The Stogie Guys

Completing our coverage of the 2010 Cigar Expo, an event hosted by Famous Smoke Shop at their headquarters in Easton, Pennsylvania, today we feature our joint interview of Pete Johnson of Tatuaje and Jesus Fuego of J. Fuego Cigars. Both discuss their newest creations, among other things.

Thank you to Famous Smoke Shop for a wonderful event and to all the cigar makers who made time for us. We look forward to next year’s Cigar Expo.

–The Stogie Guys

video credit: Stogie Guys

Today we continue our coverage of the 2010 Cigar Expo, an event hosted by Famous Smoke Shop at their headquarters in Easton, Pennsylvania. Here’s the discussion we had with Abe Flores about his lineup of Pinar del Rio cigars.

We’re also pleased to feature our interview with Eddie Ortega, who spoke about his new partnership with Rocky Patel, changes to the various 601 blends, and a new cigar trademark he just registered for “Hardcore.”

Visit StogieGuys.com again tomorrow for our final video from the 2010 Cigar Expo: a colorful chat with Jesus Fuego and Pete Johnson.

–The Stogie Guys

video credit: Stogie Guys

Today we continue our coverage of the 2010 Cigar Expo, an event hosted by Famous Smoke Shop at their headquarters in Easton, Pennsylvania. The Expo featured dozens of top cigar makers, lots of cold beer to help beat the heat, the world’s largest “smokable” cigar, and a CAO-sponsored fireworks display. A great time was had by all.

We’re pleased to now feature our conversation with Tim Ozgener, president of CAO cigars, who told us about the new La Traviata Maduro and his involvement with Cigar Rights of America.

Rounding out our two-fer Tuesday, here’s our interview with Ernesto Perez-Carrillo of E.P. Carrillo Cigars, who spoke about the debut of his new core blend.

Be sure to check StogieGuys.com tomorrow for more interviews from the 2010 Cigar Expo.

–The Stogie Guys

video credit: Stogie Guys

On Saturday, one half of the StogieGuys.com team attended the 2010 Cigar Expo, an event hosted by Famous Smoke Shop at their headquarters in Easton, Pennsylvania. The Expo featured dozens of top cigar makers, lots of cold beer to help beat the heat, the world’s largest “smokable” cigar, and a CAO-sponsored fireworks display. A great time was had by all.

Our first interview was with José Blanco, La Aurora’s marketing director. He told us about the success of the 107 launch, the fight to protect cigar freedoms, and hinted at a new La Aurora release:

Be sure to check StogieGuys.com throughout the week for more video interviews with the world’s best cigar makers.

–The Stogie Guys

video credit: Stogie Guys

You may have heard about the re-launch of La Palina, “a storied cigar brand famously linked to the early and fortuitous beginnings of CBS Broadcasting.” In recent weeks its revival has been covered by the likes of Cigar Aficionado, the Wall Street Journal, and others (including an ad on this web magazine).

La Palina is being brought back to life by Bill Paley, grandson of the founder of the Congress Cigar Company. The outfit dates back to 1896. La Palina was its flagship brand, marketed over radio waves—hence the connection to CBS.

Now Paley hopes he has a new flagship cigar with the aptly titled “1896.” According to a La Palina press release, it is a “blend of Nicaraguan and Honduran tobacco with an Ecuadorian wrapper and a Costa Rican binder. This signature cigar (4.75 x 52) will retail for $19 per cigar or $190 for a box of 10.”

I am told that W. Curtis Draper in Washington and Davidoff of Geneva in New York are the first two La Palina retailers. The brand is expected to be available nationwide soon.

Taste the New Cigar for Yourself

StogieGuys.com is pleased to announce that we have secured two pairs of tickets to the exclusive La Palina re-launch on Thursday. The event, held at Morton’s in Washington, DC, will feature cocktails, canapés, and La Palina cigars. It will run from 6:30-8:30pm.

To be entered for your chance to win a pair of tickets, simply leave a comment on this article that reads: “Get me to La Palina.” All eligible comments received before midnight will be entered into a random drawing. Two winners will be selected, each receiving two tickets.

As a courtesy to your fellow StogieGuys.com readers, please enter only once and only if you can make the event. You’re all on the honor system. Also, please be sure to include a valid email address so we can contact you if you win. Good luck!

