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(St. Petersburg Times) Tampa's last Ybor recently was asked to come by Tampa Antiquarian Books to check out a carton from Cuba. It appeared to be full of century-old papers related to his great-grandfather, Vicente Martinez-Ybor, the founder of Ybor City, eulogized as the Great Benefactor when he died on Dec. 14 114 years ago. ... Before Vicente Martinez-Ybor died in 1896, he had — over a frenzied 10-year span — turned malarial swamp into Cigar City. All the locks, stocks and beer barrels in Ybor City had been his doing — from the cigar factory to the bank, to the brick factory, brewery, gashouse and icehouse, to even the $1,495 worth of turkeys, cigars, wines and Japanese lanterns that went into the annual employee Christmas party he threw at his house. Continued
Friday, December 31, 2010
Historic Ybor Cigar Documents Found
Thursday, December 30, 2010
New Diamond Crown Cigar Honors Founder of J.C. Newman
(Cigar Aficionado) He was diminutive and driven, and in 1895 J.C. Newman created a little cigar company in Cleveland, Ohio that he named after himself. His first order was modest—500 cigars that he rolled himself for the family grocer, an order secured by his mother. From that humble beginning came the J.C. Newman Cigar Co., which is still in business today, 115 years and four generations later.
Newman’s grandchildren Eric and Bobby have released a cigar named for him, the Diamond Crown Julius Caeser. Continued
Red Lion drops cigar on New Year's Eve
(York Dispatch) The eastern side of York County Friday night will be full of cigar raising, shoe drops, fireworks and, if all goes well, streets packed with revelers in Hallam and Red Lion boroughs.
For the 14th year, Red Lion will hold a giant, free celebration in its downtown area from 7 p.m. to midnight that committee chairman Joe Valenti thinks should attract people from around the region.
They even added "area" to the "Red Lion Area New Year's Committee" to better represent the goal of bringing in people from outside Red Lion.
"We're willing to take as many people as we can hold," he said. Continued
Gran Habano Cigars Expands to Maimi
(CigarCyclopedia) "It's actually a storefront turned into a factory that will also have some retail. I was pushing to have it open in December, but it's probably going to be January. We're going to start out with about 10 to 15 Cuban rollers when we launch. Some are from the old El Credito factory; there's some other people that have been rolling cigars here in Miami already. They're going to be producing 250 to 300 cigars a day."
That's the effervescent George Rico, describing Gran Habano's new La Joya del Valle factory in Miami, in a wide-ranging interview in the new issue of Smoke. Continued
R.J. Reynolds markets Camel Snus aid to quit smoking
(Richmond Times-Dispatch) R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Co. has launched a national campaign marketing Camel Snus as a potential New Year's resolution solution for smokers.
The campaign is the company's first aimed specifically at encouraging smokers to switch to Camel Snus, Reynolds spokesman David Howard said. Continued
Wednesday, December 29, 2010
After six decades, tobacco worker retires
(Gallatin News Examiner) After 62 years of rolling, stemming and wrapping tobacco, Daisy Whiteside retired from her job at the R.C. Owen Tobacco Company last week. Despite being partially blind, the 82-year-old continued working the past decade because her hands had memorized all of the motions required in her tasks. ... The plant is one of Gallatin’s oldest manufacturing plants and was one of the few places at the time that would hire and pay a decent wage to African-Americans, according to local historian Velma Brinkley, who profiled Whiteside and four other senior workers for the Gallatin News Examiner in 2001. Continued
Cigar store's wooden statues stolen
(Scotsman) Two wooden "cigar store Indian" statues have been stolen from outside Robert Graham's whisky and cigar shop on the Royal Mile. ... The two 3ft-high wooden statues have been seen outside the store since it opened more than a year ago, and have become a popular attraction for tourists keen to get their picture taken alongside. The hand-carved statues depict an Indian chief, complete with a large head-dress of bright feathers, holding a big handful of cigars, while on the other side of the door stands a more modest Indian, in a pale blue shirt. Continued
Pictured: Wooden Indian statue at antique store in Florence, Alabama (Carol Highsmith/Library of Congress).
Tobaccomathics: Cuban cigar numbers defy logic
(CigarCyclopedia) A significant decline in Cuban cigar exports has been reported for several years, but on closer inspection, the numbers don't seem to add up.
