The Stogie Guys

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) This week, Cigar Rights of America (CRA), the premium tobacco industry’s consumer-driven lobbying organization, has been very actively encouraging its members to contact Paul Ryan, the Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives (pictured). “For several years, stakeholders from across the premium cigar industry have been fighting on Capitol Hill to preserve the products and lifestyle we love. The culmination of that fight is now at hand,” reads a CRA “urgent action alert” dated December 9. “Congress is currently considering how to extend funding for the federal government and, in the context of that debate, considering what federal regulations can be addressed to prevent massive loss of jobs and the decimation of whole industries. First and foremost for us is the certain destruction that awaits the premium cigar industry under an FDA’s regulatory framework.” StogieGuys.com encourages you to voice your opinion to your senators, your representative, and to Speaker Ryan, who can be contacted at 202-225-0600. For a refresher of exactly what’s at stake in this battle, please click here.

2) Steve Saka of Dunbarton Tobacco & Trust—who has been meeting with senators and representatives in Washington this week, along with CRA executive director Glynn Loope and Sean Williams of El Primer Mundo Cigars—took to Facebook to plead with friends, followers, and fans to follow through on CRA’s appeal to contact Senator Ryan. “I won’t lie, it’s looking rough,” he wrote. “Big Tobacco is against us, the anti-tobacco zealots are against us, the FDA is against us, however there is a sliver of [a] chance that we might be granted an exemption in the pending omnibus… The speaker’s office is actually asking members on both sides about this issue and is actively engaging—John Boehner never did this.” Paul Ryan assumed the role of Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives in October following the resignation of the incumbent, John Boehner.

3) Inside the Industry: Popular cigar cutter brand Palio has been acquired by humidor and cigar accessory distributor Quality Importers Trading Co., which is based in Weston, Florida. According to reports, Quality Importers Trading plans to expand Palio offerings to include branded cutters for cigar companies. While the company plans to shift production from the U.S. to China, it will continue its lifetime warranty and replacement policy.

4) Deal of the Week: StogieGuys.com recommends Bespoke Post, a monthly collection of awesome items delivered to your door. Past boxes include fine bar accessories, shaving kits, coffee, and more. You can skip or purchase every month. Currently available is an offering called “Churchill” that includes an exclusive cigar from E.P. Carrillo, plus cedar spills, an ashtray made from reclaimed wood, and an odor-eating candle. Click here to sign up today.

–The Stogie Guys

photo credit: PaulRyan.House.gov

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 International Premium Cigar & Pipe Retailers Association (IPCPR) has officially completed its move to a three-story commercial townhouse in the Capitol Hill neighborhood of Washington. Previously, the organization had employees in five different states with a headquarters in Columbus, Georgia. “This new location, steps from the U.S. Capitol, will enable IPCPR to continue increasing awareness of premium cigar issues through education and advocacy of federally elected officials in Washington,” Kevin “Kip” Talley, Senior Director of Federal Legislative Affairs, told StogieGuys.com yesterday. “The capability to host social and fundraising events is also an exciting opportunity. Uniting IPCPR staff in one location will further empower our team to develop solutions to the complex legislative and regulatory issues we face as an industry, both at the state and federal levels. We are thrilled to unveil the new location to our members and encourage anyone visiting Washington to contact us for a full tour of our new facilities.”

2) Black Label Trading Company (BLTC) has announced the 2015 release of its Catacomb brand, which is made in Estelí at Fabrica Oveja Negra exclusively for Underground Cigar Shop in Fort Worth, Texas. Available in a Robusto and a Toro, Catacomb sports an Ecuadorian maduro wrapper around Nicaraguan tobaccos. “I was very excited to work with Underground to bring back the Catacomb this year,” said BLTC creator James Brown. “It’s one of my favorite cigars from the BLTC lineup. There will be a lot of similarities to last year’s cigar, but we did tweak a few things to take it to the next level. Overall, I feel it’s a bigger, bolder version of the 2014. It’s an intensely rich cigar with dense, chewy smoke…”

3) Inside the Industry: Cigar Insider reports My Father Cigars is set to release its most expensive cigar yet: “Dubbed My Father Garcia & Garcia, the brand is positioned as the company’s most high-end cigar to date and was created to celebrate the craftsmanship of José ‘Pepin’ Garcia and his son, Jaime. The cigar will come in only one size, a… Toro Deluxe, and contains a type of rare tobacco in the filler known as Pelo de Oro.”

