Smoke and Steel

Welcome back to another episode of Smoke and Steel! Tonight we're diving into some seriously ugly cigars that taste way better than they look, breaking news about Cuban cigar tariffs shutting down suppliers, and we've got our first sponsorship coming down the pipeline!The crew is back with Walt, Jim, Preston, Rob (fashionably late as always), Eric, and Eric the Elder. We're testing out those raw dogs everyone's been talking about, discussing how the cigar industry has changed, and somehow connecting Cuban import policies to college textbook scams.What We're Smoking:Raw Dog cigars (uglier than sin but surprisingly good)Avowed New DawnPlacencia Alma FuerteOliva GilbertoWhatever survived Eric's humidor doorTonight's Topics:We cover everything from Cuban suppliers shutting down US shipments due to tariff uncertainty, to how cigar events used to give away way more swag, to why Frank Smith keeps raising prices on anything that sells well. Plus Eric's Wi-Fi struggles, Walt's vretro lighter, and the ongoing mystery of why anyone would get a degree in interpretive dance.We also break down the recent Raja Jackson incident and get into some legal discussion with Eric about when self-defense becomes assault. Don't worry - we bring it back to cigars eventually.Growing the Show:We're pumped about the feedback we're getting on social media and the new viewers finding us. The sponsorship deal is still being worked out, but it's exciting to see the show growing organically.Thanks for being part of the Smoke and Steel community. Like, subscribe, and drop us a comment about what you're smoking tonight!Chapters:0:00 - Intro & Tonight's Cigar Lineup2:34 - Sponsorship News & Channel Growth5:18 - Rob's Late Entrance & Wi-Fi Drama7:00 - Cigar Industry Sponsorship Talk9:55 - Oliva Event Stories & Swag Tales13:04 - Two Tables & Setup Improvements15:51 - Alexa Fame & Technology Wins18:15 - Cigar Sharing Culture Discussion20:03 - Brand Name Legal Issues (Bentley vs Uzi)26:27 - MAJOR Cuban Tariff News31:07 - Most Expensive Cigars We've Bought38:15 - Book Socks Invention Disaster42:28 - Rampage Jackson Incident Breakdown50:34 - Missing Baby Case Discussion56:45 - Frank Smith's Pricing Strategy1:00:08 - Affiliate Link Program Explained1:04:16 - Episode Wrap & Fantasy Football

Join Walt, Mark, Jim, Preston, Pinto, Eric, and Eric for another laid-back evening in the world famous Smoke and Steel Lounge in Gilbertsville, Pennsylvania. This episode covers everything from cigar of the month club reviews to budget stick recommendations under $10.

The crew dives deep into their experiences with various cigar subscription services, with Small Batch Cigar getting high praise from a 12-year subscriber. Discover which budget cigars deliver the best bang for your buck, debate V-cuts versus straight cuts, and hear honest reviews of recent releases from CAO, Drew Estate, and Foundation.

Plus, witness a hilarious technical mishap when the hosts realize an hour into recording that they forgot to hit the record button - but don't worry, backup audio saved the day (though it might be a bit harder to hear at times).

Whether you're new to cigars or a seasoned smoker, you'll find practical advice, authentic reviews, and the kind of honest conversation you'd expect from your local cigar lounge.

Support the Show:🔗 Shop cigars with our Cigar Page affiliate link: https://www.pjtra.com/t/8-10746-321357-136139?sid=Podcast&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.cigarpage.com%2F☕ Buy us a coffee on Ko-Fi: https://ko-fi.com/stogiereview

Connect With Us:Subscribe for weekly episodes of honest cigar talk from guys who keep it real.

#CigarPodcast #CigarReview #SmallBatchCigar #BudgetCigars #CigarAccessories #CigarLounge #Pennsylvania

CHAPTERS:

0:00 - Welcome & Tonight's Smokes2:00 - Cigar of the Month Club Discussion16:00 - Customer Service Experiences28:00 - Preston Returns & Loyalist Garage Relaunch36:00 - Cigar Brand Spotlights & Accessories52:00 - Budget Stick Recommendations1:00:00 - Recording Mishap Comedy Gold1:04:00 - Cigar Cutting Techniques & Tools1:16:00 - Wrap Up & Final Thoughts

Welcome back to Smoke and Steel! Episode 7 brings you authentic cigar lounge vibes as we celebrate a birthday with premium cigars and real talk. Join Eric, Walt, Jim, Mark, and our new buddy Eric for an evening of quality smokes, industry insights, and the genuine camaraderie that makes cigar culture special.

