The Stogie Guys

As we have since July 2006, each Friday we’ll post a mixed bag of quick cigar news and other items of interest. Below is our latest Friday Sampler.

1) Following last summer’s Habano-wrapped debut, Espinosa Premium Cigars has announced the release of the Espinosa Maduro, a four-vitola line with a dark Mexican wrapper. “Within this triple-capped cigar lies a premium blend of tobaccos that have been combined to form a rich cocoa, cedar, pepper, and spice base,” reads a press release. “This medium-full bodied cigar is the perfect combination of Erik Espinosa’s signature strength notes and the La Zona factory’s reputation for flavor.” The Havana-born Espinosa is best known for helping create the 601, Murcielago, Cubao, and Mi Barrio brands along with his partner, Eddie Ortega. La Zona is located in Estelí, Nicaragua.

2) Branching out from its base in the Dominican Republic, Davidoff is launching a new “Davidoff Nicaragua” line with a ten-year-old Havana-seed wrapper, a binder from Jalapa, and filler tobaccos from Estelí, Condega, and Ometepe. “This is a major step for us to expand to a new territory,” said Davidoff CEO Hans-Kristian Hoejsgaard. “I wanted to develop products that were not necessarily origin-specific or rigidly tied down to one specific place. Davidoff is a brand, not a territory.” The Nicaraguan puro will come in three sizes: Toro, Robusto, and a Short Corona. The official introduction will take place at the 2013 IPCPR Trade Show.

3) Inside the Industry: Nat Sherman has launched a “retail humidor program” targeted to the hospitality industry, which includes special humidors to be stocked with a variety of Nat Sherman cigars. Studio Tobac, the branch of Oliva that includes Nub and Cain, is launching its World Tour 2013, with events featuring a special six-cigar sampler that includes two prototypes and four limited releases.

4) Around the Blogs: Cigar Fan fires up a 1502 Ruby. Stogie Review reviews La Aurora Cien Años Edición Especial. The Tiki Bar kicks back with a Gurkha Ghost. Half Wheel checks out the Viaje Exclusivo Tower Cigars 45th. Cigar Inspector inspects an Illusione Epernay.

5) Deal of the Week: The “Stogie Guys Cigar Sampler”—offered by longtime supporter Corona Cigar—contains seven cigars for $29.95 (plus free shipping on your entire order). It includes limited edition cigars from Avo and Davidoff, plus cigars by Rocky Patel, J.C. Newman, Casa Fernandez, and two Corona “house” blends. Pick yours up here.

–The Stogie Guys

photo credit: Espinosa Premium Cigars

As we have since July 2006, each Friday we’ll post a mixed bag of quick cigar news and other items of interest. Below is our latest Friday Sampler.

1) It was announced this week that the Oliva Cigar Company will take over the domestic and international distribution of Padilla Cigars. The move is expected to increase the sales and availability of Padilla. “This latest alliance between Padilla and Oliva is one of many collaborations among both companies, which have sporadically teamed up together almost since the inception of the Padilla brand,” reads an Oliva press release. “Currently, Oliva manufactures the new Padilla Reserva and Reserva Maduro. Padilla also teamed up with Oliva to create the highly rated Padilla Limited Edition Studio-Tobac…The Padilla Cigar Company will continue to focus on creating premium cigars by working not only with Oliva, but also with other respected cigar factories such as El Titan de Bronze…”

2) This fall, Prometheus will commemorate its 20th anniversary with three limited edition God of Fire assortment boxes, each individually serial-numbered. The 5-cigar box will retail for $113, the 9-cigar box for $205.95, and the 20-cigar box for $419.75. Only 1,000 5- and 9-cigar boxes will be made, and only 500 20-cigar boxes will be made.

3) Around the Blogs: Stogie Review reviews a Guayacan by Noel Rojas. Nice Tight Ash checks out the Torcido Lancero. Cigar Explorer explores the Reinado Gran Empire Reserve. Cigar Fan fires up a Gurkha Seduction. Cigar Brief smokes the Nestor Miranda Gran Reserve 2012. Cigar Inspector inspects the J. Fuego 777 Maduro.

