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  • PCA Expands into Asia with Cigraal Partnership

    PCA Expands into Asia with Cigraal Partnership

    The Premium Cigar Association (PCA) announced a strategic partnership with Cigraal to expand its presence in Asia, aiming to support growth and professionalization of the premium cigar sector across key markets, the organization said in a press release. The collaboration will focus on education, regulatory advocacy, and industry engagement in the Asia-Pacific region, the Middle East, and Africa.

    The initiative will launch with PCA Connect Asia, a multi-city program scheduled for November 30 to December 6, featuring training workshops, certification programs and industry events in Hong Kong and Macau. The program will bring together retailers, hospitality operators and industry stakeholders through structured education and networking activities.

    PCA said the partnership reflects growing demand for premium cigars in Asia and the need for stronger industry frameworks to support that expansion. Cigraal, which operates across distribution, retail and brand development, will provide regional expertise to support the rollout of the program.

  • PCA Honors Industry Leaders with 2026 Step Up Awards

    PCA Honors Industry Leaders with 2026 Step Up Awards

    The Premium Cigar Association (PCA) recognized a group of industry and policy leaders at its 2026 Trade Show in New Orleans, presenting its annual Step Up Awards for advocacy and leadership. Honorees included retailers, manufacturers, and policymakers such as Rocky Patel, Drew Estate’s Glenn Wolfson, and Louisiana Governor Jeff Landry, alongside local advocates credited with advancing cigar-friendly legislation and opposing tax increases.

    The awards highlight efforts across multiple states, including successful lobbying for cigar bar exemptions, tax caps, and the formation of new industry associations. PCA said the recipients reflect the growing importance of coordinated advocacy at local, state, and national levels as the premium cigar sector navigates evolving regulatory pressures.

  • Judge Issues Final Ruling on Decade-Long ‘Premium Cigar’ Definition

    Judge Issues Final Ruling on Decade-Long ‘Premium Cigar’ Definition

    A U.S. federal court in Washington, D.C., issued what is said was “hopefully” a final ruling, vacating the FDA’s 2016 Deeming Rule as it applies to premium cigars, marking the conclusion of a decade-long legal battle over the agency’s authority. Judge Amit P. Mehta reaffirmed that premium cigars — defined by criteria such as being handmade, composed of natural tobacco, and free from characterizing flavors — should be treated as a distinct category and excluded from the broader regulatory framework applied to other tobacco products. The decision follows earlier rulings in 2023 and subsequent appellate review, which required the court to revisit and finalize the definition of “premium cigars.”

    The court ultimately upheld its original eight-point definition, rejecting industry proposals to loosen certain requirements and agreeing with the FDA that any refinements should be addressed through formal rulemaking rather than judicial changes. The ruling provides regulatory clarity and removes premium cigars from key FDA oversight requirements, while leaving open the possibility of future changes through the agency’s policymaking process.

    Industry groups welcomed the outcome as a major victory. The Cigar Rights of America (CRA) said the ruling confirms long-standing arguments that premium cigars differ fundamentally from mass-market tobacco products, with Executive Director Mike Copperman calling it “long-overdue clarity” after years of advocacy. Similarly, the Premium Cigar Association (PCA) said the decision brings needed certainty for manufacturers, retailers, and consumers, with CEO Joshua Habursky emphasizing that the outcome recognizes premium cigars as a distinct category warranting separate regulatory treatment.

    The Cigar Association of America (CAA), which previously opposed parts of the ruling not because it disagreed with the exemption itself but because it sought a broader and more flexible definition of what qualifies as a “premium cigar,” did not return a request for comment.

  • PCA Acquires The Cigar Academy

    PCA Acquires The Cigar Academy

    The Premium Cigar Association announced that it has acquired The Cigar Academy from Oliva Cigars, positioning the platform as the industry’s central education and certification hub for premium cigars. Created to preserve artisanal knowledge and heritage, the Academy will now operate as a PCA-controlled unit, offering scalable global training for retailers, manufacturers, duty-free, and hospitality partners, with a growing base of certified professionals.

    PCA CEO Joshua Habursky said the move expands the association’s role beyond advocacy into professional development, while Oliva CEO Cory Bappert welcomed the transition as a natural next step for the program’s growth. Planned expansions include a retailer-focused curriculum, in-person training at farms and factories in the U.S. and major producing countries, and an online Luxury Hospitality Executive Education Program in collaboration with Florida International University.

  • Davidoff Expands Line with Zino Honduras

    Davidoff Expands Line with Zino Honduras

    Oettinger Davidoff Group is advancing the evolution of its gateway cigar brand with the launch of Zino Honduras, a new blend positioned to offer a more robust and layered flavor profile while maintaining the approachable philosophy established with Zino Nicaragua. The release signals a strategic step in broadening the Zino portfolio within the company’s premium cigar range, the company said.

    According to Javier González, SVP Head Global Marketing & Innovation, the new line responds to growing demand for more intense cigars while introducing innovative packaging formats, including tins, packs, and fresh packs with pre-cut cigars — a first for the Zino brand. Zino Honduras will be offered in three vitolas: Half Corona (4 x 44), Robusto (5 x 54), and Toro (6 x 50).

