James Giehm

TATUAJE MONSTER LINE HISTORY AND OVERVIEW

HISTORY OF THE LINE It would be impressive if any avid cigar smoker had not heard of Tatuaje’s annually released Monster series of cigars.  Sometime around 2008, Tatuaje’s bossman, Pete Johnson got the novel idea to start a line of stogies based on classic monsters from the film and literature’s horror genre.  They debuted the…

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Tobacco 21

THE WAR ON TOBACCO Everyone needs something to do; a purpose.  We find our self-worth and identity, to one degree or another, from our occupations and contributions to our employers, families, and communities.  Plumbers need clogs to clear and lines to lay, computer folks need systems to build and software to code, and lawmakers need…

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Episode 14: AMA w/Nick Melillo of Foundation Cigars

I get the opportunity to sit down and chat with Nick Melillo, master blender, and founder of Foundation Cigars for a SimplyStogies.club AMA/Virtual Cut & Light via Zoom Meeting. We had a fantastic conversation about Nick’s cigar journey, how he got started, what he’s learned, and where he’s going. We discussed a slew of topics…

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Episode 13: Community

I am pleased to announce the launch of simplystogies.com! I’d like to thank all the hard work put it in by the team (Timothy Allen, Mike Brieg, Wonho Frank Lee, Troy Kelso, and Stephanie Hattan) in order to get the website off the ground!!! Please, check out simplystogies.com and let us know what you think…

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Wineador 101

Wineador 101 Why a Wineador? There are many options available when selecting a humidor, what makes a Wineador special? The biggest advantage is its ability to maintain a programmed temperature. Choosing a Wineador There are 2 things to consider when looking for a Wineador: Size – How many cigars to do plan to store in…

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Humidor Seasoning

Humidor Seasoning This post is to help you to understand why you need to properly season your wooden humidor and how to do so. I recommend that you read the HUMIDOR 101 post before venturing into this to familiarize yourself with humidors in general. Background You just got your first Spanish Cedar humidor. That’s great! You can’t…

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Hygrometers

HYGROMETERS To ensure that your cigars are having the best life possible in your humidor a hygrometer is a must. A hygrometer is a device that will indicate the temperature and relative humidity of its environment. If you go looking for one online, you will find plenty of options at multiple price points. This article…

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Building a Tupperdor

Building A Tupperdor A Tupperdor is a humidor that uses a plastic container, like Tupperware. There are many different containers that will work, the key to the container is to make sure that the lid has a gasket to ensure an airtight seal. Clamps on the lid are a bonus. The below builds are divided…

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Humidor 101

HUMIDOR 101 Welcome to Humidor 101. I’m assuming that you have smoked a couple of cigars by now and are interested in getting deeper into the hobby by purchasing a bunch of cigars to have on hand. To best enjoy your new hobby, your cigars need to be properly cared for. Here is a handy…

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Episode 12: Cubans: An Interview with an Expert

This episode, I welcome Joe from SimplyStogies.club. Joe has been smoking Cuban cigars for 20yrs and is an expert on the subject. I get his expert opinion on the moral and ethical issues of purchasing Cuban cigars, how to spot fakes, the implications of a free market Cuba, and much much more. This discussion, much…

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