The Stogie Guys

In our ongoing effort to make StogieGuys.com as entertaining and informative as possible, each Friday we’ll post a mixed bag of quick cigar news and other snippets of interest. We call ‘em Friday Samplers. Enjoy.

1) General Cigar Co. may be in a heap of trouble. In the latest twist of a protracted legal battle, a U.S. District Court judge recently ruled that the company’s use of the Cohiba name is “unfair trade by misappropriation.” The Cuban government has been seeking General’s profits from Dominican Cohiba cigars and an enjoinder to prevent the U.S. company from using the trademark for 11 years. Stay tuned to StogieGuys.com for developments and additional coverage next week.

2) We are pleased to congratulate friend of the website Luis Tiant, better known as El Tiante, for becoming a finalist in the Class of 2009 at the Baseball Hall of Fame. The right-hander and three-time All-Star pitched 19 seasons before founding his own cigar company. The Veterans Committee vote will be announced on Monday.

3) There’s still time to enter our “What Do Cigar Rights Mean to You?” contest. Simply leave a comment here for a chance to win a dozen of Rocky Patel’s finest cigars, three punch cutters, and Rocky’s new five-torch Diplomat table lighter—all generously provided by the good people of the Duque Cigar Company. Entries must be submitted before the stroke of midnight on December 14.

4) Inside the Industry: Rocky Patel will be releasing only 4,000 boxes of his Winter Blend. Holt’s will be the exclusive retailer of a new Padrón 1926 vitola, the six inch by 48 ring gauge Legacy.

5) Around the Blogs: Cigar Jack smokes a Gurkha Black Dragon. Keepers of the Flame lights up a Diamond Crown Maximus. Cigar Spy reviews a Cohiba Siglo III. Cigar Inspector surveys the Romeo y Julieta Escudos 2007 LE. Stogie Review takes on the El Titan de Bronze.

6) Deal of the Week: If the “2008 Cigar Innovation Award” existed, it most certainly would go to Nub—the short, thick cigars designed to skip right to the heart of flavor. This Nub Sampler will help you get acquainted with the hot new brand. You get singles of all 12 Nub sticks for under $40. Grab yours here.

–The Stogie Guys

photo credit: General Cigar Co.

In our ongoing effort to make StogieGuys.com as entertaining and informative as possible, each Friday we’ll post a mixed bag of quick cigar news and other snippets of interest. We call ‘em Friday Samplers. Enjoy.

1) Want to win a dozen of Rocky Patel’s finest cigars? Want to try the Rocky Patel Decade Torpedo that received a rating of 95 from Cigar Aficionado? Enter our “What Do Cigar Rights Mean to You?” contest and these fantastic prizes can all be yours.

2) According the Cigar Association of America, the industry’s manufacturers trade group, cigar imports were down over the first 9 months of 2008 when compared to 2007. The decrease is almost entirely dues to a drop in cigars from the Dominican Republic, as imports from Honduras and Nicaragua are up or even. These three countries account for 99 percent of the cigars imported into the U.S.

3) Inside the Industry: A number of new releases first announced at the IPCPR have recently been shipped to stores. Felipe Gregorio’s newest line, a Dominican Puro called the “Petrus Prestige,” is in stores now. Rocky Patel’s Renaissance and Cameroon Especial have recently shown up at retailers. And Don Pepin’s “My Father” line has been released, although reportedly only 50,000 will be made this year.

4) Around the Blogs: Stogie Review reviews Azul Luna Polo. Cigar Jack smokes the Tabacos Baez. Keepers of the Flame torches up a Romeo y Julieta Vintage Maduro. Stogie Fresh tries a Los Blancos Sumatra.

5) Deal of the Week: Turkey day may have come and gone, but Cuban Crafters still has a number of Thanksgiving Specials online. Included are StogieGuys.com favorites such as Cabinet Selection and La Carolina. Get yours here while the deals last.

–The Stogie Guys

photo credit: Stogie Guys

In our ongoing effort to make StogieGuys.com as entertaining and informative as possible, each Friday we’ll post a mixed bag of quick cigar news and other snippets of interest. We call ‘em Friday Samplers. Enjoy.

