Armando Garcia, Cigar Machine Master, Dies at 86

 

(Cigar Aficionado) The man who knew the ins and outs of cigar-making machines probably better than anyone else in the world died this week. Armando Garcia passed away in his sleep on November 28. He had been ill for a short time, but had recovered, even going to dinner the previous evening with his sons with the intention of returning to work next week.
... Garcia had worked for the past 10 years at J.C. Newman Cigar Co. in Tampa, fixing, modifying and maintaining dozens of cantankerous old machines and ensuring that Tampa's cigar-making tradition carried on. Continued

Philip Morris USA Raises Cigarette Prices, Reynolds American, Lorillard follow

 

(cspnet) Altria Group Inc.'s Philip Morris USA is pushing through a price increase of six cents per pack across all of the company's cigarette brands, the second round of price rises the tobacco producer has taken on those products this year, reported Dow Jones. The maker of Marlboro and L&M cigarettes confirmed it would enact the price increase on shipments effective Dec. 3. The move was matched by rivals Reynolds American Inc. and Lorillard Inc., which have also now raised prices twice in 2012, said the news agency. Continued

Gotländskt Julesnus ( Christmas Snus) Portion Review

(Snus Girl) ... The smell of this snus is absolutely wonderful! I definitely think it smells of cloves, cinnamon and other Christmas spices. What my nose says is not always right so I checked Northerners description "A taste of Christmas! Flavor of ginger bread, cinnamon and glu wein." I bet it is clove in there somewhere as well. I'm very sensitive about that flavor ever since my husband put cloves in our pepper mill believing it was pepper. Leaving me wondering why all our food tasted like cloves for a month before I figured it out. Continued

Fuente Añejos Cigars Appearing in Stores

 

(Cigar Aficionado) Christmas music, decorated trees and Black Friday signal the start of the holidays for a lot of people, but many cigar smokers are getting in the spirit for a different reason this week: the holiday Arturo Fuente Añejo release.
Shipments have already begun arriving at some shops around the country, including several in New York City, with others expecting delivery in the next few days. The entire Añejo line ships just twice annually, typically around Father's Day and Christmas. Continued

Nicaragua's Cigar Boom

 

(David Savona) Call this the golden age of Nicaraguan cigars. Twenty years ago, Nicaraguan smokes were virtually absent from the cigar industry. Ten years ago, they lagged far behind Honduras and market leader Dominican Republic. But if current trends hold, Nicaragua will end the year as the No. 1 producer of premium cigars by volume for the U.S. market, shipping more than double the cigars it did only six years ago. Several prominent names in cigars have looked to Nicaragua for expansion in recent years. Rocky Patel Premium Cigars Inc., which for many years made all of its cigars under contract in Honduras, now owns its own factory in Estelí, Nicaragua. Continued

Exotique Mixture by Smokers Haven Tobacco Review

 

(Kevin Godbee) ... I knew Exotique Mixture would be right up my alley, as I love "Balkan-style" blends with Latakia, Virginia and Orientals. The tin description actually reads "Turkish", but that’s the same thing as Orientals. The tin art / logo design is even done in an Oriental style, so I am anticipating this blend to be leaning towards an English / Oriental.
It is in fact made in Jersey, British Isles—which gives up the secret of the producer as J.F. Germain & Son, which has been producing tobaccos since 1820. They produce a wide array of their own tobaccos, and make blends for several other brands, including the "New Balkan Sobranie". Interestingly, even though Germain makes Exotique, it is tinned by Cornell & Diehl. I recognize the 2 oz. (57 gram) tin, and by U.S. law, it has their tobacco manufacturer number on the tin—TP-NC-628. It’s interesting how different people and companies work together to bring us so many fine choices in pipe tobacco. Continued

Six-Figure Cigars: Big Business in a Puff of Smoke

Mitchell Orchant, owner of C.Gars Ltd, discusses the international market for cigar sales and shows Bloomberg Television's Tim Chilcott some of the most expensive.