Although Habanos, S.A. has declined to give export figures for cigars since 2002 (it has disclosed revenues instead), the numbers are available through the Oficina Nacional de Estadisticas, known by its initials as "ONE." Its Anuario Estadistico de Cuba 2009 offers a clear picture of the number of cigars produced by its factories for both national consumption and for export. From 2000 on (in millions of cigars): Continued
Tuesday, December 28, 2010
California Adopts New Cigarette Tax Stamp
(Business Wire) Betty T. Yee, Chairwoman of the State Board of Equalization, announced today that improved high-tech tax stamps with a new design will soon be available and affixed to packs of cigarettes sold in California. The BOE has approved the use of the updated stamp to further reduce the trafficking of counterfeit cigarettes and related excise tax evasion in California. The BOE is responsible for the administration and enforcement of the tax stamp program.
The upgraded tax stamp introduces a number of new security features, including special inks and a counterfeit and tamper-resistant design. Continued
Pairing Tobaccos & Latin American Coffees
(smokingpipes.com) Central American coffee varietals are known for their classically full aromas, medium to full body, and a clean, sometimes sweet taste. They are, by far, the most familiar and approachable coffees in the world, comprising some 70% of all coffee drunk in the world. This familiarity can provide an easy entrée into the process of pairing coffees and tobaccos.
South American coffees are quite similar to their Central American counterparts, though they do tend to have less acidity and “brightness”, being more often described as “velvety” or “rounded”. Continued
Photos: Library of Congress
South Carolina Tobacco Barn
An old turn of the century tobacco barn located outside of Marion and Mullins, SC. This barn is estimated to be 100+ years old and has the traditional sheds on two sides.
Monday, December 27, 2010
2nd Street Cigars & Gallery
(Cigar Aficionado) ... At the north end of this urban plat is 2nd Street Cigars & Gallery. This is the place for you, dear aficionado of cigars and maybe of art, to begin your visit to the Art Walk. Get there early, get a seat, get a cigar and sit on an overstuffed leather couch. Then just relax with the "city hall guys," the politicians, the lawyers, the reporters and community activists. Continued
Photo: Lamarde
Store saves smokers drags on time, money
(Livingston Daily) Brett Quayle doesn't smoke, but he guarantees his machines can roll 190 cigarettes in eight minutes. He has two custom rolling machines at his Roll-N-Save Tobacco store in Genoa Township that roll 190 to 200 cigarettes in less than 10 minutes while customers watch. With only a handful of other in-store rolling machines in the state, Quayle said Roll-N-Save offers customers an unusual experience. Continued
My vintage tobacco card habit
(ESPN) ... I'd become addicted to vintage tobacco cards, specifically the T206 set issued by from 1909 and 1911 by the American Tobacco Co. To card aficionados, it's the most important sports card set in the hobby of collecting and one of the most valuable. Known as the Monster, the set features at least 524 cards with more than 16 different tobacco brand backs, creating a set that has thousands of variations. The Waddell was my latest addition. Continued
Photos: Library of Congress
Top 10 cigar stories of '10, part 2
(CigarCyclopedia) Here's part two of our countdown of the top-ten cigar-related stories of 2010, a tumultuous year for the trade as the economy continued to batter smokers: Continued
Tobacco adds fuel to Zimbabwe's exports
(abc.net.au) Tobacco production is booming in Zimbabwe as small farmers attempt to cash in on high prices worldwide.
Farmers have also been spurred on by Zimbabwe's adoption of the US dollar following the collapse of its own currency, with 99 per cent of all tobacco grown in the country now exported.
Operators of a farm outside Zimbabwe's capital Harare are harvesting a fine crop of lush 16 leaf plants to be smoked dry - the Virginia method of flavouring tobacco. Continued
Sunday, December 26, 2010
Pinar del Rio for an Early Tobacco Harvest
(Guerrillero) The tobacco growers of Pinar del Rio, major producer of the leaf in Cuba, expect to conclude the year with most of the areas planted in the best growing season.
