ACHP Episode 398 Torano, Tariffs, and the Death of a Legend
Transcript
Hi, I'm Jack Teranio with
Espinoza Cigars, and welcome to
the Cigar Hustlers podcast
episode 398.
Buckle up, because this week's
episode has everything.
It sure does with a special Co
host.
You got to read everything.
You're the guy.
The show doesn't.
Yeah, everything's on there.
Just hit play again, told me it
was over after I read.
This yeah, after you read the
whole.
Don't listen to Fred.
Oh, there you go.
So let's go.
On this week's show, we say
goodbye to an icon as wrestling
legend Hulk Hogan passes away
just weeks before launching his
new company.
What was this new company I.
Don't know.
I'm sure we'll find out in the.
Yahoo Mail crashes hard, leaving
thousands in the digital dark.
Candace Owen Candace Owens is
being sued by the president of
France.
Yes, really.
And it's over a conspiracy
theory about his wife.
Oh boy.
I heard about that.
You did.
I didn't.
I got my news from.
Yeah, that she was like a man or
something.
Yeah.
Well, we'll see.
I heard about that.
I'm on.
I'm on target here.
I heard about that in cigar
news.
SBC 24 gets smoked in a brutal
review.
I read that I read that from
Skip Martin actually.
Vegafina makes AUS comeback
push, Cohiba drops a wallet
friendly Rubicon and Laurora
raises prices thanks to tariffs.
Before we get started, Mikey,
how do I get some of that
podcast swag?
You know what, Jack, thank you
so much for asking.
That's a great question.
What you want to do is you want
to go into chapterpod.com and
check out our current merch.
Chapterpod.com.
Chapterpod.com right now we got
2 shirts up there.
We're working on our next shirt.
When you watch an infomercial
you got to say chapter pod.com
like 9 times.
So it's chapter pod.com?
Yeah, chapter pod.com and if you
buy one shirt, you can get the
second shirt 40%.
Off.
Are there any new ones in there?
Or right now we have the
Cappuccino, Sassanino and the
BDP.
The next one will.
Be what's the 1st?
One BDP.
No cappuccino.
A Sassanino A.
Sassanino yeah, I haven't.
Seen that one?
You don't know what Italian
brain rod is.
No Oh so many things to teach
you.
Yeah, that's why I'm here.
Yeah, I'm here to.
Learn.
You're here to learn.
It's a good, it's a learning
experience for you.
All right, so now on to our
trending stories of the week.
Let's go.
Professional wrestler Hulk Hogan
dead at the age of 71, WDWWE
says Did they really say it?
Probably that's where he
probably got the.
Professional wrestler Wrestler
Terry, what's his name?
Belia, better known as Hulk
Hogan, died on Thursday at the
age of 71, according to World
Wrestling Entertainment.
Bolea, bolea.
I don't know.
You can't see it, but if you
start screwing up names, you
know how you know what happens.
I know.
Jack's going to call him Doug
the Spanish.
Ones right?
You'll get the Spanish ones.
I'll get the Spanish ones right.
Bolea's rightly Bolea.
I like Bolea better.
Is widely recognized as the
biggest wrestling star of all
time, bigger than The Rock.
We'll get into that.
Oh, and help the WWE become the
behemoth.
You know, Palmer would have
fucked that up right there.
Behemoth.
He would have fucked that.
Up.
It could have got Behemoth
right?
That it that it is today in the
1980s and 90s, but it is larger
than life personality.
Every time I say his name, I say
a different in and out of the
ring made him a household name
and a crossover mainstream star
starring in movies and
recognized around the world.
He even had a reality show you
left out of here.
And a beer.
And a what he's.
Got a beer too.
A beer beer's the new company,
yeah.
Oh, doesn't have no beer?
It didn't really get started.
WWE is saddened to learn WWD.
How many times are you going to
put WWE in here?
Hall of Famer Hulk Hogan has
passed away.
One of pop culture's most
recognizable figures, Hogan
helped WWE achieve global
recognition in the 80s.
Go through this, the company
said in a post on X.
Yep.
Is that Twitter?
Yes.
Excuse me?
WWE extends its condolences, as
does Cigar Hustlers podcast, to
the Hogan family, Hogan's
Hogan's family, friends and
fans.
The oh, he died not too far
away.
The city of Clearwater, FL, said
in a statement that police and
fire personnel were dispatched
to Balaya's home after a report
of an individual in cardiac
arrest.
Balaya was treated by Fire
Rescue crews when they arrived
and transported to Morton Plant
Hospital where he died.
Yep, he did.
He's gone.
He gone.
Malaya's death comes a little
more than a month before the 1st
event by his new wrestling
company, Real American
Freestyle.
That's not the beer company.
That's not a beer company.
Maybe.
No, but.
The beer company.
They Oh, you think they offed
them?
They might have offed.
Them allegedly they.
Might have, he said 71.
He looked like he was fit.
He was, yeah.
He was taking care of himself.
Doesn't matter though, you know.
Listen at 70 he lived to 71 and
did a did buckets full of
steroids back in the day.
Yeah, it's a pretty good
allegedly, but yeah, that's a
pretty good run.
No, no, he admitted.
It he confirmed he confirmed he
confirmed and always say
allegedly yeah it's.
Better.
Reportedly, it's better.
It's better safe than sorry.
Purportedly, that company seeks
to provide a bigger platform for
traditional wrestling, the kind
one would see in the Olympics,
rather than WD Oh yeah, that's
going to do really well.
Greco Roman the WW ES version
and was set to host its initial
event on August 30th.
The company has not responded to
a request for comment on
Belaya's death as early as as of
early Thursday afternoon, so
Palmer reached out to them and
they had no comment.
No comment.
No comment at all.
Is that the end of the year?
Who are?
You exactly that's what it was.
You're with what?
Is is that's it OK?
We could talk about it now.
Perfect.
We could talk a little.
Bit So who do you think the
greatest of all time is when it
comes, I mean, to professional
wrestling?
Listen, Hulk.
Hulk is up there.
Hulk.
Everybody love Hulk.
Not everybody loves Hulk.
Hulk gets mixed reviews.
But I I really like the rock.
Yeah, I thought the rock.
Yeah, that's true.
I mean, the Rock is definitely
up there.
Yeah, Andre the Giant.
I didn't like Andre the Giant,
no, but I grew up in the in the
old days with Paxong and and the
Briscoe brothers and and Iron
Chic.
Iron Chic.
Dusty Rhodes.
Dusty Rhodes.
I don't think that I think that
the Hulk is the greatest of all
time.
This is a guy who turned heel in
a different organization and
went head to head with the WWF
or WWE.
Now he's an icon in the
industry.
I don't think that the
conversation is even close to
who the greatest of all time as
far as who's.
Who's more recognizable in the
world, Hulk or the rock?
Or is it equal?
Probably right now it's a rock
'cause he's also a movie star.
Yeah, I mean, I as far as the
world goes, I don't think that
everybody recognizes The Rock as
a professional wrestler.
They identify him as the actor,
as the entrepreneur, as all of
these other things.
But when you think Hulk Hogan,
it's just solely based on his
professional wrestling career.
I mean, he tried acting, you
know, he was great in what,
Rocky Two or something like
that.
What was he in Thunderlist?
In one of the Rockies.
Yeah, he was Thunderlips.
Thunderlips, yeah.
He had ATV show for a brief
time.
Did he?
In the late 80s?
Well, he had a he had a an
action show where he drove a
boat down in the Everglades or
something.
Oh yeah.
Oh yeah.
Oh yeah, he's right.
He did.
There you go, Thunder in
paradise.
Yeah, I thought that was a
movie.
There was a movie and then ATV
show.
Oh really?
TV show didn't do well at all.
So yeah, I think that he's the
greatest of all time.
OK, Yeah, yeah, I can.
I there's no argument there.
Yeah, you know, listen.
Riveting response.
I, I think, I think like you
said, for, for, for different
reasons.
