Half Ashed Episode 143: Club Havana Coronas Especial

What this episode covers

Club Havana Coronas Especial This Laguito #2 vitola, commonly known as the demi-lance around these parts but colloquially understood to be a 6”x38 rg, is a what’s commonly referred to as a “custom” cuban cigar. Originally blended by the late Enrique Mons, this house blend for “Club Havana” is a brother of the commonly known “mons-dale”. Tonight’s examples were acquired in January of 2015 and are one of my favorite “customs” from the island. They are a wonderful mixture of brown sugar, sweet nutty flavors and at times a lovely mocha undertone. Cigar News EP Carrillo has shipped this year’s Short Run. It’s a new blend (Ecuadoran Habano over Nicaraguan internals), and it only comes in a single 6” x 52 vitola limited to 2,500 boxes of 10. The blend stands on its own, rather than being spun off another existing line like previous iterations. The most striking thing I noticed, however, is the price increase. MSRP this year is $12. Last year’s edition in this size was under $8…which makes for a greater than 50% increase. I realize it’s a more limited production run, and possibly better tobacco (although EPC hasn’t said anything to indicate what’s special in this year’s run, except for some Criollo ‘98 Comoto (Nicaragua) in the filler)…but I wonder why such a marked increase? Legislative happenings…. Originally, on 4/13, the House Committee Appropriations Subcommittee on Agriculture passed the FY2017 appropriations bill – including language to exempt premium cigars from FDA regulation. The bill must go before the House Appropriations Committee to be finalized. The proposal withholds funding for the FDA to put in place their intent to regular traditional premium cigars.* During the House Appropriations meeting, Repr. Rosa DeLauro (D-CT) proposed an amendment that would *remove* the existing language that protected premium cigars. This amendment failed at vote. Repr Tom Cole (R-OK) also introduced an amendment that removes the existing “grandfather” date of Feb 15, 2007 to the date actual FDA rules are finalized. While this is all good news, it’s not over. A similar passage was in last year’s appropriations bill – but didn’t make it through the entire process. * For general information, the included language qualifies a cigar as “premium” if: rolled in 100% leaf tobacco, bunched with 100% tobacco filler AND contains no non-tobacco mouthpiece AND weights at least 6 lbs. per 1,000 cigars AND has 100% leaf tobacco binder and is hand rolled has 100% leaf tobacco binder & is made using human hands to lay the wrapper or binder onto only one bunching machine [i.e. Leiberman] OR has a homogenized tobacco leaf binder & is made in the U.S. using human hands to roll the wrapper onto only 1 machine that bunches, wraps and caps each cigar AND is not a cigarette or little cigar (per existing definition from 2009) Tatuaje’s Skinny Monsters have begun to arrive at retailers around the U.S. I never had much of a drive to seek out the Little or Pudgy Monsters, but I’m in for these 6” x 38 petit lances. We talked about these several months ago; this week’s initial launch is for 10,000, 10-ct samplers (1 each of the existing series) – but after this summer’s IPCPR tradeshow, there should be 400, 25 count boxes of each available. I can dig it. The samplers are running $80-85 from what I’ve seen in retailer adverts – which means you can try them all now and pick up your favorite in quantity later this year. I think we mentioned a couple weeks ago that 1502 (Global Premium Cigars) had arranged for some limited distribution in the European market – following a few other, bigger brands over the past couple years. Now, Guayacan has joined the ranks. They announced an entrance into the Netherlands this past week. I’m still wondering what the base motivation for this phenomena is?

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