The Stogie Guys

If you’re concerned about the tyranny of the majority—and cigar smokers should be since we are the minority—then there is no greater danger than the referendum, that popularity contest that bypasses the legislative process for a quick “yea” or “nay” headcount.

We don’t have anything like it at the national level (be thankful for that), but state and local governments often employ referendums to enact policies. California is a national leader in policy-by-referendum (and also a leader in individual liberty abuses). Some of you will recall when, 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. While that measure was ultimately defeated by a razor-thin margin, the referendum threat looms large for cigar smokers in California and beyond.

That threat is very real right now in North Dakota and Missouri, two states that are taking advantage of the upcoming election to enable their citizens to vote away cigar rights. In North Dakota, a statewide smoking ban with no exemption for cigar shops is at stake. The outlook is bleak, according to the NBC affiliate in Bismarck, which is projecting a solid 62% to 35% split in favor of the law that would criminalize indoor smoking in virtually all “public” places. “CRA will be spreading the word through shop owners like Todd Pryor of Great Plains Smoke Shop that this referendum is an affront to small business, property rights, and the patrons his shop serves,” said J. Glynn Loope of Cigar Rights of America.

Meanwhile, in Missouri, Prop. B will increase the state tax on cigars by 15% if passed. We’re told the increased revenue will be earmarked for education and smoking cessation programs, but critics point to the ability of politicians to re-appropriate the funds. “CRA stands with state legislators like Missouri State Senator Jim Lembke of St. Louis, who opposes the tobacco tax increase,” said Loope.

In an “Action Alert” email, Loope re-emphasizes the threat of tyranny of the majority: “If you’re in Missouri or North Dakota, rally your cigar brethren for the November 6 election to defeat these measures…Both referendums need to be soundly defeated, but it is a very challenging task. It’s simple math, which is why our opponents like referendums. There are more of them than us.”

–Patrick A

photo credit: Flickr

In my hometown of Washington, the unquestioned top cigar event of the year is Little Puff. Since 1999, the event has been put on by W. Curtis Draper and, while I was unable to attend the main event Friday, I dropped by the After Puff lunch Saturday.

Little Puff Tops $600K Raised for Charity

Since its inception, Little Puff has expanded from one day to a full weekend of events, starting with a Thursday night VIP dinner, followed by the main event on Friday night, and culminating with the After Puff lunch on Saturday.

While ticket prices may be more than many other cigar events, the premium seems worth it because proceeds (including from an auction with one-of-a-kind cigars provided by manufacturers) go to charity. This year at After Puff, it was announced that since its founding, the event has surpassed $600,000 raised for various charities.

New CAO Hurricane Coming

Remember CAO’s Last Stick Standing promotion? Cigar smokers were encouraged to try three blends—”C”, “A” and “O”—and vote on their favorite. The “C” blend (after a few tweaks) turned into the new Concert, which was introduced at the IPCPR Trade Show.

Now Rick Rodriguez and Ed McKenna of CAO (pictured at Little Puff with the Capitol in the background) tell me another blend that originated from Last Stick Standing (this time the “O”) is set to be released. Dubbed the “Hurricane,” the slightly updated version of the “O” blend will come out at the end of Hurricane season in November. A smaller size of the cigar (with a label reading “AP 2012”) was handed out at the CAO-sponsored After Puff event.

–Patrick S

photo credit: @CAOCigars

The 80th annual International Premium Cigar & Pipe Retailers (IPCPR) Association Trade Show may have ended earlier this month, but there’s a lot of info I collected there that didn’t make it into our three days of live coverage (Day 1, Day 2, Day 3). Because there is so much more than I had time to report on from Orlando, today is part two (see part one here) in series of updates from the convention:

A.J. Fernandez Cigars

Last year A.J. Fernandez, known as a protégé of the late and highly revered Alejandro Robaina, released Oval. He expanded the line with a Maduro offering this spring. But the newest cigar, introduced at the Trade Show, is Pinolero. It features a light sun-grown wrapper and Nicaraguan binder and filler. It should be shipping any day now. Also of note from A.J. Fernandez was the news that his new factory in Estelí should be opening in November. The new facility will double capacity to 18 million cigars a year.

