James and Tim (sitting in for Nick who is in Costa Rica) welcome Vlada Stojanov of SOMM Cigars to the show. Vlada discusses being a new father, what scares him, and how he’ll help his daughter develop her palate. Vlada also discusses if there are objective flavors to a cigar, romanticizing tasting, and if cigar…
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James and Nick welcome the Executive Director of the Premium Cigar Association, Joshua Habursky. The trio discuss the big wins for the cigar industry so far in 2025, and the importance of being vigilant against government overreach. Josh explains how the PCA, CRA, and CAA have all worked together to keep the government from taking…
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James and Nick welcome Michael Herklots of Ferio Tego to the show. Michael has been in the industry on the retail side and the manufacturing side; so, it’s no surprise that the discussion turns to B&Ms and cigar lounges. Michael talk about customer service and what consumers should expect from their retailer and cigar lounges….
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Jimmy D from The Drawing Room in Davenport, Iowa is our new video cigar reviewer. He kicks off our cigar review video series with the Evening Primrose Toro from Southern Draw Cigars. This is one of the latest releases from Southern Draw and features a Mexican San Andrés wrapper over an Ecuadorian Sumatra binder, and…
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In late 2024, Powstanie announced a new limited production cigar called the Catastrophic Failure. Co-founder of Powstanie, Mike Szczepankiewicz, said in a press release that the Catastrophic Failure, “exemplifies everything Powstanie Cigars stands for.” I had the pleasure of meeting Mike for the first time at the trade show in 2024. He doesn’t strike me…
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James and Nick welcome Sean Williams to the show. Sean explains how he began in the cigar industry with his own brand, Premiere Mundo. The discussion turns to the pros and cons of boutique cigar companies vs the pros and cons of larger brands. Sean shares his passion for Cohiba and the blends he’s done…
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Stay smoky, friends.
