The Stogie Guys

If anyone doubts that cigars can bring a diverse group of people together, just take a glance at the list of cosponsors for legislation to bar the U.S. Food and Drug Administration from regulating handmade premium cigars.

At a time when it seems Congress might have trouble agreeing that the sun will come up tomorrow, the list of about 90 proponents presents a bipartisan bonanza. Sure, most of them are Republicans, as you’d expect for a proposal to reduce regulation. But look further.

There’s Charlie Rangel, the New York Democrat excoriated by many smokers when he headed the Ways and Means Committee during SCHIP consideration. And Jesse Jackson Jr., the Chicago-area Democrat with a perfect 100 rating from the liberal Americans for Democratic Action, is on the list with the GOP’s Duncan Hunter, a Californian who got a 0 from the same group. Similarly, try to think of another bill that would have the support of both Brooklyn Democrat Ed Towns, cosponsor of an impeachment measure for President George W. Bush, and Republican Joe Wilson of South Carolina, the man who yelled “You lie!” at President Barack Obama during a joint congressional address.

My purpose here, though, is more important than simply pointing out an interesting situation. This is valuable, useful information.

If your representative or senators haven’t signed on, you need to let them know you want them to do so. And you should draw attention to the bipartisan nature of support for HR1639, known formally as the “Traditional Cigar Manufacturing and Small Business Jobs Preservation Act of 2011.”

It’s a rare politician who can resist the siren song of bipartisanship. Knowledge also demonstrates that you are an engaged citizen, and politicians know that not only do engaged citizens vote, they exert a lot of influence on others who vote.

At StogieGuys.com, we’ve devoted a lot of time and writing to this issue. You can go through the archives to find everything from analysis of the bill to tips for how to most effectively contact your legislators.

We’re staying on this because we believe it is vitally important. Not only is eliminating FDA regulation critical, the recognition of handmade premium cigars would make it easy and likely that they will be exempted from future tobacco regulations. All it will take is a line that says “except for cigars as defined in the Traditional Cigar Manufacturing …”

–George E

photo credit: UPI.com

Each Saturday and Sunday we’ll post a Quick Smoke: not quite a full review, just our brief verdict on a single cigar of “buy,” “hold,” or “sell.”

Caucus is exclusive to the DC-based Georgetown Tobacco shop. According to Georgetown’s website, its name was chosen to honor the efforts of Rocky Patel and others in the cigar industry who came to Washington to help reduce the SCHIP (State Childrens Health Insurance Program) tax hike, effectively limiting the tax from $3 to 40 cents per cigar. The Toro (6 x 50), fittingly made by Rocky Patel, sells for around $7 when bought by the box. It features a Sumatran oscuro wrapper, Nicaraguan habano binder, and filler tobaccos from Honduras and Nicaragua. It’s a medium- to full-bodied smoke with strong, sweet cedary notes with earth and pepper. With excellent construction, it’s well worth picking up the next time you’re at Georgetown Tobacco.

Verdict = Buy.

–Patrick S

photo credit: Stogie Guys

As 2010 draws to a close, I reflect back on the year that was and some of our favorite, and most important, stories. They’re listed below in chronological order.

The biggest news of January was when Swedish Match and the Scandinavian Tobacco Group merged to bring their many brands under one roof. The deal united General Cigar, CAO, and Toraño.

On January 21, we were the first to report that a new cigar club was opening in Alexandria, Virginia. CXIII Rex has since opened and is now one of the best cigar venues in the country.

President Obama held a townhall on January 28 to discuss the restoration of American jobs. The event took place in Tampa—ground zero the devastation caused by the SCHIP tobacco tax increase.

In February, politicians in Santa Cruz, California, passed one of the most oppressive smoking bans in the country.

The global economic downturn took its toll on so-called “luxury goods.” Cigars were no exception. In late February, it was reported that Cuban cigar sales fell 8% in 2009 to $360 million.

