Fuente-Rolled God of Fire 2013 Cigars Now Shipping

 

(Cigar Aficionado) The newest God of Fire cigars from Prometheus International Inc. and Arturo Fuente are now on their way to cigar shops across the country.
According to Keith Park, owner of the company and the God of Fire brand, about 500 boxes each of the Fuente-made cigars are being shipped. Now in its ninth year, each release of God of Fire is rolled by the Fuente family at Tabacalera A. Fuente y Cia. in the Dominican Republic and then aged in the factory's storing room for a time before being released. In addition to an elaborate band that features the Greek titan Prometheus, each cigar also has a secondary band designating the year the cigar was rolled. Continued

The Pipe’s Story, Part 1 & 2

(Passion for Pipes) The pipe which was manufactured in Italy and sold under the Stone Age brand was originally purchased in the spring of 1971 from a tobacconist, Stag Tobacco, located in a mall in Phoenix, Arizona. It was the first pipe I purchased that year, and it brought my number of pipes to three.
I was doing graduate work at the university and, to pay the bills, was also working as a clinical technician in a large teaching hospital. There I encountered a culture of pipe smokers. Its number included what seemed like most of the interns and residents as well as a substantial representation of the physicians who comprised the hospital’s house staff. There were pipes galore. Continued

Emilio Draig K Limitada Corona Cigar Review

 

(NTA) If you have been smoking cigars for any amount of time, I am pretty sure you have heard of Emilio Cigars. If you haven’t, they are a unique large boutique line of cigars company. Not only does Emilio produce cigars, they also distribute a handful of smaller boutique companies.
My favorite Emilio cigars are the AF2 and Grimalkin (now re-branded as La Musa). Late 2012, Gary Griffith released the Draig K Limitada in three sizes (Corona, Robusto & Toro) with limited production of 400 boxes in each size.
There is some history of the name and why a pink dragon on the band, but I am not going to get all historical on you. Just think The country of Wales, their national symbol & Gary Griffith’s Welsh heritage and you should get the picture. Continued

Rare Vintage Tobaccos to be Auctioned in Chicago

 

(G. L. Pease) Mike and Mary McNiel of the McClelland Tobacco Company have something very special to present this coming weekend, 4-5th May, in Chicago.
Several 4-ounce tins of rare, very old Dunhill tobaccos were discovered last year amongst company artifacts. These will be on display and made available in a silent auction conducted at their table at the 18th annual Chicagoland International Pipe and Tobacciana Show.
Fred Hanna and I were present during an informal unveiling at last year’s Kansas City show. Never at a loss for words, Fred said, “These are not collectors’ cans, they are museum pieces.” Continued

Photo: The Daguerreian Society

 

The Pretense Was Work

 

(smokingpipes.com) The pretense was that what I’d be doing would involve work. But the truth is I went to Morganton, NC to play with pipe tobacco. I work in tobacciana (obviously), and so, technically, it would at least be work-related play.
See, I’ve visited Cornell & Diehl a couple of times now. Ordinarily I get to hang around the factory for two or three hours. Although one can see every part of the factory there is to see in about forty-five minutes, what goes on there is sufficiently complex that a few hours will only provide a very cursory understanding of what the folks at C&D do. Continued

Photo: Tuesday Johnson's

 

 

Cigar Etiquette: Relights?

 

(Cigar Aficionado) Q. If a cigar is long (like a Cohiba Lanceros, for example), I usually relight it when I'm ready for another few puffs. I've been told that is bad cigar etiquette, and, in fact, is bad for the cigar. Is that true? Continued

The Tobacco That Hello Kitty Would Smoke

(At the back of the hill) Just finished a bowlful of McClelland Honeydew. If Hello Kitty had the exceptionally good sense to smoke a pipe, this is what she would smoke.
Now, whereas normal felines have teeth which are not suited to clenching a pipe, necessitating special stems just for the pussy market, Hello Kitty is some kind of shovel-jawed freak, and would have no problem whatsoever with a Dunhill Fishtail. Continued

