October 14, 2025· 1h 37m

ACHP Episode 409 Mikey "Its My Show"

Transcript

Welcome to Mike Stefankovic's

Cigar Hustler podcast episode

409 starring Mike Stefankovic

and his sound.

Guy, there we go.

Oh, sound guy.

Yeah.

So like on this past weekend,

you were on the Cigar Authority.

Indeed I was.

You did a great job except for

some things I would like to go

over with you.

OK.

We might as well just start with

the appearance, right?

Right off the top.

The obvious.

Do you want to talk about how we

get swag or no, you're just

going to go right into?

It Oh well I have that after,

but you can do it before if

you'd like.

I just want to make sure it was

covered.

All right, I just want to

address the elephant in the

room.

Right.

Let's just get this out of the

way right in the beginning, OK?

All right, there are a few key

things that David mentioned.

OK, OK.

He mentioned that the show that

keeps David up at night.

Yeah.

You took credit for that.

That was me.

OK All right.

Inviting David to our booth.

The PCA.

That was me.

You actually said he wouldn't

show up.

Yeah, yeah, probably right.

Other than that and all the I

and me's on the podcast you did,

you did a good job.

OK, what I and me's?

It was all I and me.

I and me.

My podcast I did this.

Yeah, yeah.

You don't normally do it, so it

was kind of odd.

Because I didn't didn't feel

like I was really talking about

the podcast that much.

Well, this only I don't none of

the other the brand stuff, the

cigars, none of that.

That's you.

I mean you are very nice and you

include me normally when you're

speaking, but I'm not I'm not

picking at that.

Had a BDP shirt on under my

sweatshirt.

While it was under your

sweatshirt, nobody saw it.

I was going to show it.

I was hoping he was wearing the

Alcatraz sweatshirt.

Yeah, I mean, but poor Boots at

least.

At least he got mentioned though

he.

Boots has an extra chromosome.

I sound he was my sound guy so.

Their sound guy's way more

intelligent, I'm just saying.

Is he?

Yeah.

What does he talk about?

Cigars.

Dominican cigars?

No, he's.

He's just a Dominican guy you

love.

He loves the Dominican.

He loves.

Yeah, he talks about Dominican

cigars.

I don't know if our show comes

off the same.

I mean, first they have a great

show, but when Ed would talk it

just it would always surprised

me because you can't see him.

But that's just the way it.

Works right?

Well, we got a guy that you

can't see either.

I know that's what I was going

to say.

I imagine ours does that too,

but I don't watch our shows

anymore either.

Right, well, I get to live ours

for 48.

Hours.

Yes, I do hear the clips over

and over as you're doing it.

And like everybody else, I watch

all the clips.

Do you?

I have to I have to look at them

to approve them so I can share

them.

Oh, on the Cigar House series

you don't have you disapprove

them.

Well, you hit, you hit the

review button and it starts

playing.

Yeah.

So, I mean, it's not like

they're long.

I always watch them anyway.

Sometimes I go back and rewatch

them.

Do you 'cause they're funny?

Well, I have a great podcast.

And yes, you do you do you have

a great podcast you.

Do you know it was?

Well, thank you so much for

asking me about how the podcast

was and.

How well that was next.

So I mean, now you can tell us

about the podcast.

That was it.

You're done berating just.

That yeah, that was that was the

key.

The key thing you, you did the

back half.

So you were on for an hour, was

the first guy on for an hour

too?

Because I mean, I sort of fast

forwarded.

Through him I was on for an hour

and a.

Half OK gonna say he was not a

full hour.

He was on for 30 minutes.

OK, that's what I thought.

Yeah.

He was not interesting,

obviously.

He was interesting.

He was a he's a Crown heads

broker.

His name is Brett.

He's a very nice guy.

We've I've met him before.

Oh.

They could light you up a little

more.

Yeah, that would be my only

structural complaint on the

show.

Yeah, there's no light in that

corner.

More lighting over there.

Yeah, OK.

You know, I'm sure that that

that's good critiquing.

How was the flying?

The flying was good.

The flight home was a little

delayed, but the the flight in

general wasn't bad.

It flew Delta, so you know, you

got knock on wood, you don't

have too many issues with Delta.

I hear they're getting a lot of

new flight attendants.

Are they?

Yeah, they're getting new flight

attendants.

Yeah, they're hiring hundreds of

them that says.

Are they aging out or something?

I don't know.

Maybe they've got more money,

who knows?

I don't know.

So what it says?

Well, the ride home was a little

rough, so there was no bad

weather, snacks or whatever.

Yeah.

How long a flight is it up

there?

Two hours.

Three, 2 1/2, three, three,

yeah, something like that. 2

movies.

There and back in a single day.

See a lot of fall colors.

Saw some fall colors.

New Hampshire's very pretty,

yeah.

Yeah, Dave's a great guy, man.

You know, when he came over at

at PCA and we had a brief

conversation and I started kind

of rattling all the all of my

accomplishments by myself, of

course, you know.

You're such a great man.

Yeah.

Thank you.

Well accomplished.

Thank you for noticing.

So many things you do on your

own.

So it's all solo?

It's amazing you have enough

time in the day.

Yeah, I don't really.

You know, it's crazy.

It was.

I'm not.

I'm just not feeding into his

bullshit.

I don't know what else you want

me to say.

Like I always praise him.

I always talk about him.

I always talk about this other

dumb dumb over here too all the

time.

Except this time.

And the one time that I don't

talk about him.

This is probably the biggest

show you've been on.

They're worldwide and they're on

the military network thing.

Yeah, all the AFM.

Yeah, they're on the.

Yeah, well, like aside from this

show that I'm on every week.

This show, we're not as big a

show with him.

I mean, we're the number one

show on pod being obviously

we're #1 he's #2 but apparently

now they're after.

Look at you just kind of walking

everything down today.

What am I walking down?

Like, oh, this is how we do

things.

We're none of the best.

I mean they.

'D say we weren't the.

Best.

I mean, we are the best.

I said it was the biggest show.

Well, obviously I didn't mean

our show.

I know you're on our show.

When are you moving to New

Hampshire?

They don't even know I exist

apparently.

Yeah, they know you exist.

Ed Santa Maria, He, he's my

friend, but he wasn't on.

Was he there?

Did you see him?

I did not see him.

Is the studio somehow connected

to the shop or completely

differently?

Upstairs.

Like downstairs, there's

upstairs.

I have a question.

Did you ask what is his name?

David Garofalo.

Where did you ask David how many

T-shirts he sold?

No, no, yeah, he doesn't sell

T-shirts.

Exactly.

He sells ad space.

Yeah, not big enough to sell

T-shirts.

He was not big enough to sell

T-shirts.

Yeah, he was rethinking if he

would have done it our way

instead of the way he did it.

Yeah.

And I wanted to elaborate on

that.

We just never got the

opportunity.

I mean, I think the way that

we're doing it is definitely

different, certainly and it's I

think it's harder on, on, on a

lot of.

Oh, sure it is, you know.

Very similar shows as far as

structure.

That is the first time I've

watched a substantial chunk of

their show.

Yeah, yeah.

There's more.

I used, I used to listen to it

when I cut the grass right.

But it's much different to

watch.

Yeah, well.

I mean, dude, I don't know.

I don't know what else to tell

you other than that it was

awesome.

It was, it was just a, it was

like surreal.

I mean, you know, you're, you're

talking to a guy, a retailer

that's been in the industry for

a a long time and our stories

are very similar in a lot of

fashion, you know, retail

operation, distribution

operation, selling our own

product to other retailers, you

know, similar mentalities.

He's, you know, he's lighting

the.

Cigar like someone was on fire

out of the corner of my eye

cause the flames come up above

the.

It's a delicious cigar.

Similar similar mentalities.

Red Anchor.

No, it's not Dominican.

It's.

Please continue.

He's just, you know, 20 years,

30 years my senior, you know, so

I think like the, the, the

fascinating part for me is like,

I look at things and I'm, you

know, I'm 4041 years old.

I'm like, damn, you know, I'm

41.

Like where does, where's the

payoff?

Like, where does it?

Where is it?

Like, OK, you know, you've kind

of arrived.

We've been doing.

Obviously 61.

You've been, he's 65, he's 65.

You've been doing, I've been

doing retail for 16 years,

wholesale for 10, this podcast

by myself for seven.

Yeah, just me.

Only me.

Quite the undertaking all by

yourself.

And, you know, when, you know,

you hit that 40 mark and you're

just like, this has been a lot,

right?

And then he talked to a guy at

65.

What age did he start?

You know, I didn't ask that, but

it's been.

He said he's been in for about

30 years.

Yeah, he's, oh, did you say 30?

Yeah, I believe that maybe.

So you're halfway there.

He's been he's been doing the

podcast for 16 years.

Halfway there on.

You're halfway there on

everything.

Yeah, it's the.

Yeah.

So you know.

Right.

So he didn't ask him where the

line was, where the payoff line?

Was no, but you know what it

was.

Probably to say I don't know,

I'm looking for his stuff.

It was it.

I was so appreciative of how

open and honest he is as a

retailer because, you know, it's

nice when the bullshit's kept to

a minimum, right?

And he was, he was completely

honest with everything.

And I'm like, damn, that's,

that's exactly how we are, you

know?

He said he was #2.

Tell you no.

No, myself and my brother.

Oh, gotcha.

Oh, David has a brother too.

He did.

He does, actually.

Oh wow, you guys really are

alive.

He did.

Michael did mention he had a

brother.

Is his brother flying around the

United States too?

Or his brother passed away.

Oh sorry, yeah, bad jokes.

Man, what a.

This is why they're sound

downer.

This is why they're sound guys

way better, just for the record.

So tell us about those shirts.

Why?

Does skip have a Direct Line to

Ed?

But his brother used to.

Because everything, Skip said Ed

repeats.

Dude, I got to.

Yeah, well, he's handling the

board.

Right, so I know, but with Skip

calling him on the phone and

just say this now he's

commenting on.

Facebook gotcha.

Yeah, he was commenting on the

Facebook thread.

Gotcha.

So, so anyways, as I was saying,

like, you know, it was, it's

really cool to, to sit down and

talk with the guy who's, you

know, 15 years further down the

road than I am at least.

Right, the other half.

Right.

And you know, just to kind of

it's, it's reinvigorating.

It's like, OK, I, I.

Right, I'm in the right, I'm on

the right path.

Yeah, because not only do I feel

like I'm on the right path, I, I

got, I, I got that reaffirmed.

It's like, hey, man, you're

doing everything right.

You're like, just keep going.