I think they're both.
You'd be hard pressed to find
somebody that didn't know who
The Who the hell, him or the
rock.
Are no, I mean the rock, but the
rock is an iconic.
Hulk Hogan, the wrestler where
The Rock would get, you know.
Right.
Just a Rock.
The wrestler, like The Rock was
healed, then he kind of, then he
turned good.
And then, you know, but like if
Hulk walked into the arena
today, not anymore, but if he
walked in today.
If he was rolled in.
Yeah, he would be, you know, met
with a huge welcoming party.
The Rock would still get a mixed
review.
Cigar would do better.
As far as what?
The Rock or Hulk?
Hogan The Rock The Rock.
I'm a rock guy.
That's not the.
Question.
He put the big bullhorns on it.
Yeah, if you're asking me, you
know who's the better, I think.
The Rock could have a successful
cigar line.
Yeah, if he wanted to, but he'd
have.
He would have to be a cigar
smoker.
Yeah, isn't he?
I don't think so.
Oh.
Fuck that guy.
OK, all right.
Don't fuck with that guy.
Screw.
Him.
Yeah.
Go back to Hulk.
OK, Hulk, it is.
All right, Let's move on to the
next article.
OK, Yahoo Mail down service
remains unstable.
Thousands hit by a temporary
error 15 outage Yahoo Mail faced
a major outage on Thursday,
affecting thousands of users who
couldn't access their accounts.
Many I don't have Yahoo Mail,
but but Sessy does.
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
Thousands of users who couldn't
access their accounts.
Many reported a temporary error
15 message while complaints
surged on social media.
Yahoo has not yet addressed the
issue or provided a resolution
timeline.
So it's still down.
That's what it says.
Yahoo Mail experience is very
repetitive.
Yeah, it can be.
Issue began around 9:45 PM IST
OK in the US, prompting a sharp
rise in complaints.
According to the outage director
Site Down Detector, users across
several regions reported
encountering a temporary Error
15 message.
It's a great name for a cigar
when attempting to login or use
the app.
Operation Midnight Hammer is
already taken so well.
It's a little bit better than
catastrophic failure, I can tell
you.
Oh hey, they all
catastrophically sold the fuck
out so it guess it doesn't
matter.
Finally.
What do you mean finally?
Palmer was struggling a little
that first week.
Maybe the first week.
Yeah.
Yeah, Palmer.
You know, like come Week 3 where
they're all gone.
Nice.
Nice.
The error appeared to block
access to e-mail services
entirely, with many expressing
frustration over the inability
to send or receive messages.
Despite the widespread impact,
Yahoo has yet to issue an
official say again Again.
Yeah, they they weren't
available for comment.
Yeah, but you said that already.
Yeah, but Yahoo wasn't either.
All right, social media
platforms quickly became a
sounding board for affected
users, with many seeking updates
and venting their concerns about
the disruption.
According to Down Detector, the
outage in the United States was
substantial with over 10,000
users.
That's not substantial.
Yeah.
Well, it's Yahoo.
There's not a lot of people that
use it.
That's practically.
Half.
No way, I'm just kidding.
Approximately.
Well, that's approximately 47%
of their users.
There you go in it's half.
I guess I should read ahead. 33%
had trouble and 19% reported
problems with the website
itself.
As of the time of writing, the
service remains unstable for a
number of users with no
confirmed fix in place.
Further updates are expected
once Yahoo formally acknowledges
the problem or restores full
functionality.
That's why I still use AOL.
You're, dude, you're taking away
my jokes.
You're taking away my jokes.
That was going to be my
question.
Do you have an AOL account?
Yeah.
I knew it.
I knew it.
Jack Terano.
At AOL.
Dot com Oh my God, do you still
have?
Dial up too is it?
Dial up AOL I've got.
An AOL account here.
I've got 375,000.
Minutes on CD if you need some.
Fred Rui has 375,000 minutes on
ACD on ACD for Jack Geranio in
case he needs to use.
You have to.
Buy that.
Shit.
Oh my God, yeah.
My dad used AOL till he died.
That was the e-mail he always
used.
Yeah, they, you know, you old
timers stick with AOL for some
reason.
I don't understand it.
Old timers.
Yeah, and my dad had dial up
just in case the the Internet
went down.
In case things went sideways, I
got my 56 K modem.
Things are legit.
That, that was back in when the
computer started, started being
in everybody's house.
I mean, they, they had a, they
had a lifespan of about six
months.
Yep, before they were obsolete.
You had to go to the next.
One they get another one.
Yeah, my AOL CD won't load
anymore.
You had.
You had to change your computer
every six months, and you were.
Screwed.
Yeah, that one's too slow now.
So do you have a Yahoo?
I don't, but my wife does.
And do we know has she had any
experiences with the emails or
anything?
I don't know.
She hasn't said anything.
Maybe she's.
One of the 3% that it still
worked.
She could be one of the the
elite one.
Of the lucky ones, Yeah, one of
the lucky ones.
You got to love a company that
doesn't even address it, hey,
and nothing's working.
What do you got to say?
Like.
No comment.
We'll let you know.
We'll we'll e-mail you a press
release.
I'll get let me, you know, we're
going to have to get back to you
on that one.
So.
They have they have such little
to say that I never even heard
about this right like they.
Well, it only affected 10,000
people.
They just brushed it under the
table, right?
We'll, we'll get it back up and
running.
Yeah, we'll fix that.
Well, it's like when you're
well, back in the day when your
cable went out or something,
you're like, it'll be fixed
between noon and 10 tonight,
right?
OK, what else are you going to
say?
Exactly you.
Have no other.
No recourse.
No recourse.
I'm going to switch cable
companies.
No, you can't.
You're under contract.
There isn't.
Another game.
We got you.
We are.
Yeah.
Well, Yahoo's not the only game
in town.
It doesn't sound like a lot of
people use their emails anyways,
so it kind of is what it is.
I.
Would have thought Yahoo was a
lot bigger to be honest with
you.
Yeah, if 10,000 users is 45%,
that's.
There was a time when you
thought that Yahoo was going to
go directly up against I
actually Google.
Come to think of it, I think I
do have a Yahoo.
Yeah, because I have to have it
for one of the fantasy football
leagues.
There you go.
So right now.
I don't use it.
You could have won, but they
can't.
E-mail you.
Yeah, I got news for you, buddy.
This year it's going to be
you're going to have to be on
the struggle bus to that fantasy
team.
I am every year, dude.
Oh yeah, at least I can blame
something this year.
Yeah, Palmer, I thought that,
you know, he's going to sit in
this chair, he's going to read
all of these articles and stuff,
and then he's going to realize
how difficult it is to kind of
do this.
But so far at this point he's
already criticizing the way that
you post these things up and how
repetitive.
We're bringing Carney back.
He was very sympathetic.
Carney loved it.
Yeah.
He thought I did a great job.
Yeah, Carney.
Did the Patreon ran?
He did both.
He did both.
Oh, did he?
Yeah.
Oh, Jack has not watched a
regular show, apparently.
Yeah, you haven't watched a
regular show.
We're trying to get our views up
and you're not even watching
these things.
Fred watches all the clips.
I pay for the Patreon.
I even called you to compliment
you.
On.
I know you did.
Thank you.
Yeah.
Yeah.
He liked the Patreon.
I not the only called to
criticize, I called to
compliment.
You did.
That was true.
It was his cigar.
He got a good score.
Yeah, that's true.
He did get a good score.
OK, all right, let's go.
Let's go and move on to the next
article.
We didn't set the timer.
You had the remote right next to
you.
That's not my job.
Oh, sorry.
French President sues Candace
Owens over claims his wife is a
man.
That's a man, baby.
News at 11.
French President Emmanuel Macron
and his wife Bridget filed a 22
count defamation lawsuit in the
United States against right wing
podcaster Candace Owens
Wednesday over the claim that
Bridget could be a man.
