Simply Stogies Podcast

James and Nick welcome the Executive Director of the Premium Cigar Association, Joshua Habursky. The trio discuss the big wins for the cigar industry so far in 2025, and the importance of being vigilant against government overreach. Josh explains how the PCA, CRA, and CAA have all worked together to keep the government from taking...

James and Nick welcome Michael Herklots of Ferio Tego to the show. Michael has been in the industry on the retail side and the manufacturing side; so, it’s no surprise that the discussion turns to B&Ms and cigar lounges. Michael talk about customer service and what consumers should expect from their retailer and cigar lounges....

James and Nick welcome Sean Williams to the show. Sean explains how he began in the cigar industry with his own brand, Premiere Mundo. The discussion turns to the pros and cons of boutique cigar companies vs the pros and cons of larger brands. Sean shares his passion for Cohiba and the blends he’s done...

James and Nick welcome back William “Cigar Coop” Cooper to Simply Stogies Podcast. The trio begin by discussing limited edition cigars, differences between limited edition and annual releases, and where the limited editions come and how much effort goes into them. The conversation then pivots to the Cigar of the Year lists, criteria, and what...

James and Nick welcome Dave and Andrew from smallbatchcigar.com to the show. The quartet quickly jump to it as they discuss the new tobacco laws in California. Andrew’s answer was insightful and gave some much needed context and perspective that seemed to be lacking in the coverage up to this point. We then talk about...

James and Nick welcome Enrique Sanchez of 1502 Cigars to the show. Enrique talks about how he got into the business and working with the Plasencia family on his first release. He shares his passion for Nicaragua and the differences between InterTabac and the PCA Trade Show, and his philosophy of “Relax and enjoy.” Enrique...

James and Nick welcome blender and Director of Factory Operations for Espinosa Cigars, Hector Alfonso Sr., to the show. The trio discuss the cigar industry at large: the differences in B&M’s, the internal politics of lounges and how one or two “Alpha Dogs” can sway others in the lounge, and what differentiates “cigar slingers” from...

James and Nick welcome the world’s #1 humidor maker, Daniel Marshall. Daniel tells us how he started making humidors, the trials and tribulations of getting started, and not letting anyone tell you “no” when you’re following your dreams. Daniel discusses the importance of a good humidor; whether you’re aging your cigars or just storing them...

James and Nick welcome Dan Thompson, President of Micallef Cigars, back to the show. Dan talks about the new Micallef Red and the manufacturing and research & development that went into the Red and all of their color series. Dan discusses what’s next and teases something new for the PCA 2025 Trade Show in New...

James and Nick welcome Mo Maali, owner and founder of Patina Cigars back to the show. We discuss the current economy, its impact on the cigar industry, and how it affects cigar releases and how Patina approaches releases. Mo talks about the Oro de Nicaragua, which factory it came from, and why it was released...