ACHP Episode 424 Cloudfair Offline Again! w/ Erik Espinosa
Transcript
Welcome to episode What?
We're waiting on you whenever
you're ready.
Welcome to episode 423 Cigar
Hustler podcast, coming to you
every weekday at 5:00 AM.
I'm your host Mike Palmer and
here as always is my Co host
mikechapterpod.com.
Step on Kevitch.
Hi, how are you did?
You switch.
How do you say that again?
Step on Kevitch and then all the
way from Hialeah, FL.
The Alpha dog himself, Eric
Espinoza, the senior from
Espinosa Cigars.
Thanks for hi.
Thanks for coming dude.
We just finished our event.
Think I went.
What do you think?
How do you how did we do?
It was great.
Bro you enjoy it?
Did you have a good?
Time I did I did I you know, I'm
a little shy, but it takes me a
while before I get going and.
Yeah, it warmed up well.
It was nice, the food was great.
Food was good, yeah.
Compliments to your wife.
Thank you very much.
He.
Bought the salad was
spectacular.
The salad.
Oh yeah, you had the salad.
Yeah, he had the greens.
He was chilling.
He had the Greens.
Is this microphone calling He?
Was dripping you.
You got to have some greens in
your life with the strawberries
and the cheese and all that.
It was really good and that that
that salad dressing, Raspberry
salad dressing was, was great.
It's a big hit in our house,
too.
Yeah, very nice.
OK, well, hey, so, so this is
how this podcast is going to
work.
Obviously we've interviewed Mr.
Espinoza before.
Eric, Eric, stop with that,
Mister Espinoza.
Eric.
Michael.
Eric.
Can you cuss here or no?
Yes, say whatever the fuck you.
Want you asked that last time
too, so we've interviewed Mr.
Espinoza before.
How many letters are in your
last name?
15. 15.
Yes, Sir, no vowels.
No vowels?
Nope.
All consonants.
Consonants.
It's a big word, I understand.
It's like eucalyptus, right?
Yeah.
All right, on today's show,
Amazon hints at ditching USPS
cloud fair face plants again,
and the Internet wants Al
Michaels to finally hang it up.
JC Newman ships the long-awaited
What's that word?
Sardesis.
Sardis.
Sardis is us.
J16 makes his debut and Crown
Heads rolls out its new TAA
exclusive.
Then we wrap it all up with the
industry's favorite game.
What's the score?
And you don't even know what the
score is, do you?
Do you know what the score is?
He's a big fan of this game, no?
No, no.
I.
Don't know what the score.
Go ahead, Palmer, tell him.
OK, we take 1/2 wheel review.
I read you 3 clues from it and
tell you what the cigar is.
Then you have to guess the score
as we go through the clues.
Yeah, closes.
And half wheel.
And half wheel.
OK, without going over.
Yeah, no, you can go over
whoever's close, whoever's
closest.
Now.
I can tell you yes, that I've
asked them many a times to give
me a 69 rating.
I've heard that.
Yeah, and he and he doesn't.
That's not the lowest rating
I've been closed though, yeah.
But I've never.
Yeah, he doesn't.
You don't really get good
ratings.
You don't really get good
ratings.
They beat you up a little bit.
I don't care.
Yeah, we don't care either, but
I'm just saying they'd be jump.
A little bit.
Listen, bro, it is what it is.
That's the way they structure
their ratings.
Yeah, I had weird Taco meat on
one of my.
Did you?
Yeah, I've never had weird Taco
meat.
We had teriyaki chicken on.
That did we teriyaki chicken.
Also, you're forgetting that we
have one of the greatest video
managers, producers of the show
today.
And I'm very sorry I didn't add
that to the script.
Yeah.
Say hello.
Fran.
Think Bong.
All right.
So I have to guess the score,
OK.
Yeah, that'll be the end.
That's at the end all.
Right.
And you can't look at the screen
because you'll see.
I won't look at the.
Screen no cheating.
All right, no cheating.
All right, Michael, before we
get started, how would, let's
say Eric get his hands on some
of that chapter pod swag?
Eric, if you're interested in
some of our apparel, what you
want to do is you want to go on
to chapter pod.com.
I've never owned any of your
apparel.
Wish you no.
You have some, you have the hat
on you.
Got that hat that we gave on
Shit hat.
That's not podcast, man.
He wears it all.
Yeah, you asked for the
sweatshirt.
We gave you the sweatshirt and I
wear it.
But now we have.
On the why?
Why?
Because it's good.
It's good quality.
I don't wear shitty quality.
Yeah, I I told you that one day.
I mean, if somebody gives me
something, I don't want to be a
pompous asshole, but I'm not
going to wear it when they give
you that Gilden shirt and all
that.
I don't wear those stuff.
Right.
Everyone has.
They struggle out there because
I was wearing the fine ass
shirts.
They send me shirts all the
time, Rosie and Sam, but they're
next level.
That's what I wear.
Yeah.
They're a nice shirt.
I don't.
If you're going to give away a
shirt, make it a good quality.
Yeah, don't.
So people want to wear it.
That's right.
We.
Don't like?
We don't want to cut corners.
You don't cut, you know, We
don't cut corners.
We hear.
That's the thing we shouldn't
do.
Yeah, don't ever cut corners or
eat eucalyptus.
Yeah.
Or eucalyptus.
Yeah, yeah.
Alright, everybody ready now?
So yeah.
If you buy one piece of apparel,
you get the 2nd 140% off, and if
you break $100, you get free
shipping.
Check that out.
Yeah, that's the only way that
we can try and make money on
this thing because I refuse to
take ad space.
Why not?
Because I like to say whatever
the hell I want to say.
I, I, I would advertise with
you.
I know you say.
What you want to say?
I know you would.
Why would you be talk right
after?
The show nobody would listen.
I take cash check.
Credit cards.
You wouldn't take it in product.
I will I'll say Eric Espinoza
makes the best cigars.
There you go.
OK.
All right, now on with the news.
Amazon is reportedly ready to
drop the USPS deal if
negotiations fall through.
After over 30 years, Amazon may
be cutting ties with the United
States Postal Service as it
looks to expand its own delivery
network, as reported by The
Washington Post, the outlet
owned by Amazon founder Jeff
Bezos.
Jeff.
You met him.
Do you know Jeff?
Does Guy know Jeff?
Do you?
Have you had a dinner party with
Jeff?
I've never met him, no, his his
stepdad's Cuban.
Yeah.
Oh, Jeff, Yeah.
So there's that.
Then you have that heritage
connection.
Yeah, you could.
You could be the.
You could be the next.
You could get free Amazon Prime
never.
Heard of this.
I don't know why they don't use
it.
I've never ordered anything in
Amazon.
So you what?
What?
I don't have an Amazon.
Are you kidding?
Me.
Does Richie order it for you?
Richie, do you order?
His Amazon for you actually,
Danielle, actually.
Danielle.
Ordered it for me but I've never
ordered anything on Amazon.
Wow, OK, so you kinda have an
account, you just don't hit the
buttons?
Right, You just tell somebody
what you're looking for.
And that's it.
You're so you're so rich and
successful, you don't have to
take your own butt.
Doesn't have time, Michael.
You're a very busy man.
When you.
Take it doesn't cut corners even
with ordering Amazon.
Do I do?
When you take a shit, does
someone come in?
Would they give you the wipe?
No, that's what the bidet is
for.
Oh yeah, the bidet.
Those are nice I.
Paid everyday OK.
It's called Total.
Total totals are very nice.
But you got to go in with your
glasses on 'cause I made a
mistake one time and I pressed
the wrong button.
I still feel it and what
happened.
You get a little swirling.
Yeah, you get, you get like a a
big pressure, Yeah, if you press
the wrong button, Yeah.
Oh.
Wow.
The seat is heated.
Does it sing too?
Does it make the music?
What?
I'm talking about the one in
Vegas.
I don't have that one in my
house.
What in Vegas?
You sit down this.
Heat plays music.
It's.
When you press the wrong button,
you are fucked.
Hemorrhoids for for the rest of
your life.
Wow, oh wow wow, sorry to hear
that.
OK, so anyways, Amazon's USPS.
Amazon founder Jeff Bezos cites
anonymous sources who said
negotiation between Amazon and
Trump appointed USPS Postmaster
General David Steiner.
This guy know David Steiner?
You know, David.
I don't know, David.
Oh.
My God, do you know anybody?
I don't.
Jeez.
Have reportedly stagnated,
pushing Amazon to consider
concluding the partnership
altogether, Washington Post
reported.
Reporter Jacob Bogage noted in a
post on Blue Sky that this was
not Amazon's preferred plan.
