Brooks Whittington

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About the author

I have been smoking cigars for over eight years. A documentary wedding photographer by trade, I spent seven years as a photojournalist for the Dallas Morning News and the Fort Worth Star Telegram. I started the cigar blog SmokingStogie in 2008 after realizing that there was a need for a cigar blog with better photographs and more in-depth information about each release. SmokingStogie quickly became one of the more influential cigar blogs on the internet, known for reviewing preproduction, prerelease, rare, extremely hard-to-find and expensive cigars. I am a co-founder of halfwheel and now serve as an editor for halfwheel.

Weekly News (March 27, 2023)

Cigar News AVO Seasons Limited Edition Series 2023 Goes On Sale Today Report: Cuba’s Pinar del Río Crop “Smallest in History” Ferio Tego Timeless TAA…

Joya de Nicaragua Cinco Décadas El Cumiche

The newest addition to Joya de Nicaragua’s Cinco Decadas line is named El Cumiche, which is a Spanish term referencing “the young ones” that is meant to recognize the next generation of the company’s leadership.

Room101 Farce Nicaragua Robusto

The fourth extension to Room101’s Farce brand is a three-vitola line that is being rolled at Fábrica de Tabacos Joya de Nicaragua S.A. in Nicaragua.

Juan López Adon Regional Edition Lebanon Goes On Sale on March 18

The newest Regional Edition for the country of Lebanon is the Juan López Adon, a robusto extra that features a name which was inspired by Adonis, the god of beauty and attraction in Greek mythology.

Festival del Habano XXIII: Getting Home & Final Thoughts

It took close to 18 hours to get home, but that gave me plenty of time to think about some final thoughts concerning my most recent trip to Cuba.

Festival del Habano XXIII: Day 5

My last full day in Cuba covering the Festival del Habano XXIII featured the Gala Dinner, a Presidential security detail and really, really expensive humidors.

Habanos S.A.’s 2023 Humidor Auction Generates Nearly $12 Million

The Festival del Habano XXIII concludes with a record-setting auction. The Cohiba humidor sold for a record €4.2 million, essentially the same amount as the combined sale prices of the entire 2020 auction.

Festival del Habano XXIII: Day 4

Day 4 of the Festival del Habano XXIII in Cuba involved photographing a famous location for Cuban cigar lovers: the Partagás factory.

Festival Del Habano XXIII: Day 3

The surprises keep coming, as the third full day of the Festival de Habano XXIII in Havana, Cuba included something that has never happened in the history of the event.

Festival del Habano XXIII: Day 2

Day 2 of the Festival del Habano XXIII: now with more broken down buses!

Festival del Habano XXIII: Day 1

The first official day of the Festival del Habano XXIII included the appearance of a very special surprise guest, albeit for less than about 15 minutes.