Met Scott Pearce IPCPR Exec. Director

[TommyBB]

Need an excuse to go to Las Vegas.

Will the manufacturers and vendors be giving out samples if you have retail consumers on the show floor? How will that work for taxation purposes? In years past, when the show was in New Orleans, you had armed Louisiana ATF agents and bureau of revenue and taxation enforcement officials on the show floor ensuring that these guys paid taxes on free samples.

How much more will vendors and manufacturers have to bring to the show if consumers are on the floor? What about the excise taxes on all this, as well?

What about the beverage set-ups? I know state agencies will not be bothered too much about coffee, but what about those that may serve a glass of bourbon, or rum? How will that go from a customer privilege to something for all consumers? Or, do they simply get rid of it as many did in Louisiana?

[jefslat]

From what I gleaned, the final half-day of the show will be retailer-guided customers. The tickets are going to be expensive. Also, many of the vendors told me they would leave before the final day.

Save your money for a Barn Smoker or other cigar festival. This is going to be bad unless they come up with some magic wand bullshit to make it relevant.

[TommyBB]

Not an interview question, but a pronouncement from the newly-christened PCA and its president.

The IPCPR appreciates the opportunity to provide comments and data to the agency regarding whether and how the substantial equivalence process should apply to premium cigars. In this regard, IPCPR wholly endorses and incorporates as their own the comments submitted today by Cigar Rights of America (attached hereto as Exhibit A2) and Davidoff of Geneva USA, Inc., General Cigar Company, Nick’s Cigar Company d/b/a Tabacalera Perdomo, SWI-DE, LLC d/b/a Drew Estate, Tabacalera Unidas, Inc. d/b/a C.L.E. Cigar Company, and Tabacalera USA Inc. (attached hereto as Exhibit . Both comments demonstrate that the substantial equivalence system reflected in the Proposed Rule is wholly inappropriate for premium cigars.Indeed, applying that system to premium cigars will be detrimental to the agency’s public health mission. That is because premium cigars are so varied—they are made by hand, from natural tobacco that depends on weather and growing conditions. As a result, there are nearly 51,000 separate types of premium cigars, as measured by so-called stock keeping units or “SKUs.” At the same time, these products are used infrequently, with fewer than 0.5 percent of U.S. adults using premium cigars and those who do, use the product only 1.4 days per month. Naturally, the agency will be inundated with premium cigar applications for substantial equivalence and will need to evaluate tens of thousands of submissions for products used by only one-half a percent of the U.S. population. And because premium cigars are made by hand from natural tobacco, as they have been for centuries, the agency will be diverting scarce resources to evaluate premium cigar products that do not present unique or novel questions of public health distinct from the premium cigars that have been on the market for centuries.

We have some big guns in the industry working together, I like it.

[TommyBB]

I am topping this thread, today, as cigarlibrarian is now ready to move forward with this, he has had some health issues the last few months.

I have sent Don a couple questions via PM, but also include my questions offered in this thread.

Do the rest of you have questions? Please help us and suggest some specific questions; fail that, a general idea you might like Scott, the president of PCA to address.

You guys always come up with good questions and concerns, so thank you for helping us get this moving along.

[gumby]

Why doesn’t the industry focus on promoting consistent quality over promoting new trends? In other words, why doesn’t the industry spend more time on marketing great products instead of some new trend?

[gumby]

If the embargo ever ends do you think some manufacturers will make blends of cuban tobacco and other tobaccos? Or is there simply not enough Cuban tobacco to do that?

[gumby]

Why is it that Cuban cigars can age for years or decades and only get better while most other cigars go “flat” over time?

[TommyBB]

gumby, I added your questions, it will be nice to get Scott's ideas on these. But some of them, I don't know, don't seem suited to the retail association president, but to tobacco growers and cigar manufacturers.

I can answer one of those, I think many will welcome Cuban tobacco if they can get it. However, it is much more likely that tobacco is going TO Cuba. I cannot give details, but it has been rumored in the business, and a friend told me flat out he was present in meetings...I'll not go any farther as I do not have all the facts, and I do not wish to expose my friend, especially.

[gumby]

Well that is an interesting twist to say the least. Why habanos would dilute their brand with other tobaccos is fascinating. That would be like someone who conteols gold deciding to dilute it in an attempt to get more.
Very cool info tommy.

[TommyBB]

As you well know, in the past, before Altadis took over, especially, the Cubans had a hard time growing enough tobacco to meet demand.

I would purely love to see and try what Ernest Carrillo, Abe Flores, Don Pepin, A.J. Fernandez, Nick Perdomo, the Quesadas, Nestor Plasencia, Justo Eiroa, Christian Eiroa, and so many more, could blend with Cuban tobacco.