ACHP Episode 511 Inside The PCA
Transcript
We're started.
We have.
We have begun.
Welcome to a Cigar Hustler
podcast episode 511.
He sounds fatigued.
I'm like, I'm very.
It's been a long day.
It's been a long day.
It's been a long day, I.
Mean there's only been three of
us working today.
Yeah, OK.
I'm Mike Palmer, your host, and
on today's show we are taping
live.
Not well, it's not really live,
but we're taping.
We're taping on the PCA show
floor.
You could see around us.
Pure chaos.
With me today is Greg.
This is 3 days in a row.
I didn't sign up for this step
on Kevitch.
Well, now I have nothing to say.
Yeah, 3 days.
Is and Mikey back from the dead?
I was sick.
I was sick.
I was very sick.
I just sent my wife a picture,
she said she still looks sick.
Oh well, tell her thank you very
much.
She's just concerned for your
well, Billy.
That's very nice of her I'm.
Definitely going to get sick
after sharing this mic with you.
You're well, you're already
sick.
You just don't even realize.
It he's just sick because you're
sick.
He's not even.
Yeah, he'll just get.
He just gets.
Yeah, he's going to talk himself
into being sick.
Another bad idea.
Whatever, we're a series of bad
ideas.
Sorry, so many bad ideas.
And then today's show we got
captcha hacking a Class 2
recall, a doctor took out the
wrong organ.
And then in cigars we have a new
PCA cigar portal entry and some
good news finally.
And then we're ending with a
What's the score?
Sounds good, but.
Before we get started, Michael,
what kind of illness did you
have?
I think I had some kind of upper
respiratory viral thing.
Yeah, yeah, I just got a note on
on our one of our football
groupme's that a kid has it.
So it's safe to say that I also
is.
Viral The contagious one.
Don't speak so low.
Oh, is viral the contagious one?
Yeah, yeah.
Yeah.
Oh, good.
Yes.
Yes. 10 hours, 10 hours in a
closed up car.
He licked the microphone.
OK, All right, Michael, how do
we get some of this chapter?
Pod swag.
What you want to do is log on to
Chapter pod.com where we have
all of our latest Chapter Pod
swag, buy one, get the 2nd 140%
off, spend $100 or more and get
free shipping.
Make sure you check out our
Patreon at patreon.com.
US Cigar Hoster's podcast where
now, Mike, you're not going to
believe this.
You're giving them away.
No, no.
Oh, you can get a yearly
subscription on the Patreon.
Oh yes, a lot of people take
advantage of that.
You can get 10% off if you sign
up for the entire year.
Pay in advance.
There you go, 10% off for the
entire year.
Our YouTube show On the Road has
been getting rave reviews.
Yeah, I noticed that it's very
well received.
Yeah, very well.
The chaos was very well received
and I have a few comments from
yesterday's show.
Oh, certainly.
Starting Excuse me from the top.
Is it the heat?
Is it getting to you too in
here?
I'm starting to sweat again.
It is a little hot.
It is a little hot.
Because it's hot.
Hold on, that's because it's
hot.
I'm running out of clean can.
You not say the F word so much
we're we're monetized.
We can't say the F word.
All right, you say it all.
I have to edit it all out.
Crazy I missed a couple.
I like the new camera setup
because I don't have.
To do better.
OK.
You trying to get me off the
market?
CW at CW6383 says the microphone
gives off the Price is Right Bob
Barker vibes.
I like the microphone.
He also said Oh my God this was
so freaking good and and and I
now have to rewatch just to see
how many car haulers y'all
passed.
Car tripping gold at Brett
Mirico.
Mercurio said.
Great job guys.
Triple G would rather be on a
cruise and then sitting in the
back seat sin seat belt holding
an unlit cigar.
Probably accurate.
And he's not a cruise guy.
Not a cruise guy, OK?
The cigar guy said Palmer's
cortisol levels higher than
ever.
I'm not even sure what that
means.
That means you're stressing
about.
Oh, because we almost died.
No, we didn't.
Almost died.
Wasn't even close.
It was close.
Steven Wells 6945 says please,
you have to be more careful.
First unlicensed pyrotechnics
and now this dangerous driving.
While while the show was great,
I don't think the thousands of
your fans are ready to switch
back to Romeo and Juliet cigars.
Your your lives are very
important to us.
That was nice.
Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Wells.
Thank you, Mr. Wells.
And I got to give these last two
here and my boy Miguel Rocha
says officially the first show
to give me anxiety.
Be safe everyone and lightning
1993 watch the road.
Typing this as I'm driving,
exact 100% we get.
It we're pretty sure we might
have broke a large.
We get maybe.
I don't think so.
We.
Can't texture drive.
It was AI, it was all AI.
We weren't really driving.
It was a big joke.
If you want to hear your comment
read aloud on the show, just
comment below on this episode
and we may read it out loud on
our next show.
I think that covers.
Where are we doing the next show
from?
I don't know.
One day at a time buddy.
See what happens.
I already have a potential guest
for for tomorrow's show.
Could it be someplace with AC?