4) Deal of the Week: StogieGuys.com sponsor Smoke Inn has the highly anticipated Sobremesa in stock. Most sizes are already sold out but, at the time of this writing, the Gran Imperiales (7 x 54) size is still available for order in either a five-pack or a box of 25. Do yourself a favor and give this awesome blend a try.

–The Stogie Guys

photo credit: IPCPR

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) General Cigar, a subsidiary of Scandinavian Tobacco Group, the world’s largest manufacturer of cigars and pipe tobacco, has appointed a new president. “Regis Broersma becomes new President of General Cigar Company… [He] is Dutch-born and has a comprehensive, international background in sales, marketing, and general management,” reads a press release. “Regis Broersma has worked in the cigar industry since 2002 and has a great passion for cigars.” Broersma (pictured) succeeds Dan Carr, who was dismissed earlier this month. “In addition, Scandinavian Tobacco Group assigns the responsibility of its entire global handmade cigar businesses to an Executive Vice President. Craig Reynolds assumes this responsibility, which includes General Cigar, its international business, and Cigars International, which is a leading online retailer in the U.S.”

2) Nomad has announced a new cigar called H-Town San Andrés Lancero, which will be exclusive to Stogies World Class Cigars, a large tobacconist in Houston that also sells cigars online. It joins the series of exclusive lancero smokes made for the retailer by brands like Room 101, La Palina, Fratello, Alec Bradley, Tatuaje, and Quesada. The first Nomad H-Town San Andrés Lancero release will be 2,000 cigars (200 boxes of 10) which will retail for $8.50 apiece. “I am honored to be a part of a very exclusive group of blenders participating in this series,” said Nomad founder Fred “Godfadr” Rewey. “Lanceros offer a flavor experience that cannot be found in other sizes.”

3) Inside the Industry: The Cigar Association of America, the industry trade group that represents cigar manufacturers, recently announced it has selected Javier Estades as its new chairman. Estades is the Chariman of Tabacalera USA, a division of international cigar giant Imperial Tobacco, which oversees Altadis USA.

4) Deal of the Week: StogieGuys.com recommends Bespoke Post, a monthly collection of awesome items delivered to your door. Past boxes include fine bar accessories, shaving kits, coffee, and more. You can skip or purchase every month. Next month will feature an exclusive cigar offering from E.P. Carrillo, including previously unreleased cigars available only to Bespoke Post subscribers. Click here to sign up today.

–The Stogie Guys

photo credit: ennsviktor.com

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) Online retailer Famous Smoke Shop and Padrón have announced the Famous 75th Padrón Anniversary cigar (5 x 54), a box-pressed robusto that will be offered with either a Nicaraguan Habano natural or Nicaraguan Habano Maduro wrapper. Only 3,000 boxes of 10 have been made. The cigars will retail for $21 apiece. “Both Jorge [Padrón] and I owe a lot to our parents and the values they taught us,” said Arthur Zaretsky, head of Famous Smoke Shop. “So, in celebrating our 75-year legacy as Famous Smoke Shop, and in the spirit of family, we celebrate you—our customer—with this special cigar from Padrón.”

2) 262 Cigars is celebrating its fifth anniversary with its sixth blend. Suit & Tie, as the line is called, will debut in December in two sizes—a box-pressed Toro and a Lancero—both of which will be sold in 10-count boxes with an MSRP of $125 per box. “I was at the factory and this particular blend grabbed a hold of me,” said 262 founder Clint Aaron in a press release. “I wanted to wait until the timing was right, so we put it on the back-burner… [Later] I was on a road trip, and all of the sudden it hit me like a ton of bricks. That blend would be perfect for a short-run to coincide with our five years of being in the industry.”