According to Bogage, Amazon
wanted to extend its contract
with the USPS, which is set to
expire on October 1st, 2026, but
the USPS plan to auction off
last mile delivery contracts
instead.
OK, I think something's going on
here because we've ordered some
stuff on Amazon and it keeps
getting pushed back.
Oh, lately?
Is it the holiday season delays?
That's what I would assume, but
now that you're telling me this,
maybe that makes sense 'cause
I'll tell you right now my wife
is pissed.
Maybe the male's holding back
trying to.
Yeah, like, you know, leverage.
Yeah, a little sabotage, yeah.
A little sabotage.
She's like, you know, those
little Styrofoam cups you
wanted?
Not happening, you know?
Oh, your coffee cups.
Yeah.
No, no, there's, I don't know
what you ordered them for.
There's.
Danielle ordered me some
eucalyptic.
Yeah, some eucalyptus and.
I never got them.
You never got them, they never
showed up.
That's crazy.
Did the koala it?
Sounds like Amazon.
I I do order it.
Yeah, You put it.
You put it in in your shower.
Yeah.
Yeah, with the Steam.
Oh yeah, you put it right.
So the shower head hits it, Yes.
Yeah, yeah, it sounds like
Amazon's cutting corners, you
know what I mean?
Does.
Oh, they're cutting corners,
Yeah.
Or USPS is cutting.
Or USPS.
Somebody's not doing their job.
Somebody's cutting corners.
That's wild.
No, but she's my wife is pissed
because there's specific things
she we're going to a Christmas
party on tomorrow and she
ordered it like Monday or
Tuesday and shit's not here.
Yet taking your own cups?
I don't know what she was doing
there, like these little snow
cone cups or something.
I don't know.
I don't ask questions.
Yeah.
Probably smart.
Yeah, we just got something
early in my house.
Did you?
Yeah.
From Amazon.
Now it makes no sense.
And we got these wonderful
little Styrofoam cup things.
Did you?
I don't know what.
We're doing with them.
We don't remember ordering them.
You should.
Put some eucalyptus in them.
We could put eucalyptus.
Yeah, yeah, it'll.
Smell a lot better.
All.
Right, I don't want to eat a
eucalyptus icy though.
That's a good point.
I don't think that tastes good.
Should be good for your.
Sinuses though.
Yeah, have you tried it?
No, I'm thinking about it now
though.
OK, now that I'm a big
eucalyptus fan.
All right, moving on.
All right, Cloud fare trips half
the Internet falls.
Another Cloud Fare outage
rolled.
Again with this shit.
Yes, they fell down again.
Outage rolled through the
Internet this morning and it
took some big names with it.
LinkedIn, Zoom, Down Detector,
even Canva and Shopify all
blinked offline for a bit.
Cloudfare says this wasn't an
attack.
Instead, they pushed out a
firewall adjustment to protect
customers from a newly
discovered software
vulnerability, and things didn't
go as planned.
The issue lasted about 30
minutes and was wrapped up
shortly after 9:00 AM Greenwich.
Meantime, this comes just after
a few weeks after Cloudfare's
much larger outage in mid
November, the one that knocked
out X, Open AI, Spotify, and a
pile of online games.
That one stem from a
configuration file growing way
beyond what the system expected,
causing part of Cloudfare's
traffic handling software to
crash.
Today's outage was smaller but
still noticeable.
Down Detector logged over 4500
reports once it came back
online.
And with Cloudfare being such a
major backbone of the modern
Internet, they claimed about 20%
of all websites use their
services.
Do you guys use Cloudfare?
I was going to ask that.
I don't own a fucking computer.
Do you have?
What your but do you have a
website?
How the?
Fuck do I know that my son
handles.
All this shit Richie do.
Is there an Espinoza website?
Yes.
Sir, yes, there is.
Is it protected by cloudfare?
Is it protected by cloudfare?
Can you text him and find out
that usually what Boots does for
us during Are you sleeping with
your kids?
Oh, oh, oh.
So his phone's broken.
You can't.
You can't text him.
Really.
Wow. 10:00 at night, he's
asleep.
You can text him.
I understand that.
Yeah.
Oh, his dad says it's OK, we
use.
What is it?
Called Cloud Fair.
Cloud Fair?
Is he getting too far away from
you, Mike?
Wants to know if you're using
Cloud Fair.
What?
Well, I can tell you, somebody
in the industry who does use
Cloudfare, you do.
No, no, we don't.
We don't know it even what it is
either.
We're.
Poor half wheel.
Half wheel uses Cloudfare.
And how would you know that?
'Cause I have a source there.
His name's Charlie, and I said
you use Cloudfare.
He goes, yeah, it's the best.
I'm like, I have no idea what
the hell this thing is.
Tell him, I said.
Congratulations.
OK, Michael, text him and tell
him Eric says congratulations.
Eric says congratulations.
Is is he sleeping with your
niece and nephew?
Is he over there as well?
Not OK, just making sure.
And people are starting to ask
whether there's a bigger
reliability question looming.
Experts, like already sounds
like they have a lot of
problems.
Experts are already chiming in.
Stephen Murdoch from University
College in London said companies
will absolutely be raising
eyebrows after two outages so
close together.
But he also pointed out it's too
early to tell whether Cloud Fair
is dealing with bad software
practices or just a streak of
bad luck.
Others, more direct
infrastructure expert Michael
Risnik Wozniak said that this is
yet another example of how
fragile the civilized Big Tech
Internet really is, noting this
is the fourth major global
outage since last late October.
When companies this large
hiccup, the whole Internet feels
it.
And that leads to the bigger
conversation.
Have these companies gotten too
big to not fail?
When you run so much of the
world's online traffic, even a
half hour stumble becomes a
global moment.
So how do you feel about
Cloudfare now that you know
about it?
Are you concerned that they're
too big?
I really don't care I'm I
didn't.
Get. 3 flying fucks about none
of this, this bullshit.
I don't use none of that.
I'm going to be honest with you.
I grew up in the wrong time.
When I went to when I went to
high school, computers weren't
around.
You know, I'm 58 and I went to
school.
I went to college to learn how
to phase computers.
Did you?
I did and I got bored and I
hated it so much that I said to
myself that I'm going to pay
people to do it for me because I
couldn't stand it.
I went to school to fix
computers and don't want to
have.
I don't, well, it started, it
was, it was coming.
And then I, I swear in my life,
I don't own a computer.
I do own a lot of them, you
know, in the office and stuff.
I don't have a computer in my
office now.
I do everything with my with my
phone.
That's a computer.
That's a computer.
Not a laptop.
It's not technically, yes, OK,
so, but I don't have an actual
computer in my office and I
refuse to.
I see what it's done to a lot of
people.
Now don't get me wrong, I have
people in place that, you know,
enhance the company and whatever
we need the changes we do, we do
it.
But I pay people to do that,
Danielle, I can't stand.
I can't stand to do that.
I'm I'm old school.
I don't answer texts.
If you want to call me, if you
want to talk to me, pick up the
phone and call me, OK?
I answer my phone 99%.
All right, answer this one
question for me.
Do you have an iPad?
I do.
Do you use it every day?
Every day.
Every freaking day you use this
iPad.
To play poker to play.
Yeah, exactly.
Watch movies on the plane.
Yes, I do.
So we would consider that a
computer and no, no, no, it's an
iPad because why?
Why would you not consider that?
He doesn't have a computer,
Michael.
Doesn't have a keyboard.
Doesn't have a keyboard.
You can attach a keyboard.
Well, I did not know that then.
And I, I could care less and I
could care less you.
Can care less I think I I got
news for you buddy.
You're kind of using a computer
all.
Right.
Well then I.
You know.
Is it for your?
I don't own a large computer.
That would be perfect, yes.
You don't own a laptop or a
desktop computer.
OK, correct.
OK, do have an iPad and I do
have an iPhone.
OK.
All right.
You stop badgering, my friend.
You know what's funny is like I
was texting him for a while and
it was going on his iPad and he
didn't know what the fuck was
going on.
Yeah, yeah, he said.
What the hell is this?
Why is this showing?
Up who is this?
Who are all these letters you
know?
Your name won't won't come
through.
Right.
It didn't come through.
Right, so I have you on my phone
as Mike Hustler, right?
And I don't know why I don't see
you hustling much.
But anyway, it's true.
And it it wouldn't come through.
I'm retired, you know, So yeah,
that's why I struggle with all
that bullshit, you know,
whatever.
That's for another.
That's the topic for another
day.
That's the topic, right?
Fucking.
Now we're moving on.
Oh yeah.
So you like Al Michaels, I
think.
He's soft.
You tired of him?
That's what people are saying.
Listen, he, he, he, he was good
for, you know, I think he's
gotten a little older.
I mean, I think.
He's like 98 now.
The best was.
