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) The Goldie series from La Palina, launched in 2012, is adding its third size. Called the Laguito Especial, the fan-capped vitola will measure seven inches long with a ring gauge of 40 and be presented in boxes of 10. Only 2,500 boxes will be made, and they’ll start hitting stores in late May. Crafted at El Titan de Bronze in Miami’s Little Havana neighborhood, each Goldie cigar is rolled by Maria Sierra. “Maria is one of the first women trained to roll cigars in Cuba,” according to a La Palina press release. “Her historic 32-year career at Villa El Laguito began July 22, 1967. Maria is a 95-rated, category-9 roller trained by Fidel Castro’s personal roller… as well as Avelino Lara, the creator of the legendary Cohiba blend.”

2) A.J. Fernandez’s popular San Lotano line is launchig a new regular production blend called The Bull. Wrapped in a cedar sleeve marked with an image similar to the University of Texas’ Longhorns logo, the recipe includes Nicaraguan tobacco from Fernandez’s plantations with an Ecuadorian Sumatra wrapper. The Bull is intended to be medium- to full-bodied and will be available in three sizes—Robusto, Toro, and Torpedo—with prices under the $10 mark.

3) Tatuaje is now shipping the Tatuaje Black Corona Gorda size (originally released in 2007) packaged in jars of 19, with 10,000 jars being made. Also being released (likely in far more limited quantities) is the Tatuaje Belle Encre Reserva, which is the 10th Anniversary perfecto size of the Tatuaje Brown label blend, but with a broadleaf maduro wrapper.

4) Inside the Industry: This week, to meet demand from consumers and retailers, Espinosa Premium Cigars started shipping its La Zona Connecticut and Habano blends in 20-count boxes. Until now, La Zona has only been available in 80-count crates or 20-count bundles. Made in Estelí, La Zona comes in two sizes—Robusto ($4.40) and Super Toro ($4.80)—with two different wrapper varieties: Connecticut Shade or Nicaraguan Habano.

5) Deal of the Week: The Stogie Guys Sampler at Corona Cigar Co. was recently updated. Just $30 gets you 7 cigars, including an Undercrown and the limited Avo Lounge cigar.

–The Stogie Guys

photo credit: La Palina

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 response to the looming threat of regulation, Cigar Rights of America (CRA) has formed the Connecticut-Massachusetts Tobacco Growers Association—a group aimed at protecting American farmers who would be adversely impacted by FDA oversight of hand-made cigars. “We have written about and proclaimed extensively the impact federal regulation of cigars could have on more than 350,000 jobs in Latin America,” wrote CRA Executive Director Glynn Loope. “Now it’s time to discuss the American farmer.” Connecticut Shade and Connecticut Broadleaf are among the most in-demand tobaccos for premium cigars. The FDA threat “brings into question the impact federal regulatory authority… could have on a valley that spans both Connecticut and Massachusetts and happens to produce some of the world’s most sought-after cigar leaf,” says Loope.

2) Cigar Place, an online cigar retailer and a StogieGuys.com supporter, launched a notable sweepstakes this week. The grand prize is “a year worth of cigars” in the form of a $1,500 gift certificate to the site. Two runner-up winners will receive a boxes of Gran Habano cigars. Check out the contest here. You can enter through April 5, but registering earlier gives you more opportunities to win.

3) Inside the Industry: Punch Rare Corojo is returning to stores this month with updated packaging but the same blend. In addition to Rare Corojo’s traditional seven sizes, this year Punch is adding a limited edition Rare Salomones size in boxes of 10 with a price of $7.99 per cigar. You can enter to win a box of the new size here.

4) Deal of the Week: This sampler features five excellent cigars for just $26. Included are the Sheffield HR500, Liga Privada Undercrown Gran Toro, Hex Figurado, CAO Concert Stage, and the Gurkha Red Witch Toro.

–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) Arguably the most celebrated family in the cigar industry today has announced a new cigar that’s slated for release before the end of 2014. The Garcias, including patriarch Don Pepín Garcia (pictured), are planning a line called La Antiguedad (Spanish for “the antiquity”). It will feature an Ecuadorian Habano wrapper around double binders (Nicaraguan Criollo and Nicaraguan Corojo). The filler tobaccos will also be Nicaraguan, and it will be made at the heralded My Father Cigars factory. All five sizes will be box-pressed and the prices will range from $6 to $10.

