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Hong Kong International Tea Fair 2026 Opens Its Doors August 13-15

Asia’s largest tea trade fair, the Hong Kong International Tea Fair, returns August 13-15, 2026 at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre, bringing together more than 800 exhibitors from over 30 countries and regions. This year’s edition leans into rarity and innovation, with exhibits including an extremely rare first-flush raw pu’er tea from a naturally mutated purple-bud varietal grown on Yunnan’s Kunlu Mountain, alongside white tea from Laos, premium Kenyan tea, and Sri Lanka’s renowned Ceylon tea. New this year is the “Chinese Mainland Matcha Pavilion,” dedicated entirely to matcha and backed by the Guizhou and Zhejiang provinces, showcasing everything from ceremonial-grade matcha to matcha desserts. The fair is open to both trade buyers and the general public, reflecting the growing global appetite for functional and specialty teas.

Explore the rest of the range available at Mister Tabaco.

Source: HKTDC

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Specialty Coffee Wins Recognition at the 2026 James Beard Awards

The specialty coffee industry is having a milestone moment: Onyx Coffee Lab has become the first coffee shop to reach finalist status in the “Outstanding Bar” category of the prestigious US James Beard Awards, a category long dominated by cocktail bars and established wine programs. In the same cycle, Jack Benchakul of LA’s Endorffeine became the first coffee professional ever nominated for “Outstanding Professional in Hospitality.” The James Beard Awards have honored America’s top restaurants and chefs for more than three decades, and a nomination now puts a coffee shop in direct competition with established culinary institutions. While the coffee world has its own competitions — barista championships, roasting contests — validation from outside food and hospitality institutions is seen as a more meaningful form of recognition, and a sign the category has reached cultural maturity.

For those exploring specialty coffee, Mister Tabaco carries a varied selection in its Coffee category.

Source: Perfect Daily Grind

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Żubrówka Vanilla Named “Vodka of the Year” at the 2026 London Spirits Competition

Polish vodka Żubrówka Vanilla Flavoured Vodka took home both “Vodka of the Year” and “Best Spirit by Value” at the 2026 London Spirits Competition, one of Europe’s most respected spirits contests, judged by a panel of over 70 industry professionals with entries from more than 30 countries. The vodka earned a Double Gold distinction and a score of 98 out of 100. Its recipe leans on natural infusion with Madagascar vanilla pods, giving it a botanical character rather than a candied or artificial one. On the nose, it offers vanilla cream and light caramel; the palate is smooth, with vanilla custard, subtle spice, and faint almond notes, finishing medium-long and clean. The win reaffirms the continued popularity of Eastern European flavored vodkas in Western markets.

A selection of vodkas and other spirits is available in Mister Tabaco’s Alcohol category.

Source: The Whiskey Wash

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Bulleit Launches Its First-Ever Bourbon and Rye Blend, Bulleit ’87

American distillery Bulleit Frontier Whiskey has introduced “Bulleit ’87,” its first new permanent expression in 15 years and the brand’s first-ever blend of bourbon and rye in a single bottle. The name nods to 1987, the year Bulleit was founded, though it isn’t an age statement. The whiskey combines Kentucky-distilled bourbon with Indiana-distilled rye, each aged at least four years, then finished separately on toasted American and French oak staves for four to six weeks before being married and bottled in Shelbyville, Kentucky. Bulleit ’87 is bottled at 90 proof (45% ABV) and will roll out to select US retailers starting in September 2026 at a suggested price of $29.99 for a 750ml bottle. It’s the brand’s first release to carry a blue label.

Fans of American whiskey can browse other bourbon and rye labels in Mister Tabaco’s Alcohol category.

Source: The Whiskey Wash

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Cavalier Genève Celebrates 10 Years With a Dual Anniversary Release

Swiss cigar maker Cavalier Genève, founded by Sebastien Decoppet, is marking a decade in business with two anniversary lines: the “10th Anniversary” and “LE2026” releases. Both began shipping to retailers in late July 2026. The anniversary cigar, a 6 1/4 x 52 vitola, has an unusual format: each box contains seven claro-wrapped cigars and seven with a darker wrapper, letting smokers compare two flavor profiles built from the same underlying blend. Cavalier Genève has said production of both releases will continue only through December 2026, after which they will be permanently discontinued, though retailers can keep placing orders until then. It’s a familiar move in the boutique segment, where exclusivity and limited runs help drive collector demand.

Fans of premium cigars can browse a wide range of boutique and classic brands in Mister Tabaco’s Cigars category.

