The Stogie Guys

While my colleagues Patrick S and George E are still in Las Vegas before they travel back home to Washington and Tampa, respectively, I arrived back in Chicago late Sunday night. I had a wonderful time at the 2013 International Premium Cigar & Pipe Retailers Association (IPCPR) Trade Show. My stay may have been short, but I got the opportunity to catch up with a lot of old friends, gather some great information, and try a lot of new cigars.

Even though I was only on the convention floor for one day, I left with a few key observations that bear mentioning here. What follows are three personal, generalized impressions from the first day of the biggest cigar event of the year. Nothing more, nothing less.

More neon colors. The marketplace is crowded with different brands, sizes, and blends that vie for your attention—and dollars. For the average consumer, perhaps at no other time in history have there been so many different cigars to choose from. As a result, I’ve noticed more cigar makers are starting to market and package their creations using colors and fonts that aren’t often associated with cigars. Intended to be attention-grabbing in a sea of traditional, Cuban-esque wares, I’ve never seen so many cigars with bands and boxes that predominantly feature purples, pinks, and neon incarnations of bright yellows, greens, and blues. Perhaps the best example is the new look Davidoff gave to its (scorpion-clad, Ditka-endorsed) Camacho brand.

More huge ring gauges. Nearly every booth I visited had a new cigar with a ring gauge of 60 or more. And almost every cigar maker rolled his eyes as he introduced it. Why? When I asked, the cigar makers all said something like, “These huge ring gauges aren’t for me, but they sell really well.” The market has decided. Huge smokes are here to stay, even though none of the cigar makers smoke them. A commonly accepted hypothesis among industry leaders: More casual smokers think they get more for their money with a large ring gauge. And I’d imagine others must associate larger cigars with manliness. Well that makes perfect sense, doesn’t it?

More focus on packaging and presentation. As I traveled around to the different displays of new cigars, many of the various exhibitors spent an inordinate amount of time discussing the packaging of their creations. I’d usually expect to hear about the cigars themselves more than the stories behind the boxes, names, or marketing concepts. But never underestimate the time, research, and attention to detail that goes into packaging and presentation. This emphasis on appearance was on full display at Foundry Cigars, a whole new brand offshoot by General Cigar that’s taking the original Foundry idea and running with it. Get ready for cigars in a flying-V formation, diamonds galore, and a series of smokes that honor the “War of Currents” between Tesla and Edison.

Of course StogieGuys.com’s coverage of the IPCPR Trade Show is going to extend beyond these general observations (and the live updates and videos we posted from the convention floor). Check back here in the coming weeks as my colleagues and I provide more details on the new products and new companies. And we’ll obviously soon be reviewing scores of new smokes that will be coming to a cigar shop near you.

–Patrick A

photo credit: Stogie Guys

Today we’re live at the 2013 International Premium Cigar & Pipe Retailers Association (IPCPR) Trade Show in Las Vegas. Expect many updates in the coming days and weeks, but while we’re here walking the floor and attending the event, the best way to keep up with all the news is following us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. (We’ve included the Facebook and Twitter feeds below.)

Check back often for up-to-the-minute updates, photos, videos, and new information as we cover the IPCPR convention just like we have for over half a decade. If you have questions you want asked, in addition to leaving a comment on this post, you might also try reaching us on Twitter and Facebook.

Tweets by @stogieguys

Each Saturday and Sunday we’ll post a Quick Smoke: not quite a full review, just our brief verdict on a single cigar of “buy,” “hold,” or “sell.”

I received this smoke in the mail from Cigar Rights of America (CRA) when I renewed my membership in the organization. As far as I can tell, the only thing that makes this a “CRA Exclusive” is the dimensions, which measure six inches long. The Gigante is the sole regular production Cohiba that’s exactly six inches, and I can safely say this is no Gigante, which has a super-thick ring gauge of 60. In any event, the flavor is very similar to the standard Cohiba blend, which sports a Cameroon wrapper and Dominican filler tobaccos. Somewhat spicy, kind of creamy, with a dry, woodsy core. Considering many Cohibas run in excess of $10 apiece, I’m glad I got this one as a complimentary “thank you” from CRA. I’m not sure I would have been thrilled paying that kind of money for this cigar, considering all the other smokes you can get for less than $10. Still, it’s an enjoyable treat.

Verdict = Hold.

–Patrick A

photo credit: Stogie Guys

Will the biggest ring gauge offered for sale be 70, 80, or larger?

What percentage of new exhibitors from last year is still around?

Will anyone actually be kicked out under IPCPR’s “crackdown” on retailers bringing consumers?

Which booth will have the best food?

Will Mike Ditka be there?

Who will have the most outrageous booth?

Will the bad guy from Judge Dread be there to promote his new cigar?

Eleven new lines from General Cigar: over or under?

Will Altadis USA’s new strategy of creating modern spinoffs of classic brands work?

Who will be the most under-dressed attendee at Davidoff’s black tie dinner?

Will Wayne Newton be there again?

Which booth will be completely empty and abandoned?

What crazy artwork will Drew Estate feature in their booth this year?

How many respected cigar blogs aren’t coming because IPCPR makes them pay to attend?

Will the Cigar Press party run out of beer?

Biggest “booth”: General Cigar, Davidoff, Altadis, or Drew Estate?

2.5 cars on the show floor: over or under?

More bikini-clad ladies: cigar companies or hookah companies?