The lawsuit filled filed filed
filed in Delaware Superior Court
alleges Owens has broadcast a
relentless year long campaign of
defamation against the Macrones,
according to a statement from
TomTom Claire.
The Macrones are not happy the
macaroons are not having the
macaroons, the macaroons lawyer
said.
In March, conservative commenter
Candace Owens revived an absurd
conspiracy theory with a YouTube
video titled Is France's First
Lady a man?
According to the complaint
promoted widely on X, Owens said
the conspiracy theory was likely
the biggest scandal in political
history.
Since then, Owens has produced
numerous videos about Bridget
Mccrone for her nearly 4.5
million YouTube subscribers.
I'll bet Yahoo's jealous about
that.
You're super jealous.
Including a multi part series
called Becoming Bridget.
This is awesome.
If the lawsuit further claims
she also has sold merchandise
promoting the claim, Cigar
Hustler will be selling T-shirts
promoting this suit.
Chapterpod.com Macron is a man.
The Macrones attorney, Tom
Clair, told CNN Wednesday that
they have asked Owens to stop
making the claim for about a
year and filed A lawsuit as a
last resort after she refused.
The complaint alleges Owens was
the first person to bring these
baseless claims to the US media
and an international audience.
The couple are suing for
punitive damages and allege that
they have suffered substantial
economic damages, including the
loss of future business
opportunities.
On Instagram's, Owens posted a
screenshot Wednesday of an
article referencing the Macrones
lawsuit and a picture of the
couple with the caption.
I will be coming for this wig
today.
Does he just copy and paste or
does he write?
This, I think it's a little bit
of both, a little bit of both.
Yeah, she later posted a video
on YouTube saying the lawsuit
was an obvious and desperate
public relations strategy.
OK, so we make a shirt with a
macaroon on it with a wig.
Yeah, they did.
Or we.
No, we should.
That's what we do for ACH
Podcast.
We should make a macaroon with a
wig.
Yes, you think.
Is it a man question mark?
How does this macaroon identify?
There you go.
So do you think that they they
beans?
And Franks.
Do you think that that beans and
Franks Frank and beans?
Yeah, we got to make it Frank
and Beans so we don't get.
Sued Frank and Beans.
So do you think I mean, you're
obviously an attorney?
No, you're not.
I'm staying at holidays.
Yeah, which?
Is practically the same thing.
How do do you think they
actually have a leg to stand on
in on the in this lawsuit?
Like they're the person's making
these suggestions, they're going
down this rabbit hole of this
conspiracy.
What do they, what do they have
to prove that slander?
Or I I I would they would.
Slander.
Defamation.
I mean, they're, they're going
to have to do some sort of DNA
test.
Yeah, they're going to prove.
That she's not.
But he didn't say that she was
said that there's a possibility.
That but.
So I mean at that point, like
what?
What can they?
Honest.
In Delaware.
It's not going anywhere.
Yeah.
Well, because the lady who's
doing it as AUS citizen.
Right.
So you don't think it goes
anywhere I.
Don't think it goes anywhere,
right?
How long do you think it drags
on for?
Hopefully a long time.
It's fun.
Yeah, News, news cycle.
Keep it updated.
Keep it updated, man.
OK, Palmer, something to talk
about.
Yeah, come back next week for
the update.
Now now, here's the other side
of that What if it's proven that
she was a man?
Do you get to reverse the
lawsuit and sue for you get to?
Counter sue, you know, in my my.
In your attorney experience my.
Attorney is vast legal
experience.
A a counter lawsuit coming
because they're now going after
her.
Do they have kids?
I would say no.
No, this is some teacher he had
in school or something I was
reading.
Oh.
So she's older than he is.
OK.
Or he's older than she is,
whatever.
Happens.
Was she the phys Ed teacher
originally?
No, I think it was art or
something like that.
OK, art.
Art.
I don't know.
I don't know.
Art history or something like
that I.
Don't know that doesn't track if
it's an art if it's can't.
Do the show and keep us
regardless, right?
It's different.
It's very hard to do.
Yeah, I mean, I normally can,
but then I don't have my lighter
so I can't fix it.
So.
OK.
OK, well, hey, we'll, we'll keep
you updated on how this goes.
As more details become
available.
Yeah, yeah, this is this is a
good story.
This is this is a this is a hot,
hot take.
This is a hot take.
Have you been sued for
defamation at any point in time?
Unbelievably, no.
No, yeah.
Unbelievably.
Unbelievably, no.
That's incredible.
Rumor is we might be getting one
from Coop.
But I don't know.
I don't think.
I got sucker punch for
defamation.
You got, you got attempted.
Attempted Sucker punch.
Sucker punch.
There was no contact made, Sir.
But but again, alleged A
defamation because I never said
anything, right?
It was, it was.
He knew.
He knew what I was thinking.
It's all hearsay, thought
police.
Thought police.
Who's the thought?
Police all right, on to the
world of cigar news.
All right.
Half Wheel has reviewed the SBC
24.
We won't bore you with the
entire review with notes of
salted tortilla chips, unsalted
popcorn, butter, and unbuttered
eggs.
Unbuttered eggs.
That's what it says here.
There's a marshmallows.
From Lucky Charms and my
personal favorite.
Oh this is my personal favorite
too.
Bird.
Seed.
But what we have to do is give
you give the final thoughts and
the final score.
The first cigar's construction
was not good.
More than 10 relights were
needed, roughly half for uneven
burn and the other half coming
in the latter stages of the
cigar.
When the combustion faded, the
draw was too tight and the
various knots around the band
causing issues.
Unfortunately, one of these
knots was above the band,
meaning it was blocking the
airflow from the entire cigar.
That's where the knot's.
Going to be all the time, all
the time.
Yeah, after touching up that
cigar, the smoke production
would be good for a few minutes
and the profile would come
alive.
Unfortunately, it had this weird
aspect where each flavor seemed
too intense for its own good,
even if the profile was more
medium full than full.
SBC 24 is not a full bodied
cigar.
No, no, no.
OK, it's not.
I smoked it and I enjoyed it.
And I loved it.
Yeah, and I'm not a full body
guy.
I love it so much.
I made it.
I made you know.
I bought the company.
Yeah.
The second cigar had had three
hard spots, much like Macron's
wife, but none as large.
Legend, you gotta say.
A legend, A love of God.
But none as large as the first
cigar.
It had flawless construction.
The third cigar was consistently
hard from top to bottom.
Allegedly like Macron.
Allegedly like that's.
What she said that was left
almost like a cigar that was
left out for months.
Obviously it was not.
The wrapper had the suppleness
suppleness that a dried out
cigar does not have.
Unfortunately, the top inch of
the cigar above the band was
very firm.
No, they're not.
No, they're not.
We're just putting knots in
there.
There's knots everywhere.
As I've noted in other reviews,
I felt more impact from the
nicotine from that cigar than
had significant than that had
significant construction issues.
I'm beginning to think that this
was not a coincidence.
While the third cigar was not
the best postagna SBC I've ever
smoked, it was a good cigar
there.
You go.
One I thoroughly enjoyed.
I would be happy to smoke any
day of the week.
Right.
Way to go, Charlie.
Way to step up.
Trash a cigar and then say you'd
smoke it.
Everywhere I can, Tina baby, I
can I.
Was gonna say I can, Tina, yeah.
Build it up.
Smack it down.
I really love you, honey.
When it comes to this color on
cigars, I immediately think of
the Camacho Ecuador.
Yeah, because.
Anybody want to guess at the
score?
It got the absolute lowest score
that I that we have ever gotten.
Oh, so much to the point where
I'm actually proud of it, to be
honest.
He got an 82, an 82, an 82.
My God.
Incredible.
Incredible.
It was fun to put this on what
to score.
But he would smoke that 82 every
day of the week, yeah.
Well, one of the three.
So, so first of all, I'm going
to tell you when the Redux hits,
it's a 90.
