Lane: Welcome everyone to Cigar Cafe Radio. I’m back from another vacation and excited to be here!

Sean: I can’t believe you were gone again! When do you actually work?

Sean: So my boss went to Cuba last week on a business trip and brought me back a few well known Cuban cigars. The ones he brought me included the Montecristo no.2, Cohiba Behike, and Cohiba Maduro. They were much milder than I expected. Overall very mild to medium.

@pedrogomezdrewestate for more questions via twitter

Interview with special guest Pedro Gomez joining the show via Skype from Esteli, Nicaragua today. Pedro Gomez is the factory spokesperson for Drew Estate Cigar Co. and leads their Cigar Safari tours.

Lane: Welcome everybody to Cigar Cafe Radio today. We are excited to have special guest Pedro Gomez with us today on the show. What are we smoking today guys?

Harris: I’m smoking the Kentucky Fire Cured Chunky 4×46 by Drew Estate. It smells like a campfire before lighting it. These have really grown on me. They are very smooth with only a hint of the fire cured tobacco. The 6×50 size is my favorite so far.

Lane: Welcome everyone to Cigar Cafe Radio. I’m your co-host here with Harris and Sean as usual. What are we smoking lately? I smoked the last 4 1502 Black and Gold from Harris.

Harris: I’m smoking the AFR- 75 by PDR Cigars. I believe it is their top of the line cigar. $15 range. It is starting out great. Very smooth full body.

Lane: Welcome to Cigar Cafe Radio. We have Nish Patel on the show today (brother of Rocky Patel). Thanks for joining us today!

Harris: Nish thanks again for coming on the show today. What are you smoking today?

Nish: I’ll smoke 4-5 cigars today. My first one is Bold by Nish Patel. It is a double maduro wrapper and binder. Next I will smoke the Rocky Patel 20th Anniversary then a Rocky Patel Sun Grown maduro after that another Bold or possibly the new Hamlet cigar from Rocky Patel. Some days I only smoke one cigar and up to 32 cigars if we are blending.

Lane: Who does most of the blending for Rocky Patel Premium Cigars?

Lane: Welcome to Cigar Cafe Radio. Today we have a special guest. Dave Garofalo owner Two Guys Smoke Shop, The Cigar Authority podcast and website and United Cigar. He serves on the Davidoff Advisory Board and many other boards now and in the past.

Harris: Dave, Thanks for joining us today. Dave is a personal friend. I really appreciate all you do for the cigar industry to protect it and make it better! You are the king of the cigar industry.

Dave: Thanks! I really love the cigar industry. I work seven days a week at it and can’t get enough. I am very passionate about brick and mortar cigar retail. I’ve been at this for 30 years and really want to help the industry and retailers.

Lane: Welcome to the Cigar Café. Today we have a very special guest with us. Jose Blanco, owner of Las Cumbres Tobacco Co., is joining the show today from the Dominican Republic. This is our first international episode! Jose, thanks for joining us today!

Smoking on the show today:

Lane and Harris: Senorial Corona Gorda (Jose Blanco’s first blend from Las Cumbres Tobacco Co.)

Jose Blanco: Experimental test blend Lonsdale (non traditional country tobacco, variety)

Jose Blanco’s wife Emma created Freya a new unique blend she worked on solo.

Harris and Patrick Vivalo

Harris: Patrick, Thanks for joining us on The Cigar Café today. Patrick is at Cigars & More in Birmingham today for an event with his brand Vivalo Cigars.

Patrick: Thanks for having me in the store today and on the show.

Harris: Tell us a little about what makes your brand Vivalo Cigars unique

Patrick: I spent years working on this blend while leading factory tours when I worked for Rocky Patel Cigars. Most cigar companies only blend there cigars to the robusto size and then adjust for larger sizes.

Lane: Welcome into the Cigar Cafe today. Harris and I are recording in the studio today at Cigars & More in Birmingham, Alabama. How are you guys today?

Cigars we are talking about on the show today:

Tatuaje SNS Corona member exclusive 2

La Antiguedad TAA special release

Saints and Sinners

Arturo Fuente Opus X

Sean: Harris sent me a great cigar pack this week. Included Davidoff Escurio one of each size, AVO Greatest Hits limited edition sampler.

Lane: Intro and welcome to Chris Carey our special guest here today. Chris is the Southeast are sales rep for Alec Bradley Cigar Company and based in Atlanta, Georgia. Thanks for joining us!

Sean: Chris, what are you guys smoking during the show today?

Chris: I brought a very special cigar today, the Nica Puro Rosado. The Nica Puro Rosado is not available in cigar shops yet but will be soon.

Lane: Intro and Welcome back to the show Garrett Calhoun Southeast rep for Davidoff of Geneva

Garrett: It’s great to be back on the show. I’m in town to host one of the first Davidoff Escurio Nights events in the country.

Lane: What is that event all about?

Garrett: Its a very unique custom event all about sweet and spicy food and drink pairings with the Davidoff Nicaragua and Davidoff Escurio cigars. Guests in attendance will get to try both cigars along with three cocktails and heavy finger foods. The theme is a night in Rio, Brazil.