Cigar Hustlers Podcast Ep. 380 Bankruptcy, Blossoms & Big Releases
Transcript
Welcome to episode 380 of a
Cigar Hustler's podcast.
We got a few things here that
we're gonna cover, but before we
get started, this Friday we have
the Bentley Cigar Private Dinner
with the one of the only John
Carney in this private lounge.
Only 20 members.
If you haven't got your tickets,
reach out to us at Cigar Hustler
and we'll lock you in.
Also April 11th, PCA 12th.
Starts on the 12th.
We're working forever.
Yeah, we get there like on the
9th, the night of the 9th.
Crazy.
April 12th PCA, the cigar
convention of the year in New
Orleans.
If you are a retailer and you
want to meet with us, we'll put
a calendly link below so you can
click on that.
And if you want to do an
interview with us, click that
link.
We'll put both links in the
bottom portion of the comment
section on our YouTube page.
So without further ado, I give
you the legend, Mr. Mike Palmer
in the building.
Well, thank you for the
introduction Michael.
It was very nice of.
You.
I'm just living vicariously
through you, my.
Friend, did you see John Carney
do a private dinner this
weekend?
He did.
I Yeah, at somebody's time.
He told us he was doing it, but
I didn't expect to see photos.
It looked delicious.
Yeah, he's like, this was my
moment or something like that he
did on social media.
It's good to be working with
friends and stuff.
Yeah, Simon looked like two of
his buddies, I guess.
Ryan and Mike.
Who's Ryan and Mike?
Ryan's a Oliva Rep.
Oh, I don't know him, Yeah.
A little crazy.
That must be the bigger guy.
And was it Mike Wilson?
McAuliffe.
Yeah, formerly of McAuliffe.
I didn't even see the second
guy.
Yeah.
Oh, isn't that nice.
I should look at things with my
glasses on.
Should.
Probably check that out.
He was in a suit and everything.
Chef outfit?
No, Mike was Yeah.
Wow.
So he was in a suit for the
dinner.
So he does own one.
He has a suit.
Has a suit.
But whenever he's rapping hoot
and young, no suit.
Whether T-shirt.
I don't understand it.
It doesn't make much sense to
me.
If you have the suit, just wear
the suit.
It's not their dress code dude.
I guess T-shirt.
People, what are we doing for
the Patreon?
We are smoking for the Patreon.
Is yours the vow?
The green one?
I'm not sure what it's called.
The Vow.
The green one.
I have the notes on my phone for
that show, but it's you know
what, you got that right.
We have what pretty clear If
it's an audio show, you have to
talk.
If you could talk that would be
fantastic.
The the nodding does not help
the audience.
I forgot where it was for a
second.
OK, gotcha.
Yes, we have Ryan again today.
Did such a great job last week.
Back on the ones and twos.
Back on the ones and twos.
So yeah, let's see what this
weighs in at before we get
going.
This is small batches.
Yeah, it's one of their cigars.
I'm.
Excited for them.
They're about to gravitate into
the abuse of wholesale. 14
grams.
All right, 14 grams I.
Don't know what's going on.
Let's get going, all.
Right, and trending news we got
23andMe is now just zero in me
DC cherries are in stage 5.
Tiger Woods takes the love of
Trump a tad further than anybody
else.
And then in cigar news, Guyana,
Guyana, Ghana.
How do you say that country
GAJN.
A Guyana.
Guyana yeah, it's where the big
cigar sales are going.
Warped can't be bothered.
We have several PCA releases.
We have a new event cigar from
our friend Nick.
Nick Malala.
Nick Malala Eddie Tarzona is
gaining some weight and see
Bocock news about the size of
their bat.
SGSTGS Cutting back way back.
Cutting way back.
STGSTG DuPont lighters are hit
by Trump's tariff, and Tyler
Jeffries is releasing his second
cigar.
Boom.
Yeah, very.
All that's very exciting.
Good news is that, you know,
we're finally in the portion of
the year where cigar news like
trends.
This is what everybody waits
for.
Yeah, this is it.
This is this is our Super Bowl.
This is our Super Bowl.
Right.
OK, let's go.
All right, trendy News Genetic
testing firm 23 Me files for
bankruptcy Gene testing firm 23
ME said on Sunday it'll file for
Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection
in order to facilitate its sale
after years of struggling to
find a sustainable business
model.
Wonder what happens to all your
DNA they have now?
We parted all out.
We sell it to the highest
bidder.
We're selling those too.
In a statement announcing the
bankruptcy, the firm said it's
CEO and Wojic.
What would you kinky What
chickie?
Well, chickie, yeah.
Is she one of your?
Peoples.
It looks like she's one of my
peoples.
Had resigned effective
immediately.
Doesn't matter who she is now,
we don't care.
She will remain on the companies
board of directors.
After a After a thorough
evaluation of strategic
alternatives, we have determined
that a court supervised sale
process is the best path forward
to maximize the value of the
business, said Mark Jensen,
chair and member of the special
committee of the board of
directors.
So they have a board of
directors and a special
committee of the board of
directors.
Yeah.
Do you know why she resigned?
She didn't want them to take her
DNA.
No, she it's not about her DNA.
The reason why she resigned is
because she wants to be able to
have the ability to bid on the
company.
Oh, she wants to buy it herself?
Yeah.
So if she's part of the company,
she can't bid on it.
So yeah.
Wait, she's running this
company?
Company's going into bankruptcy,
now she wants to buy it.
Oh, I know it.
It sounds totally fucked.
Yeah, 100%.
Right, like maybe she did it
allegedly for various reasons.
Right.
Oh my God, Oh man, I.
I made that wrong decision.
This doesn't seem to be working,
no.
It's so strange.
I'll give you a dollar for it
though.
You know, I'd like to bid on
that.
Right Late last year, the
company said it was cutting
about 40% of its workforce,
around 200 employees.
Do they need that many
employees?
That's a lot of genes.
You spit on a stick and send it
to them.
What else they doing with it?
It that's what it is, spit on a
stick.
It's not blood.
Work and then you mail it back
to them.
They put YouTube in somewhere
and then see if you have cancer.
Or if you genetically match
cancer, genetically match
cancer.
I guess and discontinuing
further development of its
therapies as part of they have
therapies as part of the
restructuring program.
According to Reuters, in
September, all seven of the
company's independent directors
resigned in mass.
Oh, they all left at the same
time, citing their frustration.
Frustration with the CE OS
strategic direction to tank the
company.
So they should.
Buy it and buy it.
And efforts to take 23andMe
private.
Oh, there it is.
That makes sense.
The company, which went public
in 2021, had never made a
profit.
The stock shot up following the
listing, briefly valuing the
company at six billion.
Wow, wow.
Wojcicki, who owned 49% of the
company, became a billionaire.
It sounds like it sounds like a
bit of fuckery about here.
It does, doesn't it?
You know what?
I.
Mean and core product and at
home DNA testing testing kit
offers personalized genetic
insights that the company says
can flag potential health risks
such as one's likelihood develop
Alzheimer's or certain cancers.
Not all just certain cancers,
right. 23andMe tried to convert
1 time buyers into subscribers
with the promise of continued
feedback and personalized
Wellness plans, but had
reportedly fallen short of its
goals subscription plans.
Yeah, they try and loop you in
to pay for.
Well, I understand why they're
doing it, but why would you get
a?
Like annual, any updated
information?
Spit in another tube and send it
in again and we'll reevaluate.
No, once the tube's done, the
tube's done.
But as like links happen and
additional things, they can tie
you back in and whatever.
Ryan, how do you feel about the
23 me going bankrupt?
Are you registered with any of
these companies?
Are you absolutely not not pass
out my DNA?
It's up to my wife.
Just to your wife and did she
give out your DNA to?
Well, she made things with it.
Yeah, she she's currently in the
in the currently currently
making one.
I give my DNA to my wife and she
gives me babies.
That's.
It that's it.
Oh, it's a good deal.
That's where that ends.