That's that's obvious to me.
I think that he's going to
revisit it a year later and it's
going to pelt well.
But like, look there, you know,
there's a couple of really good
positives here.
Number one is this really
further proves the fact that
half wheel does not care who you
are.
They're going to tell you their
opinion all the time period no
matter what, right?
We promote half wheel.
Cigar Hustler has ad space with
Half Wheel and these guys are my
friends so.
He mentions the ad space at the
back of the.
Article there would be no there
would be more reason to fluff it
than to not fluff it, right?
So you know that when they say
something, they're giving you
their honest opinion, right?
Sure.
Which is great.
I gotta tell you that I have
never, and I told these guys
earlier, before you showed up,
had a cigar with any
construction issues out of
Skip's factory.
Yeah.
I have.
I I never have.
I have.
Well, you got to remember too,
though, that I'm smoking.
Shit way more than I am.
And all of it sneak us when you
so I can tell you when something
slightly off at this point,
right.
I've had batches of H NS that
that you can tell are tighter,
you know, and that's a tough one
because it's a chopped Solomon
on both sides.
Not really on the Coronas.
I've never really seen a Corona
Gorda have a plug issue, so you
know hey, somebody had a bad
day.
I don't know what to tell you,
but at the end of the day, they.
Ended up at Charlie's.
They end up in Charlie's hands.
In Charlie's hands.
So what am I going to do?
I'm going to lean right into
this motherfucker and I'll be
making 82 shirts.
Now that that begs the question.
The eternal question.
Eternal question, Tell me, is
Macron's wife up?
No, the eternal question.
I'm I'm still stuck on that
story.
Macaroon.
Charlie has a great relationship
with you.
Yeah, he has a great
relationship with Skip.
If he had all these issues,
yeah.
Wouldn't you pick up a phone and
say, listen, this is what
happened?
I'm not going to put this out.
I'm going to give.
I'm going to.
I'm going to set this off for a
month or two and I'm going to
get another batch of these
cigars and give it another shot
because I don't think this is
right.
I mean, you could always go that
way.
For me personally, Charlie's
going to Charlie, man.
I don't, I don't expect that at
all.
I think that if anything, that's
more kush.
Like just give it to me raw.
If, if, if it didn't go well,
then do it.
Light it up, man, Let's go.
I'm just upset it wasn't in the
70s because my God, that would
Eric.
Eric's been asking for a 69 for
yeah.
For ages the lowest cigar rating
ever. 69.
Yeah, well, you know, I'm sure
that he can find a nice woman,
find a nice woman to provide
that for him.
Oh, but look, I'm kind of
excited about it because it's
the lowest score I've ever had
and.
You've never had lower than an
82?
No 88's, the lowest I think I've
ever had.
So this this shatters it.
Yeah, by a long shot.
And by reading the description,
I kind of understand that.
And when he smokes them again,
it's going to score well, so I'm
not concerned about that.
But what I will do is I will
turn this.
Put bird seed in the next one.
Yeah, I'm going to.
I'm going to put buttered.
What was it?
Buttered eggs.
Buttered and.
Buttered eggs.
Non buttered eggs.
Yeah, first it was eggs, then it
goes, and now it has butter.
Anybody butter in their eggs?
You butter well.
Maybe when you cook them, you
know, if you cook them in
butter, But yeah, you don't
butter them after the fact.
I'm going to lean into it, man.
I'm going to make some bad ass
shirts.
It's going to be awesome.
So I'm and.
They'll be available where?
At chapterpod.com.
There you go.
There you.
Go.
Absolutely.
Are we done with half wheel?
Are you done with half wheel?
Do you?
How do you feel about Charlie?
I love Charlie.
Yeah, I I've always gotten along
great with Charlie.
That doesn't surprise me from
you.
No, no, I've gotten along great
with Charlie.
He doesn't really.
Patrick Lagree is the guy that
handles coming to our booth at
trade shows and and on Charlie's
off, right?
I guess when they split things
up, Charlie doesn't end up.
With Patrick's your guy.
Patrick's awesome too.
Yeah, he's a Patrick's a great
guy.
He's a baseball I.
Mean.
I've always gotten gotten along
with all of them.
Me too.
You know, with Brooks, yeah,
Brooks is a good guy.
Big Tatuahi guy.
Yeah, Brooks is a good guy.
But I don't know.
I mean, listen, I think half
wheels come a long way.
Yeah.
I think a lot of people are, a
lot of consumers are now looking
at half wheel for sure.
Or back in the day, it was kind
of our trade thing, right?
We looked at it, Yeah.
You know, and I still, I still,
I'm sitting around, nothing to
do.
I tend to go right to half wheel
just to see what.
What's going on?
Don't, don't don't coop that.
Sorry, Coop.
Oh, you're already?
He goes to half wheel and cigar
fishing.
Yeah, you're dead in the water
then.
You know, I just wanted to know
it's.
Already guilt by association.
Yeah, you're already here,
buddy.
I just want you to know there
will be no additional coverage
of the Guy Fieri after party at
next year's PCA.
Just based on the words of what
you have said on this show.
It's not.
Like you could fix the
relationship with me and James
Garcia.
I feel I can fix the
relationship with you and.
Coop Yeah.
You think so?
I.
Think so I think I can fix it.
Really.
Yeah, I I think I can fix it a
little bit less than I thought a
week ago after talking to coop,
but I still think I can fix it.
I still think I can fix it.
I.
Don't know man.
He's hurt, he's hurt.
Well, look, I've extended the
olive branch several times and
he's.
Hurt.
He's hurt.
Well, he's going to have to
fucking.
Cut him deep.
What does he not have?
Skin.
Fred staying in a hotel with him
next month.
Is he?
Yeah, Fred's.
Spending the weekend.
With Fred in a weekend with
Lovely Maybe, maybe Fred can do
a little massage.
Yeah, little fucking.
You mentioned her name a couple
of times, Fred.
If you can get in there on.
Oh, you don't know?
Yet when you start working the
knots for Fred, you can say you
know.
Cigar House's podcast Bring.
Up Macron's wife bring up.
Macron's wife.
Stellar stuff.
Yep.
So 82. 82 it is what it is.
I'm pretty sure everybody's
gotten those from Half Wheel.
Did it it like when the first
time it happened for you?
When, when you're covering, when
you're, I mean, 'cause you've
represented brands for how long
now has been forever 20 years.
Back, back 15 years, I mean,
listen, I didn't represent
brands when I was in the
business in the 80s.
I was selling leaf tobacco.
So it wasn't representing.
Torano.
You're representing Torano right
then Duran.
Yeah, let's not forget our dear
friends Naya, the F8, Virtle
Duran.
You still got something?
Yeah, there's still, there's
still still upstairs.
Can't move those it's.
Just a matter of general,
general, yeah, fueling the
growth, fueling you're fueling
the growth.
There was another fueling the
growth.
My boy.
My boy is no longer there.
Yeah, Justin Andrews, Sean
Hardiman.
Yeah, we talked about that on
the Regular Show with John
Carney.
Did you?
We did.
Yeah, I love Sean Hardiman.
Yeah, but it was.
But he believes that it was more
him wanting to retire than the
growth being fueled.
And I don't know if I believe
that.
He's wrong about that.
Yeah, correct.
Yeah, I think that he was
fueled.
He was fueled.
Yeah.
Yeah, he was fueled.
Allegedly not even at Christmas.
Yeah.
You'd think that they caught him
at the Christmas party.
That's the way to go.
That's the way they do.
That's that's the text that and
he I I said Sean Hardiman, well,
you know, well wishes after
after the news, the news came
out.
And I mean, I I told him I said
that's the last thing I expected
to see on half wheel.
You know, I look at half wheel
and I'm like Sean Hardiman gone
and at STG and and I said, dude,
I wish you the best moving
forward.
And he says at least I didn't
wait till ugly sweater day.
He's a good guy, knowledgeable
as hell.
