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 18 (Edition 271 3/24/18)

Feature of the Week: Rocky Patel a Guest on Tucker Carlson Tonight

He only had a little under four minutes, but Rocky Patel was a guest on Tucker Carlson Tonight and got to take the message of the battle the cigar industry is having with the FDA. Patel’s appearance was widely heralded by the industry as a whole. We’ve got the details here.

Feature of the Week: Premium Cigar Exemption and Predicate Date Change Doesn’t Make Omnibus Spending Bill

Congress appears to have come to an agreement on what will be in its 1.3 trillion dollar Omnibus spending package – and it will not include an exemption, nor grandfather (predicate) date change from regulation by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for premium handmade cigars. While it was a defeat for the cigar industry, many considered it to be a long shot for the language to have made it into the Omnibus. We also have the industry response.

Feature of the Week: FDA Releases ANPRMs for Premium Cigar and Flavored Tobacco Regulations

This week the FDA released two Advanced Notice of Public Rule Making initiatives in terms of how or if premium cigars should be regulated and flavored tobacco. Both ANPRMs now go through a 90 day public comment period.

News and Previews

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 143.
  • 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 20.
  • 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 Thomas Garrett Jr [R-Virginia] was added. The total number of sponsors remains is now 92.
  • New York: City of New York Councilman Peter Koo has proposed a Pedestrian Sidewalk Smoking Ban in the city.

Agile Cigar Reviews

Feature Story

This week we published “A Visit to the Davidoff Art Initiative at the Altos de Chavón School of Design”

Cigar Coop Coffee Collection

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 and Prime Time Special Edition

No shows this week. We resume next week with Prime Time Special Edition #26 (our Baseball Show) and Prime Time Episode 47 (with special guest Master Sensei of Cigar Dojo).

Up first was Luis Cuevas of Casa Cuevas Cigars. We also discussed the recent closing of the Cuesta-Rey Cigar Bar at Tropicana Field.

Prime Time Show Schedule

Upcoming Schedule (Subject to Change)

Prime Time

Episode 47 (3/29/18): Master Sensei, Cigar Dojo
Episode 48 (4/5/18): TBA
Episode 49 (4/12/18): One Year Anniversary Show with AVO Cigars – Live from Tampa, Florida
Episode 50 (4/19/18): Dean Parsons, Epic Cigars
No Show (4/26/18)
Episode 51 (5/3/18): Steve Saka, Dunbarton Tobacco & Trust
Episode 52 (5/10/18): Juan Lopez, Gurkha Cigars
Episode 53 (5/17/18): The Drew Estate Barn Smoker Pre Game Show w/ Jeff Borysiewicz – Live from Orlando, Florida

Prime Time Special Edition

Special Edition #26 (3/27/18): MLB Baseball Preview
Special Edition #27 (4/10/18): TBA
Special Edition #28 (4/17/18) Ernesto Perez-Carrillo Jr, E.P. Carrillo
Special Edition TBD (4/27/18): Christian Eiroa, CLE Cigar Company

On this date March 24th..