Tonight's premium lineup includes Opus X 20th Anniversary, Tabernacle Maduro Alma Fuerte, HVC Hotcake Connecticut, and more exceptional cigars that keep the conversation flowing naturally.

We discuss everything from cigar availability and pricing trends to current events, all while maintaining that authentic atmosphere our listeners love. As one fan perfectly said: "I feel like I'm in the room with you guys" - and that's exactly what we're shooting for!

🚀 HELP US GROW:

Like this video if you enjoyed the content

Subscribe and Share with your cigar-loving friends

Leave a comment - we read every single one!

📋 CHAPTERS:

00:00 - Welcome & Birthday Introductions

02:15 - Tonight's Premium Cigar Lineup

04:30 - Podcast Growth & Listener Feedback

07:45 - Cigar Pricing & Availability Discussion

11:30 - Premium Cigar Shop Experiences

15:20 - Cigar Page Links & Mystery Bags

18:45 - Blind Tasting Challenges & Editing

22:40 - Community Growth & Social Media

26:15 - Howard Stern Industry Discussion

30:25 - Eagles Stadium Expansion Plans

34:20 - Foundation Cigar Brand Discussion

38:45 - Hawaiian Cigar Sourcing Plans

42:05 - CAO Amazon Basin Experience

46:20 - Lighter Maintenance & Equipment Talk

49:30 - Closing Thoughts & Next Episode

🎯 FEATURED CIGARS:

Opus X 20th Anniversary

Tabernacle Maduro Alma Fuerte

HVC Hotcake Connecticut

Foundation Menelik

CAO Amazon Basin (Aged)

CAO Amazon Basin Dagger

Various premium singles from personal collections

Thanks for being part of the Smoke and Steel family! Every view, like, and share helps us continue bringing you authentic cigar content. Whether you're a seasoned aficionado or just getting into premium cigars, we're here to share the journey with genuine friendship and quality tobacco.

See you in the next episode! 🔥

#SmokeAndSteel #CigarPodcast #PremiumCigars #OpusX #CigarReview #CigarCommunity #Tabernacle #HVC #Foundation #CigarLife #Brotherhood #CigarLounge

🔥 EPISODE 6: Our First Blind Cigar Review! 🔥

Welcome back to the Smoke and Steel Podcast! In this special episode, we're doing something completely different - a blind tasting where none of us know what we're smoking until the very end.

The mystery cigar? An Oliva Serie G Maduro that sparked debates about construction, flavor, and value. Watch as we analyze everything from the cold draw to the final reveal, with plenty of entertaining tangents along the way (because that's how we roll).

🎯 What We Cover:

- First impressions and construction analysis

- Flavor development throughout the smoke

- Price point guessing game

- The big reveal and our honest reactions

- Final scores ranging from 5-8 out of 10

💰 Our Verdict: A solid daily smoker at an unbeatable price point ($4-7 online). Not a flavor bomb, but reliable, well-constructed, and perfect for beginners or anyone looking for an affordable premium smoke.

👥 Tonight's Panel:

- Walt

- Eric

- Jim

- Mark

- Mike

💬 Join the conversation! Let us know in the comments if you've tried the Serie G Maduro and how your experience compares to ours.

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📍 CHAPTER TIMESTAMPS:

0:00 - Welcome & Setup

2:17 - First Impressions & Cold Draw Analysis

4:07 - Lighting Up & Initial Thoughts

8:26 - Construction Quality & Price Point Guessing

12:02 - Flavor Development & Pairing Discussion

17:23 - Burn Performance & Cigar Industry Talk

24:03 - Strength Assessment & Nostalgic Tangents

32:28 - Final Third Analysis & Scoring Discussion

40:01 - The Big Reveal: Oliva Serie G Maduro

42:05 - Final Thoughts & Wrap Up

43:48 - Post-Recording Banter & Outtakes

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⚠️ Content Warning: This podcast contains adult language and is intended for mature audiences.

Welcome back to another episode of Smoke and Steel! Join us as we light up some interesting sticks, discuss cigar tools, and dive deep into which discontinued cigars we'd love to stockpile. From Mark's Bentley disaster to planning our first blind review, this episode has it all!

What We're Smoking:

Aging Room Concerta

Bentley (spoiler alert: disaster incoming)

My Father Blue Label

Patina (Jim's go-to)

Key Topics Covered:

✅ The great cigar poker debate - helpful tool or unnecessary?

✅ Daily discussion topics and social media growth

✅ Whiskey-brand cigars: worth the hype?