Boutique Blends Cigars

Boutique Blends Cigars is the new name for the company known as Oliveros Cigars. Following up on some high ratings in 2011, this seems to be a company on the rise. While they don’t do much to advertise it, the SWAG Puro Dominicana cigar is made entirely with tobacco from La Canela, which is better known as the source of some of the best tobacco used by Litto Gomez of La Flor Dominicana. A new SWAG SoBe (South Beach) cigar was also introduced using 100% Dominican tobacco. Two new sizes were introduced in the original Aging Room line, a parejo (6 x 46) and a perfecto. Also new is the Aging Room Havao line, made with a Connecticut wrapper, and the Aging Room Quattro, a box-pressed cigar featuring a rarely used Indonesian wrapper. Particularly interesting is the Boutique Blends/Oliveros’ shift from a company that a decade ago primarily made flavored cigars to a company that now makes overwhelmingly traditional, non-flavored smokes.

Lou Rodriguez Cigars

Lou Rodriguez, the only doctor I know who makes cigars, says he’s focused on growing his brand but not adding new lines at every Trade Show. That means no new releases this year. The brand is growing, however, and was in roughly 100 stores across the country before the convention started. Still, the Lou Rodriguez Edición Premiere is a must-try for those who like earthy, full-bodied Nicaraguans.

Miami Cigar & Co.

Always busy with plenty of new releases, 2012 was no exception for Miami Cigars, which also distributes for its partner La Aurora, the oldest Dominican cigar company. Fernando León is a new cigar by La Aurora that was the personal cigar of family patriarch Fernando León. The 100% Dominican Cien Años returns 10 years after it originally debuted. Merlion, made by La Aurora for Miami’s La Sirena line (Ecuadorian corojo wrapper over a Brazilian binder with filler from Nicaragua, the Dominican Republic, and Brazil) also debuted. On the Miami Cigar side, the Nestor Miranda Collection now features a third wrapper style, with a milder Connecticut blend being added to the Rosado and Oscuro. Another new cigar is the Añoranzas (pictured above) which has a Nicaraguan Habano oscuro wrapper with Nicaraguan binder and fillers. (To keep track of all their new releases, including some we didn’t mention, you should check out the Miami Cigars blog here and here.)

–Patrick S

photo credits: Stogie Guys

The 80th annual International Premium Cigar & Pipe Retailers (IPCPR) Association Trade Show may have ended yesterday (and I departed Orlando on Sunday morning), but there’s a lot of info I collected there that didn’t make it into our three days of live coverage (Day 1, Day 2, Day 3). Because there is so much more than I had time to report on from Orlando, today is part one in series of updates filling in more details learned at the IPCPR Trade Show:

La Palina

Bill Paley’s La Palina brand has been growing. Not only is the line in over 250 shops (as of day one of the show), but the brand’s offerings are also expanding. La Palina debuted two new lines at the show: Maduro, made at Raices Cubanas and featuring a similar blend to the El Diario line but with a Mexican San Andreas wrapper; and La Palina Classic, made at Abe Flores’ factory in the Dominican Republic using a Brazilian Habano wrapper, Ecuadorian binder, and Dominican and Nicaraguan fillers. Particularly intriguing is the new KBII (“Kill Bill II”) a longer (6 x 40) version of the “KB” which is available in boxes of 30 (pictured above). The original “KB” is also now available in boxes of 30, in addition to the four-pack that it originally came in. Paley tells me his next cigar, which he’s already working on, will be his first made in Nicaragua.

Nat Sherman

Nat Sherman is a classic name in the tobacco industry that sometimes gets overlooked when it comes to premium cigars. Mike Herklots, formerly of Davidoff NYC, is aiming to change that with the Timeless Series. The original Timeless is made at the MATASA factory in the Dominican, and two new sizes debuted at the Trade Show (a petit lancero with a pigtail cap, and a short perfecto) which brings the line up to six sizes. A new Nicaraguan Timeless debuted at the show. It is made at Nestor Plasencia’s factory and will come in three sizes to start. I smoked one on the floor, and found a heavy, earthy cigar with plenty of spice that should be a hit with Nicaraguan cigar fans. Herklots also emphasized that their core lines are all price-protected now (limiting the amount that they can be discounted), an effort to make the cigars more friendly to brick and mortar retailers who might be reluctant to carry a cigar that can be heavily discounted online. Also of note, Nat Sherman was raffling off a box of four pre-embargo Bolivar cigars (pictured above) with the proceeds going towards the IPCPR’s legislative efforts.