It could be potentially a place
where.
They turn the AC on in.
Spot We were also able to smoke
a cigar.
It's possibly a well you in New
Orleans it's going to be 1 or
the other.
Can I?
Swear.
No, you can't.
Do that no matter where it is.
OK, so hey, let's get on with
the show.
All right, now the news.
Instead of seeing a standard
capture, you guys know what that
is where you have to click the
things.
Yeah, the little squares.
They verify you're not a robot.
Yeah, all right.
Hackers have found a way to do
that.
Where if you hit the right ones
it gives them access to your
emails and everything else.
Oh, really?
Yes, type a word or check a box.
Hackers are tricking people into
typing a series of keys that
allow them access to the
computer.
Oh boy.
So don't go to any more websites
and be careful where you go.
OK, that makes sense.
All right.
Have you ever been hacked?
I don't think so.
I know people that have several
Facebook accounts and they get
them over and over and over.
Yeah, and you see.
Oh, so and so's got a new
Facebook account.
Birthday comes up, it's like,
oh, it's 17 different things I
got then.
Right, Yeah.
Happy birthday to you.
It's because you guys continue
to get duped on the Facebook
Messenger, right?
Don't fall for here.
Are you on Facebook?
Just for marketplace.
So, so you are on Facebook.
I mean technically to look.
Because give out his name.
Give out his name.
So you but you.
But do you have like a Facebook
profile picture?
No, no.
Facebook.
Do you post anything about your
private life?
No.
So you just you just you're one
of those guys.
You're a Facebook stalker.
It's even under an.
Alias.
It's under an alias, barely.
What's this alias?
Michael Joseph Oh, oh, oh, good,
good.
It's.
Close.
They'll never see that coming.
Never see that coming.
All right, I thought it was
hacked the other day when people
started paying off their patrons
early.
Yeah, I thought they were fake
patrons because, I mean, we
don't have like 108 dollar level
or a $54 level, right.
So I panicked there for a minute
because we had all these like
somebody got in like.
Something's wrong here.
Something's wrong.
People are giving us money.
I figured, well, I thought,
somebody's trying to take our
money.
It's one of those you.
Oh, and then click on it.
Log in to see what.
Level they're at.
I can't tell you how many
potential hack emails I get on a
daily basis.
Whether it's from a fake C panel
saying, hey, you need to redo
your e-mail address or Costco.
There's a big knock off one for
Costco that I see all the time.
FedEx all the and they look
really good.
So it's very easy to fault for
someone to fall for this stuff.
Oh, sure, it's crazy.
That's the kind of world that we
live in where you have to be
prepared to say, oh, that's
bullshit, all that's bullshit.
I've been getting a bunch of
them from DoorDash and Instacart
really where they send you a
code and then they call you and
they want you to click on the
code and tell them what the code
is or something like that to the
point where I called DoorDash.
Oh, you almost did it.
Well, I wouldn't do it, but I
just had DoorDash the night
before, so they're like, oh, can
you screenshot it and send it to
us?
So I did all that and they're
like, can you report it as junk
because it's not us.
And then I don't even have an
Instacart.
So right.
But I mean like 5 phone calls in
a row and five text messages
from all these people.
It looks pretty legit.
I don't.
Yeah.
I mean, I think that that's
where like we're getting more
and more of that.
Like is this legit?
Even on social media and
Instagram?
Like for one, the AI thing
obviously, but even the
marketing on there, you're like,
oh man, that's even the
marketing things I see.
I'm like, that's completely AI.
It's not even true.
Right, it's getting harder and
harder to tell the difference.
Yeah, thank God.
My sauna came in and it was
real.
You're working my sauna.
Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.
I saw the box outside when we
picked you up.
Yeah.
It's legit, I love it.
You thought the sauna was a
scam?
It was possibly once it didn't
arrive after three weeks, yeah.
Three weeks.
It took three weeks for it to
ship.
You getting timu?
No, I mean might as well.
Wish.com.
Yes, that was the one.
No.
So it's.
It's just a raincoat with a heat
lamp.
That's what exactly what it is.
You're right.
Just the one light bulb.
Yeah, wait.
Just one light bulb.
There you go, one.
Red light bulb.
OK, all right, all right.
Moving on with the news.
All right, we get a nationwide
recall.
It's a Class 2, not a Class 1.
So there's a possibility of
illness, but not that.
OK, But it's Xanax.
Xanax has been recalled.
Xanax.
Xanax, it's the big PCA weekend,
everybody here probably, and
nobody can be on it now.
It's all been recalled.
No one's allowed to go on Xanax.
All the Xanax has been recalled.
Your anxiety is doomed.
Yes, the FDA Class 5 recalls a
Class 2, meaning the product
could cause temporary medical
reversible adverse health
consequences.
But the problem is it doesn't
dissolve in your system.
OK, so you take a pill, right?
And this pill doesn't dissolve.
No, but apparently you get sick
from it sitting in your stomach
for so long.
Would you want to be taking a
medication that if it's sat in
your stomach it could get you
violently I'll.
