Stogie Guys Friday Sampler No. 484

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) Las Cumbres Tabaco will be releasing two new box-pressed sizes next month, one for José Blanco’s Señorial Maduro line, and one for his wife Emma Viktorsson’s Freyja line. The former will be called El Cuadro—Spanish for “the frame,” which is a reference to both the press and the company’s oil painting-styled logos. El Cuadro (5.75 x 46) will retail for $7.50. The latter, in keeping with Viktorsson’s Nordic theme, will be called Mjölnir (me-YUL-nir) after Thor’s hammer. It will retail for $9 and measure 6.5 inches long with a ring gauge of 55. Both will be sold in 21-count boxes. “José and I both agree that this press on these tobaccos could add some extra intensity in the flavor and character,” Viktorsson wrote. “This vitola suits them both very well as they are already full-flavored blends.”

2) In light of forthcoming regulations on premium cigars, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is seeking volunteers for its Tobacco Product Manufacturing Facility Visits program, which is intended to give FDA staff “an opportunity to visit facilities involved in the manufacturing of newly deemed tobacco products and their components and parts, and to observe the tobacco industry’s manufacturing operations.” An email from the agency explains, “These visits are meant to improve FDA staff’s understanding of the tobacco industry and its manufacturing operations (including any related laboratory testing), and to inform agency staff as they implement the tobacco provisions of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act. The visits are not intended to include or replace official FDA inspections of facilities to determine compliance with the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act.” Interested parties are encouraged to volunteer here by August 15.

3) Inside the Industry: Two upcoming collaborations with Caldwell Cigars have the Miami-based company teaming up with highly respected cigar makers. Announced earlier in the year was All Out Kings, which was blended with Drew Estate master blender Willy Herrera and will be produced at the Joya de Nicaragua factory. More recently, via an Instagram post, Caldwell announced Anastasia, a cigar to be produced by Ernesto Perez-Carrillo.

4) From the Archives: Looking for a proper meal before enjoying a fine cigar and whiskey? The obvious choice is a good steak. For advice on how to cook that steak, look no further than our tip for using a cast iron skillet on a stovetop finished in the oven.

5) Deal of the Week: One of the best-regarded annual releases among Nicaraguan cigar connoisseurs is the Tatuaje TAA. Site sponsor Smoke Inn is now taking pre-orders on the 2016 Tatuaje TAA (which uses the same blend as the Tatuaje TAA 2015). This is sure to sell out everywhere, so act quickly.

–The Stogie Guys

photo credit: Las Cumbres Tabaco