As the 2014 International Pipe and Cigar Retailers Trade Show came to end on Wednesday, most involved felt relieved. It is definitely four long days and, of course, lots of cigars. I won’t miss having meeting after meeting but I will have to get used to not seeing all the great folks who work in our industry.

Dinner with Drew Estate on day four

We started day four off with a visit to Ernesto Perez-Carillo. Ernesto is an absolute legend and we are proud to have his products in our stores. Although we’ve only had his cigars in our stores for about seven months, they have performed beyond our expectations and we look forward to launching some of his new brands in the future.

Our next stop was at the Ashton booth. I’m not sure why we haven’t done business with them in the past, as they are a staple in the industry and one of the best-selling cigars in the country. We are proud to announce the addition of their Classic, VSG Series, Aroma de Cuba, and their Cabinet Series. It’s hard to describe just how well this addition enhances our humidors.

Enjoying an Ashton on day four

After Ashton we took the opportunity to speak with some other accounts we currently don’t do business with. House of Emilio, Nomad, Ezra Zion, Epicurean, Crowned Head, Casa Fernandez and Bugatti. We were extremely impressed with these brands but we just don’t have any more room left in our humidors. We will be adding the Casa Fernandez Miami to some of our South Florida stores. These cigars are hand rolled in Miami and are moderately priced.

Day four didn’t take very long and it was nice to end the last day early. Overall, it was a very productive week. We were able to see a lot of new items while getting to have fun with all of our friends in the industry. The cigar business is all about relationships and it is nice to see all of these different “competitors” hanging out together having a good time. Not a lot of industries can boast this type of cooperation, but in the end we are all fighting for the same cause:  To ensure that our guests receive quality products at an affordable price. And to also make sure that we aren’t regulated out of business. It was a truly amazing experience and if you want to be a part of something similar then go ahead and buy your tickets for the Big Smoke, which will be held in Las Vegas November 7^th thru the 9^th. It is an event that is open to everyone as long as you are willing to buy the ticket.

I hope you enjoyed our four part series on the IPCPR show. You can expect me to post many reviews in the future on new cigars we picked up at this event, but only after my palate recovers.

Long Ashes,

Chris Gwaltney, ABC Fine Wine & Spirits North Florida regional manager, Certified Tobacconist and Cicerone Beer Server

Follow me on Twitter @abccigarchris.