No, it just doesn't sound like a
good time.
I mean, that makes me question
Xanax as a whole.
Well, that's what they recalled
it.
It's supposed to dissolve,
right?
But everything the coatings too
thick or something on it.
Somebody hit the button too
much.
Somebody hit the button.
One guy, you had one job.
One job, you were one job and
hit the button every two
seconds.
Right.
Screwed that up, right.
Do you take any medication
currently?
Yes.
Is that, is this something we
don't talk about for HIPAA
violations?
No.
OK.
We're sharing a medication now
in the hotel.
Room Oh, you guys are sharing
meds?
We are.
Apparently I'm old now too.
Wait, did you I?
Had to bring extras.
So like in a pinch, you have to
provide more medication for yes.
Oh, that's so.
We have to leave on time because
my backups are going to be gone.
Oh boy, I didn't bring that many
extra.
It's a fail safe, yes.
And now you're you're accessing
his.
And it's helping him.
He feels great.
Yeah.
I feel amazing.
I like that you're a doctor and
you're just giving him
medication at this.
Point except for the whatever
you gave him that part I don't
have a.
Pill the viral respiratory
infection.
Yes, the annoying cough that you
have.
It's coming.
Look, I haven't coughed in the
past 12 minutes, right?
Is your uvula swollen?
Because that's something he I.
Don't know what that means.
The little ball hangs down your
throat.
Yeah, I didn't inspect your
tongue.
No, I didn't inspect.
Does he sound like he was
talking with a mouthful of food
all morning?
Oh really?
How's your uvula?
It's now normal.
Would you like to go into the
camera and show everybody you?
Want to?
Yeah, you want to zoom in on the
uvula?
It would just be normal.
It would just be a normal uvula.
Thank you.
His snoring was terrible last
night, but he provides earplugs.
I saw that.
I saw that you had earplugs.
It's very nice.
Oh, you went into the room?
Yeah, briefly, yeah.
It sounded like a werewolf was
killing a village.
I mean, it was.
It was pretty.
Bad.
You know, I'm kind of blessed.
I'm, you know, silver lining.
I'm, I'm glad that I got the
viral infection that I have and
then you guys decided to
quarantine me in the room with
one, one person, right, because
then you guys get to share each
other's misery, which I think is
fantastic.
We're we're doing well actually.
I would agree.
It's pretty easy living.
It's just like prison rules.
You know, you've got to respect
each other's space and, you
know, not move each other's
stuff and be organized.
It's not that hard.
Like he wanted the drawers and I
don't use the drawer so that's
fine, but then I get the couch
where I can put my suitcase laid
out.
Do you get to use the bathroom,
the facilities?
Do you get to poop in there?
Yeah.
Apparently you have a rule you
don't let him poop in the room.
That's a rule.
Yes, that is a thing.
It's poop pagetton in our.
Room.
It's poop Pagetton in your room.
So again, like if you were in
prison, what do you do?
You look at your cell and you're
like, we're going to fight
because you're not going to
shit.
That's totally different
scenario at that point.
We're going with prison rules.
You're going prison rules we're.
Going prison rules, we suppose.
There's 10 hangers.
I got 5, he got 5.
Also in prison rules 1 bed.
No, no, there's two beds.
There's two beds.
Just bring them together.
No, there's two beds, Yeah.
That's that's what I heard,
yeah.
No, Nope.
Just you were in the room is 2
beds.
I saw one.
All right to.
Tell.
You all.
Right.
Well, we're going to keep
updates as to how it's going and
your experience of You 2
together.
All right.
So I'm I got up a lift early so
he could have the bathroom just
like I do with you.
He didn't even hear me.
Nice.
All right, cool.
Glad the glad this has worked
out well for everybody then.
Yeah, it's going well.
We're thinking I get rid of our
wives and just moving in
together.
There you go.
We both love to cook, so I mean
that's not a problem.
Yeah, there you go.
Sounds great.
Right.
Sounds great.
OK.
All right, there's a surgeon on
the Florida Panhandle that's in
a little bit of a pickle.
He took out a man's liver
instead of his spleen.
That sounds like a big mess up.
Right.
So apparently he's doing the
surgery.
The man came up, he's having
problems and they still get a
spleen taken out.
He has an aneurysm pop inside
his gut fulls up with blood, and
in a panic, the doctor removes
the liver, not the spleen.
OK, the nurses, everybody going
that's not the spleen.
He's like, shut up, I'm the
doctor sends it off to have it
at the analyzed.
Yeah, to have it analyzed.
Tags it as a spleen.
The man dies because he has no
liver.
So now he's facing manslaughter
charges.
This, I mean, that's a big,
that's a big screw up, yeah.
Do you think he's going to get
convicted for manslaughter?
I have zero medical training.
None.
I think I might know the
difference in between the liver
and the spleen if you opened up
an individual in front of me.
So like for him to drop the ball
with that one is pretty big.
Is he an older gentleman?
He's 44.
So he's young, so dementia is
not.
No, but the gut was full of
blood.