He's 98I.
Think it's what it says in the
article.
If I can ever get to it.
I think it says 90. 8 No way.
He's not 98 and there's no way
he was on.
He was on the other day.
Yeah, he's still on.
His contract hasn't expired, but
nobody likes him anymore.
Listen, the best ever was Madden
and Sumrall.
Yeah, in my opinion, those two
guys were, were were the best.
And then when they tried the
comedian, whatever his name is,
I, I didn't care for him very
much neither I would because I
was good.
Oh.
I was going to ask you if you
liked.
You you know he was drunk most.
Of the time was he really?
Well, you know, they stopped and
his wife called the the studio.
Production company.
Because he was slurring.
Oh really?
She.
Was freaking out that he was
having like stroke or a stroke
or whatever.
He was as drunk as a skunk.
No, ma'am, he's drunk again.
I distinctly remember a game
where I watched.
I didn't want to say it, but
what?
Well, go ahead.
We're talking about the.
Same thing.
No, we're not.
We're.
Not talking.
We're not talking about the
same.
Thing John Madden was talking
and he started rattling off
every single like play, like
every possession and it it would
be punt, it would be, you know,
touchdown.
And instead of it saying missed
field goal, it said MFG and John
Madden said and it was the
funniest fucking thing.
He was legit just reading right
off the prompter and said yeah,
what was your thing?
Go ahead.
It was way better.
No, I can't.
No, his are way better than I
know he's way better.
But I can't say.
It really it's slightly racist.
Why can't you You?
Remember.
It I know.
Well, there's a running back for
the coach going.
To say it anyway now.
And.
Jonathan Taylor.
No, no, back in the day, Back in
the day, Washington, I think was
his last name.
OK.
And then he said live on TV.
But some of the things that
happened, I remember in
baseball.
What's his name?
The guy for Harry Carey, I
remember watching, I was a big
baseball guy, remember, you
know, that there was no lights
in Wrigley Field.
So Harry Carey would be drunk by
the 5th inning.
He would drink a lot of
Budweiser's.
And there was the second baseman
Ryan Sandberger hits the ball.
And then Steve Stone was the
color guy and he hit the ball
and, and he would say it could
be, it might be.
And it was a fly by the second
base.
And then Steve Stone would have
to make up for well, Harry, the
wind really got a hold of that
one.
And you know, these guys were
were were crazy and what you
McCullough got got thrown out.
Also, what was the the Greek?
What was his name?
Jimmy the Greek.
Jimmy the Greek, Yeah, for
saying what he said, too.
Is that true, Jimmy the Greek?
Did you just pull that?
A No, Jimmy.
No, there's Jimmy.
Greek you listen to but you know
nothing about sports.
How do you know?
These are famous people in
history.
Oh, OK.
He used to give like the the
betting portion of.
That's why you loved him.
They were saying racist shit
too.
OK, but you liked him because
his old timers.
Were racist.
I didn't like I like Madden and
Summerall with me were the were
were the best.
I mean, I didn't even know that
they read off a a a.
Teleprompter.
I did not know that just like
this.
I thought it was.
I thought it was.
I think, say whatever the hell
they were, I think some things
they would read off of a
teleprompter, yeah, or stuff off
of the board or whatever.
Yeah, probably wasn't all all
the time, you know, but, well,
now we just kind of cover the Al
Michaels conversation.
Oh, we haven't ready yet.
Without you even saying
anything.
Well, that's all, folks.
Al Michaels makes final
retirement decisions over
Thursday Night Football after
fans urge him to pack it in.
Veteran announcer Al Michaels
has opened up on his desire to
remain on Amazon's Thursday
Night Football.
The 80.
Oh, he's 81.
I told you. 81 He's not 90.
Eight I was.
There was an 8 in it.
I got close. 8181 yes, not 9080
he was close. 81 year old was on
the call for primes, Black for
I.
I didn't want to say black I.
Talked about all the racist
stuff.
Prime's Black Friday NFL game
between the Philadelphia Eagles
and Chicago Bears.
Michaels is one of TV's most
iconic voices and has worked on
network television for over 5
decades.
I got a legend bro that the the
the hockey game will we?
We be Do you believe in
miracles?
Do you believe?
In miracles, I think he should
go on his own time whenever.
Oh, that's nice.
He's 81.
He can run for the president at
this point.
He's the right age, yeah.
Yeah, that's true.
He signed a three-year deal with
Amazon in 2022 to be the voice
of Prime Videos Thursday Night
Football.
Michaels is joined weekly in the
broadcast booth by regular
partner Kirk Herbert St. every
Thursday, but he was called out
by some viewers for a lack of
enthusiasm on significant plays
during last week's Thanksgiving
action.
That's what you said.
He was late.
I think he should go down his
own time.
He's paid his dues.
I struggle with that because
they they got rid of Schuler.
OK.
The Dolphins are never in the
same since they got rid of
Schuler.
Nope.
You know, and, and being a
Dolphin fan and they, they fire
Schuler like if he was a scumbag
and they got rid of him and
they've never won a playoff game
since.
Well, so who replaces Al
Michaels?
Dave Chappelle.
That would be amazing.
Dave Chappelle.
I don't think there's enough
money in the world to get Dave
Chappelle to do oh.
I bet to win.
But that would be hilarious.
To be on TV every week.
But yeah, Dave Chappelle, people
will watch.
It.
Oh my God, Yeah.
Yeah.
But listen, he said the one
thing one time 100 years ago and
you're saying that he's got to
go out on his own time.
I think that it.
Wasn't him.
He never said nothing.
He said Al, Michael said do you
believe in miracles?
And he's had a fucking career
because of that.
Good for him.
Yeah, like, but like, that was
1980 something.
That was 50 years ago.
Listen guys.
Tell me.
Listen, it was 50 years ago.
It was not 50.
Years ago.
I'm just over exaggerating you.
Go to a sports bar to watch a
game.
There's no sound, right?
I don't watch a football game to
hear these guys talk.
Yeah, I do my own analysis and
shit like that.
I don't, you know, I watch the
game.
I can care less what they say.
I really can.
I I I can care less.
I that's why I don't go to
football games anymore.
I get invited all the time.
You know, I buy tobacco from a
company who has a suite
Philadelphic games.
They invite me all the time.
I went one time last year with
Guy because he's a Raider fan,
you know, but I just want to
watch the game because you, you
see the only thing when you see
the game live, you see the play
being developed.
You don't see that at home.
But there's nothing like
watching the game at home.
I don't care about the sound.
I really don't.
I I'm not watching it for those
guys, I'm watching the game
itself.
I really don't care.
What the hell?
They you're just you're watching
the over under.
I remember the what's the money
line?
I just.
Remember one time I want if some
important happens in life, like
the day they killed John Lennon,
it was on Monday Night Football.
Really.
But you didn't know that.
No, they stopped the game.
John Lennon just got shot in
Dakota building.
But they kept playing right?
Well, the players didn't know,
right?
You know.
You stopped the country, new
one?
Yeah, they stopped the
broadcast.
He announced it like a couple
minutes later that he was.
Dead.
Wow.
OK, you're.
Too young to know these.
Things.
That's why I have you.
Yeah, yeah, Speculation has
been.
Right, I thought Al Michaels.
What was the singer?
Michaels?
The other guy?
What?
Was George Michaels?
That's what I thought, totally
different.
Michaels, yeah.
That's why I said he was soft.
But now.
I got, oh, you know, it was
George Michaels and Al Michaels.
I got you.
You can be my father figure.
If you only only if you have
faith.
Yeah, you got to have faith.
Will you put?
Your tiny hand in mine.
You have to.
Speculation has been rife about
Michael's future at the end of
his current contract, but the
veteran is keen to stay on the
mic and appears ready to pen an
extension.
I really feel good right now,
Michael's told SI Media with
Jimmy Triana.
It's been a good year, a lot of
fun and as I said, I love the
people I'm working with.
So if I had to make a decision
today, I would want to come
back.
It's a two way St. here.
They could tell me, hey, we got
to move on, it's time to make a
transition.
By the way, I don't agree with
that.
I'll tell you why.
You're not supposed to show
emotions because you're not
supposed to go one way or the
other.
OK, so, so when you start
announcing it, I, I, I know
there's, there's homers that,
you know, every team, you know,
have their own announcers, you
know, and, and I don't have a
problem with them and I don't
have a problem with, you know,
he's from Philadelphia.
He was from Philly.
I can give 3 shits, but they're
not, they're told they can't
show.
They can show emotion, but not
favoritism to one side or the
other, you know, and.
You mean like Chris Collinsworth
practically blowing Patrick
Mahomes every time Kansas City's
on?
