigar ashtray. Velvet Cigar smokes a Cohiba Maduro No. 5. Stogie Review smokes the Padilla Signature 1932.

6) Deal of the Week: With a dozen cigars for under $30, this Tax Rebate Sampler is a must for Punch fans. You get an assortment of eight Punches, plus four other quality smokes. Get yours here. (Also, check out free shipping on all Tatuajes.)

–The Stogie Guys

photo credit: GeoffPinkus.com