Steam Whistle Founder Launches Cigar Brand

Would you be so glowing about the launch of a new cigarette?

Free publicity? Why celebrate a cancer-causing cause?

I highly doubt it was the "it" party of the year: sounds more like a typical "provincial affair." Tacky, corporate, boring.

A smoker's only crowd?

this is blatant promotion masquerading as an article.

Am I ever reminded of Joe Clark's Wheels Ethics article.

Would I be correct in assuming this cigar advertisement was purchased through free tickets to said soiree?

Cigars, roast pig, military jeeps and mojitos? Sounds like the commies who cry, "cancer" and label it corporate boring might have been in socialist heaven.

Unfortunately that was not the case as an attendee I had a blast. Fortunately life is not always politically correct and while easy to wary your drab olive rags and point at other and say, "that's wrong" it doesn't make you correct.

Good luck to Markus and Cam on their new venture and for the record everyone I've spoken to had a great time and at the time of writing this, not one has been diagnosed with cancer.

The finale came when the launch began? Um, what?

...also, that last sentence is missing a few words and the URL is that of a completely different organization.

"Commies"?

And you're defending smoking?

Man you just can't let go of the 80's can you!

Did you catch the George Michael concert? I bet you did.

How the fuck do new cigars being sold translate into not only a blogTO article-ad, but one that goes in the Eat and Drink section? Had this gone in the enviro section I'd have had a good chuckle.

Also, there's nothing non-traditional about throwing a themed party with free booze and nosh for a product launch, no matter what the email from PR might have said.

I love Blog TO and Steamwhistle but I think it is time to draw the line on these type of stories. This article reads like a teenage girl's diary who went to see the Backstreet Boys and got backstage. Please have some journalistic integrity and don't go into the pocket of a beer company who is launching a line of cigars. This is a launch party for Christ's sake! No need to give Steamwhistle a BJ because they gave you free booze and food.

Despite the flagrant promotion disguised as a legitimate post (as if that never happens around here), can we at least admit that it's pretty cool that the owners of a small, local brewery have become successful (or crazy) enough to be able to introduce a Canadian-made cigar into the market?

I don't think I will buy steamwhistle anymore.

Gregor, calling those who don't agree with you "commies" only serves to discredit your opinion.

Cigars excite me. They remind me of tanned men in Euro-style linen suits conjuring up business deals. When asked to attend the launch for Mombacho Cigars, my immediate response was Yes! Yes! Yes!

Publisher's Note: Many of the comments and criticisms posted above are fair and have been discussed with the author of this post.

In all fairness, I accept the above comments. I like cigars and it's natural to see the controversy this post raised.

One might argue that news and blogs shouldn't hop in the pockets of companies and report on the iPhone launch either, since the device has the potential to permanently bend your neck and affect your personal relationships when you give it more attention than your dinner date ;)

Darlene: "Canadian-made cigar"? They're made in Granada (that's with a "Gr" not a "C"!) which is in Nicaragua.

BlogTO: I'm a small local businessman who is launching a new company to sell chinese-made guns to Dafur. We're having a launch party with Mohitos, wanna cover it?

Personally this world wide web thingy is all about freedom of opinions and expression, there are lots of things in blogs and on the world wide web written that I don't agree with.

Then again, I like: cigars, tanned men in euro designed suits, and oversized hats, oversized hats are funny!

Jerrold makes a good point, the line is vague.

Why does the iPhone get all of the coverage that it does? There was a lot of coverage on the tech sites when the new blackberry came out, but none here, and that's a (much more) local product. Could it be dictated by reader interest?

I'm a reader, and i'm interested in cigars (freud go home) and Toronto, but the connection here is tenuous, so this falls on the faaaar outer perimeter of relevance to me (and way out of my price range). As for those who cite ethics concerns re smoking, I hope you apply the same principle to other posts, especially pub reviews.

Guy: Alcohol consumed in pubs doesn't necessarily cause things like cancer and death. People can drink in moderation and be perfectly fine. Unfortunately, you cannot smoke in moderation - there is no safe limit on breathing in toxic fumes.

Personally, I dislike cigars and cigarette smoke in general - I can't understand why people enjoy it, but it's a valid thing. I am disappointed that Steamwhistle is getting involved in such a business.

I don't feel like this is blatant advertising - it's an event that was covered and involved unveiling a new product.