    Retailers will get an early preview at the Premium Cigar Association Trade Show in New Orleans from April 17–20, where the company will showcase how the Zino range is expanding from an entry point into a broader, laddered portfolio designed to deepen consumer engagement in the premium cigar category.

  • PCA Announces Cigar Business Program in Nicaragua

    PCA Announces Cigar Business Program in Nicaragua

    The Premium Cigar Association, in partnership with Keiser University Latin American Campus and the Cámara Nicaragüense de Tabacaleros, launched a certified executive education program, “The Business of Premium Cigars: Strategy, Operations, Branding, and Experiences That Build Legacy,” aimed at strengthening leadership and strategic knowledge in the global premium cigar industry. Introduced at a luncheon in Estelí, Nicaragua, the program will feature instruction from renowned cigar makers, founders, and industry leaders over four full-day sessions in June 2026, totaling 32 hours of in-person training at Keiser University’s Managua campus.

    Designed for owners, executives, managers, entrepreneurs, and cigar enthusiasts, the curriculum covers strategy, operations, branding, finance, and international trade, providing participants with hands-on insights into building, positioning, and growing premium cigar enterprises while preserving the industry’s heritage and global legacy.

  • PCA and ProCigar Partner

    PCA and ProCigar Partner

    The Premium Cigar Association (PCA) and ProCigar announced a partnership agreement aimed at strengthening global collaboration within the premium cigar industry. The alliance will focus on supporting retailers, promoting premium cigar culture, expanding education initiatives across the supply chain, and enhancing international industry engagement between the U.S., the Dominican Republic, and other markets. As part of the partnership, ProCigar will return to exhibit at the PCA Trade Show, while a PCA delegation will attend the ProCigar Festival, reflecting efforts to deepen industry ties and jointly support promotional and educational programs.

  • PCA and Partners With Honduran Cigar Festival

    PCA and Partners With Honduran Cigar Festival

    The Premium Cigar Association (PCA) announced a partnership with Honduras’ Festival del Puro y el Café, an annual event in Danlí, El Paraíso, a key hub for Honduran tobacco production. The agreement aims to expand international collaboration, increase visibility for PCA members and festival stakeholders, and strengthen engagement between retailers, manufacturers, and enthusiasts. The festival, launched in 2021, celebrates Honduras’ premium cigar and specialty coffee industries and has quickly grown into a major industry event.

    Under the partnership, PCA will support festival branding and member awareness, while festival organizers will provide registration opportunities for PCA staff. PCA CEO Joshua Habursky said the agreement expands the association’s international partnerships following similar collaborations in Nicaragua and the Dominican Republic, reflecting Honduras’ growing influence in the global premium cigar sector.

  • PCA Announces New Board

    PCA Announces New Board

    The Premium Cigar Association announced the results of its latest Board of Directors election, with Brandon Hayes of Renegade Cigars in Dallas, Paul Copeland of Shore Thing Cigars (Florida and Alabama), and Michael Frey of the CigarBox in Las Vegas, elected to new three-year terms. Teresa Wessling of Georgetown (D.C.) Tobacco and Christian Eiroa of C.L.E. Cigars were re-elected to additional terms. The newly elected directors will be formally approved by the association’s membership on April 16 at the PCA 2026 trade show in New Orleans.

    PCA leadership said the association recorded its strongest membership, attendance, and revenue growth in a decade in 2025 and noted increased participation in this year’s board election.

  • Calif. Court Denies Injunction for Cigar Companies in UTL Suit

    Calif. Court Denies Injunction for Cigar Companies in UTL Suit

    A Los Angeles County Superior Court judge denied a request by premium cigar manufacturers and trade groups to block enforcement of California’s Unflavored Tobacco List (UTL) requirements. On Monday, January 12, Judge Cherol J. Nellon rejected the plaintiffs’ motion for a preliminary injunction in Rocky Patel Premium Cigars Inc. et al. v. Bonta, a state court case challenging emergency regulations tied to Assembly Bill 3218. The lawsuit was brought by Rocky Patel Premium Cigars, Cigar Rights of America, the Premium Cigar Association, and six other cigar manufacturers.

    The plaintiffs argued that the regulations impose duplicative and burdensome SKU-by-SKU submissions on premium cigars that they contend are already unflavored under federal law. Judge Nellon found the plaintiffs were unlikely to succeed on the merits and failed to show irreparable harm.

    The case stems from California’s creation of the UTL to enforce the state’s 2020 ban on most flavored tobacco products, requiring tobacco items to be approved for sale in the state. Plaintiffs sought to exempt “premium cigars” from the UTL, relying on a federal definition developed through FDA litigation, but the court held that the regulations lawfully apply to all tobacco products subject to the statute and do not exceed the attorney general’s authority. Nellon noted that the legislature chose a different approach to defining premium cigars and that the UTL rules are reasonably aimed at distinguishing unflavored products from prohibited flavored ones. This state ruling follows similar denials of relief in related proceedings and is separate from a parallel federal lawsuit involving the same parties and law but different legal claims.