Puro Tobacco

The Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR) has floated tariffs of up to 100% on certain imports from Nicaragua and a possible suspension of CAFTA-DR preferences. Nicaragua’s premium-cigar ecosystem — anchored by Estelí, Jalapa, and Condega — and its network of smallholder farms would feel the first shockwaves. (Reuters coverage)

California has taken another bold and controversial step in tobacco regulation with the introduction of the Unflavored Tobacco List (UTL) — an official roster of tobacco products approved by the California Attorney General’s Office as “unflavored under the law.”

When I first encountered the world of premium cigars, I was immediately drawn to the craftsmanship and passion behind each stick. Among...