Stogie Guys Friday Sampler CXX

In our ongoing effort to make StogieGuys.com as entertaining and informative as possible, each Friday we’ll post a mixed bag of quick cigar news and other snippets of interest. We call ‘em Friday Samplers. Enjoy.

1) Boston’s health commission yesterday approved sweeping extensions of the city’s smoking ban. The cigar bar ban won’t go into effect for ten years instead of the originally proposed five. Still, the brazen new law makes Boston the most unfriendly major U.S. city by outright outlawing cigar bars (including Stanza dei Sigari, pictured at right), making illegal the sale of tobacco products in pharmacies and on college campuses, and prohibiting smoking in outdoor patios and parks. Before the vote, even supporters of Boston’s four-year-old smoking ban were calling the proposed legislation too severe. “The new regulations,” according to the Boston Herald, “go too far.”

2) Meanwhile, Dallas officials also expanded the city’s smoking ban to include bars and pool halls. Shops and cigar bars that earn at least 15 percent of their revenue from tobacco sales, however, remain exempted.

3) In happier news, Maker’s Mark created a new cigar to support U.S. troops. Click here to donate and send anywhere from a single stick to a box of 25 smokes overseas. Makers Mark will cover all shipping costs.

4) Inside the Industry: Padilla will be making a new full-flavored cigar for Nub in its new Miami factory (MSRP $9). Angel Diaz, formerly of Camacho cigars, is the new sales and marketing director for Arganese.

5) Around the Blogs: Stogie Review smokes a Wango Tango. Cohiba Club lights up an Ashton ESG. Cigar Inspector reviews an Alonso Menendez. Stogie Fresh tries a Los Blancos Criollo.

6) Deal of the Week: This deal from Famous Smoke Shop includes nine great robustos for just $29.99, all seasonably wrapped in white bands. Included are smokes from Griffin’s, Toraño, Rocky Patel, Cuvée, Gran Habano, and Montecristo. Grab yours here.

7) Reminder: Sunday is the last call to enter our “What Do Cigar Rights Mean to You?” contest. The winner takes home a fantastic Rocky Patel prize pack.

–The Stogie Guys

photo credit: Flickr