Do you do you think the lead CEO
is actually purposely tanking
this in order to acquire it
herself?
It.
It sounds like it.
It definitely sounds like she's
trying to shift around money to
the benefits.
Posted to the microphone there,
right?
Yeah, yeah, yeah, Mike.
It looks like that to me.
Yeah.
I agree absolutely.
What do you think?
She must have some type of plan
to, you know, bring it back up
now that she's tanked it.
She wants to make it private.
Well, originally it was private,
Then they sold.
They sold shares to raise money.
And now that she's a
billionaire, she wants to go
private again.
Yeah, but it's never turned a
profit.
And this time, she'll make
money.
I mean, she just doesn't show
profits spend, you know, That's
not that.
Hard.
It seems there is some fuckery
about here.
I've already said that.
I am just.
Now you're just repeating.
I'm agreeing.
Now you're just taking my stuff
and making your.
Stuff.
I'm seeing some problems here.
OK.
All right.
OK, moving on.
Next story.
DC's cherry blossoms reached
stage five puffy white blossoms.
I love cherry blossoms.
Well, apparently everyone else
does too.
A million people were looking at
this story today.
The Yoshino cherry trees at the
Tidal Basin have reached stay
have reached stage, the last
stage before peak bloom.
Puffy white Blossoms.
The iconic cherry blossoms are
continuing their journey toward
peak bloom, officially reaching
stage 5 or Puffy White Blossoms
March 23rd, 2025.
According to the National Park
Service, the blooming process
began with stage one on March
11th, followed by stage 2 and
then March 16th, and they
quickly it progressed into stage
3 by March 19th and stage 4
coming the last day or later,
March 20th.
Stage five Puffy White Blossoms
is the final stage before Peak
Bloom arrives.
Very exciting stuff.
Apparently I wanted to have
cherry blossoms in my house.
Why don't you?
You can't.
They don't grow here.
It's too hot here.
They won't sustain.
But I like them.
I think they're badass.
Oh, they're very pretty.
Do you know how we got cherry
blossoms in DC?
So I dropped a cherry.
No, Ryan, do you know how we got
cherry blossoms in DC?
Nope.
I'm pretty sure they were
donated from Japan.
Oh, that makes sense.
Yeah, like a whole peace thing.
They're.
Going to want them back soon so.
After we bombed them.
Yeah, after we.
Right after we bombed them.
Are we so sorry, here's some
trees.
I don't.
Know there's some trees.
There's some trees.
We can't grow them here now.
Nuclear waste everywhere.
Yeah.
Can't grow.
I don't.
Think they're going to try and
take them back?
Well, there's there's that one
French guy who wants the Statue
of Liberty back.
Yeah, whatever.
He's so full of shit.
Come on, dude.
Do you honestly believe any of
that?
He makes one.
Well, we want it back.
Well, it was just one guy.
He doesn't really hold any
power, right?
But I saw it.
It was mentioned at the press
conference to the secretary or
whatever that little girl is.
I don't know her name.
The blonde girl, whatever she
does, I'm scared of her, but I
don't know.
Her terrified.
Terrified of her.
I don't know her name, but
somebody asked, you know, how
does Mr. Trump feel like so and
so has asked for the thing.
She laughed and said he holds no
power in France.
We're not giving it back anyway.
We don't care what he has to.
Say what he says.
He means nothing to.
French Blogger, so maybe the
Japanese?
Well, your brother's there, so
maybe the Japanese will want the
trees back after your brother's
been whomping around Japan I.
Can't see that we dropped two
bombs on them.
It's true.
You know what I mean.
I.
Don't know.
People get up in the air, they
forget.
I don't think that you would
forget that one.
We killed like 200,000 people.
100,000 people.
They're all dead, all their
relatives.
You.
Killed 100,000 people when they
dropped and then like another
100,000 afterwards for like
radiation and stuff.
I don't think that after that
type of abuse you.
Don't think they ever forget.
Yeah, I don't think that they
want to go up against you again.
They want peace.
Well, they just want the trees
and not going to attack us and
come get them.
I don't think they want to start
anything.
You guys with shovels and things
going to be able to show up and
start digging them?
Up.
No man.
Come on, be reasonable.
Have you been to DC?
Have you seen how many cherry
blossoms there?
When I was a kid, we wait 'cause
we used to live in Maryland.
There's a ton of them over
there.
Take all of them.
Basin you take all of them.
After stage 6.
Once we reach stage six, the.
Cherries fall off.
No more cherries.
No more cherries.
No, it's no more cherry blossom.
What's it called after?
It doesn't cherry blossom
anymore, Just trees.
We're going to take back these
trees.
They back these trees.
OK, All right.
Tiger Woods confirms his
relationship with Vanessa Trump.
Yeah.
President Trump's former
daughter-in-law golfing hero
Tiger Woods on Sunday confirmed
his relationship with Vanessa
Trump, the former
daughter-in-law of President
Donald Trump, by declaring that
love is in the air.
Think she still has access to
Trump?
No, man, she don't.
She don't.
She gave him grandchildren,
kids, right?
I guess maybe.
A lot of grandchildren.
Yeah, 5.
Woods posted a picture of him
alongside Trump to his
Instagram.
Like they, they just call her
Trump now.
Yeah, right.
There's Instagram and X
accounts.
Oh, he's on X with the caption
Love is in the air and life is
better with you by my side.
Is he said that like 12 times?
Because there's a lot of girls.
Is that his?
Is that his moment?
That's his standard.
I think love is the most got it.
We look forward to our journey
through this life together, or
as long as she lasts or
whatever.
I mean why is she still going
with the last name Trump?
Well, would you change your
name?
Well, OK, yes, OK, she's
divorced, but she's not
remarried, so she has not
changed it back to whatever her
maiden name was.
That doesn't normally happen.
She should go back to her maiden
name.
Why?
I don't know, it just seems
tacky to hold on to if you know,
hey.
But by keeping that OK, all the
grandchildren's last name is
Trump, right?
So now she has the same last
name as all her children.
OK, until it's Woods.
Then what happens?
Well.
Who knows?
Yeah, yeah, he's not getting
married again.
So it's different at that point
because you know she married
another dude, right?
That doesn't even make any
sense.
My second wife kept my last name
until she married some other
guy.
Yes, it sounds lazy to me.
Was she lazy?
Of course.
Exactly.
So that's my point.
It's.
Just her.
Her maiden name was Smith, so
you know I.
Would have went back to standard
Smith.
You know, if you divorce, I
would make that in the in the
paperwork.
You know, I think I did ask for
that, but it was shot down.
Oh yeah.
By the.
Judge like no, I'm keeping your
last.
Name.
Well, the judge said.
You can't make her change your
name.
Why not?
I don't know.
I'm not the judge.
I would have asked him.
I'm.
Not going to argue with him.
Then he goes, you know what?
No.
And pay her more, you know,
penalty fees.
Penalty fees.
At this time, we would
appreciate privacy for all those
close to our hearts.
Vanessa Trump was married to
Donald Trump junior from 2005 to
2018.
That's a long time.
Yeah, long time.
And the couple has, Oh my Lord,
five children together. 13
years.
Five kids.
OK.
So that's like 2 years, every
two years, every three years.
Every three years, pop out a
kid.
Yeah, that'd be that'd be 15.
So every 2.4 they.
Were together for 15 years.
Yes, no, 13 years. 13 years, so
every three years 36912 then
squeeze one.
One was a little tighter.
OK.
One of those children, Kai, goes
to the same school as Wood's two
children, Sam and Charlie.
Kai is due to play golf at the
University of Miami in 2026 and
compete in an Invitational golf
tournament against Charlie Woods
last week.
I wonder how old she is.
Sibling rivalry.
Well, not really sibling.
They're not married.
Kind of they're.
Just dating at this point.
There's not even no not even no
living together yet if you
don't.
Think for one second she isn't
moving.
I'm moving in.
You know what I mean?
I'm we're going.
Wow.
She's married to a Trump.