Exactly and and and shit like
that that I hate because if if
you're a Chiefs fan then you're
OK with it, but if you're not a
Chiefs fan then then you're not
a it's.
Ridiculous.
It is ridiculous, but you know.
He's not.
He's not Tom Brady.
Brett Musburger hated, the Kings
hated, the University of Miami
hated and I hated having so I
would lower the TV and I didn't
want to hear that.
Fuck, you watch a lot of games
at sports bars or you watch them
at home.
At home, But when I travel, I'll
go to a sports bar to have it
because a lot of the hotel rooms
don't have, you know, now with
the net, with Netflix and Amazon
and this and that.
Yeah, they don't have good TV
and hotels anymore.
You don't have it.
You can't watch the games.
So do you mute the TV at home?
I don't.
OK, but I really don't care what
they're saying.
Right, he doesn't pay attention.
I don't.
Might say cuts a corner watching
because.
It's the alpha dog.
Very rarely do I watch the
halftime show, right?
Or, or I mean for the Super
Bowl, whatever I.
What Of course you would what?
I I I saw the best 1 live.
Was there a prop bet?
You took a prop bet on it?
That's.
What I watched, I didn't, but I
saw Prince in Miami.
It was the worst Super Bowl
because it was raining the
whole.
Time.
Is that Pittsburgh?
No, it was Indianapolis and and
and the and the the Bears.
That's.
The Bears.
Hester.
Gavin Hester, Yeah.
Yeah, so I was a big Prince fan
and I still am.
I when I go to Minnesota, I try
to go Paisley Park yet to be
able.
I don't have the time, but one
day I'm going to make it out
there.
But I think that was the best
halftime show.
It was raining when he was
singing singing The Purple Rain
and I could care less.
Oh, why there was rain.
People say they Bat Bunny's
going to be.
I could care.
I could give 3 flying fuck if
it's Marc Anthony, Bat Bunny,
whoever the fuck I ain't
watching.
I could give 3 shits right here.
I like the commercials.
You like Prince?
I like the commercials best.
Was it Prince your favorite?
Artist.
I think Prince is the best
artist of all times.
OK.
I mean he played 99 instruments.
Yeah, that's pretty good.
I mean, I don't know why he.
One shy of 1. 101, I think he
got picked.
Up something I did not know,
there was 99 instruments.
Yeah, me neither until this
conversation.
I was talented, man, real
talented.
Wonder what was the one he just
couldn't couldn't get?
Yeah, just couldn't figure it
out.
Harmonica.
I was just going to say.
Harmonica.
It's very hard to.
Play.
That's probably in the 99.
No, no, that would have been the
one.
Bagpipes.
Bro, that's what he says, yeah.
No, I've seen him.
He plays.
It was very nice.
Yeah.
It's a little purple set, is it?
Nice.
It's nice.
It's got a little symbol on it.
No, because he's formerly known
as the symbol.
As the symbol.
OK, you the lighter.
Hey.
I have one for you you.
Have a video for us, Michael.
I have no video today.
Did you have any video that's
ridiculous anymore?
What are you talking about?
I'm not going to have a video
every day.
Well, I need to take that out of
well.
Let's talk about videos.
Do you know what was the first
song on MTV?
I want my MTV.
No, it wasn't.
Video Kill the Radio star.
Yes, yeah, sorry, took a second.
Took you two tries.
I didn't think you were old
enough to know that.
He read about it somewhere.
Why do you keep taking Eric
Slider?
'Cause it because I want out of
the shot.
It's yours now.
You're gonna have it.
We would like to gift it to you.
With a bottle of eucalyptus I
appreciate.
It OK, I have plenty of
lighters.
You have plenty of lighters.
Just not on me.
But I do.
Oh, Danielle has.
Got the lips, he's got the
little bombs.
Danielle has all the lights.
She ordered them from Amazon?
Yeah.
So they're from Amazon, OK.
All right, on the cigar news,
then.
JC Newman ships the Zardas Zard.
CDs, whatever those are.
Zard is a new line from JC
Newman that was inspired by a
cigar from the early 1900s is on
its way to store is described as
the aromatic cigar.
The Zardas blend uses an almost
thought.
I said eucalyptus, says
Ecuadorian Ecuadorian shade
wrapper.
While the internal tobaccos are
from the Dominican Republic and
Nicaragua.
It was developed in
collaboration with Rich Dolak,
the company's VP of operations.
Do you know Rich by?
The way that's.
Wrong.
That's wrong.
You cannot grow.
You don't grow Ecuadorian shade
in in Ecuador.
No, no, there's.
No such thing.
There's no such thing as
Ecuadorian.
There's no such thing as
Ecuadorian shade wrapper.
Not in Ecuador.
Well, where is it?
The clouds is a shade in
Connecticut.
It's called a Connecticut shade.
Ecuadorian.
It's not shade.
It's a standard Ecuadorian.
Visit the cloud cover
Ecuadorian.
Yeah.
So it's already.
Shade.
It's already shade.
You don't need to shade it.
You don't.
Need to shade it that that is a
true.
Story.
There you go, the more you know.
See that we're exposing the half
wheel for their faults right now
all.
Right, the blend uses an
Ecuadorian wrapper.
That's fine.
Yeah.
No, just no.
Say what it says.
Ecuadorian.
No, he gets mad.
Yeah, I like that.
Ecuadorian wrapper?
Well, the internal tobaccos are
from the Dominican Republic and
Nicaragua.
It was developed in
collaboration with Rich Dolak,
the company's VP of operations.
Do you know Rich Dolak?
Are you friends with?
Rich.
Rich.
I don't.
Yeah, it does.
But I, I maybe if I see him, I
know who he.
Is Fran is just locked in over
there, man, he's just crushing.
I can see the.
Button a hell of a job.
Yeah, we.
Go back to that.
There's no such thing as
Connecticut shade.
Yes, in Ecuador.
OK, right I.
Don't know, is it a Connecticut?
It says every shaper.
I don't know this is a halfway
logical we could find.
Is it call Charlie?
Yeah, we don't, we don't Fact
Check anything.
I don't know, We just use other
media.
So I've.
Ever seen shade in Ecuador?
That's not true.
Well, I the.
Only well, we did.
A 'cause I I did an article on
Cigar Aficionado and they and
they corrected me on that.
Well, last week we had an
article where it did mention
that the Ecuadorian shade is
from the cloud cover.
It's considered.
It's considered shade because of
the.
Cause of the it's not
artificial.
Not artificial shade.
OK, maybe I think that maybe we
get half wheel and aficionado
together and they knife they.
Work in.
Oh yeah, my money's on Charlie.
We figure out who wins.
Yeah, my money's on Charlie,
too.
Yeah.
I don't know who's at
Aficionado.
Yeah, George, Your Boy George
doesn't like me.
Your boy.
Yeah.
Yeah.
We don't think he likes us.
He.
He has me blocked on Facebook.
Hasn't been there for a little
many years.
We know, we know.
I tell you what.
They got they got a great kid.
Now is the grandson of Mara
Shankin.
Phenomenal kid.
Came by my office and him and I
hit it off.
He's a really good kid.
You think you're going to.
You think you?
Got an article out of me?
Think you're top ten this year?
I would like to be, but yeah, if
it's not, it's not.
I mean, what am I going to do?
Do you have one in mind that you
think is top 10 worthy?
What do you think would be?
I mean without.
The ratings and stuff like that,
we had like 5 of them should
have been there last year.
We got, I think #23 the Michael
Jordan. 23.
Oh, the Michael Jordan, I get
it, he's #23. 23 gotcha.
What do you think we should be
top ten this year?
Your cigar.
Of my cigar.
Yeah, of yours.
Yeah, that portal that that
sandwich portal.
Yeah.
Oh, that's good.
Selling like crazy and they gave
it a high rating, but I don't
know, I don't know how they do
their ratings and you know.
Nobody really does.
Is that the one that we like the
most?
I think it was.
Was it?
Yeah, the puro.
OK.
It's the one that's got the
weird Taco meat in it.
Oh, it's got the Taco.
Meat.
Is that the Taco meat?
That wasn't the one that Charlie
that Charlie put, but I I tasted
it.
I think it's got weird Taco.
Meat, I think Charlie eats when
he's when he's.
He tasted the Taco.
You actually tasted the Taco
meat?
He mentions a lot of food.
I've had plenty of Taco meat,
but I've never had weird Taco
meat right.
Oh, weird Taco meat.
Yeah, it's weird Taco meat.
That's it's only stuff.
Like slightly old Taco meat or
something.
I don't know who's old or not.
I've never had weird Taco meat.
I don't think you've lived.
I think he's like I.
Think I mean let's be honest, if
you taste weird Taco meat, do
you continue eating the Taco?
It depends upon how hungry I am,
I guess.
