Cigar Snob Podcast

Comedian Mario Ramil joins the show to drop some profound nuggets of comedic wisdom while smoking a Don Pepin Garcia Serie JJ. The guys answer a question from a listener concerned about microplastics in his cigars. What?! Lastly, the Romeo y Julieta 150th Anniversary gets a full review as well as a vertical tasting with Woodinville Whiskey.

My cigar is a dud, can I ask for a replacement? by Cigar Snob

Ever wonder if frigid temps mess with your favorite cigar? In this episode, the guys tackle a listener’s question: Does cold weather affect how my cigar smokes? They talk about temperature, humidity, construction, and how it all can impact the experience —plus, they drop some pro tips for braving winter with a stogie in hand. Then, it’s time to put the Titan de Bronze Redemption to the test before making the ultimate sacrifice: a blind tasting of top-shelf single malt Scotches (someone’s gotta do it, right?). Finally, they sit down for an in-studio chat with Sandy Cobas and Giselle Herrera, the powerhouse duo behind Little Havana’s legendary Titan de Bronze Cigar Factory. Light up and tune in!

One of our listeners asked: "Am I being priced out of the market with these expensive cigars?" The guys deliberate on the recent trend of ultra-expensive cigars and their place in the premium cigar market. They reviewed the Leaf by Oscar and drank top-shelf Kentucky straight bourbons before sitting for a 1 on 1 with Oscar Valladares in studio.

Are you torching your cigar to death? Should you be using a soft flame instead of a quadruple jet cigar scorcher? The guys offer strategies on how to light cigars without destroying them. On the show they reviewed the highly rated My Father Fonseca MX, did they like it?

Experts always recommend that you ‘ask your local tobacconist’ but how do you know if this person knows what he/she is talking about? The guys offer some tips and tricks to help you figure out if the person recommending your premium cigars is knowledgeable and trustworthy. In this episode, the guys also reviewed the Rocky Patel Dark Star, which features Paraguayan tobacco in the blend, paired the Dark Star with four rye whiskies, and finally Ivan Ocampo interviewed the gentleman behind The Cigar Academy.

Jim pitches his zany business idea for safe cigar disposal while Erik and Ivan point out some of the best and worst places to enjoy a cigar on vacation. Throughout the show the guys review the Villiger Miami and pair it with a vertical lineup of Benriach single malt Scotch. Finally Dr. Corina and Lucien Villiger share their insights on what it was like growing up as a member of the Villiger family.

The title and direction of this show was taken from listener feedback asking, "Can you define the difference between a premium cigar vs a non-premium cigar?" We took a stab at that one while smoking the Aganorsa Rare Leaf Reserve Maduro, very much a premium cigar. We then paired that cigar with 4 dark beers and interviewed the up and coming, cigar-loving country singer, Orlando Mendez aka The Cuban Cowboy.

From construction, to flavors, to fermentation, the guys break down all of the factors that unequivocally mean that your cigar is a bad one. Did they miss anything? Let us know in the comments. Also, they smoke the Stillwell Star from Dunbarton Tobacco & Trust and were joined by Cigar Dojo's Eric Guttormson to discuss the upcoming Top 25 lists.

A perfectly synergistic episode where the cigar, question, spirit selection, and interview guest all revolve around a question sent in by a listener. The guys smoked the Joya de Nicaragua Antaño CT, drank high-end blended Scotch, and sat down with Joya de Nicaragua's Juan Martinez.

We sat down with Rocky Patel to talk about his latest influences in cigar blending as well as his upcoming release of the highly anticipated Conviction. Back in the studio, the guys paired the Rocky Patel DBS with 3 top-shelf bourbons and answered a great listener question.

The guys answer an excellent listener question about why different vitolas of the same blend have different flavor profiles and even strength differences. During the show, the guys enjoyed the Illusione OneOff along with 3 fine tequilas. Later in the Share a Smoke segment, Ivan and Erik sat down with Manolo Santiago, the master blender for Casa 1910 Cigars.

The guys get goofy on aged rums while discussing the topic of what you look for in a cigar lounge. They go overboard in their praise for the Tatuaje Tuxtla Lomo de Cerdo and eventually sit down with Ozzie Gomez, co-owner of 3 South Florida cigar bars including the new and impressive Tabacon Cigars & Spirits in Doral.

The guys answer an X's & O's question from a serial emailer about whether it is a good idea or not to store or age cigars in their cellophane. Along the way the guys taste the new and limited Jack Daniel's Twice Barreled with the Villiger de Nicaragua. Finally a sit-down with Rene Castañeda reveals the story behind the new Villiger cigar factory in Nicaragua and we find out that whiskey hits Rene in the spot where the body and the soul meet... that's deep!

It's time to celebrate with a proper celebratory smoke, the Davidoff Year of the Rabbit. The guys enjoyed it with a vertical tasting of the Great Jones Distilling Company, Manhattan's first whiskey distillery since prohibition. Then Erik sat down with Davidoff USA's Eddie Guerra to discuss this and many other offerings from the premium cigar powerhouse.

The guys play a game to see who gets to smoke the Cigar of the Year from Cigar Snob Magazine's Top 25. They toast to all 25 of the selections with Zafra 30, a fantastic, limited edition rum. Later in the show, Erik sat down with Nick Melillo, the owner and blender for Olmec Maduro, the #1 cigar of 2022.

The guys tackle a popular question about how Cigar Snob Magazine rates cigars while smoking the Ferio Tego Timeless 10 Years. The Perfect Pairings segment included top-shelf bourbons from EH Taylor, Willett, and Garrison Brothers. Finally, Erik sat down with Ferio Tego's Michael Herklots to talk about how a 1 year old company can have a 10th anniversary cigar...

The team tackles a listener question about cigar clubs and other cigar buying platforms while smoking the My Father La Gran Oferta. They did a vertical tasting of Broken Barrel Whiskey, which significantly increased the "slur-factor" on the show. Finally, Erik sat down with Jose Ortega, VP of Sales for My Father Cigars, and discussed La Gran Oferta and what My Father Cigars has in store for 2023. Ortega may or may not have dropped a hint about a special release in the works.

In this episode the guys pick their favorite inflation buster cigars while smoking Montecristo 1935 Anniversary Nicaragua. They blind taste 3 highly rated South American wines and chat with Altadis USA’s Rafael Nodal.

The boys were blown away by 3 excellent single malt Scotches paired with a Rocky Patel Number 6 corona. They answered a great X's & O's question from a listener about Ybor City cigar factories. And Jim and Jamy took turns butchering Scotch brand names.