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) On Tuesday, in addition to voting for the next president at the polls, Americans will be faced with plenty of other choices, some of which—including several referendums—will have lasting implications for cigar rights. Notable among these choices is the race between Republican Jeff Flake and Democrat Richard Carmona (pictured) for one of Arizona’s U.S. Senate seats. CRA is endorsing Flake over Carmona, which isn’t a surprise since Carmona has a history of advocating an all-out tobacco ban. “I see no need for any tobacco products in society,” he testified before Congress in 2003. “If you’re asking me, would I support banning or abolishing tobacco products? Yes.”

2) Andrew Brennan has joined La Palina, makers of El Diario, Family Series, and the La Palina Collection, among other cigars. Brennan was formerly the vice president of sales at La Flor Dominicana. “The addition of Andrew Brennan is a great fit to our growing company,” said Bill Paley, president and founder of La Palina. “His experience in cigar sales complements that of the company’s vice president, Courtney Smith.”

3) Inside the Industry: Pete Johnson is re-packaging La Riqueza, the slowest-selling line in his portfolio, to be sold in 10-count boxes instead of 25. The new boxes are expected to hit retailer shelves in the first quarter of 2013. “I can’t find an audience for the cigar,” Johnson recently told Cigar Aficionado. “We did a push at the [IPCPR] trade show to see if people would pay more attention to it. Right now, we’re just letting the old packaging run out.”

4) Around the Blogs: Tiki Grange kicks back with a Vie Havana Maduro. Cigar Brief smokes an Oliva V Melanio. Half Wheel lights up a La Aurora Preferidos Lancero. Casa Fumando fires up a Vallejuelo.

5) Deal of the Week: Emerson’s Cigars has the Tatueje Little Monsters in stock. Get them before they sell out (which they will quickly).

–The Stogie Guys

photo credit: Wikipedia

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) StogieGuys.com is pleased to announce Bruce Dyk of Bismarck, North Dakota, as the winner of our most recent contest giveaway. Bruce was chosen at random from among the many Cigar Rights of America (CRA) members who left comments on our October 4 post. Contest sponsor Prometheus will be sending Bruce a fantastic prize: a Prometheus 20th Anniversary Edition God of Fire Serie B five-cigar assortment box (pictured) and a Prometheus Retro 20th Anniversary Lighter (combined MSRP $198). Please join us in congratulating Bruce. We would also like to thank CRA and all of its members for everything they do to support cigar rights, as well as Keith Park of Prometheus for graciously donating the outstanding prize. And remember: Even if you didn’t win this contest, it always pays to be a CRA member.

2) Arturo Fuente is planning an invitation-only event at the refurbished 110-year-old cigar factory in Tampa that will become the company’s headquarters. The building, located at 22nd Street and 3rd Ave. in the historic Ybor City district, was constructed in 1902 and bought by Arturo Fuente a few years later. The restoration has been underway for years and is likely to not be complete until 2014, as the Fox affiliate in Tampa reports. But in November the Fuentes are holding an event to celebrate the building as “a lasting piece of history and a tribute to the city where the company was formed.”

3) Following the dangerous trend of government-imposed outdoor smoking bans, officials in Orange County, North Carolina, are mulling regulations that would criminalize smoking “at bus stops, sidewalks, parks, shopping malls, and any other public domain,” according to the Daily Tar Heel. The regulations will be voted on by the county’s board at a November 20 meeting. If passed, they would apply to the entire county, which includes the campus of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and the town of Hillsborough.

4) Around the Blogs: Cigar Fan fires up a Cuban Stock Royal Selection. Cigar Coop checks out a CAO Concert. Cigar Inspector inspects a Romeo y Julieta Petit Pirámides LE 2005. Tiki Bar samples a La Palina Classic. Stogie Review reviews the Dona Flor Puro Mata Fina.

5) Deal of the Week: This Midnight Madness sampler features ten premium maduros for $30. Included are five La Gloria Cubanas and five Romeo y Julieta Vintage Maduros.

–The Stogie Guys

photo credit: Prometheus

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) Russia, the largest country in the world in terms of landmass, is moving forward with plans to ban advertising of tobacco products and outlaw smoking in most public places, including restaurants and cafes. “We have to move towards civilization, like the rest of the world,” said Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev, the main proponent of the legislation. According to the Associated Press, 40% of Russian adults smoke, and “smoking rates have shot up in the past two decades, fueled by extremely low prices for cigarettes…”

2) Tonight is the debut of the Liga Privada Único Serie Velvet Rat, a new cigar from Drew Estate that measures 6.25 inches long with a ring gauge of 46 and a price tag of $14. Only 40 pre-release bundles of 10 will be sold this evening at Tesa, a Chicago retailer that has been a longtime supporter of Jonathan Drew. The Velvet Rat will be available on a larger scale in 2013. Patrick A will be at Tesa this evening to (hopefully) purchase a few Velvet Rats.