He's got a point there, you
know.
Because then you're going to get
sick.
Have I not eaten in days?
I mean, you know.
You know, some kind of sketchy
food truck or.
Something, you know, I guess
that I mean, I don't get the 23
flavors in Doctor Pepper.
Yeah, it's good.
I love.
Doctor Pepper, but I I don't get
the 23 flavors.
I've seen a lot of Doctor Pepper
stuff lately too, which is odd.
It's very popular.
Hats, not shirts.
I don't.
Drink shoulders, but if I would
drink a soda it would be a diet
doctor.
Pepper listen while you're
listening to your favorite
Prince album on.
A plane playing poker on a
plane.
Yeah.
Poker on a zipen Yeah, OK.
The Lioness produced at the JC
Newman Penza factory in Esta
Lee, Nicaragua and offered him 4
sizes, a Corona, a Robusto, a
Toro and A and a Churchill.
A Churchill.
Sarsadas, Sarsadas.
Well, now he says he.
Left you drowned.
I like to see you.
Struggle a little bit.
Me too.
Oh, I know he does.
I have loved the Sarsadas name
and the brand's history as the
aromatic cigar for years, said
4th generation owner Drew Newman
in a press.
Release.
Yeah, I've met him.
He is nice.
He's.
Really, you know, I, I had a
booth one year made out of
cardboard, you know, some guy
came over and tried to send me
on this shit and, and he, he put
together like a, a couch and he
told me to stand on it made out
of corporal and I stand on, he
said jump up and down and I did
and that shit wouldn't flinch.
So we did it one year and he
came over and he liked it.
And he, he, he asked me, Hey, do
you mind if I do this?
And I said absolutely not bro.
I gave him the guy's number and
shit like that.
So that's where they got their
and that's cardboard Jay-Z
Newman.
Wow.
But he.
Came like a gentleman, you know,
and he came and he asked me and.
Wasn't for Eric, they wouldn't
have it.
Oh, I mean, you know you.
Just take the credit take.
The Yeah, take the W doesn't
matter.
Yeah, you're a winner.
Remember?
Show me a loser.
A real a real nice guy, man.
He really is.
Yeah, did Jack try to stand on
the cardboard?
Counter Yeah, that's why that's
where the true test happened.
That's the.
I mean, give me a guy, you know
what I mean?
I was around.
I would have put him up there,
yeah.
I don't know how we're going to
bring him down, but.
Yeah, well, if he jumped it off,
he wouldn't have to bring him.
We'd have to run the crane or
something, right?
But.
All right, well, Drew has been
waiting to bring this historic
brand back, but had to wait
until he could create a blend
that lives up to the brand's
legacy.
Zarzadas is the most flavorful
cigar we've ever made.
The original Zarzadas line was
said to have first been rolled
in the 1900, while the trademark
was filed in 1916.
Good for that.
Wow, they got a trademark that
old?
They got trademark that name.
Who else is one of using that
name?
Well, what's that mean in
Spanish?
Oh, aromatic I guess.
Aromatic cigar it.
Could be.
I don't know what the word
means.
Oh, and I speak Spanish.
That's why Saka.
'S cigar he came out and they've
talked the new cigar and I go
bro, I speak Spanish and I I
read Spanish and I understand
Spanish but I don't know what
the hell this means What?
Was it?
What was it called?
I have no idea.
Oh.
You know the the cigar he made
for Duquet with the Chinese on
it?
Who's?
Duquet.
Duquet's his friend in Hawaii.
Oh yeah, Chris Duquet.
Yeah, yeah, I know who he.
Is yeah, I helped him do that
and he doesn't tell anybody.
We're telling stories.
No, I'm just contributing to the
story.
He's really jaded about that.
He's been, he's held on to that
for years.
It's a city in Portugal.
It's a city in Portugal.
It smells there, really nice.
Thank you for fact checking,
Richie.
What was that?
Wouldn't that be Portuguese
then?
Not Spanish?
Yeah, it would be it.
Would be.
That's why you didn't know it's
Portuguese.
Makes sense.
There you go.
Thank you, Fran.
Yeah.
And Richie.
Yeah.
All right, Tablicalera
Caballeros launches J16
Tablicalera Caballeros, a small
factory in the Dominican
Republic, has announced its
latest release, the J16 in a box
press 6 1/2 by 56 Double Toro
Why do people do the double?
Do you think it's called the
double toe?
Should it be called the Double
Toro?
Is that a double?
Toro How do you feel about that?
They.
Call it whatever the fuck they
want, yeah.
What are we doing?
Trying to get this.
Everybody has different names,
man.
I don't know, You know, There
you go.
Is that good?
I'm not going to eat it, bro.
I mean.
There you go.
All right, that's good.
That's.
Good for you.
I don't I have no issue with it.
OK, OK.
You.
Have no issue with the the
double Toro.
The reason why I don't because I
lived all that.
I used to laugh at Rocky when
Rocky used to come up with these
weird names back in the day when
I was a Rep, TP, chimp, gorilla,
baboon, all this shit baboon.
Yeah, he had all these shitty
ass names.
But until I got into the
business and I realized how hard
it is.
A trademark, a name, right?
Come up with a name that hasn't
been taken.
So you know, and I told them on
that, I told them to do that.
I would never laugh at you again
any of the names because it's
hard.
It's hard to come with names.
And then I came up with a name.
I had an issue with somebody.
So I started using numbers like
the six O 1 and stuff like that.
Oh, it's a great idea.
Then I had to go to to in
Portuguese.
I came up with names in
Portuguese.
Lalaha, Zulejo.
Yeah, because a lot of names are
taken.
You don't believe me?
Next time you drive either the
95 or the Turnpike, look at some
of the billboards.
Yeah, and guarantee you that
every 10 billboards 3 or 4 has a
cigar name in it.
Really like.
Tropical or or this or you know,
yes, trust me what I tell you.
Sandwich.
Read something?
Yeah, like, yeah.
Sandwich, sandwich, sandwich.
You'll, you'll see, you know,
food or whatever you know,
Kentucky Fried Chicken, Kentucky
cured.
Yeah, right.
There you go.
It's hard.
It's stock cut.
It's it's.
It's hard to come up with names.
Don't see it on all the
billboards.
You know what I never see
Postagna on the?
Billboard.
Yeah, yeah, nobody.
I would.
Have yet to see we went Polish.
What is that?
Yeah, we went Polish.
Yeah, we.
Went Polish so that.
What does that mean?
Uprising, I know you become
sorry.
He was asking me.
Do you see him looking at me?
I'll be quiet.
That's why he's got the arrow,
right?
Yeah.
Right, but why is it going down?
Well, that is a modernization of
the symbol during World War 2
that the Polish people painted
as part of the revolution.
It was more rounded and looked
like an anchor, and they
modernized it because the
copyright issues.
They couldn't use the curve.
But that's not Uprise.
That's Downrise.
Yeah, but the P goes up.
Technically, yeah.
Oh, so I got to wear it like
this.
Yes, yeah, exactly.
That's the right way.
That's the right way to wear it.
Very cool.
Somebody fucked up there.
Somebody did fuck up.
Greg.
You know, we'll, we'll, we'll,
we'll talk to management about
that.
For sure it uses a Mexican
sanitary wrapper over an
Ecuadorian Sumatra seed binder.
Is there such a thing as an
Ecuadorian Sumatra seed binder?
Is that possible?
It could be OK, just guarantee
you there's no shade, no.
Shade Sumatra.
Shade.
And Dominican Creolo and Cuban
Lejero fillers.
Cubano.
Sorry, not Cuban.
Curry oil.
Well, say it again.
Curry oil that's.
So romantic Portuguese.
The company says the cigars were
rolled 2 years ago and have been
aging ever since.
A press release says the blend
is medium full with flavors of
pepper, plum, chocolate and
nutmeg.
Who's?
This JC Newman.
No, no, we're in the caballero
is now.
Oh damn, that's right, the 51
something.
J16 that one, so follow up to
the J15.
Right caballeros.
Each cigar has an MSRP of $13
into cigars or packaged in boxes
of 20.
It is limited edition, though
the company has not stated how
many boxes were made.
Depends how many they sell.
Right, that's usually how that
works.
Right.
It began shipping on Monday,
December 1st.
As we grow, our focus remains
the same to support our retail
partners and deliver cigars that
customers return for again and
again, said Marco Acadia.
Co founder of Tabacalera
Caballeros and a press release.
This is the exciting moment for
our brand and we're just getting
started.
Tabacalera Caballeros is named
after Santiago de Los
Caballeros, the Dominican city
that is home to many of the
country's most prominent
factories.
The company was founded in 2022
by Arcadia and Christian
Quintetana.
There you go.
Excited about that?
