On April 2, 2025, the White House announced a major shift in U.S. trade policy that will significantly affect the premium cigar industry, among others. Beginning April 5, 2025, at 12:01 a.m. EDT, a 10% tariff will be applied to all goods entering the United States. A second phase of the policy rolls out on
Louisville Metro Council Approves Cigar Bar Exemption to Smoking Ban Cigar enthusiasts in Louisville no longer have to travel across the river to Indiana to enjoy a smoke with their drink. The Louisville Metro Council has approved a new exemption to the city’s smoking ban, allowing smoking in certain cigar bars that meet specific criteria.
During next month’s 2025 PCA Convention & Trade Show, Oscar Valladares Tobacco & Co. will release a new barber pole cigar and the first limited edition for one of the company’s most popular lines. The Island Jim Barber Pole is a 6 x 52 vitola made with two different wrappers—a Connecticut wrapper and a corojo wrapper, both
New legislation looks to further nullify any FDA oversight regarding handmade cigars A bill introduced on the Congressional House floor today seeks to exempt premium, handmade cigars from FDA regulation, as established by the Federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act. The legislation, being brought forth by Republican Rep. Byron Donalds of Florida’s 19th district, would
Steph Curry • Basketball Superstar • Cohiba Behike BHK 56 Steph Curry has been called the greatest shooter of all time, a distinction made all the more impressive by his relatively modest size: a slender six-foot-two. He’s led his Golden State Warriors to four NBA championships, has more three-pointers than anyone in history (3,747 entering the
The premium cigar industry secured another victory in its ongoing battle with the FDA. Today, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia rejected the FDA’s appeal to overturn a 2023 ruling by Judge Amit P. Mehta, which had struck down strict regulations on premium cigars. This decision prevents the FDA from imposing
This weekend, Dunbarton Tobacco & Trust is launching a cigar made exclusively for retailers in its home state of New Hampshire. The CANH Fiddlehead is a 6 x 48 vitola featuring an Ecuadorian Sumatra wrapper, a Jalapa, Nicaragua binder, and a three-country filler blend. The filler includes Criollo 92 from the Dominican Republic, visos from
Kingmakers Cigars, known for collaborations with WNBA star Kelsey Plum and the band Midland, has announced its latest release: VERSA by Carmelo Anthony. The cigar will debut in a single 6 1/2 x 54 gran toro vitola, featuring a Habano 2000 wrapper, a Sumatra binder, and fillers from Nicaragua and Pennsylvania. While Kingmakers confirms its
Kentucky House Passes Cigar Bar Bill, Sends to Senate After years of covering cigar industry legislation, experiencing setbacks has become all too familiar—whether through taxes, smoking bans, age restrictions, or flavored tobacco regulations. That’s why it’s refreshing to see the Kentucky House of Representatives strongly support this bill, even though it hasn’t become law yet.
Uncle Nearest Premium Whiskey, the super premium whiskey from Tennessee and the first spirit brand in history to commemorate an African-American, is excited to announce the launch of Uncle Nearest 1884 Premium Small Batch Whiskey. The brand revived the little-known story of Nathan "Nearest" Green, the first known African-American master distiller, back in 2017, and