Nomad to Release Nicaraguan Cigar

 

(NTA) Fred Rewey, founder and president of Nomad Cigar Company, formally announced the introduction of a Nicaraguan blended cigar to the Nomad family. The Nomad Estelí LE Lot 1382 will be released in July at IPCPR with future blends later in the year.
Until now, Nomad’s entire production has been limited to Dominican Republic. The move of expanding the line to include Nicaraguan tobacco seemed a natural one.
In keeping in line with Nomad’s philosophy, the release will have a few “twists.” Continued

Dunhill Elizabethan Mixture (2013) and Ylang Ylang Snuff

(Glynn Quelch) Well its been a while folks, sorry! In this video I review the (unreleased) Dunhill Elizabethan Mixture, due to be out around July/August time.

Patrick Slazansky Pipe Review: Slovakian Newcomer Makes His Mark

 

(Tom Spithaler) It seems there is always one ‘thing’ about a pipecrafter’s style that draws my attention. There is always one sort of standout characteristic that tells me, "You need to get to know this guy!" Things like Bruce Weaver’s blasting techniques, the finishes of Dotter pipes, the classic ‘tough guy’ poker shapes from Mark Balkovec (who can do much more than a classic poker I assure you …), etc. You get the picture.
In sports we call this the "intangible". For 40-year old Patrick Slazansky, his intangible is the ability to show a new, modernized, yet eclectic take on traditional shapes and styles that draws me. Continued

Mets Game Delayed Due To Umpire Who Reportedly Swallowed His Chewing Tobacco

 

(Gothamist) The Mets had a rough night yesterday during a 4-0 loss to the Philadelphia Phillies at Citi Field, but it probably wasn't as rough a night for them as it was for home plate umpire Brian O'Nora.
O'Nora suddenly ran off the field with two outs and a runner on second base in the bottom of the first, resulting in a subsequent 14 minute game delay. Continued

Rising from the ashes at Camp Phoenix

 

(al.com) KABUL, Afghanistan - Yesterday, my reign ended in a puff of smoke.
I was honored to have served as president of the Tali-banned Cigar Aficionado Club but as the deployment ends, so must my term as leader of a truly special organization.
I know some of you may think I have written too much about the Tiki Hut and the Tali-banned Cigar Aficionado Club in this space before. But the truth is I can't write enough to express what the place, the people, the escape mean to me and others. Continued

La Palina's second Goldie: The Goldie Laguito No.5 Cigar

 

(NTA) ... Produced at the El Titan de Bronze factory in the Little Havana neighborhood of Miami, the Goldie is made under the supervision of owner Sandra Cobas.
The La Palina Goldie Laguito No.5 will be a 5 5/8 x 54 cigar and presented in boxes of 10.
Master roller Maria Sierra, who will have signed each numbered box, rolled the entire La Palina Collection Goldie Laguito No.5 release. Continued

The Chronicles Cigarillos Launches 3 New Blends

(CSN) The Chronicles launched three new super-premium cigarillo product lines: Mango, Vanilla and Sweet. The line extensions feature a custom blend of top-quality dark natural leaf and homogenized tobacco leaf. Additional flavors, including Grape and Mynt, are in production. The Chronicles cigarillos are often distributed and sold with Kings Delight, an imported natural leaf wrap. Both products come in airtight foil packaging. Link

A Republican Fund-Raiser, Held Amid a Smoky Haze

 

(NYTimes) Some politicians avoid a smoke-filled room. This week, Joseph J. Lhota held a fund-raiser in one.
“You ever smoke a cigar before?” asked Mr. Lhota, a Republican running for mayor of New York City, his teeth clenched around a Montecristo White. He pulled out a miniature torch, flipped on the blue flame and gestured toward a guest. “Give him a cutter!” Continued