A Brief History of the Cigar Industry

 

(Cigar Aficionado) The year was 1992. The American cigar industry was in poor shape. The customer base was aging and contracting, sales had been in a steady 30-year decline and the men who made cigars and grew tobacco no longer encouraged their children to follow in their footsteps.
“I did not think that there was a future in the cigar industry,” said Carlos Toraño in 2006, speaking about the state of the cigar industry in the 1980s. His father, grandfather, cousins, uncles—just about everyone with the surname Toraño had worked with cigar tobacco, dating back to Cuba in 1916. But he was happy when his son Charlie chose a new career path, opting to become a lawyer instead of a tobacco man in August 1992. Continued

Espinosa La Zona Connecticut Robusto Cigar Review

 

(NTA) If you have been around cigars for a few years or so, you have surely heard of such brands as 601, Murcielago or Cubao. Well, one of the men behind these brands, Erik Espinosa, has started his own cigar company and purchased his own factory in Esteli, Nicaragua. One of the first lines from the factory is the La Zona and is named after the factory. The La Zona is the “economical” cigar line from Erik and can be purchased in bundles of 20 for around $75+/-. For $3 and change, you wouldn’t expect much; so lets take a further look and see how this economical La Zona turns out. Continued

Ask G. L. Pease November 2012

 

(G. L. Pease) ... Jeff wonders about perique: I’ve noticed that the flavor profile of Perique seems to fall into two categories - spicy/peppery and dried/dark fruit - depending on the blend it is present in. I’ve tried to reverse engineer this by examining the other varietals present in each blend, the percentage of Perique used, and even moisture content, but the particular reason for this dichotomy still eludes me.
What are the variable(s) that cause either of these two flavors to predominate? I’m aware that not all tobacco bearing the name is actually processed in St. James Parish, and I wonder if that may have something to do with it? Continued

Reconstructed Tobacco Shed Comes To Life In South Glastonbury

Tobacco sheds near Greenfield, Connecticut, John Collier, 1941(FSA/OWI)

(Courant.com) In the old days, those who built barns and sheds had a simple philosophy when it came to the foundation.
"Instead of leveling the ground, they just leveled the barn," said James Bennett, executive director of the Historical Society of Glastonbury, as he noted the large chunks of granite supporting an old tobacco shed on the grounds of the Welles Shipman Ward House in South Glastonbury.
But under this newly reconstructed circa-1870 shed is not only a laser-sighted level ground, but a hurricane-proof concrete foundation. While the chunks of granite are still there, the shed is level for the first time in more than a 140 years. Continued

Why can cigar butts be so stinky?

Tuval cigar label of Marcelino Perez Cigar Company, 1895 (UFDC)

(Cigar Aficionado) Q. I know it's bad etiquette to stub cigars into an ashtray to put them out, but what is it that causes cigars to emit a foul odor when you do that? Continued

Native ties to tobacco run deep

 

(Santa Fe New Mexican) It is believed that in the beginning, tobacco helped Native peoples arrive safely into this world. In many tribal creation stories, tobacco plays an illustrious, elaborate and unparalleled role. Numerous tribes have beliefs that place tobacco in a role of prominence in the genesis of their people.
For tribal peoples across Turtle Island, tobacco is, and has always been, considered the food of the spirits. Like other sacraments, the smoke from tobacco is believed to carry a message of thanks and offering to the Creator. Continued

Saints who smoked, popes who puffed, and others who snuffed: A History of Catholicism and Tobacco

(Catholic World Report) In 1873, impoverished Confederate veteran Chiswell Langhorne (left) moved his family from Lynchburg to Danville, Virginia and began looking for work. The owner of a Danville tobacco warehouse had recently developed a new system of selling tobacco by auction: Instead of having farmers’ tobacco hogsheads sampled for interested buyers, the warehouse owner had all the tobacco laid out in long rows for auction. Langhorne, a lively character with a taste for showing off, got the idea that he would make his mark somehow in the newly flourishing Danville tobacco trade. Continued

