There has been a great many news items coming out lately, and I won’t bore you with repeating what many of my fellow cigar blogger types have already posted. Punch has a new Rare Corojo and there’s a new cigar coming from a Kentucky based cigar company. If you haven’t seen the press releases for those, they are not hard to find. One item of interest that you won’t find anywhere else is the announcement of the new and improved website featuring the largest collection of cigar store Indians (Native Americans?) on the planet. OldCigarStoreIndians.com features the collection of Mark Goldman, formerly of Mom’s Cigars and House of Oxford, a New York City Cigar Store and distribution company respectively. The site features photos of Mark’s collection as well as a video from the PBS series “Antique Roadshow” featuring several pieces from the collection. This is a nice piece of cigar related Americana. Thanks to Bobby Holstein for sharing this site with me.
In other news, I received an e-mail from my Congressman, Jim Gerlach, in response to my letter asking him to support H.R. 792.
Dear Mr. Vanderslice :
Thank you for contacting me about H.R. 792. I appreciate the opportunity to respond.
As you may know, Congress passed and President Obama signed into law the Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act (Tobacco Control Act) in 2009 which provided the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) with authority to regulate certain tobacco products. As enacted, the law focuses on under-age access to tobacco and named a few tobacco products subject to regulation: cigarettes, cigarette tobacco, roll-your-own tobacco, and smokeless tobacco. Because traditional large and premium cigars are not a product often used by youth, they were not included within the Tobacco Control Act’s scope.
Recently, the FDA has indicated it may advance regulations that would go beyond the new law by regulating premium cigars under the Tobacco Control Act. As a result, Rep. Bill Posey of Florida introduced H.R. 792 which would clarify the FDA’s jurisdiction over traditional and premium cigars. This bill has been referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce for consideration. Should this bill begin moving through the legislative process, I will certainly weigh your views in deciding whether to support this bill. Right now, I am leaning in support of the bill since I don’t believe the FDA has the authority to promulgate these new regulations. But I do want to hear the proponents’ side of the issue too before drawing a final conclusion.
Again, thank you for sharing your thoughts on this issue with me. If I can be of any help to you or your family in the future, please do not hesitate to let me know.
With kind regards, I am
Sincerely,
Jim Gerlach
Member of Congress
I’ve e-mailed Congressman Gerlach dozens of times regarding the previous iteration of this bill without anything but a boiler plate response. I appreciate this specific reply and hope that he signs on. Pennsylvania is a very important state to the cigar industry, oddly enough. Since we don’t have a cigar tax, we have many of the larger distributors and mail order houses located here accounting for thousands of jobs, and millions in state tax revenue. I urge everyone to contact their representatives and ask them to co-sponsor H.R. 792. There are links in the left sidebar of my site that will help you write the letter.
Back to the cigars!
Friday evening I decided to try the Toraño Vault A-008 Corona Gorda that was included with the Smoke Inn Special I picked up a few weeks ago. This cigar is a 5 5/8″ x 46 traditional Corona Gorda, and the blend is: Wrapper: Shade Grown Nicaraguan Colorado, Binder: Ometepe, Nicaragua and Jamastran, Honduras, Filler: Esteli and Condega, Nicaragua. First, I love this size, the corona gorda has long been a favorite of mine. This is a nice, dark cigar with a deep, rich flavor. It was packed with tobacco, resulting in a little bit firmer draw than I would have liked, but that didn’t keep me from enjoying the heck out of this cigar. Considering I got this cigar, along with two El Suelos and two My Uzi Weighs a Ton for under $14 delivered, I think it was well worth it. I have another one floating around someplace that I look forward to smoking. One of my readers, Duane, won a box of these in the 12 Spectacular Days of Cigar Giveaways, I’d be interested in hearing what he had to say about them. While I’m thinking about it, if any of the winners of anything from my site wants to submit a review of their winnings, I’d be happy to include it as a guest review. Anyway, great smoke, great size, great overall experience.
Saturday was a stunning day, so my wife and I took the dogs for a walk after a very disappointing Flyers game. As much as I like watching Hockey, I feel a little bit put upon when they play on a weekend afternoon. I kinda feel like I have better things to do than sit in front of the TV, and DVRing games never seems to work out. Anyway, I was looking for something interesting to smoke after the game and I came across a Dunhill Aged Cabraras in a tube. It’s an interesting story about where this came from. Back in 2005/2006 I administered a monthly cigar swap on the alt.smokers.cigars usenet group. Every month I’d ask for participants and pair people up and they’d exchange cigars. One particular time I paired myself with a gentleman from Australia, who sent me two of these cigars after the original shipment of cigars were never received. I was concerned that this mild, Connecticut shade cigar would be way past it’s prime. I have to say that this cigar held up very well over the years. It had the nutty/grassy kind of flavor that Connecticut shade wrapped cigars have, but there was an underlying strength of flavor that hinted at something more. There is Brazilian leaf listed in the filler of this, perhaps that’s what gave it a little extra flavor. Anyway, it was a great cigar, I’m glad I dug this one out of it’s hiding place and smoked it. I really should smoke more Churchill sized cigars, in this day and age 7″ x 48 doesn’t really seem that large!
