ACHP 422 Code Red and "That's A Wrap!
Transcript
Welcome to a Cigar Hustler
podcast.
Five days a week, I'm your host.
This is Mike Palmer.
This is episode 422.
You look kind of frazzled.
You look like, do you remember
the original Batman?
Yes.
When when the Joker he put stuff
in all the cosmetic stuff.
Oh, is my hair all messy?
And like no one could do
anything.
Everybody looked ugly.
And everybody was stressed out.
I remember that one.
I feel like that's you today.
Oh, you look a little stressed.
I'll be fine.
I oh, we have some updates on
some stuff too.
Don't let me forget 'cause I
didn't have time to put it in
here.
OK on today's how on today's
show.
How?
It says how today's show YouTube
is wrapping up the year in
videos.
There's a code red over a chat,
GPTHQ.
And then in cigar news, the
Sisters of the Leaf certified
burn crown heads is Thunder
kissing everybody they can find.
Oh, Espanola is coming in
February.
Espanola.
That's the name of the cigar.
OK, it's not Espinoza.
It's his sister.
Oh, it's sister Espanola.
Espanola.
OK.
She's coming in February and
Agronosa is a OK E.
Sounds like a lot of fun and
exciting things.
That's.
It name and over there on my
left is Michael Stepan Kevich
Michael what how it's to be how
how can I get some of that
chapter pod swag what you.
Want to do is you want to go on
to chapter pod.com and check out
our latest wagon apparel.
We have a couple of the black
out Postana War Bear hats as
well as pre-orders on the new
Pressure as a Privilege shirt.
I'm wearing this lovely BDP
today.
If you buy one shirt, you get
the 2nd 140% off.
You spend $100 or more, you get
free shipping.
So check out Chapter pod.com and
like and subscribe to wherever
you're watching or viewing our
show.
Excellent job, Michael.
Thank you very much.
You can't get the tank BDP tank
tops anymore though right?
No, the BDP tank tops were
memorial.
Memorial Day, especially.
Yeah, all right.
Oh, we also have a watch the
score later in the show.
You want to do the updates now
so I don't forget.
I like Kevin's show every day
because that way we can.
It's not like been a week since
we talked about it.
Yeah, we can do the updates.
All right, so Joshua Haberski
got the guardian of the the
tobacco or guardian of cigars or
whatever it was he got
yesterday, correct?
So I went and checked.
OK, a restaurant did give it to
him.
It was a restaurant.
A restaurant slash cigar place
in London.
Ho ho ho.
Yes.
You mean to tell me that here in
London you're going to get this
tobacco award as a guardian of
tobacco?
I think it's guardian of cigars.
Oh, you said Guardian Tobacco.
I'm not sure exactly what you
want to do.
Cigars seems to make more sense.
Details from details.
Right, but exactly.
So, Michael, on behalf of the
local McDonald's, we would like
to make you guardian of cigars
for Deltona.
Oh, thank you very much.
But do I get a Happy meal with
that?
No, just the little toys.
A little toy.
The little toy.
It's coming.
Don't worry, it'll be here.
I'm looking.
Forward to this solid gold.
Oh, a solid gold trophy,
Guardian of cigars.
Yes, OK.
I just got smoke in my eye.
There was something else we were
helping.
I don't remember, Boot, you're
kind of quiet over there.
How you doing?
I'm doing very good, Bing Bong.
Very thank you for having me on
show.
I like show.
Good job.
Good job there.
All right, now let's get into
some trending news.
My cigar is very dry.
It's from the photo samples I
used to keep.
But see, it's exploding.
Now let's get into some trending
news.
YouTube is wrapping your year in
videos.
The platform is rolling out year
in stats about your viewing
habits.
So all that adult stuff you
watch, Michael?
All that adult stuff.
That you watch.
OK, we're gonna give it back to
you.
All right?
I gotta.
Tell you, I probably have the
most boring YouTube feeds ever.
It's a it's a montage of things
that are like when you send to
somebody, it's like fuck you.
Like hey, just so in case
anybody didn't tell you today,
fuck you or something.
Video How to tell somebody.
To fuck you.
No, the like little shorts or,
or like the like I always do the
Elmo, the Elmo talking, telling
you that you're a piece of shit
like those.
That's the things that I watch
in the shorts, yeah.
I watch the Fat Electrician with
all the the military history
stuff I find that.
Interesting.
Oh, you watch actual shows?
I watch actual shows.
You got it.
Yeah.
I don't.
And music videos.
I like to watch music videos.
Oh really?
I saw a good one by Adele.
I'm kind of hooked on Adele
lately.
Really.
Yeah, maybe Brittany and I will
go to a concert.
I'll get you an Adele shirt.
Oh yeah.
I like skinny Adele though.
ABDP dressed as Adele.
Oh, that I would wear that.
That would be funny.
Fantastic.
That would be funny.
All right.
Have Baby Shark dance on a loop
to entertain your child while
you work from home.
Those viewing habits will inform
your recap.
Doo Doo Doo Doo Doo Doo.
YouTube's answer to Spotify
Wrapped recap debut yesterday in
North North America and we'll
roll out globally this week.
It includes music, but doesn't
replace YouTube's music recap.
Oh, there's a special one for
that, and it mirrors a lot of
what Spotify does with their
Wrapped.
You'll see the top channels,
artists, and the evolution of
your viewing habits.
Oh, if we show up as as one of
your top channels, please
comment on the thing.
Let us know.
We would like to know this.
We would like to know you'll
also be assigned a personality
type.
Inch.
Oh, I feel sorry for the people
that were the top thing on their
top.
Why they're going to get
personality typed?
What?
