Cigar Hustlers Podcast Episode 328 Solar Eclipse
Transcript
Everybody.
Stand by while the.
Industry.
Is in the house.
Here.
He is the controversial, the
legendary It's My Destiny Make
Way for the King another Mike
and Mike production in. 333.
221110 Welcome to the Cigar
Hustlers Podcast Episode 328,
recorded live at the Mike and
Mike Production Studios in
Deltona, FL.
This is the Cigar Hustlers
Podcast, the show where two guys
share their passion for cigars,
business and life.
Join Mike the King step on
Kevich and his Co host Mike BDP
Palmer as they talk about the
latest cigar news, reviews, tips
and interviews some of the most
influential people in cigar
industry.
Interviews.
And me, I'm their engineer in
Soundtech.
Phil.
Phil, whether you are a season
official, a curious beginner,
this podcast is for you.
So sit back, relax and light up
a cigar with Cigar Hustlers
Podcast.
Oh, this show is going to be
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I love that.
Bananas.
Bananas right here.
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Hey, hey, and start your thingy.
Hey Bam does.
It really matter.
Bam, you gotta go to work.
Oh.
Bam, you gotta go to work.
I don't think we have that one
anymore.
Bam, you gotta go to work.
You gonna shit?
How about I thought it was says
he's gonna on the board.
OK.
Oh, it's riveting podcasting,
Michael.
Make sure you get that late.
Was that end of the read?
Yeah, that's my read that was
read.
So I did my event.
That sounds like I did my event
of Bull Weevil, yeah?
Oh yes, I hurt my shoulder
sleeping over the.
Weekend.
Oh no.
That's how you know you're
getting old.
It's my shoulder blade.
I put any pressure on that side
pain down my shoulder blade?
Oh no, it's just another thing I
added to the list.
Red light it.
It'll be fine.
I didn't think about that and I
got to lay on my face.
Red light the fuck out of it.
So yeah, I did my event.
Yeah.
How'd it go?
How many people showed up?
Was a lot of people.
Do you have a good time?
It.
Was fantastic the.
Drive looked wonderful, all your
updates and everything.
It looked marvelous.
The updates were hilarious.
They were funny, they.
Were good, you know, I'm very,
I'm very in shape.
Nobody else does that.
Nobody else does that.
Nope.
You didn't share your locations
on the way back.
We couldn't do it.
My kids loved it.
I heard your wife told me that
was nice.
That makes it all worth the
while right there, my kids.
Loved it, I and to confirm that
my kids loved it.
One of the first things Jack
said to me, Did you see the
posts?
And I said yeah, I saw the
posts, he goes.
They were hilarious.
Excellent.
So he definitely loved them, but
the event was fantastic.
Yeah, you know.
A lot of people's.
Yeah, there was a great turn
out.
Did they?
Know who you were.
Some of them knew, yeah.
Some of them knew.
Sometimes.
You know you got a couple of.
Who is this guy?
No.
Are you the Rep?
I love those.
I love.
That is it, yes.
I technically I always say
something like that.
Something something like that.
Kind of, you know, so it doesn't
matter if they knew me or not,
you know, there were the
opportunity to talk to those
guys.
Well, I didn't mean really if
they knew you, but if they were
familiar.
You know who?
I am.
Were they familiar with the
brand where they're like, oh,
you're the Polish guy?
I'm the Polish guy, right?
Why'd you put in a light bulb?
A lot.
I need three other people.
A lot, a lot of people knew me
like knew that I was coming.
Oh, they advertised it.
They did a good job.
They did and it was it was a
great turn out.
Looked like a nice shop for the
video I saw.
It's a great shop, great human.
Order Did you get to touch the
giant cigar that's outside above
the?
Bed I did not get.
It was too tall.
I was on my reach and my boy Dan
Stanley drove all the way up to
50.
Wow.
How far driving ever dance?
It's over 2 hours.
Oh, that's.
Not bad, yeah.
That was really.
Cool.
Think McCreary would have meant
it was kind of close, right?
Where does he live?
Creary Andrew Indianapolis said
that far was.
He Oh, my Lord, I think.
That's so far.
First name to get in my head.
I know Mitch did.
He's in California, apparently.
You think Mitch could have made
it?
Yeah, Mitch could have made it.
You're halfway there.
Yeah.
The hell?
Did Tyler Jones come in the
world's greatest?
Yeah, Tyler swooped in.
Nice.
We have to mention every show he
gets upset.
But it was a great event, good
and we love Jack Toronto.
And yes, and.
We love Jack Toronto because
because that guy tried to tear
us a new asshole, he did like he
did.
He lost his mind.
He didn't listen to the whole
podcast.
Got.
You know, and it was literally
minutes later he stopped it.
If you would have just let it
play for another second, we
would have went, oh, we went to
the Espinoza house.
It was very gay when you had a
good time.
A lot of people were were just
choosing violence last week.
Don't worry, it was a tough.
Week for us.
My goodness, so angry.
So in the middle of the solar
the polar I showed you the polar
eclipse.
The middle of the polar eclipse,
it's very cold.
Outside it's.
Very polary outside.
Yeah, at last check it's still
we have a Crescent ow we have a
Crescent sun.
It's amazing.
It's just absolutely
astonishing.
Yeah.
I think it's in my head though.
It probably is, yeah.
The back of your neck's probably
hurting from stretching up.
That too.
That'll be tomorrow.
Yeah.
Oh God, I gotta crank.
These things are so dark.
That's all you can see with them
on is the Eclipse.
Yeah, you can't like, use them
for sunglasses.
No, no, not at all.
That's not strong enough.
The sun.
No, the sunglasses, I.
Mean they're too strong.
Well, those ones are strong.
Yeah, that's what I mean, yes.
Yeah.
The regular ones you can't use,
no.
Right, right.
I still want to look though,
don't you?
So ridiculous.
I'm not gonna kill the cat.
I'm really not.
It's like they don't touch that
pain.
It's hot.
I got a touch of pain.
I'm really not that intrigued
about it, but that because.
It happened well, I was here
when I have in 2017.
I'm surprised you just went to
Kennedy Space Center.
You're not intrigued to the
eclipse.
No, and there's not a thing at
the school.
I'm sure I'm sure there.
Was I like the world is coming
to an end now God is mad.
It's it's putting these cover.
I'm.
Surprised I haven't seen it.
The only post I've seen is your
alien one.
The UFO.
S the UFO.
S.
I like.
I liked your e-mail blast for
the shop today.
Well, you know, I'm going to add
little things in it that's not,
you know, this topical stuff
too.
It's.
Entertaining.
Yeah, I like that.
And Wednesday is the the story
day, the ongoing story of McCabe
MIKAUDBB.
It's AB at the end.
McCabe.
McCabe.
McCabe.
Yes, the Polish Cigar guy.
On his quest.
On his quest to give everybody
top level cigars for a good
price.
Look at him.
He's out there crushing.
Only get it on e-mail.
Bless people.
So yeah.
And then I did a podcast with
Cigar Hound and Master Rash and.
Yes, I saw your wife's thing.
You never tell me anything
anymore.
I'm sorry.
Was that like a private thing or
was it?
No, it was live YouTube or
whatever Facebook.
Oh, wasn't.
It Yeah.
Oh, I was thinking, because I
could promote those things.
Dude, I am so sorry.
Man, which is part of the thing
of having you on there.
They get, you know, attention
drawn to their show.
Not like it's your job.
So not.
Like, it's my job at all, dude.
I that's on me.
I apologize your.
Wife didn't know either, 'cause
I answered.
She goes, I don't.
Know.
I apologize, you know.