He was in a panic and he's
trying to find the bleeder and
he knew he had to get the spleen
out, so he went ahead and cut
it.
I don't know exactly where the
spleen is, but I know where the
liver is.
So they have to be, you would
assume, close together, but
you're right, they look nothing
alike.
They look nothing alike.
And and and supposedly people in
the operating room.
Say yeah, the story said.
Everybody knew that was not the
spleen.
OK, But you know, I'm the
doctor.
I know what I'm doing.
He's dead.
That's I feel.
I feel for that guy too.
I feel for the family, for the
individual, but I also feel for
the guy that made the mistake.
Yeah, there's no mention of the
first time thing or.
Yeah, I mean to.
Me.
Or is he just an idiot?
Or you know.
I mean, realistically, if you
killed more than one person,
there'd probably be like, well.
Killed kind of a strong.
If you UN alive to person.
No, no, I mean it's AI, can't
think of what it's called, but I
mean people dying.
Happens all the.
Time yeah people in hospitals
die all the time in surgery yeah
you know it's not from taking
out the wrong thing but you know
they didn't didn't survive the.
Surgery.
There's one thing if they didn't
make it right, It's another
thing if there was malpractice,
right?
So I feel like that guy would
potentially have a track record
of malpractice, right?
You would think common, right?
Right.
Maybe not malpractice, but
potentially God complex.
OK.
I like how you call for the mic
now.
That's very nice.
That is nice.
One word.
Oh, we're hitting foots a little
tight here in this little
corner.
We're doing great.
We're doing great.
OK.
All right, moving on next all.
Right.
Do you have a video for us
today?
I do.
Oh, look at that.
I do.
That's good because he's
editing.
Hold on one second.
Is it picking up the saw?
Hope it's picking up the saw.
Oh yeah, yeah.
You forgot the.
It's.
Definitely picking up that saw.
I'm going to, I'm going to send
it to Greg right now.
Oh fine, whatever.
And.
Then I'll send it to you.
Oh, he's not in our little chat
group.
We, we, we have a chat group.
Send it to that.
Sorry, it's too late now.
Oh, that's it.
OK, once you all have it, we'll
all start watching it together.
You ready?
I don't know.
I don't have it.
It's coming.
Listen, the Wi-Fi here, the WI.
Fi here sucks the. 5G here is
not no bueno.
Well, pretty cool.
The hotel terrible.
Very slow.
Very slow.
It's coming.
This is this is great
entertainment, I'm sure.
Greg has his.
Oh, excellent.
Should we just share Z?
This was.
This was something that Greg
actually sent me.
Oh.
What's up New Orleans, NOLA,
Nala, wherever y'all want to be
called.
Check it out Small wayans this
weekend, Friday April 17th, I'm
going to be at the Fillmore
Theater.
Get your tickets now go to
marlins.com get your tickets for
my show Wild Child Tour.
It's going to be a great show me
in a beautiful theater.
We have a great time, but I'm
the second item of business
while I'm really coming to New
Orleans, is it's PCA.
That's right, it's the PCA trade
show.
So our cigar company, Liga
Tridente Cigars is going to be
taking over NOLA.
Friday.
We're going to be on the
mainstage having a convo with
Guy Fieri hosted by David
Savannah of Cigar Aficionados.
And we're going to be talking
about, you know, biz
entertainment, cigar culture and
whatever.
It's going to be a great sit
down conversation.
And then Saturday, come to our
booth.
It's going to be booth twelve O
6 right next to the PCA Lounge.
We're going to have live
interviews with my guy, hosted
by my guy, Brad Perry of Brad
Perry TV.
We're going to have top
retailers, top distributors and
we're going to be launching our
globally, our cigar company.
That's right.
It's the worldwide takeover for
Liga Tridente.
Let's go.
Let's all have a great
productive PCA and let's laugh.
Let's smoke and joke.
That's what this week is about,
smoke and joke.
And then I got some parties that
I'm hosting too.
It's going to be a wild Marlowe
into legal Tridente we can pull
up.
His boot could not be any
further away and still be in the
same building from us.
OK, so he's on the other side is
what?
You're saying way over in the
top other corner.
Oh, that'll be good for us.
Yes, OK, But he's here.
He's going to be here.
He's going to be here, OK.
So I love this.
Obviously, that's why I sent it
to you, because it shows a guy
that's putting in the work,
right?
Too often we see celebrities
that just mail it in.
That's not what this dude's
doing.
Yeah, So Marlon Wayne's going to
be in the building, right?
How do you feel about that?
I'm not a huge fan, but it's
nice that he's going to be here.
Because you said he wasn't going
to be here.
I didn't know we all said he
wasn't going to be here.
Damon Wayans has two new cigars
coming out at the show, and he
is instead of squat, squat.
I mean take out it's on video I.
Mean to be fair.
You said you said he wasn't
going to be here.
Well, he wasn't.
At the time, he was not planned.
He was not planned, no.
Are you sure?
It was not in 1/2 wheel.
It was not on half wheel, no.
Maybe it was on the PCA board.
I don't know, I get all those
emails too.
OK.