What kind of personality type do
you think a viewer that watches
the show has?
Old smokes, that's probably
about it.
Are demographs actually younger
than you think?
Is it really?
Yeah, 25 to 34.
It's 25 to 45 because you have a
lot in both of those categories.
Oh.
Nice, yeah?
Those made-up personas reflect
your content preference and
include the sunshiner, good
vibes, A trailblazer, unique
taste and the connector.
Not explained but probably
someone who watches mostly
Connect 4 videos.
Whoever wrote you should stay
away from comedy Recap arrived
the same day as Apple Music
Replay and Amazon's Music
delivered in what seems to be an
attempt to get ahead of Spotify
Wrapped, which came out on
December 4th last year and will
likely dominate your social
media feed soon.
YouTube listened big names on
the platform like Marquis Bro
Brownlee, Marques Brownlee.
Any idea who that is?
No idea.
Hank Green?
Nope.
Have have long asked for a year
end video recap.
If only they would have also
clamor for Taco Bell Wrapped so
that we can see how many
burritos you've eaten in 2025.
Oh, this guy should stay away
from comedy.
Where did you pull this from?
This is terrible.
This particular story from that
website that sends me stuff
every day.
The idea of the story was good,
but the actual story?
Story not so much, not so good.
All right, Altman orders Open AI
Code Red as rivals grow, just as
everyone else begins to slow
down.
Is this like the Mountain Dew?
No, Ultiman is the guy that owns
ChatGPT.
Everybody else is sort of
winding down for the end of the
year.
He's telling his guys it's a
Code red.
We got to get working.
We need to dominate the AI
platform.
That's pretty smart.
Yeah, it is.
That's that's probably why he's
a big name in the industry.
Well, we didn't know who he was
till the article.
Well, we don't know this
industry.
Good point.
Just as everyone else begins to
slow down and use their second
monitors to play the 24/7
burning Yule Lung open, AICEO
Sam Altman reportedly sent out
an an internal memo this week
telling staff that the company
was in a code red.
They'll be no days off.
Effort and would need to focus
all its energy on improving
ChatGPT, even if it meant
pausing their other projects.
Stop the other projects right
now.
Stop, Stop the presses.
Yes.
The memo landed as rivals like
Google Gemini increasingly put
pressure on ChatGPT to stay atop
the chatbot market.
Altman's directive and
subsequent social media post for
Mother Open AI execs says that
staff has been asked to
prioritize expanding the
audience for the tool, which
currently boasts 800 million
weekly users, as well as making
it feel more personal and
intuitive.
I mean, there's, there's
definitely some room for
improvement when it comes to
ChatGPT.
You use Gronk, right?
That's when you.
Prefer, yeah, I gravitate more
towards grok for image, grok for
imagery.
And like, I ask questions.
Normally when I ask questions, I
ask questions on grok.
But I mean, that one's flawed
too.
They're all flawed.
They're all flawed to a point.
Yeah.
Yeah, I use ChatGPT almost
exclusively now.
Do you?
Yes, but there are sometimes
where it says, oh, I can't do
that.
That's like that's, that's
ridiculous.
Right.
And then, you know, you come
back in an hour and it goes, oh,
here it is.
And by the way, that information
you asked me about that I told
you I couldn't get.
It's usually drawing a photo
like I can't do that.
It'll look just like Bruce
Willis and we're not allowed.
Or that's not we're not
permitted.
And then later it'll go, if you
word it as look alike, Bruce
Willis, I can do it for you.
If you just said Guy kind of
looks like Bruce Willis.
Right, That's all you got to do.
But like sometimes the one on
the phone won't do something
that the one on the computer
will do right away and vice
versa, even though it's the same
account.
Interesting.
It's.
Very weird, very weird.
Altman said that other projects,
like shopping AI agents and its
personal assistant Pulse, would
take a back seat for the time
being.
Oh, what's Pulse?
I have no idea.
Oh you do you still have Alexa
in your house?
No, we got rid of that a long
time ago.
Why?
Just curious.
I don't know.
It just wasn't.
I didn't see that purpose.
It seemed after a while it was
just kind of gimmicky for me.
And then we don't utilize it at
all.
We primarily just use it for
music and stuff throughout the
house, but last night I was
cooking in the kitchen and
Adrian had a thing she had to go
to and she texted me she was on
her way home.
So just on a whim I said Alexa,
call Adrian on her cell.
It did, right?
I didn't know it could do that.
What did it call from your cell
phone?
No, it called from Alexa as far
as I know.
What did it say when she when
you called?
I didn't ask her, but she
answered the phone right away.
So I knew that it was you.
Apparently.
So it had to be linked to your
phone somehow.
Kind of weird.
Oh well, no, I don't do that.
For for music in the house we
use Sonos.
Well, I don't have Sonos.
I like the Sonos.
I have an alarm set that here's.
What's crazy is I've set an
alarm for these kids of mine,
right?
And it blasts music throughout
the entire house.
And now they've become
accustomed to this music and
they don't move.
Oh, you got to change the music.
I I change the music all the
time.
Make it a code red sound like.
There's one in particular that I
really like to use.
It's called the Purge.
The purge sound.
Yeah, and they still don't move.
Really.
Yeah.
Wow.
Can you record something and
make them wake up?
It's all from like the Spotify
playlist.
So you couldn't make your own?
No, I don't think it'd be like
you yelling to get up.
No, but you know what?
I used to use that one guy.
Get the fuck out of bed, bitch.
Go doom, Doom, doom, doom, doom.
I need to get back to that.
Yeah, that's a nice thing for
children to start their day
with.
It is for my children.
Get the fuck out of bed.
Open AI will also start hosting
a special daily call for
employees working on ChatGPT.
