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Connecticut Crackdown, Boutique Brands & Big Industry Shifts
Andres Sanchez
May 28, 2025 • Estimated Reading Time: 9 minutes
This Weeks Newsletter Is Sponsored By:
Premium Members will be receiving a special email tomorrow from our partners at El Mago Cigars with an exclusive site-wide discount you won’t want to miss!
This week’s drops are as fresh as they come!La Aurora’s Fuerte Sol, JFR’s 20th Anniversary, and a new dream from Mayflower Cigars. In the news: Connecticut may ban online cigar sales, Gurkha adjusts pricing, and Best Cigar Prices completes a major merger.
We’re also spotlighting Dapper Cigar Co., a boutique standout doing California-born blends right.
And to our premium members keep an eye out tomorrow for a special email from our friends at El Mago Cigars. It’s a perk you won’t want to miss.
Looking to restock the humidor? We’ve pulled together some of the best smokes at unbeatable prices handpicked just for you. (Scroll down for more details on each stick)
La Fontana Michelangelo – 47% OFF
Punch Rare Corojo Magnum – 69% OFF
Gurkha Black Ops Habano – 50% OFF
Alec & Bradley Kintsugi – 36% OFF
Espinosa Comfortably Numb Vol. 4 – 37% OFF
🔥 These won’t last long grab your favorites while they’re still on the shelf.
News
This Week In The World Of Cigars
New Releases
Industry News
Brand Of The Week
Boutique Excellence, California-Born
Founded in 2013 by Ian Reith, Dapper Cigar Co. set out with a bold mission: to create cigars that not only look good but smoke even better. Born in Fresno, California, and produced in Nicaragua, Dapper blends are crafted with precision, character, and an eye for detail that rivals legacy brands. This is boutique done right no shortcuts, no compromises.
Flavor-First Philosophy
What sets Dapper apart is a relentless commitment to quality. Ian partners with top-tier factories like Nicaraguan American Cigars S.A. (NACSA) and AJ Fernandez, using premium tobaccos from renowned farms. Each cigar is balanced, bold, and designed to impress from first light to final inch.
Blends Worth Trying
🔥 El Borracho – A rich Nicaraguan blend with earthy spice, cocoa, and a bold finish.
🔥 La Madrina – Complex and full-bodied with notes of dried fruit, leather, and black pepper.
🔥 Desvalido – Smooth and flavorful with hints of almond, nougat, and warm spice that's subtle yet luxurious.
Dapper’s motto says it all: “Be Exceptional.” Light one up and see why they live up to it.
Discover More:
P.S. Want your cigar brand featured here in our Brand of The Week section? Email us at [email protected]
Weekly Interesting Cigar Facts
Cigar Bands Were Invented to Keep Gloves Clean
Ever wondered why cigars have those decorative bands wrapped around them? It wasn’t always for branding or style they were originally added to keep smokers’ gloves clean.
In 19th-century Europe, cigars were a popular luxury among the upper class, who often wore white gloves as part of formal attire. The natural oils and dyes in cigars could stain those gloves, so a band was added to create a barrier between the fingers and the wrapper.
While there’s some debate over who exactly invented the cigar band some credit Gustave Bock, a German cigar maker in Cuba the concept quickly caught on. Eventually, cigar bands evolved from being practical to an essential piece of cigar branding, with intricate logos, embossing, and collectible designs.
Today, cigar bands are as much a part of the experience as the cigar itself and some smokers even collect them like art.
🔥 Do you keep your cigar bands or toss them? Hit reply and let us know your ritual!
Weekly Cigar Deals
Steals Of The Week
La Fontana Michelangelo (Click Here To Buy 47% OFF)
The La Fontana Michelangelo is a mild to medium-bodied cigar handcrafted in Honduras. It features a Connecticut Shade wrapper, a Mexican binder, and Honduran fillers. This combination delivers a smooth, creamy flavor profile with notes of white chocolate and a subtle sweetness, making it an ideal choice for those seeking a mellow smoking experience.
Punch Rare Corojo Magnum (Click Here TO Buy 69% OFF)
The Punch Rare Corojo Magnum is a medium to full-bodied, box-pressed Robusto measuring 5.25" x 54. Handcrafted in Honduras, it features a reddish Ecuadorian Sumatra wrapper, a Connecticut Broadleaf binder, and a blend of Dominican, Honduran, and Nicaraguan fillers.
Gurkha Black Ops Habano (Click Here To Buy 50% OFF)
The Gurkha Black Ops Habano is a medium to full-bodied cigar handcrafted in Estelí, Nicaragua. It features a golden-brown Ecuadorian Habano wrapper encasing aged Nicaraguan long-fillers, delivering a bold and flavorful smoking experience.
Alec & Bradley Kintsugi (Click Here To Buy 36% OFF)
The Alec & Bradley Kintsugi is a medium-bodied cigar crafted by Alec and Bradley Rubin, sons of Alec Bradley founder Alan Rubin. Named after the Japanese art of repairing broken pottery with gold, the Kintsugi symbolizes unity and resilience.
Espinosa Comfortably Numb Vol. 4 (Click Here To Buy 37% OFF)
The Espinosa Comfortably Numb Vol. 4 is a medium to full-bodied cigar crafted in Nicaragua. It features a dark Mexican San Andrés Maduro wrapper, a Nicaraguan Habano binder, and Nicaraguan long-fillers.
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