She might have a bigger house in
him.
No, she only got half of this
shit and it was one of Trump's
kids.
Child support for five
billionaires children, That's a
lot.
Of the real question is, is the
is Trump junior a billionaire?
I don't think so.
Ryan.
Can you look that up for?
Us you look up the can you get?
That data for.
US.
Yeah.
How much money does Trump Junior
have?
You know, I don't think he's a
billionaire.
You know, he's, he's probably up
there, but he's he's probably
not a billionaire.
You know, child support's for
five.
It's pretty good.
Well, if this one is playing
golf in college.
I would assume Donald Trump
junior, yes, net worth 350
million.
Yeah, that's.
Still a lot of money 3. 150
million.
That ain't AB though.
Can you look up Trump's not
Trump, Tiger Woods?
Tiger Woods is wealth, yeah.
Oh, he's got AB, Yeah.
You think?
There's easy, there's Oh yeah,
he's worth a billion all.
Right, this is this is where you
decide if you move or not.
Right, if it's worth a billion.
1.3 billion.
Yeah, OK.
OK.
Yeah.
So, so that's 4X, you know what
I mean?
Like, OK, so we're moving in,
right, right.
And I bet you there's some
prenup or some some type of
technicality though where if she
finds another dude like it gets
reduced.
I'm willing to bet.
Alimony.
Well, I don't know about what's
out there, but in Florida, when
they remarry, alimony goes away.
Right, but not child support.
Child support carries forward.
Till they're 18 in Florida.
So what she got to lose, she's
going to she's going to 4X her
network.
Well, she doesn't have the 350
million, but let's say she got,
I don't know, call it 25%.
That's why I was going to say
20, so 1. 120 million, right?
That's 10X rolling in there.
I love the fact that we're
supposed to please respect our
privacy but we just did an
Instagram post and an X post
about us being a couple.
Well he does that so the people
won't be stalking him and and
trying to get photos.
That's the strategy.
Well, that's what it said.
Yeah.
Here we go.
Here's a photo.
Yes, we're dating.
There's no more questions, so
leave us alone.
Leave us alone.
But now that means now we follow
them both.
I'm excited for the kids.
Like if he's a golfer, right,
that's like, you know, having a
kid that loves basketball and
then all of a sudden, you know.
Oh, because you're married,
Jordan.
I don't know if Kai is a boy or
girl.
I don't.
I have no idea.
Either way, it doesn't matter.
You just got access to Tiger
Woods.
I don't think it gets any better
than that.
Yeah, look who's coaching me
now.
She might be sacrificing for the
for Kai.
You like the other?
Yeah, I really don't like this.
Maybe Kai's the favorite.
Could be.
Yeah, maybe now they they all
take up golf.
Didn't even mention the other
four kids.
No.
Did they not go to school?
Bastard one, bastard two.
She doesn't even call them
names, just called one kind.
The Instagram post from the
normally very private woods
confirms weeks of rumors and
tabloid speculation about the
relationship.
The tactic is reminiscent of
when the golfer confirmed his
relationship with Olympic skier
Lindsey Vonn in 2013, saying on
social media that he'd gone
public to limit the stalkerazi
and all those sleazy websites
that are out here following us.
Woods confirmed his breakup with
Vaughn in Two Thousand 2015.
They're still going to stalk
him.
It doesn't change.
So I don't, you know, I just
think that's kind of a, this
feels like more of a, hey, look
at me.
Could be.
You know, because paparazzi
still going to be all over it.
Oh yeah, now they need more
pictures of the couple together.
Can you smile, Mr. Look over
here.
Hey, look over.
Here, son of a bitch.
I'm a blonde girl.
Oh.
No, I already taken.
He already got.
He already has one.
Yeah, but he changes.
Maybe he changes his socks.
But he's getting older now.
Maybe he's, you know.
What's slowing down?
Yeah, I don't think so.
You don't think so?
I don't think so.
OK, well, whatever.
All right, into the cigar news.
We're going right into that.
You want to talk to anybody
about the social media stuff
first or no?
Oh sure, what do you got?
Well, you brought to my
attention that we we were
covered on smoking tobacco.
We yes we were mentioned on
smoking tobacco by the legendary
William Cooper AKA Cigar.
Coupe, he said lovely things
about you.
He well about about the company
also.
He started with the company, but
he went heavy on.
You he did, which is kind of odd
considering I attacked him last
week.
On social media, so.
No.
Yes, you did.
Very nice of him.
Yes, you did.
He did mention the back and
forth.
He says.
He gives me shit all the time.
I don't know what he says.
I.
Think that he does.
It's just more like Facebook
posty.
Oh, I got.
You you know it's not.
Apparently my intern work is
being a social media person is
is paying off.
Yeah, that was something he
mentioned.
Yeah, you're working really
hard.
You know what I what I really
loved about the whole thing?
Yeah, just the one thing that I
loved about that post.
That he said her name wrong
again.
He still calls it Postani, which
is hilarious, right?
Yeah, It's Postonia Coupe.
It's Postonia.
Postonia.
It's been around for 10 years.
We should send him a box top.
It's 10 years with the Postonia.
Pronunciation phonetically
spelled inside the box.
Yeah, no, the one thing that I
thought was hilarious, yes.
Was that Matthew Tobacco and the
other guy, just like bro, yeah,
yeah, yeah, yeah.
They like they didn't.
Well, Matt did say yeah, I
agree.
Yeah, but I mean, that's not
really saying something.
There's no elaboration on that.
How do you not you know?
Yeah, I mean, he could have
said, I don't know, he's an
asshole.
I don't like him at all.
Screw that guy, you know the.
Third guy didn't only talked on
the show when coops got kicked
off the show by technical
glitch.
Right.
So Matt had to talk to him.
I don't know who he is.
So he could have been, I mean,
you know, like he could have
been excited about something in
particular where I mean he was,
he's all about the Perdomo
stuff.
He's very excited.
About all I love Perdomo.
Yeah, but he didn't cover any
like.
Very popular with Perdomo, he
said.
There's that horny cigar that
everybody seems.
Well, that was.
Coop.
Oh, you mean Matt?
Yeah, Matt could have elaborated
on any of.
Them.
He probably didn't have notes on
us.
Yeah.
Excited.
Damn bro, it's dirty.
Does he ever?
He never interviews you at the
show either.
He, I think he did.
He, I think he interviewed us
last year.
I don't remember him coming by,
I feel.
Like he interviewed us last
year.
He hasn't, obviously he hasn't
booked an appointment.
Though no, no, he's not booked
an appointment.
No, Matthew.
OK, all right.
Well, hey, I thought it was nice
that you got a nod.
For it was.
It was.
It was.
Yeah, he's buttering you up
because he's going to see you in
person, is what it is.
Is that what it is?
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
It's a strategy.
It's very smart got.
To be nice to him.
He's going to see me.
Oh God.
They're going to be in the.
Media house and yell hi to them
every time I see them I.
Love going to the media house.
Oh, we have not got the
invitation yet this.
Year, we don't need the
invitation, just show up.
We don't know where it is.
John Mctavish will tell us.
Oh, that's true.
Aaron Loomis will tell us, you
know.
Aaron will tell us.
Aaron doesn't really speak.
Aaron speaks to me.
Yeah.
All right.
I'll get it under control.
And you get the deets from the
fish from fish sticks.
Yeah, Aaron Fish.
Stick Loomis.
Fish Stick Loomis.
All right, so let's go some
cigar news.
That was all you got from social
media stuff this week.
Yeah, other than my, you know,
elaborate exposure for the
brand.
Yeah, two to three times a day,
seven days a week.
You've been turning that on.
It's a lot of stuff to talk
about sometimes.
Just keep just keep talking
about the same stuff.
There's a certain rotation you.
Have a technique.
All right.
Escobar Cigars announced the
distribution in Guyana.
All the countries in the world,
that's where they go.
Nas.
This is Nas.
Yeah, this is Nas, a cigar.