London's Luxe Cigar Lounges

(Forbes) True aficionados of the cigar know what most non-smokers do not—a fine cigar, much like expertly crafted cuisine or deftly mixed cocktails, is not meant to be rushed. It makes sense, then, that cigar lounges are often dens of indulgence, places where a specific breed of sophistication is practiced and time stands still until the final puff has been savored. And London, Forbes Travel Guide’s newest star-rated city, is one of the prime places to experience a chic cigar lounge. Our Startle.com editors have gathered a collection of the five of the city’s most luxurious lounges perfect for puffing away. Continued

Anniversary Allones Aging For United Kingdom

 

(Cigar Aficionado) Britain’s cigar import company has a special Cuban smoke planned for its 225th anniversary. The cigars are already rolled, but they won’t go on sale for two years.
Hunters & Frankau, the importer of Cuban cigars for the United Kingdom, has created the Ramon Allones Hunters and Frankau 225. The cigars are being shipped from Cuba to the United Kingdom this spring, but Hunters will age them until the 225th anniversary of the company, which is in 2015. Continued

Lights, Smokes & Leaves

 

(G. L. Pease) Indulge me. Take a moment to close your eyes and reflect on your earliest experience as a budding pipe smoker. It could have been months ago, years, or even decades. Imagine that first bowl in as much vivid detail as you can conjure. How does the memory compare to your current experience? Continued

Tobacco is still hanging in as viable Kentucky crop; state still largest burley producer in U.S.

 

(kyforward) ... National Agricultural Statistics Service forecast for this year’s tobacco crop shows an increase in planted acres. The most recent report noted, “Burley tobacco growers in Kentucky intend to set 78,000 acres for harvest, up 4,000 acres from 2012. For the burley producing states, growers intend to set 103,100 acres, 2 percent above last year.”
For dark tobacco, “Producers intend to set 9,500 acres of dark-fired tobacco in Kentucky, up 500 acres from the previous year. Acreage set to dark-air tobacco was estimated at 4,000 acres, down 200 acres from 2012,” the report estimated. Continued

Photo via otcpipes.com

 

Meet Snus and e-cigarettes, the tobacco industry's new growth areas

 

(Marketplace) ... Matthew Hudak, an analyst with Euromonitor International, says sales of Snus in the U.S. are around half a billion dollars a year and growing.
But, Hudak says, sales of e-cigarettes are growing even faster.
“What a lot of tobacco companies are already betting on,” he says. Continued

Growers concerned about aphids in tobacco greenhouses

 

(Southeast Farm Press) It has been a relatively quiet spring for insect questions in tobacco, but last week I received several calls asking about aphid management in tobacco greenhouses.
Aphids are an occasional pest in tobacco greenhouses, and the last time I had enough questions about them to warrant a blog post was in 2011.
In 2012, more unusual tobacco greenhouse insect concerns were on grower’s minds. Continued

JTI Leaf Services to upgrade Danville facility, invest $7.5 million in tobacco processing tech

 

(AP) DANVILLE, Va. — JTI Leaf Services’ facility in Danville is getting a $7.5 million upgrade.
... The facility opened in 2009 and employs more than 270 full-time and part-time workers. Continued

Macanudo Sponsors "Big Break" Golf Show

 

(Cigar Aficionado) General Cigar Co. and its flagship Macanudo brand will be sponsoring The Golf Channel's hit reality television series "Big Break," a show where 12 contestants go up against each other in golf-related challenges to ultimately win an exemption to compete in either the LPGA Tour at the 2013 Lorena Ochoa Invitational or on the PGA Tour at the 2013 OHL Classic. The Macanudo brand will be featured prominently throughout the series. Continued

Ontario tobacco crop target up

 

(Paris Star) After years of decline, the exit of most growers and a difficult adjustment period, the Ontario tobacco growing sector is on a bit of a rise again.
The Ontario Flue-Cured Tobacco Growers Marketing Board reports that 243 licensed growers have been approved to grow a collective 23,000 acres of leaf this summer in Norfolk, Brant, Oxford, Elgin and Middlesex counties.
They are expected to produce a total 62 million pounds. Continued

Tobacco tycoon to lead Paraguay

 