I like the Lenny Schmiegel.
So how'd you get the location
then?
Thank you.
Oh, so you did see it?
Where'd you get that from?
Brittany.
No.
I saw Brittany put up a post and
I he's just get back from a road
trip and look at my hard working
husband.
Now he's doing a podcast.
That bitch.
She's something else.
Don't.
Call her name.
She's my.
Friend.
Oh boy.
Yeah.
I'm not agreeing with any of
that.
Yeah.
It works.
Name just him.
Like, what are you talking
about?
He's called her bitch.
You did it.
Wasn't hurtful.
It's not it hurtful.
No, it didn't.
Oh boy.
I love her tremendously.
As I do, but probably not the
same way, not.
In the same way?
No, not.
Better not be in the same way,
no, we'll have a problem.
No, not in the.
Same way you were gone, but not
in the same way.
Yeah, I was gone, right?
Oh.
My God, they got me second
Daddy, when you're.
Gone, Michael.
Oh, is that why you're tracking
me, Michael?
Is that why you're tracking?
Me.
I texted him that morning and
got him to share his location
with me for the for the next 24
hours.
Apparently so.
Apparently he.
He didn't contact you, but he
put his tracking on.
Yeah, he was tracking on.
So I would every two hours I'd
go and see where he was and then
come up with something.
And then he would know, notice.
I thought maybe you got it from
Brittany does.
Brittany, have you?
Look, of course I didn't know if
you guys know.
We do that at my house too.
But no, he only shares it with
you, Paul.
No, he turned it off.
It wasn't there for the ride.
Home does it at at end of end.
At end of day I'm like yes and.
At the end of day, I looked the
next morning to see what hotel
you're at.
Well, that's because Palmer's
gonna start posting like if when
you're when you're going to the
bathroom and stuff like that.
Yeah, there was one stop.
He was at a rest area.
He needed a Kit Kat.
So I stayed at an Empton Inn,
Hampton.
She put a Kit Kat in your bed.
She did.
Surprise.
What, you stayed at a Hampton
Inn?
Yeah, I was surprised they had
one in enterprise.
That's usually.
That's usually where I stay.
Yes, he's the Hilton.
Oh, they don't have a hill on
that, though.
Yeah.
No, he was surprised you stayed
at one that low.
Not.
That it was.
That hot?
Yeah.
No, Hampton Inn is the baseline
wheel.
They got the waffles.
Yeah.
I'm down with that, yeah.
And the pillows are usually
really nice.
Pillows were kind of rough, but
I will tell you there's 22 parts
of the store, I can tell you.
Yeah, why can't you tell us the
whole story?
Because we don't have that kind
of thing.
Oh, number one, yes, the hotel I
booked had a hot tub in my
bedroom.
Oh, that is the best type of.
Room.
It was the freakiest shit I have
ever seen.
It's.
Like in the middle of the
bedroom when they do that.
Yeah, you walk in and it's right
there.
And I'm like, I don't like that.
It feels weird, yeah.
Like the bathroom.
Like I'm sleeping in the
bathroom.
What is going on here so?
Did you did?
You use it of.
Course I did.
No, I didn't.
I didn't.
Why?
Not why I slept.
I went to bed.
I slept for about 6 hours.
Long day in the car.
Oh, it.
Took a bath going, yeah.
Bubbles.
I like door to room service
please.
No, when I got into bed, when I
got.
Cookies and some water.
When I got there, I got ready
for bed and I went.
I like my waffles in the
morning.
By that I will take my waffle
here.
They had to with diesel.
So, so there's that.
Right.
What was the second one?
So in the in the regular in the
bathroom, was there a tub or a
shower?
Shower.
Yeah, because you could use the
Zook.
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
I was just curious if they like
2 baths.
No, it was kind of it was weird.
It is.
I don't.
I don't.
I'm uncomfortable with that
because I mean one you think I
might fall in at the middle of
the night if I get to turn?
Around.
Is that like a standard room?
I just booked A room.
I booked it.
It's in one kick size a bit bit
ago.
You.
Hit you, hit honeymoon.
So so when I hit the turn on the
light to walk in is it was the
noise that it made I'm.
Like instantly left.
Where am I?
Water the light.
Come on, are you?
Sure.
This is a hand to hand.
It's kind of.
It's kind of, kind of.
Kind of.
There's a bug zapper in the
room.
Yeah.
Oh, now the mosquito gun.
That's.
Good.
So I'm driving home and you
know, the drive home is always
better than the drive there.
That's why.
Oh yeah, as you're going home.
You're going home and it seems
so much faster.
Yeah, yeah.
And you know, I'm just kind of
zoning.
I'm just kind of zoning out and
smoking for sure, whatever.
Driving my shirt off.
Yeah, things are great.
You know, I have this, I have
this apparent.
I have this truck driver's tan.
Oh yeah, one arm.
Yeah.
And if you took a shirt?
Off next time I'm going to take
the shirt off.
Yeah, you're right.
Brittany did not want that.
I saw the comments.
He better not be driving his
shirt, she says.
You drive slow too.
Yeah, I don't know if she's been
in the car.
Like you ever been in the car
with him?
Because it's the opposite.
When I'm in the car, I drive,
she goes, I'm always yelling at
him, telling him to go faster
and go.
I'm praying, asking her to slow
down.
Yeah, we're just hold on to our
life.
Sure it is.
Holding my soul in my body.
You got, you got to get the
thing to kick on on the motor so
you can take off.
Guys listen to this.
Listen to the reburner I got.
Normally when I'm with her, I
got the most important things to
me in my life in the.
Car so you drive.
Makes sense?
We're not.
Yeah.
No.
We can all just die together.
Fucking great.
Perfect.
Good.
Good.
Let's go outside and just all
stare at this.
Time.
Yeah, it's all go stare, it's
all go blind.
So I'm driving home and I'm kind
of just Zenning out, whatever,
and you know?
Do you have you ever.
I'm sorry I keep it wrong.
But do do you ever lose time
when you're driving like all of
a sudden you go, oh, I'm back in
Florida and you're yeah.
That's that's that's kind of
what happened.
I looked down and I was almost
out of gas.
I've done that before.
Oh shit, I remember that.
Day I'm like, shit, 30 miles to
empty and I had just gone on 75.
It seems long, but when you're
on the highway it could be that
far before.
You.
Yeah.
You could be, yeah.
Especially where you were
nervous.
So I got down to about 20 miles
to empty.
And 10 more miles.
Yeah, And I stopped off at a gas
station, right?
And I'm in my car, so my car
takes premium, right?
So I pull up the gas station, go
get gas.
And did you hear him Ding, Ding,
Ding, Ding, Ding, Ding, Ding.
The guy had played.
Banjo on the No, but I mean
shit.
Somebody came out to fill up
his.
Car No, I'm back in Florida at
that point.
You're in a Panhandle.
Yeah, I guess so.
Still could be the banjo.
Yeah.
Oh yeah, it was.
Probably you're on I-10 It was.
Probably deliverance right so.
Hey, hey, party over there.
Look at my name.
I go to put gas in it and it
says and it puts $0.20 in.
They're out of premium.
That's not.
Right.
Like, maybe this pump is broken.
Do you want to ruin the story?
You want to go ahead and
speculate, I said.
Oh.
So I moved to the next pump and
I give it a shot and nothing.
I'm like, OK, something's
something's up here.
So I go in.
Hey Elmer, you had a gas out
there, buddy.
No, I go in and I say, hey, I'm
sorry, are you guys out of
premium?
Because you know, I went to go
and pump it and it didn't work
and the guy goes, oh really?
And I said.
And he didn't believe you.
And I said yeah.