So that was awesome for me.

What?

There is the light at the tunnel

at the end of the.

Tunnel yeah, you know that was

that was huge I'm like I when I

walked out of that store I was

like that was fucking awesome

you know it was a great feeling

nice.

And, you know, and as we know,

that doesn't happen in every

retail store.

You leave and you're like, OK,

just got my teeth kicked in.

You know, that was amazing.

What a, you know, remarkable

feeling.

And and he's every day, he's

still working on making his

business better.

And, you know, he's got a

grandkid now.

He's he's focused.

He wants to do that.

He wants to spend more time with

him.

Yeah, it was I, I thought it was

awesome.

I thought it was, it was every

bit of worth going up there for

the day, doing the podcast,

hanging out with him.

I wish I could have stayed

longer, you know, and.

Did you have to leave right

after the show?

I got I, I pushed it a little

bit.

No, we, we sat and talked

afterwards, talked to industry

stories and and you know, some

of his stories from the past.

It's like crazy.

It's it's kind of like there was

AII remember back in the day I

listened to a Howard Stern show

and Joe Walsh was on.

You know who Joe Walsh is?

I recognize the name but I

couldn't tell.

You the Eagles.

Oh, it's a sports guy and I have

no idea.

No, no, it's a band.

It's all about a band.

Oh, the Eagles, the band.

Yeah.

OK, then I do know who Joe.

Walsh is and like, and Joe Walsh

told the story about how he came

up with the song Rocky Mountain

Way.

And when you hear the story as

to how he kind of, he was

cutting the grass and whatever

and he saw the mountains and,

you know, he stopped cutting the

grass and I'm probably screwing

up the story.

And then he went back and he

started writing the Rocky

Mountain Way and you're like,

wow, that is crazy.

So like when you hear stories

about the people in the past and

how they kind of came to be and

all these things like it's so

incredible.

It's so incredible.

And I will never, I won't tell

the stories 'cause they're not

mine to tell.

And but wow, it was it was just

so cool because again, he was so

open and honest about

everything.

And I'm like, damn, why?

I wish every retailer was just

like this guy, you know, and it

and the staff was awesome.

Mr. Jonathan, They feed off each

other so well and they know when

someone else is waning or

whatever.

Like when someone has to pick

something up and kind of carry,

there's a there's a synchrony

there that's a synergy.

There's a synergy there that's

pretty impressive, so.

Only you had somebody like that

that did the show with you.

It'd be amazing.

I don't know, 'cause I yeah,

you're right, you're right.

Maybe one day I'll get somebody

that will will feed off of my

things and vice versa and and

understand where they need to

say a little less and not

necessarily a little more and

double down on certain things.

Yeah, you're right.

You're gonna be, who knows?

Maybe one day, maybe one day

I'll get there.

Well, until then you got us.

Yeah, yeah, so.

But, you know, shout out to

David Garofalo, Cigar Authority.

Did you get to eat with him?

Did you break bread?

No, I didn't have time

unfortunately.

Sounds like a great trip though.

Did you get the firecrackers?

No, I did not.

He did mention firecrackers on

the show though.

Are we calling him?

Is that him?

I'm.

Podcasting again?

What?

The fuck?

We would all like chicken noodle

soup.

Real quick, what time did you

give Justice Smith?

11:00 Yes, I checked.

I love you.

I didn't get the chicken noodle

soup.

OK, OK.

Love you.

Man, Palmer just striking out

today, huh?

Well, she called the Patreon to

say she was getting chicken

noodle soup.

Well, no chicken noodle soup.

Apparently no chicken noodle.

Soup.

You're not really part of the

show.

It's like it's.

A really rough day for me.

Really could use a partner that

that feeds off of me.

I mean, my goodness.

So how about that swag?

Yeah, how do you get some of how

do you get some of your chapter

pod swag?

You know what?

Thanks so much for asking.

First of all, let me start by

saying let me say something.

I need to pick one of the

chicken.

I need to pick a winner from

last week.

So make sure you like and

subscribe on YouTube.

And somebody asked me if they

won and I said I don't know.

And.

If you comment below, I messaged

the the last person messaged me.

But let's see.

Let's see if we can pick a

winner from last week's.

You guys keep doing this, like

subscribing comment.

You guys never know.

Mikey likes to give away a lot

of things right now.

Yeah, so follow La La offseason

1. 2340 I just I got 5 comments.

I got 5 comments, so pick a

number one through 5, four, 123.

We know this guy.

It's BW Racing 15-B, but you got

to go through the the I want you

to message us, message us at

info@chapterpod.com and we'll

we'll square you away.

Nice.

Congratulations, Lucky.

Also shout out to one of our day

ones.

Miguel Rocha, my guy, first

blacked out sweatshirt hoodie

sold.

Yep, he was our our first

customer for that.

So thank you very much Miguel.

We appreciate you, Scott Bloom

and Alejandro Acosta.

What was his last name?

Acosta.

Yeah, and, and, and for the guys

that I don't appreciate and and

don't show enough hard work and

effort for Greg.

Oh, now the tone is changed.

Went ahead and brought you guys

your own.

I was going to ask blacked out

hoodies because you know, I suck

as a person apparently.

No, I didn't say that Palmer

said that.

Why you got mentioned?

Yeah, I'm just a sound guy.

You're the sound guy.

You're you're special too by

the.

Way I got news for you, you're

barely a sound guy.

Horrible.

I don't know where are the.

Sizes.

You're right, I'm an apparel

guy.

You're an apparel guy, He.

Just dropped something.

I dropped my cutter and my

lighter I.

Don't.

Know why?

Why can't I see the sizes?

On well, hold them up.

Which one's bigger?

Give it a damn.

Let's see, this one looks

smaller.

It looks extra largey.

You going to throw it over my

head?

There you go.

Front of the microphone there

we.

Go.

And I think this one's yours.

So hey, check out.

Look at this boom.

That looks nice.

Can you see that?

Well, Yep.

Perfect.

All right, this is 100%

polyester.

This isn't some cheap stuff,

man.

This is high quality

sweatshirts.

All our T-shirts are high

quality as well.

We don't cut any corners, so

just.

Put it on the table.

I want to throw it at him.

He caught it.

See that?

See how that?

Works.

See my microphone.

He caught it.

You.

Have to show you throw it behind

me so if.

You would like to participate in

some of our fine apparel, jump

on to Chapter pod.com.

Oh this is nice.

It's Tri dry.

Yeah, 100% polyester.

Polymer we got a switch.

You got the actual wrong size.

I thought that one looked

smaller.

All right, yours is over here on

the floor.

All right, perfect.

Yeah.

OK.

All right.

Ready to go?

I think so.

We What shirt are we on right

now besides the sweatshirt?

We're in the Goblins 1 still.

Gortles and Goblins still

available.

We sold a couple of those.

Nice.

Last week as well.

So there's a few left, and once

Halloween is gone, they're gone.

So we're on to the Thanksgiving.

Buy one shirt, get the 2nd 140%

off.

Are we doing a Thanksgiving

shirt?

Are we moving right into?

Christmas Should we do a

Thanksgiving?

I don't know, I mean did the

Halloween 1, is it done well?

Yeah, it's.

Thanksgiving, I guess what we do

a Turkey.

I you know what I would like to

do and I want to hear comments

and this is a good thing to

comment about below if you want

and then you get entered to win

something I was thinking about

the BDP that I have and then

taking you and then putting you

in like a Turkey outfit I.

Think we have?

We had one of those.

And then maybe taking you and

and putting you in a Santa

outfit possibly for the next

year.

But hey, if you guys have

suggestions, please include them

in the comment below.

Well, we put you in a Santa

suit.

Nah, I'm good.

No, you don't get enough

attention on this about about

being a part of Cigar House

podcast apparently, so I want to

make sure just.

From you, not everybody.

Else, I want to make sure that

you shine.

So here I am, devoting my time

and energy creating imagery

about you all.

You have to.

Do is complain and then you get

all this stuff?

No, that's not true.

I've been doing this from day

one.

Yes, I just didn't mention you

on one podcast.

The biggest one you've been on?

And So what?

So what next time I'll be like,

you know what?

First of all, I'd like to start

off by saying Mike Palmer is is

Cigar host's podcast.

Very.

I'm not is I'm part of the team

at least though.

No, you're.

You're the very fabric.

I could be the you could have

just said the Co host.

I mean that would be like the

sound guy.

I have a Co host and I have a

sound guy so that would have

been the same level as I.

Wouldn't dude, it's not that I

would purposely went out of my

way to talk about how great I

was.

It was like just never found a

appropriate place to plug

Palmer.

I mean, I had you.

I had my shirt on under.

You.

I was in your heart.

I understand.

I I 'cause I purposely was going

to show it.

But you decided not to.

It just never.

It just never happened.

Right, I understand it was

awkward.

Just didn't work out that way,

certainly.

Right, it was awkward, I

understand.

Maybe the Christmas one could be

all three of us.

This is the shit I got to deal

with.

Oh, Santa and two elves.

You.

You're Santa.

I was I was just about to ask

who Santa was going to be.

Well, I have the white hair and

the white beard, so I mean.

Well, yeah, technically, yeah,

you could be Santa.

One of you guys could be the

Grinch.

One of you could be Frosty the

Snowman.

Make you a reindeer.

I think Santa and the elves.

Santa, I don't know.

Comment below.

I want to hear your thoughts.

If we decide to pick something

that somebody else went with

other than what we just went

with, I'll send you a shirt on

us.

Oh Dang.

Wow, OK.

Tis the season.

Tis the season?

Well, it's almost the season so.

At Walmart it's.

Definitely ready to go.

All right.

This week on the cigar store

podcast The Day the Music Died,

MTV is pulling the plug on its

legendary music channels.

After 4 decades, it's the end of

an era.

Florida public Says yes to open

carry sports says yes to open

carry sports went wild this

weekend and the cigar world's

buzzing with big drops, legal

battles and TAA news all added.

More more of that article or no?

Yeah, yeah, OK.

As of September 25th, 2025,

Florida law allows open carry of

firearms public follows all

federal, state and local laws,

media Relations manager Hannah

Herring said in a statement

emailed to Spectrum News.

Treating customers with dignity

and respect is a is a founding

belief in Publix and any

instance where a customer

creates A threatening, erratic

or dangerous shopping

experience, whether they are

open carrying firearm or not, we

will engage local law

enforcement to protect our

customers and associates.

Confirmation came amidst reports

that the Sun Sentinel and

employees in several stores

across South Florida were

allowing open carry in the

store.