All right.
So we think that this is a good
thing for the industry.
Yes, definitely.
OK.
You guys going to go to his
concert ways here?
He's getting paid to be here,
too.
It's on Friday.
He's getting paid to be here by
PCA.
No, no, he's doing a concert.
So I mean he he did a 2 for you
know.
I mean, that's smart, sure.
I don't you know, that's I would
do the same thing.
Hey, I'm going to parlay this
right, make a little bit of
cash.
Tickets to have people watch us
to podcast.
Yeah, yeah, it's a great idea.
There are some podcasts that do
that.
That's a great idea.
Sell tickets.
There there are podcasts that
do.
That it looks like you have a
sty forming too.
Over here, this side, yeah,
yeah, It's been hurting for two
days.
Oh, yeah.
Oh, that's perfect timing, Yeah.
And he just touched it.
And then he just.
Touched.
I've been rubbing it for.
Two, you think it's infectious?
Hey, it's out of here.
OK.
So I mean, this is great.
I I think it's kind of to be
determined.
It's a question of how long he
he sticks it out.
I'm curious to see how long he's
on the show on floor.
Does have new cigars, yeah.
But yeah, I'm curious how long
he's going to stay.
Stay for the day or just.
Hours.
Yeah, yeah.
What do you think?
Do you think there's a line?
There's a line.
If he's here for like the day,
then you're good.
Either way, actually, I'm OK
with him just being present,
maybe doing half a day or a full
day or every single day.
That's more effort than I see a
lot of other celebrities doing
So, yeah.
Yeah, I like that he's partnered
up with Guy Fieri on Friday,
right?
And here's why.
Because if you're going to learn
from a celebrity how to make it
successful, it's got to be Guy
Fieri, right?
He's going to say, hey, this is
what you got to do.
You can't just half ass this.
You got to put in the work and,
you know, be available.
Right?
Agreed.
OK All right.
Anything else?
We have some cigar news.
OK.
So we're going to move on to the
next thing.
Great video.
Yes, thank you for sharing that
with me.
You're welcome.
OK.
El Rey de Mundo Appointment
Brazil Coming this month, the
non Cuban El Rey de Mundo brand
is getting a second installment
in its appointment line, this
time using a Brazilian rapper.
It's called the El Rey de Mundo
Appointment Brazil.
Makes sense?
Makes sense.
Makes sense?
And it features an out of
paraca.
Out of paraca.
Out of paraca rapper grown in
the oh put my glass I have no.
Idea.
Oh boy, what was a big word?
I love it when he has to say
big.
Words a big word.
Alagos Regent.
Did he say that right?
Alagosin.
Yeah.
I don't think so.
ALAGOAS.
I love the grinding guy in the
background.
It's going to be amazing.
He's doing a great job.
I don't know.
Anyway, underneath that is a
Nicaraguan tobacco, used for
both the binder and the filler.
The cigars are made STG.
AJ Fernandez.
STG Donnelly factory in Honduras
and offered in three sizes.
So let's say what it is, a 5 by
50 robusto, A6 by 50 for Toro
and a 5 by 60 Gordo.
OK, 5 by 60. 5 by 60.
Oh, that's odd.
Why not do a 660?
Short and fat OK.
All right, All three sizes are
offered to 20 count boxes, with
prices ranging from.
What?
What do you think the retail
price is?
Not a lot. 8-8 Bucks. $8 yeah, I
think it's like 8 to 10 bucks.
879 there you go. 2949 so 8 to
$10.
The cigars are scheduled to
begin shipping on April 20th.
El Rey de Mundo appointment
Brazil is a perfect cigar for
this or any moment.
OK, Well, it's interesting to
see Brazilian out of paraca
being produced from Honduras,
right?
El Rita Mundo.
I mean, sometimes for the price,
they're not bad, right?
Our store sells a bunch of them
because of that, because of that
point.
The one in the white tissue,
right?
Yeah, white tissue, white tissue
all.
Right Diesel Backyard BBQ series
is returning with burnt ends.
Justin Andrews.
Maybe he's giving away a grill.
Probably.
Maybe.
The Diesel Baked Yard BBQ series
is back for a second helping
this year, serving up a new
limited edition called Burnt
Ends in early May.
It's a 6 by 52 Toro.
Please.
It's a legit Toro.
OK.
That uses the Pennsylvania
broadleaf wrapper atop a
Nicaraguan binder and filler
designed to deliver a profile
described as bold by design.
We want to create something that
would celebrate the true spirit
of summer, said Justin Andrews,
global brand manager and
ambassador of Diesel cigars and
a press release.
OK.
Are you excited about the diesel
burnt ends?
I'm completely distracted by
that man using the totally wrong
tool for that project and it was
just making me very angry.
Listen, that's what he's got,
OK?
Sometimes you got a MacGyver.
Some things, you know what I'm
saying.
Yeah, it's a trade show, you
know, You know, Yeah, you get
asked for tools twice today from
people and I don't even know
what the tool the guy was
looking for.
What proper tool should he be
using, Greg?
A circular saw?