He's going to be an asset to
whoever picks that guy.
Up So you think he's going to
stay in the.
Industry.
He stays in the industry.
Yeah, yeah.
He, he's a cigar guy through and
through.
I mean.
Interesting.
Did he work for Carney?
He did.
He did, right?
Yeah.
Yeah, He's a cigar guy through
and through.
So whether he, it'd be
interesting to see how he comes
back, you know, because he's
been with General for 7-8 years,
right.
And and it's tough to to you
know, like all of a sudden, I
mean go back to can he be a
national sales director for a
boutique company?
Yeah.
Do you think he gets for a micro
boutique company?
Yeah.
Do you think he gets tapped at
up for a better organization or
I mean like?
Or define better.
Better.
How about if it's?
If it is a company that sells
let's call it 4 or 5 million
sticks annual, if the job is
considered the same position
than that, or if it's a lesser
position like a company that
sells 2 million sticks if he
becomes VP.
Well, I, I, I don't, I don't
think he comes in to, to a
company that sells X amount and
that's what they're doing.
I think he comes in to grow a
company.
Of course, I think he has the
potential.
Yeah.
I mean, Sean, Sean is a Sean.
Sean's a worker.
So like if, if if it's in the
SDG conversations like
Davidofuente.
I don't know if he comes back
with somebody big like.
That So you think he'd come back
with somebody smaller?
Yeah, yeah.
I think you know you know what
you're telling.
I don't.
I don't.
I honestly don't.
I mean, I haven't.
I don't, I don't think Sean
knows.
OK.
But but I think he listen, I
came from the boutique world,
the micro boutique world.
Then I went to General and well,
I didn't want to leave General.
I was fuelled.
You're out of here.
Listen.
I'm closing in on seven years
with Eric.
Wow.
And and I've never been happier.
Yeah, in in anything I've done
in the cigar industry.
This is the company I want to be
with probably be fired next
week.
This is the company I want to
but I'll leave happy.
My experience and working with
Eric is fantastic, right.
There's there's absolutely no
complaints.
It was a relief for me to go
back to the boutique world right
after watching the Machine.
That general is role, right?
Because there there is.
Listen, they're all great
people.
I have nothing bad to say about
any of them.
I still get along.
Justin Andrews, Hello.
I love Justin Andrews.
I love him.
Me too, all of them.
I love the guy that fired me,
Chris Starr.
Chris is Chris is a good friend.
I love all these guys, but you
know, you sit in a in a
conference room with General and
the red tape is insane.
I mean, you could come up with
the greatest idea in the world
and, and you, you got 18 guys
that are going to give you their
opinion.
And, and a lot of times if one
or two of them, it's 16 of them
love it.
And one or two of them say, you
know, it's shot down, it's dead.
It's dead where we sit with
Eric, me, Richie, Hector Junior,
and we come up with an idea.
Dude, that Cigar's coming out in
six months, right?
You know that that that ship
turns quickly.
That makes a big difference.
So I think, I think Sean
Hardiman would thrive in an
environment like that.
So I don't think he goes, I
don't think, I don't think he
goes to to one of the big boys.
OK, so but getting back to the
original article, have you ever
had a brand, a cigar that ranked
really, really bad on Half
Wheeler extremely low?
And how did it affect you?
That's a two-part question.
In no way whatsoever.
In no way did you ever have one
that ranked low.
We've all had cigars that
ranked.
Low and it just didn't bother
you at all.
No, it bothers Hector like
crazy.
I would.
I could see that, yeah.
Yeah, it bothers Hector like
crazy.
I could see that.
And my PY Charlie stays away
from our booth.
But.
But in the big picture, it's one
guy giving an opinion on a
cigar.
You know, right?
And it's just.
It's still exposure if you know
how to use.
It's, it's, you know, we're not
reviewing a cigar.
We're, we're, but my opinion,
your opinion, Palmer's opinion,
Fred Rui's opinion, right?
It's our opinion.
Just because I like a cigar
doesn't mean it's a good cigar,
right?
Just because I dislike a cigar
doesn't mean it's a bad cigar,
right?
You know, I can't tell you how
many times somebody has said,
buddy, you got to try this
cigar.
And I'm like.
This is terrible.
This is awful.
Doesn't hit my palate right and
the other way around.
I've heard that dude, that cigar
is garbage, trash.
This and I spoke and I'm like,
it's pretty fucking good.
You know, I like it.
Everybody's palate's different,
right?
I so, so you know, you got a
review of Coop or Charlie or you
know any of these people, it's
their opinion, right?
That's it.
Still just one guy.
Still just one guy.
Just one dude.
Just one dude.
OK.
All right.
Hit me with the next one, Mr.
Toronto.
Tatis USA plans Vegafina push
next month.
Vegafina is a non Cuban brand of
cigars that is sold
internationally by Tabacalera
SLUA Company that has close ties
to Habanos SA and often the
various Cuban cigar
distributors.
In recent years, Vegafina's
distribution has grown in
international markets because
many of those distributors have
put more effort into Vegafina
due to the lack of Cuban cigar
inventory.
Despite being a non Cuban brand,
the intent of Vegafina has
always been a brand focus on
international markets.
Most Vegafinas are produced at
Tawa Calera de Garcia.
See that?
Write that down.
That's how you say that.
Macron The.
Massive factory in La Romana,
which, well, you won't be there,
right?
The TAA?
Are you going there with Coop?
No, coop doesn't go to the TAA.
No, Fred might take him as his
plus.
One Republic that produces many
cigars for Altadas, which sells
the non Cuban Monte Cristo and
Romeo E Julieta Julieta.
Julieta.
RJ.
In the US, most Vega Fina cigars
are not.
Oh, here you go.
Most Vega Fina cigars are not
sold in the US, but over the
years there have been some that
Altatus USA has brought over as
part of UH.
Oh, uh oh, it's frozen.
I don't know.
What is it?
Say it.
SPOREFFORTSI don't think this
word exists.
Sporeforts.
San the article, I don't have to
tell you.
Brought over as part of
Sporeforts.
That's what it says on.
The see, sometimes it's not
easy.
To grow the brand's presence in
the US, is there a company that
Altatus has called Sporiforts
maybe?
Apparently.
Next month, Altatus USA is once
again trying to push to expand
Vegafina in the US.
It is doing so with the
introduction of a new limited
edition sampler and some small
cigars sold in 10s.
With these new offerings, we're
not only just expanding our
product range, we're creating
new opportunities for consumers
to engage with the Vegafina
brand in meaningful and
memorable ways, said Gabriel
Gabriel Diaz, brand Manager for
Altas USA.
Gabriel Gabriel Gabriel in a
press release from On the Go
Convenience to the Culture
Cultural celebrations.
These new innovations are
designed to enhance the cigar
experience while while honoring
the artistry that defines
Vegafina.
OK.
You think that any of that is
going to help develop the
Vegafina brand?
No.
In the US, yeah.
Me neither.
Me neither.
No, the, the, the marketing will
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
I'll thought US will put some
heavy marketing behind this and
they'll get a little a little
sell through.
It'll little, little pop, but,
but generally speaking, you
don't.
International, yeah.
I think international, yeah, it
does really well probably.
Right.
But that's failed, continued to
fail in penetration of the
biggest market, the US market.
Correct.
And that's not going to change
I.
Don't believe so either.
Yeah, What do you think, Palmer?
No, I don't think so either.
No, no, it's just going to be a
European thing or something
because they're familiar with
the Cuban version, right?
You're gonna think, oh, this is
a cheaper version of the Cubans,
a guy.
Right.
OK.
All right.
There you go.
General as value priced Cohiba
Rubicon rolled in Sean Williams
house.
For the most part non Cuban
Cohiba cigars tend to be
expensive and made in the
Dominican Republic.
However, the newest non Cuban
Cohiba will be neither of those
things, instead the new Cohiba.
Rubicon.
It might be rolled in Sean
Williams house.
