Weekly News (December 5, 2011)

Editor’s Note: December has arrived, and it is quite obvious. There’s not a whole lot of public news, but projects are beginning to come together for the upcoming year. There’s not a tremendous amount of news, and I suspect that will continue through early next year. A few things ship this week and next week will start the flood of Top 10 List. To be honest, I would doubt TheCigarFeed does one this year. — el niño diablo.

• Don Pepin Garcia Series JJ Little Robusto — According to Jerry Cruz of Stogie Review, the Don Pepin Garcia Series JJ Little Robusto has begun shipping. Read here and here. #jj4jj
• Studio Tobac Lancero Exclusive Collection Ships — Oliva confirms that the Culebra/Lancero sampler will ship at the end of the week. Only 500 boxes were made, each with 4 Cain F Lanceros, 4 Cain Daytona Lanceros and one Culebra. MSRP is $120.00 and Oliva has made it clear to retailers they expect the boxes to be sold for that.
• MUWAT EF Bait Fish Ships — Word from Drew Estate is that these are on their way to New Havana Cigars. Dan Welsh blogged about it here, and the product page is here. Likely not the last MUWAT, or MUWAT EF, we see. In other Joya news, there is some belief from José Blanco that the first Joya release he had his hand in will be finished this week, with rolling beginning in January.
• La Aroma de Cuba Corona & Double Corona — Via Gregory Mottola.
• Viaje Candy Cane Delayed — Delayed is the status I’m giving the cigar. Viaje says that Candy Cane, a project discussed at IPCPR, is now a 2012 cigar. Holiday Blend ships soon.
• Crowned Heads in 2012 — Nashville’s favorite cigar company is said to be getting one extension to the recently released Four Kicks, as well as a single size of a new blend next year.
• Rocky Patel Winter Collection 2012 Ships — Official release date was November 29th, these are in stores now.
• Bolívar Distinguidos — According to Trevor Leask, these will be released to China tomorrow.
• Room 101 OSOK — Matt Booth says there will be 400 boxes available in a few weeks.
• New Packaging for Guantanamera — The machine made Cuban cigar appears to be getting new packaging, I wouldn’t look at the picture.
• Cuba Closes Cigar Factories to Visitors — Via Gordon Mott.
• NYC’s Flavored Tobacco Ban Upheld — Via Andrew Nagy.
• New Co-Sponsor for S.1461 — The Senate rendition of the “Traditional Cigar Manufacturing and Small Business Jobs Preservation Act of 2011” got a new cosponsor, Mary Landrieu (D-LA), bringing the total sponsors to four.

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.