Cigar Snob Podcast

You might never have heard much about Gilberto Oliva, Sr., but the Oliva Cigars patriarch, who died in December 2017, was as consequential in the story of cigars — especially Nicaraguan cigars — as any of his peers.

In this special episode of the podcast, you'll hear from some of the people who knew Gilberto best, like his son José Oliva, Jorge Padrón (Padrón Cigars), Ernesto Pérez Carrillo (EPC Cigars), Carlito Fuente (Arturo Fuente Cigars), Nestor Plasencia (Plasencia Cigars)and Erik Calviño (Cigar Snob Magazine).

To bring you closer to the life of the late José Orlando Padrón — the Padrón Cigar family patriarch who died in December 2017 — we went to some of the family, friends, and cigar makers who knew him best.

In this special episode of the podcast, you'll hear from José Orlando's son Jorge, as well as Rocky Patel, Ernesto Pérez Carrillo, Jonathan Drew, Carlito Fuente, and José Oliva. In addition, you'll hear from tobacconists Craig Cass, Abe Dababneh, and Jorge Valdés. Albert Hernández of The Bastards — the "secret society" of Padrón superfans — remembers laughing with his favorite cigar maker, and Fr. Willie García-Tuñón, S.J. tells the story of José Orlando's request for prayers that he leave this earth on a particular day.

After releasing our list of the Top 25 Cigars of 2017, the Cigar Snob team gathered around the microphones to discuss the list — and, of course, our pick for Cigar of the Year.

Music in this episode:

"BossaBossa" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)

Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License

http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

The Cigar Snob Team talks New Years Eve, the FDA, and what's coming in 2018 while smoking AJ Fernandez Enclave Broadleaf. We also do our best Bill Burr impersonations and complain about sweater weather in Miami.

Music in this episode:

"BossaBossa" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)

Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License

http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

Episode art:

f99aq8ove

https://www.flickr.com/photos/11212545@N05/

The Cigar Snob team remembers Gilberto Oliva, Sr. while enjoying Oliva Serie V Melanio Maduros. We also talked about our Christmas traditions, our favorite stories of 2017, movie recommendations, and photo producer Ivan's new miracle pillow.

Music in this episode:

"BossaBossa" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)

Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License

http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

Cigar Snob publisher Erik Calviño sits down for a talk with Terence Reilly, the new VP of sales and marketing at Casa Fernandez Cigars.

Music in this episode:

"BossaBossa" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)

Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License

http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

The team smokes Padróns in honor of the late José Orlando Padrón. We also talk about the Miami Marlins, Boston's vanishing cigar scene, fantasy football and the process of ranking the top 25 cigars of the year.

Music in this episode:

"BossaBossa" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)

Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License

http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

The team smokes Undercrown Sungrown while talkin' turkey, football, superheroes and more.

Music in this episode:

"BossaBossa" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)

Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License

http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

We sat down with Hamlet Paredes to find out why he left a successful career in Cuba to start over with Rocky Patel Premium cigars. The conversation includes everything from pairing recommendations to an explanation of why Hamlet's owes much of his success to his mother's insistence that he learn English even before he seriously considered leaving Havana behind.

Music in this episode:

"BossaBossa" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)

Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License

http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/