Escobar Cigars that announced
that it's cigars are now
available in Guyana.
The company's new distributor in
the country is Leaf and Flame.
I read this wrong.
When I originally did, I thought
it said Leaf and Bean.
I thought Island Gym had gone
to.
No, it's leaf in flames.
A totally different leaf.
Totally.
Different Thing Cigar Shop,
which is located in the capital
of Accra, Acura, in addition to
Escobar's Leaf and Flame, is a
distributor for El Septimo.
I did.
Not write.
That Prince Abu Babu.
Did Prince Ababua sell you on
this?
Nas, Nas, what are we doing?
What are we doing?
He promised me when it was
ashtrays.
It keeps cigars.
I got this.
Cool. 2021 Puros Privados, the
parent company of Escobar,
announced that Nas Nas, Nazir.
Nas.
Well, it's Nasir, they say, his
first, his full name he's given.
He's given legal name Nazir.
That's called, that's called his
government.
Oh, his government name?
Jones.
How do you have that first name
then?
Your last name is Jones.
Well, you know, she obviously
stuck with the man's last name.
I don't know what to tell you.
Well, maybe she's divorced and
that's not her name.
Yeah, well, at this point if she
is divorced, I hope she goes
back to her original name.
They could be Jones.
I hope that he changes his too.
It is very possible.
Who knows?
Nas had been added as an equity
partner in the brand.
The brand's name is also a tie
into another name that Nas has
frequently referred to himself
as, including a 1997 track
called Escobar 97.
The company says it is
distribution in more than 20
countries and has been
aggressively increasing the
number in the last couple of
years.
You think they're all smaller
countries?
I mean, I don't know how big
Guyana is, but it's not really
something you hear every day.
I don't know what the strategy
is on that.
It sounds interesting to me.
So if you find one shop can buy.
So if one shop buys, let's say
we sell post Nanya, right, one
shop picks it up in a country,
you had distribution in that
country.
Is that the way you get to say?
It I mean, I don't even think
you need that.
I just think you need to open up
a distribution with a company,
right like hey, we want to
distribute.
OK, done.
You know, like that would cut
that would count as
distribution.
But they're only selling to this
one, the Leaf and Flame.
Right.
Maybe Leaf and flame has
distribution through all of
those already.
I don't know it, you know, this
is that whole hokey scenario
when it comes to a celebrity
creating a cigar and what
happens.
With it, I mean, they could just
be big fans of his, He goes, Oh
yes, we would like to get his
cigar.
Like I'm a huge fan of Nas.
I would love to.
See his distribution in Deltona.
I would love to see Nas succeed
in in the cigar industry, but
wouldn't it make more sense if
he capitalized in the US That's.
What I mean, how many cigars
does Guyana sell a year?
Two, maybe 323.
There's one guy.
One guy really likes this one.
Yeah, I don't.
Is he a warlord?
He's a warlord.
He's a warlord there in Guyana,
Yeah, he's one guy.
Don't upset him.
He he likes.
We like you very much, whoever
you are.
He likes to have like one or two
cigars a year.
Picturing that guy from the
movie Lord of War.
Yeah, Nicholas Cage.
Yeah, Nicholas Cage.
I love that movie, but I'm
picturing that's the guy.
Yeah.
Is this in Guyana right?
Smoking one cigar every quarter?
No, as many as he wants.
He's got the distribution.
That's as many as he wants.
He wants 2A year, right?
Maybe 3?
Hey, ready to move on?
Yeah.
Warp announces a announces R
slash waste.
R slash waste.
That's what it says as an event
only cigar.
OK.
Warp Cigars will have a new
creation available exclusively
for people who attend one of
their company's events.
Dude OK, how many events do they
do?
I don't know.
They're like, it seems like
they're trying to make a
resurgence in all of this.
They've gotten, they got a few
nods on top 25 last year.
Yeah, yeah.
And it looks like they're going
full court press.
The name is short for
Radioactive waste.
Oh God if they.
I'm glad they explained that I.
Don't know if I'd want to smoke
that.
Not any worse than a
catastrophic failure.
No, it that's it's totally worse
than a catastrophic.
Failure.
Why is that?
It's not like I called it
poison.
Well, radioactive waste.
Or maybe you become a superhero.
What did we call this cigar?
Sounds like something Viaje
would make.
Yeah, right.
We named this death.
Oh, it's a black label, Yeah.
Black works, black works.
Studio all their stuffs named
Death Death.
It's a 5 1/2 by 52 box press
torpedo Barber pole.
Well, I couldn't have thought
about anything else to add to
it, could they?
Yeah, unless they made it a
Cubalera where they just rolled
three of them together.
Box Press, Barbara Pole,
Cubalera, Culibra.
Culibra pull made with two
different rappers.
Well, that's Barbara Pole,
Connecticut Broad Leaf and
Ecuadorian Des Florada.
What the fuck is that?
Why don't you come to your
senses?
Yes, Florada, all these new
tobacco.
When did we start discovering
all these new tobacco?
This is a whole other thing too.
This is.
More of the hokey stuff, it's
the Dorian des Florada.
Look man, I don't know what to
tell you.
There's like.
There's another one mentioned in
a later story that I've never
heard of before either.
Yeah.
They're like, why don't we just
make up some more shit and
people are like, OK, sure, OK,
yeah, why?
Not Inside is a binder and
filler blend composed of tobacco
grown in Nicaragua.
The Barber pole's name refers to
the two visible wrapper leaves
that are rolled together at an
angle to produce a spiral
pattern similar to Barber pole.
Can we just get past it now?
I think everybody knows what a
Barber pole is.
No, but no, that's the problem.
They don't.
No, I talk with people all the
time.
They have no idea what's going
on in the cigarette industry.
Besides your brother.
But he definitely doesn't know.
He has no clue, No.
Three pack boxes of cigars will
be available only during Warped
events.
Nicaragua American Cigars Knox
will produce the cigars.
An e-mail went to Warp Cigars
for additional information and
they could not be bothered.
Kyle's saying no, no talk.
Talkie, talkie on the phone.
All right, we got some PAPAPCA
release.
So they submitted the media
release.
They must have said well, so
how's everybody knows where we
get our we get our news from
half wheel right.
So they could have he could have
seen a photo.
You know how Charlie is that's.
True.
Did you see like an?
Instagram post about it or no?
No, there was just a picture of
the box they come in and the
three cigars.
So it was a press.
Release, so it had to be a press
release.
Correct.
And when he asked additional
questions, nobody responded.
No, we were very busy.
I mean at least say like, hey, I
don't know.
Undisclosed.
You say undisclosed.
Yeah, just whatever, you know.
Hey, I got questions.
Yeah.
I can't answer this.
I'm really sorry.
Something.
Maybe you have to come to an
event to get more information
the.
Dead air, though, I don't.
Charlie, if you ever have
questions, just send them to us.
We'll answer.
Charlie.
Hits me up all the time.
And if I don't know.
Not for our stuff for anybody
stuff.
Yeah, poaching distribution
responds by saying they have no
idea what's going on with the
cigar as it's not theirs.
But at least we have something
else to add to the story.
However, it is made at Noxa, so
it's going to be high quantity
low quality.
Oh wait, who's?
In wait.
Oh God, just kidding.
Just kidding.
All right, these are the
releases that people are talking
about this week.
I didn't grab the stories, just
headlines.
Rocky Patel's 30th anniversary
is debuting at PCA 2025, Viva La
Vida, Connecticut.
OK, that's a JS.
Yes, Dunbarton Tobacco and Trust
is adding a Mikarita gorilla
Gordo at PCA.
Is that when you worked on with
him and he's not telling
anybody?
Yeah, we we had a private.
The the one I helped him with
that he doesn't talk.
About this refuses to
acknowledge.
Us.
He does.
It's terrible.
Yeah.
So upset with him.
Karen Berger's releasing 1/2
time at PCA 2025.
It's a little 60 gauge guy that
you can smoke during that.