Special Method to Age Tobacco

Railroads & Cigars

This little railroad station, in Red Lion, Pennsylvania, used to ship around 100 million cigars a year. (Photo courtesy of MDRails)

(Cigar History Museum) Experiments had been going on for a few years when, in 1832, steam driven railroads were proven once-and-for-all to be fiscally practical. A coal powered steam engine on the two-year-old Baltimore & Ohio Railroad hauled 50 tons over a distance of 40 miles at a speed of 12 to 15 mph. The engine burned $16 worth of coal compared to the $33 and 42 horses it had taken to move that much freight over the same tracks the previous year. The timing couldn't have been better for the growing U.S. cigar industry. Continued

Five Fall Cigars for Aficionados and Beginners

(WSJ) Victoria McKee, Director of PR for General Cigar Co. Inc., gives the Wall Street Journal's Lee Hawkins her tips for the five best cigars to smoke during the Fall.

Irish said to embrace cigars as investment

(businesspost.ie) A London auction house is selling off €250,000 worth of vintage and rare cigars next week, with a large chunk of the stock expected to end up in Ireland.
Guy Hancock, managing director of Dublin's Decent Cigar Emporium, is to buy at the event, which is organised by an associated company, C.Gars.
He said there was significant interest here in investing in fine cigars (sample estimate: up to stg£450 for a box of 25 cigars). Continued

New Benji Menendez Partagas Cigar Comes to Market

 

(Cigar Aficianado) Celebrating 60 years in the cigar business, Benjamin "Benji" Menendez is marking the milestone with the new Benji Menendez Partagas Master Series LX, a 6 inch by 54 ring, limited-edition smoke made in the Dominican Republic by General Cigar Co.
A true industry veteran, Menendez has created cigars in nearly every cigar-producing country, including Cuba, the Dominican Republic, Jamaica and Brazil. Responsible for the U.S. development of the Partagas cigar brand, Menendez has access to General Cigar's large inventory of tobaccos, which allowed him to blend the new Master Series LX to his own personal specs. Continued

Is there anywhere I can smoke cigars in London?

 

(Telegraph) Since the smoking ban, the opportunity to smoke cigars in bars or clubs has all but vanished. Instead you will need to seek out establishments that have made an effort to make their outdoor areas as comfortable and inviting as possible for those wishing to take their time over a cigar. Continued

Malawi Changes Tobacco-Selling System

(Bloomberg) Malawi, the world’s largest grower of burley tobacco, is changing its system for selling the leaves to move away from the auction method now used to dispose of the entire crop.
The so-called Integrated Production System will enable farmers in the southern African nation to agree to grow the leaves for specific customers, according to a statement yesterday from the country’s Tobacco Control Commission. The government aims to carry out 80 percent of sales through the new system and the rest via auctions, the statement showed.
The change will control production and improve the quality of tobacco, which generates 60 percent of Malawi’s foreign exchange, according to the government. Continued

Cigar fans fired up for annual Ybor heritage event

 

(tbo.com) Stogies and live music will help celebrate the history and heritage of the Latin district.
The 14th annual Heritage and Cigar Festival begins at 10 a.m. Saturday at Ybor Square and the surrounding area, with proceeds benefiting the Ybor City Museum Society.
The family-friendly event will include national and local cigar vendors, live cigar rolling, craft beer, food trucks hawking cultural favorites and a kids zone with games and activities. Continued

Cigarette Price Increase Could Be on Horizon for Tobacco Firms

 

(foxbusiness.com) The three largest U.S. tobacco firms may enact a new round of cigarette price increases in the coming weeks, though the increase won't necessarily boost profitability as the industry's players have heightened promotions recently.
Wells Fargo & Co. analyst Bonnie Herzog predicted the industry would push through in December their second round of cigarette price increases this year, with the investment bank projecting Altria Group Inc. (MO) leading with a six- to seven-cent per-pack increase.
Altria typically leads on pricing action, followed shortly by announcements by smaller peers Reynolds American Inc. (RAI) and Lorillard Inc. (LO). Continued

