The Cigar Authority goes on the road to the tobacco farms of the Connecticut River Valley where we talk with Chris Topper whose family has been growing tobacco for 120 years. We will talk about the rich history of the Connecticut River Valley and the role that Broadleaf tobacco plays in the market today. All that and the usual shenanigans on The Cigar Authority. [jetpack_subscription_form] Next Episode: Chris Topper of Topper Cigars
Yesterday we reviewed one of two highly anticipated Connecticut shade wrappers to be released at the IPCPR. Today we take a look at the Drew Estate Undercrown Shade. According to the press release, ““Undercrown Shade” marks the first release blended by Drew Estate Master Blender Willy Herrera not to fall under the Herrera Estelí brand family. Herrera’s continued involvement in blending and brand development within Drew Estate is evident with this new blend, as Herrera […]
There were a few new releases at the trade show that were highly anticipated and at least two of them were Connecticut Shade wrappers which given the direction of new releases lately seems pretty rare. Today we look at one of those releases, Padron Damaso. According to the Padron website where Jose O. Padron writes, “THIS CIGAR was named for my grandfather Dámaso, who was the first Padrón to arrive in Cuba sometime in the […]
Since my co-workers returned from the trade show the number one question asked of me is; “Have you smoked the new Nick Melillo cigar?” Until today the answer was no, but after about 50 people asking for my opinion I decided to light it up today and smoke this pre-release from the man known as Nick~R~Agua on social media. The brand El Güegüense (Gwe-gwe-nse) translates into The Wise Man. According to a statement on the Foundation […]
GURKHA SHOWCASES FIRST-EVER LANCERO WITH THE CLASSIC CIGAR: HAVANA BLEND Fort Lauderdale, FL – In keeping with consumer demand, Gurkha Cigars, known internationally as much for their super premium luxury cigars as well as for their innovation, has created their first Lancero-sized cigar in The Classic Cigar: Havana Blend. “Gurkha Cigars has a reputation for out-of-the-box thinking,” said National Sales Manager Juan Lopez. “We follow the market closely and listen to what consumers and our […]
Since March 14, 1958 the Cuban Embargo has been in place preventing amongst other things the sale of Cuban cigars in the United States. Earlier this year, President Obama moved to remove Cuba from the list of countries that support terrorism and to normalize relations. As those relations return to a sense of normalcy both countries have begun establishing an embassy in each others homeland. Now a bill is about to be filed that would […]
First introduced in 2010, the My Father Limited Edition is enjoying its 5th year. However, since they did not release a limited edition in 2014, it is only the 4th cigar in the series. In its inaugural release the cigars were rolled by father and son Don Pepin Garcia and Jose Garcia; the latter which is credited as the master blender and is denoted on the secondary band of the cigar. The limited edition comes […]
Following in their footsteps from last year, La Flor Dominicana is once again releasing a special edition for the Rocky Mountain Cigar Festival hosted by Smoker Friendly in Colorado. The cigar which will feature a Ecuador Habano wrapper over Nicaragua binder and Dominican fillers, measures 6 x 54 and carries an MSRP of $100 per box of 11 cigars. It is limited in production to 75 boxes that will be branded with the festival logo. According […]
Last year the Board of Health in Westminster, Massachusetts attempted to ban the sale of tobacco products. Thankfully, that measure failed and now state lawmakers have begun to take measures that will prevent other local governments from enacting similar ordinances. The bill which is co-sponsored by Representative Paul K. Frost, a republican from Auburn made it clear that the bill was a direct response to Westminster and a prevention for other local governments to attempt […]
The Boutique Cigar Brand Boom is Over! The “Names You Know” That’s What Cigar Retailers were Buying Another Editorial by David Garofalo “What’s New” might be what consumers are asking for… but “What Sells” and what is “Most Recognized” is what cigar retailers are buying. I’m just back from the IPCPR Cigar Trade Show, the cigar industry’s largest convention and trade show world-wide. Walking through, I couldn’t help but notice the trade show booths that […]