In comparison, other grocery

chains in the state will not

permit open carry in their

stores.

Southern Grocers, a company that

owns winn-dixie and Harvey

stores in Florida, said that the

business plan to forbid open

carry in its stores.

Our priority is creating a safe

and welcoming shopping

experience for all customers and

associates.

As a private business, our

policy remains unchanged.

We do not permit open carry of

firearms inside our stores.

We respectfully ask customers to

secure your firearm safely

before entering, and we

appreciate the continued

cooperation and help us maintain

an environment where everyone

feels comfortable and safe.

OK, do you have a problem with

open carry in Publix?

I don't have a problem with open

carry anywhere, but I think open

carrying in a grocery store is

just silly.

You think it's a bit excessive?

Yeah, but you don't have a

problem with.

It I don't have a problem with

it, I just think it's silly.

OK.

Like how?

How long are you in there for

first of all?

I don't remember what happens.

Something pops off in the dairy,

so I don't know. 30 to 45

minutes if you go in a weekly.

I mean well, but you can you'll

concealed carry in Publix I

would assume.

I mean, yeah, yeah, sure.

But but again, like, OK, is

Publix really that type of

situation where you're like,

man, I really feel threatened in

this place and I need to bring a

firearm.

To two shootings, I think this

weekend.

Out of Publix.

No, no one was at a restaurant

and one was somewhere else.

But I mean it's.

There's a shooting every second.

That's what I mean.

It's happening more often, so

why wouldn't it happen in a

public?

You think it's happening more

often?

I think it's happening just as

much.

OK, so maybe maybe they're just

talking about it more.

I think, well, that's exactly

what the media does is that they

purposely talk about.

So I don't understand why.

Why it wouldn't happen in a

Publix?

I just, I feel like there's a

different type of person that

goes in Publix and I don't think

you really need that.

There.

So OK, OK.

But that's not that's not what

we're talking about.

Here, right, you said do I do I

think it's a problem to open

carry?

In public.

In post I said no.

OK.

Do you have a problem with

somebody open and carrying?

Open carrying in Publix?

Nope.

OK.

All right.

Do you?

No.

I mean, I think that you're

putting yourself at a

disadvantage if you're carrying

open carry.

You know, it doesn't make sense

to me, but you're right.

If you want to do it, do it.

Sure, Whatever.

Now, let me ask you this.

Do you think that the manager at

winn-dixie is going to approach

the guy with the open carry

firearm and say, Sir, I'm going

to need you to put that away or

you're going to have to leave

the store?

No.

No, he's going to make somebody.

Else do it.

Yeah, the assistant manager.

Right.

They're not doing it.

The guy in charge of the

produce.

I'm willing to bet that they're

not doing it.

There's no way.

We have that new cashier, right?

Send Gary over there.

Yeah, I'm not going to.

Think Gary?

Go do it.

Nobody likes him.

That guy's just getting his eggs

and he's getting out of here.

I'm not, you know, like the law

states that, hey, open carry is

fine.

Grocery store if you want to

carry.

Like I don't understand the hard

line of no, I don't see, it's

not like somebody's getting

boozed up there or something

like that.

Like whatever, you know, maybe

they want to, maybe they carry

everywhere they go, you know,

it's like.

Right.

That's just it.

I mean, I already have it on me

now I got to take it off because

I'm, I got to go buy some milk.

Yeah, it was already passed open

carry in Florida.

So why are we getting specific?

Because if you're a private

business, you can say whether or

not people.

Are like you have the right to

say no, like you know, and, and

I am and I'm for that, right.

I'm for the right of you saying

hey, yes or no.

Everybody should have a choice,

yeah.

You can, you can make this

announcement.

Hey, when Dixie says no, right?

I just want to know who the guy

is that's going to enforce it.

Right.

Yeah.

Because I don't know if that

guy's there.

It's Gary.

You better have a security guard

on premises or something.

Winn Dixies might already have a

security gun.

Well, they do have lost

prevention.

They usually have bad lighting,

I can tell you that much.

They're not very cleaned,

allegedly.

Allegedly.

A little rougher store,

allegedly.

It's wild, men.

It's Wild West when you go

shopping for groceries now,

apparently in Florida.

You know what's really bad is

when I got stationed in

Virginia, you know what their

store of choice is.

What's that Piggly Wiggly?

Food line.

Oh, OK.

That's that's the name of the

grocery store.

Yeah, yeah.

You've never heard of Food Lion?

No, he's lived in Boston.

In Florida.

He wouldn't.

Have become a well they used to

be in Florida but they were like

the save a lots.

OK.

Of Florida.

Oh, which they still have save a

lot.

Yeah, well, save a lot survived.

I don't know what happened to

Food Lion.

It completely.

Saved a lot, Boston.

Maybe.

Maybe please continue with your

story.

I don't know where you're going.

And what I was just saying it

was a crazy you were talking

about Winn-dixie is the.

So you're saying it's food line

is a comparable to Winn-dixie?

Well, to me it's worse than

Winn-dixie here, I think.

It would be worse.

But in Virginia, it was like

their Publix.

It's always nice.

No, I hope Brett's watching this

podcast.

Yeah, and Brett, Brett Fryer

will call you.

He'll tell you.

He'll.

Confirm, confirm or deny.

You, a lot of people actually

don't go to Food Lion.

It's you have two choices or

three choices, I guess you have

Food Lion, you have it's not

farm fresh.

What's a really nice one?

Is that fresh foods?

Fresh foods?

What about Kroger's?

It's Kroger's up there.

I I don't remember.

Kroger's born Midwest.

Yeah, they're in Tennessee.

Yeah, I think they start in

Tennessee and go up like Publix

goes up as far as Tennessee, I

think, no.

I know they're in Georgia.

Well, another big one was Trader

Joe's.

Trader Joe's, Yeah.

Those are the three.

It's way upscale though and I

don't even I don't never been in

a Trader Joe's.

They're they're like local

branded stuff like they bring in

local.

Beers.

All right, let's move on.

We're talking about grocery

stores now.

Let's go.

But they also do, you know?

What has the best Piggly Wiggly?

That's the place to go.

They got them boiled peanuts

right in Sucky's gas.

Station they got, it's like a

superstore.

Yeah, that good.

Like a Bash Pro and a Piggly

Wiggly all week.

Turkey.

How many?

Five different kinds of beef

jerky next door.

Oh, we're done.

Yeah.

Did we really?

You know what I don't get?

Buffalo Wild Wings has a big

sign that you can't carry inside

their establishment.

Really.

It's a bar.

You can anyway.

Yeah, well, then we have this

discussion.

It's just them making a

marketing strategy, you know?

We too, We too claim no guns in

here.

It's safe.

We will not permit like listen.

Don't you know where I ended up

watching your sports?

I mean, I think it's all safe to

say that look, alcohol and guns,

probably not a good mixture, you

know?

Right, some good parties.

Boots just shrugged.

He legit did this.

Making the Navy on the boat, you

know it's a good.

Alcohol and guns.

Backing the Navy on the boat

that I wasn't on.

Right.

Yeah.

All right, now we got a tight

62nd weekend sports recap on

Mike Steppen Cabbages as a Car

Wrestler podcast.

I can't.

Wait 60 seconds.

I can't wait to hear this this

week.

Happy Monday.

Here's your fast breakthrough.

The weekend in the NFL.

Week 6 brought chaos.

The Giants stunned the Eagles 34

to 17.

Is that right?

Yep, on Thursday to kick things

off and Sunday delivered upsets

and statements.

Win up statement wins.

Carolina clip.

Dallas 30 to 27.

Yes.

At the horn, Pittsburgh

smothered Cleveland 23 to 9 and

the Rams handled the Ravens 17

to 3 correct Seattle's defense

8, sacking Trevor Lawrence seven

times in 20 to 12 win over

Jacksonville.

There's player names, Boots.

You hear that?

There's player names.

He got it.

Huh.

Trevor Lawrence.

That one's easy.

It's Jacksonville.

OK?

This game.

So I did this yesterday,

apparently, because this game

already happened.

Tonight's capper Chiefs handled

the Lions 30 to 17.

That was yesterday.

Yeah.

College football Week 7 with

spikes.

Football can't talk about

football now before you go into

the next stuff.

Well, he's got NCAA coming up,

but NFL, he wants to talk about

NFL you.

Want to talk about NFL?

You want to do it that way?

Sure.

Talk about NFL.

So we went to the Bucks game.

Do your.

Sporty things.

And it was a great game.

It was It was a great game,

except for the exit of a wide

receiver.

Amika Ogupa.

Yeah, which messed everybody's

parlays up.

Wait, what was the name?

Well, I screwed up all the time.

No, that's what I mean.

I would not even that one to

make close to right if I said

it.

Mika Agupa.

Ameka.

Abuka, Ameka.

Abuka.

Abuka G is silent.

Abuka, abuka, abuka abuka.

Wow, that's what.

You're doing, we're getting

cancelled.

He's Nigerian.

That's.

What you do when you're scared?

Wow, it is October.

I'm doing a Halloween.

Thing I like it when he sits,

when I when I'm looking back at

him and all of a sudden he gets

tight.

He's tight right now.

He's getting rather.

Tight.

Yeah, yeah, Now you're loosening

back up.

Good for you.

So what was crazy to me was

there was one down.

It was like third and 15 and you

thought like the the Eagles

rushed in and.

Not the band.

Not the band, not Joe Walsh, the

team.

Gotcha.

And you thought Baker was

getting sacked.

And he made his way out of it.

And not only does he make his

way out of it, but he runs 15

yards down the field for a first

down.

Oh, yeah.

And it was incredible to watch,

right?

That guy's elusive.

The guy's amazing.

It mean you know.

Amazing.

He's amazing.

He is he.

He is, and he had a hard task.

I mean, two of his top wide

receivers are out.

Three.

Well, and then yeah, Buka they.

Say he had a heart attack.

No, they were out.

I thought you said he had a

heart attack.

No, he had a hard road ahead of

him.

Oh so.

He had a heart attack.

So we see this, we see this

play, and then we're driving

home and we're watching the

Kansas City refs helping the

Kansas City Chiefs beat the

Detroit Lions game.

They called back a touchdown

which I thought.

Was wait why driving and

watching the game?

He's listening.

Oh, you're watching and?

Listening.

Watching.

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

And you hear Chris Collinsworth

say, wow, I haven't seen or no

one.

What other quarterback in the

NFL runs like that?

When Patrick Mahomes ran for

like 10 yards for a first down,

Love when he does impersonation.

Yeah, three hours ago, Baker

Mayfield just crushed a play and

you know the refs aren't on his

side.