After they won gold at the Olympics, the Canadian women’s hockey team took to the ice with to celebrate with beer, champagne, and cigars. The International Olympic Committee’s executive director later scolded the athletes.

On March 22, the Paul Garmirian Symphony 20th Connoisseur became the first cigar of 2010 to earn a rating of five stogies out of five.

Alejandro Robaina, a “roving ambassador for Cuban cigars” for the last two decades, passed away at the age of 91 on April 17.

On May 27, we gave you a behind-the-scenes tour of La Aurora’s factory in the Dominican Republic.

For the World Health Organization, May 31 wasn’t Memorial Day; it was World No Tobacco Day.

The Church of Scientology paid about $7 million to buy what was once the world’s largest cigar factory, built in 1886 by the man who founded Ybor City.

On June 7, the Padilla Series ’68 Robusto became the second cigar to earn a perfect rating in 2010.

StogieGuys.com reported live from the 2010 Cigar Expo, publishing video interviews with many of the world’s most influential cigar makers.

Wisconsin became the 28th state to enact a smoking ban.

Toraño Cigars took control of its own distribution back from a seven-month-old conglomerate that housed it under the same roof as General Cigar and CAO. The company also adopted a new name, a new look, and launched new blends.

On July 21, we unveiled cigar trademark secrets.

We reported live from the IPCPR Trade Show.

On September 14, the El Centurion Emperadores became the third cigar to earn a rating of five stogies out of five in 2010.

New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg proposed banning smoking in huge swaths of government-controlled outdoor spaces, including Times Square.

Cuba announced plans to lay off over one million public sector employees and decriminalize certain forms of private enterprise.

When the Reds clinched the National League Central Division and celebrated with cigars in their locker room, the Cincinnati Department of Health decided to investigate the baseball club for violations of Ohio state law.

On October 13, we examined the dirty details of smoking data.

As the Food & Drug Administration moves to expand its oversight to include cigars, the agency announced new graphic warning labels on cigarette packaging.

Tim Ozgener, president of CAO, announced in mid-November that he is leaving the premium cigar business and the company he inherited from his father.

Three months after the IPCPR Trade Show, StogieGuys.com announced our favorite new releases of the year.

U.S. Customs officials seized 30,000 Cuban cigars when the illegal smokes arrived at O’Hare airport in December, the biggest raid seen at the Customs and Border Protection’s Chicago field office.

There you have it: our review of the world of cigars in 2010. A brand new year is just around the corner. Who knows what 2011 will bring us?

–Patrick A

photo credit: various

I have a lot of admiration for Tabacalera Perdomo. When politicians raised federal taxes on “large” cigars by 700% for the State Children’s Health Insurance Program (SCHIP), the folks at Perdomo responded by dropping their prices and absorbing the SCHIP hike on most of their portfolio.

“We’re all in this together in these tough economic times,” says Nick Perdomo, the company’s president. “You should be able to afford great cigars at great price points.” So, in 2009 and 2010, Tabacalera Perdomo made their best-selling blends more affordable, including dropping prices on their popular Lot 23 line by $15 per box.

Lot 23 was born ten years ago when Nicolas Perdomo, Sr. and his son, the aforementioned Nick Jr., cleared a lot of virgin soil near their factory in Estelí, Nicaragua. Six years later they were cultivating tobacco from this fertile land to make the original Lot 23. Connecticut and Maduro versions were added later in a variety of sizes.

Among the newest vitolas is the Punta Gorda (5 x 60), a stubby torpedo that verges on Nub dimensions. The Maduro incarnation comes complete with a toothy broadleaf wrapper that’s dark and oily. Its sharply pointed cap clips to reveal an effortless draw. Despite having little pre-light aroma, the Punta Gorda Maduro starts with a zesty, medium-bodied profile of cedar, espresso, and a bit of barbecue tang. Each easy puff yields an abundance of thick, white smoke.