3) Inside the Industry: CAO has shipped two limited edition cigars (both 6.5 x 52) as part of its annual Christmas-themed release. This year the two cigars are Wicked Winter and Stingy Scrooge. Wicked Winter features a Honduran wrapper, U.S. broadleaf binder, and Honduran and Nicaraguan filler. Stingy Scrooge uses a Connecticut Habano wrapper, Brazilian Arapiraca binder, and a combination of Dominican, Honduran, and Nicaraguan filler tobaccos. They sell for $8 each in 14-count boxes.

4) Deal of the Week: The highly-anticipated (and highly-rated) Sobermesa, the debut offering from Steve Saka‘s Dunbarton Tobacco & Trust, is now available at Smoke Inn. Use the code “Stogie10” to get 10% off your order. And be sure to move quickly; Sobremesa is likely to sell out.

–The Stogie Guys

photo credit: Famous Smoke Shop

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) Yesterday, Black Label Trading Co. (BLTC) creator James Brown announced a new “small-batch cigar line” called Black Works Studio. “Part of the motivation for opening our own factory, Fabrica Oveja Negra, was to experiment and develop unique blends highlighting Nicaraguan tobacco,” said Brown in a press release. “Black Works Studio (BLK WKS) is my first opportunity to use our factory as my playground. Blending cigars is my passion and I ended up with several blends and ideas on the shelf [so] the time was right to launch a new brand.” Three cigars are expected before 2016: NBK (6 x 46, $9, Ecuador Habano Oscuro wrapper), Killer Bee (4.5 x 46, $7.50, Ecuador Maduro wrapper), and Rorschach (5 x 38, $4.30, Ecuador Habano wrapper). A national launch party for BLK WKS will be held on December 11 at Club Humidor in San Antonio. The current BLTC lineup includes Last Rites, Benediction, Royalty, Lawless, and Salvation. Fabrica Oveja Negra was opened early this year in Estelí.

2) Drew Estate is launching a new cigar called Acid Chi-Town, which will be exclusively distributed by Arango Cigar Co., a wholesale distribution company based in Northbrook, Illinois. The robusto-sized cigar (5 x 50) will feature a Cameroon wrapper around Nicaraguan tobaccos. “Arango Cigar Co. has been a long-time ally of Drew Estate,” said Michael Cellucci, president of Drew Estate. “We’ve built a great relationship over the years… We’re excited to work with them on Acid Chi-Town as we continue to bring new and fresh ideas to the popular Acid cigar brand.”

3) A recent editorial by the Tampa Tribune highlights what is at stake for Cigar City if the FDA regulations crack down on cigars: “Last year, outraged citizens sent more than 80,000 messages to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration in an effort to save Tampa’s last cigar factory from a bureaucratic noose. Yet the FDA’s decision on the matter still has not been made public, and legislation that would resolve the issue is mired in Congress, despite strong bipartisan support. The fate of J.C. Newman Cigar Co. in Ybor City is at stake. It is the last working cigar factory in Tampa, which once had 150 factories and was renowned as the Cigar City. If the FDA does not adopt sensible rules on premium cigars, the factory’s 130 jobs could be lost. So could the city’s association with the cigar industry, which began when Vicente Martinez Ybor relocated his cigar factory from Key West to Tampa in the 1880s.”

4) Deal of the Week: Looking to try some of the many new releases but don’t want to commit to a five-pack? This “Hot New Sampler” features eight high-end new releases for just $80. Included are the following cigars: Amadeus Habano Sidewinder 3, Johnny Tobacconaut Ranflactic, Casa Magna Domus Magnus II Marcus Arelius, El Güegüense Toro, Rocky Patel 20th Anniversary Toro, Matilde Oscura Toro Bravo, Espinosa Especial No.1, and Murcielago La Lune.

–The Stogie Guys

photo credit: BLTC