1) The Prince George’s County government in Maryland banned the sale of “unpackaged cigars” on Wednesday. Intended to “curb a growing trend among urban youths of using hollowed-out cigars to smoke marijuana,” the new law makes buying stogies illegal unless they come in packages of at least five. Thankfully, establishments like cigar shops with tobacco sales in excess of 25 percent of their revenue will be exempt.

2) In its coverage of Tampa’s Cigar Heritage Festival, the St. Petersburg Times did cigar smokers a favor by describing some, though by no means all, of the area’s top shops. It’s a good starting point if you’re new to this rich cigar region or planning a visit to Tampa Bay.

3) Inside the Industry: Tatuaje is preparing a January release of the Ambos Mundo, a new blend that will retail for around $5 in either Toro or Robusto. Tempus by Alec Bradley is now available in a five-pack sampler for $39.95. Nub is giving away a custom BMW 2008 Mini Cooper S convertible.

4) Around the Blogs: Cohiba Club examines the God of Fire Piramide 2006. Keepers of the Flame reviews a Saint Luis Rey. Stogie Review lights up a Camacho 10th Anniversary. Cigar Jack smokes a J. Fuego Gran Reserva Corojo.

5) Deal of the Week: This “Ten Most Wanted” sampler features ten cigars from the biggest names for under $30. Included are sticks by Rocky Patel, CAO, Alec Bradley, Cohiba, Toraño, and Gurkha. Get yours here.

–The Stogie Guys

photo credit: Flickr

In our ongoing effort to make StogieGuys.com as entertaining and informative as possible, each Friday we’ll post a mixed bag of quick cigar news and other snippets of interest. We call ‘em Friday Samplers. Enjoy.

1) Cuba is suing cigar accessories manufacturer Xikar over use of the word “Havana” in the company’s new Havana Collection. Filed in the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, the surprise lawsuit alleges Xikar is marketing the collection “by deliberately and falsely associating those goods with Havana, Cuba.” But Xikar says the name is only meant to “denote the style and culture of Havana.”

2) The Cigar Family Charitable Foundation, created in 2001 by the Fuente and Newman families, launched a new interactive website this week that allows visitors to explore the issues facing the people of the Dominican Republic. The Foundation’s mission is to provide communities on the island with better access to education, health care, and sustainable employment.

3) Inside the Industry: If you couldn’t make it out to Las Vegas, check out Cigar Aficionado’s coverage of the Big Smoke Weekend. JR Cigars began selling bundles of 20 cigars in mini oak barrels for the holidays—some have even been spotted at Costco. IPCPR legislative guru Chris McCalla felt the need to publicly declare that he knows about the Obama administration’s stated “priority” on passing SCHIP, and that the industry group is working to ensure that “the economic health of the retailers and our industry” is protected.

4) Around the Blogs: Stogie Review smokes a San Cristobal de La Habana. Cigar Jack lights up a Flor de Gonzalez. Matt reviews a Cruzado. Cigar Inspector inspects a Saint Luis Rey Serie A.

5) Deal of the Week: Since we’ll soon have a new president, we thought you might want to check out this “Presidential Sampler” before cigar taxes go up any further. For $49.99 (free shipping included), this ten-cigar sampler includes cigars by Graycliff, CAO, Romeo y Julieta, Cohiba, Camacho, Padilla, Gurkha, and Montecristo. Pick yours up here while limited supplies last.

–The Stogie Guys

photo credit: WDSI

In our ongoing effort to make StogieGuys.com as entertaining and informative as possible, each Friday we’ll post a mixed bag of quick cigar news and other snippets of interest. We call ‘em Friday Samplers. Enjoy.

1) A branch of the American Medical Association is fuming over the prevalence of smoking in movies. After noticing that “teen-oriented summer blockbusters, including Iron Man, The Incredible Hulk, and The Dark Knight, featured cigar smoking,” the group concluded approximately half of all G, PG, or PG-13 movies feature smoking.

2) Many thanks to our readers for making October our busiest month ever! StogieGuys.com received over 200,000 page views as a record number of readers stopped by.

3) Inside the Industry: Miami Cigar & Co. is now the sole distributor of all United Tobacco products, including the highly popular 601 and Cubao lines. General Cigar President and CEO Daniel Núñez will be stepping down in April with Dan Carr replacing the veteran cigar maker. Villiger is introducing its first handmade cigar, the Villiger 1888.