They just hello ring.
OK, wait, you answered the.
Phone.
Oh, are they are they joining
SCG for the meetings?
Is that what's going on?
Yeah.
Are there meetings all on
phones?
They're yeah, we're doing
meetings.
They're not in person.
It's all zooms.
Oh, zoom, zoom, zoom.
I figured he was like at the
head office.
No, but go ahead.
I'll I'll play this game with
you.
Go ahead, ring, ring.
All right, hold on.
What do I?
Who am I again?
OK, alright.
Ring, ring, ring.
I can't.
Ring.
Ring, ring.
Hello.
Get back.
Fuck to work.
Yes, Sir.
I'm very sorry Sir.
I'm working on the AII.
Can't out of your time for this?
I got to call somebody else.
OK, I got to go.
Thank you.
Bye.
She said Mr. Holtman.
Mr. Holtman.
No way they're getting away with
keeping their cameras off.
The latest release of Google's
Gemini chatbot lamped open AI
Chats GPT in a number of
industry benchmark tests, and
users are taking notice.
Google said it's Gemini app has
jumped from 450 million monthly
users in July to 650 million.
I didn't like that when it came
out.
I didn't try it again.
Maybe it's better now, I don't
know.
Well, you would hope that the
space that they improve, you
know what I mean?
Yeah, they always get better.
I mean, ChatGPT is always
telling me we're going to
upgrade you or update you or
something.
Right.
Today's the day.
Today's the day.
Thanks largely to the first
release of AI image generator
Nano Banana.
Oh, I saw something about that.
Are you OK?
Yeah.
I'm sorry.
No.
Banana.
No.
Was that the end of the story?
No.
Please continue.
Oh, I saw the other day.
I saw the other day like I saw
AI image of a banana and said
nano banana on it.
Oh, I think I saw that too, but
I didn't read it.
I didn't understand what it was.
OK.
Anthropic is also gaining
traction, jumping under just for
just under 1000 enterprises
customers two years ago to
300,000 in September.
The upstart recently acquired AI
developer Burn to beef a bun to
beef up its coding automation
tool Big picture.
While Gemini has the added bonus
of existing and one of the most
lucrative online ecosystems,
Open AI is burning through
investment dollars.
The company is committed to how
much you think.
I would say $4 billion one
point. 4 trillion that's.
A lot of money.
A lot of money and
infrastructure deals over the
next eight years and is yet to
be profitable.
OK.
So that kind of brings you to
this question.
Do you think that there is an AI
bubble that's starting to
happen?
Yes.
You do?
No, I sorry.
I thought you were going to say
something else.
Well, that.
Was going to be the first
question.
And then the second question is
when do you think it would pop
if you if you thought that there
was a bubble?
What do you mean by AI bubble?
Like there's like.
Tons of money, like just like
back in 2000, Oh, oh, domains,
oh, the, the, you know, the tech
industry surged, right?
And then everybody realized that
it wasn't working on the scale
that it was.
It popped, everything tanked and
then eventually it went back it,
you know, it started to work
again, right?
So it's like, I feel like that
maybe that's what's going on
here with AI, right?
I just want to get your thoughts
on it.
I think it's here to stay.
I don't think it's going to go
away.
Well, domains never went away,
but there was.
Right, but it became less
popular though.
What are you talking about?
Well, as far as like, you know,
I'm going to grab coke, I'm
going to grab coke.
Is it I'm going to grab coke.
Is it with fun?
I'm going to grab, you know,
people were doing that or are
they still doing that?
No, I mean, the tech industry,
what happened was people were
building these businesses and
then but and they said this is
how it's going to work and we're
going to do all these things.
And then, but then they would
never do those things and boom,
it would everything would kind
of cage you think people.
Are going to be expecting
something from AI that it
doesn't.
It's going to go so far and it's
like, yeah, this is the best we
got, guys.
Well, I think that there's
already several platforms of AI
and I think that not all, you
know, like you don't like to use
the gem.
Gemini.
Right.
I don't think Google is the one
that would necessarily implode,
but maybe.
I think some of the smaller ones
will probably drop off.
They won't want.
I mean, I've never heard of this
guy and he's got $1.4 trillion.
Right.
So that's a lot of bones.
Make a lot of money, yeah.
So just imagine how much money
something like Chet GPT or
Gemini or yeah Gonk or whatever.
So what's Grok?
So what's the ROI on, you know,
1.4 trillion?
Yeah.
How long does that to be around,
right?
I don't know.
Who knows?
So.
So you don't believe that it's,
but you don't think it's a
bubble?
I don't think it's a bubble.
I think it's going to be a
bubble.
You think so?
I think AI is here to stay, but
I think that some of them are
going to go away.
Well, I do think some of the
some of the smaller ones will
drop off.
They won't be able to keep up.
I think some of the bigger ones
are going to fall off too.
Oh, do you?
Yeah.
I think eventually we'll get to
be like a little freestanding
person, like, you know, like the
light there will be.
If if you burn through the 1.4
trillion and how will you go
back?
You go back for more.
Hey, we're going to need another
Another.
Trillion.
Another gazillion here, guys.
I don't want to tell you that
sex stall just doesn't work
right.
That's my point.
That's my point.
Like at some point they got to
say this isn't working and.
You probably are.
Yeah, I guess you're right.
I mean, how much money can they
throw into this?
I mean, that's not, that's
higher than the national debt,
isn't it?
I mean, a lot of people use AI
just for like, it's like the new
Google, right?
They just ask dumb questions to
it and.
Oh, I do all the time.
Yeah, exactly.
But you know how much that's not
really lucrative, That's not
doesn't make you a ton of money
unless you're subscribed to it
or something, I guess.