After the first inch, as the textured, finely layered ash works its way down from the foot, the flavor begins to border on full-bodied. Spice, leather, and rich molasses come to the forefront. Still, the taste is more smooth and nuanced than overbearing or powerful. It stays that way until the last puff.

With outstanding construction—including a near-perfect burn—the Lot 23 Punta Gorda Maduro is a great value at under $5 apiece. Perdomo deserves much credit for the way they’ve kept their prices down in tough times, and this particular cigar deserves a rating of four stogies out of five.

[To read more StogieGuys.com cigar reviews, please click here.]

–Patrick A

photo credit: Stogie Guys

Last night, Cigar Rights of America held their first “CRA TV” webcast. The broadcast streamed live from CRA headquarters and featured CRA Executive Director Glynn Loope speaking about CRA’s important mission and how the group, which is less than two years old, is working to accomplish its goals.

Loope described the founding of CRA, citing a profound need for the voice for cigar consumers during the SCHIP tobacco tax battle. He then provided a comprehensive list of the states where CRA has been active in the past two years fighting smoking bans (NC, SD, CO, KY, NE, IN, PA, AL, MI, TX, LA, VA, KS, CT, WI, and NV) and fighting tobacco taxes (KY, AR, HI, CA, NH, OR, PA, UT, MI, FL, NY, WA,  and MA).

Loope reminded viewers that these battles are important not only for the states directly affected, but because opposition sends a message to those considering similar measures elsewhere. For example, he sees a legal challenge to the New York City law mandating graphic anti-smoking propaganda posters be displayed whereever tobacco products are sold as critical not just for New York but because Boston and possibly other cities are considering similar measures.

Loope also reported on the ongoing rule-making process regarding FDA oversight of cigars. According to Loope, there is “no greater threat” to the cigar industry than FDA regulation of cigars.

Also addressed were the results of the recent election. CRA had endorsed four candidates for governor, 18 candidates for the U.S. House of Representatives, and two candidates for the U.S. Senate. According to Loope, all of these candidates won their races (except for two in the House), although two of the gubernatorial races were too close to call at the time of the broadcast.

When it came to endorsements and other actions by the CRA, Loope stressed that these issues are not partisan. He noted that there are “just as many Republican governors signing smoking bans as Democrat governors.”

Loope  announced that the CRA TV broadcast would become a regular weekly way of communicating with members and cigar consumers. Next week’s show, scheduled for Friday, will be live from Casa Fuente in Las Vegas; the exact time has yet to be announced.

Two other announcements were made on the broadcast: First, a new CRA Cigar Sampler will be coming soon. Like past samplers, revenues will support Cigar Rights of America. It is expected out for the holidays. Second, a consumer advisory council will be formed to further ensure that cigar consumer voices are heard, although no details were released about the board’s composition.

–Patrick S

photo credit: Cigar Rights of America

Two weeks from today, voters will go to the polls to vote for everything from local school board and town dogcatcher to senator and governor. No one can credibly say that this election will be all about cigar rights or tobacco issues, but that doesn’t mean cigar smokers can’t use the opportunity to make their voices heard.

For those who doubt that elections matter, you might re-read our story from two years ago about Obama and McCain’s positions on key cigar issues. We predicted that under Obama the SCHIP tax and FDA regulation of tobacco would be signed into law, and that Obama would make some initial steps toward normalizing relations with Cuba—all of which came true.

So for cigar smokers worried about their rights going forward, here are three ways you can maximize your impact:

Research Your Candidates

Find out where your candidates stand on important issues like cigar taxes and smoking bans. The easiest way to predict how a politician will vote in the future is to see how they voted in the past. If a candidate hasn’t held office before or hasn’t made any votes on the issue, the next best indicators are public statements either in a news article or on a the candidate’s website.