You sure you know what you're
doing?
And he wasn't that type.
So I said yeah, I went to a
second pump and that didn't work
either.
He goes, oh, I said, so are you
at a premium?
And he goes well and looks at me
like I'm a fucking idiot and I
almost lost my shit.
Did you beat yourself?
I turn around and I said to
myself, you know what?
This is where I go.
Michael Douglas fucking falling
down and just throw away this
entire fucking gas station.
Another.
It was close.
I was like, I bet you I can
wreck this entire fucking place
and be in my car before they
even fucking.
I wonder if their cameras work.
How's that sound?
How's your premium?
Doesn't fucking work.
What'd he?
Say I didn't say any of that.
He was thinking, yeah.
I was borderline ready to
fucking.
So did you put the regular
people gas in it?
No, I I drove.
I wrote, drove to the other side
of the road and they had
premium.
There's another gas station
right across the street.
One of the odds.
Well, there's one on eastbound,
one on westbound.
So the other side of the
highway.
Yeah, OK, so I could not fucking
believe that this guy looked at
me and spoke to me.
Did you mention it at the new
gas station?
Like I I was a fucking idiot I
don't know about.
That guy across the street.
Yeah, he's still, but we don't
like him.
I like how you just assume.
He's in a Panhandle.
I have better odds that he's
talking like that.
They're going, no, he did not
have the guys there, Sir.
I don't know what was that.
I don't.
Know what accident was that I.
Don't know I have no.
Idea.
Oh boy, I don't.
Even know where, I don't know if
I can do that again to be
honest.
Yeah.
I watched Robin Thunder
yesterday.
And it's all you know.
Everybody knows.
Never go full retard.
I I didn't watch the whole
thing.
I thought it was stupid.
I didn't what?
It was stupid.
What a movie.
It was stupid.
I watch a they dropped him in
the jungle and the guy stepped
at the director stepped on the
mine and he's holding up the
guy's head going everybody knows
this is a fake head like OK, I
bet it off he's going I'll
underneath the dead head and I'm
like, OK, this is.
I just turned this off.
Oh.
Man, what a great movie I've.
Been wanting to watch it because
everybody said, well, how good
it is.
I can't stand those stupid,
funny movies.
Do you watch I'm Sailing movies?
No, I really don't like him
either.
I finished Tokyo Vice.
Oh, did you?
Yeah, I don't like that 10.
Great.
I mean the the Shogun one.
There's a lot of reading on
that, but it seems like it
should be reading Where the
Tokyo Vice Seems like they're
just being lazy, don't want to
make the guy speak English.
And there are a lot of subtitles
on that too.
If you think about it, the white
kid was fucking talking
Japanese.
The majority of the.
Time.
I understand they're all talking
Japanese, but that's modern day.
They could have spoke English.
He speaks Japanese fluently now.
I'm sure he does.
I don't need to know that for
the movie.
I can pretend.
It's in Japan.
Pretend they're speaking
Japanese.
Talk freaking English.
English only, please.
We're.
I mean, what the fuck were you
expecting?
English.
This is a new thing with the
movies.
They have a lot of the
subtitles.
I know there's.
I thought it was great.
'Cause I can't pay attention to
just the movie, right?
I have a lot of other things
going on.
Figuring out where you're at,
making AI photos.
I have a lot going on in my
life.
You're.
Very busy man.
Very busy.
I can't pay attention to read
the movie.
Kind of like Nick Molino kind.
Of Like Nick.
Molino, Nick Molio's a very busy
man.
We should probably call him you.
Want to give him a call?
Let's call him and see how
Let's.
Let's give him a buzz.
All right, get your phone out.
What's going on?
OK, so let's call Nick, see we
can get him on the phone.
OK, let's do that because the
guy never is available.
He never answers the phone.
For anything, ever.
He's very busy man in his
fortress of Solitude.
It's Fortress of Solitude.
Hello, it's Nick.
That's.
A fucking answer.
Swear to God.
Was called Jack, and Jack talk
about it.
Hello.
Oh.
My Oh my God.
It's Nick Belilo.
Hello, you're on the podcast?
Who is this?
Oh yeah, this is blind man's
puff This.
Is coop from.
Cigar Coop.
And I'm John McDavid from
Canada.
Yeah.
Thank.
God, I thought it was those
other guys.
Yeah, I mean, I could talk to
Coop.
You could have.
Are you guys like the only
people that do call in on radio?
Still, isn't that awesome?
We love this.
I love the call.
In we do.
Why don't why are we doing a
video chat or something like?
That everybody does video.
Because that's lame.
Everybody does that.
If you can't be here, we're not
going to have you on MV.
Yeah, I want you to, I want to
call in like Howard Stern, you
know.
I think it's pretty cool.
Yeah, old.
School retro We're very retro,
we.
Keep it we.
Keep it real, we.
Keep like retro like retro
hailing.
Yeah, like, like retro.
Hailing, right, So thanks for.
Thanks for answering, we got to.
Go oh, what Oh.
What?
Happened.
Why's he got?
Why's he got?
Is there an echo?
What did you do?
What did you do?
Nothing.
Nothing.
Nicholas, you there?
Hold on a SEC.
Oh, it was.
Him it was.
Here we go, here we go, here we
go.
It was him.
It was his.
What did he do?
You blame me?
What did he do?
He hit speakerphone.
You.
Went crazy.
You're gonna have to.
You're gonna have to re record
this.
No, no, we're going.
We're going to go, we go.
We only do this once.
You want to call me back?
No, no, this is fine.
Now we're in it.
It's like on the radio.
You can't listen to yourself
talk because there's a delay.
Got.
It Yeah, dude, come on.
All right.
So please turn down your radio.
Look, we're going to get into
the nitty gritty.
I know that.
We we only have a specific
amount of time with you.
You're super busy, You're
rolling cigars, You're
fermenting things at the same
time.
The eclipse is in any minute.
You've probably got to go dance
or something outside.
Yeah, he's yelling at Eduardo.
He's telling people that he had
they have to buy 75,000 wise men
before they can get anything
else.
There's a whole process.
He's watching Indiana Jones,
looking for the name of his next
cigar.
Watching Indiana Jones?
Yes.
All right, so.
You guys are having too much fun
down there.
We.
Listen, if you really are, if
you're not having fun, what are
you doing?
We don't make money at this.
We got to do something, get
something.
Out of it this this part brought
to you by Go fuck yourself egg.
Well, hopefully we make it
through this, this, solar this,
what are we having a a eclipse?
Listen, man, here's what I could
tell you.
I could tell you that in 1999 I
was worried about my microwave
attacking me right before the
fucking the the bell hit right
at 2000.
Do you remember that?
Yeah.
And we made it.
OK.
All right.
And then he Fast forward 20
years later.
And then I'm worried about
keeping away from everybody at
least six feet.
You skipped 2017, which was
going to be the last eclipse in
our lifetime.
Oh, that was the final eclipse
and I like and we made that.
And we made it through that.
Now there's another now.
There's another final eclipse.
OK, so at this point, you know
what?
Just fucking come for me.
I don't.
You know what?
Like whatever.
We're ready.
We're ready.
Yeah, just take me.
Take me away.
I don't.
Keymaster, yeah.
We had an earthquake on the last
week, which is pretty crazy.
Are you in New York City right
now?
No, I'm in on the farm in
Connecticut.
It would be Epicenter was in
Jersey, but we felt it here at
the office, which is crazy.
You know I.
Got to get barn protocol and
locked.
Everything down, I can only
imagine.
It's so calm and there's nothing
going on there.
He's just sitting in the chair
that he could feel the rumble.