So allegedly.

Jared Jared Goff also ran in

that game.

Yeah, so, you know, Chris

Collinsworth is way too in love

with Patrick Mahomes.

It's absurd.

You know who Patrick Mahomes is,

right?

He's on your team.

He.

Is boycotting the Bad Bunny

concert because of what he said

about the the guy that got shot?

Apparently he really did say

something, I guess.

Whatever you have your.

Right, I saw the headline.

Hey, listen, he had The guy has

his right to say whatever he

wants, and you have a right to

boycott.

I don't care either way, I just

want.

Just trying to continue.

I got news for you.

That's just then Publix is not

allowing boycotting inside a

Publix.

There's a there's a, there's a

90% chance I'm going to watch

the Super Bowl and there's 100%

chance that I do not care who's

on the halftime show.

I will still watch them.

Suppose you had another channel.

There's another one that.

I'm not changing the channel,

just not just leaving it where

it is.

I I just don't understand this.

You only watch the Super Bowl to

watch the halftime show thing.

No, I watch it for the

commercials.

Like, I'm watching the Super

Bowl to watch the Super Bowl,

Like, and if I'm not watching

the Super Bowl, I'm going to the

bathroom and I'm getting food.

Yeah.

Do it during the halftime show.

I usually do.

I don't watch the halftime show

usually.

I'm I'm unfamiliar with Mr.

Bunny's music.

Yeah, but I heard a song the

other day on the radio.

It was good.

His music.

Is Global Superstar.

Yeah, yeah, it's AI mean.

I don't know what he was saying,

but the beat and the tempo and

the music was all it was, a good

song.

It makes sense.

He's got one of the biggest

audiences, you know.

When I DJ it, I play one of his

songs.

Everybody knows it.

How did they not get Swifty to

do a halftime show?

Yeah, that is kind of weird

because she was the big thing.

Right with Kansas City and like,

wouldn't.

That don't they don't they make

the halftime person pay them?

No.

It's free.

So maybe that's one or the

other.

That's probably why.

Why do I do this for free?

I'm the biggest celebrity in the

world.

Why would I do a?

Show for you could argue

something somewhere for Bad

Bunny.

He likes to give back to the

people though, 'cause he did

that whole concert in Puerto

Rico.

He gives to the people.

To the peoples gives to the

peoples.

All right.

You know, every time I hear Bad

Bunny I think of that guy in the

pink Bunny suit though he shows

up the PCA.

That one guy.

Yeah, that one guy.

Norm's friend.

It's all I picture all the time.

Yeah.

Oh, he's at the Great Smoke all

the time.

Yeah, he goes to that, too.

He goes to all the big cigar

things.

Oh.

Yeah.

All right, Georgia survived,

just scared to stay perfect.

USC grabbed a signature win and

the Indiana and the Indiana and

Indiana continued to rise into

the playoff conversation.

Red River delivered drama.

What is Red River?

Is that a team?

Yes, Red River delivered drama

to October is doing October

things.

Oh, are you about to talk about

this or is that was it?

That was it.

That's all I got for NCAA now I.

Get.

I didn't see any of it.

No, you don't watch colleges.

I watched some college.

I don't know what I was doing on

Saturday that was so.

Long You were on an airplane,

and you went.

Oh yeah, I went to.

New Hampshire, Yeah.

You went to New Hampshire and

talked about yourself and then

flew back home.

Yeah, yeah.

That yeah, that was all about

your podcast, talked about my

podcast.

All right, moving on.

All right, baseball's down to 4.

The ALCS opened with the

Mariners quieting Toronto on the

road 3 to 1 to take game one.

NLCS starts tonight.

Dodgers at Brewers eight O 8

Eastern Time on TBS hockey heads

early season note Caps edge The

Rangers one to nothing last

night and a goalie duel at MSG.

That's your minute score shocks

in October vibes light went up

settled in and let's talk about

all that means next.

OK and that's your weekend in

sports.

Now let's shift gears and fire

up this week, Mike Stefan

Kevich's cigar news.

You.

Guys don't want to say anything

about the sports.

No, that's it.

I thought you just passed it.

Yeah.

Sports is over now, so I didn't

know if you had something else.

Baseball.

Baseball is your turn to being

boring because this this set of

games they are taking out

superstars that should be

playing.

Aw, the hell with them.

If you're in the playoffs, the

big names need to be playing.

I don't care what sport it is,

people are paying a lot of money

for tickets and for your team to

have the best chance, your

superstar has to play it.

Like, there's this guy, his

name's Boba Chet.

He plays for the Toronto Blue

Jays.

Boba Chet.

Yes, he's also a bounty hunter,

Yes.

Nice, this is the way.

He's a great hitter.

He didn't play.

It's like, why hurt or

something?

No, they just decided that it

wasn't good for the lineup.

It's a rest day.

Yeah, it's like what?

There, there is no rest day

right now, right?

Did they still win?

I don't watch baseball, no.

They.

You read it.

They lost.

Oh, I don't know what team the.

Mariners.

The Mariners beat them.

So if he played, they would have

won.

Maybe would have been a better

game.

It's nothing like nothing better

than paying somebody hundreds of

millions of dollars to watch him

not play.

Yeah, that's crazy.

I'd be so pissed if I was a a

person that bought a ticket in

the audience.

Yeah, well, a fan.

Well, the NBA is going to be

crazy this year because a.

Fan, fan, right?

A fan, if I was a fan, that

showed up.

Right.

Well, like, well, like, the NBA

is going to be crazy.

Because it's not playing.

What's the deal?

He likes to talk over everybody,

Boots.

I'm trying to add to the sports.

You don't know anything about

sports.

You did it well.

This is Lebron's farewell,

right?

He has announced that he may be

retiring right like he did last

year.

Well, and he didn't.

He did that.

He did it.

So this isn't his goodbye.

It's his.

Maybe goodbye.

Well, it's a maybe.

Maybe whatever.

So what, well, what ends up

happening when they do that,

right, is ticket sales go

through the roof for that team,

right?

So when the Lakers come to town

to play the Magic, right, the

tickets, the tickets are going

to probably be $3000 a seat to

sit in the, in the upper lower

bowl, right?

And then he's not going to

retire 'cause he's going to want

to play with his son the next

year, 'cause his son's eligible,

his second one is eligible to

come in next year.

So it's like, it just think it's

stupid.

Like the the way that these

players are are able to control

the ticket prices.

Yeah, I think it's crazy.

Well, you have a right not to

buy them.

I mean, that is true, yeah, but.

But it could be the goodbye.

But the other problem is now is

you got all these streaming

services where you don't have

the right to just be able to

watch the game on your local

Gable.

You can circumvent that.

There's ways around that.

Yeah, but that's, you know,

allegedly.

Allegedly.

All right, Weller by Cohiba 2025

arrives.

The next release from general

cigar companies Cohiba brand and

Weller Bourbon has begun

arriving at stores.

Sean Williams, brand ambassador

for Kahiba, posted a video of

the new cigar.

Many of the details about the

release are similar to the

previous Weller by Cohiba cigar.

So it's another same same cigar

next year.

Are these made in the Dominican

prison?

Let's read on.

No, there's not Cuban.

It's not Cuban, it's a Dominican

cigar.

It will be a 6 by 50 Toro that

comes packaged in individual

tubes.

On paper, the blend is similar

to the 2024 release and

Ecuadorian Tumatra seed wrapper

over an American broad leaf

binder and fillers from the

Dominican Republic, Honduras and

Nikki Ragua.

However, there appears to be 1

notable change.

Now it says 2025 on.

It the label.

Whereas the 2024 release used at

binder that was aged in barrels

that previously held Weller

Foolproof Bourbon, the 2025

release is listed as having its

binder age in barrels that

previously held Weller Antique

One O 7.

That's the difference.

Apparently eat cigars and MSRP

of OH.

Yeah, this is going to be a good

one.

This is 50 bucks.

This is $50. $50, you think 50,

I think 15. 15. 2999.

No.

No, that's the answer you like.

I was closer.

You were closer. 50 He's closer.

I overbid anyways.

Right.

Well, they're by $5 if you

figure it's 30 dollars, 2999,

you bid 50, he did 15, so he's

halfway down.

So thank you so much.

Weller by Kohiba has become a

highlight of our portfolio, and

each edition brings a new

dimension to the rare

partnerships at Williams.

In a press release.

This year's release is

especially exciting as it ties

directly to Weller NT 107, a

vermin with a loyal following

and profile that mirrors the

bold, refined qualities Kohiba

is known for.

In addition to the stand alone

Weller by Cohiba 2025 cigars,

General Cigar Company is once

again releasing A sampler.

This includes 4 cigars, one of

each from the 2022-2023, 2024

and 2025 lens, 2 Weller by

Cohiba rocks glasses, and a

travel humidor.

Then they have 4 different

accessories you can get.

You can get the Cohiba Red

ashtray.

Anybody want to guess what the

ashtray cost?

30 bucks.

I go.

It's $50. $119.

Damn, it was closer.

The Wellerby Cohiba precision

cutter is $60.00.

Wellerby Cohiba lighter is $100.

Wellerby Cohiba travel humidor

is $150.00.

Wow.

The Vow 11.25 debuts about no.

The vow, The vow, the vow.

Is it from about?

Let's read on.

This week's Avowed Cigar

Company's latest blend is

heading to stores.

The Vow 11.25 a reference to

November 25th, 2024, the date

the blend was approved.

Oh.

Well, that's nice.

Speaking of, the blend, it uses

in Ecuador and Habano seed

tobacco for both its wrapper and

binder.

Underneath that are Dominican

tobaccos Creoho 99.

Not Creoho.

Creolo 98, Piloto, Cubano and

San Vincent What is San Vincent?

That's a guy.

Yeah, but it's a type of tobacco

though.

It's a particles inside.

And a whole leaf of Cuban seed

leaf grown in Brazil.

So it's a Cuban seed from Cuban

tobacco grown in Brazil.

Oh man.

So it's Brazilian Cuban leaf.

I got to be honest, that's

that's like probably one of the

best descriptions I've heard.

So it's originally Habano seed,

but it's grown in Brazil.

So, you know, I think that's

truthful.

That would be the the accurate

way to do things, yeah.

The Vow 11.25 offered in a

single 5 1/2 by 55 grand robuso

each cigars and MSRP of $20 and

it sold the boxes of 10A Vowed

says the Vow 11.25 is a regular

production offering for the

company.

The brand was launched earlier

this year from the same people

that blend that behind Small

Batch cigarcompany.com, a

California-based retailer.