Also, look to see who is supporting their campaign with contributions. If local restaurant associations support them, it’s probably a good sign that they’re against local smoking bans, while if a local anti-smoking group is saying good things about a candidate, it usually means they’ve pledged to support smoking restrictions. Finally, you can always call and ask a candidate’s position, but be aware that politicians are likely to tell potential voters what they think they want to hear, so take any answer you get with a grain of salt.

Focus Local

Focusing your attention on smaller races has many advantages. First, with the FDA bill and SCHIP tax having already passed Congress, most of the action is taking place on the state and local level where anti-tobacco activists are looking to expand smoking bans to restaurants, bars, and even outdoor locations. Second, in smaller races there are fewer voters, which means your vote and that of your fellow cigar smokers can have a large impact.

Invite your local candidates down to your cigar shop and ask them tough questions about their view of the role of government when it comes to smoking (and be sure the shop is particularly busy that day). They may be glad to get the chance to meet with groups of voters, but it will also remind them that anti-tobacco laws have victims, and that those victims vote.

Speak Up Now

Politicians are more responsive to their constituents in the run-up to Election Day. That makes now the best time to let all the candidates, whether friendly to cigar smokers or not, know that smoking bans and tobacco taxes are important to you. When key votes come, you want politicians to be forced to consider the consequences at the ballot box.

For years the anti-smoking lobby has been very vocal as they push for higher taxes, smoking bans, and other laws that take us closer and closer to complete prohibition of smoking. The key to reversing the trend is applying pressure in the other direction, so that politicians know that appeasing the anti-tobacco zealots will have consequences.

Groups like Cigar Rights of America can help with activities like their Smoke the Vote campaign. Ultimately, though, individual smokers need to make their voices heard so cigar smokers can become a meaningful consideration for candidates looking to get elected. Keep that in mind in the next two weeks, on Election Day, and every day thereafter.

–Patrick S

photo credit: Stogie Guys

In the third installment of “Random Thoughts from the Humidor” (previous editions here and here), I ponder the upcoming IPCPR Trade Show, cigar smoking politicians, and a basic requirement for a proper cigar shop:

Wooden Matches Please

I recently walked into a cigar shop, bought a few Padróns, and asked for some matches, as I was planning on lighting one right then and there. The employee handed me a book of paper matches, and when I asked if he had wooden matches he replied that there were none. I don’t get it. How does a proper cigar shop still not have wooden matches? Paper matches are soaked in lighter fluid and can taint the flavors of a good smoke.

A Friend of Cigar Smokers?

I find it curious to see Congressman Kendrick Meek’s Democratic primary opponent in Florida attack Meek for his ties to the cigar industry. Meek may have received money from friends in the industry, but it isn’t clear that they got anything in return. Meek reportedly enjoys his cigars, but his voting record isn’t anything special. Maybe he’s working behind the scenes. When it came to making a public stand, Meek repeatedly voted for the massive SCHIP cigar tax hike, twice in 2008 and again in 2009 to pass the bill that eventually was signed into law by President Obama.

The Senator from Nebraska

If Meek overcomes the odds in his Senate race, he certainly won’t be the first Senator to enjoy the occasional cigar. I didn’t know it before, but judging from the photo accompanying this Daily Caller article, Senator Ben Nelson (D-NE) has quite the respectable cigar collection. Another photo on the Senator’s Flickr feed gives an even better view (above) of the large cabinet humidor he appears to keep in his Capitol Hill office.

Trade Show Time

I’m looking forward to the annual IPCPR Trade Show next week in New Orleans. StogieGuys.com will be covering the event with live updates from the floor, talking to cigar makers about their latest creations. When we first attended the show in 2008, members of the electronic media were few and far between. This year, it seems there are scores of bloggers descending on New Orleans. One sign of the change is that the IPCPR now warns media outlets that demanding free samples from cigar makers is grounds for revocation of their press credentials. The association is also reminding those new to the show not to disturb cigar makers while they take care of their primary mission: taking orders from retailers.

–Patrick S

photo credit: Flickr