So far, there are over 11 880 hectares planted out of the 17 358 on schedule, meanwhile they are speeding up in search of higher yields and quality, and the lower incidence of plagues and diseases. Continued
Image: Duke University, part of American Memory at the Library of Congress
S.F. Hess Tobacco history
(Billheads & Receipts) ... John Disbrow started a tobacco firm in 1838. In 1867, Solomon F. Hess purchased Disbrow’s business and conducted the business alone under the name S.F. Hess until 1877 when it became S.F. Hess & Co. Hess is famous for its tobacco card inserts. Continued
Saturday, December 25, 2010
Tobacco Bag Stringing
(UNC) In the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, families throughout the tobacco-growing regions of North Carolina and Virginia earned much-needed income by sewing drawstrings into cotton tobacco bags. Long forgotten today, tobacco bag stringing was a common activity in many communities. Because the labor was not physically demanding and could be done at home, the work attracted many women, children, and others who needed money to supplement their farm incomes, or who could not find work in nearby factories and mills. Tobacco bags were used to hold loose tobacco, which smokers used in pipes or to roll their own cigarettes. The bags were usually made of cotton or muslin cloth and measured about four by three inches. Continued
A Look Inside Cuba's El Laguito Cigar Makers
(Cigar Aficionado) El Laguito is one of the world’s most famous cigar factories, yet it retains quite the air of mystery. This is where Cohiba cigars were first rolled, where the diplomatic Trinidad cigar was born, and now it’s where Cohiba Behike cigars are made. It's off limits to most visitors, and although I have been in Cuba several times I had never visited the factory until this most recent visit in December. I brought along my video camera to share with you some of what goes on inside. Continued
Photo: Library of Congress
Fire destroys tobacco factory
(iol) A tobacco factory was destroyed in a fire in Roodekop [South Africa] on Gauteng's East Rand, SABC News reported on Saturday. Continued
Shopping List for the New Tobacco Pipe Smoker
(Russ Ouellette) One of the reasons cigar smokers cite for not trying a pipe is because of "all the stuff you have to carry around." Well, although there’s definitely more involved in smoking a pipe, it’s really not that much more than lugging around a cigar cutter and torch lighter. To simplify the shopping list for the newbie, we’ll only address the items that are necessities, and we’ll briefly look at additional items afterward. Continued
Photo: Smithsonian Institution
Friday, December 24, 2010
New role for cigar factory
(SFGate) According to contractor Yusufu Bomani, the reasoning behind converting the former Rossi Cigar Co. building in the West Oakland neighborhood into seven brick-and-timber lofts was quite simple: There isn't anything else like it in the area. ... "It was important for us to restore the facade to the cigar factory, because a lot of people here are very fond of the building and wanted to see it stay the way it has been," he said. "It'll never be a cigar factory again, but we wanted the exterior to stay authentic, and we spent a lot of money doing research and repainting it to match the way that it was and get the signs restored. Continued
Tobacco Art: Call for Philip Morris
Advertising poster for Philip Morris cigarettes, featuring the legendary Johnny Roventini. (Via lamarde)
Cigars for a Special Cause
(Cigar Aficionado) On January 29, cigar smokers in Florida can light up a fine smoke to help out a little girl in need. The evening is dedicated to Teagen Marti, a 13-year-old girl who nearly died after a 100 foot fall from a ride at a Wisconsin amusement park this summer. The accident left her paralyzed. Continued
Perique: The 'truffle' of tobaccos
Talking about the next category of tobacco that I want to explore. And a bit more about the Tobacco Dumpster.
Top 10 cigar stories of the year, part 1
(CigarCyclopedia) The history of tobacco shows that it has been both pilloried and promoted over the centuries and in 2010, cigars were under pressure from the anti-tobacco lobby, from government and from the continued economic difficulties in the United States.
Paradoxically, the quality of cigars produced for the U.S. market in 2010 has never been higher and with plenty of aged tobacco in warehouses throughout the Caribbean and Central America, that is expected to continue into the foreseeable future.