Because he'd be done in 10
seconds, correct?
This is going to take him. 1520
minutes.
He obviously doesn't have a
circuit one of those.
Drywall cutters he's using.
That's exactly what it is.
Wow.
So reciprocating saw the wrong,
just a little bit of wrong saw.
Right.
Wrong saw.
Wrong saw.
Well, I'm sorry that he's
upsetting you.
All right, how much is the burnt
end?
The burnt ends, how much?
Do the box price.
How much do you think the what
is the 20 count box?
10 count boxes. 10 count box.
Retail 140 on a 10 count box
it's.
Going to be a little less than
that.
I think we're coming in about
110. 7490. 9.
Woo Retail.
Yep, yeah. 7:50 A cigar, 10
count box.
That's low.
You're going to see a lot of
that this year.
Good job, Justin.
No, we don't give him any
credit.
He never answers our call
screen.
The phone.
We don't like him anymore.
Yeah, you can see the guess you
have Linda.
No.
That would be nice.
No.
All right.
The court is now the good news.
OK.
Court is keeping premium cigar
definition the way it is.
Continue the show over.
Are we done?
What happened in the end?
Judge Amit P Mahata, the same
judge who's overseeing the case
since it was filed, upheld the
same definition used since 2020.
That means most handmade cigars
that do not have added flavoring
or not subject to the FD as
deeming regulations, which
include product approval, user
fees and blood, all that kind of
stuff.
So here's what you have to do to
be a premium cigar wrapped in a
whole tobacco leaf.
Contains 100% leaf tobacco
binder Contains at least 50% of
the filler by weight.
Long filler tobacco, Whole
tobacco leaves that run the
length of the That's what it
means is handmade or hand roll.
Has no filter and does not have
a non tobacco tip or non tobacco
mouthpiece.
Does not have a characterizing
flavor other than tobacco.
Contains only tobacco, water,
vegetable, gum, no other
ingredients.
Relatives and weighs more than
£6 per 1000 units.
John Carney's behind us.
Oh, I've already talked to
Carney Day.
He can't.
There he is.
He's strolling by with his
national sales manager friend.
Oh, we're going to mirror film.
We have his story.
There he is.
Hello.
Hey, podcasters.
Yeah.
How you doing guys?
Welcome to New Orleans.
There you go.
What's up, brother?
OK, so do you think that this is
good or bad for the cigar
industry?
Well, it's it's obviously good.
Definitely good.
There are going to be other
pitfalls though.
Yeah.
I mean, it's progress, but I
don't think that it's extremely
beneficial.
Why don't you think it's why you
think there are pitfalls?
Because we gave a ton of money
to the FDA and a lot of people
aren't going to want to getting
it back.
And some of the people that do
get it back aren't going to
redistribute it back to the
individuals that actually paid
for it.
I mean, that's an interesting
perspective that I didn't even
consider to be honest. $100
million in user fees have been
paid.
What money to get a look at you
like whoa, whoa.
Right.
That's what they're saying.
There's no program to give you
the money back.
Yeah.
No, it's worse than that.
Not only is there potential for
the FDA to say, hey, we're not
giving it back.
If they do give it back, they're
going to give it back to the
people that paid it last, which
would be the importers right
now.
Those importers collected funds
from the brands or the
manufacturers to pay for it.
Right now, if you really want to
get deep, deep into it, the
retailers, when they sold the
product, collected those fees
from the consumer that then used
the money to go and pay for the
product and then the money just
flew that way, right as far as
the way that it flows.
So realistically, who is
supposed to get that money if
it's even given back?
So if the importer gets it the
brand, the company should be
getting it back to some degree,
right?
You would think, right, if
that's the right thing to do.
Now I know the people, the the
person that we use will do that,
right?
I don't know if they all will.
No, they, they definitely, I
don't think they all will.
OK, so that's, that's problem
number one problem #2 is I have
an issue with infused cigars not
being acknowledged as premium
cigars.
I think that's a problem.
And if you it, what's even
funnier is that if you read this
particular article from the CRA,
they say, yeah, we want
something and congratulations
and blah, blah, blah, blah,
blah.
But if you read the same article
from half wheel, half wheel
discloses, OK, but here's the
problem.
Like we still this, I don't
think that this is done yet
because infused cigars are not
acknowledged and there's no gun.
Tremendous problem.
I agree absolutely, because
infused cigars are very, very
important to our industry.
Yeah, absolutely.
And not only that, but I would
consider a lot of those infused
cigars, premium cigars, actually
every single one that we carry
as a cigar retailer, I would
consider a premium cigar, even
the ones that retail at 4 or $5.
Agreed.
The CAA is the ones that are
fighting to have the infused put
back in.
The CAACAA OK, but the CRA said
yeah, we won.
CA, yeah.
And PCA went, yeah, we won and
CA is going hold on, wait a
minute.
Wait a second, we didn't.
Win.
We didn't win.
Right.
But the big argument of the CAA
is, are they protecting just the
big interests of the big, big
manufacturers and brand owners?
