Weekly Cigar News Sampler: Joya de Nicaragua’s 50th Anniversary, Davidoff Expanding Distribution of García-Made Cigar, and More

As we have since July 2006, each Friday we’ll post our sampling of cigar news and other items of interest from the week. Below is our latest, which is the 569th in the series.

1) This year marks a half century for Joya de Nicaragua, the oldest premium cigar maker in Nicaragua. To celebrate its 50th anniversary, Joya is expected to debut an exclusive cigar later this year. Other celebratory activities include a tour of events that will span the globe, special giveaways, and the release of “the history, secrets, and anecdotes that have shaped the world-renowned brand and its products.” Dr. Alejandro Martínez Cuenca (pictured above), chairman of Joya de Nicaragua, shared the following in a press release: “At the end of the day, Joya de Nicaragua is a brand that sells cigars. But what matters to me is that this brand has been the force through which the people of the factory have helped shape the history of Nicaragua itself… We don’t just want to celebrate our 50th anniversary, rather put all our acquired life experience and cigar knowledge to set the groundwork for the next 50 years to come.”

2) Davidoff is expanding distribution for one of its unique cigars—an un-banded belicoso made for the Switzerland-based company by another manufacturer. The limited production My Father Exclusive Davidoff was originally sold only at its New York store on Madison Avenue, said Alberto Rosario, senior retail marketing manager at Davidoff. Now, it will be available at all Davidoff flagship stores and at Davidoff online. It is a toro-sized (6 x 52) Nicaraguan puro rolled at Don José “Pepín” García’s My Father Cigars factory in Nicaragua. They are packaged in cabinets of 50 for $500. Rosario noted that, while this joint effort began some years ago, other collaborations could be in the offing.

3) J.C. Newman’s Cuesta-Rey Cigar Bar at Tropicana Field, home of the Tampa Bay Rays, won’t be around this baseball season for the first time since the team’s beginnings in 1998. But Eric Newman, president of J.C. Newman, told the Tampa Bay Times this week that if plans for a new stadium in Tampa’s cigar-storied neighborhood of Ybor City come to fruition, he’ll push for a cigar lounge there. “That would be a natural for us,” Newman told the newspaper. The company bills itself as “America’s oldest family-owned premium cigar maker” and has been in Ybor City since moving from Cleveland in 1954.

4) Inside the Industry: Ezra Zion announced a partnership with the makers of Oak & Eden Bourbon and Oak & Eden Rye. Oak & Eden whiskeys employ a technique of “in-bottle finishing” with a patented spire technology that allows for charred oak wood spires to continue the wood aging process in the bottle. According to an announcement, Ezra Zion will introduce a line of Oak & Eden whiskey-inspired cigars to be paired with the whiskeys.

5) From the Archives: There hasn’t been much news lately about the FDA regulation of cigars. Looking back, reports last summer suggested good news could be on the way, as the new administration seemed less likely to push for the most egregious aspects of the rules.

6) Deal of the Week: Here are over 80 deals, including cigars from Ashton, Oliva, Tatuaje, Rocky Patel, Padrón, Drew Estate, RoMa Craft, Mi Querida, and more. Free shipping is included on any purchase. If you really want to stock up, add promo code “GBP20D” at checkout to knock $20 off an order of $150 or more.

–The Stogie Guys

photo credit: Joya de Nicaragua