I use it for some of our show
prep and social media stuff.
Do you pay for a subscription
with chat?
Yeah, I do now.
You do.
OK, so then at least that that.
Well, there's some.
I had to.
I was getting cut off.
And how much do you pay a month?
1999.
All right.
So at that rate you need to live
for, you know, about another 900
years before they can recoup
that 1.4.
Trillion, the AI will tell me
how to stay alive.
Yeah.
Oh, yeah.
There you go.
Very smart.
Smart I.
Haven't asked that question.
Yeah, hey, how do I live?
How do I live?
OK, I when my my dad passed, I
was using a like a psychiatry
type thing one.
Oh, really?
Yeah.
Did you really?
You never said anything like
that before.
Not really something to talk
about.
Was it like like The Sopranos 1?
What was it Sopranos mean?
Like it was a.
Like you had a shrink, you had
a, you had a AI shrink.
Yeah, it wasn't really what's
what's the the non doctor one,
the not actual doctor.
Not a psychiatrist.
It was a therapist.
Like a therapist therapist just
a rapist for just.
Tell it how you're feeling and
it, you know, sorts out your
feelings and then tells you, you
know, breathe.
Or is it completely normal or
you know, something like that?
Did you find it beneficial for
you?
I did for the, for the little
bit of time I did.
Yeah, I did it a long time, but
yeah, I did.
Did you fall in love with the
the rapist?
No, no I did not.
I love you, therapy.
But I used to ask you questions
like, you know, is this are you
a real person or is this really
because, you know, it could have
been, they could have been fake
it because that was early, that
was four years ago, right?
So they've never said they were
a real person.
So I don't know.
Like got this guy.
No, I am a I'm a robot, right?
No, I am artificial
intelligence.
I have.
I have no feelings at all.
I would ask questions about
advancements and stuff and they
would answer them, Yeah, like,
you know, they're working on
this, this and this.
That's very interesting.
I think a lot of people actually
use chat PT chat chat PT.
ChatGPT.
ChatGPT for therapy.
I imagine so.
It's very common, but now
there's probably, like you said,
people are falling in love with
them and stuff, which is just
weird.
It's not even, you know, there's
what do you just hold on your
phone?
I love you so.
Much.
Well, that's kind of the scary
part, man.
Like you ever see Ex Machina?
What?
So it it was a story about AI
where they this robot was kind
of created and the robot
convinced this person that it
was in love with him and it made
the person do is.
This a movie.
Yeah, but it's what's crazy is
how close it is to kind of
reality, you know?
Well, I've seen a lot of those
type movies where they have a
robot in the house and it, you
know, does things or tries to
break up the couple or, you
know, tells the kid that the
parents are bad or.
Yeah, that's crazy.
Yeah.
It was a one that it was a
horror movie where the AI thing
sort of took over the house.
They like a completely automated
house and the thing like, you
know, locked them in the house,
turned the heat on.
Made it hot, made them sweat.
Yeah, when they went to go do
something, it talked to other AI
things and got stuff done bad or
right or something.
I never saw it, It was theaters,
but I saw the trailers.
So you don't know the movie?
I can't remember the name of it,
but somebody famous was in.
It I would hope so if it was a
movie.
Well, all movies don't have
famous people.
That's true.
Those are the movies you watch
on Sunday afternoon when you
can't find anything else.
Well, I mean, a lot of the
Marvel people weren't famous
until they became characters in
Marvel.
True.
Yeah, do you know Martin?
Martin Scorsese doesn't like any
of the Marvel movies.
He doesn't consider them films.
Yeah, yeah.
They're box office hits.
He's a Oscar guy.
Yeah, he considered them box
office crap.
What was the term you used?
Box office like playgrounds, but
it was a different what?
So what's Universal considered
Universal Studios?
Yeah, like Universal, Disney,
SeaWorld, those are all called
something.
Entertainment.
All right, never mind.
Mrs. Potato Head, I have no idea
what you're trying to say to me.
Right theme parks.
The theme parks.
Theme parks.
OK, Well, yeah, I mean, one's
about, you know, one's art kind
to some degree, one's kind of
establishing revenue.
I don't.
For me personally, I don't care
if it's a box office hit or if
it's an Oscar.
I just need to have feeling.
I need to feel something.
Yeah, I just want to enjoy the
movie.
Yeah.
Have some type of attachment to
it.
Yeah.
Yeah, exactly.
All right.
OK.
Is that your only update was the
Joshua Hubersky?
I can't remember what the other
one was.
Yeah, it was a Joshua Hubersky
thing.
OK, what else?
What else did we talking about?
How about that cigar?
Oh yeah.
How about that cigar?
I did have something about that.
So we talked yesterday, or was
it yesterday?
Yep.
OK.
How we were not included in the
media show.
Yeah.
OK but we are the only media
people that got their own show.
What do you mean?
They had us on, just us.
Oh for post on your cigars.
Yeah, well, it was everything we
do type thing.
Yeah, no, they're not.
Having Coop back on by himself,
they're not having Eric, and I
don't know how Matt Tai was
saying his name, but it wasn't
criticism.
Yes.
Oh yeah.
He was saying it something so I
must have worked it out before.
The right way, yeah.
Must have worked it out before
home, right?
Yeah.
No, I mean, I understand why.
How about that?
So I didn't have us on because
we were just on.
Sure.
Yeah, we understand.
I just don't understand how you
don't specifically name how some
of these guys didn't
specifically name names of the
people that they think are a
problem in the industry like.
Well, that's the problem with
most of those guys anyway.
They're non confrontational.
Yeah, I guess you got a point
there.