Are they trying to protect
everything as a whole, which is
the argument that we, the
conversation that we started to
have with Scott, the guy who
runs CAA, Yeah.
I don't know.
I mean the company that owns
real estate is pretty big,
right?
They would be considered a big
company in our industry, no?
Yeah.
So the argument is, are they
just focusing on that big or are
they focus on everything else?
But you're actually making the
opposite statement, right?
Because if flavored cigars,
which is a big part of the Drew
State portfolio, we're not
saying, hey, we should stop,
pause for a second, realize that
it's not being included, then
aren't they actually arguing
without them?
They're.
Yeah, yeah, we, I mean, what's
up, bro?
You know, you know that that's,
that's a great argument.
And what's funny is I've seen,
I've seen two sides of this
conversation, 1 coming from a
big retailer and one coming from
the CAA, the CEO, the CACAA.
And I think they both both have
valid points, as long as there
isn't a regulation or a
parameter set where a barrier of
entry is so high that a smaller
brand or manufacturer cannot
enter into the realm to make
sense.
Sure, but if that smaller brand
is making a flavored cigar, they
can't be included within that
group of premium cigar.
At this current moment, correct.
However, if something is
approved and it's follows along
the lines let's say of the
California UTL and you have to
do XYZ in order to be documented
or whatever, I mean that that's
unflavored.
But if there's some form of
documentation that requires
regulation, registration, dues,
or whatever that needs to be
done annually or whatever the
case may be like, your cost
could become too high for you to
compete in that market against
the big dogs.
Makes sense?
Yes, different, different topic,
yes.
Right, multiple variables here,
right?
OK, cool.
Next we got one last story.
Then we have what's the score?
OK, I'm gonna get my ass kicked
lately so I better win this one.
Merrifel announces new US sales
head which just him here on the.
Yeah, he just walked.
By he just walked by.
Yeah, Merrifield.
Also, their booth is right
there.
I don't know if you noticed this
massive thing here.
That's that's that's.
Well, they have lots of money,
so.
This big thing, very large.
Right, This Is Us.
This is our booth here we have
this, these three chairs.
We have this good flag.
So needs a fena.
Fena flag.
So we have that Merrifield
family best known for tie in
gunfire, Mayor Fell Cigar Brands
expanding its presence in US and
they have hired Eric Vidalia,
who previously worked for La
Florida, Manicana and Oliva has
been appointed to oversee the
sales of its cigars in the US.
Yes, apparently he was just
there.
Yeah, this is very exciting
news.
You want to know why?
Why?
Because we gave this news out
two weeks ago.
Yes.
Yeah, we did.
We did.
We certainly did.
We met him two weeks ago on the
show and we talked about.
It see, so Charlie really needs
to be paying attention to what
we do every day.
I think he watches his show.
You think so?
I think obviously not every day
because he would have missed
that he got that information.
I think it's hard for a lot of
people to keep up with the
everyday.
Yeah, Show.
Yeah, I think our viewers are
down.
Oh, the viewer.
Today, because a lot of industry
people watch our show and
they're traveling today.
Yeah, it's pretty funny.
So did you know that Eric was a
national yada yada for Mirafo?
No, no, I did.
He came into the shop.
Oh, oh, the young kid.
Yeah.
Yeah, no, yeah, I.
Like the OH.
So you didn't?
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
That was just right here.
Yeah, yeah.
OK.
OK.
So we had that Intel 2 weeks
before you half will.
That's right.
Just saying she.
Paid attention, just saying we
leaked it then.
OK.
Well, that's exciting news.
I think that that's going to be
a, that's a great look for
Mirafell.
Do you think that Mirafell needs
something in order to shape
their forward progress in the
United States for sales?
Yes.
Do you OK, do you think that
this national sales manager is a
good step in that direction?
Could be a tool a part of the
components necessary for them to
be successful?
Sure.
OK.
What other components, Craig, do
you think that they need in
order to for Mirfeld to thrive
and be successful in the United
States?
Their cigars are very expensive.
OK.
Well, now they have these other
things, these these family
blends that they've also
launched as well that are
competitive in in a different
price point.
What else?
Well, that would be helpful.
Great.
OK.
And is there anything else?
No, nothing more.
What about a bigger sales force?
What about people in three or
four regions, maybe?
They had three or four other
younger men that I didn't meet
when they were, when they came
by and said hello today.
Oh yeah.
Never with him.
I don't know who they were.
So, so it sounds like they're
building a sales team.
They.
Could have.
There's been two guys that keep
showing up to check on the
progress of the of the booth
that we had never met before.
OK, so maybe they have.
Well, that's great.
Yeah.
So if they start to establish
and structure, I think that that
will be helpful for their brand
as far as churns and recurring
sales and all those other
things, right, Because then you
can do events and specific
things catered towards the
retailer to help them promote
and build the product and create
more demand in the United
States, right, Right, right,
right.
Great.
OK, so.
You think they're moving in the
right direction.
Yes.
OK, perfect.
OK.
I like that he's shutting down
on us.
This is a sensitive subject.
This is a big argument for us.