You tried one.
What do you think I've?
I've I've never heard of them.
We're not getting them.
We're not getting them, no, but
there's a limited number.
Yeah, we didn't make the cut.
Have.
You heard of them before?
No.
Nope, no I haven't.
I wish them luck.
Yeah, well.
That listen, I tell everybody,
everybody gets mad at me when.
I say.
I tell them they don't, don't,
don't get involved.
I mean, I'm not, I hate to take
it away, anybody's passion,
anybody's dream, but it's a
tough business.
We still realize it, you know,
it's, it's a lot of work, a lot
of work.
So how long you been in the
industry?
25 years.
OK, out of the 25 year span, was
there a brand that went away?
And you're like, damn, I wish
that they would have stuck it
out.
Yeah.
Who?
Bahia.
Bahia.
It's the one.
Bahia cigars were some of the
most amazing cigars ever made.
Really.
It's industry.
Yeah.
What do you think they did
wrong?
Cocaine.
Yeah.
OK, yeah, I could see.
Did they disappear in the 80s?
I could.
See how that that could you
know, allegedly, allegedly.
Allegedly allegedly cocaine.
I could see how that would, you
know, I mean, I mean it could
shift things.
Look, it's not a, it's not a
secret.
I mean, you know, I I will tell
you and I'll and I'll say and
I'll say it, you know, because I
don't give a fuck.
But but we did He he had a lot
of great cigars.
Really.
He was his own night worst
nightmare.
He really was.
No kidding.
I got along with a guy great,
you know, But you know, they
were made in Costa Rica by Don
Douglas back in the day.
And I will tell you right now.
I'll put those cigars up against
anybody's cigars, really.
Oh yeah, those but he goes were
were amazing, you know?
Cocaine, not so much.
And.
Well, listen, I'm going to say
it because you know, he might
hear this one time.
I don't know.
It's cocaine.
I don't have the proof or
anything.
Yeah, that's why I said
allegedly.
But he was he was his own worst
nightmare.
I remember him in the booth.
He had a cardboard of himself.
And then you have to go to to a
suite to go see him, you know,
and no different than Lars
Teaton.
They did that, you know, and
different times, you know, but
they kept doing it.
And then you're in the in the
trade show, you're on the floor.
Are you going to leave to get
you know?
Right.
Then that, that, that all went
away and you know, and then you,
you can get them in your
competitors, you know, side and
for, you know, $2.00 to stake.
Right.
Wow.
Crazy, crazy.
There's a lot of brands that
were good and then and then
poodles in you were great and we
went, you know, they had their
moments.
You know, those cigars were
great at one time, you know, and
they went away.
Crazy.
OK.
You knew who hasn't gone away,
Who?
Crown Heads.
They released their 2025 TAA.
Starting to ship for the second
time this week, Crown Heads is
shipping a new cigar.
Today's new release is the Crown
Heads TAA Exclusive 2025, A 5
5/8 by 54 robusto extra that has
made it Radio Pichardo's Is that
Dahatui?
The hot way.
Yeah, the hot way Tabaco SA
factory and S the.
Way you say it.
Blend wise uses an Ecuadorian
Habano wrapper.
Is that OK?
I get nervous how anything is
Ecuadorian over an Ecuadorian
Connecticut seed binder.
That's OK too.
Perfect.
Great and fillers from
Nicaragua.
Each cigar is an MSRP of 1495
and production is limited to 750
boxes of 10 cigars.
The cigars are only offered to
stores that are members of the
TAA Secret organization, an
industry trade group where we're
very excited for this year's TA
exclusive as a really hits the
sweet spot at being easily
approachable for novice smokers,
yet complex and nuanced enough
to be appreciated by seasoned
cigar enthusiasts like, said
John Huber, Co founder of Crown
Heads, in a press release.
You know John.
You're friends with John?
I, I know who he is.
You know, I, I've never had a
real relationship with him.
Yeah, he was great when he was
the CEO.
He was a great marketer.
He's been around for a long time
for a.
While he was mad at us at one
time.
He got up very quickly.
Well, because we have a Patreon
show and you know, we talk
about.
We reviewed his cigar.
All kinds of things and.
It wasn't favourable.
But he's made a lot of good
stuff lately.
Yes, all his cigars are good.
It was our mistake.
Isn't.
That a an opinion.
Yeah, and then somebody leaked
it.
Well, somebody, which really
upset me.
He wasn't.
Which not nice 'cause I mean, at
least you should pay, you know?
To leak it.
You should if you, you know,
like just it's, it's 10 bucks.
By the way, we appreciate most
of your organization is.
I was going to get to that.
Oh, I was going to get to that.
Except Richie, who's.
Not well.
I wanted him to explain.
I want.
Him.
Oh, Richie's on there now.
No, he's not.
He's not, did he?
He kicks.
Him off.
No, we don't kick.
We don't Tyler's.
Oh, Tyler.
Tyler was the first one in
there.
You he paid.
He paid monthly.
He did.
I think he's a $10 member.
Is he?
We were told to give you shit.
Now I think we have.
Aha, well we don't Fact Check
and we appreciate your support.
I'm going to walk that back
instantly.
Richie, you tell Jack that he's
a.
Subsidizing them and they could
all be $50 members.
Subsidized them.
Like a little paycheck bump or
something, you know?
You know, Espinoza definitely
supports us on Patreon.
Oh, yes, for sure, yes.
We do.
I love being on there.
All right, Danielle Page for it.
Yeah.
I'm going to text Danielle and
thank you, Danielle, get you to
sign up.
It's an honor to continue this
11 year partnership supporting
the TA's mission while
delivering a cigar that's an
exclusive as it is exceptional.
Did you try that at TA when you
were there?
No.
I don't think they had it.
They finally did.
I didn't know I I it's so busy.
Do you try everybody else that
likes cigars?
Other people with TA stuff.
I tried the La Florida
Dominicana, I tried the EPC and
I don't remember which one else.
I mean, when I got up there, you
know, a lot of people and, and I
hate to be the way I am
sometimes because everybody got
up there and they, you know,
they spoke about their cigars.
When I got up there, it was my
turn.
I said it's got tobacco in it.
It does buy the shit I mean.
Right.
No matter what you say, does it
really matter?
Unless the rapper.
Because if you don't like
Connecticut, you ain't going to
smoke Connecticut.
It doesn't really matter.
I think it does matter.
But I but I do agree with you
that the sell it.
Yeah, I think that it will.
It will help.
What tobacco can I put in it?
No, but.
Well, no, but that's not what
I'm saying.
I'm not saying that because a
lot of people say the same
thing.
That's my point, right?
And that that's where I agree
agree with you that no, that
that's, that's not really
effective.
But what you say still matters.
And if it's something that's
different, it will make a
difference, right?
If if I tell you.
I mean by you going up and
saying hey, it's fucking
tobacco, just smoke.
It if I tell you it's age, 14
years, would you buy it?
No, that's not my point.
I've been in business 13.
How the fuck can I have tobacco
age for 14 years?
You know somebody.
From somebody.
Else, yeah, but he went under
your body's tobacco.
Make it Orient shade.
It's hard to struggle.
With a lot of that shit, I I
really.
Do of course you know.
But, you know, and and listen,
I'm nobody to tell anybody what
they can or can't say about
their cigars, right?
You know, but if the Colonel
never revealed this 11 nerves
and spices.
So if you got something that's
good, why the fuck should you
tell anybody else?
Oh yeah.
I mean, you know, you can't lie
about the rapper, so I don't.
But every time I was, if you
look at everything else of mine,
just say Connecticut, shade,
Nicaragua, you know, whatever,
Mexican, Nicaragua, Nicaragua,
you understand, because I'm not
going to tell anybody.
I think that that's that's fine,
people say.
I halfway or Charlie told me
what they were.
So why are you lying to
consumers?
I'm not lying, it's the truth.
They said this from Nicaragua.
Right.
But why should I?
Why should I tell everybody what
it is?
Yeah, I know.
I hear you.
I totally agree with that.
But what I'm saying too, is
saying the same thing that they
all say.
It also doesn't make sense, but
it is.
It's important to say something,
even if it's funny.
Yes, you know.
No doubt, right.
But does I guarantee you anybody
comes in here with a new brand,
99% you're not going to buy it
well.
Not only are we not going to buy
it, we're probably going to eat
them for lunch.
I mean like.
You're not.
You need a new sugar like you
need a hole in your head.
Yeah, let's be honest now, by me
telling you that it's got Lee
Harrow from from from Nicaragua
and it's got below the guano and
this and that, it ain't going to
change your fucking mind, right?
And that's why I don't, I don't
dangle that bullshit.
You know, everybody gets up
there and says that I mean, it's
got tobacco in it is good.
