The Cigar Industry Report is a one stop place to catch up on the activity here at Cigar Coop and Stogie Geeks. It is a combination of our news reports, cigar reviews, and assessment updates we do throughout the week. We will also recap what happened on our Stogie Geeks show. Finally, each week we will look back at Cigar Coop history. Look for this report every Saturday morning at 8am Eastern time.
Feature of the Week: The TAA 2015 Exclusive Series
This week the 47th Tobacconist Association of America (TAA) Convention took place at Casa de Campo in the Dominican Republic. The convention is the place where various manufacturers will showcase products that will be sold exclusively by the nearly 80 members of the TAA.
For 2015, ten new TAA releases by were introduced this past week. This past week we took at look at these new releases.
- Asylum Nyctophilia Maduro
- Casa Magna D. Magnus II TAA Exclusive Hadrian
- Crowned Heads – The Angel’s Anvil 2015
- La Antiguedad TAA Exclusive 2015 Toro by My Father Cigars
- La Flor Dominicana TAA 47
- Nat Sherman Panamericana Line
- Padron Serie 1926 No. 47 (Two blends – Maduro and Natural)
- Por Larranaga TAA En Cedro by Altadis U.S.A.
- Tatuaje TAA 2015
Southern Cigar Festival
Cigar Coop and Stogie Geeks are proud to partner with the Southern Cigar Festival. The event is being held on June 6 at the Verizon Wireless Ampitheatre at Encore Park in Alpharetta, Georgia. This past week, we provided a preview of the event. Tickets are available through Ticketmaster via the event website.
News and Previews
- A.J. Fernandez Cigars: The first line extension to the A.J. Fernandez New World will be the A.J. Fernandez New World Brute. The Brute will be a shop exclusive to Serious Cigars in Houston, Texas.
- Caldwell Cigar Company: Four new line extensions have been added to the Caldwell Collection – including two to Eastern Standard and one to both the Long Live the King and King is Dead lines.
- Cubariqueno Cigar Company: This new cigar company announced their inaugural line called Protocol.
- Drew Estate: After revamping the blend, the Pappy Van Winkle Barrel Fermented Cigar will now be available
- Gran Habano: The company announced availability and details around the George Rico S.T.K. Miami Zulu Zulu Mas Paz Edition.
- Mombacho Cigars S.A.: The Granada-based cigar manufacturer named Shar Broumand President.
- MoyaRuiz Cigars: The company announced details around its latest regular production line – The Rake.
- Tatuaje Cigars: Anthony’s Cigar Emporium in Tucson, Arizona will be receiving a shop exclusive called the Tatuaje Exclusive Series Drinking Age.
- Viaje Cigars: The retailers for the Viaje Zombie 2015 have been announced.
- Warped Cigars: The company announced that Don Reynaldo will be making a return at 2015 IPCPR
- Federal: No new sponsors were added to Senate Bill (S. 441) as the total sponsors remains at 15. Eight new co-sponsors have also been added to House Bill (HR 662): Rep Scott Austin [R-Georgia], Rep. Reid J. Ribble [R-Wisconsin], Rep James B Renacci [R-Ohio], Rep Don Young [R-Alaska], Rep Bob Goodlatte [R-Virginia], Rep Joe Courney [D-Connecticut], Rep Jim Jordan [R-Ohio], and Rep Rodney P. Frelinghuysen [R-New Jersey] – the total sponsors is now at 94.
- Louisiana: Harrah’s Casino and several bars and restaurants have filed a suit to try to stop the New Orleans Smoking Ban. While a restraining order was requested, that request was denied. The case is scheduled to be heard on May 21, but the smoking ban in New Orleans starts on April 21st.
Agile Cigar Assessments
Stogie Geeks Episode 136
This week Andre Farkas of Viaje Cigars was our special guest. We also talked about “Empty Cigar Boxes” for our Debonaire Ideal. The video for this will be posted next week.
Our smokes of the week included:
San Lotano – The Bull Robusto by A.J. Fernandez Cigars
1502 Emerald Corona
Affinity Churchill by Sindicato
Avo Limited Edition 2006 – Avo 80th (Part of Avo’s Greatest Hits Sampler)
Bold by Nish Patel Toro
Crux Passport Half Corona
Cumpay Robusto by Maya Selva Cigars
Davidoff Golf Limited Masters Edition 2015 Robusto
Elogio LSV Churchill
Illusione Epernay Le Ferme
Nimmy D Toro by Rocky Patel
Nomad Connecticut Fuerte Robusto
Quesada Seleccion Espana Lancero H-Town
Recluse Amadeus Toro
- April 18th 2011: We previewed the Para Japon by La Aurora.
- April 18th 2012: We assessed the Jaime Garcia Reserva Especial New England Edition.
- April 18th 2012: We previewed the Pinar del Rio Small Batch Reserve Cubra.
- April 18th 2013: We previewed the Viaje Zombie Super Shot.
- April 18th 2013 We assessed the Alec Bradley Nica Puro.
- April 18th 2014: We reported that the Viaje Exclusivo Corona Gorda was shipping to retailers.
- April 18th 2014: We recapped a conversation with Skip Martin on Stogie Geeks where he provided an update of some activities for 2014.
- April 18th 2014: We did an Assessment Updae on the Cuenca 5 Anniversary Robusto.
- April 18th 2014: We recapped our conversation with Alex Goldman on activities going on with Royal Gold Cigars.
- April 18th 2014: We broke news on Ocean State Cigars releasing the J. Grotto Silk Lancero and J. Grotto Anniversary.