The new Cohiba Rubicon is made
in Up, Never Mind Honduras and
has prices between 8:49 and 9:49
per cigar.
OK.
Blend wise, the Rubicon uses
Ecuadorian Habano wrapper over
an American broadleaf binder and
four fillers, Dominican Piloto,
Honduran tobaccos, and Lentrada
and Hamastran Valley, a
Nicaraguan tobacco from Estelli.
Rubicon is made at STG Danli,
the same factory that makes the
Cohiba Royale.
It's offered in three Vitolas
Cohiba Rubicon Box Press.
Robusto.
At 8:49.
Toro.
The Toro at 899 and the Cohiba
Higante at 9:49.
Big shocker.
Rubicon gave us the opportunity
to offer a cigar without
boundaries, said Shawn Williams,
brand ambassador for Cohiba, in
a press release.
The blend was thoughtfully
created with intention.
It was like, we're going to
make.
A cheap ass cigar.
The result is a cigar that
bridges tradition with a more
modern expression of complexion.
We have all this extra tobacco.
It rewards a practiced palette,
a practiced palette while
remaining accessible to emerging
enthusiasts.
General Cigar Company, which
sells the non Cuban Cohiba in
the US, says Rubicon will begin
shipping in August.
There you go.
So are you excited about the
Rubicon?
Not really, no.
Are you?
No.
Will you carry it?
No, probably not Do.
You carry any of the Cohibos?
Yeah, I just carry a couple of
basic glass tube of things
there's.
Some rules.
Listen to again.
I'm a Connecticut guy.
The Cohiba Connecticut I love,
right?
Oh, not a $22.00 or whatever it
is.
Yeah, I mean, for me, you know,
the if a consumer comes in and
they're looking for the Cohiba
and they're not, you're not
going to get them off of the
Cohiba.
You have to have the Cohiba to
offer, right?
So as as a retailer, if a
consumer comes in looking for
Cohiba, yeah, that that's the
first thing that is about in
your mind, are you like I got
them.
Here you go.
They're right here.
Right here I have the red and
the black.
They're going to be 20. 2 Live
1.
There you go.
Enjoy these.
Yes, Sir.
You know, generally speaking, if
a person is committed to
something and they they have no
desire to change or try anything
new, I'm not going to take them
off of it, you know?
I I do, people like that blow me
away every event that we do.
Richie's probably up there
dealing with it.
You know, I only smoke and it's
usually padrone Fuente.
And listen, I'm not telling you
not to smoke.
Those are great cigars, right?
But dude, if you love cigars.
You should be trying.
You should.
Be trying other things, of
course, if you consider yourself
a cigar aficionado, right?
I mean, you don't eat the same
thing every night.
Right.
Yeah, you can say.
What's your favorite food?
Pizza.
Do you eat pizza every day?
Yeah.
Do you eat pizza every night?
So.
Yeah, yes, I do.
But it's, you know, a lot of
times they'll say, yeah, I'll
try your cigars and by two, but
you know, they're coming back to
the right.
Yeah, they have their go to.
They got their go to that.
That's what they smoke and and
listen.
God bless them.
I'd rather have a consumer that
was consuming every day than
than than some of that wasn't
consuming at all, even if they
were stuck on a brand.
He talked me into something else
and I'll never smoke again.
Right, that's it.
And then I quit.
I quit smoking.
I'm done.
OK.
All right.
So good luck with the Rubicon,
Mr. Cohen.
Listen, this day and age, that's
a hell of a price.
And I think that's what you're
seeing, you're starting to see.
People will the Cohiba smoker
gravitate toward No, no, I mean,
it's it's.
So what it is, it's the consumer
that comes in and knows the name
Cohiba and doesn't want to drop
the 2530 bucks.
And they see that that's 8-9
dollars and they're like, oh, I
can just do this one unbeknownst
to them, because you got to also
remember that a retailer has to
educate the consumer.
And 90% of the time that's.
I mean, you're, you're smoking
Cohiba.
You, you're a guy that likes
people to know what you're
smoking.
People, they're very
recognizable.
You know I'm smoking a 20-30
dollars cigar, right?
Is that guy gonna?
No like.
No, that's a good thing because
they won't be cannibalizing
themselves.
True, the 2030 dollar guy is not
getting onto that 9.
Dollar Car.
You know, so will they get some
new traction?
Yeah.
More than the vegafenas, I could
tell you that much.
Yes, yes, it will do better than
Vegafena in the US, Yes, in the
US It can't sell anywhere else,
by the way.
Yeah, it can.
Under, what do they call it?
Because the trademark
infringement or whatever.
You can't sell Cohiba outside of
the US, but you sell it as
Silencio is that.
What is that what they do?
Yeah, the Silencio.
Silence.
Silence.
Silence Shoosh La Aurora adding
tariff price increase on August
1st.
Yes, more tariff.
Price than those are cigars
Laurora cigars.
No, I understand Laurora cigars
US says that listen, we we we
may be joining this depending on
what happens.
We're waiting till August 1st.
It's yeah.
It's supposedly the announcement
of 10 percent, 18%, nineteen
percent, 100%, whatever is going
to come in the first week of
August.
It's going to be 19%.
You think so?
Yeah, Yeah.
What?
Yeah.
So you, you, you, we have to
increase prices.
You have to.
You have no choice.
Laurora Cigars USA says that it
will be increasing the prices of
its cigars next month.
As with many other cigar
companies that have announced
price increases recently, the
company is citing the Trump
administration's tariffs.
Effective August 1st, Laurora
will increase the wholesale
price of its cigars by $0.25.
The company says this amount is
less than the added tariff,
which is 10% for cigars.
So what happens on August 1st if
they decide to go to 19%?
Apparently, you'll have another
price hike come the end of the
year.
Yeah, that's why at this point,
why not wait it out and see what
the Hell's gonna happen?
Yeah, if you haven't adjusted
your prices coming into the last
week of July, yeah, you should
probably stay.
Holding on, Yeah.
To help our trade and retail
partners maintain pricing
stability, we have been fully
absorbing the cost of the
tariffs for more than three
months, as were we while
negotiations have been ongoing,
said Guillermo Leon, president
of Laura, in a press release.
No greater clarity given as to
when these tariffs may or may
not be renegotiated.
At this time, we must increase
prices.
Yeah.
Laura was one of the more
awkward, was in one of the more
awkward positions of any cigar
company.
While most cigar companies
announced price increases in
January, Laura Aurora had
planned to wait until after the
2025 PCA Convention and trade
show, which took place August
April 12th through the 14th.
This ended up being just after
the tariffs were announced.
The company opted to move
forward with its previously
planned 3 1/2 percent increase
that took effect May 1st, but
that increase did not account
for tariffs, meaning a second,
quite quick price increase was
more than likely.
In an unrelated story, William
Monante has cut his vacation
short to hurry back to make sure
make sire make sure his job is
safe.
Allegedly.
He's vacationing with Mccrone's
wife.
But they're in the Dominican
Republic, so their their their
tariff isn't going to jump to 19
points.
No, it'll be 10%.
Yeah, it'll be just 10.
So then they're OK.
Yeah, so come August 1st, there
shouldn't be too much change for
them.
No, no. 10%'s manageable 19.
Percent.
Right.
So they should be OK.
I can't see them doing another
even if things stay at the 10%
for them, I can't see them
saying, all right, we got
another price increase come the
end of the year.
Yeah.
You think you think at what
point are we pricing ourselves
out of this industry?
I don't know, I don't know.
I mean, I remember 1214 years
ago 6 to $8 was a sweet spot.
Yeah, well, 1214 years ago, I
mean, if you, if you're.
Looking at if you, what do you
think the sweet spot is?
If you, if you gauged, if you
gauged average inflation, it's
probably 14 to 16 bucks.
That's your sweet spot.
And the BDP came out three years
ago, $14.00 was expensive.
Yeah, and people were like,
whoa, now $14.00 and and we're
in the running.