I was actually on a zoom call
and my my colleague was in where
was he?
In Queens and I saw the wall
moving.
It was kind of crazy.
Oh, wow.
Because usually, you know, you
get smaller earthquake, there
you go.
You know, I could just hear you
guys shaking over there.
Yeah, but yeah, it was pretty
wild.
Pretty wild.
You know what else is?
What else is pretty wild?
What's that?
Moving the name attack but to
axom and not saying shit about
it and then just having a press.
Release.
What do you read that's saying
shit about?
It so let's Hey press release.
Boom.
Changing the name of the cigar.
Nothing else is changing.
He's in a press release
communicating the change though
I.
Didn't.
Say why?
There's no elaboration as to why
you did it.
I mean, I know why, but I don't
think the world really knows
why.
You know what?
I.
Mean.
I don't.
Yeah.
Do you want to let it go or are
you going to say anything or
what?
What are we?
What are we doing, Nick?
I'm going to say the following.
There was an issue with the
trademark and instead of dealing
with as you know in our industry
trademarks are very, very
difficult.
I'm sure you've you've you've
come across that naming cigars.
Hence I try to name things that
you know have no potential issue
because the last thing you want
when dealing with a new product
is you're spending investing in
packaging material.
All this stuff is to come in the
trademark issue.
So unfortunately, we had one
with this one and instead of
wasting time, I decided to
rebrand it and move forward.
You know, if we were five years
in and the brand was, you know,
a huge brand, I probably
wouldn't have done something
like that, but I decided to just
because we only shipped 1
shipment of Mataba that was in
October.
So that's why there was none
after that because I ended up
holding it, you know, rebranding
and then we, we started shipping
again and what was it, February,
end of February?
Gotcha.
March have you.
Considered.
Did you consider changing the
name to Year of the Dragon?
I was about to say that.
That's a great.
Name Very popular.
Yeah, I mean, it's very easy.
Apparently, You know, if you
flood Kaizod with enough fucking
Year of the Dragons, he
eventually has to give up and
surrender.
Is that?
It's pretty much what happened.
Dude, I don't.
Can you break that down for?
I had no idea what's going on
with.
That, I mean, he went from what
we're following.
He was submitting, you know,
trademark yada yadas to stop the
dragon because he had, he
possessed Dragons.
I am the dragon holder.
I'm the dragon.
I have.
I'm the Grand dragon.
Something about a dragon.
But at the end of the day, I
feel like more people came out
with it and.
Everybody came out with.
It and there's really not.
I guess there's nothing that's
going to come.
Well, there's a story today that
he's come out now with four year
the Dragon cigar, 04 Dragons.
So now.
Wait, A. 2nd.
Yes, hold on.
I think that's a question.
He somebody else, a bunch of
people, came out with the Year
of the Dragon.
Like four or five companies.
Javedoff has one DRU stage.
Got a dragon?
Everybody's got a.
Dragon So they all have to
coexist, basically, because.
Well, they do now.
The what I heard is the final
thing is the year the Dragon is
a lunar calendar thing, so he
can't actually copyright that
term year of the dragon.
It feels like Band-Aid all over
again.
Yeah, that's what it.
Is and pop targets.
Yeah, Year of the Dragon is
according to the the Chinese
calendar, like I was.
Born in the year before, too, he
was suing the Chinese.
Also, yeah, he was also suing
the Chinese because they can't
have.
Dragons.
Those people, he kept saying.
Those people.
Those people.
Those people.
He won.
No, no, no, no.
He lost.
So he came out with four Dragons
in a story that's going to break
today.
Yes, we'll cover.
It later, yes.
We'll cover that later in the
show.
Yes, OK, great.
All right.
So thank you for for for
clearing up the axom metapa.
One of the odds somebody has
used that name.
Metapa.
Yeah, as a cigar.
No, but it wasn't the name.
It's not the name, it's the the
imagery which is the issue.
Not the name.
Gotcha.
Yeah.
Yeah.
You just can't find these things
on Google, bro.
You know what I mean?
Like yeah, he should used AI.
He should have used AI.
Yeah, I mean, obviously,
obviously Metapa is not a Metapa
is the name of the the town
where Reuben, the gentleman in
the picture was born.
Got it.
But you know, hence, you know, I
try to always do my due
diligence before releasing a
brand because we we've all seen
so many issues throughout the
year.
And I mean that's just, it's
just terrible, right, Especially
when you're starting off, of
course.
Was it his family or something?
Didn't want you to use the
phone?
He's.
Hey, you move swiftly.
So.
You got to learn where to plug
and stuff what is on the edge of
that cigar.
Piece of tape because the
incorrect.
You taped the cigar?
I taped the end of because.
With the electrical tape.
The cap crack, it's very soft in
your mouth.
Oh my God.
Okay.
You.
Know that's an old school
technique.
Holy shit.
Wow.
Yeah.
Can we?
Can we swear on this bud?
Yes, yes, you can say whatever
the fuck.
You want.
That's an old school technique.
Is doing the tape at the end of
the cigar.
Electrical tape.
That's what I had.
Handy.
I don't know about the
electrical tape, but.
Well, I'm hoping it somehow
corrodes into my mouth and kills
me case the eclipse doesn't.
Yeah, Casey.
Yeah, it's very small.
You're ahead of the curve there.
OK, the eclipse.
Will imagine.
Can you imagine we have a
massive super earthquake when
the eclipse did.
While we're talking to Nick,
that would be great.
And his fortress is.
That would be weird.
Well, actually I bet you it's
starting to hit to people are
starting to see it now.
Now it comes across the
Connecticut at 3:30.
So we got another another hour
and a half that.
Sounds like I'm excited for you,
I'll.
Be busy.
But there's got to be people
hitting it, seeing it right now.
It's got to be hitting, yeah.
Actually 1140 it's supposed to
start.
Their Their worlds are
shattering and they're losing
communications.
What's happening?
We don't even know.
We.
Don't even know.
What's going on?
Shutting down the entire world
again.
Right, I'm.
Gonna have to look this out.
Yeah.
All right, so.
All right, I got one.
I got one more question.
Yeah.
All right, listen, you fucking
packed your shit and you got out
of Agonorsa and you opened up
cigars with Pepin Garcia.
Now, again, just kind of a press
release hits and there's no real
Intel as to why or how or what
the fuck is going on.
And yeah, I What the fuck is
going on?
I think our press release was
somewhat clearer.
I think Cigar Aficionado and
Half Wheel made it more about
like the factory in Aganorsa and
whatnot, but that's not how our,
our press release read at all.
Had a great relationship with
Aganorsa.
We had a good ten years.
You know, I launched one
Wednesday.
That was my first brand with
them, you know.
Well, Wednesday I for me served
a purpose when I first came out.
Nobody knew who I was, really.
Nobody knew Foundation,
obviously, except for the
hardcore guys.
And I think the hardcore shops
that kind of knew what I was
doing behind the scenes after
estate.
So I knew naming a cigar, well,
Wednesday they would get it
because they're, you know, the
hardcore guys.
They're more into it.
So I knew I could represent
Nicaragua, name a cigar well
Wednesday and they would get it.
The brand over the past 10 years
just really hasn't performed
like our other brands as far as
growth.
It's stayed pretty stagnant
compared to the rest of our
brands which have been growing
tremendously.
So I felt like it served its
time and this opportunity came
to work with the pene, which
I've known Pene for 25 met pene
when he first moved to Nicaragua
and OO3, that's when I just
moved to Nicaragua.
So we've had a relationship for
a long time and as you know
those guys don't make cigars for
too many people.
