James Giehm

Cigars and Coffee Episode 12: I Hate What I’ve Become

James and Tim drink some of Sam’s Club’s best coffee, Member’s Mark Colombian Supremo, while James smokes a Perdomo Habano Connecticut and Tim smokes an Island Jim by Oscar Valladares. The pair discuss legislation that is being introduced in various states around the US, what it means for cigar smokers, and how you can get…

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Cigar Review: Padrón Damaso No. 15 ain’t Your Daddy’s Connecticut

I can remember the first time I tried the Padrón Damaso no. 15 at David’s Fine Tobaccos. I saw them sitting next to the other Padróns and it stood out like a sore thumb. The light Connecticut wrapper next to those deep, rich Maduro wrappers and velvety smooth natural wrappers called to me. The Damaso…

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Episode 49: Chatting with Robin Blue of Blue Smoke ATL

I welcome Robin Blue, founder and creator of Blue Smoke ATL, to the show. Robin and I discuss how she approaches creating her line of cigar pokers, flasks, and key chains. We talk about how she began her cigar journey, what prompted her to start her business, and how women are different cigar smokers than…

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Cigars and Coffee Episode 11: Villa Casdagli Coffee and Tatuaje Havana IV

James and Tim are back and they’re drinking Villa Casdagli Coffee from Coffee People and Casdagli Cigars while smoking a Tatuaje at David’s Fine Tobaccos in Clive, Iowa. The pair discuss how they choose their coffee and cigars, rave about the new Villa Casdagli Coffee from the Coffee People, and how they choose a cigar….

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Episode 48: Cigar Community Round 2 with Keepers of the Flame

I sit down and chat via Zoom with the founder and admin of Keepers of the Flame cigar club, Anthony. We discuss how Anthony got into the cigar hobby as well as his thoughts on boutique cigars, diversity, growth during COVID, his approach to moderating, and the Cigarmageddon contest with the Simply Stogies cigar club….

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Lounge Review: Davenport’s the Drawing Room QC Has a Private Club Feel

Opened at the end of September 2020, the Drawing Room QC is located in downtown Davenport, Iowa in the same building as a distillery. The lounge is cozy and has an old time feel. Humidified cabinets line the walls ending with lockers. The furniture is leather and inviting. The employee is friendly enough. A skylight…

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Cigar Review: The FREAKSHOW From Nomad by Ezra Zion Is No Laughing Matter

A few years ago, Ezra Zion purchased Nomad Cigar Co. Since then, they have released some of the best boutique cigars on the market. Going through our other cigar reviews of Ezra Zion, you can see that Mike Breig (our former Content Director and resident cigar reviewer) loved a lot of their blends. So I…

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Episode 47: A Conversation w/the Organizers of the Queen City Cigar Fest

I chat (via Zoom call) with two of the three organizers of the Queen City Cigar Fest, Clinton Douglas and Damon Robinson. Clinton and Damon tell us about the upcoming Queen City Cigar Fest being held in Charlotte, NC from May 19 – May 23, 2021. There will be daily and nightly events held at…

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Lounge Review: Perfect Ash Is a Strip Mall Gem in Twin Cities

I am still surprised each time I visit a lounge in a strip mall, but that seems to be the norm for lounges in the Midwest. Located in a busy area surrounded by businesses in Inver Grove Heights, a suburb of St. Paul, Minnesota, Perfect Ash blends in with its surroundings. The storefront is very…

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Cigar Aficionado Misses the Mark With Its Top 25 By Leaving Out Boutique Brands

Every year the cigar industry waits with bated breath to find out which cigars will make Cigar Aficionado’s annual Top 25 list. And every year I become a little bit more disappointed — and a lot more jaded. For years the Top 25 was the “it” list that could make or break a cigar producer;…

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