Stogie Guys Friday Sampler No. 277

As we have since July 2006, each Friday we’ll post a mixed bag of quick cigar news and other items of interest. Below is our latest Friday Sampler.

1) Maryland Gov. Martin O’Malley (pictured) is proposing to raise his state’s excise tax on all cigars from 15% to 70%. “Advocates of this tax hike say it’s necessary to decrease teen cigar use, but both the facts about youth cigar use and the tax design indicate this rationale is simply a smokescreen,” writes Marc Kilmer of the Washington Examiner. “Instead, the tax hike seems a clever way to manipulate concern about youth tobacco use to funnel more revenue to the state government… If O’Malley is really concerned about the cheap cigars being sold to youth, why penalize all tobacco products if the real problem is with only a small subset of the cigar market?”

2) As anti-tobacco forces continue to push for a statewide smoking ban in Indiana, a similar battle is brewing in Indianapolis to expand the city’s smoking regulations. Last week, Mayor Greg Ballard vetoed a bill that would have criminalized smoking in hotel rooms, most bars, bowling alleys, and private clubs because he objects to the idea of banning smoking in private clubs. But now a similar bill is expected that would allow smoking in private clubs as long as the only minors present are members’ children or grandchildren. No word yet on whether Ballard would support this bill.

3) Inside the Industry: E.P. Carrillo will begin shipping its newest Short Run cigar in the next two weeks. The “New Wave Connecticut Short Run 2012” uses the same Ecuadorian Connecticut wrapper as the New Wave Connecticut, with a Connecticut broadleaf binder (same as the wrapper on the Core Maduro line) around Dominican and Nicaraguan filler (also from the Core Maduro line).

4) Around the Blogs: Cigar Brief fires up an MK Ultra. Cigar Explorer explores an Ortega Serie D. Cigar Fan fires up a Santos de Miami by Jameson. Nice Tight Ash checks out a Paul Stulac Phantom. Stogie Review reviews the Drew Estate Liga Privada Unico Serie L40.

5) Deal of the Week: CroMagnon fans will want to checkout the new cigar “Intemperance” by the team behind CroMagnon. Currently available as a pre-release, this sampler features all eight new cigars and is discounted to just $39.

–The Stogie Guys

photo credit: Flickr