And I jumped on that opportunity
and thought it was a good you
know, change for the next decade
of foundation to, you know it
was tough decision to make it to
discontinue a Wednesday.
But I felt like it was a good
move to kind of you know re
blend rebrand and move into the
next 10 years of of foundation.
So it was less about like you
know having issues with the
factory or or anything like
that.
It was more just, you know,
moving forward and change, you
know, which is tough.
I mean, because those those two
guys don't fucking like each
other even a little bit.
Yeah, I to be honest with you.
You know, I don't get into all
the controversy, obviously.
I know, you know, there is
history there.
You know, I've kind of
maintained, Mike, you know, in.
Yeah, I just never made.
Yeah, I just never made, you
know, it's such a small
industry.
I've always been friends with
everybody and I've never made
other people's, you know, issues
my issues because you just can't
do that.
Otherwise you wouldn't you want
to be able to operate in our
industry.
So I can see how that optics
looks a little strange but I
mean it it's more kind of press
made it more about the factories
than I think it was really the
reality of it.
So that was weird.
You know, Cigar Aficionado had
the half wheel kind of made it
foundation out at, you know,
Agonora.
And I don't know, they kind of
made it a little bit.
They they they puffed it up a
little, A little too much, I
think.
So you're still on good terms
with everybody is what you're
telling?
Me.
Yeah, yeah, yeah, all.
Right.
There's, I mean there'll be no.
And there are big, you know,
agonorso is a big part of my
history.
I've dealt with agonorso since,
you know, all three, you know,
again, when I started, before I
even started making cigars with
them, obviously I have other
colleagues that make cigars with
them.
And yeah, I just thought it was
time for for change.
Got it, Which, you know, well,
Wednesday was a tough one.
You know, you're right.
It's a tough one.
It's not even Spanish.
So if you speak Spanish, you
can't even pronounce it.
So that makes it difficult.
You know, we've had
conversations, Mike, about
branding and, you know, I'm
learning, you know, this part of
the business, I've learned a
lot.
Still learning.
Obviously.
I knew it was going to be a
difficult one for people to
pronounce, but when I started, I
felt an obligation to Nicaragua
to represent the culture
properly.
So you know, that's why I went
for it.
And again, I was targeting I
think a target market, a much
smaller group of consumers when
I first started, but getting it
to kind of reach out to that
next kind of circle of
consumers, you know, well
Wednesday is the top one.
So now you So then now they're
called wise man, correct?
Correct wise man Corojo which is
the the, the lighter shade and
then wise man Madera.
But the original, the one before
the darker, the one before it.
Agonorse was called Wise Man.
Maduro too right?
Yeah.
So before they were called, it
was called, well, Wednesday
Corojo and then Wise man Madera,
so.
Now we're just going wise, man
that.
Was with Agonorse, correct?
Yeah.
And updated packaging, you know,
it's a completely different
blend.
I didn't want to try to like,
you know, I didn't want to do a
re kind of like a re blend, like
re blending, yeah.
So it's the same blend
essentially, it's just a
different factory.
No, it's a completely different
blend.
It is completely different
blend, completely different
packaging.
It's like that would be easy to
move into a new factory, right?
Yeah, yeah.
So I didn't want to, you know, I
want people to know that that
well Wednesday is discontinued,
that you know, that Blend is, if
you like it, grab them.
No Moss, no Mosss.
No.
MOS No.
Moss, which is crazy, 'cause now
you hear, you know, I can't tell
you how many people are calling.
Yeah, I can't believe.
Yeah, Yeah.
Yes, we, we actually had our
Monday morning call this morning
and that was, you know people,
two of my sales.
Guys does his in the morning,
unlike Justin Andrews, he does
his in the afternoon just so we
can't call him, yeah.
Yeah, we do our.
We usually do Monday morning
meetings at 11 kind of get the
week going.
Do you have Wi-Fi in your
bunker, in the in the farm or
like how often do you see
daylight?
You just out of curiosity.
What do you mean?
Do you come out at all about?
You're down below ground.
You're always hiding now at this
point, the.
Fortress of Solitude, yeah.
I'm trying to hide.
Don't we can see, I mean we're
right on a 300 acre farm here.
Well, yes, but you're you're
underground.
Though yeah, is there Is there
some type?
Of you look very pale at the
PCA.
Is there a trench?
Is there a trench around the
farm the with alligators in
order to get?
Yeah, I am too pale.
I'm going to try to get.
I'm going to try to change that
this summer.
Now that the PCA is out in the
summer, I can actually take a
vacation and get them.
Done.
I mean, you're always we're go
ahead, you're always in the
tropics.
Yeah, but you know, I never wear
shorts in Escalade because then
you look like a gringo.
And it's worth.
So I'm always, I'm always in in
my jeans.
And yeah, so I'm trying to
change that.
Our office, our office is
actually in a bunker now that
you.
Know that I think about it.
We told you who it was.
This office is an old actually
bunker for housing Jamaican
Connecticut shade workers.
So excuse me, excuse me if I if
I told you this guys before but
in 191944 the state of
Connecticut and the government
of Jamaica made an official work
program because everybody was
fighting in the war and there
was a huge demand for cigars of
course and Connecticut was of
course growing and manufacturing
cigars.
So there wasn't enough workers
to work the shade fields.
So they went to Jamaica because
Jamaica was making a lot of
cigars and their growing season
was the offseason for our on
season.
So Connecticut has the third
largest population of Jamaican
towns in the United States.
The other is you know outside of
Miami and New York.
So this is actually an old
barracks for Jamaican workers
which are coming from.
Nick see Jamaican worker but in
different language.
Isn't that cool?
Unfortunately.
You know that's still happening.
Actually, there are farms in the
valley that have.
I was actually last May coming
up from Nicaragua in Miami, and
on my plane was a ton of
Jamaican farmers that were
coming up for the growing
season.
So they usually come up.
Yeah, they come up in April, sea
beds start, and then they
usually stay until right before
Thanksgiving because that's when
most of the tobacco comes out.
Yeah.
So it's cool.
People don't really realize
that.
Always a history lesson when you
talk.
He's so smart.
He's such a smart man.
Yeah.
And this is where this whole
idea of of smoking, you know,
blunts actually in my opinion
originated here in Connecticut
because of that relationship and
because of the growing of
Connecticut broadly, as you
know, a lot of people use
backwoods for rolling the
lyrical Chiba Chiba and
backwoods is traditionally
Connecticut broadleaf.
So that started here in
Connecticut a long time ago.
Oh, the Chiba Chiba.
Chiba Chiba all.
Right now I have one more
question.
You said that before.
One more after this after the
last one.
OK.
Do you know who Ben Lee is?
Of course.
OK, because that poor guy asked
you a fucking question at your
Connecticut, yadda yadda, that
you did and he?
Said.
And you, he said, Hi, this is
Brian Lee and and you go, who
who is this?
And I'm like, Oh my God, the.
Poor man was crushed totally.
Fucking with.
Him.
No, you weren't.
No, you weren't.
There's.
Bright lights in his eyes he
couldn't see.
Does she really think I was
being serious?
I.
Was he?
Was he was depressed and
distraught the rest of the PC?
I don't know if he knows that
you were kidding.
I thought Nick knew.
I thought you she don't.
Know I think that you listen.
It sounded pretty serious to me.
I feel like you didn't know who
the fuck the person was because
you had beaming lights going on
in your face.
That was the only part of your
speech.
And look, and I died laughing.
And I got to tell you, listen,
these media guys are very
sensitive.
They are.
They're very sensitive.
They're very hurt.
They don't get in on tape.
You you know their names.
Yeah, they they got no
recognition.
The PCA shit's all over them,
OK?