Tiant Cigar Group

Legendary Cuban Red Sox pitcher Luis Tiant didn’t have any new cigars to debut at this year’s show. The brand is now up to 150 shops nationwide, and while New England is still the highest concentration, they tell me they are seeing growth in Florida and elsewhere. Originally, they planned on introducing two new cigars at the show, but I’m told they were still being finalized and they are now shooting for a September or October release. The new blends, like the originals, will be made at Don Pepin Garcia’s My Father Cigars factory. They will expand the company portfolio with one being the strongest cigar yet and the other being milder than either of the two original lines.

Room 101

As I mentioned in my preview of the new cigars I had tried before the show even opened, Room 101 is about to start shipping Daruma. Not too much to add to my previous report on the cigar (which features an Ecuadorian Habano wrapper, Brazilian binder, and Dominican and Honduran filler) except that Room 101 head honcho Matt Booth was raving about the Lancero size (7 x 38), his favorite of the line.

Check back in the next few days for more information from the show. In the meantime, let us know what you think of these new releases.

–Patrick S

photo credits: Stogie Guys

This week StogieGuys.com is in Orlando covering the 80th annual International Premium Cigar & Pipe Retailers (IPCPR) Association Trade Show—the convention where cigar makers from around the world come to showcase their products and debut new creations. Check back throughout the day for updates, and keep an eye on Twitter for even more.

Early AM: Yesterday was George E‘s first visit to any IPCPR Trade Show. Although he won’t be on the floor today, before he left for his home in the Tampa area he wrote up his thoughts on his inaugural cigar convention:

My first trip to IPCPR felt something like a cross between a kid in a candy store and a piñata party. Because not only are there more cigar displays than imaginable, there’s so much you’d never expect.

Like a booth for a seller of canes (a comment on the demographic of many cigar smokers?). And more electronic cigar/cigarette booths than I would have thought possible. Leather finger cases and tobacco pouches. Music from The Cigar Station. Hookah pipes, invariably displayed by provocatively dressed young women. Pipes, rows and rows of pipes. China tobacco. Mexico tobacco.

Did I mention cigars?

There’s much more than I’ll ever be able to see and appreciate in my brief one-day visit. But the highlight was unquestionably the people.

One of my first introductions was to Jerry Cruz of Stogie Review. Jerry and I have corresponded over the years but I never had the opportunity to meet him face-to-face. He’s every bit as funny and engaging in person as he is on video. At an after-hours party Patrick S took me to the night before the convention opened, Steve Saka of Drew Estate and Tatuaje’s Pete Johnson were on hand, as was Skip Martin, owner of CroMagnon, who seems to love nothing more than talking cigars.

At the show’s first day, I was able to chat with some industry types I’d met before, like lawyer and brand owner Frank Herrera, who didn’t have a booth, and Eddie Ortega, who did. I got to sample his Ortega Serie D Natural, one of several cigars I had on my must-try-when-I-finally-see-them list. Terrific cigar.

Obviously, I can’t compare this convention to any in the past. I can tell you, though, that I left with good feelings about the future of the industry. The passion and knowledge exuded by so many cigar makers and brand owners was inspiring, while the varied ages and backgrounds of those attending was encouraging.

I think cigars are in good hands. –George E

Saturday Midday: One of my first visits of the morning was to Altadis, whose booth seemed more lively than in past years. The Romeo stick (which has been out a little while) is certainly a focus, as is the new Montecristo Epic. I was particularly interested in the Ovalado, an oval-shaped smoke (box-pressed but with slightly rounded corners) made by the Turrents, the first family of Mexican tobacco, with a San Andres Habano wrapper, a San Andreas corojo binder, and filler from San Andreas and Nicaragua. It’s the first I’ve seen of a Mexican Habano wrapper. Also of note was the Montecristo local series. We reviewed the New York Edition a while ago, and next up is a Montecristo Texas edition.

