All posts by Jeff Slatton

In charge @haveapremiumcigar.com cigar reviewer @CigarWeekly.com

PCA Hires New Director of Trade Show & Events

[Washington, D.C.–July 16, 2024] The Premium Cigar Association (PCA) has announced the hiring of Shannon Marie as its new Director of Trade Show and Events. Shannon’s first day with the PCA was July 15, 2024. With over a decade of experience in the events industry, she has spent her professional career helping trade associations grow their event offerings. Shannon will work with Lisa Cox, the organization’s Senior Director of Trade Shows and events, effective immediately.

“I am excited to see the PCA’s team expand in a critical area so that we can provide additional program offerings for the trade show and events. I know that Shannon will be able to support Lisa in maintaining a best-in-class trade show and add other experiential elements to our marquee event and beyond,” says Joshua Habursky, PCA’s Executive Director.

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Guy Fieri, Espinosa Premium Cigars, & Cigar Dojo Team Up to Launch the “Knuckle Sandwich Strike Force” Cigar

DENVER, CO (Tuesday, July 9, 2024) —— Guy Fieri’s fan-favorite Knuckle Sandwich brand expands its footprint in the craft cigar scene with its first-ever collaborative release, combining forces with Cigar Dojo, Espinosa Premium Cigars, and Smoke Inn Cigars. Introducing: the
Knuckle Sandwich Strike Force cigar.


Guy Fieri, the culinary rockstar known for his bold flavors and
larger-than-life personality, is turning up the heat with the latest
creation from his Knuckle Sandwich brand. The Knuckle Sandwich Strike
Force is the ultimate testament to Fieri’s flair for quality and flavor, crafted in cahoots with the cigar maestros at Espinosa Premium
Cigars and Cigar Dojo.

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It’s Official, STINKY CIGAR® has been acquired by Quality Importers!

WESTON, Florida – Quality Importers Trading Company ® (QI) the leading accessory supplier to the worldwide premium cigar trade, has officially acquired the Stinky Cigar® brand of cigar accessories. The transaction closed on July 1, 2024. Stinky Cigar® is known worldwide for innovative and functional ashtrays featuring oval leaf-shaped stirrups imprinted with the Stinky Cigar® logo. Quality Importers
has been the exclusive wholesale distributor for Stinky Cigar® since January 2011, stewarding the brand’s growth and promotion for over 13 years.


The Stinky Cigar® ashtray, introduced in 2004, is renowned for its quality and durability, becoming one of the most popular cigar ashtrays in the trade, known simply as “Stinky”. Quality Importers plans to
continue offering all current styles of Stinky Cigar® ashtrays including the World Famous “Original”, Personal, Tall, Old World, Floor Standing, One Piece, and Herf models. We will celebrate the fact that the Stinky Cigar® brand becomes “legal” on its 21st birthday and its joining the QI family of brands during PCA 2025 in New Orleans, LA.

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BLTC Bishops Blend Set to Ship

July 8, 2024 — Black Label Trading Company is pleased to announce the shipment of Bishops Blend to select retailers beginning next week.  Bishops Blend is hand crafted in Esteli, Nicaragua at Fabrica Oveja Negra.

“We are very excited about this highly anticipated release.  This is the eighth release of Bishops Blend and continues to be one of our most sought-after, limited annual releases.  Bishops Blend boasts big bold flavors of anise, pepper, raisins, and a sweet earthiness on the finish. It is very complex and extremely refined. As with the past vintages, the broadleaf fillers shine at the forefront and are perfectly balanced by the Nicaraguan filler tobaccos,” said James Brown, creator of Black Label Trading Co. and partner at Fabrica Oveja Negra.

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Inaugural QI SPOTLIGHT Tradeshow & Festival

WESTON, Florida – Quality Importers Trading Company ® (QI) the leading accessory supplier to the worldwide premium cigar trade, is hosting the inaugural QI Spotlight Tradeshow & Festival. This exclusive buying event, designed specifically for retailers and distributors, is set to take place on September 7, 2024, in Weston, Florida.

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Umbagog Bronzeback

This cigar looks great. The wrapper is not as dark as the Broadleaf of the original Umbagog, but smoother and a slightly lighter color. The cigar clipped cleanly with my Cera ceramic blade guillotine. The cold draw was perfect with hints of things to come. Tonight’s beverage is a Mean Old Tom vanilla bean stout from Maine Brewing.

