Weekly News (Feb. 19, 2024)

Court Grants Cigar Industry More Time to Respond to FDA’s Appeal of Premium Cigar Lawsuit (Update)

A federal appeals court granted the cigar industry’s request for more time to respond to the government’s appeal in the lawsuit over the FDA’s regulation of “premium cigars.” If you are concerned the industry might lose this appeal, this could be important because it could very likely delay oral arguments in this case until this fall, which would give the industry more time to enjoy its current status of having most cigars sold in humidor not really regulated. Of course, if you think the industry wins the appeal, this is mostly irrelevant. — Charlie Minato.

Gurkha Suspends Colección Especial Due to Wrapper Shortages

Sure, Gurkha has always said the Connecticut-seed hybrid wrapper that adorns the company’s Colección Especial line is not only scarce but also extremely challenging to grow, but Ecuador’s severe weather in 2023 certainly did not help when it comes to the supply.

In recent years, extreme weather—including unusual heat waves, massive hurricanes, and significant amounts of rain—has reduced the amount of tobacco grown by farmers in various countries like Cuba and Ecuador. Increasingly, it seems there may not be enough good-quality wrapper tobacco to go around, and for some countries, the issues will most likely only get worse.

La Galera Year of the Dragon Heading to the U.S. Next Month

Another week, another Year of the Dragon line announced. Sure, dragons are cool—the graphics and logos basically draw themselves!—but we are barely six weeks into the new year, and there are more than 10 Year of the Dragon cigars announced or released so far.

I cannot help but wonder just how many of these red and gold colored boxes with dragons depicted in various stages of uncoiling will be released before people can’t tell the difference between the releases, they become so overwhelmed with the sheer number of choices that they stop caring altogether.

Cigar News

• Alec Bradley’s Filthy Hooligan and Filthy Hooligan Shamrock Head to Stores
• Arango Adds Perfecto Garcia Big Shoulders
• Asia Gets Cohiba Lancero Tributo Humidor for Year of the Dragon
• Bolívar Regentes Edición Limitada 2021 Debuts in London
• Davidoff Asks Court to Dismiss Gurkha’s Dragon Lawsuit
• Definition Cigars Adding Lancero & Toro Vitolas to Genesis Line at PCA 2024
• JM Tobacco Debuting Española Year of the Dragon at PCA 2024
• LH Cigars Shipping Nick Sofos on March 1
• Patina Cigars Adds Oro de Nicaragua as New Core Line
• Platinum Nova Adding Platinum Batch Toro Nicaragua at PCA 2024
• Powstanie, Fosforo Increasing Prices on March 1, 2024
• Rebellion Cigars Adds Thai Distribution
• Report: Cuba Slashes 2023-2024 Pinar del Río Tobacco Crop Target
• STG Expands Club Macanudo With Louisiana Location
• United Cigars Schedules Gold Star Limited Edition for Next Month
• Viaje Super Shot Returning This Month

Legislation

Federal

• FDA Chief Ramps Up Private Lobbying for Menthol Cigarette Ban — via Politico

International

• Spain Announces Major Crackdown on Smoking on Beaches and Terraces — via BristolPost.co.uk

State

• Cigar Tax Cap Language Introduced in Virginia
• New Jersey Legislator Introduces Bill to Keep Casinos Smoking — via APNews.com

Local

• Hallowell, Maine Bans Flavored Tobacco Sales
• Montgomery County, Md. Considering Limiting Hours of Operation for Hookah and Tobacco Shops — via MoCo360.media

Reviews

• Alec Bradley Fine & Rare BCN-143
• All Saints Solamente 2023
• LeRoy Neiman 2023 Collector’s Edition
• Liga Privada 10 Aniversario Selección de Mercado
• Rocky Patel Dark Star Short Star

Deals From Our Sponsors

• Atlantic Cigar Co.: Caldwell Lost & Found Holy Braille by Chico Rivas Corona — Half off this five-pack, bringing the total under $25.
• Cigars Direct: My Father and Tatuaje La Union Black L.E. Double Corona — Brand new and limited!
• Corona Cigar Co.: Romeo y Julieta Corona Cigar 25th Anniversary Toro — 32 percent off a box of 20 cigars.
• Famous Smoke Shop: Alec Bradley Black Market Estelí Gordo — A nice blend in a great vitola at a great price for large ring gauge smokers.
• Gotham Cigars: Padron 1926 Series No. 2 Maduro — One of the classics for a good reason.
• JR Cigars: Crux Bull & Bear Gordo Marblehead — Rolled with a pseudo 109 cap.
• LM Cigars: NUb 4ct Cigar & Punch Cutter Combo — Four NUbs and a punch cutter for $52.48, what’s not to like?
• Smoking Pipes: Oliva: Serie V 135th Anniversary Edicion Limitada — This release from 2021 commemorated 135 years since Melanio Oliva first started working in Cuba’s tobacco fields in 1886.