Stogie Guys Friday Sampler No. 481

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) Two years ago, StogieGuys.com broke the news that, for the first time since 1977, long-filler cigar tobacco was being grown in Florida. Jeff Borysiewicz (pictured above), owner of the Orlando-area Corona Cigar stores and a partner in the Sindicato cigar company, began growing tobacco on land he had purchased—out of love of the leaf, and to avoid paying residential taxes on the land, which is outside Orlando. At the time, while we learned Drew Estate had been selected as Borysiewicz’s partner in the endeavor, it was unclear exactly how the tobacco would be used. This week we learned it will be included in a new blend from Drew Estate aptly called Florida Sun Grown (FSG). The Floridian tobacco joins Nicaraguan leaves as a component of the filler; the binder is Mexican and the wrapper Brazilian. Five vitolas—including a limited edition Trunk-Pressed Toro (6 x 54)—will retail in the $11.50-$15 range. “This has been one of the most difficult challenges of my life,” said Borysiewicz. “Tobacco growing is just as much an art as it is a science, and growing tobacco in this area of Florida was totally uncharted territory. It took a lot of trial and error to get it to where it is today, but we couldn’t be happier with the way it’s smoking.” FSG will be exclusively available at Corona Cigar starting in June.

2) On the heels of thawing relations between Washington and Havana, Cuba’s government has announced the decriminalization of small- to medium-sized private businesses. “Cuban business owners and economic experts said they were hopeful the reform would allow private firms to import wholesale supplies and export products to other countries for the first time, removing a major obstacle to private business growth,” reports ABC news. “While the government offered no immediate further details, the new business categories appear to be the next stage in reforms initiated by President Raúl Castro after he took over from his brother Fidel Castro in 2008.”

3) Inside the Industry: Paul Joyal’s Ocean State Cigars announced the addition of a box-pressed Double Robusto (5.5 x 54) to the J. Grotto Anniversary line. The cigar uses a Connecticut Broadleaf wrapper, a Dominican Habano binder, and undisclosed “other Central American tobaccos” for the filler. The Anniversary line is blended and manufactured by Phil Zanghi, whose Dominican operation shares factory space with the Reyes family of tobacco producers. The cigar comes in 10-count boxes and sells for $8.50.

4) From the Archives: One user error that rookie cigar smokers often commit is ashing too often. In a tip from three years ago titled “Better Ash, Better Cigar Experience,” we covered this and gave the advice that, while smoking doesn’t need to be a long ash contest, there are scientific reasons why ashing too frequently will negatively impact your enjoyment.

5) Deal of the Week: The latest iteration of the popular Tatuaje Monster Series is the Tatuaje Skinny Monsters. This ten-count sampler ($85) features each of the eight Halloween Monster blends, plus the Chuck and Tiff blends that debuted in the Pudgy Monster sampler in a “skinny” lancero (6 x 38) format.

–The Stogie Guys

photo credit: Drew Estate