James and Nick welcome Robert Caldwell of Caldwell Cigars to the podcast. We find out about the friendship between Robert and Nick. We discuss the pitfall of the overconsumption of information without context, that leads some “cigar geeks” to make false assumptions. We discuss if “a cigar made is a cigar sold” still holds true,…
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The sophomore release in the Macanudo Cigars’ Emissary lineup is the Emissary France. According to Macanudo’s website the cigar features, “rare and refined French tobacco grown in the Mugron River Valley, nestled between Bordeaux and the Spanish border. Nurtured by the Atlantic sea breeze and the region’s rich terroir, this tobacco develops distinct notes of…
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James and Nick sit down with Trey Mac Shipley, the National Sales Manager of JRE Tobacco. The trio discuss how Trey and Nick became friends, before diving into cigars. We find out from Trey what a good cigar rep looks like and the differences in cigar culture across the United States. We discuss handshake deals…
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James and Tim (Nick is on assignment) sit down with the Pospiech National Sales Manager Mike “BDP” Palmer. We find out how Mike got the nickname “BDP,” the name of his cigar. We talk about how Mike got involved with Postawnie CIgars and Mike “Mikey” Szczepankewicz. This leads us into talking about their podcast “Cigar…
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Way back in July of 2023, Micallef launched their color series with the Micallef Black. Since then, they’ve had two other releases (the Red and the Blue). Micallef’s shift away from their “Grande Bold” lines to the color series has been wildly successful. The reception to each of new release of the color series seems…
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James and Nick welcome Noel Rojas of Rojas Cigars to the podcast. Noel discusses growing up in Cuba: from working on tobacco farms at a young age, to his military service, and why he went back to tobacco. He gives us an in-depth look into his career in tobacco from Cuba, to the US, and…
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Avowed Cigars launched earlier this year. The brand was started by Andrew Considine and Dave West, the gentlemen behind Small Batch Cigar, They are blended and rolled at the Kelner Cigars SAS in the Dominican Republic. The New Dawn was one of three lines launched with the company, the Vow and the Awakening being the…
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We last had Mo Maali of Patina Cigars on the show in September of last year. If you remember, I was pretty bummed about missing out on his first limited edition from the year before. There was no way I was going to miss out on his 2024 LE. So, I grabbed a box when…
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James visits with Dwight Adkins and Stephen Wray at FatAsh Cigar Lounge 8110 US-60, Ashland, KY 41102. The trio talk My Old Kentucky Herf, multi-vendor events, the planning that goes into them, and more. James asks Dwight and Stephen about the culture they’ve built at FatAsh Cigar Lounge and if it could be duplicated elsewhere….
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James speaks with Sebastiaen Decoppet of Cavalier Cigars at their booth during the 2025 PCA Convention and Trade Show. The pair talk about craft cigars vs boutique, New Orleans, and more. View on YouTube: https://youtu.be/FBB7XuTFeR4
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Stay smoky, friends.