Liga Privada Motherf****** Flying Pig
In 2009, Drew Estate reintroduced the Flying Pig vitola to the world in the form of the Liga Privada No. 9. It was limited to just 2,000 boxes and would set the stage for the T52 Flying Pig, Undercrown...
View ArticleWeekly News (January 6, 2013)
Editor’s Note: So this is a bit different. We have changed our look and the Weekly News is moving to a new time, Monday mornings. It was the lightest week in the cigar business in some time, I suspect...
View Article2013 Awards: Packaging Top 10
While you can definitely make the case that this was not the strongest crop of candidates for new brand of the year, the packaging in 2013 was oftentimes stellar. We judged based off both the...
View ArticlePress Release: Nomad Cigar Company Releases Two New S-307 Sizes
January 6, 2014 (Estelí, Nicaragua)–Nomad Cigar Company is pleased to announce the release of two additional sizes to the S-307 cigar line. The S-307, a box pressed Sumatra wrapped cigar, was...
View ArticleCabaiguan WCD 120
In April of 2007, Havana Cellars/Tatuaje released the first of what would eventually become a somewhat regular production vitola in the Cabaiguan line, the WCD 120. Commemorating Washington D.C. based...
View Article2013 Awards: Factory of the Year
This year, we made a decision to vote on company and factory of the year, as opposed to simply relying on scores. The decision was made because the nature of our review guidelines means that we rarely...
View ArticleBolívar Petit Coronas (1970s)
Founded very early in the 1900’s by José F. Rocha, Bolívar has been a popular Cuban brand for the better part of a century. Named after the South American revolutionary, Simón Bolívar, it wasn’t until...
View ArticlePadilla Planning 10th Anniversary Release
Ernesto Padilla has confirmed to halfwheel that the new project he tweeted about is in fact the 10th anniversary release for Padilla Cigar Co. The normally talkative Padilla was relatively mum on...
View ArticleKeller, Texas Eyes Smoking Ban
Tonight, the Keller City Council will discuss a potential smoking ban. Details are slim, but a report from KXAS indicates that the proposed ban is targeted at restaurants. Keller is a 40,000 person...
View ArticleCasa Magna Adds Dominican Extension
Quesada Cigars has released a new extension to its Casa Magna brand, but don’t expect to see it on store shelves in the United States. The Casa Magna Dominican was originally created to provide a new...
View ArticleIndoor Smoking Ban Nixed in St. Joseph, Mo.
The plan for an indoor smoking ban in St. Joseph, Mo. hit a roadblock Monday night when the City Council refused to implement the citizen-drive push for a ban on indoor smoking. Smoke-Free St. Joseph...
View Article2013 Awards: Company of the Year
This seems familiar. As we mentioned earlier today, we changed how we determined the factory and brand/company of the year. This year, we voted amongst the staff. The reasons were because we...
View ArticleSuffolk County Legislator Files Bill to Raise Tobacco Purchase Age to 21
After closing out 2013 with a promise to introduce a bill that would raise the minimum age to purchase tobacco in Suffolk County, NY from 19 to 21, legislator William Spencer, D-Centerport, started off...
View ArticleSalisbury, NC Bans Smoking in Parks
On Tuesday night, the Salisbury (NC) City Council unanimously voted to pass a measure banning smoking in the city’s 28 parks as well as a five-mile stretch of greenway, ballparks and buildings that are...
View ArticleOliva Serie V Melanio DeSocio
On December 18, Alliance Cigar started offering its third manufacturer exclusive vitola under the DeSocio name, this time in the form of a new Oliva Serie V Melanio. Like the rest of the line, the 6...
View ArticleKentucky Smoking Ban Legislation Proposed, Again
A bipartisan effort to ban smoking in public places in Kentucky is moving forward. Sen. Julie Denton, R-Louisville, and Rep. Susan Westrom, D-Lexington, announced that they will file for legislation to...
View ArticlePadilla 1932 to Return as Meier & Dutch Exclusive
The Padilla 1932 is back again. Ernesto Padilla tweeted a picture of the cigar earlier with familiar bands and new 10-count boxes, but that’s hardly the last of the changes. The new cigar uses an...
View ArticleEpicurean Gonzo Santeria Close to Shipping
After box production delays pushed the release of Epicurean Gonzo Santeria back from November into the new year, Steven Ysidron is nearly ready to ship his latest creation to retailers. On Wednesday...
View ArticleFranklin, Mass. Keeps Tobacco Purchase Age at 18 — For Now
The Franklin, Mass. Board of Health voted on Tuesday night to keep the minimum age to purchase tobacco at 18 for the immediate future, rejecting a proposal that would have upped it to 19 in the town of...
View ArticleCabaiguan Lonsdale Heading to Virginia This Summer
Earlier today, Pete Johnson formally announced plans for a Cabaiguan in the 6 3/8 x 43 cervantes size, a retailer exclusive heading to Leesburg Cigar & Pipe of Leesburg, Va. Johnson’s Instagram...
View Article