Oh, OK.

Small batch.

OK, we'll keep going.

I'm.

Excited for them.

Are we going to smoke those?

We can if you want to.

Are we getting them?

I could call Andrew.

No.

Are we going to carry?

I don't want to put you on.

Somebody we do need to carry

them.

Toro Because there's that whole

thing.

I carry you, you carry me.

No, I just like those guys.

I want to support them.

Nice.

Well, now that implies you don't

like David.

Well, our relationship isn't as

well established.

But it's getting better, these

guys longer.

There you go.

You're further down the road

with these.

Guys, I mean, am I just going to

get tuned up by everybody today?

Is that what's going on?

Here it was just me or.

For some reason though, on

camera, Palmer looks like My

Cousin Vinny right now.

Looks like what?

With his suit, yeah.

What are you like?

My Cousin Vinny Oh, OK OK OK OK

OK.

I got I.

Got.

I got.

He shot.

He sounds like Pesci.

Carl Fuente shipping Don Carlos

Sangre de Toro.

Oh.

For the first time in his

history, a Torf window is using

a Mexican San Andreas rapper.

Historical.

So does this mean the Cameron

rapper issue they've known

progress of being informed they

plan ahead I.

Don't know.

Maybe.

You know you're the cigar guy of

the show, Michael.

Well, now I'm shutting down.

I'm just, I'm tired of the

abuse.

Yeah, I'm tired of the abuse.

Next week.

What?

It's ridiculous.

Next week the company will begin

shipping the first two vitolas

of the new Don Carlos Sangria de

Toro, a new regular production

line.

Underneath the Mexican wrappers

are mixture of Dominican

tobaccos.

As has been the plan from the

start, it will debut 2 vitolas

de Don Carlos Sangre de Toro

Piro cajones 5 and a quarter of

54 and a Sangre de bestia #2 not

the one, but the two.

Can you spell cajones for us?

C0J 0NES.

How does AJ sound in Spanish?

Not like an NI don't.

Know an H cojones?

Yes.

Is there an N in there or you

said cojones?

There is an N in there.

Cajones.

Well, at least you didn't go

Kijujus, right?

Kijujus.

That says the cigars are

arriving a bit later.

Look, you're just the special

sound guy.

Oh, it all comes real circle.

That said, the cigars are

arriving a bit later than the

original ship date of summer

2025.

We just don't have them ready.

Duro Fuente hopes to ship the

remaining three of a tolls in

the next 30 days.

The full line will include the 5

7/8 by 55, the 5 by 50, the five

and three quarter by 54, the six

and a quarter by 52 and the 5

1/2 by 46.

Sangre de Toro, Spanish for the

Bulls blood.

Mm hmm.

OK, now the next series of

stories happen to chronological

order, so don't jump ahead to

the next story.

OK all.

Right Cigar industry asked for

emergency temporary restraining

order in the California lawsuit

after not hearing back from the

US District Court on Monday.

Cigar History has asked for an

emergency temporary restraining

order at TRO that would delay a

key deadline for cigar makers to

keep the products legal in

California.

Jason Kim, who is listed as the

lead attorney for the plaintiffs

in the Rocky Patel Premium Cigar

Inc Bonita, made his filing on

Tuesday.

The case, which was filed last

Friday, has been assigned to

Judge Monica Ramirez Amahadini,

a Biden appointee.

Oh.

OK, should I comment or no?

He wants to keep reading.

Comment about this particular

story.

Section.

Don't jump to the next story.

Yeah, I.

Understand what you're saying.

OK.

Well with that being said, I'm

it's nice to see that the

lawsuit is happening for

California.

Keep talking, it's rather

lengthy and I'm I'm I'm jumping.

Ahead and I'm very excited.

I'm very It's nice to see that

they're trying to protect our

rights for cigars in California,

I hope.

Man that sounds super force.

I hope that nothing, I hope that

nothing goes wrong with their

lawsuit against California.

Next So this is what we talked

about last week.

We, we, we thought they should

file one of these to keep right,

to keep them from, from moving

ahead with the program, correct.

All right, now the next story.

OK.

Judge denies the cigar

industry's emergency TRO

request.

That was quick.

The cigar industry's last minute

attempt to delay tomorrow's key

deadline for product

registration California has been

denied.

She denied the request for the

emergency temporary or TRO, and

Rocky Patel's Premium Inc

federal lawsuit filed last

Friday by the Cigar Rights of

America.

They actually came in on

Indigenous People's Day to deny

it.

They denied it last Friday.

They did.

That was very fast.

Michael, any comments on this?

Lots.

I'm sure there's probably lots

of comments.

Yeah, I mean, where do you want

me to start?

You know, day one.

Why do you think she denied it?

The judge.

Well, for starters, we've had a

lot of time in order to initiate

a lawsuit and we never did the

CAA, any of these organizations

never did.

Do we have any information on

it?

So on what?

On why they didn't, why they

waited so long.

No, OK, not to my knowledge.

So that's kind of a thing for

two.

I mean, I'm sure that they have.

The judge came up with some

level of justification as to why

to deny it.

It wasn't mentioned in the

article.

But yeah, like, oh, you're going

to wait till the 25th hour and

then submit this?

Nope, you know.

I could totally.

I could totally see that.

I also think that, let me ask

you this, OK, do you think that

the big brands are pro or

against this regulation going

through?

Well, who is that?

JC Newman's already filed, so

Rocky Patel is not.

Filed what?

They already filled out all

their paperwork supposedly and

sent everything in.

To be able to put their cigars

in California, correct?

Yeah.

Now, if JC Newman did, does that

automatically mean no?

Toro Fuente did too?

No.

It has to be brand specific

right?

Is how it read.

Well, I did know how close the

two were if one did the other

one.

Did you know the type of thing

you guys are doing it?

OK, we'll do it too.

OK.

So no, I, I think it's a, it's a

case by case basis.

I don't think all of them are in

favor of it, but.

Do you think general cigars are

going to do it?

I don't know, they got a lot of.

Brands I've.

Could they, I'm sorry, boots?

Could they do it as a general

cigar umbrella or do they have

to do it for each brand they

have?

Each skew, each brand, each

skew.

Right, but I mean, do they have

to file the paperwork for?

Yes.

Each brand and then each skew.

I guess it doesn't make any

difference.

The question I'm asking I I'm

putting General Cigar on the top

of every piece of paper.

I guess it doesn't matter,

right?

I think, I think they want this.

I think the big brands want

this.

I think he's right.

Who do you think this hurts the

most?

Yeah, it hurts the smaller

brands.

You're right, it does.

So do you think that they're

going to organize are?

There that many cigars consumed

in California where it makes

that big a difference.

It's nice to slide the odds in

your favor, is it not?

Yeah.

You're about to get a whole

bunch of shell space.

Right.

Yeah.

For sure.

Somebody announced they're no

longer selling in California.

I don't remember who it was.

It wasn't a big brand.

It was a boutique.

Smaller brands, smaller brands,

smaller brands get crushed.

Yeah.

So this is a perfect example of

regulations hurting small

businesses, not big businesses,

because big businesses just

write the check, right if they

wanted to, but the small ones

can't.

Nope.

So explain to me how that makes

sense, California.

Well that, well, they they make

a lot of laws that way anyways.

In favored towards.

Yeah, they're very, no matter

what side of the table you're

on.

Would you say that?

What's the word for it?

Is it prejudice?

Is that?

No, that's not prejudice.

It's.

Great that you said that.

Well, there's a word for this,

OK, where they're in favour to

help the guy with more money the

the rich and not and not help

the the average Joe.

OK.

What's the word?

You think California is doing it

for that reason?

I I think first of all, I do

think that there is some type of

favoritism to maybe some of

these companies in some way or

form from politicians.

Yes.

First of all, there is nothing

in politics that gets by without

some type of favoritism.

There is always some type of

motive.

Right.

I don't think, though,

California's like, let's help JC

Newman make more money.

Why wouldn't they?

No.

Why does?

How does California?

Maybe JC Newman goes.

Money from the filings.

Maybe they donate money to

political funds.

Maybe they have a lobbyist.

Maybe I.

Don't know.

I mean JC Newman.

I wouldn't use JC Newman as the

example to be honest.

I'd use somebody like General.

Like they're General's way

bigger.

Well, right, we just know JC

Newman filed the paperwork.

So the reason that name became.

But I couldn't, I don't, I mean,

I don't know JC Newman, but I

would assume that Jason, I don't

think JC Newman's going out of

the way saying, hey, pass this

law so it will help us.

I just think that they have

enough money where they can play

ball, you know?

But I'm sure there probably is

one of the companies that has

some type of interest in

California.

Yeah, go ahead, let's pass that.

Yeah, perfect.

I'll send you a check.

Let's make sure it's this amount

too, so that way these other

guys can't get in.

Yeah, let's make it something

that's, you know.

Reasonable, but not acceptable.

Where it would really hurt the

smaller brands because that's

all it did.

Yeah, that's all it's going to

do.

It's going to hurt smaller

brands.

It actually hurts the cigar

industry a lot as a whole

because now you don't have all

that exposure in one of the

biggest states in the US.

Well, I think that was part of

California's motivation.

They want to get rid of cigars.

I think there should be an

exemption level for production.

They want to be a smoke free.

State, I don't think they want

to be smoke free, I think they

want to.

I don't think they want to be

smoke free.

I think they want whoever wants

to play the game to pay the

money because that's all they

care about at the end of the

day.

Well, they keep certain trucks

out of their out of their state

because their emissions are

wrong.

Yeah, but if you pay the money,

your emission's not wrong.

Yeah, they are.

You still going to pass it.

It's not just a fee you got to

pay.

You can't drive your truck in if

you're kicking out CO2 out of

the back of your truck.

You can't you have to fill out

paperwork when when boats come

in that you don't have this page

and a half of stuff in any of

your stuff and any of your

shipping that comes in.

Well, and that's not pay a fee.

That's we got to smuggle this in

because it's got acid in the

door.

It's got corrosive chemicals in

the door.

I'm sure there's definitely lead

tanks.

I mean, there's plenty of smog

that goes through San Francisco

and.

Right, that's the problem.

They want to cut that out.

If they pass this law, there's

there's needs to be an exemption

for smaller number of

production.

Yeah, it's a good idea, you

know.

But they, but they.

But they're not going to do

that.

No, no.

And nor would the bigger guys

allow that.

Well, it's not like they're

saying, well, you know, it's not

that I'm pro this law, but I'm

not going to stop it, right, You

know?

This is great for us.

