Another US Senator Co-Sponsors Bill to Exempt Cigars From FDA Regulation
Cigar Rights of America (CRA) has reported that US Senator David Perdue (R-GA) has become the 20th co-sponsor of The Traditional Cigar Manufacturing and Small Business Jobs Preservation Act of 2015 (Bill S. 441). This bill was introduced in February 2015 by Sen. Bill Nelson (D-FL) and co-sponsored by 10 other senators, including the current Republican presidential candidate Sen. Marco Rubio (R-FL). The bill is proposed to amend the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act to clarify the Food and Drug Administration's (FDA) jurisdiction over certain tobacco products, and to protect jobs and small businesses involved in the sale, manufacturing and distribution of traditional and premium cigars. The advocacy of Sean Williams, founder and president of Atlanta-based El Primer Mundo Cigars, was apparently very instrumental in securing Sen. Perdue's support.
There is still quite a ways to go with this bill, as it was introduced in February to the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee. It will require passing by the Senate, and subsequently the House before being presented to the President for signature into law.
Smokeasy is a proud member of the CRA, the first and only consumer-based public advocacy group fighting to protect the individual rights to enjoy premium cigars.
La Aurora Wins Big at The Dominican Cigar Awards
On December 7, the Dominican Cigars Review magazines third annual Dominican Cigar Awards (DCAs) in Santiago de los Caballeros. The award recipients were voted on by the public via the magazine's digital platform constructed to conduct the voting process and the election of winners.
Manuel Inoa receiving the DCA for Tobacco Personality of the Year
"Best Factory Tour' was awarded to La Aurora and accepted by Juan Ventura, the company's Operations Director. La Aurora's tour was recognized for Ventura's committment to demonstrating the smallest details of the complicated process of cultivation, curing, fermentation and manufacture of premium handmade cigars, and desire to deepen the knowledge of their cigars for the tourists and stimulate confidence in their brands. The other factory tour nominees for this award included Davidoff, La Flor Dominicana, General Cigars, and Tabacalera Fuente.
"Tabaquero Character of the Year" (or Tobacco Personality of the Year) was awarded to Manuel Inoa, Master Blender at La Aurora, who has created major cigar blends that have been recognized worldwide. Inoa beat out some pretty hefty competition - the nominees included Jose Blanco of Las Cumbres Tabaco (makers of Señorial Cigars and Freyja), Abe Flores of PDR Cigars, Litto Gomez of La Flor Dominicana, and Rafael Nodal of Boutique Blends Cigars (makers of Aging Room Cigars).
Pictured below are the recipients of the other DCAs:
Nat Sherman Releases Heritage Humidor for the Holidays
Nat Sherman, the Tobacconist to the World since 1930, announced the limited production release of the Nat Sherman Heritage Humidor, made in collaboration with world-class humidor maker Daniel Marshall. These handcrafted beauties will debut in three classic exterior finishes including Macassar, Burl and Rosewood. This collection will be available exclusively at the Nat Sherman Townhouse in New York and at select retailers nationwide.
These elegant and highly functional humidors are handmade in Santa Ana, California, under the careful watch of humidor master Daniel Marshall, and boasts the incorporation of a more innovative humidification system. Each humidor has a matte finish with no visible exterior hardware, and is lined in milk-glass, a popular humidor lining material from the Prohibition Era. The humidors offer a non-porous, non-aromatic environment with an impenetrable seal preventing any foreign odors or flavors from being absorbed by the tobacco during the aging process. Each humidor measures 14" x 10" x 5.5", holds about 125 coronas, features two movable dividers, and uses three Boveda-60 gram two-way humidity control packs (included with the humidor) to create and maintain humidity.
The Nat Sherman Heritage Humidors are made in extremely limited quantities will retail at $2,300.