IPCPR 2012. What an incredible experience thusfar. Over the next week or two, I’ll be posting up lots of information on several new cigars/lines/companies that I’ve had the pleasure of meeting at the show. The boutique makers are coming on strong right now…a phenomena that I welcome (selfishly). The sheer volume of great cigars coming into the marketplace is impressive, and it’s a wonderful time to be a cigar enthusiast. It seems (in my eyes) to be a bit of a boom in that there are lots of new consumers coming into the hobby, and many quality cigars there to greet them. It’s a more favorable situation than the boom of the ’90s. During that time, when demand outpaced production many makers released cigars into the market that simply were not suitable for consumption – whether that be because of rushed production, improperly prepared tobacco (due to time constraints), or simply not taking the time to develop a blend enough to make it sustainable longterm. Today, in comparison, the market has become so competitive that a newly introduced line of cigars that isn’t ready simply doesn’t survive. That’s a boon to us as consumers, I think. I’ve had the opportunity to sample a few new/new to me cigars recently, and overall I see a majority of them being very good to great sticks. Earlier today, I was able to spend some time speaking with one of the newer folks coming onto the scene – Reynold Benitez of Benitez Cigars. He filled me in on some of the changes going on with Benitez blends, and new offerings (I’ll be posting those details in an upcoming review). He has a new corona, which he graciously allowed me to sample. Having a couple of hours to rest before heading back out to Corona for the evening’s festivities, I fired it up while hanging out around the pool and tuning in to Dogwatch Cigar Radio (forgive the terrible picture, it was taken on a phone by someone who has no idea what he’s doing). I have tried Benitez cigars before, and thought they were quality smokes. The earlier blends didn’t necessarily fall directly into the sweetspot for my palate, although I did enjoy them. They were quite bold and spicy – I enjoy spice and pepper in a cigar, but have to be prepared for it with a solid constitution – I’m not a nicotine fiend that can smoke potent cigars on an empty stomach. After finishing the new corona, however, I am thoroughly impressed with it. The initial puffs produced some spice, and a slight burn through the nose upon retrohale. But within minutes, it had settled in nicely. The nasal burn dissipated and it developed into a nice, rich tobacco flavor. I won’t drag this out into a full review, but suffice it to say I loved the blend. It was on the fuller end of the medium range in terms of strength to my tastes, but quite full flavored. The blend works very well in this size – and the care invested in creating it is apparent. It is quite polished and well assembled. I think you’ll definitely be hearing more about Benitez cigars. I will certainly be buying some more of these the next time I pass through Charmed Leaf…and expect a review or two to follow around here. Anyway, it’s now after 1:30 a.m., and I need to get some sleep. It’s another big day tomorrow on the showfloor. G’night, folks
Weekly Cigar News May 27- June 2, 2012
My headcold is finally subsiding, but the ol’ palate needs another day or so before I attempt a review. I’ll be putting one together tomorrow night or Friday. So, in the meantime, here’s some cigar news from IPCPR and JC Newman…
Cigar News
IPCPR
Bills to Protect Premium Cigars Continue to Gain Support
Washington, DC-As the Representatives and Senators settle into session, two bills (H.R. 1639 & S. 1461) continue to gain support. H.R. 1639 has just reached 190 co-sponsors, nearing the 218 co-sponsors needed for the majority. S. 1461 has reached 10 co-sponsors with Senator Ben Nelson from Nebraska supporting it most recently.
The bills seek to restrict the FDA from regulating the premium cigar industry as it wishes to do to other tobacco products.
With the FDA’s proposed new jurisdiction, they would have the ability to completely alter the way premium cigars are sold, even going as far as having the ability to take the word “cigar” out of advertisements. These two bills seek to limit that. Supported by the International Premium Cigar & Pipe Retailers Association (IPCPR), Cigar Rights of America, small tobacco shops throughout the country, and tobacco enthusiasts, the bills seek to protect the cigar industry from the FDA’s potentially heavy-handed regulation.
The bills have come a long way, but are still in need of support. The IPCPR encourages any tobacco enthusiasts to contact their local legislators and discuss with them the importance of small tobacconists throughout this country and the negative impact that FDA regulation could have on their businesses.
Bill Spann, CEO of the IPCPR, noted, “The premium cigar industry employs over 85,000 Americans alone. In today’s economy, our representative form of government should be doing everything possible to protect small businesses and promote job growth, not trying to regulate it out of existence.”
As the bills continue to gain support, cigar enthusiasts everywhere hope that the legislators will hear their voices and discuss the bills during session this year, which is expected to close in December.