4) Deal of the Week: If you’re looking to pick up a box of Alec Bradley cigars, you’ll want to jump on this deal. Purchase any box of Prensado, American Classic, American Sun Grown, Family Blend, or Black Market and get a free five-pack, plus an Alec Bradley hat.

–The Stogie Guys

photo credit: Padilla Cigars

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.”

This new cigar is the second under Gurkha’s East India Trading Company—a fascinating historical name that has been in use for centuries, but Gurkha was somehow able to register as a trademark. Like so many new cigars from the show, it features an Ecuadorian Habano wrapper. The binder is Dominican while the filler is from Nicaragua. The size (6 x 60) is large, but not as uncomfortable as many similarly sized cigars due to the box press. Medium-bodied, well-balanced with plenty of that distinct Ecuadorian Habano flavor, it’s a cigar I would smoke again, especially since it costs about $6.

Verdict = Buy.

–Patrick S

photo credit: 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

As we have since July 2006, each Friday we’ll post a mixed bag of quick cigar news and other items of interest. Below is our latest Friday Sampler.

1) Politicians in Santa Monica—the unofficial ground zero of anti-tobacco lunacy—were considering a bold regulation that would criminalize smoking for new tenants in apartments and condos, and they had even asked city employees to recommend a date by which all existing apartment and condo units would also be deemed smoke-free. These measures have been surprisingly dropped for the time being, but not because the city didn’t want to encroach on the rights of consenting adults in their own homes. Instead, the city is tabling the regulations because it doesn’t want to interfere with those who smoke medicinal marijuana.

2) With this year’s industry trade show just around the corner, many cigar makers are issuing press releases about the new smokes they plan to bring to market. Gurkha, for example, says it is launching a 125th Anniversary blend of four sizes that will retail for $8-11 apiece. Miami Cigar & Co. is producing a Nicaraguan habano oscuro-wrapped blend called Añoranza. Mercer Cigars is releasing a series of blends handmade by “Handsome Jimmy,” a cigar roller from Cuba. The Toraño Family Cigar Company is rolling out Salutem. And Iconic Leaf Cigar is debuting a line called Recluse. These excerpts are but a few of the many press releases we have received over the past week. Stay tuned in the days leading up to the IPCPR Trade Show for more coverage, and be sure to check back on August 2 when the trade show actually begins, as the StogieGuys.com team will again be on hand to cover the year’s biggest cigar event.

3) Inside the Industry: Macanudo is sending eight contest winners to Augusta National to watch the 2013 Masters. Each winner and one guest will be whisked away to the mecca of golf from April 10-15 where they will enjoy a golf-lover’s dream come true: all-access tickets to the first major golf championship of the year, including roundtrip airfare and accommodations. Enter here.

4) Around the Blogs: Stogie Review reviews the Casa Fernandez Miami. Nice Tight Ash checks out the CAO LX2 Rosado Especial (CRA Edition). Cigar Brief smokes the J. Fuego Origen Maduro Original. Cigar Fan fires up a Partagas 1845.

5) Deal of the Week: Last call to enter the Hoyo de Monterrey box-a-day giveaway.

–The Stogie Guys

photo credit: Flickr

As we have since July 2006, each Friday we’ll post a mixed bag of quick cigar news and other items of interest. Below is our latest Friday Sampler.

1) The rights of consenting adults to enjoy a premium cigar are under constant threat by politicians and anti-tobacco zealots. Mounting smoking bans, ever-increasing tobacco taxes, and the potential of stifling FDA regulations make now a critical time for all cigar smokers. That’s why the staff of StogieGuys.com so vehemently supports (and belongs to) Cigar Rights of America. CRA, as you know, is a consumer-based non-profit that lobbies for cigar rights at the local, state, and federal levels of government. If you aren’t a dues-paying member, please consider joining CRA today. And if you are, please help convince your fellow cigar enthusiasts to sign up as well. The critical work of CRA is made possible only by our support.

2) Dr. Michael Siegel, author of the Tobacco Analysis blog, is a tireless truth-teller and debunker of the bad science often used to support anti-tobacco efforts. Unlike us, Siegel does support some smoking bans (like those in workplaces), but unlike many of his colleagues he isn’t willing to use bad science to promote his goals. Two recent posts on his site are particularly noteworthy. First, he notes that a study of the effect of graphic posters required in New York at places that sell tobacco shows that the posters have no effect on people’s decision to quit smoking. Then, in a follow up, he catches the anti-smoking forces explicitly stating their bias for creating research to support the goal of promoting the ugly, graphic, and apparently ineffective posters.