Afternoon: Gurkha is introducing two main lines at this show, both made at Abe Flores’ factory where he also makes Pinar del Rio. Ghost comes in four sizes (5 x 52, 6 x 54 , 6 x 52, and 6 x 60) and uses a Dominican criollo ’98 binder and Dominican and Nicaraguan fillers surrounded by a dark, oily Brazilian arapiraca wrapper. Also out is the 125th Anniversary, utilizing Habano wrapper and binder with Nicaraguan, Brazilian, and Dominican filler. Oliver Hyams, at Gurkha, notes the 125th anniversary is of the rolling of “gurkha” cigars, not the company. Gurkha has also created the East India Trading Company to house some of its more value-oriented lines that don’t fit into the Gurkha portfolio. Red Witch, a new line, is the second under the East India Trading Company umbrella.

Afternoon: J.C. Newman introduced Perla del Mar at the show. The cigar is made at their Nicaraguan San Rafael factory where Brick House and El Baton are produced. It features an Ecuadorian Connecticut wrapper, with Nicaraguan binder and filler and is priced to be affordable at $4.50-5.95 for the four sizes. In addition to a number of sharp-looking new humidors and matching ashtrays, the other highlighted item was the introduction of the Brick House Maduro, which comes only in the “Might Mighty” size (6 x 60).

Late Afternoon: This may be the last update of the day, as reliable internet access seems to be a rare commodity here. But there are many more details that we’ll be sharing in the coming days, including new releases from Alec Bradley, La Flor Dominicana, A.J. Fernandez, Nat Sherman, La Palina, Room 101, and many, many others. Also, keep an eye on the Twitter feed for shorter updates and more photos.

Check back throughout the day today for live updates from the Trade Show floor as we get the skinny on new products. And feel free to leave a comment on this post if you have a question you’d like us to ask a cigar maker. You can read our previous 2012 Trade Show coverage here, here, here, and here.

–The Stogie Guys

photo credits: Stogie Guys

This week StogieGuys.com is in Orlando covering the 80th annual International Premium Cigar & Pipe Retailers (IPCPR) Association Trade Show—the convention where cigar makers from around the world come to showcase their products and debut new creations. Check back throughout the day for updates, and keep an eye on Twitter for even more.

Friday Early Morning: Yesterday, I sat in on the seminars IPCPR holds before the Trade Show officially opens this morning. First up was the CRA/IPCPR Cigar Politics seminar. Unfortunately, attendance was sparse compared to later sessions, in part because it was the first one of the day. I’d estimate 200 people attended. The big news announced there was that Senator Bob Casey (D-PA) would be signing on as a sponsor of Senate Bill 1461 to protect cigars (and the jobs in the cigar industry) from FDA regulation. While it took him a while to get on board with the bill, his support makes plenty of sense given the number of major retailers (Cigars International, Famous Smoke Shop, Holts, etc…) based in the state. At the Cigarnival festival in Easton, Pennsylvania, held just over a month ago, attendees were encouraged to contact Senator Casey. That personal contact from his constituents apparently worked.

Friday AM: In addition to the seminars, yesterday I went on the show floor as setup was taking place. Seeing the booths makes it clear how much time, effort, and money goes into the show. Some of the setups are literally as complicated as building a small house (and can cost just as much). It reminds you that, at the core, manufacturers are here to make sales that justify the extraordinary cost.

Friday Midday: As Chris Edge told us in our recent interview, he is focusing on relaunching Dona Flor into the American market. Still, Alonso Menendez (a cigar we thought very highly of when it first hit the US market seven years ago) is available for those who ask for it. Further, Chris tells us he will soon be releasing a special Alonson Menendez to celebrate the 35th Anniversary of the brand.

Friday Midday: Erneto Perez-Carrillo showed us his newest line Inch, featuring large ring gauges and using a high priming Ecuadorian Sumatra wrapper. The blend, he tells us, uses original Dominican piloto cubano seed tobacco that reminds him of some of the stuff he used when he first launched  El Credito in Miami. He also shared with us a new blend he’s working on that so far doesn’t have a name and will come out in October. In addition, a new annual edition is due out in November.

Friday Midday: Sean Williams of El Primer Mundo is focusing on promoting his new line Hermandad, made in the Dominican Republic at Abe Flores’ (Of Pinar Del Rio) factory. The blend uses a Brazilian Arapiraca wrapper with Nicaraguan binder and filler. Sean also shared with us his new Clase Reserva cigar, which features a San Andreas wrapper around Nicaraguan binder and filler. The cigar is made at El Titan de Bronze in Miami and is limited to 1,200 boxes of 12.

