Stogie Guys Friday Sampler No. 393

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) With the 82nd annual IPCPR Trade Show recently concluded in Las Vegas, there are a host of new cigar releases to report on and review. Heck, General Cigar alone launched a bevy of cigars that will soon be arriving on the shelves of a tobacconist near you. They include two CAO blends. CAO Amazon Basin is a small batch, limited edition release made with rare Brazilian tobacco from a remote region in the Amazonian Rainforest. And CAO Colombia is the first cigar to prominently feature Ica Mazinga, a Colombian tobacco from a mountainous region called Montes de Maria. Perhaps chief among General Cigar’s new additions, however, is the Cohiba Nicaragua, the first Cohiba to be blended and handcrafted in Nicaragua. The line will retail in the $10-15 space and continue the recent trend of storied non-Nicaraguan cigars issuing Nicaraguan offshoots to capitalize on the popularity of that country’s tobacco.

2) Since January, it has been illegal to smoke in Boston’s public parks. As the Boston Globe reports, that will make this year’s Freedom Rally rather interesting. “Organizers of the Freedom Rally, a marijuana-centric gathering on the Boston Common, are gearing up to celebrate their 25th consecutive year of bringing together thousands of people to advocate for the legalization of the leafy drug,” reports the Globe. “But for the first time in the history of the annual festival, where event attendees are known to smoke pot, listen to bands, and hear speakers share their knowledge about marijuana policy, police will be out in full force to crack down on scofflaws lighting up in the public park based on a new city ordinance.” Cops say they will be treating the rally’s participants the same as they would treat a cigar smoker in a park: by handing out a $250 fine.

3) Contest: StogieGuys.com readers who register at CigarsFor.Me this week will once again be registered to win a free five-pack of cigars. CigarsFor.me specializes in recommending customers the perfect premium cigars without having to go through endless hours of research. Users simply fill out their quick Palate Profile and instantly they’re shown cigars that they’ll love. It’s fun, easy, and this week you can win free smokes. Click here. Congrats to last week’s winner: Hyland Ford from Oak Hills, California.

4) Inside the Industry: D’Crossier Cigars is adding a limited (24,000 cigar annually) L’Forte blend which comes in four sizes and has a Costa Rican wrapper around Nicaraguan and Dominican filler tobaccos. At the recent industry convention, Nomad released its new C-276 blend, which is made at A.J. Fernandez’s Nicaraguan factory from an Oscuro Habano wrapper from Ecuador, and binder and filler from Nicaragua.

5) Deal of the Week: Corona Cigar Co. is featuring new six-pack samplers for just $25. Currently, there are seven choices with various themes including Altadis, Oliva, Connecticut-wrapped cigars, Alec Bradley, and Maduro cigars.

–The Stogie Guys

photo credit: General Cigar