They're not allowed into the
proper time.
I'm going to message you better.
You better message better.
Send them.
And say, hey, I knew who you
were.
Some Chiba Chiba.
So I just heard from Michael
Cigar Hustler.
He's over here fucking pelting
me and I'm very, I'm very sorry.
What should I tell him?
I know, I know who you are and I
love you, is what you need to
say.
OK, then spell his name wrong.
Hey, LEIGA, hey.
Richard, thanks so much for your
question, for your question.
At the VCA.
I'm sorry, I just recognize.
You, Michael Herklatz told me to
you.
Got to be smoother than than
that, Nick.
You got to be smoother.
Dude, I'm totally fucking with
him.
I thought he'd do.
I didn't know it sounded.
Like it sounded like you didn't
know what it was.
So there's no termination
clause, There's no cease and
desist.
There's no contract of bullshit.
Just for clarification, when you
jumped one factor to the other,
right?
No.
Yeah, I didn't think so.
I didn't think so.
OK.
No, not at all.
Yes, Matt Tie, there isn't one.
There's no Matt tie.
My fucking coop.
No, not at all.
Not a.
Thing you can ask any question
you want.
Apparently guys, you just have
to do it.
Just got to ask the question.
Listen, you know, it's tough.
It was a tough move to make.
Yeah, bro, No, no.
So I, you know, you, you, you
have an opportunity to work with
Patine.
It's something.
I couldn't take it.
I couldn't pass up, you know.
It's almost as good as skip, I
get it.
I saw your boy Skip online going
off on somebody.
That was hilarious.
Yeah, Buddy does all the yeah
buddy, sometimes he wakes up and
he says I choose violence.
I'm like, OK, here we go.
He chose violence.
Let me tell you I I read the
response on the comments that I
have to say, he summed it up
pretty well.
Yeah, yeah, he's.
He has.
I mean his.
Some Sometimes he does have the
great, great insight.
Skin he is.
He's he's pretty intelligent.
He's pretty intelligent, so.
I think he's a little too
intelligent for his own good.
You know what's so funny?
I feel like I'm talking the same
fucking guy.
I'm going.
To say how does it?
Somebody else a little too
fucking intelligent for their
own God damn good.
So you might be right there,
you.
Might be like a history
professor at some college or
something.
So there's that, you know.
I I think that's where I'm
headed, man.
I think I just want to.
I want to spend the rest of the
second part of my life in
dealing with books.
They they don't talk back.
Yeah, I've Dude, you know what?
This is a rough fucking
industry, man.
This is a rough industry without
question, and it will chew you
up and spit you out, right?
Tell me I'm wrong.
No, you're right.
It's a it's a lot.
There's a lot of it's not like
regular business.
No, no.
Because I think that for a lot
of feelings man, and I'm I'm you
know you have creators and
people that take things you know
really seriously, they're
passionate.
So it's tough to not have
feelings when you're passionate
I guess.
But sometimes it is a little too
much like the 7th grade though.
I mean, I don't know if any
other.
That's a good analogy that
pretty much sums it.
Up right there like the. 7th
grade, Yeah.
Some of these, I'm sure.
Other.
Some of.
These other in.
This.
Oh my goodness.
They like to drop names, I'm
sure.
Yeah, and.
Then when you like.
I'm sure go.
Ahead let Nick talk.
All right.
I'm sure these other industries
are, you know, I'm sure it's
because we're in it.
You know, I'm sure if you're in
other industries, I'm sure
there's, you know, similar
issues.
But I think this is definitely
different because it's such a
social business.
You know, you're selling, you
know, enjoyment, social.
There the lines get.
Crossed a lot, I think.
Because we're selling something
that's that's social.
So that line between business,
friendship and all of it gets, I
think it's blurred a lot and
that's where you have a lot of
problems.
I agree.
Baby, I don't know.
Just like that.
Absolutely.
Absolutely.
And then egos too.
Egos are fucking crazy.
Crazy.
Across the board, random, those
manufacturers, retailers, just
fucking all of it.
Yeah, customers, some of them
are Dicks too.
I mean, it's just, it's a lot.
Yeah, it's a lot.
It's a lot.
It's a lot.
Yeah.
I don't think people coming.
I've seen so many people.
I'm sure you have like you know
they come from other industries,
maybe you know more corporate
and then they think they
understand the cigar market, but
they don't because they don't
understand, you know, they're
the little you know details of
of dealing with you know
retailers or brand owners.
And there's a lot of a lot to
learn in our industry for sure,
for sure, which doesn't carry
over, I think to just normal
business practice, not.
At all.
Well, I I told you that this
would be a 5 minute conversation
and we are approaching 30
minutes.
Oh wow.
Listen.
Time flies, you know.
You know, if you you, you give
me some heads up, I'll give you
more than two or five minutes,
Steve.
Yeah, well, I don't want to keep
it too long.
I just want.
I want.
I want you got.
To get on, check the.
I want these little pop
insurance.
But listen, how about how about
we do this whenever you make
some crazy fucking press
release, OK?
And you're about to drop a bomb.
Let me know the bombs about to
be dropped and we'll make sure
that you're scheduled to come
on.
All right.
That sounds good.
Get the word out for you all.
Right.
So that way you can say, hey,
you can.
You can explain it from just the
regular press.
Release.
I know you want to give it the
fishing on a first.
That's fine.
Whatever.
Like, go ahead, go ahead.
You know, like.
Oh, yeah, yeah.
But whatever.
Give it to.
Give it to the people you got to
give it to.
But then we'll, let's talk
afterwards.
Hey, all right.
I did this.
I want to Let's let's talk.
Sounds.
Good.
All right.
All right, guys.
All right.
Thanks for taking the time.
Thank you so much.
Turn the Wi-Fi back off so
nobody can find you.
Yeah, but get go get the tinfoil
hat back on.
OK all.
Right, I'm getting ready for
this.
One hour, one hour and count
all.
Right.
All right, Nick.
Bye bud.
All right, guys.
Take care I.
Can't believe he answered the
phone.
What a great interview with Nick
Malilo.
What a great interview, 18.
The Jamaica Shishi Chiba Chiba
Chiba Chiba Chiba Chiba.
Chiba the Chiba.
Chiba.
All right, well, you want to get
into this.
Movie on the news.
From the four, did we?
Have a Phil's fun time.
All the cigar industry news?
Yes, matter of fact, we do.
Let's do the Phil's fun fact
first.
Oh, I thought they got
cancelled.
No, no, it just last week
because the staff didn't pick it
up.
They were unaware of what was
going on.
They thought that there was a
new show.
They were a little behind this
week, too.
They apologized.
They were going to rally and try
to get it.
But we have a new sponsor for
Phil.
Which one?
Which one is it?
It's that one.
It's all.
It's all two page.
Is there two or two pages?
It says, one says after Phil's
fun facts.
Oh, that's mine.
I need that one.
Sorry, I didn't know that that
got stuck with yours out of the
printer.
This is now.
Let's go, Bunny sponsor read.
You didn't pull the camera.
Pull the camera there, you.
Go Welcome to Cigar Hustlers
podcast feature Phil's fun Fact.
Hello, Peoples.
OK, Ulysses S Grant, the 18th
President and Union General who
defeated the Confederate Armory
Army.
Armory.
Armory.
Had a close relationship with
cigars.
In pictures, he is often
portrayed with his beloved
cigar.
Grant was reported to have
smoked about 20 cigars a day.
Wow.
That's a lot of bones.
That's a lot of bones, man.
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From the four quarters of the
world, all the cigar industry
news you could possibly need.
The Cigar Hustler podcast report
with Mike too.