With that backdrop, then, what were the top stories in cigars this year? Here are our selection for nos. 6-10 (in countdown order), with our top five to come on Monday: Continued
Photo: Duke University Libraries
Tobacco Reanimation - Bringing it Back to Life
(G. L. Pease) The other day, I was cleaning up part of my desk, when my eye fell on an opened tin of State Express London Mixture that had been hiding for a while. This tin dates to sometime in the 1980s, by my best reckoning, and I’d first opened a few months ago. I had smoked a few bowls, taken a few notes, and then had an out-of-sight, out-of-mind experience with it, as it found itself buried under a stack of papers and a few other tins of tobacco - also opened and drying out. Continued
Thursday, December 23, 2010
Make the Right Cigar Choice for New Year's Eve
(Luxist) What will you cut and light when you pop the cork on New Year's Eve? People may agonize over champagne choices, but cigars don't always get commensurate attention. Fortunately, Vin lee, CEO of the Beverly Hills Cigar Club, was on hand to provide his recommendations for the biggest party night of the year. Below are his top five cigar and champagne pairings, designed to make your first sip and puff of 2011 ideal. Continued
Tobacco Sketches: Tropical Fruit Edition
It's a busy time for everybody, so here's three very short tobacco reviews.
Rattray Black Mallory: With its blend of Latakia, Oriental, and Black Cavendish, many, including myself, call this smoking tobacco a "Scottish Blend." The Latakia and Black Cavendish go hand-in-hand on this one, making for a very enjoyable smoke. Black Mallory is made by Kohlhase & Kopp, one of my favorite tobacco blenders.
Perdomo Reserve 10th Anniversary Champagne: "Wow, it really does taste a little like champagne," I thought, as I enjoyed this cigar. The next day, I smoked an entirely different cigar and it tasted a little like champagne too, something was wrong. Turns out I'd been eating pineapple before each smoke. So, what can I say? This is a great cigar that goes well with pineapple. Perdomo says, "Our famous Champagne line has a 6-year aged U.S. Connecticut wrapper that imparts a smooth elegant flavor with a rich aroma and a super creamy finish." I think I need to get some more of these to test with other foods.
Park Avenue 44 Special Reserve: "This is made by the same people (K. Hansotia) who make Gurkha Cigars, but much less expensive," said my local tobacco clerk - he's very good on the upsell. Sporting an Ecuadorian Connecticut wrapper, and a taste distinctly on the mild side, it compares favorably with, though not quite as smooth as, the above mentioned Perdomo.
Images: Library of Congress
Fire Claims Camacho Tobacco Warehouse
(Cigar Aficionado) A fire destroyed one of Camacho’s tobacco warehouses in Danlí, Honduras this week, burning or rendering useless many bales of Connecticut-seed wrappers from Ecuador. The wrappers are used by Camacho to make La Fontana, Baccarat, Camacho Connecticut and El LegendArio Connecticut (pictured), among others. No one was hurt in the blaze. Continued
Hookah lounge to open in Fargo
(inforum) Fargo will get its first hookah hangout when Space Hookah Lounge opens in the next couple of months.
Hookah smoking has gained popularity in the U.S. over the past few years, and Yassin Wazwaz, the 21-year-old owner, said he thinks Fargo residents will be receptive to his new tobacco shop and smoking lounges opening at 4900 13th Ave. S. Continued
Cuba Increases Tobacco Planting
Pinar del Rio, Cuba, Dec 22 (Prensa Latina) Farmers of this Cuban western province are stepping up tobacco planting for a larger 2011, task they expect to conclude next month.
The regional director of the sector, Enrique Cruz, said the farmers are optimistic over the good health of the crops and the weather conditions, favorable for cultivation.
During the current planting season the peasants of the area (140 km west of Havana) should plant more than 17,000 hectares, more than in previous years.
The work is in progress, and to date 12, 078 hectares have already been planted, said the official.
The experience and stability of the labor force in the territory, are prerequisites for achieving high levels of quality, said Cruz.
This region has international reputation for the excellence of its tobacco, and it contributes over 50 percent of the domestic production of the leafs used in the coveted cigars. Link
Strike the cigar tent!
(Sacramento Bee) When Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger leaves office, he'll take with him a piece of the Capitol that has become a staple of his time in office: his signature smoking tent.
The tent erected on the Governor's Office patio served as a frequent location for private meetings of the governor, his aides and legislative leaders.
