Weekly News (January 22, 2012)

Editor’s Note: It was the week of price increases. Rising energy cost and a new standard of living increase in Nicaragua were the blame for the majority of the price increases announced this past week. While no increase was that drastic, the common theme might seem a bit alarming. Anyone that thinks this will be the last price increase announcement for the year, let alone the month, is likely going to be disappointed.

• Price Increases — Since Oliva’s announcement earlier in the month that they were raising prices, we have tried to get a sense of where the rest of the industry stands on raising prices, here’s what we know so far:
  • Altadis — Various price increases.
  • Ashton— No price increase at this time.
  • Drew Estate— No price increase at this time.
  • E.P. Carrillo — No price increase at this time.
  • Fuente/Newman — A slight increase to some of the Newman bundle lines, no other price increases.
  • General Cigar Co. — Some price increases.
  • Gurkha— No price increase at this time.
  • La Flor Dominicana— No price increase at this time.
  • Miami Cigar & Co. — No price increase at this time.
  • Oettinger Davidoff Group — 10 cent increase to nearly every facing.
  • Rocky Patel— No price increase at this time.
  • SAG Imports — Price increases to some Casa Magna and Fonseca, no increase to Quesada brands.
• E.P. Carrillo Announces Short Run 2012 based off of New Wave Connecticut — Details here.
• My Father Le Bijou 1922 Federal Cigar 91st Cervantes Announced — Details here.
• Oliva Ships Cain F Lancero Tubos — Details here. Brooks’ redux, here.
• La Aurora to Ship Puro Vintage 2004 — Details here.
• La Flor Dominicana Begins Shipping LFD Double Claro — Details here.
• Rodrigo La Fortaleza — Kevin Page of acigarsmoker/Butthead’s Tobacco Emporium has more details. We are still expecting to see this in Spring.
• Chinook Cellars Terroir — Frank Seltzer says we should see this in March. Get well soon Frank.
• Gran Habano Opens New Factory & Announces New Lines — Press release here.
• W. Curtis Draper Announces Four 125th Anniversary Cigars — Details here.
• CRA Opens DC Office — Details here.
• H.R. 1639 Adds Two Co-Sponsors — The House version to exempt the premium cigar industry from FDA regulation gained two cosponsors Rep. Tim Johnson (R-IL) & Rep. Trey Gowdy (R-SC).
• Top Tobacco v. National Tobacco Company — Frank Herrera has the details 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.