Steve Saka is just about the only person who is able to just pop up on the comments on an episode of Cigars Daily LIVE and de-rail the whole show. And certainly not for no reason. His contribution to the cigar making world has been just about the most notable of anyone we can think of. Saka’s catalog of Dunbarton blends have taken the cigar world by force. Not only are his blends considered by many to be some of the most carefully balanced and complex, but Steve also agonizes about using only the best quality leaf available. Tonight, Steve will be our in-studio guest where he will be answering comments in true Saka fashion.

Alec Bradley’s lucky green Black Market Filthy Hooligan is one of the most anticipated limited edition releases each year. The Candela green and dark Habano Barber Pole produces a medium strength profile that cigar lovers annually look forward to pairing with the festivities of St. Patrick’s Day. This year, Alec Bradley is doubling down with a brand new limited edition Halloween blend called that Filthy Ghooligan! The cigar features an Ecuador Habano and U.S.A Connecticut Broadleaf Barber Pole wrapper. During this episode, we’ll be peeling back the blend to see if this is going to be a new tradition for aficionados, or just another novelty.

For a Cigar Aficionado, the palate is the palette on which every premium blend paints an experience to remember. It's the reason that so many cigar lovers talk about developing their palates. But if someone is getting into cigars, how exactly would they go about growing a palate that can even sense many of the nuances of all the various carefully crafted premium cigar blends? During this episode, we will be discussing just that. There are lots of ways to master the palate, and we'll be discussing all of them.

The best cigar makers are always at work crafting a fresh new flavor to satiate the palates of aficionados everywhere. In this episode, we’ll be diving into some projects from award winning cigar makers, which have just landed in the United States. Some of these projects have been years in the making, others have just been released to celebrate years of successful cigar making. In both cases, you’ll learn about what’s behind the newest blends the cigar world has to offer.

An encore is one of the best parts of the performance world. After the last note of the last song has ended, you get one more smash hit from your favorite band! It keeps the good vibes going. And that's the thinking behind Ernesto Perez Carrillo's Encore. When he originally released the Encore, it was received with rave reviews. 90+ ratings, and positions on top 25 lists were everywhere for that cigar. Now, Ernesto has released an encore to the Encore… a very dark blend fittingly named Encore Black. During this episode, we'll be chatting about one of the most hard-to-find cigars around today, and what makes the Encore Black such a saught-after experience for aficionados.

These days, there are A LOT of different cigars out there. Most are considered to be more or less decent by the average aficionado. Some are so terribly bad that they leave a mark, while a similar few are so outstandingly good that they’re never to be forgotten. On tonight’s episode we’re chatting about some the last of those three. We’re talking about the cigars that created an ‘ah ha’ moment. The ones where the clouds parted and suddenly there was a clear sense of what separates some cigars from all the rest. These are the finest cigars. They’re the ones that change the way the game is played!

 For cigar lovers, there's just about nothing more exciting than a brand new blend. Now, some will know that new cigars come out with some regularity these days. But, it's not everyday that a brand with the reputation of My Father Cigars drops a new release. However this week, the cigar world has gotten 3 very new and very different blends from the Garcia family. During this episode, we will be discussing these three blends, and the art behind each one to see which types of aficionados were in mind as these cigars were blended.

All three cigars were created to celebrate My Father's creator, Jaime Garcia. Some are limited edition, others are regular production. Now we'll look at the idea behind each one.

Connecticut Shade Cigars are a staple in the cigar world. These mild mannered blends are often the ones that aficionados choose to start their journey. Shade cigars are also the connoisseur's typical choice for pairing with coffee or an espresso. Yet there is still a wealth different blends out there with an ocean of different choices. Tonight we're talking about these blends. We'll discuss some of the most sought after and newest Shade blends that are made in order to crown one as the King of Connecticuts.

Watch any celebrity, sports player, or social icon make a BIG win, and they're likely to spark up a victory dance. They look to celebratory cigars to put a stamp on the moment. At the same time, you'll see people online posting pics of celebs with celebratory cigars and asking, "can anyone see what cigar that is"?

At the end of the day, the Cigars Daily Nation is made out of real aficionados who know what great celebratory cigars look like. This week, we'll be chatting about some of the best winning cigars the world has to offer. And all of this on the heels of my big win at the Master Boxing Tournament last weekend. I'll share the highlights... and the lowlights of the tournament. And we'll chat about the best cigars for the occasion. 

There was once a dream that was Cigartopia. You could only whisper it. Anything more than a whisper and it would vanish… at least until now! Cigartopia is officially a real place! During this episode, we’ll be discussing the legendary land of leaf and luxury! It’s a magical place where cigar lover’s rights are always respected, and a relaxing time is always ahead. It’s a place where aficionados are always welcome. People can agree to disagree. And it’s the place all of us want to be. So come, bring your cigar questions and comments and get ready to embark on a journey to the best new place in the world.