Cigar Snob Podcast

One of our listeners asked: "Am I being priced out of the market with these expensive cigars?" The guys deliberate on the recent trend of ultra-expensive cigars and their place in the premium cigar market. They reviewed the Leaf by Oscar and drank top-shelf Kentucky straight bourbons before sitting for a 1 on 1 with Oscar Valladares in studio.

Are you torching your cigar to death? Should you be using a soft flame instead of a quadruple jet cigar scorcher? The guys offer strategies on how to light cigars without destroying them. On the show they reviewed the highly rated My Father Fonseca MX, did they like it?

Experts always recommend that you ‘ask your local tobacconist’ but how do you know if this person knows what he/she is talking about? The guys offer some tips and tricks to help you figure out if the person recommending your premium cigars is knowledgeable and trustworthy. In this episode, the guys also reviewed the Rocky Patel Dark Star, which features Paraguayan tobacco in the blend, paired the Dark Star with four rye whiskies, and finally Ivan Ocampo interviewed the gentleman behind The Cigar Academy.

Jim pitches his zany business idea for safe cigar disposal while Erik and Ivan point out some of the best and worst places to enjoy a cigar on vacation. Throughout the show the guys review the Villiger Miami and pair it with a vertical lineup of Benriach single malt Scotch. Finally Dr. Corina and Lucien Villiger share their insights on what it was like growing up as a member of the Villiger family.

The title and direction of this show was taken from listener feedback asking, "Can you define the difference between a premium cigar vs a non-premium cigar?" We took a stab at that one while smoking the Aganorsa Rare Leaf Reserve Maduro, very much a premium cigar. We then paired that cigar with 4 dark beers and interviewed the up and coming, cigar-loving country singer, Orlando Mendez aka The Cuban Cowboy.

From construction, to flavors, to fermentation, the guys break down all of the factors that unequivocally mean that your cigar is a bad one. Did they miss anything? Let us know in the comments. Also, they smoke the Stillwell Star from Dunbarton Tobacco & Trust and were joined by Cigar Dojo's Eric Guttormson to discuss the upcoming Top 25 lists.

A perfectly synergistic episode where the cigar, question, spirit selection, and interview guest all revolve around a question sent in by a listener. The guys smoked the Joya de Nicaragua Antaño CT, drank high-end blended Scotch, and sat down with Joya de Nicaragua's Juan Martinez.

We sat down with Rocky Patel to talk about his latest influences in cigar blending as well as his upcoming release of the highly anticipated Conviction. Back in the studio, the guys paired the Rocky Patel DBS with 3 top-shelf bourbons and answered a great listener question.

The guys answer an excellent listener question about why different vitolas of the same blend have different flavor profiles and even strength differences. During the show, the guys enjoyed the Illusione OneOff along with 3 fine tequilas. Later in the Share a Smoke segment, Ivan and Erik sat down with Manolo Santiago, the master blender for Casa 1910 Cigars.

The guys get goofy on aged rums while discussing the topic of what you look for in a cigar lounge. They go overboard in their praise for the Tatuaje Tuxtla Lomo de Cerdo and eventually sit down with Ozzie Gomez, co-owner of 3 South Florida cigar bars including the new and impressive Tabacon Cigars & Spirits in Doral.