As for the iPhone coverage, that's different on a number of levels:

iPhones don't cause cancer (at least according to Health Canada and... errr... well... we don't know for sure yet).
iPhones were on the minds of a lot of people, it was a highly anticipated event.
Their phone plans were the source of a lot of controversy.
It got people talking about how badly Canadian consumers are being abused by telecoms.
etc., etc., etc.

(And fetishizing the feel of a military junta with jeeps and fatigues just seems tacky)

I don't mean to engage in the sort of subterfuge cig companies are involved in, but my point is that smoking a cigar a few times a year isn't likely to kill you, same as having a few drinks at a bar. But doing either in excess will likely harm you, and that's arguably more true for alcohol than cigars. Taking a zero-tolerance approach to one necessitates the same approach to the other, no?

It wasn't the product (cigars) that offended me, but rather the "provincial" nature of the post: bragging about some small businessman's launch. I'm certain he's a big hit amongst the local art scenesters--steam whistle is a popular choice at art openings. (Free plug for a friend is what I suspect: that is wrong.) iirc, lisa mostly posts art reviews--so hence my suspicion.

Hey Jason, don't blow this out of proportion or anything. Just because the author is a shameless communist and sell-out doesn't quite make this equal to supporting a genocide. Close, but not quite.

Hi David, it's true I do write art reviews however I don't know Heaps.

I don't believe Lisa should be hung out to dry because admittedly "cigars excite her!" enough to cover the event!
Bravo to Lisa for stepping out and covering an event a little out of the norm for her. Her writing is informative and fun so loosen up people...she's just covering an event, not extolling the virues of the product!

I agree with Darlene - It's encouraging to hear of local business people taking risk on domestic product AND having success in building & expanding niche local businesses.

Fact: breathing in toxins (cigarette and cigar smoke, gasoline fumes from SUVs, reactionary propaganda) has been known to cause cancer.

Fact: people like smoking, and despite the changing political climate, some still see it as 'elegant' - particularly with cigars, which look, taste and feel profoundly different than cigarettes. A few bylaws aren't going to change this.

Despite the obvious 'you scratch my back, I'll swaddle yours' arrangement Mombacho has forged with BlogTO, the content of this post is relevant to many of us who are interested in what's going on in our city. And those attacking Steam Whistle - a specialty brewery whose established clientele consists mostly of hip, young, well-heeled beer drinkers - for creating a cigar line that quite obviously is targeting hip, young, well-heeled types who drink specialty beers, need to give their heads a shake.

Howdy folks. Just want to clear up a bit of misunderstanding that some of you seem to have. There is no connection between Steam Whistle and Mombacho. Cam Heaps' involvement in Mombacho is strictly as an individual, not as a representative of SW. Any appearance of both products at events around town merely indicates that the event planners have good taste. Also, no one affiliated with Mombacho knows anyone at blogTO. The launch party was suggested to blogTO by myself as an event of potential interest through their 'Send us a news tip' section.

Ummm Steam Whistle Cigars.

Bitter and foul tasting, just like you like it!

Heyyyyy Steam Whistle is by no means foul tasting! Cigars on the other hand...

As for seeing Mombacho products at events, I almost certainly hope they won't be smoked (one reason being that it's illegal in an indoor space and second, if outdoor, the smell probably won't be appealing for me). Steam Whistle's fine though, I'll take a case of that any day. :)

Glad to hear that Steam Whistle isn't officially part of Mombacho...

I don't smoke cigars, but I think since it's Steam Whistle, the topic is relevant to the website.

Interestingly, if this was a paid advertisement a law would have been broken. Since 2003 tobacco ads have been strictly banned by Canada and tobacco company's are no longer allowed to sponsor corporate events with their name on it.

Additionally, I wonder if this qualifies as promotion under the Canadian Tobacco Act which states that the promotion of a product is illegal (and given that Ontario bans the display of tobacco products in stores this may be true at the provincial level...)

Indeed, the law states
18. (1) In this Part, "promotion" means a representation about a product or service by any means, whether directly or indirectly, including any communication of information about a product or service and its price and distribution, that is likely to influence and shape attitudes, beliefs and behaviours about the product or service.

Application

(2) This Part does not apply to
(c) a promotion by a tobacco grower or a manufacturer that is directed at tobacco growers, manufacturers, persons who distribute tobacco products or retailers but not, either directly or indirectly, at consumers. (my emphasis - looks like this event was directed at consumers)

Prohibition

19. No person shall promote a tobacco product or a tobacco product-related brand element except as authorized by this Act or the regulations.