I mean, if they won't talk about
a bad story about somebody
because they don't want it to
get back to they said something
bad by, for example, Crown head
just.
So I said that because he was
just here, that they're not
going to say anything bad about
Crown heads because they don't
want Crown heads to be mad at
them.
So they're not going to say
anything mad about Joe's Pipe
and Tobacco Show because they
don't want Joe's Pipe and
Tobacco Show to be mad at him,
which it's completely stupid
because all those guys, I mean,
obviously I made-up Joe's
Tobacco and Pipe Show, but all
those guys are further along in
the media area than Joe's
Tobacco and Whatever show.
Yeah, I mean, it's kind of wild
to me.
I, I, you can, you can have
perspective about people and it
might be negative or positive or
whatever, but as long as it's
honest and genuine and you're
not trying to hurt somebody, I
don't see the.
Right.
As long as it's your
perspective, you're entitled to
your own opinion, right?
It's odd.
OK, but there are things that
were said where maybe it was us
they were talking about, maybe
it wasn't.
I don't think so.
Probably not, but how do you
have that type of show without
us coming up in conversation?
I I honestly don't know.
I honestly don't know.
I mean, if we were to have a
show talking about cigar media,
all those guys except, well,
even Fred, 'cause now Fred's got
a video show too.
It's not a cigar show though.
Yeah, we would.
Yeah, I.
Mean we wouldn't mention all of
them for sure.
We mention all of them on a
weekly basis.
Yeah, the most part.
All right, moving on to cigar
news, The Sisters of the Leaf
certified burned by Rocky Patel
as a.
Yes.
I'm I'm letting you guess what
they certified it as.
Sister what?
Sisters of the Leaf SOTL Yeah,
certifies burned by Rocky Patel
as something.
The guardian of tobacco.
No, that's the restaurant in
London that does that.
Damn, as a woman friendly cigar
venue, makes sense.
December 1st, 2025 Press release
Cigar industry news events The
Sisters SOTL Global movement
proudly celebrated an evening in
Atlanta where burned by Rocky
Patel Atlanta was officially
recognized as a certified women
friendly cigar destination.
Now I don't know if it says in
here or not, but is it just
specifically that one?
It's just the one, but there's
more than one.
No, that's the only safe one.
The event hosted and organized
by Robin Blue, CCST MBA What's a
CCST?
I know what an MBA is.
That's above my pay grade pal.
I have no idea.
Certified consumer CCST CCST.
Why don't you look that like
you're reading marked an
important moment for women or
boots.
Why don't you look that up,
Boots?
OK, I look up, I typed the
letters.
You should ask me how you spell
it.
That would have been funny.
How do you spell CCST?
Important moment for women in
cigar cultures served as a
preview of what's coming next.
The celebration brought together
leaders.
Oh, passionados, I want to be.
I want to be a passionado.
It could mean a bunch of things,
buddy.
Cisco Certified Support
technician, Certified Control
system technician.
Maybe California Council on
Science and Technology.
Oh, that's possible.
College of Craniosacral Therapy.
I don't think that's it.
She's got an MBA, Masters of
Business, Associate Business
administration.
OK, all right, Nevermind CCS.
Do you want to be a Passionato?
Do I want to be a passionato?
That's.
The thing I brought together
leaders, passionatos, partners
and supporters.
OK.
Let's be passionatos I.
Don't want to be passionate, I
have enough passion.
Do you want to be passionate
about the industry?
I am passionate about the
industry.
I'm not really passionate about
the industry.
All right, supported by the
hospitality of Lou Ann Stephens
The night.
Oh, she's very nice.
She's that's where the
hospitality is.
What about the person or
organization?
We're going to get in trouble
with this one, I think.
Oh, boy.
The night showcase what is truly
meant to create a sophisticated
and empowering environment for
women in the Sikar world.
Special thanks were extended to
Bespoke.
Sure.
OK, OK.
Omar Kinnenbrew for his
attendance.
All he did was show up.
That's a big deal.
Did he show up?
Yeah, in a room full of women,
of course.
I'll go.
No, you won't.
Sure it will.
You're not allowed.
I can go, you can't go.
I'm not going.
I can't go for his attendance,
contribution and giveaways.
Oh, OK.
He gave stuff away.
I'm not giving anything away.
General Cigar Leo Brown is
given.
And to Neil.
Who's Leo Brown?
Is that the guy that fired Jack?
Yep, that's him.
Oh, he was there and Neil
management group for the
beautifully executed
decorations.
Oh, they're good to decorating.
The event was the first spark of
a large international series.
In 2026, Sisters of the Leaf
Global Movement will launch its
FIFA watch parties.
Think that means soccer?
That's correct.
Across women friendly cigar
destinations around the.
World.
Well, that's good.
I mean, that sounds like a good
thing.
Sounds like they're doing
something positive.
Why do they like soccer?
I have no idea why they like
soccer.
And they're organizing more
soccer, watching parties.
Yeah, that's good.
At least they're doing
something, you know?
Would you say we're a friendly
sister of the Leaf upstairs?
Yeah, Yeah.
I think that we.
Have women to show up all the
time.
Yeah, I don't think that.
If you come here, you can watch
FIFA too.
Can you we have FIFA I?
Don't know we have YouTube
sports.
I guess we have FIFA.
We would like you ladies to come
here and certify us as a woman
friendly cigar destination.
OK, please.
See, Greg, it's 2G.
Well, 3G's technically, Gregg.
How about that, Boots?
You want the women to come here?
Yeah, yeah, I like women.
Good.
All right, we'll make sure Ping
bong.
We'll make sure he doesn't get
out.
Thank you.
Agonorse relief.
Aoki group collaborate again.