(independent.ie) Tobacco tycoon Horacio Cartes was elected as the new leader of Paraguay on Sunday after securing almost half of the votes.
... The president-elect owns controlling shares in banks, investment funds, agricultural estates and tobacco plantations. Most opinion polls predicted his victory, despite this being his first run for public office. Continued

Cutting Cigars with Scissors

 

(Cigar Aficionado) Q. I can't seem to make a nice, clean cut with my new cigar scissors. What's the proper method to snip a cigar cap? Continued

A Weird Man's Tobacco

 

(At the Back of the Hill) Once in a while I light up a bowl of Sam's Blend by Cornell & Diehl, Inc.
This is against my better judgment, because both during the smoke and afterwards the chances of women running away from me screaming hysterically are pretty much a safe bet.
Not that this has happened yet, but I know it is only a matter of time.
And seeing as I am still trying to lure a woman into my net ("come here, sweetie, you wanna smell like an off-shore oil-rig?"), you will readily understand that setting fire to a pipe-full of a tobacco mixture which is composed of all the foulest things in Christendom is not a good idea.
Certainly not a bright thing to do.
But it's very good indeed.
Weird man's tobacco. Continued

How Poker And Cigars Helped Save Jews In The Philippines

(Daily Forward) Who could have imagined that cigars and poker would be the main ingredients in the recipe of rescue of Jews on the cusp of World War II?
“Rescue in the Philippines: Refuge from the Holocaust,” tells the story of how the five Frieder brothers from Cincinnati, built a cigar empire in Manila and with the help of poker aficionados Col. Dwight Eisenhower, U.S. High Commissioner to the Philippines Paul McNutt and the first president of the Commonwealth of the Philippines, Manuel Quezon, helped 1,200 Jews find haven in that country. Continued

Tobacco labor union marker to be unveiled today

 

(Winston-Salem Chronicle) A fertile period of labor organizing in the tobacco industry during the 1940s fed into the Civil Rights Movement. A North Carolina Highway Historical Marker will be dedicated to workers involved in the efforts to unionize tobacco warehouses on Saturday, April 20 at noon at First Calvary Baptist Church, 401 Woodland Ave. in Winston-Salem. Continued

Zombie Supershot Cigars From Viaje

 

(CA) While the prophecy of the Zombie Apocalypse has yet to happen, that didn't stop Andre Farkas from creating the Zombie Supershot, a ghoulish, monster-themed follow up to his unique Supershot cigars released last year.
Packaged to look like shotgun ammo specifically intended for Zombie elimination, Zombie Supershots are short, stout, 3 1/2 inch by 54 ring gauge Nicaraguan puros packed in tidy 25-count boxes. Each cigar is covered in a Criollo '98 wrapper. Continued

Proposed Plan For The Gorgeous, Gutted Tobacco Warehouse Revealed

(Gothamist) Last week we got a look at what the Empire Stores Warehouses may look like in the future, and now the proposed new look of their neighbor, The Tobacco Warehouse has been revealed.
Community groups, preservationists, and the city have begun to finalize the plan for the building in Brooklyn Bridge Park, which was granted to St. Ann's Warehouse last year and will become the theater's future home. The architects at Rogers Marvel Architects are heading up the project, and presented these designs for the structure, which is now an abandoned open-air space that is gorgeous just the way it is. Continued

Cigar Aficionado Addresses Ratings Abuse

 

(Gordon Mott) Cigar Aficionado's cigar ratings are a cornerstone of our success. Manufacturers wait for the independent judgment on their products, retailers post the scores in their shops, and consumers use the scores to help them make buying decisions. In 20 years, we estimate that we have rated more than 15,000 different cigars. Continued

 

Photo: Tuesday Johnson's Historical Indulgences

 

Windels Grove Semois Coupe Grosse Tobacco Review

 

