Stogie Guys Friday Sampler No. 485

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) The next new cigar from Joya de Nicaragua will be Joya Black, due out later this summer. The recipe includes a Mexican San Andrés wrapper—a first for the oldest cigar maker in Nicaragua—around Nicaraguan binder and filler tobaccos. â€œSince its inception, the Joya brand has pushed the limits of our factory and showcased a new side of our people and our products,” said Juan Ignacio Martínez, President of Joya de Nicaragua. “Varying from fun and easy smokes like Joya Red, to sophisticated and more complex smoking experiences such as the new Joya Black, and together with new upcoming variants, Joya’s portfolio will continue to generate excitement among modern smokers and make their smoking journey much more rewarding.” Four sizes are expected with per-cigar prices ranging from $5.50 to $8: Robusto (5.25 x 50), Toro (6 x 52), Doble Robusto (5 x 56), and Nocturno (6.25 x 46). Joya Black is considered to be a follow-up to the “very well-received” Habano-wrapped Joya Red, which debuted in 2014 and earned high ratings at StogieGuys.com.

2) Black Label Trading Co. (BLTC) this week announced the follow-up to its popular Killer Bee cigar. Called the Green Hornet (5 x 48), it will retail for $9.50 and feature an Ecuadorian maduro wrapper with a “Candela linear cap” and a closed foot, all of which will enclose Nicaraguan binder and filler tobaccos. “It’s never easy following up your biggest hit, but I think the Green Hornet is the perfect addition to the Killer Bee Line. The Green Hornet started as an event-only cigar, however, after seeing the response from consumers and retailers, we knew it had to become a regular release,” said BLCT creator James Brown. “The blend is a touch stronger than the Killer Bee to compliment the larger vitola and the closed Candela foot creates a very unique profile from the first puff. The Green Hornet is big, bold, rich and spicy. Everything you expect from a cigar in the Killer Bee lineup.” The cigar is expected to debut at BLTC retailers starting in July.

3) For years, Florida-based retailer Smoke Inn has commissioned custom, limited edition blends from top manufacturers for its Microblend Series. On Wednesday, Smoke Inn announced its new Microblend Collection First Edition, which showcases one each of the first ten cigars in the series in a “custom-built collector’s box” with a “velvet inlet.” Priced at $135.00 per 10-count box, the sampler includes the Tatuaje Anarchy, Padrón 1964 Anniversary SI-15, My Father El Hijo, Arturo Fuente Solaris, Tatuaje Apocalypse, Room101 Big Delicious, Quesada Oktoberfest Dunkel, 601 La Bomba Bunker Buster, Illusione Pactum, and the Drew Estate Pope of Greenwich Village. Only 1,000 boxes will be made. Pre-orders start today at Smoke Inn. “The Microblend Series not only represents my love and passion for fine cigars but the appreciation and fellowship for the cigar manufacturers that were so amazing to work with on each release,” said Abe Dababneh, owner of Smoke Inn.

4) Inside the Industry: While details are still being worked out, StogieGuys.com has learned that a joint lawsuit challenging the FDA rules regulating cigars is in the works, backed by the International Premium Cigar and Pipe Retailers Association (IPCPR), Cigar Rights of America (CRA), and the Cigar Association of America (CAA). While the lawsuit is still being put together, it will probably not be filed until after the FDA’s regulations go into effect on August 8, at which point proving damages will be easier.

5) From the Archives: Back in 2010, StogieGuys.com interviewed Frank Hererra to discuss his cigar brand (La Caridad del Cobre), the state of cigar trademark disputes, and more. Hererra is now the lawyer behind the first cigar industry lawsuit challenging the FDA regulations. Read the whole interview here.

–The Stogie Guys

photo credit: Joya de Nicaragua