False promotion

20. No person shall promote a tobacco product by any means, including by means of the packaging, that are false, misleading or deceptive or that are likely to create an erroneous impression about the characteristics, health effects or health hazards of the tobacco product or its emissions.

Testimonials or endorsements

21. (1) No person shall promote a tobacco product by means of a testimonial or an endorsement, however displayed or communicated. (this may be allowable in this instance due to the following section)

Exception

(2) Subject to the regulations, a person may advertise a tobacco product by means of information advertising or brand-preference advertising that is in

(a) a publication that is provided by mail and addressed to an adult who is identified by name;

(b) a publication that has an adult readership of not less than eighty-five per cent; or

(c) signs in a place where young persons are not permitted by law.

So I wonder where exactly this event fits in with respect to the law...

I'm not sure what the commotion here is about, nothing illegal took place, everyone there was a consenting adult, those not consenting were free to take the ferry home. Any smoking took place outside in a large area so if bothered by the smoking they could easily move up wind.

What difference does it make who owns the place and what else they may or may not have in their portfolio? Fact remains that a couple of Torontonians have set forth and created a new business in our city, this fact should be celebrated as stated in the review. You may or may not agree with their choice of business but last time I checked they weren't forcing their product on you.

I see nothing wrong with the review from a structure point of view. If Ms. Blackburn had dined at a restaurant and provided the same information (background on the food, chef, location, web link and price point) would all you nay-Sayers still be here? You may not agree with her choice of topic to cover but as far as I'm concerned all opinions are welcome here on this blog, not just yours.

The fact remains that you may or may not agree with the coverage of a cigar launch; this is your choice but remember no one forced you to read this blog and you could have viewed something more relative to you. Others may have enjoyed hearing about it, they're not wrong for their beliefs just as you are entitle to enjoy what you enjoy. The author seems to have enjoyed herself at a party, I was there, it was a good party even if you didn't smoke a cigar. If the author didn't enjoy herself and didn't like the product what would be her downside to saying so in her article? Perhaps she wouldn't be invited to the next one, I'm not sure that she would be willing to sell her integrity for a party invite?

I think its borderline slanderous to say that she provide this review to get into a party and if you feel that this is strongly the case then perhaps you should attend the next one and write the review that you see fit. Don't just sit there in your glass house of anonymity and throw stones at someone who had the guts to write what she felt to be true and attach her name to it.

As for the "commie" statement, it fit with the theme of the night; the roast pig, mojitos, cigars and vintage army transport. It might be too subtle for those of you who have yet to venture out of the gates of their Sunquest Resort.

Having recently moved to Toronto via the U.S., and having been fortunate enough to find my way to this event, I am a tad bit confused on many of the criticisms above.

I am quite fond of the originality, passion and hard work the successful young men of Steamwhistle & Mombacho put back into their work, and share with others. I completely respect the opinions of non-smokers, and their cause to stop polluting others lungs with our toxic exhaling, which is why I appreciate the laws here regarding no-smoking within bars, pubs, etc., which we do not have in the States. What I fail to understand is the criticism of a "cigar launch party"- those who decided to come were fully aware of what their lungs were in for, and the consequences they may bear. Not into cigars? Cigarettes? Smoking??? Fair enough- don't come, and certainly do not criticize. I surely do not have the time to comment or care about your non-smoking activities or events, whatever they may be. Yawn. Cough.

I love this city, and everything it has offered me thus far. This night was without doubt tops on my list. I share the enthusiasm of the author. Cheers, and puffs to you.

These comments are ridiculous. Smoking, in many cultures, has been a tradition for thousands of years. Mombacho never forced anyone to come, nor smoke their products. I'm a non-smoker and throughly enjoyed the event.

For all the haters our there... based on your comments I presume you would have prohibition re-instated as well.

Grow up.

Wow! I'm gone for 2 years and a smug minority of Torontonians still get their collective undies in a knot over a marketing party. Get a life all-a-yas! If this were a fund raiser for Marc Emery & legalization of the green temptress 'WEED', you'd all be singing a different tune.

Here are some facts:

1) yerawlfawked
2) see #1
3) moderation is the best practice when consuming anything that's heavily taxed, is made with ingredients you can't buy at Loblaws, lasts more than 3 days w/o refrigeration after being opened or has a section in the Criminal Code
4) the article was fair
5) it needs more photos! i heard the party was a blast!