The Stogie Guys

In our ongoing effort to make StogieGuys.com as entertaining and reader-friendly as possible, each Friday we’ll post a selection of quick cigar news and stogie-related snippets. We call ‘em Friday Samplers. Enjoy.

1) Cigar Aficionado reported this week that imports of premium stogies exceeded 300 million in 2007, “a number that was thought unreachable in the early days of the 1990s cigar boom.” The Dominican Republic and Honduras are still the largest suppliers to the U.S., but Nicaragua is gaining speed with shipments up 22 percent.

2) CAO President Tim Ozgener recently posted another interesting video on YouTube. This one goes into great detail about the Gold series, a mild cigar that Tim describes as “my father’s favorite blend.”

3) Tired of lighting up in the garage or huddling around a space heater on the deck during winter? Well, there’s a 117 sq. ft. prefabricated structure that will certainly make you the envy of all your smoking buddies. It’s insulated, pre-wired (think HDTV), and can “tuck into any area,” according to the manufacturer. The complete Kithaus is $44,900. Or get the base model for only $29,500. Neither price includes shipping, taxes, or installation.

4) Around the Blogs: Stogie Review reviews the H. Upmann Signature. Cigar Jack lights up a La Gloria Cubana. Velvet Cigar smokes the Omar Ortez Original. Cigar Inspector inspects a Macanudo Maduro. Matt smokes a Tatujae Reserva SW.

5) Deal of the Week: Valentine’s Day is just around the corner, which makes this sampler a perfect choice. You get ten smokes including a Cohiba, a Macanudo, and two Punch cigars, plus you get a box of fine chocolates for your sweetie. All fthis or just $39.99. Grab yours here.

–The Stogie Guys

photo credit: Cigar Aficionado

In our ongoing effort to make StogieGuys.com as entertaining and reader-friendly as possible, each Friday we’ll post a selection of quick cigar news and stogie-related snippets. We call ‘em Friday Samplers. Enjoy.

1) Don’t forget to enter our Second Annual Super Bowl Contest for a chance to win six top-notch cigars from eGars.com. All entries are due by 5 p.m. EST Sunday. (Also, remember that you can receive 10% off your first purchase from eGars.com by entering “SGVIP” as the promo code at checkout.)

2) Can’t decide how to celebrate Sunday’s bag game in proper stogie style? David Savona of Cigar Aficionado provides some helpful information on what and where to smoke. When you’re done with that, check out the two short (and somewhat scary) videos related to this article for some offbeat betting tips.

3) A chain of coffee bars for cigar smokers is set to debut in Tampa in February, with plans for 11 more outlets later this year in cities including New York, Chicago, Atlanta, Miami, and Orlando. Acme Sports & Entertainment, which has a cigar operation in Tampa’s Ybor City, announced plans this week to merge “the success of coffee giant, Starbucks Coffee, with a smoker-friendly atmosphere for cigar smokers.”

4) Around the Blogs: Stogie Review reviews the Arganese CL3. Cigar Jack tries the CAO Black VR. Cigar Inspector inspects the Davidoff 2000. Keepers of the Flame smokes a Padilla 1948. Matt lights up a 5 Vegas A. Velvet Cigar enjoys the Fuente Anejo 55.

5) Deal of the Week: Before winter ends you may want to pick up this “Winter Blast Sampler.” It includes a Montecristo, a Pepin-made 601 Red, two Arturo Fuente Rothschilds, and six other quality sticks…all for just $29.99 with free shipping. Grab yours here.

–The Stogie Guys

photo credit: NFL.com

In our ongoing effort to make StogieGuys.com as entertaining and reader-friendly as possible, each Friday we’ll post a selection of quick cigar news and stogie-related snippets. We call ‘em Friday Samplers. Enjoy.

1. Thanks to the crummy Chicago smoking ban, Cigar Aficionado reports that the previously scheduled Big Smoke Chicago is canceled. According to CA, “Local authorities told Hyatt representatives last spring that the 2008 Big Smoke event could go as scheduled. However, after reviewing a detailed copy of the law last week, the establishment’s lawyers concluded that there was no way to allow any smoking on the premises.”

2. Once again, those pesky politicians up on Capitol Hill tried to pass the SCHIP bill, which includes a massive increase in tobacco taxes. And thankfully, once again, Democrats failed to muster enough votes to override Bush’s veto, meaning that at least for now there won’t be a $3 per cigar federal tax.

3. Around the Blogs: Cigar Jack smokes a Camacho SLR. Stogie Review reviews the Indian Tabac 10th Anniversary. The Smoke Journal goes with the Graycliff PG. Cigar Inspector inspects a Padrón 5000. Keepers of the Flame lights up an Augusto Reyes.

4. Deal of the Week: This week we feature a sampler with some really special cigars. Don Pepin is just about the biggest name in cigars right now, and Victor de la Cruz once blended for Davidoff. With Tatuajes by Pepin, and Cocineros and La Princesa by de la Cruz, this sampler features ten excellent cigars for $50. Grab yours here.

