PUBLISHER'S NOTE: This is a guest article by Rob McKeon of CigarZen, manufacturer of the Blüme family of products. CW makes no product endoresements as a matter of policy.

It’s tough out here for us cigar smokers!

As we all know, tobacco has been highly regulated and the level of those regulations seems to keep climbing, almost by the day. For cigar lovers, it seems unfair that the products we use--to relax, to de-compress, to celebrate--are becoming more and more difficult to acquire.

While we can all appreciate the government’s desire to keep tobacco far away from kids, it’s hard to see the justification behind including cigars in its recent rigorous FDA rulings which were originally intended for smokeless tobacco only. The act of cigar smoking is almost artistic in its nature, viewed as a sign of sophistication, hard work and appreciation for the craftsmanship behind each stick. While it’s easy for a teenager to get their hands on a cheap pack of cigarettes, they’re likely not going to get too far in an artisanal cigar store.

From Tobacco Business Magazine:

EDITOR'S NOTE: To our knowledge, a press release was not sent out.

Kretek International, Inc., parent company of Tobacco Media Group (TMG), the publisher of Tobacco Business Magazine and owner of the Tobacco Plus Expo (TPE), has announced its decision not to exhibit at the Premium Cigar Association (PCA) trade show this July.

This decision affects all of the company’s subsidiaries, including Ventura Cigar Company and Philips & King International, Inc. Historically, Kretek has been a major presence at the PCA trade show, formerly known as the International Premium Cigar & Pipe Retailers Association (IPCPR) and according to a press release from the company, this decision was not made lightly. Kretek has had a presence at the trade show for over 35 years, dating back to when the trade show was known as the RTDA, and Phillips & King has been a buyer and exhibitor at the show for over 50 years.

I am cnp'ing this raw from my PM inbox. I'm not quite sure what to do with it yet, but it is relevant and could easily be cleaned up for publication.

I smoke cigars to Celebrate. A wedding, a birth, a promotion. A Life.

(Miami, Florida) January 22, 2020—Villiger Cigars to release the “Villiger do Brasil” cigar brand at the TPE 2020 taking place this January 29-31 at the Las Vegas Conventions Center. Villiger do Brasil is a Brazilian puro which features two blends, Claro and Maduro, created to celebrate Villiger’s century long history with Brazilian tobacco. Villiger’s new factory in Bahia, Brazil also named “Villiger do Brasil” (Villiger of Brazil, translated from Portuguese) opened its doors in 2018.

The Villiger family’s relationship with Brazilian tobacco dates to Villiger Cigars’ beginnings in 1888, when Jean and his wife Louise Villiger imported Brazilian tobacco, shortly after founding the company. Later in 1979 a Villiger subsidiary company opened Porto Alegre (Rio Grande do Sul), Brazil. The company was named CHARUTOS TOBAJARA LIMITADA and produced handmade cigars for export to Germany and Switzerland. Later Villiger moved operations to Northern Brazil (Bahia) where the new Villiger do Brazil factory was opened.

The Villiger Do Brasil cigar brands promise a multifaceted journey into the land of passion and it shows in its two versions: CLARO and MADURO. The light Brazil Connecticut Shade wrapper gives the CLARO version a velvety light brown tone, that visually supports its balance and fine aromas. Typical notes of coffee and wood meet a subtle sweetness with hints of cedar and pepper. Arapiraca tobacco gives the darker MADURO version its silky dark brown and a fruity character, which plays around with notes of leather and coffee. Both varieties have a medium taste, whereby the MADURO tastes a shade stronger.

Punch is set to launch a full-time, wallet and palate-pleasing line called “Knuckle Buster.” The three-cigar collection will begin shipping to retailers in March.

Named for a phrase made famous by a university basketball coach who described a rough and tumble physical game as a “Blue Collar Knuckle Buster,” the Punch Knuckle Buster was created to deliver a hardworking blend for hard working people.

Ed Lahmann, senior brand manager for Punch said, “Punch is committed to staying true to what the brand has represented over the last six decades: a consistent, well-made, no-nonsense cigar at a price that’s fair and reasonable. Punch Knuckle Buster honors this commitment with a solid, enticing blend for the people who work hard to enjoy the good life.”

Punch’s blending team at the HATSA cigar factory set out to make a medium-bodied cigar that would appeal to both new and seasoned smokers. They selected only Habano-seed tobaccos from Nicaragua and Honduras to deliver when it comes to balancing flavor and strength with complexity. Knuckle Buster has a Nicaraguan Habano wrapper, a Nicaraguan Habano binder and its filler tobaccos are from Nicaragua and Honduras.

And announces NO price increases for 2020!

The love of lanceros, those long, thin cigars is nothing new for the Southern Draw Cigars family as they are our true favorite smoking experience. The family never likes to show up empty handed to a trade show or event, so it is excited to share something new with TPE 2020 attendees.