PCA 2026 is April 17th through
17th to the 20th and New
Orleans.
Two PCA Convention trade shows
will take place in New Orleans 2
the next two years.
At last month 2024 PCA
Convention Trade show, the
Premium Cigar Association, the
Trade Organization that hosts
the event, began informing
exhibitors that the trade show
would be at the New Orleans
Convention Center on both
20262025 and 2026.
The dates are let's see, 2025 is
the 11th to the 14th and it's
this the 26th is 17th to the
20th.
So they just announced 2026?
Yes, 2026 is also going to be in
New Orleans and then 2027,
they're going back to Vegas.
They didn't want to see, like
how 2025 went.
Apparently no.
They got a deal.
I got to be honest, it's
possible that that information
was already on the way of being
leaked out, so I'm glad they
said it.
And the reality is that when you
fucking bring everything over
there, you know you don't want
to ship everything back to
Vegas, right?
It's a pain in the ass.
Right.
So I mean just to get the most
for your money, at least I can.
Leave it.
You got to do it for two days.
So that's an extra expense,
right, because.
Two years, Sorry.
Now everybody has to take all
the stuff out of storage.
Ship it.
Well, that's what people are
talking about.
They don't know if they're going
to maybe build another booth for
New Orleans maybe some a little
smaller less expensive and and
leave it there.
Or like I said, do I pay the
expense to have my giant, you
know, JC Newman cardboard
building shipped all the way
over there and back or even
skips giant metal erector set
and ship it down and?
Yeah, that guy, you know.
Right.
As far as weights concerned,
right?
Well, you did a great job
assembling, Mike.
You did?
I didn't.
I didn't put much of the bigger
pieces either.
That was all Mr. Atwell.
And I helped too with Mr.
Elwell.
You were you were hobbling on
your leg.
You were more, you were more in
the takedown than the put up.
You think so?
Well, because I got angry and
just started doing stuff.
And then you were trying to keep
up with me and do stuff.
I feel like I did a lot on the
build up.
You did more than I thought you
would with your foot or ankle or
knee, whatever the hell was
wrong with you.
But I thought you were more
involved on the takedown because
your leg was better, you know?
It was five days later, I think.
We were doing a pretty good job
and helping build up.
I just feel like you don't know
all the hard work I do sometimes
like.
I'm very, very observant,
Michael.
I, I I keep track of everything
you do because your wife always
wants to know.
For both years the event will be
kept the the format we use as a
special year.
Friday will be a day for
meetings and presentations,
while the trade show portion,
which sees cigar manufacturers
set up their own booth as
exhibitors to meet with
retailers and others, will take
place Saturday through Monday.
Previously, the trade show
portion ran for four days, 3
full days in a short and 1/2 day
on Tuesday that John Mctavage
was not allowed to attend.
This year, the PCA got rid of
the half day and John Mctavage's
access to the show.
PCA wants to make clear that
smoking will be allowed on the
trade show floor.
Yes, PCA wants to make it clear
that oh, OK, because.
That was a rumor.
Yes, the ability to smoke in one
or more in one of the more
challenging aspects now hosting
this trade show.
As many convention centers are
unwilling to allow smoking
indoors, the PCA has
successfully lobbied to keep an
exemption for on the books that
specifically allows for cigars
and other tobacco products to be
smoked during the premium
cigars.
Last year, Governor John Bel
Edwards signed the more recent
version of the exemption into
law.
Unfortunately though, Michael.
Yeah.
Smoking is no longer allowed in
most bars and restaurants in New
Orleans.
Scott Pierce, the executive
director PCA, told Cigars of
Podcast that the organization is
working to set up multiple
smoking venues near the New
Orleans Convention Center that
will allow attendees to
congregate.
In 2012, the organization set up
large tents for after hours
events where this trade show was
in Orlando, in Orlando 2012,
that long time.
Ago.
So you're not allowed to like
smoke on the streets out there
either?
No, not in New Orleans,
apparently.
Another.
Yeah, I know you can pee in the
streets.
Flash your boobs in the streets,
Yeah?
Can't let us know we are the we
are the demons of the society.
You also had the organization
that tends to continue hosting
the trade show in the spring,
the last time the trade show was
hosted in New Orleans to the 15
blah blah blah, it's old named
blah blah.
Last time, Matt Booth got crazy,
wild and yes.
It's true.
Will it happen again that?
'D be so great.
It's the real question.
We should take him on drinking.
Do you think he answers?
Now both.
He's still in Japan.
He's he's still in Japan.
I.
Don't.
Well, his Last Post was.
Yeah, his Last Post was.
How long ago was that?
I think like yesterday.
Something that I went to a
wedding Sunday or Saturday by
accident.
By accident.
Yeah.
How'd you wind up there?
We were at a resort meeting our
friends Jeff and Becky, and we
were all the way down at the end
of the beach there.
Apparently there was a they had
a chain.
And then there was a wedding
that happened next to us.
So maybe we had like front row
seats for the wedding.
Oh, that's.
Did you bring a gift?
No, but I did yell things.
Did you say don't do it?
Yeah, you did.
I did.
If you don't have a priest, I
can do it.
Oh, you said.
That, yeah.
Bridesmaids prettier than the
bride.
Son of a bitch, You son of a
bitch.
Son of a bitch.
That was day.
Oh, wait.
Why?
How do you say hello?
There you are.
Matt Booth Oh my God.
Room 101 podcast.
What's up?
You're on the podcast with the
podcast guys.
What's up?
Hello, I'm one of the.
Podcast Hi, podcast guys.
Hi, hi.
How are you?
Fine.
It's his.
It's his podcast.
We're just the guys.
You're on my podcast.
I oh, this is my prom.
Yeah, this is a BDP show.
Yes, always, always be.
That's.
What this is, Yes, Well,
obviously.
Put a BDP in your mouth.
Oh.
Yes fucking right that's.
Right.
I enjoyed.
I enjoyed all your posts from
Japan, they were very lovely.
I hope every one of those was
for you.
Oh, thank you.
You went to.
Like everyone else?
Yes.
You went to like Karate Kid
Japan.
Yeah.
I I did the whole thing.
It was.
It was the best trip I've had
over there out of all of them.
It was just, it was simply
amazing how.
How many have you had did?
You the guy is practically
yakuza if he takes off his
shirt.
Have you seen him?
No, I yeah, I I I wear I I.
There's no tattoos from the
waist down.
Just saying though.
Yeah, they're all from the waist
up, apparently.
No, no, there are.
Oh, I'm sorry, it must be new.
Hey, so just a quick question.
Oh.
Shit, Boots.
Oh, that fell.
Fell.
Let's fell.
Fell.
Don't.
Don't ruin the magic.
Don't ruin the magic.
Let's fell.
I am so elated right now I
cannot even.
Tell Johnny on the Spot.
All these tones just.
Listen, we're going to ask the
real.
I got to ask the real questions
here.
Listen, I got to ask the real
questions.
You ask it.
The.
People want to.
Know the people want to know.
We're going to New Orleans this
next year for PCA.
Great.
The Tijuana of the United
States.
Will, will you wind up make it
somewhere in a Bush again?
That's the real question.
That's what I want to know.
Look, first of all I was closed.
2nd.
It was not a Bush, It was the
gutter.
See.
It was a gutter.
I know it.
Yeah.
And and I was just.
I was going through a few things
and I have since chill.
There was a bit of reflection
that took place after that.
I mean look in in in, in the
spirit of everything.
I mean, what performance I mean,
you know, I I to this day still
run into people that give me
like these snapshot reviews of
my evening that I have no
recollection of any of it.