(Pipes Magazine) ... The pre-light draw is floral and herbal. The initial light has a very soft mouth-feel to the smoke with loads of smoke while being light, airy and floral at the same time. It is kind of powdery feeling as well. This tobacco produces plenty of thick smoke while at the same time having subtle, mild aromas and flavors. The early part of the bowl tasted like dirt, but not in a bad way - earth after rain, and potting soil flavors and aromas are detected. There is a mild ash taste, which is common with Burley tobaccos, but it is more mild and tolerable here than in a typical American Burley-forward blend. Some Burley blends have too much ash taste for me, and create a burning at the back of the throat. That did not happen here. Continued

Fonseca No. 1 Cigar Review

 

(Cigar Inspector) Fonseca is an under appreciated brand in my opinion. You don’t find too many people talking about it and there are plenty who haven’t even heard of it. I have found it to be a sort of hidden gem. Milder than most Cuban cigars it is still full of refined, complex flavors and they are a joy to smoke. The hallmark of the Fonseca is the white tissue paper wrapper that graces every stick in the marca, and the bold portrait of Francisco E. Fonseca that adorns each box. Continued

Ask G. L. Pease (Volume 24)

(G. L. Pease) ... We pipesmokers are often referred to as "Brothers (or Sisters) of the Briar". However, I am aware that there are many different materials commonly used to create tobacco pipes (olive wood, morta, meerschaum, corn cob, cherry wood, beech etc.). Could you shed any light on these other materials with regards to their relative smoking qualities, durability and any special care requirements. Have you had much experience with alternative pipe making materials? Do you have a favourite (aside from briar)? Continued

Cigar-and-Whiskey Fest Coming to Long Island City's Studio Square

 

(dnainfo.com) Get ready for a smokin' good time.
Queens beer hall and event space Studio Square will be smoking out its large outdoor garden next month for its first ever cigar and whiskey festival.
The "Smoke," fest will feature stogies from cigar-maker Rocky Patel, whiskey tasting stations, an open bar, live music and all-you-can-eat barbeque. Continued

A Mountain of Man Caves

 

(Cigar Aficionado) Every guy needs a place all his own, and for an increasing number of cigar aficionados, that place is a man cave.
The rooms come in all shapes, sizes and styles. They can be fancy or ornate, elaborate or simple, but what makes each one special is the personal touch each owner provides. Continued

PipesAndCigars.com Acquired by Cigars International

(Pipes Magazine) Rumors and speculation were running rampant yesterday about the future of PipesAndCigars.com. They were in fact acquired by Cigars International. The confusion and conflicting information was the result of their original intent of not making the announcement until the The Chicagoland Int’l Pipe & Tobacciana Show. The show takes place in early May. Continued

Espinosa Cigars Drops the F-Bomb

 

(NTA) Espinosa Cigars (the maker of my Cigar of the Year) announced they are dropping the F-Bomb! No, not THAT F-Bomb, a new size to their La Bomba line of cigars. The F-Bomb is a massive 7×70 size that has been added to their already popular “La Bomba” line. Continued

 

Photo: Bernunzio Uptown Music

 

Philip Morris USA To Host Greenville Tobacco Meeting On Wed.

(Greenville Sun) After pulling out of the local tobacco-buying picture just over year ago, Philip Morris USA, a major manufacturer of American cigarettes and other tobacco products, is making a move to re-establish a facility in the Greeneville area that would purchase tobacco from East Tennessee growers.
In an advertisement that appeared in The Greeneville Sun last week, Philip Morris USA (PM), announced that it would be hosting an informational meeting for area growers at the Clyde Austin 4-H Center on Wednesday, April 17, beginning at 6 p.m. Continued

The TAA Show

 

(David Savona) If you read this blog and visit this website on a regular basis, I bet you know the terms IPCPR, CRA and CAA. But how about TAA?
TAA stands for the Tobacconists' Association of America, a group of high-end cigar shops in the United States. The group is meant as a supplement, rather than a replacement, to the main organization of U.S. cigar shops—the International Premium Cigar Pipe Retailers (IPCPR). Every TAA member that I know is also a member of the IPCPR. But where the latter group's annual get-together is all about a high-energy, very hectic trade show spread over a group of days, the annual TAA meeting is a far more laid-back affair. Continued