“Southern Draw Cigars has been quietly enjoying this size for several years (in fact I am smoking one as I draft this PR) and plans to reveal the CEDRUS Lancero 7.5x40 in celebration of our first ever attendance at the Tobacco Plus Expo in Las Vegas, NV. From January 29th - 31st. The family and the CEDRUS lancero may be found in a quaint little corner of Booth #4059.

We have previously offered a lancero size in each of our core blends including the popular Rose of Sharon, Firethorn, Kudzu and Jacobs Ladder and this new addition will complement the CEDRUS line nicely. Although lanceros reportedly do not make up a large portion of sales for most brands, Southern Draw Cigars has been blessed with solid sales over the previous five years, sales that are on par with our more traditional robusto and toro sizes. We will have a limited number of samples on hand and will be taking pre-orders for April and July 2020 deliveries,” per Robert Holt.

Crux Cigars will begin shipping two new vitolas of the Epicure Maduro next week.

• Corona Gorda 5.375 x 46 (MSRP $9.25) - NEW
• Robusto 5 x 50 (MSRP $10.00) 
• Toro 6.25 x 52 (MSRP $11.50) 
• Robusto Extra 5.75 x 54 (MSRP $10.75) 
• Gordo 6 x 60 (MSRP $12.50) - NEW

UPDATE: (January 17th, 2020)

"Having the opportunity to meet face-to-face with the everyday heroes of our industry has proved to be a tremendous success for our brand,” said ACE PRIME co-founder Luciano Meirelles. He continued, “at the 2020 PCA trade show, we’re excited to showcase our great cigars and launch new products.”

We have been producing award-winning cigars for some of the most high-profile brands in the industry for over 12 years. When it was time to launch our own brands, we decided PCA was the best place to leverage our existing relationships and also connect with retailers, boutique lounges, media partners, and experts, all in one place. PCA brings together the heart and soul of the cigar sector – it's family, and we are truly grateful for the support of new brands - especially for making ACE PRIME a success.

We’re excited about the #PCA2020 (trade show). We’re doubling down on our commitment to the event and look forward to rising above the noise.

As the ACE PRIME co-founder, Luciano Meirelles, says - "Everybody deserves a fine cigar experience."

Both a basketball legend and a cigar connoisseur, Dominique Wilkins released his special M.X.S. Signature Series cigar in 2019. The cigar has been a slam dunk with fans, retailers and aficionados alike, and has received wonderful reviews.

“Dominique Wilkins is a great friend, who’s career and reputation for Excellence and Success is unparalleled. He is genuinely one of the greatest NBA athletes of all-time, and we have thoroughly enjoyed the partnership in developing his M.X.S. Signature Series cigar” said ACE PRIME co-founder Luciano Meirelles.

To celebrate Dominique Wilkins's 60th Birthday (Jan 12), ACE PRIME is releasing a collectors edition limited release box – Dominique Wilkins individually signs the DIAMOND EDITION, COMMEMORATIVE BOX. It features a beautiful 3D printed image of the NBA superstar in flight and contains the reserved, super-aged first batch of the M.X.S. Dominique Wilkins cigars.

Doral, Florida, February 19, 2020 – Gran Habano is announcing that as of February 19, 2020, we will be implementing a price increase of five cents per stick on all our cigar lines.

Due to an increase in our importation costs, we are forced to increase prices in order to allow us to continue producing cigars without compromising quality control.

At Gran Habano we strive for quality in every leaf and cigar in production. We would like to express our appreciation and apologize for the inconvenience. We are currently looking into finding a resolution to remedy the issue with the hope that we can go back to our regular prices in the near future.

(Miami, Florida) January 9, 2020— Casa Cuevas Cigars, announces that Alec Cuevas has been named Director of Operations. Alec Cuevas is the son of President Luis Cuevas Jr. and grandson of Master Blender Luis Cuevas Sr. Alec is the fifth generation Cuevas to join the family business.

Alec Cuevas, a Miami native, grew up around tobacco. He spent entire summers in the Dominican Republic, with his grandfather at the Cuevas’ cigar factory, Las Lavas Cigar Factory. His passion for tobacco was cemented when he smoked his first cigar, given to him by his grandfather during a New Year’s celebration, at age 17.

“I couldn’t finish it but smoking my very first cigar with my father and grandfather during that New Year’s Eve celebration was one of my most memorable moments in my life.”

Today, United States District Court Judge, Amit Mehta, threw out the warning requirements for premium cigars contending that the FDA did not properly analyze the different usage patterns between premium cigars.

The Court pointed to evidence that “premium cigars have different usage patterns than other cigar and tobacco products, they are almost never used by youth, and they are instead used by older, higher income, and better educated consumers.” According to the Court, the FDA did not adequately deal with this evidence when it imposed 30 percent health warnings on premium cigars. The opinion vacates the labeling requirements for premium cigars and remands a portion of the rule for further analysis by the FDA.