Yeah, it looks like a little per
cigar is usually pretty good.
Yeah, oddly speaking, I don't
know why you don't expect it,
but I was just, I've always been
surprised.
OK.
Alterdish USA is releasing An H
Upman by AJ Fernandez, Heritage,
Finca Provincia.
OK.
A long name.
Heritage.
Finca Provincia at PS Aladino
85.
Anniversario Reserva debuting at
PCA 2025.
OK Black Starline Cigars to
release the Metalwood.
Martin Luther King at PCA 2025
OK Foundation is announcing a
Primer Fabrica 1810 as an event
exclusive release now.
Their last event was the
Menelik.
I think that's how you say it
originally.
Originally that was.
So maybe this one will
eventually end up in production
for.
That would make sense.
Like he's testing it out.
Oh, we have the whole story.
Our friend of cigars has created
a new event, Exclusive Cigar, to
honor the first known cigar
factory in the USA, the Premier
Fabrica 1810.
Oh, it had to be something with
history.
It was for Nick, composed of a
Connecticut broad leaf rapper,
Bazillion, Modafina binder and
undisclosed filler tobaccos.
Cigar will not be sold and
instead will be available only
during Foundation events offered
to consumers as a promotional
item in wooden boxes of three.
Does he do?
He doesn't do a lot of events,
does he?
Nick, yeah, no, he doesn't get
out much.
No.
He's a farm guy.
So who does his events now?
Is it the the one reps the reps
do?
Yeah.
Like if we had one, it would be,
what's his name?
Alfredo.
So that's why we don't do any.
Yeah, it's like, was he going to
come around, right?
You know what I mean?
He's not showing up.
The oldest known cigar factory
was established in 1810 by
Roswell and Samuel Veets in
Suffield, Connecticut.
By 1830, approximately
14,000,000 cigars were being
made per year at factories in
the area.
Foundation Headquarters located
in Ellington, less than 15 miles
east of Suffield.
The cigar is a tribute to the
deep rooted history of
Connecticut tobacco and the
origins of cigar making it
America, said Nicholas Malilo,
founder of Foundation Cigar
Company, in a press release.
As a company headquartered in
the Connecticut River Valley, we
are proud to continue the legacy
while offering a unique and
exclusive experience for cigar
enthusiasts.
Yeah.
Exclusive experience.
It's an exclusive experience.
Why is it exclusive?
Because you get to try it only
at the events.
I can't try a similar cigar at a
different event.
Yeah, you probably could.
Oh, OK, but it's not going to be
the same.
True.
It's going to be exclusive.
What sucks though is that you
can pause.
That what sucks though.
I'm sorry, just going to let it
roll through and just wrap up a
story.
Got it.
Yeah, you know, Alfredo is just
good enough to not get fired,
you know what I mean?
Like he won't get.
That's like, how's that cigar?
It's not bad.
Yeah, he won't.
Yeah.
The only way that he would
actually get fired is if they
brought somebody in house.
Oh yeah.
Do they have any in house reps
at all yet?
I don't think so.
I.
Don't think they do either, just
that one guy.
Eduardo, yeah.
Is that his name?
Yeah, do you think we'd be able
to get the exclusive cigar at
the show?
He always hides.
It says they're available at the
show.
Yeah, but I want to smoke it,
you know what I mean?
Like, yo, give me three of
those.
He's going to hide.
He's going to run from us.
He always does like Nick.
Well, you can have them, but you
got to buy this, this and this.
No, I don't.
I'm not talking to Eduardo.
I'm going right to Nick say yo,
I want to smoke the cigar.
He hides from you.
You're right, He does.
He does.
We will find you, Nick, and we
will break you and we will take
the cigars.
You gave us cigars last year.
Yeah.
They were like their standard.
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
It's not their.
Here you go, newest.
Nothing.
Nothing fancy, right?
Yeah.
Here's a handful of stuff.
Go away, please.
I'll text him when we're doing
this podcast to prep him.
If we're coming.
That you're coming, Yeah.
And Hell's coming with me.
I guess I'm hell.
This is hell.
This is hell.
League of Fat Bastards name's
Eddie Tarzona as its new
director of sales.
Yes, League of Fat Bastards
Cigars has appointed Eddie
Tarzan.
Appointed.
So it's not even a hiring.
Is that just a choice of words?
I think that's just the choice
of words.
Eddie Torzone is the company's
new director of sales for the
USA and America's.
OK.
Oh, North America.
South America.
Central America.
Yeah, Latin America.
Canada, our new state.
For more than 20 years, Arizona
ran his own cigar company,
Terzona Cigars.
In 2022, he campaigned for AUS
Congressional seat, representing
Florida's 18th Congressional
District, though he fell short
in the race for the 'cause he's
'cause he's small, he's short.
I'm honored that Adam and the
team have entrusted me with his
role, not just to share
incredible cigars, but to be
part of the oh it's already
ours, but be part of the
critical cause to tackle men's
mental health.
This is mine.
This is mine now.
This is a company that donate
part of their money to Men's
Health.
Correct stuff, I said.
Tarzona and press release.
I'm excited for the opportunity
to help grow its impact across
the US and the Americas.
It's a real pleasure to be
joining something bigger than
myself.
Everything's bigger than
immediately.
The company said that Tarzona's
first task was to build a sales
team for the US market because
he doesn't have one, while also
working with Ferdinand Pete.
Who is Ferdinand?
I have no idea.
Oh, the brand's VP of business
development for the Asia
Pacific, Middle East and North
American regions.
Oh.
North African regions.
Oh, OK, OK.
I was like, why is this guy in
the Americas too?
It was very confusing to further
develop the brand in other areas
of the world in building his own
brand for the last 20 years that
closed.
Arizona, Yes.
I can't hear you.
Yes, he built his brand for 20
years and then it closed.
Yeah, it's gone.
He's working for somebody else
now, OK?
Eddie has seen it all.
He has been there and done that,
said Adam J Levine, the founder
and CEO of League of Fat.
He's the head fat bastard via
pressure.
Levine.
It's a different Levine.
It's a totally different Levine,
but it's still Adam Levine.
Oh, that's why I said Levine.
I figured I'd just get a
different name.
No, Maybe he got divorced and he
changed it back.
Maybe.
I love his work ethic and his
and aimed to always find a win
for everybody.
A win win solution for
consumers, retailers, suppliers,
manufacturers and businesses.
He lives according to his
mantra.
Do it with passion.
That was a slogan for his
company that closed.
Do with passion.
Yes.
OK.
And it fits so well with our
mission focused brand.
League of Fat Bastards cigars
currently has distribution in
the USA, Hong Kong, Macau,
Singapore, Cambodia, Malaysia,
Thailand, New Zealand, Qatar,
Qatar, whatever.
What's UAE with the United Arab
Emirates?
Maybe, maybe.
Sure, that sounds good.
Bahran, Kuwait, Oman and Saudi
Arabia.
Well, distributors in several
European countries, including
Austria, Ireland will be
receiving their first shipments
in the near future.
Well, they're big in other
countries, but here?
Yeah, they're huge.
Wow, that's weird.
Yeah.
OK.
Well, hey, listen, there's a lot
to cover on that, yes.
And I think that that's
something we're going to have to
cover on The Patriot.
I believe that would be better
suited.
Yes it would.
Yeah.
So we'll have to cover that one
we look.
Forward to Eddie Tarzan joining
the Patriot and.
The members won't.
Be to see what we say.
He won't be joining.
All right, Bocock, our favorite.
Cigar Love the Bocock I.
Love the Bocock Company Brothers
ads LSU baseball cigars Oh.
Last year, Bocock Brothers
Premium Cigars announced the
series of officially licensed
LSU cigars Focus on the
university's football program.
Next week, we'll begin selling
cigars with an LSU baseball
theme.
They must be really connected at
LSU.
Big Louisiana boys.
The Bocock Brothers, the
Powerhouse Jay Johnson Signature
Series, uses the name and
replica signature of Jay
Johnson, head coach of the LSU
Tigers.
