Stogie Guys Friday Sampler No. 490

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) Drew Estate has announced an executive-level shakeup. Glenn Wolfson, a graduate of Northwestern University’s Kellogg School of Management and a Chicago-area resident, will relocate to Miami to oversee the company’s day-to-day operations as chief executive officer. “Glenn Wolfson is a trusted advisor, and has enjoyed a 36-year career in business as a senior corporate executive and consultant,” said Peter Ghiloni, Swisher’s CEO. “Glenn has worked with our team in the past, helping us transform our business dramatically having experience in managing supply chain and operations, marketing, information technology, business strategy, and human resource.” Michael Cellucci is stepping down from his post as Drew Estate’s president to pursue other opportunities, and Rich Cutler returns to Drew Estate in a sales capacity for “transitional support.” In the fall of 2014, Drew Estate was acquired by Swisher International, the largest cigar company in the world by volume.

2) Cigar Rights of America (CRA) will begin affixing stamp-size labels to cigar boxes from manufacturers who support the cause of cigar freedoms. “The Stamp,” as it is known, debuted at the industry trade show this week. “We wanted to develop a program to recognize those companies that have been and are advancing the cause of CRA as a movement among patrons of great premium cigars, for their resources that have advanced the legislative agenda of CRA in Washington and across the nation, and are giving to this partnership between the manufacturers, community retail tobacconist, and consumers of premium handmade cigars,” CRA executive director J. Glynn Loope told Cigar Aficionado.

3) Inside the Industry: Tons of new cigars were introduced this week, and we’ll have plenty to review in the coming months. Generally, new cigars are a result of the creativity and skill of the blender, and limited by available tobaccos. At the IPCPR Trade Show, General Cigar debuted the results of a new project to expand the types of tobacco available to its cigar makers. “Project Mao” seeks to use archived tobacco seeds to redevelop strands of tobacco that otherwise would be unavailable due to the natural evolution of tobacco strains. Both the Partagas Ramon y Ramon and Macanudo Mao use tobacco developed from archived seeds that are over a half century old to attempt to recreate flavors that otherwise have been lost.

4) From the Archives: StogieGuys.com first attended the IPCPR Trade Show in 2008, which was also held at the Sands Expo and Convention Center in Las Vegas, home to the 2016 show. Check out our coverage of that show here and here.

5) Deal of the Week: Want to fill your humidor with some high-quality cigars on the cheap? This IPCPR 2016 Sampler features ten cigars that will normally run you over $60 combined, for just $29.95.  Included are cigars from Drew Estate Undercrown, Surrogates, Miro, La Aurora, and others.

–The Stogie Guys

photo credit: Drew Estate