Well, what you're doing is
you're getting me on record
saying that yes, I believe that
this is all good and there's
justification, whereas my my
position is still kind of what
it is as far as cigar hustler.
I 100% AM, and I'm glad that I
painted you into the corner.
Thank you.
You're welcome.
No, I mean, look, I believe in
that brand.
I want to, I want to do what we
can as a retailer to help
promote and cultivate that
brand.
So, OK, so we're excited for
Mirafel.
Excited for Mirafel.
Yay, Mirva.
All right, it's time for you to
introduce your favorite game.
What's the score?
You get to go first today.
September 30th, 20 What do you
go first?
I don't care.
He has to go 1st September 30th,
2020.
Brooks Whittington is the
reviewer.
Dunbar and Tobago and Trust,
Limited edition Nicaragua
review.
The Sober Mesa Brulee Blue. 91.
90.
See Brulee blue.
It's from Nicaragua.
Fabrica de tobacco.
Hoya de Nicaragua.
Ecuadorian.
Connecticut.
Mexican.
I have no idea what this is.
Matacapa Negro de temporal.
OK.
Filler Nicaraguan, length 6 1/4
by 46 Grand Corona.
There's three of them.
They smoke three.
They smoke 391.
I'm sticking with 98 one real
quick.
Did you say who was the
reviewer?
Brooks Whittington, I said in
the beginning, I.
Apologize.
You were speaking very fast,
Brooks, because that's
pertinent, OK.
All right.
I don't think you should have
given that until I knew it was
Brooks and it was in 2020.
All right, so you both did.
Did you say 90?
He said 91.
Yep.
All right, first clue.
The flavor profile is layered in
dynamics, starting with creamy
peanut butter and spice, then
evolving into tea leaf, vanilla
and citrus notes, keeping the
experience engaging from start
to finish. 91.
So you remembered what year it
was, You remember who wrote it.
What's the probability of you
remembering the actual number
that it was?
I've never looked at the review.
But you.
But he only looked at his own
reviews.
Yeah, I never looked at the
review, but I I heard him say
Brooks.
I heard him say 2020.
I'm listening to him as he
speaks.
I know that.
I use my ears.
You know that that is unusual
that he listens, but he did
listen to this.
I listen all the time.
I listened.
What?
What?
Yeah.
What?
Yeah, what?
What?
So what number are you?
No, you go 1st 91.
All right, 90.
Construction is excellent
overall with a razor sharp burn,
strong draw and above average
smoke production throughout all
thirds 91. 89.
The wrapper appears fragile,
with a noticeable damage on
multiple samples and
inconsistent firmness, including
hard spots, which raises
concerns about durability and
quality control. 90. 88.
Final thought, while I've
enjoyed the sober Maze Brulee I
have smoked, there are a number
of Connecticut blends I would
choose over them if given the
choice.
However, the Silver Mesa Brulee
Blue is not only is not only on
a different level, but in a
different ballpark all together.
The profile is creamy, rich and
extremely well balanced flavor
bomb with just the right amount
of spice and white pepper to add
nuance without detracting from
the notes.
In addition, the cigar burns
quickly without burning hot at
any point, while the overall
construction is some of the best
I experienced than any cigar I
reviewed this year what it would
call a light at once and lose
your lighter kind of stick,
Although they are harder to find
than many other Connecticut
wrapper blends.
If you're looking for a great
morning cigar to smoke on the
weekends or when you have a bit
more time, I can't think of a
cigar I would quit above this
one at this moment.
Oh, mix so mixed there, you know
what I mean?
Yeah.
So I mean you can go any
direction you could potentially
could go any anyway, yes you
could.
So what are you thinking?
So go right ahead, but why don't
you go?
I'd prefer for you to go.
I'm going to.
I'm going to go.
Need to go because I know where
the right answer is.
I'm going to go 90.
I'm going to go 91.
It's 92.
Wow, lost again.
Fireworks.
Fireworks.
Fireworks.
Fireworks. 92 Even with the
fragility and the concerns and.
The hard spots and everything,
right?
92 OK Anything else to add?
That's it, it's all I got.
Make sure you like and subscribe
wherever you're viewing or
listening to this show.
And thank you so much for your
time, gentlemen.
Mr. Palmer, thank you as always
for giving up the news.
Greg, thank you again for being
our guest Co host.
A pleasure, we love having you
on.
Thank.
You to watch the next episode,
see what new disease the three
of us have got.
I've got a stye, he's got a
viral infection and his uvula
doesn't work.
Yeah, welcome to PCA.
Let's go.
Did I make it through the whole
episode without swearing?
No, you did one time.
At the beginning.
You did the beginning.
Oh.
There it is again.
There it is again.
Beep.
OK.
All right.
Thanks everybody.
Bye.
Show Notes
On today’s show captcha hacking. A class 2 recall, a doctor oopsTakes the wrong organ! In cigars we have new PCA cigars a portal entry and some good news finally! Then ending with a what’s the score!Check Out Our Patreon For More Insider Content:https://www.patreon.com/acigarhustlerspodcast