–Patrick A

photo credit: La Palina Cigars

When it comes to cigar news, the highlight of each year is the annual International Premium Cigar & Pipe Retailers (IPCPR) Association Trade Show. Nearly every cigar maker introduces new cigars at the annual event as retailers and media get to try new products for the first time.

Manufacturers set up intricate displays (like the one right) that may cost tens of thousands of dollars in hopes of getting hundreds of retailers to commit to carry their products in the upcoming year. Here’s just one example of the high costs of the show: One cigar maker told me that just to hang a display from the ceiling cost many thousands of dollars due to bureaucratic convention work rules.

In addition to the already significant costs, at last year’s show in New Orleans, cigar makers were required to pay Louisiana taxes on the thousands of samples they distributed. The 20% (on wholesale) tax that we reported on last year from the trade show was costing makers as much as $1 per sample. Numerous manufacturers complained about the added financial burden of the tax and a few even said they limited the number of highly sought-after samples they brought.

In light of that burden, the IPCPR announced this week that the 20% tobacco tax, as well as the 4% sales tax ,would not apply to cigar samples handed out during the show. The state taxes on cigarettes remain.

IPCPR Legislative Director Chris McCalla announced, “Understanding the financial stress exhibitors faced last year in dealing with the tax issue, the IPCPR’s Legislative Office and our Louisiana state lobbyist have been working on this exemption since last fall, finally securing this critical tax legislation.”

The legislative exemption comes in the context of the trade show moving back to Las Vegas next year. IPCPR left Las Vegas after a smoking ban there would have banned smoking on the trade show floor. But a special exemption for tobacco-related conventions cleared the way to bring the show—and the millions of dollars of revenue that come with it—back to Sin City.

After two years in New Orleans, the show has committed to a two-year run in Las Vegas for 2011 an 2012, leaving New Orleans without the substantial tourism revenue that the show brings. That move was praised by many of the people I spoke with at last year’s show, in part because of the tax on samples in Louisiana. Now, with their own trade show exemption in place, it seems New Orleans has placed itself back in contention for the IPCPR trade show in 2013.

UPDATE: By email I asked Chris McCalla about the impact of the tax exemption of on the future location of IPCPR Trade Shows. While he reminded me that ultimately it is up to the IPCPR Board where the show is, he did say that the exemption “provides an incentive for cities who are convention-business focused to assist us in deciding what cities may make that short list.” McCalla concluded by noting: “Other factors are considered, but this one is an important one.”

–Patrick S

photo credit: Stogie Guys

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Advisory Committee created to give recommendations about FDA regulation of tobacco, including cigars, is under fire for multiple conflicts of interest among some of its members.

Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW), a watchdog group, sent a letter earlier this week to the inspector general of the Dept. of Health and Human Services asking for an investigation into appointments made by the FDA to the Tobacco Products Scientific Advisory Committee (TPSAC).

TPSAC was created under the Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act which puts tobacco products under FDA oversight. Last Fall the FDA sought comments on expanding its authority to include cigars. A recommendation by the TPSAC would be the likely first step towards regulation of cigars, which would be extremely damaging for the cigar industry and the choices of cigar smokers.

In its letter to the inspector general, CREW raised issues about Drs. Neal Benowitz and Jack Henningfield, two members of the committee who have financial conflicts of interest based on their ties to pharmaceutical companies that make smoking cessation products. Both have also made substantial money as expert witnesses in cases against the tobacco companies who they are now charged with regulating.

CREW Executive Director Melanie Sloan noted, “TPSAC panel members are barred from having financial ties to cigarette companies. Common sense dictates they shouldn’t have ties to pharmaceutical companies that make smoking cessation products either.”

In a statement to the New York Times, an FDA spokesman responded to the charges by noting “tobacco cessation drugs are not regulated by the Center for Tobacco Products.” But that doesn’t address the conflict raised due to Benowitz and Henningfield’s financial interest in getting smokers to quit smoking and use the products they stand to profit from.

In addition, the doctors conflict of interest suggests that both are in violation of President Obama’s highly-touted ethics policy, signed immediately after he took office. That policy bars “every appointee in every executive agency” from participating in “any particular matter involving specific parties that is directly and substantially related to [the appointees’] former employer or former clients, including regulations and contracts.”

The FDA ethics office did not respond to multiple questions from StogieGuys.com about whether the apparent conflicts of interest constitute a violation of the Obama executive order on appointees’ ethics commitments.

–Patrick S

photo credit: FDA