It's a value cigar at this
point.
Richie left, I just saw him
walked by.
He quit.
He sold all the cigars.
He's done.
He.
Said I just can't.
I can't do.
It I can't, Greg's up here I
can't deal with.
Him.
It's ridiculous.
So yeah.
Yeah, so Willie Morente cut his
vacation short.
Make sure he doesn't lose his
job.
He's.
In a tuxedo?
Where is he on vacation?
Who knows?
Some island, somewhere,
something.
Yeah, he's probably got shorts
on.
Did you, was it a waist up
picture?
He's got shorts on.
It's definitely he's in flip
flops.
He's living life to his fullest.
Flipping is what it says.
Oh, steady paycheck.
It'll, you know, help you take a
vacation.
Yeah.
You guys love Willie, right?
I love Willie, of course.
Oh my God, it's what?
Willie's awesome.
Willie's awesome.
I don't know if you learned
this, but you know everybody's
under fire.
It doesn't matter if we love you
or hate you.
It's irrelevant on this show.
You know that.
Type of association to a story
we're going to go.
With it, it's so much to a point
where like, I mean, like Fred
commented to us a couple weeks
ago, he said something about
Patreon.
Whatever.
I'm like, OK, Like, I don't know
what we said, like, but if we
did, we weren't trying to be a
Dick.
Like Fred, we love you, you
know?
So it's like, no, it was fine.
I'm like, OK, But we instantly
go back to like, oh fuck, what
did we say?
What?
Did we say?
Did you say it?
Did I?
Piss them off.
I don't.
Remember anything we said on the
show?
But yeah, me neither.
And it's still going on.
Yeah, exactly.
What what?
What has has my old Rep been
around?
Who's your old Rep?
Yeah, he came in a couple of
weeks ago, Alfredo.
There you go.
Oh, you said he never came in.
Well, he had to.
Yeah, he was trying to, he was
trying to mend fences a couple
weeks ago, maybe like a month
ago all.
Right.
Yeah, he's all right too.
The.
Game was in June in the middle
of the Atlantic Ocean on a
cruise that he was calling me.
In a panic, call.
Him back, I have no idea what he
was calling.
Him.
Probably.
Probably.
Not looking for his job.
He wanted his job back.
Yeah, he's like, hey, I'm sorry.
Hey, I'm sorry, how's Richie
doing?
Baby come back.
Richie's a monster.
You can blame it all on me.
Richie's not we're.
Getting in trouble.
Richie is the man.
Richie is the man.
OK?
Is that it?
Well, we got a listener.
He's got to listen to the week
or we can jump to what's the
score.
OK, give us, give me.
OK, so you want to OK, so hang
on to that.
We are going to play the half
wheel game of what's the score?
OK, All right, you're our guest,
so. 82. 80.
I got it right.
Yeah, I'm.
Guessing that won't be on.
You know, but what is kind of
funny man, is normally when I
get 1/2 wheel review, I get
blanketing text messages,
Facebook messages from people
like, oh, you did a great job,
here's the review, blah blah.
I didn't hear anything.
Nobody likes even bad.
Yeah, I know, but.
Thanksgiving bad news.
But like, hey, nobody wants to
be.
Yeah, nobody wants to be the
bearer of bad news.
Well, you know, you're very
passionate in Prince.
I am very passionate.
So nobody wanted to hear it.
I'm not.
Angry about it.
I'm not mad about the score.
It's a great cigar.
I don't, you know.
Is it sold out?
No.
Close.
We're getting there.
Almost.
How much of that do you make?
500 boxes. 510 count boxes. 520
count boxes. 520 count boxes.
OK, do they come gift wrapped?
Yes, we gift have them here.
My wife gift wrapped all the
boxes.
Issue, Yeah.
Because I saw them in the shop
gift wrapped and I'm.
Like, yeah, we put them in a
special covering.
Nice, nice.
Yeah.
All right.
You ready?
Ready for What's the score?
Let's do it.
All right, first cigar camp
Aladino Carrojo Gorbusto and is
reviewed by Charlie.
Oh, this is a new one.
This is the new one.
Aladino.
Aladino.
Charlie.
Charlie Chorrojo, Gorbusto.
Has been nice to Aladino in the
past.
Has he?
OK, Jack, as our guest, you go
first.
I'm feeling 89.
I'm feeling 88 if I got an 82
like somebody pissed in his
Cheerios.
And if you reviewed in the same
week, I can't imagine being so
much better than mine so.
I'm feeling 89.
OK.
All right.
Here we go.
It is from the Honduras factory
is Fabrica de Piros Aladino at
Las Lomas Gemistran.
That's a given, Jamistran.
Jamistran everybody shut up.
Binder is undisclosed.
Fillers undisclosed.
Length is 4 1/2 inches.
Ring gauge is 60.
It's a round cigar.
MSRP is $11.00.
Box of 2220.
Release date is April 2025 is.
It the game, what's the score?
Yes, yes, this is the
information.
So it's a 60.
Oh, because we have the
opportunity to change.
Yeah, yeah, which All right, so
it's listening.
It's a 60 gauge.
Yes, the wrappers on this close
too.
Honduras Corojo, you guys were
laughing at my JAMA strand.
Yes, OK.
Price point. $11.00 OK 3 cigars.
Is that factored in the his
price is not factored in the
Charlie's reviews?
I don't know.
I don't think so.
I'm going to stick with my 89.
Yeah, I'm going to go 87.
All right, first clue.
Given the ring gauge, I'm caught
off guard by how tight the cold.
Draw I love.
It but I believe when he lights
it that will correct itself.
Sticking with 89.
I'm a stick 87.
All right, each cigar's finish
differs.
Saltier and sharper in the
first, more burnt pepper in the
second, and a balanced mixture
of starch and pepper in the
third. 3 cigars, 3 different
experiences.
I'm gonna go 88.
Do I drop to 86 at this point?
Yeah, I'm a go 86.
I'm a Go 86.
OK, all right, next clue.
The 1st and 2nd cigars both need
a touch up for one instance of
an uneven burn, but the third
cigar continues to burn quite
well. 8888, I think he's going
to he's going to put it all on
that third cigar. 87.
All right, final thoughts.
I write these subscriptions as
soon as I finish smoking the
third cigar.
Top of my mind is trying to
figure out how the third cigar
finished so differently from the
other two cigars.
At the midway point, the three
Camp Aladino Corrojo Gorbustos
were more or less smoking the
same, but then they went down
very different paths.
Regular readers might be
surprised to read this, but I
actually prefer the third
Cigar's red pepper domination
over the more balanced profile
the other two cigars had.
I wouldn't want it for the full
length of the cigar, but it was
a great way to finish the cigar
and add a bit of pep in the
step.
It will be curious to see how
this line expands over the
years.
As for now, as of now, this
first release is yet another
solid cigar in a company's
portfolio that is chock full of
them. 88.
I'm gonna I.
Think Charlie likes who's too,
and I believe.
I think Charlie likes me.
I got a fucking too.
But you don't advertise on a
show.
I mean, yeah, that's true.
So you think that there is some
bias we.
Advertise on half wheel.
Well, cigar house it is, but you
So you think that there is bias
on relationships and potential
ad space?
Yes, yes, even.
Even with.
Half say it's a video show you
have to make.
I I think so.
I think I think I.
Think it's a given no matter
what, No matter what the.
Picasueno is not a as much as
skipping him.
I think that phone call that I
was talking about earlier might
have been made to your one of
your top advertisers.
Certainly, yeah, it would be
smart to do that right.
Listen, I I don't want to trash
your cigar.
You know you spend 50 grand a
year in advertising with us.
All right.
I think it might do lower, but
I'm going to stick 87.
What?
Was Jack 88?
It's a 90.
Holy shit.
Jackie.
Wing sucked.
Wow, that that.
That's a whole new meaning to
the 82 you got.
Yeah.