Which C-list celebrity will unexpectedly appear?

Does winning a “best booth” award actually impact sales?

Will there be any other cigars that use fire-cured tobacco besides Drew Estate’s MUWAT KFC and Leccia Black?

How many online media members of the IPCPR are there anyway?

Will the giant hookah (~40 feet high) be back?

How many people will tell me how much better Las Vegas is for IPCPR than Orlando?

Which trademarks from our trademark quiz will actually be put to use?

24 cigars that I’ll smoke while in Las Vegas for 73 hours: over or under?

–Patrick S

photo credit: N/A

I doubt I’m the first to point out that there are two ways to think about the price point of Hirsch Selection Small Batch Reserve, which is about $35 per 750 ml. bottle.

The first is to consider all the other bourbons that can be had for $35 or less. Many are excellent. There are far too many to mention here, so I’ll simply refer you to the Bourbon Guide we recently published. The point is, the Small Batch Reserve has some stiff competition in its segment of the market.

But if you look at it from a different angle—comparing its price to its two sister bourbons—the regular Hirsch Small Batch Reserve seems like a steal. The 25-year-old Small Batch Reserve runs $270, and the 28-year-old variety costs nearly $450.

Since I’m definitely priced out of the two higher-end impressions, I’ll stick with the regular Small Batch Reserve as a viable option for my liquor cabinet and cigar-pairing needs. This four- to six-year-old spirit is produced by the San Francisco-based Anchor Distilling Co., which markets it as a “combination of precise distillation techniques, careful barrel selection, and patience over maturation.”

Clocking in at 92-proof, the bourbon pours very light amber in the glass with virtually zero opacity. It has a light, honey-centric nose with traces of apple and hardly any alcoholic heat. I like to add an ice cube or two to cool the surprisingly heated taste. Once mellowed, a flavor of oak, syrup, rhubarb, caramel, and vanilla takes center stage. The finish is short and crisp.

While I wouldn’t say I’m underwhelmed with Hirsch Selection Small Batch Reserve, I don’t think I’ll be jumping at the chance to buy another bottle real soon. I’m just not sure it has the balance, complexity, or finish that can be found in similarly-priced competitors.

As I finish my current bottle, I’m finding milder to mild-medium cigars offer the best pairing results. So far, my favorite combinations have included the Tesa Picadura King, J. Fuego 777 Corojo, and the Pinar del Rio Clasico Exclusivo.

–Patrick A

photo credit: Stogie Guys

We’ll be at the IPCPR Trade Show again this year (which opens Saturday), and you can expect us to get the latest and greatest from all the cigar makers you know. But there will also be cigar companies there that you’ve probably never heard of.

Today we look at two such companies that will be making their first appearance at the annual convention. Every year there are new companies. Some don’t last while others become the next buzz-worthy up-and-coming venture. These two companies, for reasons explained below, seem to have a good chance of being around for a while:

Royal Gold Cigars

Whether you’ve heard of Royal Gold or not, you’ve almost certainly heard of their parent company, Swisher, whose machine-made cigars are behind the cash register at almost every gas station and drug store in the country. While Swisher has tried their hand at the premium handmade cigar market before, this time the plan is different. Instead of investing in their own factories (as they did until about a decade ago) they are contracting some of the biggest names to produce cigars for them.

And they’ve lined up some impressive cigar makers for their introductory releases, which they are marketing as “affordable by all” and all reportedly under $8.50. Casino Gold HRS (High Roller Selection) is made by the Placencias in Honduras. Kismet is made by Augusto Reyes Sr. and Jr. in the Dominican Republic. Nirvana is being produced at Drew Estate in Nicaragua. Gold Strike is an inexpensive mixed filler cigar rolled in Nicaragua and blended by Omar Ortez (of Altadis) and Carol Jean Llaneza (daughter of legendary cigar man Frank Llaneza).

With Swisher’s backing, Royal Gold is perhaps the most interesting development in cigars in the last year. Deep pockets mean the company can afford to be patient (even lose money in the short-term) if it means long-term growth and profits. And by all reports, by bringing in Alex Goldman, Swisher has chosen a respected industry veteran to head the operation.

Sindicato Cigars

Officially launched in January, but formalized at last year’s convention, Sindicato is a new company founded by a group of veteran retailers. The group starts with a customer base that’s the envy of any new cigar company, with “a group of 45 retailers” participating according to Abe Dababneh, Chairman of Sindicato.

Heading up those retailers, as evidenced by SEC filings from last October, is Dababneh (of Smoke Inn based in West Palm Beach), Dan Jenuwine (of Quality Fresh Cigars in Michigan), Gary Pesh (of Old Virginia Tobacco in Virginia), Robert Roth (of Nice Ash Cigars in New York and Pennsylvania) and Jeff Borysiewicz (Corona Cigar Company in Orlando). Their stores alone would be top targets for any new cigar line looking for quality retailers.

According to its press releases, Sindicato was founded when “a group of passionate, cigar-loving tobacconists decided to extend their cigar knowledge and experience into making cigar brands. Their goal is to create a cigar company whose mission is to put the tobacco retailer and its customers first.” They followed up the formation announcement by selecting Jim Colucci, formerly Executive VP of Sales & Marketing for Altadis USA, as President and CEO. Sindicato will have a booth at the IPCPR Trade Show and, according to Dababneh, “debut smokes” will be available.

–Patrick S

photo credit: Royal Gold/Sindicato