Yeah, I'm surprised that Drew

Estate's not part of the.

I'm sure, I'm sure they'll be in

there the the.

Legal finding, I mean, they're

not listed anywhere as a

plaintiff.

I'm sure that they're doing

whatever they can to I.

Mean they're battles.

You know the biggest flavored

cigar maker they're in?

Yeah, and they need to be

protected as far as I'm

concerned.

Well, yeah, but if they pay the

money, they're still in, right?

No, you still can't bring in

flavored cigars.

That's the favorite cigars.

For doing this.

Supposedly is to weed out the

flavored cigars.

You're proving your cigars are

not flavored.

Well, that just means that their

their flavoured line will not be

there, but all their.

Other You mean like the number

one cigar sold in the entire

world or the number 2 cigar sold

in the entire world?

But in California, the number

one is going to be the Lego.

What?

In California, the number one

will be the Lego.

Dude, you're talking about two

totally different consumers.

I completely understand.

I'm just saying in California

now there is no flavoured

cigars, right?

And all the small boutique guys

are gone.

Yeah.

So if Drew Estate pays all the

skews for the non flavored

cigars, right, you're one of

them.

Has to be #1 Who's going to be

the number one?

I don't know, it's all

frustrating.

It is.

It's very frustrating for the

industry because how do you guys

grow as an industry when now you

just took out how many people?

Dude, I mean, how do we grow as

an industry?

You're not allowed to talk about

it on TV ads.

How do we grow as an industry?

You know, You know, Camacho was

taken down years ago in one of

these stadiums.

I mean, you know, how do you

like, you can't advertise cigars

at all.

Yeah, at all.

Now you're making it even

harder.

Yeah.

You're making it harder to even

sell and.

What's crazy is you guys pay a

lot of money to these people for

the lawsuits.

If you could say you guys, you

could just say Palmer.

Palmer pays a lot of money to

these guys.

Palmer don't have money.

Palmer does everything.

Well, that's why you have no

money.

You give it all to the to the

guys, yeah.

All right, next story.

Cigar industry takes California

emergency TRO to state court.

OK.

Last night, AUS District Court

judge rejected the Garbage's

request for an emergency

temporary restraining order.

OK, so that didn't work.

Either they got rejected in

state.

They got rejected at state level

too.

Well, I guess it's got to go up

the chains well.

I think they didn't start up and

then and now they're going down

to the bottom and trying to go

up to find one.

I thought that because the judge

they're doing the big thing

already said no.

So then they brought it down to

the state courts and they said

no.

So I don't know who else they.

I think that it went up.

I don't know who the first one

is 'cause like what happens is

when you file on one-on-one

level and it doesn't go through,

then you can bring it to the

next level, right?

And if it doesn't go through,

you can bring it to the next.

It can go all.

The way to then we're saying

that this is higher than the

other one.

Yeah, I would assume that this

one is higher and then it goes,

it can go all the way to Supreme

Court at that point.

It could.

Which could be what their

strategy is?

Which could be the the strategy

here for CAA and Rocket Patel

and all them?

CAACRACBA.

Who knows?

It it didn't say specifically

why I was denied.

No, the original 1 was AUS

District Court for the Central

District of California.

So then they went to the state.

I guess, right.

She believed that Rob Bonita,

the California attorney general

who was sued in his official

capacity, is protected by the

11th Amendment.

OK.

So that's why she turned it

down.

And that's a specific argument

made on the TRO petition cannot

be filed in federal court.

Yeah, it was a filing issue.

Interview it needed to be filed

in Superior Court state court.

So exactly what the plaintiffs

in the lawsuit have done.

Attorneys for the plaintiffs

have filed a new emergency TRO

in Superior Court.

The name plaintiffs are the same

as cigar rights of America,

seven of the family owned cigar

company that supports CRA and

the premium Cigar association.

So now there are two Rocky Patel

cigar Bonita lawsuits that have

been filed in the last week.

Right there.

Well, there's I would guess that

there's gonna be about to be

another one.

Yeah, they're going to start

throwing.

Darts, they're going to keep.

No, they're just it's not

throwing darts, they're going up

the chain.

Well, well.

You shouldn't have to refile

though to go up the chain.

But I think the Federal court

one's already been turned down.

Yeah, because of the way it was

filed, it wasn't allowed to be

filed there, right?

It shouldn't been filed.

It should be filed in state

court.

So then they went and filed it

in state court.

Then it got turned down and now

they can go file at the next

level.

Did they say that they turned

down the state 1 already?

Yes.

OK.

So then, yeah, so maybe it

wasn't allowed to be filed

there.

Did it say?

Did it get specific on that?

I'm reading.

I mean, an attorney would be

nice if we had one.

We had one on here.

Well, we don't have no money

because you guys give all your

money to these other people.

Going forward, the Attorney

General's office says that it

won't, no.

That's no specific.

Nothing specific.

Nope.

OK, all right.

Crown Heads TAA Exclusive 2025

coming in November, Switching

channels here later this month.

Around 40 cigar manufacturers,

about 80 American retailers,

will meet at the Casa de Campo

resort in the Dominican

Republic, where Boots hates to

go, for the Tobago Association

of America 2025 Meeting and

Convention, or what we like to

call the Good Old Boys Club.

Oh.

While the Crown Heads will give

those good old boys retailers a

chance to purchase ATA Exclusive

cigar, the Crown Heads TA

Exclusive 2025.

It's a 5 and 58554 Robusto extra

that uses an Ecuadoran Abando

wrapper over in Ecuadoran

Connecticut, seed binder and

fillers from Nikiragua.

While last year's Crown Heads TA

Exclusive was made by Casa

Carrillo, this year's release

comes from Pichardo de Hutui.

Tell you say that HATUEY Hatui

Hatui.

In your world, yes.

The same one that produces the

Juarez and the Mild Deus lines

for Crown Heads.

Each cigar will have an MSRP of

1495 and production is limited

to 750 boxes of 10 cigars.

You know, I wouldn't say I

helped you either.

Crown Heads says that the cigars

will ship in November.

We are very excited for this

year's TA exclusive.

I didn't follow on that is huh.

I wouldn't say I helped you

either.

I mess up so many things in the

work and stuff I wouldn't, I

wouldn't admit to being working

with me.

Thank you.

TA Exclusive is really hits the

sweet spot for being easily

approachable for novice smokers,

yet complex and nuanced enough

to be appreciated by the

seasoned cigar enthusiast alike,

said Crown Heads John Hubert, Co

founder of Crown Heads, in a

press release.

It's an honor to continue this

11 year partnership supporting

the TA as mission while

delivering a cigar that,

exclusive as it is, exception.

So so TAA cigars is a small run

usually right?

Yeah, it's the Tobacco

Association of America.

Was it 40 retailers you said or

something?

40 retailers and 80 locations or

something like.

That I think it's 80 retailers,

40 manufacturers, more, more,

more retailers and

manufacturers.

And these cigars?

As it should be.

Right.

Do not go to any retailers other

than.

Who's Master Chief people?

Yes, you're right.

OK, now I looked up the TA as

mission statement and here's

what it says.

Yes, here's the controversy.

TAA is proud to stand as a

beacon and symbol for the best

of the best retailer enterprises

in the tobacco industry and the

value of individual business

enterprises.

OK, so the mission statement is

we are better than everybody

else pretty much.

We, we support everybody else.

We support these people because

they're better than.

Everybody 'cause they're the

best, all right.

Now the TA oh here we go, 80

retailers and approximately 40

manufacturers that gather

annually to discuss issues

facing the industry and

retailers as well as to have its

annual trade show unique event

that works on a group buying

format in order to secure

exclusive deals for these

generally high volume merchants.

During the event which takes

place between October 26th and

30th at Casa de Campo and La

Romana, the Dominican Republic,

the organization holds 2 selling

events, one known as the Dream

Machine where the retailers

collectively order to secure

large discounts while the other

is more of a traditional trade

show.

Typically, around a dozen

manufacturers release new

exclusive cigars for the retail

members or an organization under

the TA Exclusive Series program.

Those manufacturers agree to

give a portion of the proceeds

to your organization a minimum

of $0.50 per cigar.

OK, so.

I fell down a rabbit hole about

the TAA, started looking some

things up.

Oh yes, I bet she did all.

Right now, according to their

IRS filings, they have they have

one employee of the TAA is she

is called the Executive Director

and currently her name is

Stephanie I, I your last name.

Well, she's been here since

2012.

She's been the only one they've

ever had, and she's the one

that's there.

Gwadongo GUADAGNO.

OK, Yeah.

Right.

She made last year 149,468

dollars.

On paper.

On paper, right now they

collected roughly about a

little, a little more than that,

but their expenses exceeded what

they collected.

Of course it did.

Now there's no list of what all

the expenses cover.

Right, you can't see that.

Right, there's no difference in

exactly what she does, but from

information gathered online.

She arranges the Bind show every

year and keeps the books for the

organization.

She's been the director since

2012, which is the same year she

made her Twitter profile.

I guess you would have to have

that for this.

Other than that, there's no

other information about this.

This lady, she has more than one

Facebook profile of.

Course she does.

And you, you can't tell which

one's the current one because

they seem like they're all being

used.

And it's a nonprofit

organization that runs a loss, a

minimal loss every year because

what they bring in is just or

what they their cost is slightly

more than her expense and.

Her every time, like clockwork.

Every time, right?

It's a non profit huh?

Right.

Like she, yeah, like she cost

them $149,000.

They bring in like $152,000.

I mean, it's, it's very close.

On paper.

That's interesting.

It is interesting.

I'm sure that you know the

people.

Our friends in the secure

industry will tell you exactly

who she is and explain things

once they hear the podcast.

What?

Would you say 4040

manufacturers?

Yep, yes, but apparently only a

dozen produce cigars every year.

That's what it said.

That sounds accurate.

So what did the other ones?

They do the deals, the discount.

Ones.

No, the other, the other

manufacturers, oh, they just

show their regular stuff.

Yeah, We didn't make anything

special.

Right here's They're part of the

dream machine.

Whatever.

Gotcha.

Any idea what the difference

between the dream machine and

the regular 1 is?

Yeah it it's A to my knowledge

and I could be wrong here but to

my knowledge it's when you buy X

amount as a whole you get it's

tiered for bigger discounts.

Right, they all go in together.

Yeah.

So if you hit X you get 10% off,

If you hit Y you get 15, if you

hit Z you get 20 or more, you

know?

So let's just say every company

is just like crown heads, OK?

And has 7500 cigars for this.

Thing.

Well, there's 12 of them.

There's twelve of them, OK. 12

companies.

