I welcome Nick Syris, the owner and Master Blender of LH Premium Cigars and a Subject Matter Expert on all things Cuban cigars, to the show. Nick and I run the gamut of Cuban cigars, as we discuss the U.S. embargo on Cuba and some of the effects on the Cuban people, the changing U.S….
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Hidden away in a corner of the Galleria West Shopping Center in Brookfield, Wisconsin, a suburb of Milwaukee, sits Prime Cigar Company. It is owned by the one and only Johnny Piette of Isabela Cigars. Prime Cigar Company has been in business for over 14 years, but there are changes coming. Johnny told me that…
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I have said before that the Midwest seems to be largely overlooked by the cigar industry. There are a few exceptions, like Up Down Cigar in Chicago or Safari Cigars in Omaha, NE. There are a few in St. Louis that seems to get some love, too. But by-in-large, most cigar shops throughout the Midwest…
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I travel to Capital Cigar Lounge in Lincoln, Nebraska and sit down with Alec Rubin of Alec Bradley Cigars. Alec and I discuss what it was like growing up in the industry and his unique cigar journey. Alec describes what it’s like working with family, what he believes makes a cigar manufacturer “boutique,” and his opinions on vitolas…
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The AVO brand was created by musician and composer Avo Uvezian in the late 1980’s. Uvezian travelled to the Dominican Republic and struck a deal with Hendrik Kelner to blend and eventually distribute the AVO brand. While the brand took off and has done well over the years, it hasn’t been one that I typically…
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One of the great things about driving to the PCA Trade Show, was being able to stop at cigar lounges throughout my trip. When I got to Albuquerque, New Mexico, I wasn’t sure what I would find. Honestly, Albuquerque isn’t known for its cigar culture…but maybe it should be? Monte’s has been in Albuquerque since…
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I chat, via Zoom, with Antonio Lam of Reinado Premium Cigars. There are things in the world that are more important than cigars and more important than business. Antonio and I discuss one of those things: family. Antonio explains where he has been for the past seven years and the reason for Reinado’s long hiatus…
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James visits Capital Cigar Lounge in Lincoln, Nebraska to sample their restaurant quality coffee from a French Press and review the Sobremesa Brûlée Blue. A delightful pairing that brought out beautiful notes of wood, pepper, and spices.
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For those of you who have been smoking cigars for a few years, the name Reinado Cigars may sound familiar. That’s because between 2010 and 2014 Reinado Cigars was making a name for themselves in boutique cigar circles. Their Core line and Grand Empire Reserve lines were highly rated and well-received throughout the cigar community….
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I am joined via Zoom by Andy Sweis, owner of Cedar Room Fine Cigars & Lounge in Scottsdale, AZ. We talk about how he got into the cigar industry and how it is a family affair for him and his brother. Andy talks about staying on the bleeding edge of boutique cigars and new releases….
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Stay smoky, friends.