The Cigar Industry Report is a one-stop place to catch up on the activity here at Cigar Coop. It is a combination of the news reports, cigar reviews, and assessment updates we do throughout the week. In addition, each week we will look back at Cigar Coop history. Look for this report every Saturday morning at 8am Eastern Time.

Cigar Industry Report: Volume 7, Number 8 (Edition 261 1/13/18)

Feature of the Week: Freyja 12 Heading to Stores 

After an almost 18 month wait, the Freyja 12 by Las Cumbres Tabaco is heading to stores. We have the details here.

2017 Cigar of the Year Countdown

For the eighth consecutive year, Cigar Coop is releasing its Cigar of the Year Countdown. This is our (near) daily countdown of the Top 30 Cigars of the year for 2017.  This year there was a delayed start, but the Countdown officially began on December 9th. This week we unveiled selections #14 through #8.

Prime Time Awards

This week we announced the winners in two of our five categories in the Prime Time Awards. The remaining three are next week.

News and Previews

Assessments

Feature Story

Legislative News

  • House of Representatives: H.R. 564 is a proposed piece of legislation that calls for an exemption from FDA Regulation for premium handmade cigars. This week no new co-sponsors were added. The total number of sponsors remains at 140.
  • U.S. Senate: S.294 is the Senate companion bill to H.R. 564. This week no new co-sponsors were added. The total number of sponsors remains at 19.
  • House Bill 1136: H.R. 1136 is the legislation to change the Grandfather Date for Deeming Tobacco products subject to FDA Regulation from February 15, 2017, to 21 days after enactment of the regulations. This week no new co-sponsors were added. The total number of sponsors remains at 91.
  • Idaho: A bill that would raise the smoking age to 21 is being re-introduced to the legislature.
  • Texas: The city of San Antonio has raised the tobacco purchase age to 21.
  • West Virginia: State Senators Ron Stollings, Roman Prezioso, Mike Woelfel, Stephen Baldwin, and Robert Beach introduced Senate Bill 13 – a bill that would raise the age for purchasing and using tobacco to 21.

Cigar Coop Coffee Collection

Reminder, we have partnered with Layne Coffee to offer two unique coffee blends. We have the details here. You can also order your coffee here.

Prime Time Show

This week for Episode 38, welcomed Ernesto Padilla of Padilla Cigar Company.In our Debonaire Ideal segment we talked packaging, and in our Deliberation Segment we talked about companies that came up short on this year’s end of year lists.

We also published audio and video for Episode 37: Charlie and Jack Toraño.

Upcoming Schedule (Subject to Change)

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Episode 39 (1/18/18): Mike Bellody, MLB Cigar Ventures
Episode 40 (1/25/18): Miguel Schoedel, Crowned Heads
No Show 2/1/18
Episode 41 (2/8/18): Andre Farkas, Viaje Cigars

Special Edition #20 (1/23/18): “Big Game Edition” with Jonathan Carney
Special Edition #21 (2/6/18): Omar de Frias, Fratello Cigars
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On this date January 13th…