Buy the shit.
We disclosed one day that our
rapper was Lavarian.
Do you know what that variant
is?
Where that variant is?
I don't.
It's the Kingdom that Doctor
Doom rained on.
Like that was his his country.
So you see how that's like,
that's like a little Easter egg.
That was funny, right?
So you can make jokes about
these things as well.
And and who makes the echo mano?
Doctor Doom, Yeah, it's.
Made in the Echo Mano factory.
Yeah, that's it.
Yeah, Yeah.
You know what that.
Is no idea what we're saying.
Echo mano is made by hand.
Handmade.
Well, handmade, yeah, but it's
in Spanish is.
Hetchel.
Yeah, Hetchel.
Hetchel.
So.
So a lot of people say I love
those cigars.
It's your mano.
Yeah.
Congratulations.
Yeah, congratulations.
It's a.
Great factory.
At the TA, was your room as big
as Jack's?
Jack sent us a video of his
room.
Yeah.
It's ridiculous.
It's still playing on my phone.
He hasn't shown me everything.
We had the exact same room he
his cousin is or his niece runs.
She's she, she has a real estate
company and so she always bumps
him, but he'll never get bumped
unless I get bumped along with.
Him.
Excellent.
That's how that works.
That's good.
I'm not the problem that he's
got a nice room right?
As long as I got 1.
Yeah, as long as you got one
too.
Seems only fair, yeah?
So not everybody gets that room.
Richie, what was your room like
at the TA?
Beautiful room, just not.
Richie had a good room, he says.
But it just wasn't as good.
Yeah, OK.
Richie does not have a cousin or
niece.
That runs the right right?
I understand.
That's fine.
I always have the room with
Michael.
Yes, yes.
Yes, you do.
All right, everybody ready?
It's time to play.
What's the score?
You can't.
Look at that screen.
Now you can't look at the
screen.
OK.
All right.
All right, first cigar from
September 5th, 2021.
It was reviewed by Brooks
Whittington.
It's an Espinoza Nicaraguan 601
Black Toro from 2021.
Brooks, do you want to go first?
You want me to go?
1st I don't care.
Go ahead.
I'll go first to this one.
You go first.
The next one I'm gonna say. 88,
no way too high, absolutely.
OK, I will try.
I will say 81.
OK.
All right, here's some more
information.
All right, six O 1 black toros
from Nicaragua is from the
Lazona rappers, Ecuador
Connecticut binder is Nicaraguan
fillers Nicaraguan because
that's all it does.
Right, that's it.
He doesn't say anything.
It's a 6 by 50 Toro.
It sold for $10 back in 2021 and
they smoked 3 cigars.
OK, so you're so low.
I'm going to come down here to
84.
This is the new the new series,
no?
No, 2021, you're going to get 3
clues now.
Same cigar, you get 3 clues and
you can change your number as
you hear.
Every time I read the clue.
I'll go, I'll go a little down,
give me some wig.
I'll go 80. 80 OK.
All right, here's the first
comment.
The Six O 1 Black Toro delivers
a creamy cedar and leather core
that stays consistent from start
to finish.
This is supported by evolving
secondary notes like cocoa nibs,
cinnamon, almonds, and toasted
bread.
The profile becomes richer and
more cohesive as the cigar
progresses.
We gotta go up now.
Yeah, that sounds good.
We gotta go up.
OK, so you know, I think I'm,
I'm good at 88.
I'm going back up to 88.
I'll say 86.
OK.
All right.
All right, next clue.
This is where things get fucked.
Construction is a standout.
After an early touch up, the
burn evens out beautifully.
The draw remains excellent
throughout and smoke production
stays consistently.
No, no way.
That fucking half wheel.
Yeah, yes, yeah.
And handing the overall
experience, this is Brooks, not
Charlie.
Yeah.
OK, OK, man, that's still good.
I'm gonna go 89. 85 I'm going to
go down.
OK, OK, 85.
Third clue 1 sample showed very
obvious veins and even a small
green spot on the wrapper, and
the burn required correcting
almost immediately after
lighting, detracting slightly
from the cigars otherwise strong
presentation.
Are you given that like that's
the actual number?
I'm quite 76.
OK, All right.
Richie keeps saying 76.
I'm going to say I'm going to
bring it down a smidge.
I'm going to go 87.
We'll say 83. 83 OK.
All right, this is the final
thought.
This is the last clue.
Through the years there have
been numerous attempts to create
a Connecticut blend that is full
flavored, but with more body and
strength than the Connecticut
wrapped cigars of old.
Sometimes they work, as in the
case with the exceptional Silver
Mesa Brulee Blue, but other
times the resulting blends end
up with profiles that sacrifice
balance on the altar of more
strength.
The Six O 1 Black is somewhere
in the middle of those two
extremes.
While there's plenty of flavor,
the profile is quite linear, and
the strength ends up
overwhelming some of the nuances
in the blend by the middle of
the final third.
There's a curveball.
Those looking for more of a
punch in the morning, it should
try it out, but I'm hoping that
a little bit of time will bring
more balance to the forefront.
OK, I'm gonna go 84.
I'm gonna go, I'm gonna go 81.
85.
Oh yes.
You had a bad day. 85 All right,
we.
Have one more?
OK, all right.
This is from October 17th, 2015,
reviewed by Patrick Lagreed
Cigars.
I like you.
Patrick's nice.
Patrick's nice limited edition
Nicaragua reviews the Wilson
Adams Wilson Adams, Mr. Wilson
Cigar.
OK, what year was this 2015?
OK, Wilson Adams.
Wilson, Adams.
Wilson, Adams.
Mr. Wilson.
Mr. Wilson.
All right, go ahead.
You do the honors.
Have you heard of this cigar?
I have, oh, not the Mr. Wilson,
but I've heard of Wilson Adams.
OK, 10 years ago. 10 years ago
and this Patrick.
Patrick is a nice guy.
Patrick Say 87.
OK, it's a good number.
I'm gonna go 85.
All right, this is a Nicaraguan
cigar from Placencia Mexican
rappers Mexico Binder is NA
filler is Nicaraguan and
undisclosed tobaccos.
It's a 6th and an eighth by 52
torpedo.
They smoked 3 cigars in the
review I'm.
Staying strong.
You're staying strong at 87.
There was 85.
Oh, 85.
Oh, he's trying to cheat.
Look at that.
Where you at 90?
I'm going to come down to 82.
OK.
All right, the first clue.
While the cigar starts with
intriguing notes, the flavor
development quickly becomes
disjointed and unfocused,
pulling the smoke in several
competing directions.
Pepper, brownie, leg sweetness,
sourness, and smoky retro hail
notes all show up, but instead
of blending together into a
unified profile, they seem to
clash for attention.
This lack of harmony prevents
the cigar from settling into a
balanced or cohesive identity,
even the first half feeling more
scattered than nuanced. 82.
You came down to 82, 81.
All right, second clue.
As the cigar transitions into
the final third, the experience
takes a dramatic downturn due to
the aggressive surge in strength
and nicotine.
Help me, Mr. Wilson.
What begins as a robust profile
escalates into an overwhelming
physical reaction.
Tightness in the chest,
Lightheadedness, and an
unmistakable feeling of cigar
sickness creeping in.
Oh boy.
The strength becomes so dominant
that it overshadows whatever
complexity is the cigar still
has to offer, forcing the smoker
to consider putting it down to
simply to avoid pushing their
limits.
He got the 69 that asked.
Is that where you're going?
72.
Oh man, that's low.
I'm gonna go 77.
All right, Final Clue Cigar
makes a strong and polished
first impression, presenting
itself with refined aesthetics,
clean bands, a dark, toothy
wrapper and a sharply finished
torpedo tip that feels premium
in hand.
The pre lit experience
reinforces that quality with
rich, enjoyable aromas of
brownie batter, cookie dough,
earthiness and a subtle pepper.
Once lit, the opening flavors
deliver a compelling combination
of pepper and chocolatey
sweetness, supported by an
effortless draw and solid smoke
output, setting a lovelessing
tone and showcasing the cigars
potential early on.
Oh.
Boy.
Confused as fuck man.
Welcome to Half Wheel Buddy.
We got to go up.
Do we?
Or is it so bad the good doesn't
help?
80 final answer. 80 Do I think
it's better or worse than an 80?
I think it's worse than 80.
I'm going to go 79.
All right, final thought.
It's unfortunate that what will
likely stick with me most about
the Wilson Adams, Mr. Wilson is
the final third because the rest
of the cigar is quite enjoyable.
While it occasionally felt
disjointed and the first third,
the complexity was apparent and
it felt like the cigar should be
a sleeper hit of complexity and
flavor.
Yet once it turns a corner of
strength past the midpoint,
things begin.
