Stogie Guys Friday Sampler CXXXVIII

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 items of interest. We call ‘em Friday Samplers. Enjoy.

1) Criminalizing the act of smoking inside tobacco shops is ridiculous at best and tyrannical at worst. But that’s exactly what some Vermont politicians are pushing for in a bill that would aggressively expand the Green Mountain State’s longstanding smoking ban. “If the right to smoke a cigar, pipe, or other tobacco product in…a cigar store is legislated away,” says Chris McCalla, legislative director for IPCPR, “then these same lawmakers will be voting to eliminate these businesses and the jobs and taxes that go with them.”

2) Meanwhile, in Nebraska, an IPCPR-supported bill was signed into law by Gov. Dave Heineman on Wednesday that excuses cigar bars from the state’s smoking ban. In order to qualify for the exemption, 10% or more of an establishment’s revenue must come from the sale of cigars or other tobacco-related items.

3) Inside the Industry: Don Pepin Garcia is expanding his My Father line with two new sizes—a Cervantes (6.5 x 44) and an Eminentes (5.6 x 46)—both of which retail for around $9 per cigar. Newman’s Nicaraguan puro line, El Baton, is also adding two new sizes, a Robusto and a Double Torpedo. In anticipation of the SCHIP tax that hit on April 1, cigar makers imported almost 50% more cigars in March 2009 than they did in March 2008, the last month before the tax hike went into effect.

4) Around the Blogs: Stogie Review reviews the Cabaiguan Guapos Maduro. Keepers of the Flame lights up a Siglo Limited Reserve. Cigar Inspector inspects the Sancho Panza Molinos. Cigar Spy tries the Cruzado. Matt smokes a La Gloria Serie R Maduro.

5) Deal of the Week: This “Mega Sampler III” features 16 fine cigars for the bargain price of $30. You get to try smokes by Gurkha, Rocky Patel, La Flor Dominicana, La Gloria Cubana, Camacho, Cusano, Cuesta-Rey, Alec Bradley, Hoyo de Monterrey, and CAO, all for under $2 per stick. Pick yours up here.

–The Stogie Guys

photo credit: Flickr