Weekly News (June 27, 2011)

Busy week, slow week, busy week, slow week. Or at least that’s how I’d like to think of it. The reality is the weeks keep getting busier as we now sit (less than) three weeks out from the IPCPR trade show in Las Vegas. Companies are beginning to announce the last of their show plans, which means more fun for yours truly. In addition, personnel changes, legal issues and legislation are all floating around, completing the narrative that is the state of cigar news. TheCigarFeed will resume to normal programming this week, so expect a review on Wednesday, Friday and Sunday. Oh, and if you haven’t seen my new Twitter logo, check it out here and here, compliments of Miami’s own Ernesto Padilla. — el niño diablo.

• Tatuaje “The Wolfman” — The next Monster Series will be a 7 1/2 x 52 box-pressed Torpedo. The blend “is based off the Cojonu Series, but with a twist” in the form of the Sumatra Rosada Oscura wrapper.
• Tatuaje La Vérité 2009 In Stores — The 2009 rendition of Tatuaje La Vérité & L’Espirit de Vérité should be in retailers today.

• My Father Lounge — These have been at Mojito Cigar Lounge, the only My Father Cigar Lounge in existence, for about one week. Wrapper is Nicaraguan Habano for the 5 3/4 x 50 Robusto Extra(?) Boxes of 23 are available with a single cigar retailing for $10.99. Mojito will ship out of state, but only for box purchases. You can reach them at 480.595.7833.
• My Father El Hijo — The next release as part of Smoke Inn’s 15th Anniversary Series which has previously included the Tatuaje Anarchy and Padrón SI-15 will be the My Father El Hijo. Six-hundred and fifty (650) boxes of 15 with a Ecuadorian Habano wrapper and an unfinished foot in the 5 1/2 x 52 format will be made. Expect them in August with the final release from Fuente coming late in the year.
• Camacho Liberty Series 2011 — Out at the show, details here.

• Undercrown by Drew Estate — Five sizes at the show. First look here, more details later.
• Viaje’s Summer Launches — The Viaje V.O.R. DT & V.P.R. DT; Summerfest and TNT & C-4 all hit retailers this past week.
• Berger & Argenti Entubar CRV — Connecticut River Valley. Same binder/filler as the regular Entubar with (#1 Grade) Connecticut Shade Grown wrapper. It will be offered in the same five sizes as the original Entubar, retailing from $8.99 to $12.99. On display at the show, along with the limited edition Entubar V32, which will come in four sizes.
• Room 101 LTD Namakubi — 100,000 cigars across five sizes, details here.
• Gran Habano STK Zulu — The next STK line, details here.
• La Aurora Preferidos Gran Reserva — Aged since 2003 is the story on these. acigarsmoker.com has pics from MCC.
• León Jimenes Prestige — Newest line from León Jimenes, no word on blend, but the idea is helping to reintroduce the brand in the U.S. market. acigarsmoker.com has pics from MCC.
• La Aurora 107 Maduro — Should be on display at the show, shipping in October.
• K.A. Kendall 7-20-4 1874 — Word is that the new line from Kurt Kendall will be out at the show.
• 601 La Bomba Shipping — Well, sort of. A small batch should be available shortly, no word on numbers, but some shops should have them soon.
• AKA Hybrid Extensions — Expect a 6 x 60 and Rothschild at the IPCPR show.

• Cruzado Packaging Change — Dion Giolito showed off the packaging change for Cruzado, only the Domenicos Extras receive the gold foil.
• Willy Herrera Joins Drew Estate — The former El Titan de Bronze head made it official, details here.
• Altadis Expanding Ft. Lauderdale Operations — 55 new jobs according to this report.
• New York City’s Smoking Ban — Not going so well. According to this report, the one ticket that has been issued in the first month of the ban on smoking in public parks and beaches was given to a reported who needed a photograph of the ticket.
• Maryland Comptroller Refuses to Enforce Premium Cigar Shipping Ban — That pretty much says it all, link.
• Texas Smoking Ban Attempted Again — This time in the Senate. It’s labeled as Senate Bill 28, it’s unclear if this has a shot at passing, particularly given how many times the smoking ban has failed before.

Seems Joe Chiusano, formerly of Cusano, is back with C & C Cigars (Website, here.)

Bradenton, FL, June 22, 2011 –(PR.com)– C & C will be hand crafting cigar blends that follow their philosophy of providing consistent, high quality cigars at reasonable prices. People love to buy products that are better than the price they paid and stores love to sell to satisfied consumers. Everyone at C & C Cigars has a great passion for the cigar industry. “The C & C team knows you can’t tell someone that your product is a great value. Value is determined by the customer when he gets more than he paid for.”- Jeff Aronson

“The team at C & C Cigars is dedicated to providing service second to none and ensuring that both retailers and consumers know that they are part of a family they can trust. Our number one goal is to provide products that consistently meet and exceed consumers’ expectations.” – Joe Chiusano

 

C & C is launching two handmade product lines from the Dominican Republic that are consistent with our value product philosophy. C & C LRMD is a Limited Release natural maduro boxed in three sizes. Roll Back is a tray and refill bundle line offered in three sizes and two wrappers. Roll Back will be offered in a creamy Connecticut Shade and rich natural maduro. C & C Cigars will be showcasing these products to retailers at the I.P.C.P.R. Tradeshow in July. Retailers can find C & C Cigars at booths 0971-0973.

Here is the Padilla “el niño diablo” — that’s right 38 to 60 RG.

And here is Ernesto Padilla stabbing Bert Gottfried of Oliva with a fork.

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.