Altadis USA Sells Pipe Tobacco Division

 

(csnews) RICHMOND, Va. - Altadis USA is selling its pipe tobacco division in order to focus on its core cigarette and cigar businesses.
Mac Baren Tobacco Co., a 125-year-old pipe tobacco company based in Denmark, has reached an agreement to purchase the pipe tobacco division located in Richmond, Va.
The division will now operate under its original name, Sutliff Tobacco Co., which was founded in 1849 - making it one of the oldest pipe tobacco companies in the United States. Continued

Cuba will Host Fifth International Symposium Havana-Habanos 2013

 

Havana, Apr 15 (Prensa Latina) Scientific authorities of this city called to the realization, next August of the Fifth International Symposium Havana-Habanos 2013, which will be focused on the culture of the Cuban tobacco production to the world.
Zoe Nocedo, director of the Tobacco Museum in Old Havana, added that it is expecting the assistance of nearly 130 researchers, historians, museum specialists, businessmen, collectors, traders, artists and Habano lovers.
The attenders enrolled to this event are from Argentina, Brazil, Mexico, United Arab Emirates, and the host country, which will be gathered in this capital from August 12 to 14, she added. Continued

New Business Combines Cigars and Barbershop

 

(Patch) With experience in the cigar industry and as a master barber, Darren Alvarez woke up one day with a business plan: Merge the two worlds to create a place where men can go to both puff cigars and get groomed.
Now, Alvarez and fiancee Catrinna Dick have opened The Mancave Cigar Lounge & Barbershop in South Tampa. The "full-scale man cave" features bench seating, bar seating, beer, wine, coffee, LED TV's - showcasing sports channels, of course - and the cigar case room and barbershop.
A grand opening is scheduled for 2 p.m. until 10 p.m. on Saturday, April 20. Continued

Memories of King Tobacco

 

FLORENCE, S.C. (scnow.com) Tobacco is king in the Pee Dee.
Or at least it used to be.
A new book by two South Carolina natives reminds us of that fact. In word and picture, it harkens back a time when many South Carolina farmers relied on tobacco to make a living.
Eldred Prince and Benton Henry’s book “The Great Harvest: Remembering Tobacco in the Pee Dee” tells the story of the once golden crop and the people that grew it. Continued

Photo: Stringing tobacco, Florence, SC 1938 (Library of Congress).

 

Is That Pipe Tobacco Locally Grown?

 

(The Daily Beast) ... If the modern mythos of the kitchen had arrived a decade earlier, before the vilification of tobacco was complete, the pipe might occupy a place on the palate alongside argan oil and hijiki and yuzu. Somewhere in the multiverse, there is an alternate New York City where the Union Square farmers’ market brims not just with heirloom melons and leeks and squash but also with local tobaccos as vibrant as the Cherokee purple tomato. There is a literature still waiting to be written on fine tobacco; tobacco awaits its Julia Child — who, it should be said, loved to smoke, as so many other chefs have and do. It is axiomatic these days that smoking ruins the palate, but this would come as news to Thomas Keller, Anthony Bourdain and all the other celebrated chefs who enjoy a good smoke. Continued

Stogie King Pollack Elected Into Wheeling Hall of Fame

 

(Wheeling News-Register) Augustus Pollack, a revered businessman who founded West Virginia's largest cigar manufacturer, has been elected posthumously to the Wheeling Hall of Fame in the Business, Industry and Professions category.
... Pollack founded his signature business, Crown Stogies, in East Wheeling in 1871. In 15 years, Crown Stogies grew to become West Virginia's largest cigar manufacturer. At their peak, his two factories employed more than 500 people. His factory, spanning 18th and 19th streets from Chapline to Eoff streets, was one of the largest cigar factories in the world. In an obituary, the Wheeling News-Register declared that no one deserved "more credit for the Wheeling stogie's prestige." Continued

