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Federal Court Rules in Favor of Premium Cigars, Exempts Them from FDA Regulation

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A significant decision was handed down today by U.S. District Judge Amit P. Mehta, who ruled that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) must exempt premium cigars from tobacco regulations that were implemented in 2016. This conclusion marks an important victory for the industry, following nearly seven years of legal disputes.

The challenge was led and funded by Cigar Rights of America (CRA), which argued against the inclusion of premium cigars in the FDA’s 2016 “Deeming” rule. CRA contended that this inclusion was misguided and lacked a solid scientific foundation. During the court appearance on May 23, 2022, CRA argued that the FDA had failed to present a valid public health rationale and had improperly dismissed a prior option to exempt premium cigars from the category.

Judge Mehta agreed with CRA’s arguments and ruled on July 5th of the previous year that the inclusion of premium cigars in the regulation was arbitrary and capricious, thus in violation of the Administrative Procedures Act. He stated that the FDA had ignored scientific evidence regarding premium cigars submitted by CRA, resorting to ambiguous language to cloud the issue.

The industry has been looking forward to an official announcement, and today’s ruling sets a federal definition for premium cigars, providing them an exemption. This decision effectively offers regulatory relief to the industry.

Robert Levin, president of CRA, expressed his satisfaction with the ruling, calling it a “monumental day in the history of the premium cigar industry.” He added that the court’s decision affirmed CRA’s longstanding belief that premium cigars should never have been subject to FDA regulation in the first place.

Eladio Diaz Celebrates 70th Birthday with Commemorative Cigar Launch at InterTabac Show

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In a significant milestone for the cigar industry, veteran tobacco expert Eladio Diaz is launching a celebratory cigar in honor of his 70th birthday. This comes after Diaz, a former associate of Davidoff, established his own Dominican factory, Tabacalera Diaz Cabrera, in 2022.

The new cigar, aptly named the Eladio Diaz 70 Aniversario, will make its debut at the upcoming InterTabac trade show in Dortmund, Germany. Initially intended for the European market, the cigar showcases an intriguing mix of tobacco from different origins. It combines an Ecuadoran wrapper, a Mexican binder, and five various types of Dominican tobacco in the filler. The exact varietals of these tobaccos are being kept secret by Diaz, who has crafted the cigar to present a medium-to-full bodied strength.

Historically, Eladio Diaz has been known for blending special cigars for his birthday celebration. These were not commercially available but were given as gifts to friends and visitors. The tradition continues with the Eladio Diaz 70 Aniversario, albeit with a new twist – these cigars will be available for sale.

The number seven plays a significant role in the making of this blend. Diaz began his journey with tobacco at the age of seven, marking 63 years in the industry this year. Moreover, the cigar measures 7 inches in length and comprises seven different tobacco leaves. In a reflection of this theme, the cigar will be sold in boxes of 14 (a multiple of seven), with a total production limited to 1,400 boxes.

Diaz, expressing his sentiments about the new cigar to Cigarjournal, said, “It is a slightly sweet and spicy tobacco, which seeks a complete stimulation of the mouth, with a very harmonious creamy sensation, balanced and complex in a medium-high body.” He added, humorously, that the cigar “burns regularly and is not badly built at all.”

The presentation of the Eladio Diaz 70 Aniversario at the InterTabac show marks a significant evolution in Diaz’s journey. He, along with his wife Griselda Cabrera, his sons Héctor, Emmanuel, and Alexander, and close collaborator José Ignacio Vásquez, originally intended the Tabacalera Diaz Cabrera for the production of private labels. Now, Diaz is transitioning from solely manufacturing for others to establishing his own brand in the market.

In addition to the celebratory Eladio Diaz 70 Aniversario, the company is also planning a regular production line expected to be sold in U.S. stores before the end of the year, demonstrating the brand’s aspiration to grow and cater to a wider global audience.

J.C. Newman Cigar Co. Dispatches First Batch of 2023 Yagua Release to Premium Cigar Retailers

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J.C. Newman Cigar Co. has begun shipping the first release of its celebrated Yagua cigars for 2023. A total of 1,250 boxes are en route to 396 premium cigar retailers across 46 states. The second and last Yagua dispatch for the year is slated for November.

The unique Yagua cigar has garnered an unexpected, almost cult-like following, much to the surprise of fourth-generation owner, Drew Newman. “The acceptance and demand for Yagua continually amaze me. We didn’t initially create Yagua with the intent to sell. I had my reservations, thinking that cigar connoisseurs might not appreciate it because it deviates so much from the standard norms of cigar-making. Yagua is irregular in shape, it might even be considered unattractive. We use underfermented tobacco in its creation, and no two Yaguas are identical.”

