Stogie Guys Friday Sampler CXLIV
5 Jun 2009
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) On the heels of Jacob Grier’s critique of a “study†that purported to downplay the impact of smoking bans on employment in restaurants and bars comes this commentary from Forbes. It argues that, despite widely accepted claims that depend on  fuzzy science, “many prior studies of smoking bans are riddled with statistical shortcomings.†The author should know; he has “15 years of experience in performing economic and statistical analysis.â€
2) In related news, shares of Pinnacle Entertainment, Inc., a Louisiana casino operator, jumped 14% on Wednesday after lawmakers shot down a bill that would have expanded the Pelican State’s smoking ban to cover bars and casinos. Such acute market activity supports the claim that freedom of choice is best for business.
3) Inside the Industry: Rocky Patel is releasing another seasonal blend, the 2009 Summer Collection. Colibri, a brand best known in cigar circles for its lighters, has emerged from bankrupcy and will begin making lighters again. CAO is adding a box-pressed robusto to its MX2 line.
4) Around the Blogs: Stogie Review looks at the Camacho Connecticut. Cigar Inspector samples a Davidoff Special R. Velvet Cigar reviews a Camacho Liberty 2008. Cigar Spy infiltrates a La Aroma de Cuba.
5) Deal of the Week: This “Mega III Sampler” has 16 big-name cigars for just $30. (That’s under $2 per stick for those of you who might not be up on your arithmetic.) Included are favorites from La Flor Dominicana, Rocky Patel, CAO, Alec Bradley, Camacho, Gurkha, and Cuesta-Rey. Get yous here.
photo credit: Flickr
Patrick Ashby
Co-Founder & Editor in Chief
Patrick Semmens
Co-Founder & Publisher
George Edmonson
Tampa Bureau Chief
I picked up that mega sampler a couple of weeks ago, and i have to say it had some real duds in it, including the Cusano 18 Churchill, the big Gurkha, the seriously blah La Unica lonsdale, and the Alec Bradley, which is just a big lump of ashy blandness. But! It introduced me to the CAO Criollo Pato, which is now a routine smoke for me, and the Rocky Patel Edge Lite, which was really good as well. So I would recommend you just buy some of those guys, and skip the sampler. Getting bad cigars cheap is no bargain.
I agree that the Cusano 18 is complete crap. But most Alec Bradley cigars make good golf course smokes.
Glad to hear you like the CAO Criollo. It's one of my favs, too.
golf course smoke? well…it took for-frigging-ever to smoke, I will say that for it. And I'm a crap golfer, so even 9 holes takes me a long time. It really wasn't for me, though. But hey, different strokes.
Loving that little Pato, though.
"….Such acute market activity supports the claim that freedom of choice is best for business."
This statement cannot be emphasized enough.
Honestly, at that price (under $2 per cigar) I'd be shocked if there weren't some sampler filler, if you know what I mean. Still, the Rocky Patel SG, La Gloria, Camacho SLR Maduro, Cuesta Rey, CAO Criollo and La Flor are probably worth at least $20. Getting the other 10 for a dollar each seems worth it to me. It's always good to have giveaway cigars for the people who you know will only smoke half a cigar.