halfwheel

halfwheel the industry's cigar blog. halfwheel.com launched Jan. 1, 2012. From the first day, we made it clear halfwheel was going to be a different kind of cigar blog.

Its content includes the archives of TheCigarFeed.com and SmokingStogie.com, sites perviously published by co-founders Charlie Minato and Brooks Whittington. It combined the obsessive industry news coverage of TheCigarFeed and the in-depth reviews of SmokingStogie into a singular place for those passionate about ci**rs. In addition, Patrick Lagreid, formerly of Cigar Snob and Examiner.com, and Bri

an Burt, formerly of Stogie N Brews, joined halfwheel around its launch rounding out the halfwheel staff. This is not a fly-by-night operation (we have an office), this is not a hobby (some of us do this full-time), this is not our first time (we have worked for newspapers, radio stations, magazines and more) and this is not just another cigar blog. We cover the industry—as a whole. From the smallest and newest cigar companies, to the largest and most established. We report on new products, major personnel changes, legal challenges and trends within the industry. On the legislative side, we take the same approach covering tobacco-related legislation changes in the U.S. from the municipal to the federal level in addition to major international changes. Our reviews feature more than just a score—there's history, context and our noted photography—headed up by Brooks Whittington, a professional photographer with more than two decades of experience. If you only read one thing about ci**rs, we hope it's halfwheel.

Louisiana’s Cigar Tax Cap Takes Effect **rs
01/01/2026

Louisiana’s Cigar Tax Cap Takes Effect **rs

The new year will mean lower prices for most handmade ci**rs sold in the state of Louisiana. Here's to hoping the tax cap gets extended beyond 2027.

Ten Questions for 2026 **rs
01/01/2026

Ten Questions for 2026 **rs

Fun fact: one of these columns is Brooks' AOL password.

California Publishes First UTL **rs
12/31/2025

California Publishes First UTL **rs

The first UTL includes more than 6,200 products, around 70 percent of which are ci**rs. Starting Jan. 1, any product that is not on the UTL will not be legal to sell to consumers in California.

OpusX Templo de Oro Arrives at Stores **rs
12/31/2025

OpusX Templo de Oro Arrives at Stores **rs

For the past month, Carlito Fuente has been teasing the new Templo de Oro. Just before 2025 comes to a close, Arturo Fuente is shipping it to stores.

Scrim by HutcH Celebrates U.S. Semiquincentennial with Limited Edition Cutter **rs
12/31/2025

Scrim by HutcH Celebrates U.S. Semiquincentennial with Limited Edition Cutter **rs

The U.S. turns 250 in 2026, and Scrim by HutcH is releasing a limited edition cutter in celebration of the anniversary. Customers can add several touches to personalize each cutter, from red and blue lettering and stars to a choice of protective pouches.

League of Fat Bastards Launches Non-Alcoholic Beer Line **rs
12/31/2025

League of Fat Bastards Launches Non-Alcoholic Beer Line **rs

League of Fat Bastards hopes to help cigar smokers make healthier choices in 2026 with the launch of two non-alcoholic beers. The company is debuting the line with a pilsner and a hazy IPA, both of which are brewed in Florida using German hops specialy designed to create beer without alcohol.

Miami Cigar & Co. Raising Prices for 2026 **rs
12/31/2025

Miami Cigar & Co. Raising Prices for 2026 **rs

While Miami is one of the first cigar companies to announce a 2026 price increase, it won't take effect until February. The company says most of its SKUs will increase by an average of around 3 percent.

Graded: Ten Questions for 2025 **rs
12/30/2025

Graded: Ten Questions for 2025 **rs

At the end of every year, Charlie Minato makes predictions about topics that he thinks will be important to the cigar industry in the coming year. I then get to grade his predicitions and see just how prescient he was.

Appeal Filed in California UTL Lawsuit, Emergency Restraining Order Sought **rs
12/30/2025

Appeal Filed in California UTL Lawsuit, Emergency Restraining Order Sought **rs

Breaking News: my SCRIBD account has had enough of your UTL lawsuits.

Readers’ Choice Awards 2025: Final Voting Open **rs
12/29/2025

Readers’ Choice Awards 2025: Final Voting Open **rs

There are six ci**rs that received enough nominations to be finalists. Now it's time for you to pick your favorite of the bunch.

Paul Garmirian 25th Anniversary Belicoso **rs
12/29/2025

Paul Garmirian 25th Anniversary Belicoso **rs

The 25th anniversary of the Paul Garmirian brand dates back to 2015, when the Virginia-based cigar maker, retailer and author. Just shy of the company's 35th anniversary, the company once again celebrated a quarter of a century with a new limited edition size.

Weekly News (Dec. 29, 2025) **rs
12/29/2025

Weekly News (Dec. 29, 2025) **rs

The news, reviews and more from the past week.

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