Yeah, it said 12.

Manufacturers so.

Cigars for this every year,

roughly on average.

Oh, I thought you said 45.

There are 40 members but only

like 12 make special cigars.

But the other one still sells

cigars which they get $0.50 off

each cigar.

That's what Michael was saying

that yeah, but they just offered

the regular core lines.

Yeah, OK.

But let's entertain this.

Go ahead.

OK.

Let's just say you do that.

So that's roughly 300,000

cigars, just a minimal.

How'd you get that number?

Well I just took 7500 times it

by 40.

OK.

It's 300,000.

That's not the case.

We just said forty of them is

are they're not producing 7500.

So they just go.

They don't bring any cigars or

sell them.

They bring, they don't bring it.

They don't make ATAA special

cigar.

So they only get money off ATAA

special cigars.

No, they get a they get money

off of every cigar sold.

Every cigar sold, yes.

Correct.

Wow, so that's what I'm saying.

So let's just say it's only 7500

per person.

Which definitely not.

Right, It's probably more right?

That's 300,000 cigars, which

would be 150 K, which is her

salary, right, Right.

And then we know it's way more

cigars than that, we would

assume.

We don't know.

Well, it's what is bought, not

what is, not what they bring,

right?

So if Crown is set to sell all

7500.

I'm sure they do.

You know, and say, you know, say

Postagna was one of the We

didn't make a special cigar.

We sold 200 cigars.

We'll only give them $0.50 for

the 2. 100 but 750 boxes 10

count cigars for crown.

That's no problem.

They're going to.

Sell per cigar nut box.

Yeah.

But what I'm saying is let's say

that you're saying let's say

they didn't sell those boxes.

That's that's an easy sell for

them. 750 boxes is an easy sell

for crown heads, especially if

you have a TALL of a limited

edition.

They probably I I would probably

have to guess off the top of my

head not knowing anything.

Yeah, about cigars.

Or life.

Yeah, they're probably selling.

They're probably getting

probably about a half $1,000,000

you.

Think you think it's a half

1,000,000 bucks?

Minimal, just off the cigars,

and that's not including anybody

having to register or anything

for it 'cause I'm sure they pay

for space and all that.

I mean, if they're collecting

money, they've got to report it

on their.

No, they no.

Well, that's.

What?

That's what I'm getting.

Are they bringing, you know,

silver suitcases full of cash to

these?

Things gold.

Pirate coins.

Pirate coins, Yeah. -20% of

Florida, yeah.

How much were the expenses you

said?

I it didn't, it doesn't

disclose.

It doesn't break.

Down Oh, it doesn't save the

amount, even if a nonprofit has

to list their employees and how

much they make.

But it didn't.

It didn't list the amount of

expenses.

No.

Yeah, so.

No, not from the information I

can give you.

The rest of the money went

towards expenses.

I'm sure they had a lot of

people with this one, Palmer.

Yeah, I'm sure they have, you

know, $900,000 in expenses.

Fascinated by the secret

organization?

Did you hear about the mask

party at the end?

We talked about that before,

yes.

I wasn't.

Going to bring it up.

Just kidding.

I thought that might have been

the magic.

Party so eyes wide shut.

Eyes Wide shut Magic party.

That was the magic.

Part that's a joke.

Allegedly.

Well, I know someone's going to

see this clip so.

And This is why it's your

podcast.

Great.

And she lives.

In Georgia, apparently.

OK, it's scary that you know

that, but OK.

Her Facebook page you can find

it.

OK.

Did you did you make a friend

request?

No, but we did have similar

friends in common though.

Yeah, mutual friends.

Yeah, mutual friends, industry

people.

All right.

Villager.

Sure, OK Villager Year of the

Horse slated for early 2026

delivery.

Villager.

Oh, did I say villager?

I did say Villager for the 4th

time.

Villager will be releasing a

cigar in honor of.

The Villager.

I said villager this time.

You said villager.

Oh villager will release between

villager Nikki Ragua, Oh my Lord

and I don't have the Chinese

Zodiac calendar though it won't

be coming to the US.

The Villager Year of the Horse

is a 6 by 52 torpedo that uses

Ecuador and Havana Escuro

wrapper over Mexican San Andreas

binder.

Another year of the horse.

And Fillers from Niki Ragua is

produced by the Villager de Niki

Ragua factory, which is owned by

Villager but run by Hoya de Niki

Ragua.

It will have an MSRP of $25 per

cigar and limited to 1000 boxes

of 10 cigars.

Those boxes are expected to ship

in January, though the release

is exclusive to the Asian market

only.

Villager has released cigars for

the last few years of Chinese

Zodiac, the Rabbit, the Dragon,

the Snake, though none have been

available in the US.

None for you.

Oh man, I wish I could get get

some please.

All in China.

Well, I guess Gurga can't do

anything about that one.

Yeah, it's only in.

China, so I skipped the joke.

Bentley Bentley.

I don't read these things in

advance.

Bentley Green GT shipping

stateside this week.

Oh.

The Bentley Green GT, the

largest cigar in the German

company's portfolio, will begin

arriving in stores this week.

It measures A7 by 70 and uses a

standard Bentley Green blend, an

Ecuadorian Rosado wrapper over a

blend of Nicaragua tobacco's,

mostly from the Halapa region.

The line is produced at Fabrica

De Tobaccos, Hoya de Nicaragua

and Nestle, and each cigar is an

MSRP 7 by 70 made in Nicaragua.

We have smoked it. $10. 16

bucks. $19.00 Oh, that's right,

it's Bentley.

What was I thinking?

Comes comes in a box of 20.

While the cigar is not new, this

is the first time that vitola

has been sold in the US.

Probably it has been offered to

select African markets.

Oh, but the press release says I

did not add that.

OK, Bentley Tobacco.

I just want to make that clear.

That was not a joke.

That is true.

The Seven by 70 has been sold in

Africa.

OK Bentley Tobaccos, which has

no relationship to the car

brand, is led by Martin

Schuster.

He is the son of Phillip

Schuster, the head of August

Schuster GmbH, based in Bunde

Bunde Bund Bund.

I don't know.

You said three different ways,

so I know.

One of those is right.

Choose Your Family has been

involved in tobaccos for more

than 100 years and is one of the

last families that still make

cigars in Germany.

In addition, the family is the

German distributor for brands

such as Sealy, Debonair

Foundation, Potorro and others.

Earlier this year, Bentley

launched an American subsidiary

that is headed by John Carney.

John Carney, the legend himself,

the chef, the chef.

Chef Carney.

Don't eat the potatoes.

Barely, him and and Mike have

all grown the under the neck

beard.

Under the neck beard.

Just yeah, you know, no beard

here.

Just under here.

Chin strap.

I don't know.

It's weird.

No, no, not chin strap.

It's full under here.

That would bother me.

Yeah, that would be itchy.

That's the part I shave off

because it itches.

Yeah, like they're Amish now.

Did he miss his lineup and he

had a shave off the top?

I don't know.

There was a picture the other

day and I I had to look closely

and Mike is very short compared

to all these other people.

Yes, I like that Mike followed

suit with the under.

The yes, right, exactly like

it's a company thing.

You know what, I'm going to do

it too, OK?

It'd be funny if it was like for

some charity or something and

here we are bashing.

It is no shave November, but

it's not November yet.

Yeah, Placencia announces short

smoke collection.

Oh, it's winter time.

Just for people that like short

smokes, Placentia Cigars has

announced a new series named

Mikey's Wrong, the Short Smoke

Collection.

Fred Ruiz is going to buy all

these.

And two cigars in this series

are already on the way to

stores.

The first cigars, the Reserva

Original Corona Corta, a 3 7/8

by 48 short Robuso Placentia

states that the Reserve Original

Blend is the world's first and

only organic cigar made entirely

from tobacco certified by the

Organic Crop Improvement

Association.

Every cigar they make has

special tobacco.

Everything that's grown is

organic.

I don't understand that.

Concept.

Not necessarily, because if you

spray it with pesticides, it's

not organic.

Still organic, but it has to be

certified by the Organic Crop

improvement.

Association, the term organic is

misused in that scenario,

correct?

Yeah, that's if it's grown from

the ground, it's organic now.

Now pesticide free is a

different terminology that

should be used.

No problem, we know what you

could do.

You could go bless all the

tobacco that Skip has and it

could become kosher 'cause you

are a rabbi.

I'm not a rabbi.

Oh, you're not certified as a

rabbi?

No, I'm a minister.

I thought you took the test

online, no?

No, I'm a minister, not.

A rabbi.

I have a friend who's a rabbi.

Oh well, there you go, we just

get the guy with the curly hair

and the hat and have him go I.

Mean that might be Mike and John

Carney might be working their

way that way.

You know, it's possible.

It's very it's very possible.

All the leaves in the Nikki

Ragwell puro are aged for five

years after curing the

fermentation.

Each reserve original Corona

Corta is MSRP of What's his

little cigar cost Michael?

$16.

It's yeah, it's a placencia.

It's definitely. 799 really.

In addition, Placencia is

shipping the Alma Fuerte

Colorado Claro Robusto Corto the

wrong name.

The box is huge, cigars very

little.

Yeah, it's a 4 by 52 Nikki

Raguan Bureau covered in a

wrapper grown in the halapa

region that has been aged 10

years.

OK.

The Alma Fuerte Colorado Claro

is a line extension of the

company's original Alma Fuerte

line that debuted in 2016.

The Alma Fuerte Colorado Claro

Busto Cordo has an MSRP of. $20.

1499 Every cigar we craft tells

the story of our family and our

land, and our commitment to

excellence is Nestor Placencia

in a press release.

With these new short smokes, we

honor the modern smokers

lifestyle, offering moments of

indulgence that can be savored

fully in less time.

That makes sense because

everybody wants the cold.

Everybody wants a short smoke.

They.

Didn't say anything about the

cold.

No, they just want short smokes,

premium cigars that take less

time.

Just I think that's fine.

I understand that.

But that's not because of cold

weather.

Maybe it's just a coincidence.

It's because of time.

Maybe.

Who knows?

Can't wait till the pressure.

Is longer to say the name that

it does to smoke the cigar.

Wow.

Probably.

Now it's time for the industry's

favorite game, which is lightly

copied on this week's Cigar

Authority.

What's the?

Score.

They copied us.

They did a version of it with

the similar process.

With the with the podcast guy,

with the cigar House's podcast

guy, they did it.

They didn't have it.

Did David really listen to more

than a recent story?

Because that comment, he said I

said was way back.

So he listened more than one.

Episode.