"As long as I'm at the Capitol, I will be smoking my stogies down there, and I will be having people down there smoking stogies," Schwarzenegger told Fox News in May 2005. Continued
Pictured: 23rd New York Infantry, circa 1862. Two soldiers, one black and one white smoking a long pipe in front of tent. (Library of Congress)
Premium and machine made cigar imports up in October
(CigarCyclopedia) Imports of premium cigars into the United States showed surprising strength in October, with one of the strongest months of year, placing 2010 total very close to the pre-SCHIP figures from 2008.
U.S. Customs data presented by the Cigar Association of America showed that 28.65 million premium cigars entered the U.S. in October as retailers geared up for the holiday selling season. That was an impressive 46.8% higher than the October 2009 total, when distributor warehouses were still cycling through the enormous inventories of pre-SCHIP cigars acquired before that tax went into effect on April 1, 2009. Continued
Wednesday, December 22, 2010
Members-only cigar club coming to Scottsdale
(azcentral) Downtown Scottsdale soon will be a destination for cigar connoisseurs.
During the first week of January, a high-end, members-only cigar bar will open in the previous upper-level space of the Estate House restaurant, which closed in October. The Napoleon will include a full bar, a $150,000 air-filtration system, a cigar vault with individual and shared cigar lockers, and a billiards room. Continued
Pictured: The Smoaking Club, 1792 (Library of Congress).
Click Swedish Snus is back
(SnusCentral) Back in 2001, Swedish Match launched Click Portion Snus in India. Don't worry; it tasted absolutely nothing like Chaini Khaini. Click Snus was REAL snus and was a huge success. On Feb 21st 2003, Click Licorice Portion Snus was added to the line-up. The Click brand was becoming such a success that Swedish Match decided to take Click international.
The Click brand was launched in Russia and plans were made to launch Click Snus in Japan. Back then, Swedish Match's entry into South Africa, Russia, and India was the talk of the international tobacco industry and Click Portion Snus was the star. Continued
Cigar Outlook
(Smoke Magazine) In the aftermath of this year’s annual cigar industry trade show - held each summer and known formally as the 2010 International Premium Cigar & Pipe Retailers Association (IPCPR) show - it’s hard to know whether the U.S. cigar industry is headed for expansion or disaster. Everywhere one looked, there were contradictions. Continued
A Peterson Primer
(Chuck Wright) We all know the story of the Kapp brothers and Charles Peterson so I won’t bore you with it. Most are also familiar with the Peterson system pipes, so the same will hold true there. I intend to focus on the classic Peterson pipes beginning with the entry level pipes like the Aran, Irish-Made Army, and then working up to the higher grades. Continued
Cigar Shopping In Havana
(Cigar Aficionado) All Casa del Habanos are required to stock 95 percent of Cuba's cigar brands, have at least 60 square meters of space (duty-free shops can be smaller, due to the size restrictions of airports); walk-in humidors, humidified lockers, a cigar roller, seats for smokers and a small (at least) bar area. The Casa at the Cubana Libre has several comfortable seating areas, a small bar serving coffee and Havana Club rum, a huge walk-in humidor, a cigar roller outside, and an outside veranda that, for now, is empty but will later be outdoor smoking space, which is a fine idea. The shop is stocked with all manner of Cuban cigars: Cohiba, Montecristo, Romeo y Julieta, Trinidad, Hoyo de Monterrey, H. Upmann, Vegas Robaina—you name it. Continued
Photo via Lamarde
KP to form strategy for tobacco export
(Pakistan Observer) The provincial legislature of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Tuesday constituted a committee to prepare strategy for the export of tobacco and bring an end to the monopoly of cigarette manufacturing companies on the subject. ... He said that surplus cotton and rice produced in Punjab has been exported, while not a single leaf of the best quality Virginia tobacco is being exported to any country. Continued
Tuesday, December 21, 2010
The Evolution of Boutique Cigars
(Smoke Magazine) Small, emerging cigar brands that have yet to become superstars are often labeled as “boutique.” Here’s a new generation of independent brands on the verge of breaking out from the crowd that every smoker should know about. Continued
Alliance One, JTI enter tobacco processing agreement
(pr-canada.net) Alliance One International, Inc. (NYSE: AOI) today announced that its Brazilian subsidiary, Alliance One Brasil Exportadora de Tabacos Ltda. ("AOB"), has entered into a multi-year agreement with JTI Processadora de Tabaco do Brasil Ltda. ("JTIB"), a company of the JT International group of companies, to process tobacco for JTIB at AOB's new, state-of-the-art facility in Ararangua, Santa Catarina, Brazil. The commercial and strategic partnership reflected by the new processing agreement is in line with Alliance One's continuing initiatives to capitalize on growth opportunities and strengthen global relationships with its customers, and is anticipated to contribute to operational synergies at the Ararangua facility. Continued
La Gloria Cubana Inmensos cigars
Habanos, S.A. is pleased to present the latest novelty exclusively aimed at La Casa del Habano stores worldwide: La Gloria Cubana Inmensos. La Gloria Cubana is a little known jewel amongst Habano brands. Nevertheless it enjoys a long history. Founded in 1885, its name alone clearly defines its origin. For over a century it has attracted a small but loyal following amongst the most knowledgeable smokers. The brand is characterized by its elegant presentation, especially in the Medaille d’Or Series.