Aoki.
You know what Aoki is.
Is that the DJ guy I.
Don't know.
Last year, Aoki Group
commissioned Aguinor's Relief to
make a batch of branded cigars
for its restaurants.
I would say no.
So no, it's not.
A few weeks ago, the second
vitola for that blend went on
sale the company's restaurants.
Is this the same restaurant that
certified guardian of the?
Tobacco.
I don't know, but I wonder if
they're going to make Terrence a
guardian of tobacco.
Also also guardian of tobacco
Terrence Riley.
At Aoki restaurants
certification Aoki Reserve
Connecticut was introduced in in
a fight one flick.
Bro chill.
No, I thought you broke
something 5 by 54 double robusto
vitola, but the newest size is a
5 1/2 by 50 robusto extra.
Wait a minute.
OK.
A5 by 54, double robusto.
OK.
And the newest size is a 5 1/2
by 50 robusto extra.
They really like the robusto,
don't they?
Just slightly bigger than.
One bigger than the other.
Slightly bigger.
Yeah, slightly bigger gauge.
Blend wise, it uses an
Ecuadorian Connecticut seed
wrapper over Ecuadorian seed, so
it could have come from
anywhere.
Well, it came from Ecuador.
Well, the seed did.
It was grown in Ecuador.
Then what's the seed?
Pardon me, I thought the seed
meant it was in Ecuadorian
Connecticut seed.
Yeah, it means it was grown in
Ecuador and it was originally in
Connecticut.
Got you.
But they didn't state the
binder, they just said Ecuador.
Right Ecuadorian Connecticut
seed wrapper over Nicaraguan
tobaccos from Agronorsa is made
at Agronorsa Leaf Factory, Nesta
Lee at the Miami based Aoki
Teppanyaki.
It is priced at $17.00 per cigar
or $150.00 per box of 10.
Such a deal.
Such a deal production was
limited to 200 boxes.
Aoki Group is the parent company
of Kevin Aoki's various
restaurants.
The group has 13 concepts, most
of which are in Hawaii, though
there are locations in Las
Vegas, MY and Miami.
Aoki is the son of Hiroki Rocky
Aoki.
Hiroki Aoki is the father.
Hiroki Aoki.
Yes, they call him Rocky.
Rocky.
Who is best known as the founder
of the Benihana?
Oh, I love those.
I used to love Benihana.
It's.
Nice though it was, also gained
frame from his participation in
extreme sports like Powerball
racing and joining a four man
crew that became the first to
successfully cross the Pacific
Ocean via, oh, an air balloon.
This guy's done some stuff.
Benihana, yeah is not part of
the Aoki group.
Not anymore.
They probably sold.
Nope, never was.
That was where the balloons got
involved, right?
Yeah.
OK, are.
We going to carry.
Oh, we can't carry that.
It's just at the restaurant.
We can't what?
We can't carry that, it's just
at the restaurant.
So then can you smoke at a
restaurant?
Do they just sell cigars?
Maybe you can smoke that on the
patio.
Oh, maybe they're in Hawaii.
That'd be cool.
You ever been to Hawaii?
No, I haven't.
Do you want to go to Hawaii?
I do want to go to Hawaii it.
Looks a lot like Florida from
what I understand.
Yeah, I would like to go.
But cost more.
I would like to try this Hawaii
you speak of.
Oh yeah.
It's you and the 17 children,
you, your wife and the.
I want to bring the whole squad,
yeah.
It's expensive.
It's a long flight.
I'd be OK with that.
It's a long flight.
All of it I want to do it.
All right, I'll watch the dogs.
OK, Crown Head releases
Thunderkiss.
Yeah.
Try you have to say it like
that.
Thunderkiss, there you go.
Are.
We going to carry that.
We just ordered it.
Oh Crown Head's never
accompanied to shy away from
using music for inspiration for
cigars as shipping a new cigar
that is inspired by a song that
gained popularity via Beavis and
Butt Head.
Oh wow.
When I first saw this, I thought
Thunderkiss was the name of.
The ACDC.
Song No no.
What's the wrestler that died?
Blonde guy with the handlebar
mustache.
Hulk Hogan.
Hulk Hogan's character in Rocky,
when he was Thunderkiss, he was
Thunderkiss.
So I thought it was in like
memory of him being dead.
Apparently it's not.
Apparently not.
It's called Thunderkiss A5 by 54
Robusto X-ray that uses an
Ecuadorian Habano wrapper over a
Niki Ragwin binder and Niki
Ragwin fillers.
Like many of the company's
cigars, it's made at Dahutui
Dahutui.
This is where you would say
hatui.
Hatui Tapago is going to say
what?
Pichardo.
Pichardo, Nicaragua factory
owned by Pichardo Eradio
Pichardo.
It's weird.
It's like I know something in
the industry.
It's crazy.
What's even funnier is that
you've actually rattled some of
this stuff out before and you
don't remember any of it.
You know how much stuff I rattle
off every week now?
How much?
Five days of this. 5 days.
Yes, somebody asked me something
the other day and I was like,
now you got to narrow down to a
day, not just the episode I.
Like it's because you're it's
Wednesday and you already look
strung out, which I love.
I thought it was Thursday all
day.
Oh, no more chaos.
Yes, another day.
Each cigar has an MSRP of how
much is the Thunder Kiss.
Oh you just had to 65675.
It's packaging bundles of 10.
The company says that Thunder
Kiss is being introduced as a
more affordable option for the
Crown Heads portfolio.
It is a regular production item.
That's pretty cool.
You know, I like, I like, I like
that.
I like all of that.
Yeah, a budget cigar.
Budget friendly cigar.
