Signage of 7-20-4 Cigars at IPCPR Thus far in the “Tales” series, much of the focus has been on the big cigar lounges. Whether corporate or family owned, most of these visits have been to some of the big names in the cigar industry. IPCPR also has a lot of smaller cigar makers – these […]
About William Cooper
Posts by William Cooper:
Complete Discrimination – Largo, FL Contemplating Ban on Hiring Tobacco Users
William Cooper Uncategorized No Comments CRA, Pleasure Police, Yellow Alert
Not only is this an outrage – it is a disgrace. This is a legal product and this is discrimination to the nth degree! I read a post that asked where is the ACLU on this one. I do believe that is a legitimate gripe here. Folks, your ability to now earn […]
Meeting your Superhero – a visit to the E.P Carrillo Lounge (Tales from the IPCPR Part 10)
William Cooper Uncategorized No Comments E.P. Carrillo, EPC, IPCPR
E.P. Carrillo in the Center, Tony to the right As I mentioned in a previous write-up from Tales From the IPCPR, many of the cigar companies are family owned companies that follow a “Donald Trump model”. With Trump’s company, Trump is the face of the company – and the brand of his company. Many know […]
Jeff Borysiewicz responds to Mayor Richard Crotty’s tobacco ban in Orlando.
William Cooper Uncategorized No Comments CRA, Pleasure Police, Red Alert
Way to go Jeff Borysiewicz of Corona Cigars in Orlando, Florida! We must continue to battle the pleasure police. Alert: Red
Booth in a booth – A Visit to the Camacho/Room 101 Lounge (Tales from the IPCPR Part 9)
William Cooper Uncategorized No Comments Camacho, IPCPR, Room 101
Matt Booth with Cigar Coop The Camacho Cigars lounge was one of the more interesting visits at the IPCPR. A lot of the lounge had the contemporary flair that the Oliva Lounge had. It was a very pleasant place to spend some time and the decor was outstanding. One interesting twist was the way the […]
It’s a Family Affair – a visit to the Quesada Booth (Tales From the IPCPR Part 8)
William Cooper Uncategorized No Comments IPCPR, Quesada
The Face of S.A.G Imports – Manuel Quesada Aside from the big corporate cigar manufacturers like General and Altadis, many of the next tier companies follow what I term the “Donald Trump” model. With Donald Trump, he has become the face of the company – i.e Trump himself is the brand. We see a similar […]
Rocky’s Redemption – The Rocky Patel 15th Anniversary
William Cooper Uncategorized No Comments IPCPR, Nice to Have, Review, Rocky Patel
Stating this very bluntly – 2009 was not a great year for the Rocky Patel line. Rocky released two sticks – the 1961 and the Patel Brothers. I will be the first to admit, I did not care for these two sticks. But when I visit many cigar shops around the country, I notice that […]
Shoe Estate (Tales from the IPCPR in New Orleans Part 7)
William Cooper Uncategorized No Comments Drew Estate, IPCPR
The booth at IPCPR that got the most buzz was the Drew Estate booth. The company founded by Jonathan Drew is known for doing things in an innovative way with a sense of style. As mentioned in “Tales” Part 6, the company is a reflection of Drew’s personality. When it comes to the rule […]
The Odd Couple:(Tales from the IPCPR in New Orleans Part 6)
William Cooper Uncategorized No Comments Drew Estate, IPCPR, Padron
There were a lot of memories I took back from IPCPR. But perhaps there was no memory that stood out than when I saw a meeting of the minds take place at the Drew Estate Booth. Two giants in the Cigar industry were having a conversation – well maybe more like a summit. The big […]
The Swag at the Oliveros Booth – A Review (Tales from the IPCPR in New Orleans Part 5)
William Cooper Uncategorized No Comments IPCPR, Nice to Have, Oliveros, Review
I very much looked forward to the visit to the Oliveros booth. Over the past 18 months, I really feel that Oliveros has really shown their muscle as a player in the cigar industry. Led by President Rafael Nodal, Oliveros has produced some terrific cigars at very competitive price points – $5 – $8.00. My […]