The Kintsugi was announced by second generation cigar makers Alec and Bradley Rubin, back in March of 2020. The global pandemic changed those plans and their third full-scale production line had to be put on hold until December of 2020. The name of the line, “Kintsugi,” has a special meaning to Alec & Bradley. For…
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I am joined, via telephone, with Instagram influencer, entrepreneur, and representative of Karen Berger Cigars, Anya Ramirez. We talk about her journey into the world of cigars and how it’s a lifestyle for her and not just a hobby. We discuss how she came to be a rep for Karen Berger Cigars and some of…
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James and Tim return to Habano Cigar Lounge in Davenport, Iowa. We drink Be Bright Guatemalan Blend and smoke a couple of different cigars. We introduce the Habano’s Simply Stogies 5 Pack that includes Crowned Heads Juarez, Chicago, Cigars with your choice of Connecticut/Maduro/Habano wrapper, Foundation Tabernacle, a Don Pepin Garcia Original, and the Habano…
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I sit down with Giannis Koutsoupias, the Director of Business Development for the Vintage Whiskey and Cigar Bar in Charlotte, North Carolina, on the patio at the Vintage. We talk about Giannis’ cigar journey, the lessons learned from his time in the restaurant and hospitality sector, the friends he made in the cigar industry, and…
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James welcomes his friend (may be too strong a word) and Buy Me a Coffee supporter, Randy Carmichael to the show. The pair are at the Vintage Whiskey and Cigar Bar in Charlotte, NC. They discuss how we rate things, how we taste things, and LH Cigars. Randy tells the story of how he met…
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Nick Syris, Master Blender and owner of LH Premium Cigars, sees his cigars as “Cuban bridges.” Coming from anyone else that statement might shock, but Nick has the bona fides to back that up. He has made countless trips to Cuba, learned how to blend tobacco in Cuba, and the Claro does very well in…
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Sometimes, you just have go along with the joke. That was the case for Jeremy Besecker of Deep South Cigars. When someone at the lounge dared him to make a very large cigar and call it a “BBC,” Jeremy went along with the joke. Thus was born, the 770 BBC. A 7″x70 cigar that sports…
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James travels to sunny Orlando, Florida to have a conversation with Lucas Da Silva of Oxford Cigar Company. The pair sit outside next to large fans and a train station to discuss how Oxford Cigar Company does business, how they treat their customers, and their vision for the cigar industry. We also cover the PCA,…
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Located in an upscale suburb of Nashville, Franklin Cigar sits unassumingly in a strip mall. However, you quickly realize how special Franklin Cigar is once you walk inside. From the impressive selection of cigars that sit in their walk-in humidor, to their local beers on tap, to their friendly and knowledgeable staff, everything about Franklin…
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Vegueros is the newest brand added to the Habanos S.A. regular production line. It was launched in 1997 and is dedicated to the generations of farmers that have cultivated tobacco in the Pinar del RÃo region of Cuba. Originally launched in 1997, the brand was entirely revamped in 2013. All previous vitolas were discontinued, the…
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Stay smoky, friends.