A quick and rapid slide into a
profile is completely
unacceptable for me and leaves
me feeling worse.
Much worse, and when I started
the cigar.
Hopefully the rebirth of the
Wilson Adams brand fares better
than the cigar blended to
commemorate it.
Yikes, I loved it but I hated
it.
It made me sick. 77.
That's a good number.
Do I think it's lower than a 77?
Damn, 2015, Is it lower than a
77?
I'm going to say no.
I'm going to say 787373.
You got it.
Yeah, you're almost.
Up at 69.
Nice.
Well, nicely done.
There you go.
You got one.
Does Charlie, if you're
listening, please give me that
69, buddy.
I'm going to promote the hell
out of that.
Any cigar I could, careless
which one it is.
OK.
All right.
Anything else to add, Mr.
Espinoza?
Thank you for having and having
me and like always you guys are
blast.
You guys are great.
I enjoy watching your podcast
every day.
That's a sit down when I'm in a
plane.
That's a fucking line.
Danielle plays it loud.
He hears it from outside.
Podcast.
The only time he hears it is if
it's playing in the other room.
That's.
What?
He said.
I saw it one day.
You saw it one.
Day one day, yeah.
No, in fairness, I don't watch
any podcast.
In fairness, I get the
information.
Listen, Hector being an ex cop,
Jack being Jack is Richie.
They give me the information.
They get mad when we get shitty
ratings.
I don't I care less.
None of these guys even though
listen, I love everything that
you guys do though Joe Koo.
But lot of these guys, because
they help the industry, you
know, I don't think that they
can help you or hurt you.
I really, I really don't.
That's just an opinion, OK, Now
how they help you is by talking
about your cigars that that can
help.
I don't what what I don't want
anybody misunderstand what I'm
saying.
I'm talking about ratings.
I don't think any of the
ratings.
If you love the cigar, you're
going to continue smoking it and
the cigar selling.
Does it really matter the rating
they got?
That's just my opinion.
Now, Cigar Snob, when I got the
cigar the year in Cigar Snob,
they did call to order the
cigars.
You know what I mean?
I've never got cigar the year in
Cigar Aficionado, but you know,
I hear through people who have
gotten it is equivalent to
winning the lottery.
Is it still that way today?
I don't know, you know, but you
know, the ratings, it can't hurt
you.
Right.
It can help, but it can't hurt
you.
I don't think a bad rating can
hurt the cigar, right?
That's just an opinion, OK, You
know?
OK, perfect man, anything else
to add before we let you go?
I think everybody should try
buying some eucalyptus trees.
Yeah leaves and seriously, try
it.
Put it in your shower and and
the steam would enhance you roam
around the room.
Don't cut corners.
Do you know the cucumber?
The Smile cucumber makes your
room look bigger.
Really.
Yeah.
Look bigger.
It makes it look bigger.
Oh, don't take my word.
For maybe Jack's room wasn't
that big.
Maybe.
Don't.
Maybe he, maybe don't.
Yeah.
Don't take my word for it, Ask
half wheel.
Yeah, I could tell you that.
Would you consider, would you
consider this podcast Cigar
Media, just out of curiosity?
Yes, Yeah, Well, not this one.
We didn't talk about cigars, but
you, you do talk.
We kind of did talk about
cigars.
I have the show.
Yeah, we know it is.
Listen, it's.
No way.
There's no Ecuador.
I just don't say there's the
regular shade now.
It all helps, yeah, You
understand?
I just want to know if you have
you.
That watch it.
Do you understand?
I just think talking about the
cigars and cigars, it gets
boring after a while.
Yeah, I did like, I mean no
disrespect to anybody, you know,
with anything that I that I
said, I'm just speaking facts.
I'm not speaking, You know, when
I say something.
No, no, I ask what the fact.
Well, other than when I said the
cocaine, I don't know what was
cocaine or not, but I know he
was your own worst enemy.
If he calls me, I'll tell him
the same thing, right?
You understand?
I'm not saying it's cocaine.
It was just his own worst enemy.
He might have been, he was,
could have been whatever.
Possibly.
I'm just saying what other
people say.
But but I think everything that
everybody, you know, that
everybody says.
What I don't appreciate is
anybody putting anybody else
down because there's people to
do that.
You know, I'm, I've never, my
life spoke bad about a cigar.
If I don't like a cigar, I don't
tell the person.
Now, a lot of owners give me
cigars for me to taste and if I
enjoy it, I'd never smoke it in
front of them.
I was telling a little bit, I'm
sick and I can't smoke it
because if it's bad, you got to
smoke the whole fucking cigar in
front of them.
I don't do that, but I do give
it a shot in the morning with a
fresh palate, and if I like it,
I'll call them, right?
But this is really good.
And if I don't, they don't hear
from me.
You know what I'm saying?
But I can't.
So for everybody who gave him a
cigar and he didn't.
Call you I can't lie, right?
I know you don't believe me, but
it's hard for me to lie I.
Believe you.
How would I believe you?
And I'm too old to remember.
I'm too old to remember to lie.
If somebody tells me that people
give me a cigars at the time I
said, bro, this is not strong,
right?
I mean, I I remember I went with
Nemesh and Eddie used to be with
my partner back in the day to to
Dominican and Daniel Nunez.
They were coming out, I think
with Macanoodle bold whether
they give me a cigar or this is
a strong sugar, we'll make try
this, you know, be careful
because it's strong and I smoke
and I I could've eaten that
cigar.
I said brother's not strong.
Right.
You want a strong sugar, I give
him a a, a, a six to one blue
back in the day.
That's a strong cigar, right?
And then, oh, you know, this is
unsmokable, I said to you.
Right to you.
This is not strong, you know.
Today's market is not, you know.
What was the name again of that
strong cigar you made that
nobody liked that you talked
about during one of your little
stories?
La La bamba, La bamba I started
smoking.
Not the warhead, no, not the
word La bamba.
It was too overpowering, just
like the six O 1 Connecticut,
the one that he raided.
The black.
Some of the things he said he
was right on is overpowering.
When I first came out with that
cigar for Connecticut, it was
the strongest Connecticut in the
market.
It started selling great, but
then it was too powerful.
So I took it out of the market
because it died.
People who smoke Connecticut,
that's why the Krema does so
well for me.
One of my top 7 cigars.
Well, yeah, but forget about the
ballots and this.
And for me, that's all bullshit.
OK, the the flavor is the only
thing that counts, OK, because
people, they don't know how to
distinguish flavor from
strength.
A lot of people don't.
Sure.
So when you have a cigar, it's
not overpowering.
I don't smoke a lot of
Connecticut.
I don't, I just don't like, and
I can't smoke 2 Medoras
back-to-back.
I got to have a Habana in there.
My favorite rapper is Habana.
But when, when, if you're making
a Connecticut, you have to cater
to Connecticut smokers.
OK.
But what I tried to do is change
the industry because most
Connecticut is no disrespect to
anybody.
Don't taste like nothing.
There's nothing there.
Like drinking a light beer.
There's nothing there.
So I tried to put some oomph in
it, but not overpowering like
the six O 1.
What was the six O 1?
Gold Black, black at the time,
you know, so, and that's what
the Kremer sells so well because
it's it's, it's got flavor.
Right.
Well, that's what that's what I
I tried to do it.
People say it's one of the
strongest Connecticut in the
market.
I don't know.
It's not strong, but I think
it's one of the most flavorful
in the market.
Right.
OK, well, thank you so much for
coming up to you, man.
We appreciate you.
A lot of fun.
You're a great friend.
Dude.
You're a hell of a guy, you.
Guys are great.
Friend.
Yes.
Thank you so much for for
standing as I think.
He's better than Boots.
It was.
He probably did amazing, yeah.
He's probably gonna look great.
Seamless flips back.
I think he was great not.
Gonna be like when Boots does it
and I'm talking he shows your
face.
Yeah, you're talking.
He shows my face.
Well, the only problem is though
there was like nothing with like
really dumb send.
Yeah, that's the.
Problem like say something
stupid before we finish.
Bing Bong, there you go.
He's a good dude.
And that's it, man.
So yeah, thank you very much,
brother, and appreciate it.
Yeah, we love boots, but you
know, we like to pick on them
too, so.
He's not here, he's probably
smoking something with my
smoker.
Yeah, he is all right.
Next episode 423.
Thank you.
Bye bye.
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Show Notes
On today’s show: Amazon hints at ditching USPS, Cloudflare faceplants again, and the internet wants Al Michaels to finally hang it up. JC Newman ships the long-awaited Sarzedas, J16 makes its debut, and Crowned Heads rolls out its new TAA exclusive. Then we wrap it all up with the industry’s favorite game—What’s The Score?