Each year, for the past 24 years, David Garofalo who hosts The Cigar Authority Podcast (www.TheCigarAuthority.com) has made the announcement for the Contenders for the Cigar of the Year. Much like the nominees for the Academy Awards, the Contenders for the Cigar of the Year is announced late in the year, but this year it was moved ahead… way ahead. This year the announcement for The Contenders for The Cigar of the Year took place in August, this, due to the recent FDA (Food and Drug Administration) regulations on cigars.
According to Garofalo, the FDA will not allow him to re-package cigars from a box of 20 cigars to a 7 cigar selection as it will now be considered “manufacturing.” The Contenders for The Cigar of the Year is a selection of the best of the year, repackaged as it has for 24 years into a sampler of the best of the new cigars. “We had to make it available before the August 8th deadline or it would have to go through long and costly FDA compliance for approval or possibly denial.”
It was tough to pick the best of 2016 in one sense because it was only August, but it was easy in another sense because no new cigar can be produced after the August 8th deadline which incidentally makes no sense, but it is the law… yes, a law.
The FDA deeming regulations has caused havoc in the small, boutique premium cigar world. An industry filled with family owned and operated companies whose products are in big trouble. This over regulation could put many of the very brands that were chosen the best of 2016 out of business in less than two years.
Any cigar brand that did not exist 10 years ago will not meet the FDA’s “predicate date” for compliance and will need to be removed from the marketplace. Until then, Garofalo will continue his annual ritual and release the contenders. The way the law reads, every one of these great cigars will have to go out of business because they are all new cigars in the past year.
We put together the Contenders for the Cigar of the Year so that consumers of Premium Cigars can try them all and cast their votes to help us decide which one is the best of the best. Cigar smokers love the selection and always take part in our decision. “What’s new” is always popular in cigar shops but those days are about to end and even worse, go back in time and destroy the businesses of some great small mom and pop manufacturers.
Possibly for the very last time, here are the 2016 Contenders for the Cigar of the Year:
- La Galera Connecticut
- La Galera Habano
- Asylum Connecticut
- Garofalo Sun Grown
- CLE Chele
- El Gueguense
- Oliveros Gran Retorno Habano
The Contenders for the Cigar of the Year, a seven-Cigar Sampler can be purchased at www.2GuysCigars.com and you will get a vote. Only one will win The Cigar of the Year 2016, and that will be announced January 7, 2017 on The Cigar Authority.