2) “Hire the trio, experience the quartet.” Such is the marketing pitch for the new Avo Quartet, a four-pack of Avo robustos that’s sold for the price of three. Included in the $30 pack is the Avo Heritage, Signature, Lounge Edition, and a new Avo Mystery Blend. Avo is considering turning the Mystery Blend into a regular line based on feedback it receives via a special website that solicits consumer opinion from those who purchase the Avo Quartet.

3) Inside the Industry: Sam Leccia is, according to a press release, “looking to put the cigar industry in a headlock” with a new blend called Luchador (Spanish for “wrestler”). The four-size line is expected to be released on Cinco de Mayo. It will feature a Mexican wrapper around an Ecuadorian Habano binder with filler from Nicaragua, Pennsylvania, and Honduras. “I wanted to create something fun, yet different and exciting,” said Leccia. “With Luchador being a combination of exotic blends and flavors with a Mexican wrapper, I thought it was time to tap into my childhood fascination of Mexican pro wrestling. Fun branding aside, the Luchador is a seriously unique blend that goes from sweet to spicy in 0 to 60.”

4) Around the Blogs: Stogie Fresh smokes the Padrón Family Reserve No. 85 Maduro. Stogie Review reviews the J. Castañón Mareba. Cigar Fan fires up the Legado de Pepín. Cigar Inspector inspects the Avo 80th Anniversary. Tiki Bar tries the Casa Miranda Chapter 2.

5) Deal of the Week: Here’s a sampler with some high-end, highly-rated cigars. Only $77 gets you one each of the following: La Jugada Habano Robusto, Drew Estate Nica Rustica, Illusione Rothchildes, L’Atelier Extension de la Racine, My Father El Centurion Belicoso, Nat Sherman 1930 Corona Grande, Leccia Black Robusto, Crowned Heads J.D. Howard Reserve Robusto, L’Atelier Maduro 54, and Drew Estate Herrera Estelí Lonsdale.

–The Stogie Guys

photo credit: My Father Cigars

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) A heist recently occurred at the A.J. Fernandez warehouse in Sunrise, Florida. According to a press release from A.J. Fernandez Cigars, robbers stole product valued at $25,000 on the evening of February 13. “In a scene right out of a heist film, the burglars cut a hole through the wall of an adjacent business using powered cutting tools—disabling one sector of the alarm system—and gaining access to a delivery/staging area of the AJF facility,” reads the press release. “The gang of at least five burglars made off with several crates of product, which had been delivered earlier in the day from Nicaragua, but had not yet been unpacked by AJF warehouse staff. The criminals did not gain access to the main humidified area of the facility. Thankfully, there were no injures to AJF staff as a result of this incident.” Some readers may recall the Alec Bradley warehouse robbery in September 2013, which occurred in Hollywood, Florida—approximately 25 minutes away from the AJF facility. In that heist, the burglars made away with merchandise worth $300,000 at wholesale, or nearly $600,000 at the retail level.

2) The “On the Road” column in the New York Times this week offered information about a website that helps travelers find hotels that offer smoking rooms. Smoketels.com features 100,000 hotels worldwide. The column also dealt extensively with cigar smoking—unfortunately reinforcing the idea that we’re almost all wealthy conspicuous consumers—and quoted Cigar Aficionado‘s Gordon Mott about an app the magazine is developing to pinpoint hotels that permit cigar smoking and nearby smoking lounges.

3) Inside the Industry: General Cigar is introducing the Partagas 1845 Extra Fuerte, a “fuller-bodied, fuller-flavored follow-up to the [original] 1845.” According to two magazine ads posted online, the cigar uses an Ecuadorian Habano Ligero wrapper and Nicaraguan filler.

4) Around the Blogs: Cigar Fan fires up Fonseca 120th Anniversary. Cigar Inspector inspects Nat Sherman Timeless Collection. Stogie Review reviews Cuban Stock Triumph. Stogie Fresh smokes Nica Rustica. The Tiki Bar kicks back with LEAF by Oscar.

5) Deal of the Week: Maduro fans would do well to check out this special. Only $45 gets you 5 each of the Liga Undercrown Gran Toro and the Rocky Patel Private Cellar Robusto.

–The Stogie Guys

photo credit: Google Maps