halfwheel

Editorial: The Ten Questions for 2013

I think this might be my favorite article to write and publish. It takes a lot of time, but despite what my Twitter account might hint at, I do love the industry proper. There were a lot of things that happened in 2012, many of which aren’t so relevant as far as looking at things [...]

Editorial: Puros & Hybrids

Some time ago a cigarmaker handed me some cigars he was working on. It’s not the first time it happened, but these were different. The tagline was a glimpse into the future and it wasn’t because of a new shape, rolling technique or new tobacco, it especially wasn’t because it wasn’t new tobacco. These were cigars [...]

IPCPR 2012: The halfwheel Guide

The IPCPR 2012 kicks off tomorrow in Orlando, FL. It will be a busy show with over 400 new SKUs already known about. A few companies have been able to keep their plans under wraps, but most have shared what they plan on bringing to the show and that’s probably best for everyone. A FEW [...]

Editorial: Ten Questions for 2012

Last year, I published an article entitled Ten Questions for 2011. The concept was simple, what were a few of the topics to watch for in the upcoming year. With the notable exception of E.P. Carrillo’s crazy year, I’d like to think that we covered most of the major topics of 2011. With another year [...]

Editorial: The Business of A.J.

I preface this with: I actually think the Oval is a decent cigar and this is by no means the first time this has happened; Jason Wood. Unfortunately, A.J. Fernandez has sort of fallen into my lap in terms of being the target topic of the next editorial. At stake are two issues: the “A.J. [...]

A Primer: Lancero

With the Lancero50 about to begin, it seemed appropriate for a primer on my favorite vitola. Without a doubt, one of the less popular cigars as far as sales numbers go, the Lancero, thanks to a few devoted fans seems to be making a comeback, again. Over the next fifty days, I’ll post a review [...]

Editorial: re: I make gimmicky cigars cool

I think we get it… Exclusivo Jar/Black Label Corona Gorda; TNT/Firecracker; Skull & Bones/T110… but seriously, of all the ones to get upset about, the WLP Candela? Dion might have made Candela cool, but I don’t think that justifies an embargo for the rest of the industry on a capa. After all, in the same [...]

Editorial: In Response to the Gurkha Raja

Kaizad Hansotia, founder of Gurkha, and a man who I have a lot of respect for when it comes to reinventing cigar packaging, gave an interview with Rich Perelman. In it he said a few interesting things… first: The national manufacturers used to have 70-80% of the shelf space in most smokeshops because the boutique [...]

Editorial: Minneapolis Smoking Ban

Minnesota passed the Minnesota Clean Indoor Air Act in 1975. Fast forward pretty much thirty years. In 2005, St. Paul’s City Councilman Dave Thune proposed a smoking ban and two years later it passed. In the time in between, Minneapolis and a host of other cities passed smoking bans. This led state lawmakers to pass the Freedom to Breathe Act in 2007 amending the 1975 legislation by placing much more restrictions on the consumption and sales of tobacco products. There are two main contentions of the act being debated, the use of “sampling” and where smoking is allowed. The Freedom to Breathe Act does not limit smoking in the following areas:

Editorial: A Thank You

Before you read this next post, you should understand I try my best. I try my best to find flavor nuances, I try my best to take pictures, I try my best to research, I try my best to describe cigars. In some ways it’s rather idiotic – as it’s all subjective. My palate is [...]