Baseball team.
Well, I assumed it was baseball
team because they're selling
baseball together.
Stop reading my teleprompter.
I was like looking when you mess
up.
Blend Wise uses a Mexican San
Andreas rapper over Honduran
binder and fillers from the
Honduras and Nicaragua.
It's made in Honduras at an
undisclosed factory.
Oh.
Mystery what could it be?
Undisclosed factory.
It's a it's.
Offered in two box press
Ventolas, the Bocock Brothers,
the Powerhouse.
Jade What?
Oh, this is the name of the base
the.
What's the name of the cigar?
Yeah, Bocock.
They really like their own name.
They put it on everything.
Yeah, everything.
I mean, I love their name.
Bocock Brothers the Powerhouse J
Johnson Signature Series Robusto
5 by 50 for $16.00 and then the
Bocock Brothers the Powerhouse J
Johnson Signature Series Toro A
6 by 52 for 1625.
That's that's not that much more
money for a Toro.
No. $0.25.
Maybe the robusto's overpriced.
Maybe at 16 bucks, maybe a
little high.
The robusto comes in a purple
box with a Toro chips in a white
box.
That's why.
That keeps the price down.
Well, the purple one's more
expensive because, right, it's
purple.
We had to put purple on it.
I mean, that's why Macallan,
everybody's going.
Purple.
Just going to say that.
Everybody's going purple took
the.
Words out of my mouth.
The ships in a white box.
Oh with pinstripes.
The cigars are divided into two
groups of 10, while the middle
section has a place that is
designated to rest a baseball,
though 1 is not included.
No baseball included.
There's a place for it, but they
can't give me one.
Johnson LED.
I bet it was going to be a
signed baseball at one point.
They had to walk that back.
Probably he wouldn't sign the
ball.
I'm not.
How many bucks you making?
Yeah, I'm not.
Fucking doing.
Johnson led the LSU to national
title in 2023.
Bocock Brothers says that a
portion of the sales is donated
to Bayou Traditions, an LSU
restaurant.
No, it's an LSU NIL collective.
That's NIL.
Nil.
It's called an NIL.
Nil.
OK, this is how you I know that
you know absolutely nothing
about sports.
No, I know nothing about sports.
What's NIL?
NIL deals.
That's where you know, you pay
sports athletes, college
athletes to use their name.
It's.
Not nil as a nothing.
Yeah, it's not Nils and.
You get they they should, you
know.
Yeah, OK.
Put the words in to be yeah for
the non sporty people.
This is cigars for God's sake.
It.
Looks like he's getting nil.
Sports University's athletes The
cigars will ship to stores in
Louisiana next week.
In addition, Bocock Brothers
sells the cigars directly to
consumers via its website,
bocock.com.
Check out the Bocock Don't.
Spell it wrong.
Don't spell it wrong, you may
find yourself.
Somewhere.
Else on a wanted list.
Yes, STG discontinues 56 skews.
Yeah, we have the complete list.
We're not rattling off all 56.
Scandinavian Tobacco Group, the
parent company of General Cigars
Company and Ford Cigars Company,
has announced that it has
discontinued 8 lines and various
other cigars from its massive
portfolio.
We have the entire portfolio.
Roughly half of the cuts affect
Alec Bradley, which was acquired
in 20238.
Lines have been for like. $70
million.
Well, it's not worth that much
now.
So Alec Bradley, there's a bunch
of them here, I'm afraid to hit
the Fast forward button.
That's OK, you can rattle it.
We don't have to rattle them
off.
But.
Gorda.
It's mostly multiple sizes of
different, like Alec Bradley,
whatever that one is.
Double Churchilla, Gordo, Petit,
le Cerro, Robusto, Toro.
So there's a bunch of different
ones.
There, Yeah.
What do you think the strategy
is here by axing all of them and
why do you think it happened?
I assume the sales probably are
not sufficient you think?
Sales were down.
Yes, I think sales were down on
those.
There's some Cao ones that are
being done too.
What do you think it was, Ryan?
Got to be sales.
Sales, just overall sales
that's.
Not pushing.
You got so much stuff, you got
to cut the fat.
Right, because there's some
lines where they're only getting
rid of certain sizes.
Right.
Not the entire line.
So like people like it made me
feel only like the Toro in that
one.
I think a lot of those.
Brands were brands that they
would deep discount.
Oh, could be.
And then they stopped
discounting them and then they
that slowed the sale.
Why would they stop discounting
them now that they have complete
control of them?
I think that they thought that
if they they could inflate the
price now that they.
This is all hypothetical.
Oh, that maybe the people would
still buy them.
Yeah.
It's like, OK, well, hey, we'll
just turn off the discount and
we know we'll raise the price
that way.
We have these people hooked on
this.
Particular 1 and realistically I
you know that I would assume
that that consumer isn't the
consumer that really cares about
the overall flavor profile of a
product.
They care about the value that
they're getting.
It was the price, right, Right.
So.
I think that there's so many
moving parts at STG that this
always happens.
They buy something, they screw
it up, and then they're like,
OK, we gotta revamp.
We gotta figure out this whole
thing.
We're buying so many cigars from
these guys.
We should buy the company,
right?
They buy the company like well
fuck these things are more
expensive than we thought they.
Were well, we spent more money
on acquiring the company, so we
got to raise the price to order
offset the the purchase and
then, oh, now it's not now
they're not selling.
Oh, you know what?
It's probably better if we just
discontinue them, discontinue
the product, and then come out
with a product in another
entirely different label or
whatever the case may be.
Right, right.
Very confusing.
When Alec and Bradley were asked
to comment, they simply said
Daddy said we could work here.
In addition, the following skews
have been discontinued.
In this case, General is still
selling other pitolas of these
lines, and then there's more of
them.
Yeah.
More Alec Bradley.
More Alec Bradley.
More Alec Bradley.
So do you think that they're
going to acquire anybody else
they.
Always buy somebody.
They haven't bought anybody like
this.
Was the this?
Was the last one.
What was this two years ago?
Well, it was Alec Bradley and
Room One O 1.
Right, but they they bought room
one O 1, then they bought Alec
Bradley.
Oh, was that the order?
I thought they brought Alec
Bradley and then they bought
Room One O 1, no?
No, it was the other way around.
Really.
OK.
Because Boo said he got more
money.
Oh, he did.
I believe allegedly are in a
rumor.
I think he did, yeah.
It's not verified. 71,000,000.
Yeah, just one million more.
It's helicopter gets him the
helicopter.
Gets him the helicopter.
Yeah.
I mean, you know what, dude?
Some.
Of these, haven't even heard of
these.
Could be older ones too.
I don't.
I don't.
You know, kudos to Alec
Bradley's dad for selling it for
70.
One, right now he's not involved
with the company anymore, just
the kids.
I I don't know.
Or was he a consultant like?
I think he could be a
consultant, you know, I.
Think it was, but I think it was
just for a year I.
Just don't think that they care.
Like, I think that they could
bring somebody on and they're
like, yeah, we're not listening
to you.
Like, all right, cool.
I don't think they took
anything, he said with any
value.
It's just part of the deal.
Yeah, that's so dumb.
It's like we have to pay him for
another year or so.
Let's just say he's an advisor.
Let's have him sit in on
meetings and then not care what
his opinion is.
Well, he.
Probably doesn't even have to go
to the meetings.
It's.
Probably like zoom.
Yeah, it was just on.
Yeah, like if I got up and the
microphone was still here and
I'm sitting back here somewhere.
Yeah.
What do you think about this?
I'm still doing the show with
you right see the company has
also announced that it is no
longer selling the Cohiba red
dot robusto 5 pack.
So see, there's just weird
things that they're just.
The zip locks, Yeah, apparently
that wasn't as an attractive
move either.
Apparently not.
Let's see, but 2004 different
brands?
There's a funny thing at the end
here.
Keep talking.
STG knows how to spend money and
we're very proud of them.
