Last night I went to two cigar events, and they were so contrasting I felt inclined to revise our concept of what a cigar event is supposed to be. When is a tasting not a tasting? It seems these days we need to watch for semantics before we head on to a cigar event. It used to be pretty much a given that all cigar events were consistently modeled around one formula: a) Provide a free cigar to all participants, b) Provide raffle tickets for prizes, c) Provide special discounts, and d) Provide some sort of snacks/beverages. This is a tried and true formula that never fails to bring customers in, as everyone who has been to Edward's in Tampa or Cigar Castle in Temple Terrace, to name just a few, can attest. But recently a new trend has started to infiltrate cigar events, alarming cigar aficionados everywhere. It’s the “Buy 3 of my cigars, I’ll give you one free” model, and we wonder: Is this the shape of the things to come? Are the days of the free cigar tasting coming to an end? I sure hope not and we encourage all our members to share how they feel about this new trend and where it is going. Get the word out!

January came and went and February comes in with a General Cigars marathon to introduce cigar aficionados to the best Hoyo yet, going back to the tradicional ways to take us on a trip to another time and place, the days when you knew if it was a good cigar, it was a Cuban cigar. According to Cigar.com, "Hoyo de Tradicion captures many of the flavors that first made this time honored brand famous." If you get a chance to stop by one of the Hoyo events this week shoot me an email later and tell me what you thought of it.

The honor of hosting the first cigar tasting events of 2008 went to Cigar Castle in Temple Terrace and Gaspar's Cigar Shop in Tampa. Keith Hager and the Caliente Girls were on hand making sure everyone was enjoying the Rocky Patel cigars chosen for the evening at Gaspar's; my sources at Cigar City magazine tell me it was a complete success. Congrats! Cigar Castle, on the other hand, was counting on the appearance of Miss Oliveros but, as luck would have it, she was supposed to be coming from Orlando, and since I-4 was a no-go, she never made it. Nevertheless, we got to sample a very nice cigar from Oliveros, so all was not lost. Nothing on the horizon for this week, though.

As we fast approach the end of yet another exciting year, let's take the time to count our blessings and review the hightlights of the year: the cigar tax roller coaster comes to mind; thanks to the effort of all cigar aficionados (and President Bush's veto) we came out on top, but we must continue the fight until a reasonable proposal is put through because this is not over yet. On the local front, we have seen new cigar shops prospering and perennial favorites continuing to do well, new cigar blends and new brands have successfully entered the market, and a plethora of cigar tasting events in the area provided a full calendar for all of us. The Tampa Cigar Heritage and the Thompson's Cigar Artisans events offered an opportunity to meet and greet many major players in the cigar industry and taste a variety of cigars from the local factories. All in all, a very good year!

Here we are, on the countdown to Turkey Day, where we get to express our thanks for all the great cigars we got to enjoy throughout the year, as well as all the other blessings bestowed upon us this year. Lots of excellent events in October and November, especially the Camacho event in Valrico, since it coincided with my birthday, and the Tampa Cigar Heritage Festival, which is always at the top of my list. Now we get to the last stretch for this year and it's time to rejoice with your family. Happy Thanksgiving!