The Yagua is a nostalgic tribute to a type of farm-rolled cigar that Lazaro Lopez, General Manager of the J.C. Newman PENSA cigar factory in Nicaragua, recalls his grandfather crafting on his family’s tobacco farm in Cuba in the 1940s. Over a meal in 2019, Lopez narrated this memory to Newman:

“My grandfather would take fresh tobacco leaves straight from the curing barns and roll cigars without using any molds or presses,” Lopez recounted. “To give his cigars a semblance of traditional shape, he would bundle them together, tying them with fragments of the Cuban royal palm tree, known as the yagua. Upon deciding to enjoy his personal cigars, he would untie the bundle. The result was an array of uniquely shaped cigars, which he relished. I vividly recall the rich aroma and flavor of my grandfather’s cigars.”

Echoing this old-world method, twenty Yagua cigars are tied together while still moist using a Yagua palmiche palm leaf after being rolled. Each Yagua box delivers a bundle of 20 cigars, still swathed in the palm leaf. The Yagua cigars are of 6×54 dimensions.

“Crafting the Yagua presents its unique challenges because we utilize an under fermented Connecticut Broadleaf wrapper, blend the filler tobaccos differently, and sidestep traditional cigar factory tools and techniques,” Newman explained. “Since the wrapper is not fully fermented, we let the cigars age for a complete year post-rolling.”

Return of the CAO Arcana Mortal Coil: Back on the Market by Popular Demand

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General Cigar Company has confirmed that the CAO Arcana Mortal Coil will be making a comeback to the market on August 1st. Originally launched in February 2021, this unique cigar has become well-known for incorporating “Andullo”, an age-old tobacco fermentation method indigenous to the Dominican Republic.

Responding to persistent fan demand, the company decided to bring the Mortal Coil back. “The fans of CAO spoke, and we listened,” stated Ed Lahmann, the senior brand manager of CAO cigars. He added, “We previously brought back Mortal Coil, yet the fans kept wanting more. So with this year’s release of the blend, we’re showing the fans of CAO that we’re willing to go the extra mile for them.”

The Andullo tobacco is notable for its unconventional fermentation process, differing from traditional techniques typically used for sungrown Habano-seed tobaccos. Instead, Andullo tobacco is wrapped tightly in handcrafted pods made from palm tree leaves, known as “yaguas”. These pods are then compressed with a coiled rope, which facilitates a lengthy fermentation process of around two years. This method results in a rough, leathery-looking leaf with a distinctive thickness and an earthy sweetness.

The CAO Arcana Mortal Coil cigar features a Connecticut Broadleaf wrapper, a Connecticut Shade binder, and a filler composed of Dominican Andullo, Honduran Jamastran, Nicaraguan Esteli, and Dominican Piloto Cubano. This 6 1/8” x 50 Toro vitola cigar comes with a suggested retail price of $11.99, and is packaged in a 20-count box.

Camacho Launches New Broadleaf Addition to Core Cigar Line, Set to Hit Retailers in September

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Camacho has officially unveiled their newest addition to the core line, the Camacho Broadleaf. This cigar blends Honduran and Dominican tobaccos, notably featuring a signature Broadleaf wrapper grown in Honduras. This is a departure from the norm, as the conventional wrapper of choice is usually sourced from the Connecticut River Valley. The previous well-known Camacho cigar featuring a Broadleaf wrapper was the Camacho American Barrel-Aged, which included American tobaccos aged in spent bourbon barrels.

Edward Simon, CMO at Oettinger Davidoff, commended the master blenders in Honduras for their work, stating, “They created a cigar line which is not only excellent in taste, but also bold and fearless in attitude.” Simon also highlighted the darker Broadleaf wrapper, describing it as lending “an oily, almost silky appearance and a creamy note to the taste profile.”

The Camacho Broadleaf will be available in three sizes at launch: Robusto (5″ x 50, $9.25 per cigar), Toro (6″ x 50, $9.75 per cigar), and Gordo (6″ x 60, $10.50 per cigar). Packaged in boxes of 20 cigars, the blend is described as a “medium intense smoke.” Shipping to retailers will commence in early September, with an official release date of September 7, 2023 in the U.S. and September 15, 2023 in Germany and Switzerland.

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