Trade Show is Here by Frank Seltzer
The annual trade show comes into Orlando starting Friday August 3rd. Actually the show opens before that, but the trade show floor—where the manufacturers show their newest products – starts Friday morning. According to the International Premium Cigar and Pipe Retailers Association, this year’s event is sold out with a record 1361 booths, which is 100 more than last year’s show.
Undoubtedly there will be lots of new products.
CAO Concert
General Cigars is launching the CAO Concert series. It began at the Country Music Awards in June when the concept of Concert was announced with a sneak peak. According to the company’s release:
“CAO was originally launched in Nashville, so music is in the brand’s DNA,” commented Alan Willner, vice president of marketing for General Cigar, parent company of CAO Cigars.
“CAO Concert was inspired by the brand’s roots in Nashville,” commented Ed McKenna, CAO’s senior brand manager. “When listening to music at a concert, or even in your own backyard, it’s a great time to sit back, enjoy a great cigar, and enjoy the people you’re with. That’s what Concert is about.”
The cigars will be in four sizes and will retail between $5.75- $7.50. The cigars are expected to be out this fall, and CAO will be going to concerts this year to promote the brand.
General Cigar also will be bringing back the limited edition Benji Menendez Master Series to the Partagas line. The cigar will be a Toro (6” x54) same size as last year’s holiday package.
Pete Johnson is coming up with a new company and a new line of cigars. It is called L’Atelier Imports and unlike his Tatuaje which is based in Los Angeles, this company will be in Miami. L’Atelier means the workshop or studio designed for an artist. Johnson told Cigar Aficionado that the new company will give him the chance to experiment without hurting his core lines. The company will be overseen by Pete’s older brother K.C. Johnson and friends Dan Welsh and Sean Johnson ( no relation to Pete).
Rocky Patel is planning on adding to his successful Edge cigars by introducing the Nicaraguan Edge. The company also is adding lines called Freedom and Private Cellar, which Nish Patel ( who blended the Xen) says he thinks Private Cellar is one of the company’s best blends ever.
La Palina already has announced its new Maduro and Classic lines for the show, but it is also adding a Kill Bill2. The original Kill Bill was a petit corona size (4.25” x 40) in the El Diario line, but because of its size, the strength of the cigar surprised brand owner Bill Paley and the joke was it almost Killed Bill. With a CA rating of 93, the KB retails for $8.75 As a follow up for longer smoking, the company is coming out with the Kill Bill2 which is 6” x 40. The price for the Kill Bill2 will be $9.25.
Da Coach
Legendary football coach Mike Ditka has signed a deal with Davidoff’s Camacho cigars to create a line of cigars carrying Ditka’s name. The cigars are scheduled to debut later this year but da coach will be making his first official appearance for Camacho at the Davidoff dinner during the IPCPR in Orlando. This is not Ditka’s first foray into cigars…a long time cigar smoker he tried twice before with limited success. Prior to the Chicago smoking ban, Ditkas restaurant—home of da pork chop—was a great place to eat and have a cigar. Camacho’s plans call for Ditka to serve as a brand ambassador at certain national events.
There also will be a new feature at the trade show, an official IPCPR cigar art original painting and prints commemorating the strength of the cigar industry. The art will raise money for the organization’s legislative efforts. According to the IPCPR release:
The artist is the world-renowned Alberto Godoy. Originally from Cuba, Mr. Godoy fled the oppression of his native country in 1980. The original oil painting, entitled “The Event,” will be auctioned off with a starting bid of $250 and there will also be 1,000 high-quality, signed 16″ x 20″ acid-free paper color prints to purchase at the show for only $36.00 each. Mr Godoy and his company, CigarArt.net, will donate 50% of the proceeds to the ongoing IPCPR legislative efforts to protect our industry. So, please show your support by either bidding on the original oil painting or purchasing a print. In addiiton, Mr. Godoy will be painting another original oil painting LIVE DURING THE SHOW to be auctioned off with 50% of proceeds also going to the IPCPR legislative efforts.??. It is an incredible keepsake of fine cigar art and a great way to support our industry.
Not So Fast
A couple of weeks ago I reported about city plans in Santa Monica, CA to require people to declare if their apartment or condo was smoking or not. The net effect was to ban smoking inside people’s homes. Well the ordinance came up for its second and final reading and, surprise, it lost. Quite a reversal, but then again the LA Times even editorialized against Santa Monica saying the ban goes too far. The times says
“Smoking may be a nasty habit but its not criminal.”
Actually, apparently what persuaded the council was the fact that the smoking ban might affect those smoking “medical” marijuana.