He's a fan, yes.

Yeah.

He likes this part.

All right, I'll.

The cigar guy.

Are you guys ready?

Yeah, I'm ready.

You ready?

I mean, I've been beaten down

all day.

What difference does it make it?

Yeah.

You look, you look kind of out

of it now I've.

Just been teed off on a lot.

October 10th, 2025 Reviewed by

Brooks.

It's a Black Label Trading

Company cigar.

Limited edition Review.

The Black Work Studio.

Tiger Hours.

Oh God.

Who's going first?

The tee off guy. 90.

Really, you're just trying to

throw me off a black Asaurus or

Trachosaurus?

What is it called?

Tigerosaurus.

Yes, A vague copy of the

Postagna cigar, No.

It's not.

No, it's not.

Don't 82 dare say that. 82. 82

and 90 Right Cigar reviewed

Black Works Studio,

Tigerosaurus, Country of Oregon

Nikki Ragua Factory Fabrica

Oveja Negra, Rapper US

Connecticut Broadleaf and

Pennsylvania Broadleaf and

Undisclosed Candela.

Wait, why'd they say undisclosed

and then put candela in

parentheses?

Binder Ecuador filler Nikki

Ragua It's a 5 1/2 by 48 round

cigar sales for $19.00.

Three cigars were smoked. 90.

I'm going to stick at 82.

When squeezed first clue.

When squeezed, all three cigars

are nicely firm, which makes it

easier to notice a large soft

spot between the lines near the

foot of my first cigar.

They were all firm.

Aromas from the wrapper are

surprisingly faint, with spicy

woodiness, leading leather tank,

dry earth, barnyard, and a light

but generic sweetness. 89.

This sounds like a horrible

cigar.

A barnyard?

You like smoking barnyard?

Tastes like barnyard.

I don't know how he knows what

barnyard tastes.

Like 82.

One cigar needs help from my

lighter to stay on track, but

the draws are excellent and

there is more than enough thick

smoke. 8982.

Unfortunately all three cigars

require touch ups. 2 need a

single correction while the

other one needs 2 corrections.

But the smoke production and

draws continue to give me 0

issues.

So needed corrections but zero

issues. 88.

The only thing he's really

commented on is the

construction.

Yeah, the construction, the

draw, Yeah, whatever the the

taste.

He doesn't say anything about

the taste.

OK, well, there's only so much I

can pull.

Hey, Daddy said it tastes like

barnyard.

Barnyard remember well.

He didn't say that was good.

He.

Didn't say it was bad, he say.

Enjoyed it?

Nothing 82.

Bites his thumb.

All right, final thoughts.

First things first, the Black

Works Studio Tiger hours does

take a bit of time to get into a

groove, with the first third

comprising mostly charred

meatiness and gritty earth

flavors, along with some black

licorice sweetness on the retro

hill.

However, around the time the

burn line passes the second

third, the profile becomes

noticeably more complex as

cloves, cinnamon, and creamy oak

flavors creamy oak take over the

top spot, then shifting to

peanut butter and the oak in the

final third.

In addition, the medium full

strength was well integrated,

and while each of the cigars I

smoked for this review suffered

some minor burn issues, the

draws were excellent and there

was no lack of dense smoke in

the first third of the Tiger

Source was even close to as good

as the final 2/3.

Do I need to say that again?

No, I got it.

OK, this blend would be one of

the best I have smoked from

Blackworks Studio, but even with

the slow start, the Tigersaurus

is more than worth the effort to

try for yourself.

I'm 88. 86. 86 and 88 Yep, 87.

You guys split it?

Wow.

It's high.

I was going to move to 87 too,

Told him off my game.

All this negativity, you guys

all.

Right.

Thanks.

Cigar.

He would have hit the black

Asaurus.

I mean the, the whatever it is.

Tiger Asaurus from 2019 Brooks

again cigars drew state flavored

infused limited edition Nicky

Ragra review the ASA Kuba arte.

We have not done a few cigars

before.

Not one.

Nope. 84.

When we smoke them, we don't.

Want to do them again?

Go first again. 84 You want 84

on this.

This is the number one cigar,

right?

No, this is a good Kuba arte.

This is a limited edition cigar.

Oh, but it's an acid.

It's an acid.

Kuba Arte is the one that came

out when they did the water

towers if you need to picture

it.

I mean, I I used to like acid.

So OK.

I will put this probably 87.

All right, the Kuba arte from

Nikki Ragua La Grande Fabrica

drew state undisclosed broad

leaf Indonesian binder Nikki

Ragua, filler 5 and 13

sixteenths ring gauge is 54.

It's a bellicoso $11.90.

They smoked 3 cigars. 86.

Did you go up?

I don't know you paying

attention.

Yeah, I'm paying.

You went up 87.

All right, first clue.

Well, it may look like a

traditional cigar on the

outside.

Even the double artsy bands

could be considered tamed by

today's standards.

That changes once you take the

acid kubarte out of the

cellophane and are salted with a

with a multitude of aromas

including sweet mocha coffee,

sweet milk chocolate, earth

cream and a touch of oak.

From a visual's perspective, the

cigar are extremely attractive

covered in a modded modelled

moted.

I don't know.

Dark espresso brown wrapper that

is fairly smooth to the touch

and featuring an abundance of

oil. 86. 86.

Well, you said 86.

The multitude of the multitude

of different notes leads to a

profile that is extremely

unbalanced.

Almost sweet on one puff, while

the next puff is full of woody

notes and so on.

There is very little way of

pepper or spice to be had,

making the retro hell extremely

smooth.

But there is a underlying

bitterness on the finish, and

the sweetened cap is extremely

obvious, almost to the point of

being distracting. 84. 85.

All right, special clue.

Additional clue.

Construction wise, the draw is

excellent after a Dick man cut.

All right, we're stopping.

I'm sorry.

That way it's a special clue.

He said that.

Yes, construction wise the draw

is excellent after a Dick man

cut.

Wow, OK.

I'm not sure what that is.

Me neither.

Boots.

Any idea?

Mikey's first.

What did I say before?

I don't know, I'm completely

baffled by the Dick man cut.

I think you're at 86. 84 It's

never good when a Dick gets

involved.

Yeah, this sounds horrible.

I'm one.

Dick man cut.

They just put a hole in the end

of it or something.

Slit.

I'm at 1.

No, you're not.

All right, I'll, I'll stay at

85.

The draw continues, giving me no

issues.

While the burn has evened up

nicely, it is not sharp.

Finally, the overall strength

has gone almost nowhere.

Ended up just shy of the medium

mark by the time I put the nub

down with a little more than an

inch to go.

Is this a final note?

No.

No, no 'cause it was an extra 1.

That was a clue. 80.

Who reviewed this?

Brooks.

Can we get him on the show to

ask him what a Dick man got?

Do you clarify what the Dick man

play the Dick man?

Please, I don't, I don't know

85.

I'm going to stay at 85 all.

Right, this is going to be one

of those rare.

This must be the final thought.

This is going to be one of those

rare reviews where the final

score that most people look at

first does not come close to

telling the whole story.

While there is no doubt that the

first third of the Acid Cuba

Arte is full of interesting,

unique, and most enjoyable

flavors, those same flavors come

at the expense of both nuance

and balance, the latter of which

is absolutely atrocious.

Interesting.

The final 2/3 of the cigar turn

an almost complete 180, ending

up exhibiting flavors that

belong and more of a traditional

cigar, which makes the senses

given how Drew Estate.

Which makes sense given how Drew

Estate described the infusion

above.

Having said that, while the lack

of balance in the first third

affects the overall score in the

negative way, the abrupt change

over the final 2/3 did a great

job of keeping me engaged and

really added to my enjoyment of

the blend as I realized that I

had no idea where the profile

was headed at any given point.

In the end, while I doubt that

one review will change many

minds, people who love and few

cigars will most likely love the

cigar regardless, and people who

don't smoke and few cigars will

probably not run out and buy

them regardless.

If one of the purposes of Cuba

Art Day is to try and bridge the

gap between traditional cigar

smokers and a few cigar smokers,

Drew Estate nailed it.

It's atrocious, but they nailed

it.

They nailed the connection.

So what's the lowest rating

Brooks would ever give?

Well, we had a 76 from him one

time.

We did.

Yeah.

From Brooks.

Yeah, Really.

I don't know who I I get lost.

I don't know.

It was like, I know we had a 76.

I couldn't tell you who it was.

It was Brooks because his when

he reviews cigars, it's all over

the place.

I'm going to go 82.

I'm going to go 80. 82.

It was 82.

I'm the fucking male.

Do you guys split well?

How do you get a tie so?

The tie on the last one I had a

watch.

Nobody gets a point.

I I won this one.

No, I understand it.

But on the tie, nobody gets a

point.

OK, then you won.

You won the day.

Even if I didn't nail it.

Yeah, he won the day no matter

what.

Yeah, if I got, if I said 83 or

81.

Is that helping your mood some?

And she said 80.

Are you feeling better now?

No.

No, I know you won today.

I've just seen who won the day.

You won that one.

Yes, whoever won that one won

the day.

Well, that's why I was asking.

So on a tie, nobody gets a

point.

Correct.

We've never had a tie.

Before nobody likes a tie.

OK, OK, OK.

All right, Shop of the Week,

Tobacco Cove in Jacksonville,

FL, The newest member of the

Bosagna family.

Welcome, gentlemen.

Welcome.

And listener of the week, we

have a tie there.

Oh.

We have Nick Trigg from Tobacco

Cove and David Garofalo from Two

Guys Tobacco.

Is that what's you?

Guys smoke shop.

No, no, they've changed the name

the Two Guys Tobacco, I believe.

Yes.

Congratulations and.

Gentlemen, nobody would say

anything.

I just the way it works.

Anybody got anything else to

say?

No, that's it.

Stay tuned for the Patreon.

Stay tuned.

Guy No.

This has been Mike Stefan

Cabbage's Cigar Hustler podcast

episode 4 O nine with his sound

guy.

Oh, hi, and the next podcast

when you see Palmer bruised and

battered.

I had nothing to do with it.

Probably shouldn't have

mentioned it at all.

Hey guys, thanks.

Bye.

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 the

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 hey Patreon number, go

to www.patreon.com and search

the Cigar Hustler podcast that

one up.

Show Notes

This week on The Cigar Hustlers Podcast… the day the music died. MTV is pulling the plug on its legendary music channels after four decades — the end of an era.

Plus, Florida Publix says yes to open carry, sports went wild this weekend, and the cigar world’s buzzing with big drops, legal battles, and TAA news.