Source: halfwheel

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Fairtrade Raises Minimum Coffee Prices, Effective December 1, 2026

Fairtrade International has announced a new increase to its guaranteed minimum coffee prices, the outcome of a year-long consultation and market analysis process. Starting December 1, 2026, the minimum price for washed Arabica will rise by 20 cents to $2.00 per pound (about 11%), while natural Robusta will increase by 10 cents to $1.30 per pound (roughly 8%).

The decision was made by Fairtrade’s Standards Committee, a multi-stakeholder body with representation from both farmers and commercial partners, in response to rising production costs and the need to protect the incomes of smallholder coffee farmers across Latin America, Africa and Asia.

This marks the second increase to the Fairtrade minimum price in under four years, a sign of growing volatility in the global coffee market. Discover quality coffee in Mister Tabaco’s Coffee category.

Source: comunicaffe.com

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Excelsa, the Nearly Forgotten Coffee Species, Draws New Industry Attention

As arabica and robusta face growing pressure from climate change, coffee producers and researchers are turning their attention to lesser-known species, with Excelsa emerging as one of the most promising alternatives. Native to Central Africa, the plant is valued for its tolerance to drought and high temperatures, qualities increasingly sought after amid climate instability.

In India, for instance, the SICC cooperative resumed experimental Excelsa cultivation across five estates starting in 2024-2025, specifically to test its resilience. Production has grown from roughly four tons of green coffee sold in 2025 to an estimated five tons for 2026, as Indian farmers report longer and more intense monsoon seasons.

While it remains a niche segment, Excelsa is starting to be seen as a genuine solution for coffee’s future rather than just a botanical curiosity. Explore the coffee range available at Mister Tabaco in the Coffee category.

Source: dailycoffeenews.com

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IWSC 2026: Rum, Gin and Irish Whiskey Take the Top Honors

The International Wine & Spirit Competition (IWSC) has announced its 2026 results, one of the most closely watched spirits competitions in the world. In the rum category, Barbados-based Foursquare picked up five “Gold Outstanding” medals (98-100 points), reaffirming its position as a benchmark for the category. In gin, Navy Gin from Clarity Distilling scored 99 points, the highest of any gin entered, while Irish whiskey saw four bottles reach the top medals, including a 33-year-old single malt from Teeling Whiskey.

Organizers describe this year’s edition as marked by diversity, with results spanning artisanal mezcal and inventive whiskies to heritage liqueurs and contemporary gins, reflecting a spirits industry increasingly focused on quality and experimentation.

Spirits enthusiasts can browse the rum, gin and whiskey selection in Mister Tabaco’s Alcohol category.

Source: iwsc.net

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Cavalier Genève Turns 10 and Ships Two Limited Editions

Swiss cigar maker Cavalier Genève is marking a decade in business with two simultaneous releases, both of which had reached retailers by the end of July 2026. The “10 Years Crafting” anniversary release comes in an unusual format: every 6¼ x 52 box contains seven cigars with a lighter wrapper and seven with a darker one, both using the same blend, with the only difference coming from how the wrapper leaf is processed and aged. Production is expected to run through the end of 2026.

Alongside it, the brand also shipped its LE2026 limited edition, in a single 6½ x 47 size, with an undisclosed blend that will never be reproduced. Of the 1,948 boxes produced, just over 1,000 stay in the U.S. market, with the rest heading to international retailers, at an MSRP of roughly $16.70 per cigar.

From outsourcing production to running its own factory in Honduras and distributing to more than 60 countries, Cavalier Genève has grown steadily over the past decade. Browse more premium cigars in Mister Tabaco’s Cigars category.

Source: halfwheel.com

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J.C. Newman Expands the Yagua Line with a New Robusto Size

J.C. Newman Cigar Company, one of Tampa’s oldest cigar makers, has introduced a new size in its distinctive Yagua line: a 5 x 56 Robusto priced at roughly $10.50 per cigar. It’s only the second size added to the line since it launched as a Toro back in 2019.

What makes Yagua unique is its rolling method: instead of being pressed into classic wooden molds, the cigars are wrapped using the frond of a yagua palm tree, a traditional technique the Newman family rediscovered after hearing a story from a worker at the PENSA factory in Nicaragua, whose grandfather used to make cigars the same way. The result is a slightly irregular shape that’s instantly recognizable on the shelf.

The new Robusto has already started shipping to select retailers. Fans of handcrafted Nicaraguan cigars can browse the full selection in Mister Tabaco’s Cigars category.

Source: halfwheel.com