Stogie Guys Friday Sampler No. 366

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) Some politicians in California are aiming to criminalize the online sale of cigars in the Golden State. “In an effort to clamp down on youth smoking, Assemblyman Roger Dickinson (D-Sacramento) announced Monday that he was introducing a bill that would block the sale of cigarettes, tobacco products, and electronic cigarettes to individuals via the internet,” reports the Los Angeles Times. “The bill, AB 1500, does not prohibit online retailers to ship to other retailers. By requiring customers to purchase tobacco products at brick-and-mortar locations, Dickinson says, the state would generate $24 million in sales tax revenue.” If adopted, the bill would close off one of the biggest markets to online cigar sales and surely put a major dent in the revenue of many online cigar retailers.

2) On Wednesday, the third annual Nicaragua Tobacco Festival kicked off in Managua. The event is a showcase of the best cigar makers in Nicaragua, a country that’s home to many of the world’s hottest brands, and a nation that’s poised to become the number one source of premium cigars in the U.S. (the current leader is the Dominican Republic). Latest estimates indicate that over a third of all cigars sold in the U.S. are of Nicaraguan origin.

3) Inside the Industry: The Toraño Family Cigar Company has announced the “Blends from the Vault Tour,” a 40-store tour featuring exclusive blends. E.P. Carillo said this week that it’s upcoming release, the first in the Generational Series, will come out in May or June.

4) Deal of the Week: Cigar Place has a bevy of discount codes available. One particularly good deal is on the Undercrown Corona Viva, our favorite size of the Undercrown blend. After you add it to your cart, add the promo code “liga” to knock the price down 20% to just $104 for a box of 25.

–The Stogie Guys

photo credit: Roger Dickinson