4) Around the Blogs: Keepers of the Flame lights up a Fuente Don Carlos Presidente. Velvet Cigar smokes a Perdomo Champagne 10th Anniversary. Cigar Jack reviews an Oliva Serie O. Matt tries the 601 Oscuro. Cigar Spy observes the Rocky Patel Sun Grown.

5) Deal of the Week: This “Eight Horsemen Sampler” features eight torpedoes for the bargain price of $19.99. Included are pricey smokes such as the Graycliff 1666, the Padilla Obsidian, Rocky Patel Connecticut, and CAO Black—any three of which could easily cost more than the entire sampler. Pick yours up today here.

–The Stogie Guys

photo credit: Stkarnick

In our ongoing effort to make StogieGuys.com as entertaining and informative as possible, each Friday we’ll post a mixed bag of quick cigar news and other snippets of interest. We call ‘em Friday Samplers. Enjoy.

1) Happy Halloween from all of us at StogieGuys.com. While we can’t recommend a cigar to pair with all the Snickers and Sweet Tarts you’ll be choking down, we can suggest you take a look at our list of the top 15 cigar-friendly costumes.

2) By a tally of 185 to 3, the United Nations condemned America’s embargo on Cuba for the 17th consecutive year on Wednesday. An LA Times editorial agues that the embargo’s continuation is “astonishing” because U.S. sanctions “only strengthen the Castro regime, which can blame all of the country’s problems on Washington rather than addressing their true cause—Havana’s misguided economic policies.”

3) Cigar Rights of America is urging Bostonians and concerned cigar enthusiasts across the country to contact Mayor Thomas Menino. On November 13, his city bureaucrats are aiming to enact “sweeping tobacco restrictions that include banning [cigar] bars” and “smoking on outdoor patios at restaurants and other businesses.”

4) Inside the Industry: Select retailers will be receiving Tatuaje’s Halloween-inspired creation, “The Frank,” a monster (7.6 x 49) with a greenish broadleaf wrapper made by Don Pepin Garcia. La Flor Dominicana is redoing its bands, dropping the flower graphic for a gold script “LFD.”

5) Around the Blogs: Cigar Jack smokes a Trilogy Corojo. Keepers of the Flame lights up a La Herencia. Stogie Review lights up a Ramón Allones Specially Selected. Matt reviews a Toraño Casa Toraño. Velvet Cigar tries a Rocky Patel Autumn Collection.

6) Deal of the Week: After two enthusiastic reviews of the new Cuban Crafters Medina 1959, we were excited to see this deal. Boxes of all sizes of this highly-rated cigar are on sale. Plus, if you’re not ready to go for the whole box, a variety of five-packs are available. Grab yours here while the deal lasts.

–The Stogie Guys

photo credit: Flickr

In our ongoing effort to make StogieGuys.com as entertaining and informative as possible, each Friday we’ll post a mixed bag of quick cigar news and other snippets of interest. We call ‘em Friday Samplers. Enjoy.

1) If you’ll be in the Tampa area on November 15, swing by historic Ybor City to check out the 10th annual Cigar Heritage Festival. The event, which has grown tremendously through the years, has no admission fee (donations are accepted), sales by numerous cigar makers, as well as food, drink, and games.

2) The Heartland Institute has found another reason why Pennsylvania’s outright smoking ban on state-owned college campuses is misguided. According to Legislative Specialist John Nothdurft in the USA Today, “the ban will force hundreds of students, many of whom don’t have cars, to hike outside the relative safety of a college campus to partake in the legal act of smoking.”

3) Inside the Industry: Famous Smoke Shop’s “Cigar Monster” daily deals are now available via text message to your mobile phone. Oliva introduced the new Serie V Maduro, a pyramid with a Connecticut broadleaf wrapper and Nicaraguan binder and filler tobaccos. CAO will be providing its America cigars for the band Hinder’s Las Vegas record release party.

4) Around the Blogs: Cigar Jack fires up a Château Real Maduro. Her Humidor smokes a Los Blancos Criollo. Next Generation reviews a Perdomo En Vidrio. Keepers of the Flame lights up a Don Pepin Garcia Black Perla.

5) Deal of the Week: General Cigars is offering a three-pack of its new Macanudo 1968 for just $7.95. That’s about the normal price of just one cigar from the new blend. Take advantage of their offer at Macanudo1968.com.

–The Stogie Guys

photo credit: Flickr