Stogie Guys Friday Sampler No. 447

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) Mark Mann, a veteran in the trade show/event industry, has joined the International Premium Cigar & Pipe Retailers Association (IPCPR) as the new exhibit and sponsorship account manager. “We are thrilled to have a professional of Mark’s caliber joining the staff team that serves the premium cigar and pipe industry,” said IPCPR CEO Mark Pursell. “He brings a wealth of experience managing the trade show floor and providing exhibitors with world class service.” Mann replaces Jeff Moran, who is expected to retire in October. Mann already resides in Washington and will join the IPCPR staff as soon as the new headquarters is completed on Capitol Hill. The IPCPR is currently based in Columbus, Georgia.

2) Speculation continues to bubble up from all corners of the industry about what will happen if/when Cuban cigars are decriminalized in the U.S. This week, Kaizad Hansotia, CEO of Gurkha, told Fox News he “believes the Cuban cigars do not pose a threat to U.S. companies because the quality of their product is lacking. When asked if he believes the Cuban cigar is the best in the world, Hansotia strongly dismissed it. ‘Absolutely not. In my opinion it isn’t.’ He believes American customers are now used to much more complex flavors today that simply can’t be matched by a Cuban cigar. ‘The flavor profile of a Cuban cigar is going to be very different than most of the American corporations because we can get tobacco from the U.S., Ecuador, Italy, Brazil, and it creates such a wide profile taste value,’ Hansotia explained.”

3) Inside the Industry: Many new releases that debuted at the show are now appearing at shops around the country. The much-anticipated Henry Clay Tattoo collaboration between Pete Johnson of Tatuaje and Altadis is due to arrive soon, as is the Tatuaje TAA 2015. Other recent arrivals include the Quesada Octoberfest, La Palina Red Label, and Padrón Damaso.

4) Deal of the Week: My Father 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: IPCPR