Newminster Tobacco Roundup

 

(Adam Smith) It is not every day a new blend is released. It is an even rarer occasion that an entire new line of tobacco is presented. But that is exactly what the people at the Villiger Tobacco Company, in conjunction with the Mac Baren Tobacco Company, have done. Continued

The price of this tobacco crop just keeps going up

 

(Tobacco Farmer Newsletter) Will the final price of the current crop bring back pleasant memories of 2004? Daniel Green, chief executive officer of Burley Stabilization Corporation (BSC), told Tobacco Farmer Newsletter earlier today that his organization has increased its price for 2012 contracted tobacco, with leaf graded T 1 now priced at $2.08 a pound. A year ago, that grade was priced at $1.87 (including moisture adjustment). "This will finally bring many grower averages above prices they received under the old tobacco program," he said. "Our hope is this will generate interest in growing more burley in 2013." Continued

Montana Azul Torpedo Cigar Review

 

(NTA) ... This is from Blue Mountain Cigars from Esteli Nicaragua. Blue Mountain Cigars have been in the cigar business since early 1995. Ran by Marvin Wright and his Jacqueline, Marvin has a history of tobacco. His father grew it, and when Marvin grew up he moved to Cuba to learn more about cigars.
Eventually, Marvin landied in Jamaica to build the company of Blue Mountain Cigars. Reading into the name “Montana Azul” and looking at the band. I think the band looks like the blue (Azul) skyline of Montana, but thats just a hunch. Continued

Avanti Cigar Co. 100-year history recounted

(thetimes-tribune.com) A small drawing of a seal drew booming laughter during a history lesson on a local cigar company Sunday.
Dominic Keating, president of Avanti Cigar Co., regaled a packed room at the Lackawanna Historical Society Catlin House with the history of the company, which marked its 100th anniversary this year.
The family-owned organization, which operates in Scranton, still uses a small seal as a symbol on packages of its Parodi products.
The Parodi family, who lived in Italy, consulted a lawyer when they established a cigar company in the United States in the early 1900s. A misunderstanding caused by a language barrier led to their belief that the company required a seal - as in mammal - rather than a business seal. When the Avanti Cigar Co. bought the waning Parodi company in 1925, the symbol stuck. Continued

Renegade Tobacco may face liquidation

(Winston-Salem Journal) The future of three Mocksville tobacco companies – with a combined 85 employees – has grown much darker after a U.S. District Court judge’s ruling that they owe at least $4.1 million in disputed federal excise taxes.
The ruling by Judge Thomas Schroeder, issued Tuesday, has the potential to force the liquidation of Renegade Holdings Inc., Renegade Tobacco Co. and Alternative Brands Inc. by creditors, perhaps as soon as early 2013. Continued

Superstorm Sandy had little effect on tobacco

 

(Tobacco Farmer Newsletter) ... The Pennsylvania tobacco-growing area was as close to the storm's damage area as any leaf area, but Jeff Graybill, Pennsylvania Extension tobacco agronomy educator, said the impact was not great. "There was virtually no hail or storm damage, and no barns went down," he said. "No tobacco was still in the field. We'd had a hard frost on October 12, and harvest ended soon after that. Continued

How to Cut a Cigar with Scissors

 

Join XIKAR President and Co-Founder Kurt Van Keppel as he demonstrates how to cut a cigar with cigar scissors using our MTX Multi-Tool.