✅ Planning our first official blind cigar review

✅ Discontinued cigars we'd stockpile if we could time travel

✅ How corporate buyouts changed beloved brands

✅ Future cigar event plans and the PCA dream

CHAPTERS:

0:00 - Opening & What We're Smoking

1:00 - Learn to Burn Philosophy

1:45 - Cigar Poker Debate

3:30 - Social Media Growth

4:16 - Lounge Etiquette Discussion

7:27 - Whiskey Brand Cigars

9:33 - Cohiba Brand Evolution

11:52 - Mark's Bentley Disaster Begins

16:03 - Facebook Community Feedback

19:01 - Watching Yourself on Video

23:04 - Wild Lounge Story Teaser

25:42 - $17 Bentley - "You Got Robbed!"

32:42 - Planning First Blind Review

36:05 - Discontinued Cigars We'd Stockpile

44:33 - Corporate Buyouts Changed Brands

49:48 - Lighter Talk & Collections

59:03 - Future Cigar Events & PCA

1:02:05 - Dominican Factory Tours

1:06:42 - Closing & Technical Issues

Connect With Us:

🔥 Discord: Early access to episodes !

📱 Facebook: @StogieReview

📸 Instagram: @StogieReview

Cigars Mentioned This Episode:

Aging Room Concerta

Bentley Cigars

My Father Blue Label

My Father/Tatuaje $60 Collaboration

Padron (various lines)

Buffalo Trace Cigars

Pappy Van Winkle Cigars

Cohiba Weller Collaboration

Series D by Eddie Ortega

El Cobre by Oliva

Leaf by James Black Label

LFD Flower Bands

Camacho Triple Maduro

CAO Amazon Basin

Felipe Gregorio Cigars

What discontinued cigar would YOU stockpile? Let us know in the comments!

Welcome back to Smoke and Steel! In Episode 4, Walt and the crew dive deep into cigar smoking limits, brand loyalty, and the ever-changing cigar shop landscape. From golf course disasters to car troubles, this episode has it all!⏰ TIMESTAMPS ⏰0:04 - Opening banter and cigar introductions8:24 - How many cigars is TOO many? The crew weighs in13:10 - Cigar shop news: Cigars Cigars (Colmar) becomes Cigar Phoenix18:00 - Rob's dramatic entrance20:26 - The infamous golf glove lighter incident story24:17 - The ultimate question: 3 cigar brands for life37:00 - Garage upgrades and future plans54:10 - Closing thoughts and where to find usWhether you're a seasoned aficionado or just getting into premium cigars, this episode delivers laughs, insights, and real talk about the cigar lifestyle.🎯 JOIN OUR COMMUNITY 🎯Discord: discord.gg/8h5tuYaqJVInstagram: @StogieReviewFacebook: Stogie Review🎧 LISTEN ON ALL PLATFORMS 🎧Spotify | Apple Podcasts | Google PodcastsThanks for watching! Hit that subscribe button and ring the bell for notifications. Got questions or want to share your own "too many cigars" story? Drop a comment below!#CigarPodcast #SmokeAndSteel #CigarReview #PremiumCigars #CigarLife #Padrón #Foundation #CigarCommunity

After an incredible night with 8 of our 9-person crew at the social club, I couldn't sleep thinking about what we're really trying to accomplish with the Smoke and Steel podcast. Eddie gave us the ultimate compliment - he feels like he's right there with us when listening in his truck. That's exactly what we set out to do.

In this solo episode, I break down our three main goals: recreating authentic cigar lounge camaraderie for enthusiasts who don't have access to it, maintaining quality audio so everyone can be part of the conversation, and the financial realities of creating cigar content on platforms like YouTube.

This isn't about polished production or following industry formats - it's about genuine friendship, honest conversations, and making every listener feel like they're sitting around the table with us.

Our Core Group:

The podcast features a rotating cast from our 9-person group, with the core four being myself, Mark, Eric, and Jim. You'll also hear from Eddie, Preston, Rob, Mike, and the other Eric as they join our garage sessions.