In the first third the pepper notes are already starting build; this is where the Bronzeback starts tasting different; more pepper and not deep Nicaraguan soil. The earthy notes kick in just after the pepper settles. Ash is solid and the burn is very even.

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PLASENCIA CIGARS ANNOUNCES THE ALMA DEL CAMPO GUAJIRO

ROBUSTO GORDO BOX-PRESSED IS NOW SHIPPING

(MIAMI, FL) July 2, 2024- Plasencia Cigars, a world-leading premium tobacco grower, established in 1865, has announced the Plasencia Alma Del Campo new box-pressed vitola, Guajiro 5 ½ X 54, is on the way to stores across the nation. This box-pressed vitola will eventually replace the existing round Guajiro which will remain available for clients to purchase while supplies last. The highly popular Alma Del Campo line made its debut in 2017.

The Alma Del Campo is a Nicaraguan puro that was an instant hit with consumers. The inspiration behind the blend draws deeply from the Plasencia family’s rich heritage. “Alma Del Campo” (Soul of the Field) signifies the essence and spirit of the fields where premium tobacco is cultivated. This blend is a tribute to the fertile fields, and the meticulous cultivation practices, which have been passed down through generations of the Plasencia family.

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Shipping Nationwide – The Palió® Tazza Piccola Ashtray!

WESTON, Florida – Quality Importers Trading Company ® (QI) the leading accessory supplier to the worldwide premium cigar trade, announces the nationwide shipping of the Palió® Tazza Piccola
Ashtray. Unveiled this past spring at PCA, this compact, all-metal, four-cigar rest personal ashtray provides cigar aficionados with a clean and stylish smoking experience.

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SCOTUS Facilitates Challenges to Agency Law

WASHINGTON, DC (July 01, 2024) – Today, the Supreme Court of the United States published their decision in Corner Post v. Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System, in which they ruled that the six-year statute of limitations to challenge an agency regulation begins when a party is first harmed by the regulation. Prior to this decision, the statute of limitations had begun when the regulation was first published. As a result, a newly formed company appears to have the capacity to challenge any regulation that has an impact on it, regardless of how long ago the regulation was created.  The New York Times’ article on Corner Post is available here.

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Supreme Court Overrules Chevron Deference

Earlier today (6/28/24), the Supreme Court published their decision in Loper Bright v. Raimondo, a case which significantly curtails the power of federal agencies such as the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to interpret ambiguous statutes.  The court’s 6-3 ruling struck down a principle known as ‘Chevron Deference,’ a precedent created by the Court in the 1984 case, Chevron v. NRDCChevron essentially allowed Agencies wide latitude in interpreting the scope of their own authority in cases where laws passed by Congress were ambiguous, by requiring judges to strongly defer to the agency’s interpretations of vague statutory language.

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HumidifGroup Partners with Kingmakers to Develop the First “Shoemidor” Supporting WNBA Star Kelsey Plum’s Under Armour 2024 Shoe Drop

June 11, 2024 – HumidifGroup, a company specialized in the design and fabrication of packaging and accessories for the cigar industry, has stepped out of just packaging cigars into the shoe world.  

Kingmakers brought HumidifGroup in to develop the packaging for a luxury humidor to support the launch of Kelsey Plum’s cigars.  The WNBA superstar also launched her 2024 Under Armour shoes the same week, giving a nod to the cigars by including one of the cigar bands in the back of the shoe.  The half shoe box half humidor coined the ‘shoemidor’ turned heads at the launch event held in Las Vegas last month.

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A Message from PCA’s New Executive Director

Dear PCA Members,

Thank you for having the confidence in me to lead the Premium Cigar Association. I do not take this responsibility lightly. I vow to put my heart and soul into this association with a rich history, massive past successes, present stability, and, most importantly, a bright future. We will never be bashful about promoting the positive impact of this organization and industry on communities across the country and the joy that premium cigars bring to adult consumers throughout the world. I am extremely fortunate to take on this role with an incredible staff and experienced board of directors who will work as a team as we access, grow, and generate new ideas. 

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