Stogie Guys Friday Sampler No. 445

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) Fortune recently published an article about how a potential end to the trade embargo with Cuba might impact Cuban cigar prices. “Habanos… may be betting increased demand could drive up global prices on Cuban cigars in general. A sharp increase in purchases coming from the U.S. would be met by the country’s limited hand manufacturing capacity of about 150 million a year, which is about 1% of the world market. Basic economics and high demand for fixed supply could suggest rising prices.” On the other hand, “there is a question of whether Cuban cigars are as superior as memory and myth suggest. Experts often prefer them, but there can be quality control problems and some in the business say Cuban cigars are overrated. If that’s true, wider availability could actually hurt pricing.”

2) Please join us in congratulating Stephen S. from Woodbury, Connecticut, as the winner of our latest StogieGuys.com newsletter giveaway. Stephen has won a Boveda Acrylic Humidor along with some Boveda humidification packs simply for being registered for our newsletter. If you’d like to receive exclusive insights from the StogieGuys.com editors and be eligible to win future prizes, you can sign up for the free email newsletter here.

3) Inside the Industry: Paul Joyal’s Ocean State Cigars is adding a 4.25″ x 41 petit corona size to its J Grotto Silk line, which utilizes an Ecuadorian wrapper around dual Indonesian and Honduran-grown Criollo 98 binders and Honduran and Nicaraguan filler.

4) Deal of the Week: My Father cigar fans should check out this deal from Cigar Place. Just $50 lands you six cigars – two each of the original My Father blend, My Father Le Bijou and My Father Connecticut, all in a belicoso size – plus a lighter, cutter and My Father ashtray in your choice of blue or red.

–The Stogie Guys

photo credit: Flickr