Press Releases – JC Newman
NEW Brick House Teaser Hits Bashes this Summer
Brick House Bashes will get even better this summer with the new Brick House Bash Teaser. The J.C. Newman Cigar Company is the first to offer a cigar that packs the same complex flavors and aromas of a regular sized cigar, handrolled into a 3 ½ x 56 body. The Brick House “Teaser” is designed to be a tasting cigar. Similar to a wine tasting, the size and blend gives the recipient just enough taste to experience the Brick House flavor. The first 50 people at every Brick House Bash will receive a free Brick House teaser along with other special deals.
For a full listing of these exclusive cigar tastings only available at Brick House Bashes, click HERE.
For high resolution photos of the Brick House Teaser click HERE.
A Green Cigar Factory for Nicaragua
New Home of Quorum Built to Be Eco-Friendly
NICARAGUA – PENSA, or Puros De Esteli Nicaragua S.A., is J.C. Newman’s new 55,000 square foot factory located in the foothills of Esteli, Nicaragua. With the capacity to make over 25 million cigars per year, it is no small feat that this cigar factory is almost entirely green.
Nearly all the utilities in the building are renewable. Rainwater is collected through chains from the roof and reused for cooling and sanitation. Fresh air is pulled into the factory though large fans and mixed with recycled water to cool the room and keep the cigars at just the right humidity. Foam insulation keeps the cooled air from escaping into the thick, tropical air outside. Large panels in the roof stretch the full length of the ceiling, allowing Nicaragua’s plentiful sunlight in and eliminating the need for artificial lighting except on the cloudiest of days. The mix of fresh air, natural light and an open floor concept means worker morale stays strong while the carbon footprint is considerably reduced.
Employee health is a priority at the factory. A doctor is on staff everyday to service employees and their families. Bike racks located on the inside of the building give employees a greener and safer option than catching a ride to work or storing their bike on a fence outside the factory. Cleanliness is encouraged through the use of smocks and a full service sanitation crew.
For photos of the factory please
click HERE.The J.C. Newman Cigar Company has worked hard to create a safe, clean, environmentally friendly factory for not only the employees of PENSA, but for the residents of Esteli. PENSA currently handrolls Quorum, Quorum Shade, Alcazar and Hampton Arms. For more information about PENSA and the cigars made there, please visit www.jcnewman.com.
Cigars and Chardonnay for Charity
An Evening in Ybor to Benefit Two Locally Based Charities
TAMPA – Celebrate an evening of Cigars and Chardonnay to benefit the Florida Holocaust Museum and Cigar Family Charitable Foundation. The event will be hosted at the J.C. Newman Cigar Company in Ybor City, America’s oldest family owned cigar company.
A ticket price of $100 to Cigars and Chardonnay includes live jazz music,
champagne and kosher wine tastings, premium hand rolled cigars, hors d’oeuvres, cigar factory tours, a silent auction and more all housed in a 112 year original Ybor cigar factory. Thanks to the generous support of sponsors, proceeds will benefit the Florida Holocaust Museum – the only accredited Holocaust Museum outside Washington D.C. – and the Cigar Family Charitable Foundation – a non-profit that works through education, empowerment and healthcare to help the children of the Dominican Republic.To purchase tickets please go to www.flholocaustmuseum.org or call (727) 820-0100 Ext 251.
WHAT: Cigars and Chardonnay to benefit the Florida Holocaust
Museum and Cigar Family Charitable Foundation
WHEN: Thursday, May 31, 6 – 9 p.m.
WHERE: J.C. Newman Cigar Factory, 2701 N. 16th Street,
Tampa, FL 33605
WHO: Media Sponsor Tampa Bay Metro Magazine will be
on hand for photosAbout The Cigar Family Charitable Foundation
The Cigar Family Charitable Foundation is a 501(c)3 started by the Fuente and Newman families in 2001 to help the children in the cigar producing region of the Dominican Republic. What began as a plan to add a wing onto a local school has grown into a 23 acre Cigar Family Complex that currently includes a primary and high school, health center, organic farming program, sports and recreational facility and an ever-growing list of vocational opportunities; all serving over 100,000 people in 12 surrounding communities. Thanks to the commitment of the Fuente and Newman families 100 percent of the administrative costs are underwritten. For more information about the Foundation please visit www.cf-cf.org today.Founded in 1895, J.C. Newman is America’s oldest family-owned premium cigar maker and the last operating cigar factory in Cigar City. From the ultra-premium Diamond Crown, Diamond Crown MAXIMUS and Diamond Julius Caeser to mid-level Cuesta-Rey, La Unica, Brick House and El Baton, to value-priced Quorum, Trader Jacks and Factory Throwouts; the J.C. Newman name has become synonymous with excellence in cigar manufacturing. To learn more about J.C. Newman Cigar Company, visitwww.jcnewman.com.
