Weekly News (December 17, 2012)

Editor’s Note: LOTS OF CONTEST. This week winners will be announced for the following contests:

• Four five-packs of Herrera Esteli & a Cigar Safari — here.
• Preproduction Papas Fritas, two tins of Papas Fritas, bundle of Ratzillas & “MIxed Mystery Bag from JD” — here.
• Cain Dayton NUb 460 & STUDIO TOBAC Corona Gorda — here.
• (The) Contest: 25 Days of halfwheel — here.

Happy holidays.

• STUDIO TOBAC Connecticut & Habano/Sun Grown Scheduled for 2013 — Exclusive here.
• Oliva Melanio Maduro Planned for 2013 — Exclusive here.
• MUWAT Digital Son 6 Headed to Outland Cigars — Story here.
• Tatuaje Black Label Lancero Arrives in Stores — Story here and here.
• Tatuaje Apocalypse Ships — Lots of them. Here.
• Edgar “OSOK” Hoill Plans Return — Here and via CigarBrief.
• Liga Privada Único Serie Papas Fritas Ship — Review here.
• Jameson Adds Vitola to La Resolución — Story here.
• Johnson County (TN) Repeals Smoking Ban — Before it started. Here.
• Taboada Passes Away — The legendary Cuban custom roller suffered a fatal heart attack last week. In Memoriam here.
• Frank Herrera Files Extension for Opposition to Herrera Esteli — In what has seemed like an inevitable event for months, Frank Herrera of Herrera Cigars has filed an extension for opposition to Drew Estate’s Herrera Esteli trademark application. Herrera, a trademark attorney himself, posted the latest on his blog. Both Frank Herrera and Drew Estate provided a “no comment” to halfwheel regarding the matter. (Disclosure: Drew Estate is a site sponsor, Frank Herrera has provided advice to halfwheel in the past.)
• Epicurean Cigars to be Distributed by Emilio Cigars — Press release here.
• Luis Sanchez-Harguindey Appointed Co-President of Corporación Habanos — Press release here.

Charlie Minato

I am an editor and co-founder of halfwheel.com/Rueda Media, LLC. I previously co-founded and published TheCigarFeed, one of the two predecessors of halfwheel. I have written about the cigar industry for more than a decade, covering everything from product launches to regulation to M&A. In addition, I handle a lot of the behind-the-scenes stuff here at halfwheel. I enjoy playing tennis, watching boxing, falling asleep to the Le Mans 24, wearing sweatshirts year-round and eating gyros. echte liebe.