Last Weeks Cigar Social Media News and Questions – September 14, 2018

Posted on by bostonjimmie

Welcome to the 13th installment of the Stogie Press “Last Weeks Cigar Social Media News and Questions”, where Boston Jimmie scours the world-wide web of cigars and summarizes relevant news and questions of the past week. On the following Monday, my friend Kap Kaplowitz then shreds my writing and puts his unique commentary on select news bites from today’s article, during his Kaplowitz Media radio pod cast.

Here are some Social Media Cigar News stories and Questions for the week ending September 14, 2018.

  • Nomad No More
  • Cigar Imports Increase in 2018
  • Oh No Canada!
  • Question of the Week

Nomad No More

Nomad Therapy Habano

Well the news of the week is Fred Rewey selling his Nomad Cigars company to Ezra Zion Cigars. This news was broke by Fred Rewey himself in a letter to the cigar industry. Rewey has been operating nomad Cigars for six years and has decided things have gotten to be too big to get complete control of what he needs to accomplish. In Fred’s own words to the industry:

“Instead of an exclusive focus on marketing, first-hand interaction with consumers, and blending cigars (the parts I love), it turned into bookkeeping, sales projections, and government compliance.

Frankly, the company grew to a point that my attention was pulled in different directions and wearing unlimited ‘hats’. Which, in the back of my mind, could someday equate to something being missed.

I never cut any corners with Nomad. I never left anything on the table and kept quality as the highest priority…well below bottom line profits.“

Fred decided to sell the company to his friends at Ezra Zion Cigars, who he has worked with for years. In a comment to William Cooper (Cigar Coop) Fred states:

“I think, for the most part, I am at the end of the Nomad chapter of my life. It’s time for someone else to take it to the next level. It has been an amazing experience to build a cigar company from the ground up…then sell it.”

As for me, I have known Fred for five years and I’ve known him to be of the utmost character and a pleasure to work with. I wish only the best for Fred and his family as he embarks on new adventures, hopefully in some capacity in the cigar industry.

Cigar Imports Increase in 2018

In its weekly newsletter to its members, the Cigar Rights of America (CRA)  has reported this week that cigar import numbers for the six months of 2018 have surpassed previous years and are on track to be an all time high going back to at least 2012. The actual report was issued by the Cigar Association of America and was reported on by Cigar Aficionado. According to the report, current import numbers for premium hand rolled cigars in 2018 totaled 166 million Cigars from the eight leading producers and rose by 9.9%. over 2017.
The CRA notes in their newsletter that 2017 numbers were 330 million Cigars which was the highest number since 1998 and they feel that with the trend we have today it will be even larger in 2018.
Of course this all is dependent on the turmoil in Nicaragua and hopes that it can be quelled and life can get back to normal. Although many cigar manufacturers have been able to get their cigars out of the country there are those that have been having some problems. So the second half of 2018 they will certainly depend on that situation. The report also notes, that once again, Nicaragua has been the largest exporter of cigars to the United States.

If you wish to read the details as presented in the Cigar Aficionado article, please click here.

Oh No Canada!

The country that has gone all in on marijuana has gone all out on Cigars and tobacco products. I’m talking about Canada, our friends up north. Recently, the Canadian Senate passed a bill that mimics much of the US deeming regulation on Cigars but takes it a step further by applying the plain package constraint that is in place in Australia and now in Ireland. The bill which was passed by the Canadian Parliament will make it even harder to sell into the Canadian market.
I know this may be old news to some, but I need to point out something that I read in the bill that should concern Canadian cigar blogers and Social Media Groups.
If I read it correctly, it may prohibit Canadian citizens from blogging pictures of Cigars, and even prohibit the review, rating, and recommendation of a cigar in a blog or website. Here’s the section of the bill I am talking about:

“21 (1) No person shall promote a tobacco product through a testimonial or an endorsement, however displayed or communicated, including by means of the packaging.”

Cigar reviews and ratings, along with recommendations are by definition, a testimonial. So although one may read this as pertaining to packaging, the words and punctuation. when taken into account. refer to any method of communication (blog, website, social media). Before you jump on the freedom of speech train, remember we are talking about Canadian citizens.

You see, in Canada, citizens do not have the same freedom of speech that the U.S. 1st Amendment guarantees. In fact, freedom  of expression in Canada is not absolute; Section 1 of the Charter allows the government to pass laws that limit free expression so long as the limits are reasonable and can be justified in a free and democratic society.

This bill, may very well spell the doom of premium cigars in Canada. Our friends up north already have some of the highest taxed Cigars in North America and this bill is going to drive a stake in the heart of cigar companies and tobacconists throughout Canada.
The bill can be read in it’s entirety here.  As of this writing, Bill S-5, An Act to amend the Tobacco Act and the Non-smokers’ Health Act and to make consequential amendments to other Acts received Royal Assent.  The next step is to enact new regulatory authorities that will allow the Government of Canada to make new regulations in accordance with the Act.

Question of the Week

Brother James Kemp from the Facebook group – Cigar Lifestyle, asks the question:

“what do the cigar smokers do to reduce wasting cigars when you never smoke a complete gar. I am trying to prevent smoking half waiting til later and smoke the rest. Because that make a gar taste harsh after it has been smoke on and burn out or put out. So on this one I just split it in half. What you guys recommend?”

 

I have to say, I have some cigars that I put down during the day and come back to later, it is rare but it happens. When I choose to do that, I always gently blow the smoke out of the chamber and then lay it on the ash tray to go out. Of course if you choose to smoke large cigars then I recommend finding the time to sit back and enjoy it.

1 thought on “Last Weeks Cigar Social Media News and Questions – September 14, 2018”

  • James,
    I can”t help notice that you are smoking a huge cigar, something I might smoke while playing a round of golf, poker game or while fishing. But this is why I always recommend getting a larger humidor so you can keep different sizes and strengths for different occasions. When choosing a cigar you should consider how much time you have, Is this before or after a meal? What are drinking or eating? You may not want a full bodied cigar on an empty stomach or a mild cigar with a scotch. Also even though you may prefer a certain ring gauge or size do not discount the smaller sizes. The flavor profile can be quite different. This is due to the fact that you will taste more of the wrapper.
    Having said all that, a larger cigar can be more economical. If $$$ is the main reason I would recommend cutting the cigar in half before smoking it. I had a few customers that would do that and have tried it myself. You can buy a small bottle of cigar gum to keep the wrapper from unwinding if that bothers you.
    Hope this was helpful.

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