3) Inside the Industry: As part of its Punch tailgaiting promotion, Punch is giving away one six-pack of cigars every day. Following up on Tatuaje Anarchy, a Smoke Inn exclusive, the “Tatuaje Apocalypse” will be released in early December. Riverside Cigars in Indiana is hosting the national launch for the new 262 The Revere cigar line today.

4) Around the Blogs: Stogie Review reviews a Fernando León Family Reserve. Half Wheel revisits the Para Japón by La Aurora. Cigar Inspector inspects the Fuente Chateau Fuente. Cigar Coop smokes Freedom by Rocky Patel.

5) Deal of the Week: Corona Cigar (home of the Stogie Guys sampler) is offering a “Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde Sampler” with 11 (or 13, depending on how you count them) cigars for just $40. Included are five Don Pepin JJ Maduros and five Cuban Classics, plus a Corona Cigar Dos Capas Culebra.

–The Stogie Guys

photo credit: Flickr

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) Not long after it was introduced at this summer’s IPCPR Trade Show, Joya de Nicaragua’s Cuenca y Blanco has been rebranded as simply “CyB.” “This change is being proactively self-implemented to satisfy the possibility of any unintended, potential trademark conflicts with other brands, and is being done so in the spirit of maintaining the harmony within our small industry of premium handmade cigars,” reads a press release from Joya de Nicaragua. The five-vitola line—named for Dr. Alejandro Martínez Cuenca and Jose Blanco—well receive new boxes, bands, and packaging, but the blend itself will remain the same.

2) Cigar Rights Update: Officials in the town of Central Falls, Rhode Island, have approved an outdoor smoking ban that would criminalize smoking cigars in parks and other public areas if adopted. Politicians in Oklahoma are pushing for a bill that would enable local governments in the state to pass smoking bans. As expected, Gov. Rick Snyder signed into law a 50-cent tax cap for cigars in Michigan, with the aim of helping his state’s cigar shops compete with online retailers. Arizona State University will enact a total smoking ban starting next August for its campuses at Tempe, Glendale, Phoenix, and Mesa.

3) Inside the Industry: The 2012 edition of the Alec Bradley Fine & Rare is now arriving at stores. Grand Empire Reserve, a box-pressed Nicaraguan from Reinado, is shipping to retailers. Cigar smokers in the Washington, DC, area (where StogieGuys.com was founded) may want to check out two upcoming dinners featuring La Palina and E.P. Carrillo.

4) Around the Blogs: Cigar Fan fires up a CAO Concert. Stogie Review reviews the Viaje 5th Anniversary. Half Wheel smokes the La Flor Dominicana Oro. Cigar Coop lights up a Pinar del Rio Reserva Especial.

5) Deal of the Week: This “Silver Tray Special” features five premium sticks and a travel humidor for just $30. Included are three Montecristos and two Romeo y Julietas.

–The Stogie Guys

photo credit: Joya de Nicaragua

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) In early June, Californians headed to the polls to vote on Prop. 29, a measure that would have increased already-high cigar taxes in the Golden State by a whopping 73%, crushed cigar shops statewide, and paved the way for similar tax hikes in other states. Weeks later, the vote was too close to call, with a razor-thin margin of less than a half of a percentage point. This week, what had long been suspected was made official as Prop. 29 supporters failed to close the gap via a recount. Thanks to all the California cigar enthusiasts who voted against this tyrannical attempt to tax cigars even further.

2) Contest: In case you missed it yesterday, we’re giving away a fantastic prize worth almost $200 to one lucky reader. The only catch is you have to be a dues-paying member of Cigar Rights of America. If you already are, just leave a comment saying so on yesterday’s post. If you aren’t yet, sign up today. In a week we’ll select one person at random to receive a Prometheus 20th Anniversary Edition God of Fire Serie B 5-Cigar Assortment Box and a Prometheus Retro 20th Anniversary Lighter, all courtesy of our friends at Prometheus.

3) Inside the Industry: In addition to launching the new Ortsac Habana, Victor Vitale’s The Cigar Agency is now the U.S. distributor of Don Duarte. Registration is now open for the 013 ProCigar Festival, which will take place February 17-22 in the Dominican Republic. Dona Flor is bringing the Alonso Menendez brand back to the U.S.

4) Around the Blogs: Nice Tight Ash checks out an Antonio Benitez Maduro. Cigar Brief smokes a Tres Reynas. Casas Fumando fires up a Foundry. Cigar Inspector inspects a My Father. Stogie Review reviews a La Dueña.