Dark Days Loom for Malawi Tobacco

LILONGWE, Nov 9 2012 (IPS) - The latest proposals by the World Health Organization Framework Convention on Tobacco Control to stop farming of the crop could potentially affect about two million livelihoods in Malawi and decide the fate of an entire nation struggling with a sputtering economy.
This is according to the chief executive officer of Malawi’s Tobacco Control Commission, Bruce Munthali.
Tobacco is this southern African nation’s main foreign currency earner and accounts for more than 70 percent of exports and 15 percent of GDP. The industry employs an estimated two million of Malawi’s 13 million people. Continued

Smoking Marine gunny launches new cigar brand for charity

 

(Military Times) A former Marine who unwittingly became an icon of the Iraq invasion is now planning to launch his own line of cigars in an effort to raise money for wounded service members. Retired Gunnery Sgt. Nick Popadich, immortalized in an April 2003 photograph taken by Associated Press photographer Laurent Rebours, will launch his new label called Cigar Marine this Saturday at an event in El Dorado Hills, Calif. A portion of the proceeds will go to the Injured Marine Semper Fi Fund with the goal of raising $1 million. Continued

Archie Mishkin R.I.P.

 

(Idaho Mountain Express) Archie Mishkin passed away peacefully at the Good Samaritan in Boise, Idaho, on Oct. 30, 2012. Archie was 94 and began coming to Ketchum in the 1960s and lived in Ketchum since 1985.
Archie was born in Queens, N.Y., was in the Army serving in Italy in World War II and attended City College of New York. After the war he worked as an accountant in New York City and Havana, Cuba. While in Cuba he became a partner in a tobacco leaf dealer and eventually in the early 1950s became the president of Bayuk Cigars Inc. in Philadelphia, Pa. Bayuk made Phillies Cigars, Garcia Vega Cigars and other labels. Continued

Missouri voters again reject tobacco tax increase

(stltoday.com) Missouri voters have rejected a measure that would have sharply increased the state's lowest-in-the-nation tobacco tax.
Tuesday's vote is the third time in a decade voters have rejected an effort to boost the tax from its current 17 cents per pack. Opponents of the increase say the state would have lost millions in dollars in tax revenue from people who cross state lines to buy cheaper smokes. Continued

Head of Cuban cigar factory Partagas allegedly arrested in Havana

(Havana Journal) Various bloggers are reporting that the head of the Partagas factory in Havana, Abel Exposito, was arrested last week.
Since there is no official word from Cuban authorities, information contained in this article cannot be verified.
The alleged charges are for cigar smuggling to Switzerland and foreign currency matters. Reports say that Mr. Exposito’s son and ex wife have been arrested too. Continued

Cigar Aficionado Rides Out Sandy

 

(Cigar Aficionado) Hurricane Sandy turned the lights off for millions last week and blacked out much of Manhattan. The power outages were felt far and wide, with 8.5 million East Coast residents in the dark at one point. We at Cigar Aficionado magazine were no different. Our magazine’s offices were closed for the entire week of October 29, and remained without power until Saturday, November 3. With no power in our servers, we were unable to post our daily updates to CigarAficionado.com. Even as electricity was restored to New York, the recovery process wreaked havoc on our internal systems, and kept us from posting updates to the site until this morning. No other disaster, natural or otherwise, has kept us out of business for so long. Continued

Hublot fires up King Power with cigar brand

 

(WatchPro) Hublot has unveiled a smoking new collaboration with Cuban cigar manufacturer Arturo Fuente, creating a limited edition timepiece presented in an ebony and carbon cigar case.
The new King Power Arturo Fuente limited series is presented in the cigar case developed specially by Hublot, blending Macassar ebony and carbon. Arturo Fuente has created special editions of its rare OPUS X cigars for Hublot, to fit inside the case. Continued

Beth Kanaley, longtime owner of Ted's Pipe Shoppe, dies at 84

(Tulsa World) As Beth Kanaley told new customers, a pipe needed to be broken in properly. But once that was done, a relationship had been forged that could last for years.
"That's the only way I know to buy a friend. Buy a pipe," said Kanaley, who as owner-operator of Ted's Pipe Shoppe in Tulsa doled out advice of that sort for nearly half a century. In the process, she made more than a few friends herself.
Kanaley's store, where she sold fine smoking tobacco and smoking accessories, became a gathering place for pipe and cigar enthusiasts. Continued