3) Inside the Industry: The East India Trading Company, a subsidiary of Gurkha, will be releasing an Ecuadorian rosado-wrapped line called “Red Witch” at next month’s industry trade show. Also expected at the show is the highly anticipated La Palina Maduro blend, which will be sold in four sizes. And Reinado has announced the introduction of Grand Empire Reserve, a box-pressed Nicaraguan in the Elegidos size (5 x 55, $9.95).

4) Around the Blogs: Stogie Review reviews the Viaje Roman Candle. Cigar Fan fires up an Oliva Serie V Lancero. Cigar Explorer explores an Alec Bradley American Sun Grown. Cigar Brief lights up an Illusione Ultra OP No. 4. Nice Tight Ash checks out the Crowned Heads Headley Grange.

5) Deal of the Week: Need convincing to become a CRA member? Here are two ways to join CRA and score some really excellent smokes at the same time. The newest CRA Sampler includes a one-year membership along with 10 top-notch super-premium sticks for just $100. You should also check out this $40 “Let Freedom Ring Sampler” with six of our favorite cigars from Ashton, Tatuaje, My Father, and Padrón that includes a six-month membership. Why not buy them both and be a full member for 18 months?

–The Stogie Guys

photo credit: CRA

As we have since July 2006, each Friday we’ll post a mixed bag of quick cigar news and other items of interest. Below is our latest Friday Sampler.

1) Most media outlets are still calling the vote too close to call, but California’s Prop. 29—a dangerous proposal that would increase already-high cigar taxes in the Golden State by a whopping 73%—appears to be headed towards defeat. “The measure was losing by just under 53,000 votes as updated tallies continued to trickle in from county elections offices,” reported the Los Angeles Times last evening. “A spokeswoman for the opposing campaign, Beth Miller, said her side does not anticipate ‘a big vote swing one way or another. But obviously we are watching it closely.’” Thanks again to everyone who voted “no” and to those who encouraged their friends and family in California to do the same.

2) H.R. 1639, the U.S. House bill that would protect premium cigars from disastrous FDA regulations, is now just 20 votes shy of a majority as Donald Manzullo (R-IL) signed on. And as if anyone needed more proof that cigars are the Great Equalizer, consider two of the latest cosponsors: C.A. Dutch Ruppersberger, a Baltimore-area Democrat, and Louie Gohmert, a Republican from east Texas. You’d be hard-pressed to find two more divergent members of Congress. Ranked on ideology, Gohmert scored a 10 from Americans for Democratic Action and a 100 from the American Conservative Union, while Ruppersberger got a 90 from the ADA and a 4 from the ACU, according to The Hill.

3) Inside the Industry: In the company’s 35th year, Dona Flor Cigars has announced a re-introduction to the American market. Longtime readers will recall that StogieGuys.com was a fan of Dona Flor back in 2006, with several of the company’s blends earning high praise in reviews. Since then, legal issues have prevented the Brazilian brand from competing in the U.S. But now, Chris Edge—a Denver-based cigar enthusiast and businessman—will be bringing Dona Flor back to North America. Expect the company to generate some buzz at this summer’s industry trade show in Orlando.

4) Around the Blogs: Cigar Explorer explores the Arturo Fuente Solaris. Cigar Fan fires up an Alec Bradley Black Market. Cigar Brief smokes the Rocky Patel Edge Candela. Nice Tight Ash checks out the Alec Bradley American Classic Blend. Stogie Review reviews the El Primer Mundo La Hermandad.

5) Deal of the Week: This “Big Brand Bonanza” sampler includes 10 quality smokes for just $35 (or double up and get 20 cigars for $60). Highlights include such blends as Liga Privada Undercrown, Gurkha Ninja, Montecristo Platinum, La Aurora Preferido, Romeo y Julieta, Casa Fernandez Miami, Toraño Virtuoso, and Art Deco by Nestor Miranda.

–The Stogie Guys

photo credit: Flickr