#ELOsoFumarTakes

This week, Casey Haugen returns to #ELOsoFumarTakes for our #68thTake. Crux Cigars wrapped a big 2018, but are gearing up for a huge 2019. Several releases will mark the company's 5th Anniversary. We talk how the first five years have set the tone for what Crux Cigars is tracking t be a very successful first decade in the business. And in true show fashion, we close with a "curveball." Enjoy!

This week, E.P. Carrillo's own Jose Blanco - "the Mad Professor" -joins us to talk blending, working alongside a legend, and being at the center of it all when your company is given the highly coveted #1 Cigar of the Year from Cigar Aficionado and, of course, the added cherry on top of #1 Cigar of the Year for #ELOsoFumarTakes. Enjoy!

This week on #ELOsoFumarTakes, we welcome in Omar de Frias of Fratello Cigars. Choosing to end a very successful career at NASA and having that decision and story featured in a publication like the Washington Post all sounds like something straight out of Hollywood. Maybe one day. For now, de Frias is what's he always been, just Omar. But there are a lot more layers to this parfait. I wanted to go a little deeper with Omar and explore truly the beginning. The link to the Thomas heath's Washington Post article on Omar is here: https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/economy/this-nasa-analyst-left-a-200000-job-to-sell-cigars/2017/07/07/bbacb984-61b4-11e7-84a1-a26b75ad39fe_story.html?utm_term=.c75849333ef6Enjoy!

This week, #ELOsoFumarTakes welcomes Steven Bailey of Cornelius & Anthony Cigars. Five generations ago, the Bailey family began farming tobacco in the state of Virginia. Today. Steven has taken the family's legacy into the world of premium cigars. Cornelius and Anthony's cigars are manufactured in two of the industry's finest boutique factories and made with tobacco from all over, including the good ol' USA. We ask Steven about the when, the why, and the how the 5th Generation decided to take its tradition along a whole new path. Enjoy!

This week, we welcome back Matilde Cigars' own Enrique Seijas. Along with his father (Hall of Famer, Jose Seijas), Matilde Cigars has become a powerful mainstay in the world of boutique premium cigars. Tonight, we take a look at Seibel Distribution and have a little fun with future generations. Enjoy!

This week on #ELOsoFumarTakes we welcome in Antonio Gomez, the heir-apparent to one of the top brands in the last 20 years of the premium cigar industry. La Flor Dominicana has a lot of notches under its belt. From the ligero leaf revolution to capturing a herald #1 Cigar of the Year from Cigar Aficionado, our guest is working to usher LFD into a new, even more, successful era. Let's not forget, "Tony" has his own story. And we unfold some of it on this #Take. Enjoy!

This week, we resume normally scheduled programming. And we have an amazing take lined up for our first interview of 2019. Mike Rosales may be apart of one of the most successful partnerships in the premium cigar business. It hasn't been easy, but Rosales's demeanor has always been the yang to (Partner) Skip Martin's ying. Together they've built success in RoMa. But tonight, we get Mike's take on all that and more. SURPRISE: RoMa Craft's Danny Vazquez stops by as well and chats about some of the great things coming from RoMa Craft Tobac!  Enjoy!

This week, the highly anticipated #ELOsoFumarTakes Top 10 Cigars of 2018 will be unveiled! The past 12 months have been amazing and a special thank you goes out to Espinosa Cigars on being last year's winner, with the Espinosa Habano No. 4. Will they repeat? The updated criteria is below:

1) It's vitola based.

2) I had to have smoked the cigar for the first time in the last year and a half.*

3) It must not suck.

4)No limited edition cigars (i.e. TAA, shop exclusive) are eligible.

5) A previous number 1 cigar winner (blend specific, i.e. 2017 Winner Espinosa Habano) cannot be on this year's Top 10 or repeat as winner.*

6) A company cannot have more than 1 cigar on the Top 10, however, may be considered for honorable mention.*

7)THE BIG ONE: frequency of smoke. Basically, I had to have the means AND opportunity AND did, in fact, smoke the cigar frequently.

Sit back, relax and Enjoy!

This week on #ELOsoFumarTakes we welcome Seth Geise formerly of the Seth's Humidor, currently of Developing Palates fame. Seth has some pretty strong opinions, just in general. But, when Cuban cigars come up, he's all-in and it's no holds barred. He's also considered by many respected individuals in the industry for his Cuban acumen. So, we explore. Enjoy!

This week on #ELOsoFumarTakes we welcome back Tripp Waldrop of Cigar Federation and John McTavish of Developing Palates for our #59thTake. There's a lot of conversation generated around the polarization of Cigar Aficionado's Top 25 Cigars of the Year list...so here's one more. The three of us re-rank, re-organize and re-analyze some of this year's recently released list. Enjoy!