Wow, that see, now it's now
that's personal.
Think so.
I think that I.
Think it's personal?
It's.
A Gorbusto.
What is a Gorbust?
I have no idea.
A Gorbusto.
Yeah, it was a Gorbusto.
A fat robusto Fat robusto does
have really good tobacco He.
Sure does.
I mean, I love Palladino.
Yeah, you know.
All right, right.
For the next one, this is the
older one.
OK, great.
It's a Terano Vault.
Corona Gorda.
What is it?
Terano Vault.
Corona, Gorda A.
Year, did you get that?
I think it was 2012 to be
honest, and it was reviewed by
Brooks.
The Vault.
Corona, Gorda.
Which vault?
This is the first thing that he
states, so you can't give him
more. 9012 it would have to be
the original Vault black box.
OK, I'm going back to I'm going
to go 90 because I believe I
remember they really liked it.
I'm.
Going to go 91.
Yeah.
I like that the Fred just
laughed in the background.
Price is right.
What?
What?
You know, no like, so I honestly
think the problem is that he
picked a number that I was going
to pick.
So I don't think it goes lower
than that.
So I had to go 91 in that in
that point, but go ahead.
Brooks The problem is that I
don't think Palmer picks 2
reviews that are 90s.
We'll see, We'll see, we'll see.
I think, I think, I think
Palmer's varying it so OK.
All right, country of origin,
Nicaragua Factory Placencia
Rapper Nicaraguan, Binder
Honduras and Nicaraguan Filler
Nicaraguan.
It's a five and five, 8 by 46.
It's a good size. $7.20 Box of
20 a $144.
It was released in 2011 and in
2012 number of cigars released.
500 humidors of 20 cigars and.
That's that's not right.
Number of cigars released 500.
500 boxes. 500 boxes.
It was way more than that.
Humidors of 20 cigars.
OK, the he only smoked one
cigar.
One cigar, where you at?
I'll stay with 90 for now. 91
all.
Right, first glue.
The Teranio Vault Corona Gorda
is a wonderful looking cigar
with a dark milk chocolate brown
wrapper that is smooth as a
baby's butt is.
That what it says.
That's what it says.
Smooth as a baby's butt?
It's definitely a 90.
I'm going to go 92.
All right, clue #2 there's still
no spice at all, and the pepper
from the pepper from the first
third has sadly disappeared
completely by the halfway point.
Still no spice at all, and the
pepper's gone.
Pepper's gone.
Is pepper a spice?
I don't.
I don't know.
I can't.
With these guys, who knows?
I can't read I'm.
Going to go 89.
So he's bring on.
Flavor.
Brooks is big on flavor.
Yeah, he's big on flavor all.
Right.
I'm going to go to 90.
That's where I wanted to be.
Next clue?
This is not a powerhouse smoke
by any means.
Was it meant to be?
But it nails my palate
perfectly.
Very flavorful, complex and
medium plus strength.
I'm back to 90.
I don't want to go 91.
I'm going to go 91.
To 90, that's fine.
You can go 90.
I'm going to move my price.
My, my, my.
I'm going.
To take 90 back, OK.
I'm gonna go 92 again.
I'm gonna go 92.
All right, Terano is just not a
brand that I smoke very often,
although I honestly can't tell
you why.
But that will change with the
Vault Corona Gorda.
Smooth, rich, sweet and earthy
profile, great construction and
draw, and the perfect vitola
means a box purchased for me
when they are released.
Again, this is easily the best
Terano I have smoked and also
easily the best Vault vitola by
a mile.
I'm, I'm, I'm going to go to 91
just not to take over your 92.
OK, I'm going to go 93. 90. 90.
Jack wins again.
It was of 90.
You hear that they were both
90s.
I don't even pay attention when
I'm.
To that part of it, this is the
first game.
This is the first game where I
have lost.
You both?
Yep, you were smoked completely,
yeah.
You don't pay attention is your
middle name Thank.
You.
All right, go ahead and give us
the listener of the week, Sir,
the.
Listener of the week is Jose
Torres.
I'm thinking it would be Torres
but he only put 1R.
That's the way it was spelled.
That's how it was spelled.
Torres.
Jose Torres.
Where is Jose Torres from?
Social media, Social media.
Social media.
And the store of the year is
Hector.
No, no, he's also listening to
me because today's, because
today's Hector's birthday.
Happy birthday.
Happy and Skip and Skip's
birthday Skip.
Martin and Hector, I don't know
if Alcalfonso share a birthday.
One is substantially older than
the other.
How old is Skip today?
Great question.
I would say he's got to be what
I don't know, like mid 50s, mid
50s mid. 50s, OK, so not
substantial.
Yeah, because I'm older than he
is.
His thing is 55.
Hector's 59.
OK.
Quinquan Gennario was made and
then took three years to make,
so it's probably 54.
Yeah.
Yeah.
Still a puppy.
Yeah, I'm guessing.
I'm guessing.
Still a puppy.
And at Palmer's Store of the
Week.
There is no store of the week.
No, Pick one.
Small batch cigars.
Small batch cigars.
I'm picking Ash and Anvil.
Ash and anvil ash.
And Anvil in Kansas City,
Espinoza Lounge.
Yeah, if you're ever in that
area.
Yeah, go to that store.
They don't carry pastana.
They will if you go.
I was introduced to them at
Lisona Palooza like that.
They wanted to meet me and now
they don't answer the phone.
They don't see he called.
I'll make a call for you.
All right, your Rep brought them
over and introduced them to me.
Yeah, they are fantastic.
People, they were very nice
people.
Fantastic people and you've this
is a shop that all right, very
unique.
Well then we need to be friends.
And they make a bourbon slushy
that is outrageous.
Really.
They have bourbon slushy
machines.
Excellent.
OK, anything else to add before
we let you go and do this event?
Well, thank you.
Thank you for for for letting me
do.
This well, thank.
You.
I lived up to Carney's.
I mean, you did OK.
Carney.
Carney did quite well, I
complimented.
Him.
Yeah.
Oh, you're a great friend, dude.
You guys are great friends man.
And we truly appreciate you,
dude.
Thank you so much for coming up
for the event.
Thank you for doing the podcast.
Is there an event going on
tonight?
It's supposed to be.
It's.
Supposed to be it might be going
on upstairs.
Yeah, we better get to it.
We got.
Let's go to the event, and this
has been episode 397. 398. 398.
Says 397.
Oh, that's supposed to be 3. 90
At the beginning it said 390. 80
here it says 397 wow 398 that.
Was probably last week's, yeah.
He likes He likes Hustlers
podcast.
He's a hot mess, dude, listen.
Right under 397, it says I'm
Jack Terano with Espinosa
cigars.
You decide.
You were supposed to be here
last week.
All right, that's it.
Goodbye.
Welcome to the Cigar Hustler
podcast.
The show brought to you
Commercial Freeze.
But a massive shout out to our
amazing patrons on the Patreon.
Thanks to your unwavering
support, we're able to
unfiltered unbiased opinions.
All things cigars personalities
in the cigar world.
Your backing makes it possible
for us to keep it real for.
Our listeners, cheers to you.
If you would like to become a
Patreon number, go to
www.patreon.com and search the
Cigar Hustler podcast that one
up.
Show Notes
Episode 398 Torano, Tariffs, and the Death of a Legend
Jack Torano with Espinosa Cigars and Welcome to the Cigar Hustlers Podcast episode 398— buckle up, because this week’s episode has everything:
We say goodbye to an icon as wrestling legend Hulk Hogan passes away just weeks before launching his new company.
Yahoo Mail crashes hard, leaving thousands in the digital dark.
Candace Owens is being sued by the President of France — yes, really — and it’s over a conspiracy theory about his wife.
In cigar news, SBC24 gets smoked in a brutal review, VegaFina makes a U.S. comeback push, Cohiba drops a wallet-friendly Rubicon, and La Aurora raises prices thanks to tariffs.