But you know what?
Spending 70 million is nothing
to them because they make
billions of dollars.
The.
Company splits its portfolio of
brands between two separate
sales teams, General Cigar and
Ford Cigars and Related Stories
Matt Booth has cut back on his
Golden Helicopter fuel and
Justin Andrews was not available
for his comment for comment.
His two assistants said he was
in a meeting and Alec and
Bradley have been sent to the
room.
We like Bradley, though.
Well, he still got sent to his
room.
His sales are down.
They're blaming the children.
They're blaming the children.
Where were the parents at?
Right?
It's, you know.
What is the dad's name?
I don't remember, is that Alan?
Alan Rubin, yeah.
Oh, maybe they're blaming fake
Alan Rubin.
Yeah, social media.
He's always asleep somewhere.
Here is your Alan Rubin.
Quickly throw lettuce at him.
Tomatoes.
Make sure he's awake.
SDU, DuPont raising the American
prices, sites, tariffs.
Yeah.
Kohl's of London, the
distributor for SD products in
the USA, has announced that it
has increased the prices of
Summit's products due to recent
tariffs.
Right.
I'm sure you're aware the US
government recently imposed 20%
tariffs on all goods made in
China, said the company in a
letter to retailers.
This does affect some SD du Pont
product ranges, and
consequently, we have had to
increase prices on goods made in
China, jet flame lighters, cigar
cutters and ashtrays.
Please note that all products
made in France, including the
Line 2 and Lagrande lighters,
will not be subject to any price
increases for the time being.
They're reserving that for a
later decision.
OK.
I'm sorry.
Checking your social media.
Yes.
Anything exciting?
Yeah.
Yeah.
All right.
Very exciting.
Well, the tariffs are at 20%.
The changes in MSRP are lower,
often times around 17%.
We're just going to eat that 3%
for you.
It's OK.
It's fine.
We'll just take care of that.
Yeah, I mean, this is the I'm
glad that you, you covered this
'cause I, I got a couple
statements about it.
OK, let's see what they are.
OK, Number one, yes.
Listen, if you voted for Trump,
then you should have been
prepared to pay more for things,
right?
It's inevitable that was gonna
happen.
That's what tariffs do.
They raise prices.
You, you hope that they offset
in that with other things as far
as maybe income tax or something
like that or whatever.
But you know, even if that
doesn't happen, you had to be
aware that tariffs were going to
happen certainly and prices were
going to increase on things.
Right #2 I don't know if I'm
buying that.
They got an influx of stuff
coming in from China.
They're like, oh, we got to
raise our prices instantaneously
as the tariffs hit.
Well, these are new tariffs, the
tariffs that actually were put
in the last time he was in
office and they didn't go away.
These tariffs were.
These are new, Yes, these are on
top of that one.
So this tariff just went into
effect like a few weeks ago.
Right, he hadn't been in office.
So I see the pawns like whoa, we
got to see.
Wait.
Oh my goodness.
Yeah, they're just betting on
stuff that they haven't received
yet, right?
Everything they already have
doesn't have tax.
So my point, yeah, well, they're
just covering anything that's
coming from China.
It's not reflecting anything.
But it's not.
But the prices like go up today,
right?
Right.
So my point is, it feels like,
or is it possible, is it
possible that this price
increase is just another greed
push for higher pricing on
product like we saw back in 2020
when people were raising prices
on cigars and some of them
couldn't even justify why they
were raising their prices, Some
could, but some of them
couldn't.
Well, these are high dollar
things to start with.
I don't think people are going
to complain.
So I I'm, I'm agreeing with you.
I believe that's just, you know,
we can get another 17% out of
this thing.
Yeah, we can just push.
Somebody in a meeting, Nobody
cares If fake Alan Rubin stood
up at the meeting and went, you
can get more.
Yeah, if they're going to spend
320 on the lighter, they'll
spend 380 on the light.
Right?
Right.
No big deal. 320 people aren't
going to balk over the 60 they
don't.
Right.
Yeah, it's that's what it feels
like to me.
That's a tip for his driver.
It feels like just a tariffs.
We're going right there, you
know.
Yeah, the the St.
DuPont biggie went 495
previously 425 the slimy Oh,
apparently they're.
The slimy we'll call this one.
Because it's smaller than the
biggie Slippy 395 from 350, the
Twiggy which is even smaller
than the slimy 395 used to be
350, and the mini jet which is
shorter 195 to 170.
See, that's only 20 bucks.
Yeah.
So it just seems like they
started, they they pushed as
close as they could to that
threshold without going over
that number.
Like they didn't want to hit
500, they didn't want to hit
200.
So they're like, oh, we're just
going to raise these things.
Oh, the SD DuPont Deli Extreme
went to 370 5 from 295.
Right, because they figured the
threshold's at 400.
Could be right.
Yep, Yep.
Yeah.
The extreme lighter 395 from
3:45.
Soft flame.
Yeah, everything's under 400.
Right.
Yeah, that's the strategy
meeting, man.
Yeah, then the cutters are all
under 300, 295, right?
These are the starting prices
for these models.
For every one of the items, SD
du Pont offers more expensive
versions with different finishes
and designs.
There you go.
When I asked for a comment, they
said, look, we're a Scandinavian
company run by a German man who
buys their lighters in China and
then we sell them to the
Americans.
We have no idea what's going on.
I love that.
Yes.
OK.
Is that Matilde?
Is that that that Matilde?
Is that what tilde Matilde?
Yeah, they're getting a new
German distributor.
The Germans add Matilde to the
list of companies that have
switched German distributors
from Cop Tobaccos to MK and
Sone.
We are very excited to add
Matilda to our portfolio, said
Daniel and Adam Colehouse,
managing partners of MK and
shown in a prejudice.
This brand represents the
artisanal perfection, tradition
and the exceptional taste
experience.
While the expertise of Josh Say
Josh, Jose, José José Say Josh,
there's glares.
I told you it was glare from the
light and the passion of his son
Enrique Matilde is a valuable
addition to our collection and a
delight for all aficionados
seeking something special.
The two brothers used to work
for COP, part of what was now
the Nazi, I mean coal house and
copter and largest cigar
distributor a few years ago.
The brothers eventually left and
started their own company on the
other side of the wall, which
distributes cigars for Ashton
Mycelva, Gilbert de Montesola,
Rocky Patel, Skeltron, some of
which were formerly distributed
by Klaus and Cope.
Not League of Fat Bastards.
Nope.
No, they're not.
They're not in Germany.
That was not one of the that was
the only country apparently not
mentioned.
They were everywhere else.
Everywhere else, apparently
Germany doesn't care about
mental men's mental health.
No, they started mental health
in Germany.
They started it.
That's where it started.
That's where it started.
Yeah, for men's mental health,
yes.
Interesting.
That guy with a little mustache
yelled at people all the time.
Viso Horny 555 is just debuting
at the PCA 2025 next month.
Tyler Jeffries sophomore release
will be headed to retailer
shelves.
Pochek Inc has announced that it
will be distributing the new
Viso Horny 555, the second Viso
Horny cigar.
As the name would suggest, the
cigar measures 5 by 55 blend
wise, use a broad leaf wrapper
over Cameroon, binder and
fillers from Honduras and
Nicaragua, and as the name would
also suggest, uses a lot of
tobacco from the Viso.
I mean the middle part of
tobacco plant.
It's actually made entirely with
tobacco from viso priming,
right?
Hence the name. 100% viso A.
100% viso. 50% horny.
Right.
Each cigar will have an MSRP.
Is that right that we I guess it
is and production is $15 and
production is limited to 500
bundles of 10 cigars as cigars
made it that Nicoswino best
known as the home of Roma craft
to back yes over the course of
the last seven years, Jeffrey
has spent substantial amounts of
time in Nicaragua at the factory
annoying Skip Martin
considerably.
This is a second vitola of Visa
horny Last year Jeffrey offered
a 4 by 52 vitola via private
sales correct.