Friday Midday: Eddie Ortega of Ortega Cigar Company said he’s been pleased with how his brand has grown so far – based on the feedback on the Series D, which is available in both Maduro and Natural now. He said coming into the show, his cigars are available in around 150 stores nationwide. He also mentioned two new releases he working on. “The Brotherhood” – which Ortega hopes will be ready in the next few months – will be a cigar where a portion of profits are donated to Wounded Warriors. He’s also working on “Ortega’s Dirty Dozen” that will be a series of 12 limited releases each with its own personality, size and blend. I asked him if he’ll be making these with Pepin (like his Series D line and his previous 601 cigars), and he said that he plans to work with others too, to diversify his lines’ flavor profile.

Friday Afternoon: General Cigar was busy as always, with quite a few notable new releases. On the high end is the Cohiba Ediciòn Diamante ($22 and $25 for the two sizes – 5″ x 50 and 6″ x 54 – respectively). The cigar uses a Cameroon wrapper from 1980 (with a Indonesian binder and Dominican Piloto Cubano filler) and comes in boxes of 10, with 2012 boxes of each made. Another new cigar from General is the new Macanudo Vintage 2006, which uses Connecticut Habano and San Augustine double binders, and was described as the strongest Macanudo vintage release to date. It will hit shops in November and will cost $8.40-$9 each.

Friday Afternoon: General Cigar introduced the second CAO line since the company fully joined the General Cigar family. “Concert” is designed to celebrate the brand’s Nashville roots, and the city’s rich music tradition, hence the limited edition working speaker humidors seen in the photo above. The blend is based on the “C” blend from the Last Stick Standing promotion, but Ricky Rodriguez, the “bro” primarily responsible for the CAO blends, tells me there were 15 different variations of that blend before they ended up with the final Concert blend. Interestingly, Concert comes in four sizes that are all 5.5 inches in length, with four different ring gauges (46, 50, 54, and 60). The cigars will launch with a 30-event tour starting in September (where the working amp humidors will be given away), and will sell for $5.75-7.50 per cigar.

Friday Afternoon: Erik Espinosa (formerly the “E” of “EO Brands”) had a booth set up that had some familiar cigars including some new ones. Just three weeks ago, Espinosa finalized a deal to take the 601 and Murcielago lines back, after Rocky Patel bought a 50% share in the company a few years ago. Espinosa is also launching the new “Espinosa”cigar featuring an Ecuadorian Habano wrapper with Nicaraguan binder and filler, as well as “La Zona,” a new value-priced stick. The new cigars as well as the 601 brands will all be made at Espinosa’s new La Zona Factory in Estelí (previously, the 601 lines were made at Pepin’s My Father Cigars factory). Erik says he is working to ensure that the 601 blends don’t change, even as they move to the new factory. A maduro version of Espinosa is in the works, but at least a few months off.

Friday Evening: It was a busy first day on the show floor for us, going from booth to booth. We hit far more than just those booths listed above (nearly 20 all told), but since StogieGuys.com is only on the floor Friday and Saturday, a lot of the information we got will have to come tomorrow or later this week in a followup article. Tonight there are a plethora of cigar parties and events taking place. Meanwhile, continue to check our Twitter feed and stop by tomorrow for more coverage, including George E’s impressions from his first Trade Show.

Check back throughout the day today and tomorrow for live updates from the Trade Show floor as we get the skinny on new products. And feel free to leave a comment on this post if you have a question you’d like us to ask a cigar maker. You can read our previous 2012 Trade Show coverage here, here, and here.

–The Stogie Guys

photo credits: Stogie Guys

Last night I arrived in Orlando to attend the 80th annual International Premium Cigar & Pipe Retailers (IPCPR) Association Trade Show, where cigar makers gather to debut their new releases. I’ve attended every year since 2008 and, for the first time, I find myself not in either Las Vegas or New Orleans.

Today I’m attending the seminars IPCPR holds before the show officially opens, including one on cigar politics and another on scotch and cigar pairings. Instead of traditional updates, I’ll be updating the StogieGuys.com Twitter feed. So check back often for the latest. Updates will also appear below (along with my latest photos uploaded via Instagram):

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