–The Stogie Guys

photo credit: Cigar Aficionado

In our ongoing effort to make StogieGuys.com as entertaining and reader-friendly as possible, each Friday we’ll post a selection of quick cigar news and stogie-related snippets. We call ‘em Friday Samplers. Enjoy.

1. A deal was finally reached this week in a sad case of eminent domain abuse in which the city of San Diego seized and destroyed the Gran Havana cigar lounge to make way for a Marriott. We’ve been following the story since September, and in November we reported that the hotel’s developer was trying to shortchange the former owner of the lounge. Yesterday the Union-Tribune reported that a $7.8 million settlement was agreed upon for the disputed lot, which now “stands as a reminder of some of the evils of government taking people’s land.”

2. CAO recently added a few new sizes to two of its existing lines. The America series now has a mammoth eight and ½ inch by 50 ring gauge Anthem vitola ($14.50), and the six and ½ inch by 50 ring gauge Largo ($6.80) and the six inch by 50 ring gauge Positano ($6.20) join the Italia series.

3. Around the Blogs: Cigar Jack smokes a Camacho Triple Maduro. Stogie Review reviews the Perdomo Habano Corojo. Cigar Monkey goes with Punch Chateau L. Cigar Inspector inspects a Dornier DO-X. Keepers of the Flame lights up a Padrón 4000.

4. Deal of the Week: This “Football Sampler” sports ten nice smokes, including a Montecristo, a La Princesa de Cuba, a Cocinero Liga Especial, and a Tinderbox Reserva No. 2 – all for just $29.99. But in our opinion the real gem is the Toraño Signature. Grab all ten here.

–The Stogie Guys

photo credit: Gran Havana

In our ongoing effort to make StogieGuys.com as entertaining and reader-friendly as possible, each Friday we’ll post a selection of quick cigar news and stogie-related snippets. We call ‘em Friday Samplers. Enjoy.

1) In a recently uploaded video on YouTube, CAO President Tim Ozgener talks about his Vision line, named one of Cigar Aficionado’s top ten cigars of 2007. If you’re anything like us, hearing about the cigar’s unique composition and presentation will only make you want to try it more:

2) Have about $44,000 burning a hole in your pocket? Didn’t think so. If you did, though, you could buy one of these special-edition Guayasamín Humidors complete with 90 Cohibas.

3) Around the Blogs: Cigar Inspector inspects the Montecristo White. Stogie Review reviews the EO 601 Green Label. Keepers of the Flame lights up an Oliva Series V. Cigar Jack smokes a Cubita 545.

4) Deal of the Week: 10 quality cigars, including two Macanudo Gold Pyramides, all for just $29.99.

–The Stogie Guys

In our ongoing effort to make StogieGuys.com as entertaining and reader-friendly as possible, each Friday we’ll post a selection of quick cigar news and stogie-related snippets. We call ‘em Friday Samplers. Enjoy.

1) This isn’t exactly the use for smoking jackets we imagined, but kudos to the owner of this French café for creativity. To combat France’s unjust smoking ban, which went into effect on January 1, he has a number of fleece jackets – technically vests – on hand for his customers so they don’t freeze when they’re forced to go outside for a smoke.

2) As in France, the good people of Alaska are being forced out into the cold by a tyrannical smoking ban. Anti-tobacco advocates say they passed the law out of health concerns, but are they going to apologize when when someone catches pneumonia and dies, as happened in Toronto last winter?

3) Around the Blogs: Cigar Inspector inspects the Carlos Toraño Exodus Silver. Stogie Review reviews the Partagas 160. Keepers of the Flame lights up an EO 601 Green Label. Cigar Monkey smokes the Carlos Toraño Signature.

4) Deal of the Week: Once again our deal of the week is a fantastic sampler from Tinderbox.com. You’ll get ten sticks from big name cigar makers like Cohiba, Montecristo, H. Upmann, and Arturo Fuente for just $29.99! Grab yours here.

–The Stogie Guys

photo credit: AFP

In our ongoing effort to make StogieGuys.com as entertaining and reader-friendly as possible, each Friday we’ll post a selection of quick cigar news and stogie-related snippets. We call ‘em Friday Samplers. Enjoy.

1) Starting on January 1, Illinois will become the 22^nd state to violate property rights in private bars, restaurants, and other workplaces with an oppressive smoking ban. This interesting article from the Chicago Tribune describes how Mario’s Taco House transformed itself into a tobacco store to capitalize on an exemption. The owners look forward to operating “One of the few remaining places in Chicago where you can smoke & coffee is under a buck.”

2) Keep your eyes open for the new Winston Churchill cigar line from Davidoff. Cigar Aficionado reports the sticks will sport Ecuadorian sun-grown wrappers and binder and filler tobaccos from Peru, Nicaragua, and the Dominican Republic.

3) Around the Blogs: Cigar Jack smokes a San Cristobal. Velvet Cigar puffs a Adam y Eva. Cigar Beat tries the Bock y Ca. Stogie Review reviews the Upmann Cabinet Selección Robusto.

4) Deal of the Week: Instead of just another deal, this week we wanted to remind you about the great gear available in the Stogie Guys store.  You can even grab a stylish golf shirt (pictured above) for a very economical $19.99.

–The Stogie Guys

photo credit: Stogie Guys