The Cigar Coop Year End of Awards are being re-branded as the Prime Time Awards – voted on by each of the three members of the Prime Time Podcasts. Today, we wrap up the awards with our selection for 2017 Person of the Year. The Prime Time Award for Person of the Year is awarded […]
2017 Prime Time Awards: Large Company of the Year: Plasencia Cigars
The Cigar Coop Year End of Awards are being re-branded as the Prime Time Awards – voted on by each of the three members of the Prime Time Podcasts. Today, we unveil our choice for 2017 Large Company of the Year. It isn’t everyday when a large player in the tobacco business launches a new […]
2017 Prime Time Awards: Small Company of the Year: Southern Draw Cigars
The Cigar Coop Year End of Awards are being re-branded as the Prime Time Awards – voted on by each of the three members of the Prime Time Podcasts. Today, we unveil our choice for 2017 Small Company of the Year. Southern Draw Cigars, the Texas-based company owned by Robert and Sharon Holt, is […]
2017 Prime Time Awards: Large Factory of the Year: Plasencia Cigars S.A.
The Cigar Coop Year End of Awards are being re-branded as the Prime Time Awards – voted on by each of the three members of the Prime Time Podcasts. Today, we unveil our choice for 2017 Large Factory of the Year. The Prime Time Award for Large Factory of the Year goes to Plasencia Cigars […]
Feature Story: A Visit to the JRE Tobacco Company Operations: Part 4-Meeting Mr. Eiroa
Happy Birthday Julio R. Eiroa! Today, Julio R. Eiroa, the patriarch of the Eiroa family and tobacco industry icon, celebrates his 80th birthday. Last year, as a part of my visit to the operations of the JRE Tobacco Farm and JRE Tobacco, I also had a chance to meet Julio R. Eiroa. In this final […]
2017 Prime Time Awards: Small Factory of the Year: La Zona
The Cigar Coop Year End of Awards are being re-branded as the Prime Time Awards – voted on by each of the three members of the Prime Time Podcasts Today, we unveil our choice for 2017 Small Factory of the Year. It’s a three-peat for La Zona S.A. as it once again captures the Small […]
Announcement: 2017 Prime Time Awards Schedule
This year, the annual Cigar Coop Awards have been re-branded the “Prime Time Awards” and will be unveiled over the next two weeks. The award winners were selected by Prime Time Hosts Aaron Loomis, Bear Duplisea, and Will Cooper. In addition to using a three person panel, there are a few other changes. First, we have […]
2017 Year in Review: Top 12 Cigar Industry Stories and Themes of 2017
For the seventh consecutive year, we bring you our selections and analysis for the Top 12 cigar industry news stories and themes for the year. Unlike how we consider cigars for our Cigar of the Year Countdown, these news story selections are based on the actual calendar year for 2017. These stories are individual stories or […]
Feature Story: A Visit to the JRE Tobacco Company Operations: Part 3-The Factory Operations
Back in February, I had the opportunity to tour the operations of JRE Tobacco Company. Run by tobacco industry icon Julio R. Eiroa and his son Justo, JRE Tobacco Company is a true vertical integrated crop to shop operation – ranging in everything from growing tobacco, processing tobacco, cigar production, and handling distribution. In this […]
Feature Story: Understanding what the Passing of the Cigar Exemption in the House Appropriations Bill Means
On September 14, 2017, the U.S. House of Representatives passed a twelve-bill spending package for the 2018 Fiscal year that included the Agriculture Appropriations Bill that was crafted by a House Subcommittee earlier this summer. This bill includes language that calls for a premium cigar exemption and predicate date change to August 8, 2016. It marks the […]