Update from IPCPR and Cigar Rights of America
Good evening, everyone. I just received this email from IPCPR and Cigar Rights of America (CRA), and thought it important enough to warrant a post to The Cigarmy. As you know, the hobby of cigar smoking is and has been under increasing attack politically for quite a while. The following request to electronically sign petitions are the very least we can do as consumers, and I strongly encourage you to do so. Join Cigar Rights if you haven’t. Be vocal locally. If you enjoy cigars, and would like to in the future, please read this and sign on. I was signature #7, and they need 24,993 more to progress…
It is time to take the IPCPR/Cigar Rights battle to protect our cigars straight to the White House!Help Protect Premium Cigars from FDA Regulation! Click here to sign our petition to the President H.R. 1639 / S. 1461 – Traditional Cigar Manufacturing and Small Business Jobs Preservation Act You will be required to create an account, type in the letters at the bottom of the screen, and wait for a confirmation email, which may go to your SPAM or Junk Mail Folder. After you receive the confirmation email, you may then log in and sign the petition.
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THIS IS OUR CALL TO ACTION: Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness More details are below:
As you know, the FDA is hell bent on regulating, controlling and most certainly ruining premium cigars. So, it is incumbent upon the cigar enthusiasts of the United States – retailers, consumers, and manufacturers alike – to say “hell no” to any proposed new regulation of premium/traditional cigars by the United States government. The infantalization of America will stop here, with us! We are adults, and it is our right to make informed choices without undue government interference. On April 26, 2010, December 20, 2010, July 7, 2011, and again on February 13, 2012 the U.S. Food & Drug Administration publicly posted their intent in the Federal Register to regulate cigars. The U.S. Food & Drug Administration answers to one boss – The White House. See this recent article for details. Now that tens of thousands of this nation’s cigar enthusiasts, retailers, and manufacturers have voiced their opposition to Congress, it’s time to send a message to the Office of the President asking President Obama to tell the FDA: “Stay out of America’s humidors!” H.R. 1639 has been filed in the U.S. House of Representatives; and a companion bill, Senate Bill 1461, has been filed in the Senate. Both are filed under the banner of the Traditional Cigar Manufacturing and Small Business Jobs Preservation Act. This bi-partisan legislation would decree that premium/traditional cigars should be off limits to FDA regulation and, “to clarify the Food & Drug Administration’s jurisdiction in the sale, manufacturing and distribution of traditional and premium cigars.” With over 85,000 American jobs associated with the premium/traditional cigar business, this is an issue of economic stability for thousands of Main Street America small businesses. The community tobacconist is an institution that spans the history of the nation. The federal government has no business threatening them with new regulations, user fees, and efforts that smack nothing short of modern day prohibition. Such legislation could have a profound impact on protecting the industry, from the fields and factories of Central America, to the supply-chain throughout this nation, to the community tobacconist, to enjoying a cigar in the local shop, club or back porch. We can assure you, nothing could rip the soul of the cigar industry apart, like FDA actions. For example, some of the (again) hypothetical possibilities, but that are not beyond the realm of reason include: No more walk in humidors (Canadian model); Limits on advertising and promotions; Banning the very word cigar or tobacco; Manufacturers having to submit blends to FDA for “testing,” before heading to your local shop – imagine the impact on boutique cigar makers; Adverse impact on flavored tobacco products that are made for adults; And price impact due to new fees on manufacturers. This is the short list. Again: Click here to sign our petition to President Obama. |
Weekend Cigar Wrapup for March 24-30, 2012
More Losses in the World of Cigars
Unfortunately, we lost two more gentlemen that were well loved by the cigar industry this week. Last Sunday (March 25), Bert Sugar passed at the age of 75 after a long battle with cancer. Bert was a sort of a “jack of all trades” in the boxing media world. Over the years, he owned and/or edited a number of boxing magazines, wrote for various newspapers, wrote dozens of books on boxing history, and even appeared in a number of movies as himself. He was seen by many as an ambassador of the cigar world as well, and rarely appeared without a cigar hanging from his mouth. You can find more about Bert at SMOKE Magazine.
On Tuesday, the cigar industry lost another leader. Manny Ferrero, Sr. VP of Sales for Ashton Cigars passed unexpectedly of a heart attack at the TAA (Tobacconists’ Association of America) convention in Mexico. My path only crossed once with Manny, many years ago at an Ashton event, but he was widely known for his creative ideas in pairing cigars with various foods and drink, as well as his gregarious but lovable personality. He suffered the heart attack while dancing with his wife at the TAA convention. Manny was loved by the entire cigar industry, and the written tributes from within the industry have been too numerous to list. Ashton Cigars posted the following status update concerning funerary arrangements:
“Thank you for your overwhelming support during this extremely difficult time as we mourn the loss of Manny Ferrero. Many of you have asked about information in regards to Manny’s services. We have just received the following information. We will update you if further information becomes available.”