Springfield, VA (January, 8th 2020) –Fratello Cigars and Omar de Frias are pleased to announce three new products to debut at the January TPE trade show in Las Vegas, NV.

Fratello Blu, Fratello Rosso and Fratello Verde are bundles that are intended to cater to “Fratello lovers that want a little extra bang for their buck,” says de Frias. “This is an exciting time for us as we’re diving into a new segment of the market, one that we hope will grow our family and our footprint in the industry.”

Produced by La Aurora in Santiago Dominican Republic, the 15-count bundles aim to keep it simple by only offering two sizes in each blend; a 5 x 50 Robusto and a 6 x 50 Toro. The blends are:

Blu: Maduro

Rosso: Habano

Verde: Connecticut

Individual cigars are slated to retail for $3.25 each and packed in bundles of 15 cigars. Fratello plans to begin shipping March 15th 2020.

WITH A NEW LOOK, “LA MANDARRIA” BY CASA CUEVAS CIGARS ADDED AS PART OF CORE LINE

Originally a limited-edition brand, LA Mandarria now part of regular production

(Miami, Florida) January 24, 2020— Casa Cuevas Cigars, makers of handmade premium cigars to add the “La Mandarria” (translates to the sledgehammer brand) to their core line up of cigars.  La Mandarria was initially a limited Edition 500 count box run. The brand was born out of the unfortunate burglary which occurred in February 2019 at the Casa Cuevas Cigars distribution center in Miami.  Burglars used sledgehammers to break in and steal over 25,000 units of the Casa Cuevas brands, which included the Casa Cuevas Limited Edition Flaco, and Casa Cuevas core line of cigars. The Cuevas family made the decision to forge ahead and create a cigar, that will mark the era where they faced and overcame adversity.

La Mandarria will also sport a secondary band which elegantly highlights the “La Mandarria” logo.

President of Casa Cuevas Cigars, Luis Cuevas Jr. said;” We were completely overwhelmed by the response for La Mandarria. This brand was a smash hit at the 2019 IPCPR and sales have remained strong. We are grateful to the public for accepting the product with open arms.”

Fort Lauderdale, FL (January 8, 2020) – Second Generation Cigar Makers, Alec and Bradley Rubin announced today that they will be expanding distribution of their inaugural release: Alec & Bradley Blind Faith at the Tobacco Plus Expo (TPE) in Las Vegas, NV- January 29-31.

Under the tutelage of their father, Alec Bradley Cigar Co. founder Alan Rubin, the brothers began planning their own brand in 2017. At the time, Alec and Bradley were only able to procure three pair of rollers at the famed Raices Cubanas factory in Danli, Honduras. Since they were both untested in the cigar business, they decided to name their cigar Blind Faith. Both enthusiasts and tobacconists alike needed to trust that the young men could create a winning blend on their own. Blind Faith was released to appointed merchants during the International Premium Cigar & Pipe Retailers Association (IPCPR) in 2018.

Drew Estate is announcing the national launch of the Undercrown Corona Pequena in both a Maduro and Shade wrapper. These cigars will make their debut at the Tobacco Plus Expo (TPE) trade show in Las Vegas, Jan. 29-31, 2020.

“Corona Pequena’s are short, squat, flavor bombs that sit between the tin size and the robusto size in the Undercrown brand family,” explains Jonathan Drew, founder and president of Drew Estate. “We could go on and on about the “functionality” of this short smoke during winter months– but there is something absolutely beautiful about the Corona Pequena that is more meaningful than just utilitarianism. This cigar is a stunner in both taste and trade dress. The whole DE team is really proud of this little gem.”

The Undercrown Corona Pequena is a 4 x 44 petite corona, perfect for those cigar smokers who are looking for a cigar to light up on the go or on those cold winter days. The Undercrown Maduro Corona Pequena features a Mexican San Andres Maduro wrapper, Connecticut Stalk Cut and Sun cured Habano binder, and Brazilian and Nicaraguan filler leaves. The Undercrown Shade Corona Pequena features an Ecuadorian Connecticut Shade wrapper over a Sumatra binder with Dominican and Nicaraguan filler leaves.

The Undercrown Corona Pequena is packaged in 32-count boxes with an MSRP of $176 per box. It is available in both Maduro and Shade and is expected to ship in early February 2020.

For all the latest news from Drew Estate, visit drewestate.com.

(Miami, Florida) December 17, 2019— Casa Cuevas Cigars, makers of handmade premium cigars will once again host their annual Holiday Party at Master Cigars this upcoming Saturday, December 21st from 7:00PM-11:00PM. Master Cigars which has become a staple in the South Florida cigar scene, is located at 14040 SW 8th Street, Miami, FL 33184.

In what has become an annual event, Luis Cuevas Jr. and the Casa Cuevas Cigar Family invite the public to celebrate the holidays with a Cuban-style pig roast, cocktails, music via DJ, raffles, and, of course, Casa Cuevas’ finest premium cigars.