Aficionado

Episode 151: 2025 PCA Convention & Trade Show from New Orleans

  James, Nick, and Tim give you their thoughts (sans Day 3) of the 2025 PCA Convention & Trade Show in New Orleans, Louisiana.    

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Episode 150: Pre-PCA with Charlie Minato

  James and Nick welcome Charlie Minato of halfwheel.com back to the program. This special bonus episode and all of our 2025 PCA Convention & Trade Show is sponsored by Small Batch Cigar Our coverage is also brought to you by My Old Kentucky Herf. We ask Charlie what halfwheel will be looking for in…

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52 Clear the Air: A Simply Stogies Podcast After Show

Tim brings James and Nick back for another Simply Stogies After Show. Last week James and Nick interviewed Vance Taylor, founder of Stoic Cigars. The three talk about the troubles of finding good balance between the brand, the cigars, and the customers. Tim pleads his case that he was not scrolling Only Fans as they…

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Episode 149: Vance Taylor of Stoic Cigars

James and Nick welcome the owner and founder of Stoic Cigars, Vance Taylor, to Simply Stogies. Vance tells us how he was first in the cigar industry with LUJ Cigars, and how his first PCA trade show was in New Orleans. Bringing things full circle, his first trade show as an owner will also be…

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51 Clear the Air: A Simply Stogies Podcast After Show

Tim, James, and Nick are back for another after show. The three discuss cigars that may be meaningful enough to hold on to or smoke them to enjoy them when you can. They discuss some of the things behind the scenes to bring the latest episode of Simply Stogies Podcast with Michael Knowles of Mayflower…

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Episode 148: Michael Knowles of Mayflower Cigars

James and Nick welcome Michael Knowles of Mayflower Cigars and The Daily Wire to the program. Michael discusses how is passion for cigars began and shares why cigars and Mayflower Cigars are very personal for him. He tells us about how he launched his career, writing his first book, and smoking cigars at The Daily…

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50 Clear the Air: A Simply Stogies Podcast After Show

Tim brigs James and Nick back to the stage to dig deeper int the latest episode of Simply Stogies Podcast with Riste of JSK Cigars. The three talk about controversial figures, the differences in the way JSK does things compared to the rest of the industry. Tim, James, and Nick also dive into a a…

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Episode 147: Riste Ristevski of JSK Cigars

  James and Nick welcome Riste Ristevski of JSK Cigars. Riste talks about how he got into the cigar industry, what’s changed over the last ten years, and some of the risks that he’s taken to make JSK what it is today. Riste talks about switching to his newest factory and what that entailed, as…

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49 Clear the Air: A Simply Stogies Podcast After Show

Tim brings James and Nick back for another episode of Clear the Air to talk behind the back of last week’s guest, Vlada Stojanov of SOMM Cigars. The three work their way through technical difficulties while traveling down rabbit holes of tasting notes from fast food to cigars. Tim asks where in this country is…

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Episode 146: Vlada Stojanov of SOMM Cigars

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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