Yeah, something that's falling
under the seven dollar line, I'm
intrigued.
So yeah, we definitely picked
that up.
Just comes into one size.
Yep, one size and it's a bundle,
so.
Paper wrapped bundle.
Paper wrapped.
Yeah, with a nice Thunderkiss
sticker on.
Oh, OK.
Yeah, no, I'm looking forward to
that one.
The cigar is named after
Thunderkiss 65, a 1992 song from
the heavy metal band White
Zombie.
That's is what I thought it was
from.
I didn't realize it was beeps
butted but I guess I.
Well, I guess they used.
Yeah, OK, you're right.
Yeah.
Oh, yeah.
Go, go.
Yeah.
Oh oh, oh, oh, Oh my goodness.
Sorry, Espanola, Carajo, Robusto
and Churchill coming in
February.
JM Tobacco Inc has announced
that it's early 2026 it will be
adding a Robusto and a Churchill
to its Espanola Carojo line.
Espanola Carojo line was
released in June 2025, though it
roots go back a year earlier to
the Espanola Year of the Dragon.
No Year of the Horse though.
Did Gurkha have anything to say
about that?
Originally they did a limited
edition released in celebration
of the Lunar New Year, The
Dragon.
Yeah, we got that.
The blend uses an Ecuadorian
carajo or a Habano wrapper, a
Mexican San Andreas Maduro
binder and a filler of Dominican
orlore, Seiko and Lijero.
Orlore.
Blackbird Cigar Company produces
the line at its factory in the
Dominican Republic.
The company says that the
Robusto, which measures sorry 5
by 50 it is designed for a
concentrated, flavorful
experience, while the 7 by 50
Churchill allows the blend to
evolve gradually, offering depth
and complexity.
Evolution.
Throughout the smoke Lovely.
Both cigars are offered in a 20
count box with a robusto priced
at.
Let me see here.
Carry the one at the tariff.
$13.
Rate of inflation wrong $9 per
cigar.
That's really low and the
Churchill is an MSRP of. $10.11
rung again.
Wow, look at you.
The Lion debuted in the same
6552 Toro vitola as the limited
edition, with the company saying
it was working on.
We're working on smiting a
couple more Erebusto at
Churchill and a Bellicoso.
The Churchill's dimensions have
changed from what was originally
announced because we got it
wrong.
The new sizes allow.
Didn't have the molds they.
Didn't have the molds right.
The new sizes allow the Espanola
Corojo blend to truly shine,
said Anto Maharukan.
Oh, Maharukan, Maharukan,
Maharukan.
No Maharukan.
Maharukan.
There you go, CEO of JM Tobacco.
Oh, the M probably stands for.
Maharukan.
There you go.
In a press release, the Robusto
delivers a bold focus expression
of the blend, while the
Churchill provides a longer,
more nuanced journey.
Both formats represent what we
believe is a true Koroho should
be.
Maharukan.
Classic, refined and full of
character.
Boots A Maharukan.
Very good.
Very good boots, very good, very
good.
Bing bong.
You get a Bing bong.
Bing bong.
The new sizes are scheduled to
begin shipping to retailers on.
How the hell should I know?
Next month?
January.
February. 1st that.
Was close.
I think in the title of the the
story was February 1st.
I don't listen when you talk.
Good point.
All right, now it's time for
everybody's favorite show.
What's?
The score.
I'm gonna start kissing the
contestants like on family.
Feud.
Oh, OK, love.
That run around and kiss you in
boots.
OK.
All right, that's first cigars
from September 21st, 2024
Patrick Lagreed cigars Lugione
nicaraguan reviews Lugione the
Group of Five RB.
OK, Boots, do you want to go
first or you want me to go
first?
You go first, the time is hard.
OK.
All right, I'll go first.
Let's see, Patrick.
Illusion's usually very good.
I'm going to start with a 90.
I don't know how to spell
illusion, so 65.
Oh, OK, all right, 65, buddy,
whatever you say.
All right, the cigar is the
Group of Five.
RB Country of origin is
Nicaragua.
Factory is the Agronorsa rapper.
Undisclosed binder, Undisclosed
Filler.
Why don't they just say
undisclosed again?
Nicaraguan.
Oh, they wanted to.
They wanted to throw that one
out there.
Throw that one out there.
Apparently the length
undisclosed.
No, it's 5 inches.
Ring gauge is 52, shape is
round.
MSRP is $16, a box of 15.
Kind of strange. 240 dollars, 7
1/2 cigars, 2 rows.
They probably do 15.
Maybe 8 and seven.
Yeah, put a little block on the
corner.
I think that they do less than
that.
I think that they would probably
stack it a little more.
Three stacks.
Three stacks of five.
Like a fat box.
Yeah.
Release date was June of 2024.
Number of cigars smoked is Tres.
OK.
All right, first comment.
Oh wait, you got to vote again.
I stick is 65.
OK, I'm gonna stay 90. 90.
Never given me anything to
really change other than the
fact that it's an illusion and
it's a robusto and it's Patrick,
except you don't know any of the
stuff that's in it.
It's got a Nicaraguan pillar,
right?
The Illusion Illusion of the
group of RV 5 consistently
delivers excellent flavors when
it is burning properly, showing
off an impressive mix of
creaminess, hazelnut, earth, and
pepper.
At its best.
The final third becomes the most
complex and layered portion of
the cigar, proving that the
blend itself is generally well
crafted and capable of memorable
depth. 69 ha ha ha Bing bong.
I'm just, I'm going to say, I'm
going to say 89.
All right, comment #2 Throughout
all three cigars, A reviewer
notes that retro hails are
exceptionally lively and
engaging, offering waves of
black pepper, peppermint and
later a spicier cake that turns
the aroma experience into one of
the cigars standout
characteristics.
