Stogie Guys Friday Sampler No. 512

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) Black Label Trading Co. yesterday announced the upcoming release of Sindustry, a three-vitola blend that sports a Mexican San Andrés wrapper around Nicaraguan binder and filler tobaccos. The brand will be part of the Black Works Studio (BLK WKS) portfolio, which also includes the Killer Bee, Green Hornet, NBK, and Rorschach lines. It is made at Black Label’s Fabrica Oveja Negra factory in Estelí. “I’m very excited about our first Limited Edition at BLK WKS,” said Black Label Trading Co. creator James Brown. “Sindustry is a big, bold, badass smoke. The flavor profile is very unique with flavors of black currant, clove, and coco paired with the rich earthiness of the San Andrés wrapper.” Each of the three sizes—Robusto, Toro, and Lancero—will be available in February. They will retail in the $9.50 to $10 range.

2) Tickets are on sale now for Big Smoke Miami, which will be held at the Fontainbleau Hotel in Miami Beach on Friday, April 7. The entrance fee is $325, and the event runs from 6:30 PM to 9:30 PM (you can get in 60 minutes earlier by paying an extra $50). Included in the price is the opportunity to visit with at least 25 premium cigar makers, drinks, food, and, of course, cigars. That said, Cigar Aficionado, the host of the event, notes “smoking is permitted in all outdoor areas of the hotel.” So it is not yet entirely clear if attendees will be able to smoke on the event floor, which is presumably indoors.

3) Also on sale now are tickets for The Great Smoke, an annual event put on by the Palm Beach-based retailer Smoke Inn. The $150 ticket gets you a commemorative bag with goodies, 45 cigars, and a wide selection of fine food, wine, spirits, and beer. Additionally, you can secure tickets to the pre-event dinner, hosted the night before at Ruth’s Chris Steakhouse, and a day-after brunch.

4) From the Archives: Our interviews archive features numerous conversations with well-known (and not so well-known) interesting people associated with the cigar industry. In one of our earliest interviews (going way back to 2007), we spoke with Michael Fayerverger, the general manager of one of the most famous cigar destinations in the world, Casa Fuente.

5) Deal of the Week: Cigar enthusiasts seeking a great deal should check out this clearance on Thunder by Nimish, part of the Rocky Patel line. All boxes of 20 are being blown out at the discount price of just $66, bringing the per-cigar cost down to $3.30. But don’t wait too long; this deal is sure to sell out quickly.

–The Stogie Guys

photo credit: Black Label Trading Co.