Services for Emmanuel “Manny” Ferrero:
Trinity Episcopal Church Solebury PA
6587 Upper York Rd 18963
Tuesday April 3rd
Visitation: 9-11AM
Service 11AM
Other News
The International Premium Cigar & Pipe Retailers Assocation (IPCPR) has published a flyer promoting awareness of how a trip to your local tobacconist will change should the FDA be given control over premium cigars. If that doesn’t scare you, it should – at least if you enjoy a cigar from time to time. The industry is being assaulted on many fronts. If you are a tobacconist, or if you ever visit one, please pass this flyer along. You can download and print it HERE. They have also supplied a petition you can download, print and sign to be submitted to your Representatives and Senators in support of legislation protecting premium cigars from being lumped into the same legislative category as cigarettes, which would be a very important protection.
CRA News – The Cigar Rights of America published the Winter 2012 edition of the Cigar Patriot. You can find the Digital Edition on their website. As I’ve said before, the CRA is one of the most powerful ways that we, as consumers, can effectively have our voices heard concerning the legislation that impacts the cigar industry. If you don’t belong, I really encourage you to join. Membership costs less than $3 per month ($35/yr), and includes two limited edition, premium cigars. I continue to be impressed with the actual changes taking place through the efforts of CRA. Rather than simply talking about change, CRA is effecting change. They need our support to continue and build momentum.
We also want to wish a Happy 86th Birthday to Avo Uvezian, celebrated jazz musician and maker of outstanding cigars. He celebrated, as has been the case for the past several years, with a new line of Limited Edition sticks. This year’s Avo LE is La Trompeta, a 6.5″ X 54 ring torpedo adorned with three circular appliqués of natural leaf to represent the valves on a trumpet. It began shipping to select retailers this week, with a retail price of $15.50.
Upcoming Events
There are a number of upcoming events which one of more of us at The Cigarmy will be attending. The first is the launch of the Studio Tobac 2012 Tour at Tampa Humidor. The event starts at 6:00pm on Thursday, April 5th at Tampa Humidor, and will feature great deals on Oliva cigars as well as a special limited release sampler made for the Tour.
Many of you know that my wife and I regularly watch Dogwatch Cigar Radio on Friday nights. Bob, Dale, and Liz put on a great show every week at 9pm EST on Friday nights. If you can’t catch it live, they also publish an edited audio podcast following the show. This Summer, they will be hosting a Dogwatch Cigar Radio herf in Melbourne, FL at Tranquilo Cigars on July 27th & 28th. There will only be 25 tickets available, so if you are going to be in the area tune in or download the podcast soon to get the details. You can find out more by listening/watching this week, or reviewing last week’s show notes.
The final event I wanted to mention is the CHATWEETUP2012. This will be a large gathering in Chattanooga this August 24th & 25th, sponsored by Tiki Bar Online and Stogie Review (both outstanding cigar blogs, by the way). The Tweetup will be hosted at Burns Tobacconist, which is also where you can purchase tickets. There will be many manufacturers in attendance, as well as a number of Twitter personalities within the cigar industry and blogosphere as well. You can find details at the Tiki Bar Online CHATWEETUP page. Scheduled Attendees include Pete Johnson (Tatuaje), Jonathan Drew (Drew Estate), Eddie Ortega (Ortega Cigars), Jon Huber and Mike Conder (Crowned Heads), Matt Booth (Room 101 Cigars), Gary Griffith (Emilio Cigars), Bryan White (13th Floor Cigars), Clint Aaron (262 Cigars), Sean Williams (El Primer Mundo Cigars), Nada and Jeff Jumper (Nadi Cigars), Steven Ysidron (Del Fuego Cigars), Frank Herrera (Herrera Cigars / La Caridad del Cobre), and Michael Herklots (Nat Sherman).
Well, that’s about it for this week. I’ll be posting a new review over the weekend, so check back for that. Y’all have a great weekend!
EDIT: Ashton Cigars has just posted further details concerning Manny’s arrangements:
FERRERO, EMMANUEL “MANNY” died suddenly on March 27, 2012. He is survived by his wife Rosemary{nee “Gates”}, his children Anthony ( Edith), Jennifer Townsley ( Daniel), and Gina Marie and two grandchildren, Anthony John and Anna Belle. Predeceased by his parents, Anthony and Carmella. Family and friends may give their condolences on Tuesday, April, 3, 9:00- 10:45 AM, followed by a mass at Trinity Episcopal Church, 6587 Upper York Road, Solebury PA. 18963. In lieu of flowers, send contributions to the Manny Ferrero Memorial Scholarship Fund, Ancillae Assumpta Academy, 2025 Church Road, Wyncote Pa.19095
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