Even early on, the profile is
described as vibrant, textured
and pleasantly energetic.
Sound Good 73.
OK, I'm going to go back up to
90.
Back to 90 #3 Despite strong
flavors, all three samples
suffer from persistent
combustion and draw problems,
one cigar repeatedly going out
and another requiring constant
work just to maintain smoke
production.
The reviewer describes the
experience as a Cispian, Cispian
description I don't know,
explaining that the poor
combustion not only impedes
enjoyment but also dulls the
flavor, forcing the cigar to
show a flatter, less nuanced
version of what it's clearly
capable of. 6-7 ha ha, my kid
talks about 6-7 all the time.
I'm going to do 6-7.
OK, 667.
OK for you more 6 numbers.
Man, that really hurts that
number.
Yeah, I got it.
The burn problem, Yeah.
And what happens there?
I'm going to go 85. 85 final
thoughts.
Yeah, go ahead.
Oh, OK.
When it comes to writing these
summaries, few things are as
frustrating as seeing a cigar
with flavors score that would
put a Cigar of the Year
consideration, but construction
that would merit meeting of the
factory's production
supervisors.
Flavour wise illusion.
The group of five starts with a
unique sensation of pepper and
spice that makes a bold
introduction and for the most
part works.
It can get to be a bit too much,
but as I noted, the peppermint
sensation in the retro hill
makes the gamble worth it.
After getting into a more
familiar profile, the transition
into the final third is where
the blend shows its best
expression.
It is so good in the second
cigar and makes a case.
It makes a case to become one of
those special flavor moments
that I seek out with subsequent
cigars.
Hoping you get to taste that
moment again.
Unfortunately, it's also where
the combustion issues begin to
arise, as I had to write as I
had to write far too often this
year.
Combustion issues cost the cigar
not just points or a possible
spot in the awards conversation,
but they also prevented what
should have been an enjoyable
experience without the
frustration of drawing a lighter
bite to relight it.
If the combustion did its job,
this would have been a much
better cigar.
And I hope that if you decide to
try it, you get a cigar without
the issues that I had.
A seemingly so full of potential
that I might even track down a
couple more just to see if I can
get a better experience, because
the blend certainly seems to
have the chops to deliver
something special.
Very long winded there.
I stick tired, I stick 6/7. 6-7
for the boot Bing bong Bing
bong.
Wow, he said.
It was a great cigar.
It's.
A great cigar, but there is a
terrible burning shoes.
It's terrible.
I don't mind lighting up a
cigar.
I mean, you know.
Yeah.
Just part of it.
But if it's plugged, that's a.
Well, it wasn't plugged.
It's had relights.
Had relights maybe put it down a
lot and maybe he's drinking some
fruity cocktail.
I'm going to, I'm going to go
85.
Maybe Charlie keeps going on the
end of his cigar, blows it down.
It's very possible.
You said 8585, final score 67.
Damn boots, you won.
No, it's 85. 80.
Five, it was. 85.
I lied.
It was. 85 Oh, a little.
Tricky, tricky.
There.
I got it.
You got it right.
Right on the nose.
Right now you.
Tried to you tried to trick me.
Right on the nose.
And I nailed it.
And I couldn't stop you.
You just kept going.
Boots be quiet over there.
I'm very sorry, yeah.
You got excited, I thought you.
Won.
I got number.
You tricked.
Me I got number.
You tricked me, Ha ha ha ha.
I drink the boots Bing bong Bing
bong it's.
Too funny.
Hey, how much time would we?
How about 45 minutes?
I got one other thing to add.
Oh, add something.
I don't know if this is true or
not.
Oh, we're just making stuff up
now.
Yeah, that's what they accuse us
of, usually.
Yeah, well, we don't Fact Check.
I I heard a rumor that Davidoff
cut a bunch of people this week.
Oh yeah.
But we can check.
Yeah, some top names in the
industry or some like some big
guys.
I'll check soon as we get done.
OK.
Yeah.
So we'll follow that up
tomorrow, but I heard that
Davidoff may have fueled some
growth today.
Can they fire Jack from
Espinosa?
They could fire Jack.
Yeah, Davidoff could call and
fire Jack.
By the way, Jack, you're fired.
I don't work for you.
Yeah, but if you did, you would
have been fired.
You're done.
You're done all right.
Anything else to add?
This Friday here at Cigar
Hustler we will have Eric
Espinoza and Richie Otero in
this very room.
This nice little room, $65, get
you a ticket, you get dinner, 2
cigars, and an intimate evening
with Eric Espinoza.
Yeah, tickets are almost sold
out.
Oh, and $25.00 credit against
Box's night of event.
That is correct.
All right, well, thank you
everybody.
Make sure you like and subscribe
wherever you're watching and we
appreciate you.
And check out our swag on
Chapter pod.com.
All right, guys, we got to go.
Bye bye, introducing the
warbearer of mass destruction,
the shirt that roars attitude,
Now available exclusively at
Chapter pod.com, but surely
comes in black, bold, clean and
built for battle.
Available in multiple sizes for
warriors of every shape and
strength.
And remember, the actual image
does not dance or move, but it
definitely makes a statement.
Grab yours today at Chapter
pod.com before they're gone.
Show Notes
On today’s show: YouTube is wrapping up your year in videos, and there’s a full-blown Code Red happening over at ChatGPT HQ. In cigar news, SOTL certifies Burn, Crowned Heads is thunder-kissing its way into the headlines, Espinosa has something big cooking for February, and Aganorsa drops the Aoki. And of course… we close it out with the industry’s favorite game — What’s the Score?