Do you have something you want
to say like you just kept?
Looking No, I mean, I'm I'm very
excited to be a part of this.
You know, I love Tyler and
Tyler's a great guy.
I think that he does.
He works really hard as far as
trying to learn and understand
parts of this industry.
And he's a little nervous this
time around.
Very nervous.
He's a little jittery at points.
I'll.
Bet a little, but.
He's going to be all right.
He's going to be all right.
You.
Know he didn't mention us in his
press release.
He doesn't.
Not as much as you've mentioned
everybody else.
No, you know what, dude?
You know.
We'll be in the the post press
release.
It doesn't.
That doesn't surprise me.
You know what I mean?
Surprise me.
Either just still would have
been nice.
I mean, Coop says.
We're doing a fantastic job.
We are doing a fantastic job.
You know, I'm not looking for
any acknowledgement from Yeah.
Well, be nice I.
Think people more people.
You know, Michael, you're doing
a great job.
Thanks, I appreciate that.
Wow, so amazing.
You know what it's like, Hey,
I'm going to, I'm going to put
in the work regardless.
We're going to do, we're going
to do our thing, you know, and
eventually people are going to
take note.
Right.
And say good things about us.
And if they don't, they don't.
It's just not going to stop us
from doing what we do, you know?
Right.
Damn it, I can't said you know,
like 8 times and you told me.
That's one of the things I do.
You do being involved from the
very beginning, Personally
selecting the tobaccos that
became part of this blend makes
the 555 deeply personal for me,
said Jeffrey in the press
release.
Crafting this blend was both an
exciting and rewarding
challenge.
Utilizing only VESO primings
throughout the cigar, we focused
on achieving the perfect balance
to ensure all the exceptional
burn and effortless draw.
The result is a unique in
smoking experience that
showcases the rich complexity of
VESO while maintaining flawless
performance.
Is there a particular reason why
he's gone with the VESO part of
the plant?
I mean, I mean, it could have
been any part of it.
Is that just like his favorite?
I just think that that was kind
of his name and then they kind
of labeled that in lump that in
with his name and whatever this
kind of rolled in that
direction.
Just curious.
Yeah.
Jeffrey developed the blend with
Alex.
I'm not getting his last name
right.
Yeah, I can't see it either, so.
Noah Gazuka.
Yep, perfect.
Who works at Nicosueno and it's
tobacco operations he.
Doesn't work at Nicosueno.
Well, he kind of works.
I'm just.
Reading the press release, I
didn't write it.
He works for Romacraft.
Oh yeah, He doesn't work for the
factory.
He works for the brand.
Correct.
I didn't know that.
Yeah, I thought he was a guy
that ran the factory now.
No, he doesn't run the factory.
Oh, other people run the
factory.
Oh, he overseas manufacturing
for Romacraft.
And apparently be so horny.
Yeah, and apparently be so
horny.
And our stuff, too.
Yeah, I was going to say because
he's the contact when Greg sends
over messages, right?
Oh well, they just let him run
the factory.
But he's not because other
people run factory, other people
do a good job running the
factory.
He makes sure that everything is
maintained and balanced.
And when something goes back or
something, if there's any any
issues, he reports the skip.
But Skip owns the factory.
Is Michael own part of the
factory too?
I think so.
I'm not sure how all that works.
I don't know how the
organizational chart goes.
But Alex works for Roma craft.
Oh, OK Alex's passion for
tobacco is contagious and his
depth of knowledge is
remarkable, especially for
someone of his age.
How old is Alex?
He's younger than me, I think
he's in his mid mid 30s early
30s.
Being with him in the bodega and
factory was incredibly rewarding
experience.
Previously, Jeffrey worked at
Vanna Lounge and Cigar in West
Alias Allies.
It's in Wisconsin like oh wait,
did he work in?
I'm confused previously.
Jeffrey.
Oh, OK, sorry.
And Lake Country.
I got confused.
I thought we were talking about
Alex No Lake Country Cigars in
Deerfield, WI.
In addition to Alex, he has
mentioned Skip Martin and
Michael Rosales of Roman Craft
Tobacc and Angel Olivia the
third not one and two the. 3rd.
And Gustav Kurro of Oliva
Tobacco Company is being helpful
in his cigar journey.
Visa Horny 555 will be shown off
at the 2025 PCA Convention and
Trade Show, which takes place
April 12th.
April 12th.
Through the 14th in New Orleans,
Pochek says it will ship
immediately following the trade
show.
That's correct.
I'm excited about it, man.
I'm very.
Excited too.
I mean, it's always nice to have
a new cigar to.
Sell around.
Yeah.
And he's a good guy.
He worked really hard.
He's very passionate about the
industry.
It's a good fit for us and it's
a good fit for him because we're
not going to screw him over,
right?
And a lot of people in this
industry will screw you over.
Right.
Yeah, So we're looking forward
to Ryan.
Are you excited about it?
I haven't heard from you lately.
Yeah, I'm excited from with the
V, so I really enjoyed the first
one.
I'm glad it's a little bigger
too.
Yeah, yeah.
I'm glad it's a little bigger.
Yeah, I think that it's going to
do well and a lot of people like
Tyler.
They do, yeah.
He very well liked any industry.
They like him more than like me.
Nobody likes talking about me.
Yeah, most people do like people
better than you.
Just yeah, they just stay away
from.
You're very passionate all I
don't.
Understand it?
I don't get it.
It's.
Because you're angry, Mike.
How am I angry?
You're always angry.
When am I angry It'd.
Be easier to tell you when
you're not angry.
Go ahead.
What?
Am I not angry now?
Yeah, every podcast.
I feel like you're getting
angry.
No, I'm not.
By talking about why you're not
angry.
I'm not angry at all.
Not now.
He's going to yell at me after
the show.
Just so you know, I have
Listener of the Week.
I think Tyler's more has more
friends than me in the cigar
industry.
Well, he has been able for the
last several years to just bebop
around the show and, you know,
shake hands and kiss babies and
stuff where, you know, we have
to work.
Some guy yelled at him like two
years ago at PCA.
Yeah, he got in somebody's way
or something.
Yeah, he was hanging out in
somebody's booth or something.
Somebody said something.
Yeah, really.
Hurt his feelings.
Hurt his little feelings.
Yeah, that's why we call him
Baby Grande.
That's not why we call him Baby
Granddad.
That's why.
I call him baby Granddad.
OK.
Listen to the week is Rick
Bavone AKA The Cigar Whisperer.
He does all those neat videos
from Cigar Castle.
OK.
Shop of the week.
What a coincidence.
Cigar Castle in Tampa where I'll
be on April 4th from 6:00 to
9:00 PM for my last cutting
light before the PCA.
Very nice.
And they will also have war
bear.
They just bought war bear for
the for the cutting light.
Oh, the the previous years. 20,
Yeah, yeah, last year.
Not the new one.
You can't get the new one yet.
Yeah, the the older one,
somebody came in and asked for
it, so they bought, they bought
heavy for the cut and light.
Nice.
Yeah.
It's good stuff, buddy.
You got anything else?
I think that covers everything.
All right, it's been episode
380.
Thank you very much.
We'll see you guys next week.
Bye.
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podcast.
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Show Notes
Episode Description:
In this exciting episode of the Cigar Hustlers Podcast, we dive into trending topics like the surprising bankruptcy of 23andMe, Tiger Woods’ new relationship with Vanessa Trump, and DC's stunning cherry blossoms in full bloom. But the big news in the cigar world? Escobar Cigars expanding to Ghana, hot PCA 2025 releases from Rocky Patel, Dunbarton Tobacco, and more! We also highlight the latest from Foundation Cigars, Black Star Line, and S.T. Dupont. Plus, get the scoop on the Cigar Whisperer, Rico Bavonne, as Listener of the Week and a sneak peek of Mike's upcoming visit to Cigar Castle in Tampa. Don't miss it!
For retail PCA Appointments
https://calendly.com/pospiech/powstanie-pospiech-meeting