James and Nick welcome Aaron Paoletta of LaVega Cigars to the show. Aaron tells us how he went from culinary school, to chef, to music producer, to a heavy metal band, and then the cigar industry. We discuss LaVega Cigars, The LaVega lounge, the industry, and Aaron’s views on all of it. We find out…
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The Dapper Cigar Co. 10rth Anniversary was announced in March of this year. I should note, that’s also when they were shipped to retailers. That’s something that Ian Reith wishes more cigar companies would do. Instead of allowing retailers to presell, he waits to announce the new blends until Dapper Cigar Co. is ready to…
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When it comes to Crowned Heads cigars I usually stick with their limited edition offerings because I think they are just a step above what is offered in their regular production lines. They generally offer reasonably priced sticks and the Meat & Three is considered a budget stick that can be obtained for around $6…
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James and Tim kick off National Service Dog Month by welcoming Sean Brown and Jillian Hinton of Dogs Inc. to the show. Jillian and Sean share their stories and how Dogs Inc. helped them during some of the toughest times in their lives. Dogs Inc. provides guide dogs, service dogs, therapy dogs, and companion dogs…
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The Alma del Cielo, or Spanish for “Soul of the Sky,” is the latest cigar from Plasencia. What sets this apart from other Nicaraguan Puros from the company is where it was grown – 3,500ft above sea level in the Condega region of Nicaragua. The elevation is said to give the tobacco its unique flavor…
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James and Nick welcome the Zino Cigars Brand Ambassador, Law Ream, to the show. The former host of the Republic of Debauchery talks cigar media and content creation. We pick his brain and get his thoughts on comedy in the cigar space, how news is covered, and his transition from content creator to brand ambassador….
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Jimmy D from the Drawing Room in Davenport, Iowa smokes and reviews the Preakness LE 150 from Stolen Throne. Jimmy takes you through his thoughts, as he smokes the cigar made for The Preakness Stakes. Rolled at the Rojas Cigar Factory in Nicaragua, the Preakness 150 LE is a 6″ x 46 corona that features…
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I was first made aware of the Lumineer several years ago by Lou Cross, now of Lure Cigars. At the time, Lou was good friends with Nimmer Ahmad of Valacari. Nimmer would allow Lou, and the members of a local Tallahassee based cigar club – “C4” – to sample different test blends to get feedback….
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James and Nick welcome Les Mann from ST Dupont to the show. Les discusses how he came to work for ST Dupont and the challenges that came with it. We ask Les how he’s developed the relationships in the cigar industry and the importance of trust with each of his clients. Les gives us his…
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This cigar started as a lounge exclusive offering at a shop in Haiti, and at the beginning of this year AJ Fernandez brought it to the U.S. I stopped at Best Cigars in Pennsylvania and purchased two of them on the recommendation of the clerk. He said he could not keep them on the shelf…
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