In today's news we have several new topics to report. Keep reading to find out about a brand's founder that passed, some pricy Cohibas that hit the shelves in Canada, how taxes have impacted the state of Utah, and a new cigar to look out for.

Jean Clement passes away

Jean Clement, creator of the Juan Clemente cigar brand, passed away earlier this month in New Orleans, Louisiana, at the age of 81. Clement was in town to attend the annual International Premium Cigar & Pipe Retailers show. Clement's death apparently took place as he rested in his hotel room, and it was confirmed by representatives of Procigar, an association of Dominican cigar manufacturers. Although his passing was unfortunate, it at least took place near the buzzing atmosphere of one of his passions, the cigar industry.

Although he was born in the Champagne region of France, his family relocated to Latin America when Clement was young. This moved exposed him to different cultures, and he eventually took an interest in tobacco and cigars. In the 1970's Clement noticed that there was just one cigar factory in the Dominican Republic that was actively producing and exporting cigars. This underwhelming presence within the nation led Clement to want to produce his own cigars. Rather than using his own name, he decided to go with the Latin-sounding “Juan Clemente” as his brand's moniker. The Juan Clemente name suggestion came as advice from a friend, who believed that having such a name would allow the brand to receive a more welcoming reception amongst the Latin American community.

Clement used a state-owned factory to manufacture his cigars, and they finally became available to smokers in Switzerland and France in April of 1982 through his company, Tabaquisa S.A.. The brand was later introduced to the United States as well, but it gained much of its popularity far across the globe throughout Latin America, Canada, Hong Kong, Japan, and Spain.