All the cigars are ‘totalmente a mano, tripa larga’ – totally hand made, long filler cigars. The blend, made from tobaccos grown in the Vuelta Abajo region, is classified as medium and offers well-balanced nuances of taste and aroma. Now, the introduction of the exclusive and highly appreciated vitola Sublimes offers the possibility to taste the characteristic flavor of the brand. Only 5.000 boxes have been made exclusively aimed at Las Casas del Habano franchise stores. Inmensos by La Gloria Cubana will be available in the coming weeks at La Casa del Habano franchise stores worldwide.
Cuban exports of machine-made cigars up by 7.5 percent
(Xinhua) Cuba increased its exports of mechanically made cigars by 7.5 percent, compared to the previous year, the International Business Snuff Cubana SA reported here on Monday. An estimate figure from the International Business Snuff Cubana SA, considered that by the end of 2010 its production reached 119.3 million for "bundled cigars," with a 7.5 percent increase in exports, and 8.8 million U.S. dollars in sales. According to the company the cigars are made with advanced equipment and "high quality raw materials." Continued
Photo via Lamarde
The Complex and Interesting History of the Cigar part 5
The Complex and Interesting History of the Cigar part 5
Lighting up in style: the gentleman's smoking room is back
(AFP) Sink back into a leather armchair and let the grey plumes curl up to the ceiling: tobacco may be banned from bars and clubs across Western cities, but the gentleman's smoking lounge is making a comeback. Even as Spain prepares to ring in the New Year with a smoking ban in bars, renegade nightspots in Paris and Berlin are bucking the European trend, opening designer smoking rooms, complete with pianos, pool tables and cigar lockers.
Since the French capital outlawed smoking in bars and clubs three years ago, sending hordes of punters onto the sidewalk to smoke and chat, the city has seen a surge in lawsuits pitting clubs and bars against their sleepless neighbours.
So it's hardly surprising that high-end Paris clubs are now spearheading the smoking lounge revival. Continued
Illustration: Puck/Library of Congress
Monday, December 20, 2010
Hunid Racks to release cigar line called Bigerillos
(kikaxemusic.com) ... Available in two flavors with "Hustla Sweet" and "Hustla Chocolate," and wrapped in a natural leaf, Hunid Racks says their cigars are "bigger than a cigarillo, but not as big as a regular size cigar. Not too small not too Big. The Cigarillo Big Brother BIGGERILLO." Continued
New Flagship Store For Davidoff
(Cigar Aficionado) Davidoff of Geneva is moving its American flagship store to a new spot on Madison Avenue. The new shop, which will open in the spring, will be located at 515 Madison Avenue at the corner of 53rd Street, one block south of the current location. The company has long had an issue with smoking at its present Madison Avenue site, and the store has not allowed smoking since May. Continued
The Complex and Interesting History of the Cigar part 4
The Complex and Interesting History of the Cigar part 4
McClelland Christmas Cheer 2007 Tobacco Review
(PipesMagazine) The tin aroma of this blend is very sweet and tangy. There is also a very strong vinegary smell that reminds me of ketchup. I have a bit of experience with McClelland tobacco blends and I know that this is a common smell in a lot of their tobacco tins and that it does not affect the flavor and room note aroma of the smoke. It goes away almost instantly upon lighting. The moisture content of this tobacco is pretty moist out of the tin and some drying time is recommended. I took a few of the broken flake pieces, fully rubbed them out, loaded my pipe, and proceeded to the charring light. Continued
Connecticut River Valley tobacco waiting on buyers
(masslive.com) After a bumper summer tobacco harvest - the first in two years - local broadleaf tobacco, used as cigar wrappers, is cured and ready for sale. All that's missing are the buyers.