Contest!
In honor of St. Patrick’s Day next weekend, We have a StogieBoys.com prize pack courtesy of StogieBoys.com of course! Included in the prize pack is a box of Erin Go Bragh cigars, a Dominican cigar infused with Irish whiskey and made in the La Aurora factory. To go along with the cigars, there is a whole mess of cool StogieBoys.com swag, playing cards, can koozies, a lighter and v-cutter, a cap and t-shirt, and whatever other goodies the folks there decide to include! Thanks to Sheryl at StogieBoys.com for putting this fine St. Patrick’s Day Prize Package together! Please leave a comment on this page to enter and I will select a winner next Sunday, March 17th, 2013. Check out StogieBoys.com when you are shopping online, they are quickly becoming one of the major players in the world of online cigar retailers!
That’s it for today, I’ll be digging through the humidors today to find another interesting smoke, as well as picking out a short smoke to enjoy after tonight’s Flyers game at the cigar bar instead of sitting in the parking lot traffic!
Until the next time,
CigarCraig
Sweet deal Craig
Thanks for the news, reviews and most of all the contest!
Looks like a nice Birthday present for me!!!!
Everybody loves some cigar swag!
Another great contest Craig. Again, reviews are perfect for everyday smokers. Thanks again for your site and @CigarNanny’s humor on twitter. Have a great weekend.
That sounds like a nice prize pack. I would share with neighbor as he loves Irish whiskey.
Thanks for the reviews, very helpful. Love a good contest.
Another great contest. Thanks Craig.
Did someone say Irish whiskey?! Happy St. Patricks day to everyone and Happy Birthday to my daughter!
Happy smoking everyone!
Wow, another awesome contest from the master of superb contests! Great blog as usual Craig! Go Flyers!
count me in on the contest!
also, the bait fish is a good smoke but have you guys sampled the papas fritas? an even better small drew estate smoke.
take care,
thanks for the great reviews!
Thanks for sharing the response you got from your congressman. Always enjoy your reviews and news. And of course, contests are always fun. Sláinte!
nice reviews as always… keep up the good work
I got a favorable response from my Ark. Congressman (Womack).
Thanks for the reviews and the contest!
I picked up that same special; what a deal.
Good review as always, that was good that your Congressman sent that letter. Thanks to you and StogieBoys for the contest.
I’d like to enter this weeks contest Craig! Not sure if I’m eligible since I won the 12 Days Oliva V cigars…..and I must say these cigars are something I find myself daydreaming about during the week in anticipation of the weekend!
Looks like a foine prize
Nice Indian Stuff!! Have to get one of those for J Scott’s Garage! Looking for foward to the big sale at Delafield this Friday and enjoying a warm place to sit with my buddy! Thanks as always.
Wow. That prize pack sure would make a nice birthday present – for me!
Craig I feel your pain with the Flyers I just dont’ know what to think the Pens loss nearly killed me!!! Great contest!
Another great contest! I’ve got a friend who really digs those Erin Go Bragh -infused cigars, so definitely going to share the love with him if I win!! Thanks Craig!
Awesome prize package! Hope I can win this one =)
Man that looks good! Love the site and appreciate all the effort! As soon as I win I will gladly do a guest review! lol
Awesome Contest Craig!! And Thanks Stogie Boys.. Never had a infused cigar before.. Good luck to all!!
I would love that prize pack. My father is very irish, loves Irish whiskey and cigars….with his 60th birthday coming up, that would be perfect.
Definitely will try the Torano. I discovered Stogie Boys a few months back, thanks for the updates! By the way go Devils!
Nice read. Thanks for the contest !
Its great you finally got a decent response from your Congressman, hopefully thing fall the right way.
These are great smokes along with great swag. I would love to win these!
Craig,
Glad to hear your letters may have finally paid off. You are very fortunate to have no Cigar tax. Here in the great state of Wa we get taxed on just about everything and I don’t understand how most people survive. With that said I have not won anything this year and this would be a great way to celebrate St Patty’s day. Have a great week
George
awesome blog site going to continue checking it out. keep it up!!!
Thanks for the news and reviews!
Also, thanks for the contest.
Wish me good luck.
Well that is an impressive package. I’d be willing to paint myself green to get my hands on that schwag….. Bring it to Canada boys! I’m collecting cigar related item to dress up my basement Cigar Lounge so this would help! Go Irish! ♣
Good looking prize package. I like candelas although most don’t.
Stogie Boys has been great to this noob! Would love that set!!!
Do you think that this would make a proper anniversary gift for my Irish wife? I feel sure that she would re-gift it to me.
What a spectacular Prize Package collection!
P.S – DoN’t DrInK aNd DrIvE sMoKe AnD fLy!!!
Thanks for the great read and contests.
Looks as though we might have at least one good congreeman on ourside. Way to go. Also looks like a great pack to giveaway. I can only hope…lol
Can’t wait to use the SB Kooooozies..AWESOME Contest!!!
I always loved the Irish. Some of my best friends ….
Count me in!
Thanks Craig
Nice reviews, keep it up!
Awesome