Located in the northeastern region of Kentucky, and hidden away in the Highlands, is the small town of Ashland, Kentucky. Ashland is the largest city in Boyd County, with a population of just over 20,000 (according to the United States Census Bureau). Ashland is full of small town charm, a Main Street USA feel, and…
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I sit down with Mo Maali, the man behind Patina Cigars. We talk about the behind-the-scenes of running a cigar company. Mo opens up about lanceros, limited edition, and tobacco availability. We discuss how he gets into new shops and how he knows if a shop is the right fit. We talk about the economy,…
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James visits Fat Ash Cigar Lounge in Ashland, KY for the 2nd Annual My Old Kentucky Herf. He smokes a Cavalier Geneve White Series and drinks a Red Eye coffee from The Coffee Bar
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Chogüà Cigars is one of those “IYKYK” (if you know, you know) cigar brands. Chogüà Cigars is, as Jeremy Casdagli would say, “Boutique as fuck.” So boutique, that I couldn’t find what factory rolls the Chogüà brand. In fact, there’s not a lot out there. The Chogüà website just adds to this mystique, as it…
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Hidden away between the Quad Cities and Chicago is the sleepy town of Oregon, Illinois. There, near the bank of the Rock River, you will find a haven for cigar smokers in the area: Bad Ash Cigars LLC. Bad Ash Cigars LLC. is a poorly kept secret amongst cigar aficionados and enthusiasts in the Eastern…
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Nick Syris, owner of LH Cigars, joins me for the next installment of the sub-series this year, while we look at the history of Cuban cigars. We start from when they believe the tobacco plant arrived on the island and go all the way to present day Cuba. Of course, we stop a little along…
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James visits Bad Ash Cigars LLC in Oregon, Illinois while revisiting his past by smoking a Montecristo White Series Toro and drinking gas station coffee. The highlight here is Bad Ash Cigars…the rest goes the way you would expect.
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Earlier this year, at TPE 2022, Jake Wyatt Cigar Co. announced that they would be adding a lancero vitola to their Lithium brand. Via a press release, Nick Garcia (co-owner) said, “The Lithium Lancero demonstrates true innovation while remaining true to our brand.” I was pretty excited about the news. I loved the Lithium toro…
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Following on the hells of the El Oso Blanco release, warped has re-released the El Oso Mama, a 7″ x 38 lancero. The El Oso Mama was originally released by Warped in 2015 and featured a Mexican San Andrés wrapper over an Ecuadorian binder and Dominican and Nicaraguan fillers, according to Cigar Dojo. This time,…
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James returns to Habano Cigar Lounge in Davenport, Iowa and this time smokes an Arturo Fuente Destino al Siglo de Familia (corona grande), while pairing it with Peru Capili Dark Roast from Janus Coffee Roasters.
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