Star Scientific has a long history as a magnet for controversy

(Richmond Times-Dispatch) For a small company, Star Scientific Inc. is no stranger to big controversies.
The Henrico County-based company, now the subject of a federal securities investigation, two shareholder lawsuits, and a political fracas over a gift from its top executive to Gov. Bob McDonnell's family, has a history of being involved in the public health wars over tobacco and courtroom dogfights with big-money implications.
For most of its history as a maker of cigarettes, then smokeless tobacco, Star Scientific has presented itself as an innovator, seeking to bring change to an industry that for decades resisted it. Continued

Tobacco Museum needs help

 

(newsdemocrat.com) "The Ohio Tobacco Museum's goal is not to promote smoking or to promote chewing tobacco," said board secretary Michelle Arnold. "It's to promote the history of tobacco and the history of the residents of the Ripley, Aberdeen, Higginsport and Georgetown areas. Future generations won't know anything about their heritage or what supported them for so many years if somebody doesn't do something to preserve tobacco."
Arnold sits on the board with her father and board president Jim Arnold, vice president Jim Wells and treasurer Greg Applegate, who are all faced with the challenge of how to keep the Ohio Tobacco Museum afloat. Continued

OSHA seeks steep fines from Nuway Tobacco

(journalinquirer.com) The Nuway Tobacco Co. faces $59,869 in proposed fines after the U.S. Labor Department’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration cited the company for 22 serious violations of workplace safety and health standards at its 200 Sullivan Ave. manufacturing plant.
Nuway makes tobacco sheets that are used as filler and wrappers for cigars.
A serious violation occurs “when there is substantial probability that death or serious physical harm could result from a hazard about which the employer knew or should have known,” OSHA Hartford area office Director Warren Simpson said Wednesday. Continued

Studio Tobac World Tour Cigar Samplers Now Available

 

(Cigar Aficionado) The 2013 Studio Tobac World Tour for 2013 has begun, so from now until November fans of the company will be able to sample some rare and limited cigars, and even some prototypes.
Studio Tobac, which is a division of the Oliva Family of Cigars, produces such brands as Cain and Nub. World Tour is traditionally how the company tries out new products for the market, by offering new and yet-unreleased cigars in a sample pack to their core audience. Continued

Tobacco That’s So Brooklyn but Made in Belgium

 

 

(NYTimes) We were somewhere around Barolo on the edge of the Italian wine country when my wife’s 68-year-old uncle, Dario, lurched forward in the driver’s seat, fished a small leather pouch from the floorboard and threw it in my lap. “Semwaz!” he cried, as if this were the answer to everything.
I had no idea what the word meant, but inside the pouch, I found the strangest pipe tobacco I’d ever seen. It was dry and brittle and smelled like a barn, and if anyone else had given it to me, I’m sure I would have tossed it back. But Dario was a special case. In the years I’d known him, he introduced me to some of the best mushrooms, moonshine and cigars I ever tasted, and if he now recommended this packet of old straw, it seemed only fair to try it. Continued

Celebrate Ybor’s cigars, food at Aficionado Days

 

(tbo.com) The event celebrates the rolling of the first cigar in Ybor City but the focus of the celebration is food. A “Tapas Trail,” featuring 18 restaurants, and a lavish Sunday brunch at the iconic Columbia Restaurant are the highlights of the 7th Annual Ybor Aficionado Days on Saturday and Sunday.
There will be cigars at a smoker and after-party event on Saturday night as well as a tapas cooking contest on Sunday. Continued

Obama Budget Attacks Tobacco Again

 

(Pipes Magazine) Today, President Obama delivered to Congress his administration’s proposed budget that includes a $.94 per pack increase in the federal cigarette tax rate and an increase in all other tobacco tax rates by a similar proportion. This means that the Obama Administration’s proposal would raise the federal cigarette tax to $1.95 per pack (a 93% increase in the cigarette tax) and a similar proportionate increase in the tax rates on cigars, pipe tobacco, roll-your-own tobacco and smokeless tobacco products. Continued