Alan Sanderson Jr. of Fairview Farm in Whately said that buyers from the three or four cigar companies that purchase tobacco from Massachusetts and Connecticut growers have not arrived at their usual time this year.
Sanderson said that most of the crop sales are completed by the end of November. Continued
Smoke shops battle high taxes and recession
(Ocala.com) Dave Haswell drew hard on the last of his hand-rolled cigarette and put the smoldering embers out in the ashtray in front of him.
The 71-year-old former heavy equipment operator relaxed as he let the smoke escape his mouth and drift toward the ceiling at Bogart's Smoke Shop in Dunnellon.
Haswell took his first drag when he was 11 years old, when he stole a cigar from his father's tobacco stash. He seldom looks back to regret what he did. Continued
Sunday, December 19, 2010
Empire State: Aurora's New York Cigar
(Cigar Aficionado) New York is getting another special, premium cigar with next week's debut of the Broadway Series by La Aurora. The one-size (for now) cigar, made in the Dominican Republic from a four-nation blend, will be available only in the Empire State.
La Aurora is a small but prominent cigar company that makes the Aurora, Guillermo León and León Jimenes lines of cigars in the Dominican Republic. Despite its Dominican ties that stretch back to 1903, La Aurora has long been fond of New York City. Continued
Cornell & Diehl Manhattan Afternoon Tobacco Review
(PipesMagazine) ... It’s a nice melodious fragrance of sweet fermented fruits. The tobacco in the tin is comprised of mostly intact flake slices, which are then surrounded by broken flakes. The tobacco is as pretty as the tin art. There are golden browns and golden yellow colors pressed together. Continued
Pictured: NYPD commissioner Theodore A. Bingham
The Complex and Interesting History of the Cigar part 3
The Complex and Interesting History of the Cigar part 3
Saturday, December 18, 2010
Tobacco Field readies for Saturday opening
(northfieldnews.com) Rob Waz said he and his wife Amy did a lot of research before choosing Northfield [MN] as the site for their latest business venture. Tobacco Field, which Waz said would offer “anything and everything tobacco related,” is scheduled to open Dec. 18 in the building previously occupied by Carquest on Hwy. 3. ... While Waz said his walk-in humidor — a room with constant humidity and an ideal temperature used to store cigars, cigarettes or pipe tobacco — wouldn’t be open, he said, when the store opens on Saturday, the shelves will be stocked with an array of tobacco products. Continued
Some late breaking tobacco gift guides
The Complex and Interesting History of the Cigar part 2
The Complex and Interesting History of the Cigar part 2
Friday, December 17, 2010
R.J. Reynolds Pulls Smokeless Tobacco Line From Test Markets
(WIBC) ... R.J. Reynolds to pull the Camel Dissolvables line of smokeless tobacco products from current test markets: Columbus, Ohio; Indianapolis, In. and Portland, Or. Continued
Photo: SnusCentral
The Complex and Interesting History of the Cigar Part 1
The Complex and Interesting History of the Cigar Part 1
Tobacco Manufacturer to Move to Middle Tennessee
(PRNewswire) After a search lasting over a year, Commonwealth Brands, Inc., the country's fourth largest tobacco manufacturer will be relocating its corporate office to Goodlettsville in Spring 2011.
The Company has been based in Bowling Green, KY since it was formed in 1991, however, its ever growing employee base has resulted in it outgrowing its current premises. ... Commonwealth Brands is owned by the British firm Imperial Tobacco, one of the world's largest international tobacco companies. ... Commonwealth already employs 1000 people across the states, including over 250 in its manufacturing facility in Reidsville, NC. Its brands include Sonoma, Davidoff, Fortuna, Rave and USA Gold cigarettes, one of the nation's best selling brands. Commonwealth also manufactures and markets a number of quality rolling tobaccos, including Premier, Rave and McClintock and a full range of rolling papers, including Joker and EZWider. Continued