5) Deal of the Week: Here’s a nice sampler of ten cigars for just $30 (or 20 for $50). “Perdomo vs. Toraño” features five cigars by each of the well-regarded cigar makers.

–The Stogie Guys

photo credit: Defeat Prop. 29

We’ve praised the efforts of Cigar Rights of America many times. The organization does tireless work defending the rights of cigar smokers against harmful government-imposed regulations, taxes, and smoking bans.

That alone should be reason enough for cigar smokers to pay the modest sum of $35 to formally join and support this important endeavor. But with the assistance of Prometheus, a purveyor of fine cigars and accessories that has supported CRA since its founding, we thought we’d give you yet another reason to join Cigar Rights of America.

Prize: Prometheus, which is run by Keith Park, who was instrumental in founding CRA, has graciously donated a fantastic prize consisting of a Prometheus 20th Anniversary Edition God of Fire Serie B 5-Cigar Assortment Box and a Prometheus Retro 20th Anniversary Lighter (combined MSRP $198). Both items will go to one lucky winner.

How to Enter: Entry is simple. If you’re already a dues-paying member of CRA, just leave a comment on this post stating so. If you’re not a member yet, head over to CRA and join (you’ll get two free cigars for joining), then leave a comment saying you’ve just joined to enter. (By entering, you give us permission to verify with CRA that you are a dues-paying member in good standing.) We’ll randomly select a winner (fine print here) in a week.

If you’re on the fence about joining CRA, consider this: Two years ago it seemed a forgone conclusion that by this time the FDA would be regulating cigars, most likely imposing restrictions that would limit new cigars that could be developed, alter traditional packaging, eliminate cigar shop events that include free samples, and outlaw walk-in humidors. Today, in large part because of CRA and its promotion of the Traditional Cigar Manufacturing and Small Business Jobs Preservation Act (which has majority support in the House and significant support in the Senate), those devastating restrictions have not come to fruition. And passing the bill seems a real possibility, something that seemed impossible when the bill was first introduced.

So if you haven’t already joined Cigar Rights of America, do so right away (and be eligible to win this top-notch prize). And if you are currently a member, proudly enter the contest, because you have already taken an important step in the defense of your cigar rights.

Once again, thanks to Prometheus (who also makes Sencillo and Angelenos) for providing this excellent prize in support of a great cause.

–The Stogie Guys

photo credit: Prometheus

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) Writing and passing a law is one thing, enforcing it is quite another. This concept is illustrated by the outdoor smoking ban that was passed in New York City. Effectively making the Big Apple the most inhospitable major city in the country for cigar enthusiasts, officials in 2011 criminalized smoking in parks, beaches, boardwalks, marinas, and plazas—and promised petty fines for violators. Over a year later, though, “officials expect New Yorkers themselves to enforce the ban by asking smokers to stop, telling a parks worker, or calling a complaint line about those who don’t,” according to the Wall Street Journal. “The state Office of Parks, Recreation, and Historic Preservation has kept signs up at beaches and other areas where it says smoking is prohibited. Spokesman Dan Keefe said Wednesday the office isn’t currently issuing tickets for violations.”

2) Cigar Rights of America sent around a newsletter this week praising the International Women’s Cigar Society (IWCS) for making a financial contribution to advance the cause of cigar freedom. “The IWCS is an amazing collection of dedicated shop owners, professional tobacconists, manufacturers, cigar sales staff, and passionate consumers who are dedicated to advancing this commitment for great cigars with the ladies,” reads the newsletter.

3) Inside the Industry: Viaje’s latest three limited release cigars—5th Anniversary, Honey and Hand Grenades, and Satori 2012—landed in stores this week. Global Premium Cigars, maker of 1502 Cigars manufactured in Estelí, will be distributed by the Emilio Cigars sales team.

4) Around the Blogs: Cigar Fan fires up a Toraño Loyal. Cigar Brief smokes the Esteban Carreras Covenant. Stogie Review reviews the My Father Flor de Las Antillas. Cigar Inspector inspects a Hoyo de Monterrey Excalibur.

5) Deal of the Week: In case you haven’t checked it out yet, here’s a deal created just for Stogie Guys readers. The “Stogie Guys Cigar Sampler”—offered by longtime supporter Corona Cigar—contains seven cigars for $29.95 (plus free shipping on your entire order). It includes limited edition cigars from Avo and Davidoff, plus cigars from by Rocky Patel, J.C. Newman, Casa Fernandez, and two Corona “house” blends. Pick yours up here.

–The Stogie Guys

photo credit: Flickr