Weekly news week 10 2020. We started the week with a list of 7 boutique brands that unfortunately didn’t make it, or lost much of their shine. Or course, as if it’s messing with faith, one of the brands mentioned hired a new Director of Sales a day later. Todd Vance is joining Padilla Cigars in that role. And we published episode six of Soil to Soul. 

Reviews and CSWC

This week we reviewed two cigars, as usual. One German cigar made in the Dominican Republic, Raughvergnugen. The other is the Gurkha Treinta made in Nicaragua at the renowned TABSA factory. And the Malaysian partner for the Cigar Smoking World Championship announced that the qualifier in Kuala Lumpur takes place after all. Earlier, Marko Bilic and his team decided to cancel all the Asian qualifiers due to the coronavirus. Yet, with a local jury, the event in Malaysia will take place. The date is yet to be announced.

Casdagli, Cubacigar and more

Jeremy Casdagli of Casdagli Cigars revealed a project he’s been working on. The Casdagly Cypher, which is a tribute to his grandfather. As a prisoner of war during the Second World War, he started to do needlework. But in the art he made, he hid messages. Messages that said ‘f%#$ Hitler” and ‘God save the king’. The Germans were impressed by the needlework but missed the hidden messages. They even showcased the pieces that Major Alexis Casdagli made. Cubacigar Benelux, the Habanos distributor for Belgium, The Netherlands, and Luxembourg is going through some personnel changes. Long time Managing Director Tony Hoevenaars accepted a promotion to Switzerland. His role is taken over by Rodrigo Crespo and Nestor Valeira. The last one has been the director in charge of the global La Casa del Habano franchise for years.

Germany will be seeing another limited edition from La Familia Cigars. It’s the third annual limited edition release. The Swiss brand Gilbert de Montsalvat has been introduced in the United Kingdom last November. But this month, brand owner Raymondo Bernasconi will be in the country for two events. Tatuaje is releasing a new size in the Tatuaje Black Label series, a Petite Corona.