Connect with us:

Website: stogiereview.com

Ko-Fi Donations: Here

Subscribe for authentic cigar conversations

Chapters:

0:00 - Introduction & Recording Setup

1:02 - Meet Our 9-Person Group

3:06 - Thursday Night at the Social Club

4:13 - Eddie's Ultimate Compliment

5:55 - The Big Picture Question

8:16 - Goal #1: Bottling the Cigar Lounge Experience

9:11 - Quality vs. Authenticity in Podcasting

11:24 - Audio Challenges & Equipment Limitations

14:38 - Getting the Core Four on Board

18:04 - Small Improvements We're Making

20:08 - Goal #2: Financial Sustainability

21:25 - YouTube's Content Restrictions

24:00 - How Affiliate Links Support the Show

26:12 - The Revolving Door Philosophy

27:14 - Wrapping Up Our Mission

Welcome to the debut episode of Smoke and Steel! Join Walt, Mark, Rob, Jim "Godfather", and Eric as they share their cigar origin stories and dive into authentic conversations about cigar culture, lounge etiquette, and the friendships forged over premium tobacco.

🔥 SUBSCRIBE for new episodes

📱 Follow us on social media for updates and behind-the-scenes content

⏰ TIMESTAMPS:

0:00 - Cold Open & Introductions

0:26 - How We Got Started with Cigars

2:17 - Godfather Jim's 51-Year Cigar Journey

4:15 - The History of Our Local Cigar Shop

8:44 - What We're Smoking Tonight

10:07 - Cuban Cigar Stories & Experiences

14:59 - Most Expensive Cigars We've Ever Bought

22:31 - Rehydrating Dried Out Cigars

25:00 - Humidor Tips & Storage Systems

38:21 - The Great Cutting Fee Debate

50:24 - Who Would We Want to Interview?

56:58 - Celebrity Deaths Come in Threes

1:00:00 - Wrapping Up Our First Episode

Whether you're a seasoned cigar enthusiast or just curious about cigar culture, Smoke and Steel offers genuine conversations without the pretense. We're just five friends sharing our passion for cigars and the community that surrounds them.

Got cigar stories of your own? Drop them in the comments - we'd love to hear from fellow enthusiasts!

Join Walt on a solo episode as he shares the incredible story of how he finally landed the perfect domino table for his cigar lounge! From Facebook Marketplace hunting to a rescue mission with friend Mark, this episode has it all - plus a bonus discovery at Old Havana Cigars in Pennsylvania.

Whether you're setting up your own cigar lounge or just love a good treasure hunt story, this episode showcases the camaraderie and passion that makes the cigar community so special.

🎯 VIDEO TIMESTAMPS

0:35 - The domino tradition at our local cigar shop

4:32 - Facebook Marketplace hunting begins

7:16 - The Oliva table that got away (shipping costs!)

9:54 - Finding the perfect H. Upmann table

11:48 - Mark's rescue mission offer

14:23 - Bonus stop: Old Havana Cigars discovery

15:58 - Padron Fuente collaboration box ($178/stick!)

18:58 - Mission accomplished!

📍 LOCATIONS MENTIONED

Old Havana Cigars - Westchester, PA (Right off Route 202)

🚭 CIGARS & BRANDS FEATURED

H. Upmann (domino table brand)

Padron Fuente Collaboration

Foundation Cigars

Liga Privada T-52

Oliva (vintage ashtray spotted)

Opus X (dog bowl find)

💬 LET'S CONNECT

What's your favorite cigar lounge setup story? Drop a comment below and let us know about your best cigar accessory finds!

🔔 SUBSCRIBE for cigar reviews, lounge stories, and authentic conversations from real cigar enthusiasts.

📱 FIND US ON:

Spotify: [Smoke and Steel Podcast]

YouTube: [Subscribe for bi-weekly episodes]

Welcome to the very first episode of the Smoke and Steel cigar podcast! This completely impromptu episode features myself and Mark sharing stories about how we met at Sir Stogies cigar shop and our journey into the world of premium cigars.We dive into the community aspect of cigar shops, Mark's transition from flavored cigars to premium smokes, and why finding friendship through cigars has been such an important part of both our lives. It's a casual conversation between two friends who love cigars and the stories that come with them.🎯 What We're Smoking:AJ Fernandez New World (with some burn issues!)Discussion of Padron 1964s, Trinidad cigars, and more📍 Chapters:0:00 - Welcome & Introductions2:03 - How We Met at Sir Stogies8:26 - The Magic of Tim Miller's Shop14:27 - Why Mark Started Going to Cigar Shops18:56 - Family Traditions & Cigar Memories22:04 - From Flavored Cigars to Premium Smokes27:00 - Current Favorites & Manufacturer Preferences29:22 - Price Points & Budget Smoking32:00 - Our Smoking Space & Wrap-up🔔 Subscribe for more episodes featuring cigar reviews, industry stories, and conversations with fellow enthusiasts!Visit StogieReview.com for the full blog recap and more cigar content.