The CRA Defending Your Rights to Enjoy Cigars, Freely

                
        

As cigar aficionados, we are very much aware of the federal and local regulations that affect our ability to enjoy premium cigars. While these infringements on our rights to smoke are bothersome, we abide by these regulations. But we need to actively protect what few smoking rights we have left. However, we cannot do it alone.   

Luckily, there are organizations that are actively involved in preserving our rights. You might be aware of some of them such as the Cigar Association of America (CAA), the Premium Cigar Association (PCA) and the Cigar Rights of America (CRA).  

In fact, for the last seven years, these three organizations (along with premium cigar manufacturers, distributors, and retailers) fought the U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA) in court to have a heavily restrictive regulation vacated. In short, the FDA no longer has authority to regulate premium cigars. You can read the whole ruling here Cigar Association of America et al. v. United States Food and Drug Administration et al .

The CRA was one of the organizations involved in the outcome of this ruling. According to their mission statement, the CRA is “dedicated to protecting the rights of premium cigar consumers, growers, manufacturers, and retailers. The threats to enjoying, producing, and selling fine cigars are real.” The CRA has over five million members and represents all 50 states. Since their founding in 2008, the organization has been able to stop more than 100 pieces of legislation. Membership is open to all involved in the cigar industry, as well as cigar enthusiasts.
  
As a way of thanking cigar aficionados for their support, the CRA, and in collaboration with some of the top cigar crafters in the industry, has released a specially curated, limited-edition sampler. The CRA 2023 Summer Freedom Pack contains ten premium cigars. Each sealed-for-freshness sampler contains one (1) each: 
  1. Fuente Fuente Opus X The Lost City Toro – Features an oily Dominican wrapper draping an aged Dominican filler and binder. This sought-after cigar offers a bold balance flavor profile with notes of coffee and touches of pepper and an ultra-creamy finish.
      
  2. La Flor Dominicana Salomones – This expertly crafted cigar features homegrown tobacco from La Canela in the Dominican Republic and a gorgeous ebony Nicaraguan wrapper. A bold and complex smoke that exudes delicious notes of black cherry, cocoa, and spice. 

  3. Ashton Symmetry Sublime – Its smooth, oily Dominican Republic wrapper cloaks a carefully aged Dominican filler and binder. When lit, the Symmetry offers a bold and balanced smoking experience with notes of coffee, hints of spice and a floral and creamy finish.
       
  4. Diamond Crown Black Diamond Emerald – A savory, dark, oily Connecticut Broadleaf maduro wrapper (aged for 8 years) covers an estate-grown Dominican binder and long-filler leaves. This medium-bodied smoke offers flavorful notes of coffee, nuts, leather, cream, and bittersweet chocolate.
      
  5. My Father Garcia & Garcia Robusto Deluxe – Composed of a Nicaraguan binder and a filler that includes rare Pelo de Oro leaves encased by an Ecuadorian Habano Rosado wrapper. This flavor-packed, full-bodied robusto deals out creamy, earthy, spicy and sweetness notes.
      
  6. Oliva Serie V 8 x 52 – A Nicaraguan puro with a lush Sun-grown wrapper stuffed with long-filler leaves, which includes Jalapa Valley ligero leaves for strength. Rich in complexity this delicious giant offers a balanced smoking indulgence with notes of dark chocolate, coffee, and spice. 

  7. Oliva Serie V 135th Anniversary Edicion Limitada - This celebratory cigar features a smooth Ecuadorian Sumatra-seed wrapper placed over a binder and filler made of premium Nicaraguan tobacco. Upon lighting, this bold perfecto offers notes of leather, sweetness, caramel, wood, and a deep espresso finish.

  8. Padron Black No. 52 – A full-bodied smoke that was created based on a blend developed to celebrate legendary cigar crafter Jose O. Padron’s 89th birthday, and it is only available through this CRA Freedom Sampler. This balanced and complex cigar uses tobacco that has been aged for five years.
     
  9. Rocky Patel White Label Toro – A golden-hued Connecticut Shade wrapper sheaths a Nicaraguan binder and a long-filler leaves from Nicaragua and Honduras. Both the binder and filler leaves have been aged for 10 years. When lit, this carefully aged toro offers notes of leather, cocoa, cream, and hints of spice. 

  10. Tatuaje 15th Anniversary Plus One Escasos – A Nicaraguan puro made of tobacco grown in the Garcia family’s farms is cloaked by a smooth, shade-grown Corojo wrapper. This celebratory cigar offers a flavorful medium to full-strength smoking experience.  
The cigars come in a sealed-for-freshness humidor bag with Boveda 2-way humidity control. 
 
Each sampler also includes a complimentary 1-year individual membership to help the Cigar Rights of America fight for your right to enjoy cigars!  

Published on September 1, 2023