And there were so many different
storylines going on, like if you
could capture that and and and
put it to film, you know, I
think you'd have a, you know, I
think you'd have somewhere.
I think you'd have a fine piece
of cinnamon.
You'd have a.
Hit You know, Matthew, with your
wallet and my onset dementia, we
can have a lot of fun there in.
I mean, you know, anal,
bleaching for everybody, you
know, bonus for days.
We're crazy.
Everybody's in.
Phil Phil's terribly excited.
Buy ten boxes of hit and run.
That all it takes.
Buy ten boxes of Hit and Run and
I will breathe heavily on you
for 17 seconds.
No, no, no, no, seven.
Fuck that.
I I don't have.
So much time. 17 seconds is a
lot.
I got to tell you the best.
A lot.
That's a lot of huffing and
puffing.
The best.
The best real that I saw PCA was
when the down to her guys
interviewed you and it was fuck
marry kill and you looked down
at Caleb's shoes and you said
you point around him, said I'd
fuck you and it was I almost
fell out of my chair dude, it
was hilarious.
Hilarious.
I mean it.
My look as as a retired
predator.
OK.
Let's just let's just.
Call it what it is.
You know, I immediately,
intuitively went for the
footwear.
I was like who is, you know,
going to be, you know,
identified as the most fuckable
and it's going to come from the
quality of footwear.
And his and he was wearing a
very stout pair, I think some
Red Wing type boots.
He clearly cared more about
himself than the other two guys.
And I mean this also translates
to grooming and other things
that I don't want to have to,
you know, you know, trench
through the foliage to get to
where I got to go, you know what
I mean?
I mean, I need smooth sailing,
you know?
I I I like your thought process.
I'm a little uncomfortable.
Yeah.
Oh, you're a little.
I I stand by Oh, you're
uncomfortable now, motherfucker.
You're uncomfortable now?
OK.
You got tattoos on the bottom
half?
I didn't know.
I feel a little, a little left
out.
Yeah.
I will show you.
All the next time I come there,
you.
Go.
All this fucking painted meat.
All of it.
All right.
Well, I guess we looked for the
We're looking forward to the
dumbed down, well versed
altogether Matt Booth at PCA New
Orleans.
This will be very busy and not
able to talk to us there.
Super busy We were.
We.
We.
I.
Should I should wear a suit?
I should just go full pro.
We did a clip.
We did a clip of all your
interviews that you did for.
Us.
Last week, and it was it was
astounding.
It was astounding.
Really.
Tons of views, Tons of.
Views.
Yeah, Everybody was really very,
very, very.
Very well accepted by the cigar
industry, yeah.
You know, they, they like to
view.
They whether they want to admit
it or not, like to listen
because the things that come out
of my mouth or not, you know,
there's no thought prior to the
exit in my mouth.
And then what comes out is
sometimes delightful.
Like Lincoln, you know?
I enjoy saying things.
I I enjoy our time together, you
know?
I know that, Yeah.
We enjoy our time together with
you as well Sir, so.
I think we need to do a show.
I'm sorry, it sounds like I'm
you're trying to dismiss me, but
the problem is that you called
me and that's not how this
works.
So the idea for me really is
like, OK, within within our
community, we know it's a tight
knit world, right?
And and you know, just because
of because of how close it is,
you have, you know, somewhat of
AI think a more intimate
understanding of one another
either directly or by 1° of
cigar separation and say, you
know, like if you were in the
software business, you might not
know each other so well, right,
right.
You know, I I think we dig into
topics like who's bleaching
their record.
You know, I think we dig into
topics like you know who you
know like in the more savage
sense, like you know, I mean we
all know my my story seemingly
is apparently known about my you
know, endeavors and
unconsciously into.
The drinking.
World into the dark, in in into
the into the blackness.
Into the ether.
Yeah, I mean, it was.
It was.
I mean, not, not one, not even a
whisper of a memory, not a shred
of recollection.
It was just complete lights up
and still perform.
Yeah, still in a state of
performance.
But you know who does certain
things, you know?
Yeah, I think, I mean, I I
obviously went for the butt
stuff immediately.
But like, we could come up with,
you know, who gets out of the
shower to pee?
Who does, You know, it's like
all kinds of stuff.
We could talk.
About, Yeah, they're very
interesting things, yeah.
Things people want to know.
Yeah, I guess there's a lot.
I still feel like I'm being
dismissed.
This is bullshit.
You are.
You are being dismissed.
This is bullshit.
You're it.
Was nice having you on the
phone.
But.
I have been slighted.
I am not giving given my just
due.
I am a sterling
conversationalist and I want to
be heard.
Well.
We have, we have Justin Andrews
on the other line.
I'm sorry.
I have Michael Herglatz on the
other line.
I have.
Dear.
God.
Yeah, he's friends with Michael
Herslas now.
We're now we're we're now we're
tight.
I just, I told.
I told him that listen, we could
be friends.
I just have to be more friends
than you and him.
That was what was important to
me, he said.
He said no problem.
He's like easily done.
He said it's a big ask, but no
problem.
Yeah.
Heavy lifting complete.
Yeah, yeah, you know, there was
a slight pause and he said OK,
so.
Yeah, I get it.
Well, Boots, you can call me
anytime.
So.
Whatever you want to call me.
Well, we are glad that you are
back safe.
We hope you had a great vacation
with the fam.
It looked fantastic dude.
And.
Your family's adorable.
Yes, Thank you, Mom.
And we look, we look forward.
To.
I greatly appreciate that.
We look forward to hanging out
with you soon, bud.
I see you soon.
We talk sooner.
I miss you and love you all.
Love you too, bud.
Love you too, There.
Bro.
Alright, bro.
Thanks.
Bye, bye.
Bye.
You sound like my grandma when
he did that.
You should have hung up on him,
because nobody hangs up on these
people but us.
You know what, man?
We got to go.
Is there no meeting today?
The meeting was earlier.
It's 345.
What time out for them?
Oh, Matt doesn't tend.
To lose he doesn't.
He's.
Everyone's.
Yes.
Yes.
Cigar.
OK.
Right, we've done an hour.
You want to just go?
Punch it in real quick, Let's
get it.
Right.
Hold on.
Because we have.
We have two good stories.
Let me get to them.
Let me get to them.
Oh, we have three, actually.
Timeout Cigars releasing the
Lupia PCA 2024 now arriving in
stores.
Did we buy that?
The Luke Time Out Cigars, which
made his debut at the 2023 PCA
Committed Trade Show, has begun
shipping Lupia a new limited
production release that is
featured at this year's PCA
Commission?
LLUMPIA.
It's exactly the same way.
And the picture on the IT comes
in a bag, yeah.
It.
Looks like a little stack of Egg
rolls on top of.
Everything.
Production is currently being
limited to just 2500 cigars per
year, which Greg will buy.
All of.
The company expecting that more
cigars will release later this
year, but has not yet announced
the date.
They're waiting to hear from
Greg, obviously.
You know, that sounds like a
great marketing plan.
It does.
Olympia Gurka is coming out with
four cigars.
We mentioned that during the the
The Interview 4.
Dragons.
Four Dragons?
Yes, there's a gurka year.
The dragon, Ernesto.
There's one made Oliva, one who
made it Oscar, and one made
somewhere else I already turned
up.
So many Dragons.
So many Dragons.
Hold on, hold on.
One more story.
DuPont is has announced a Game
of Thrones collaboration with
Charlie by Charlie Minato.
We saw that at.
Yeah, they had that there.
It's $33,950 for a custom
lighter.
What?
Then they've announced the
Maharaja Maharan Lighter at
Maharaja $30,000.
How much 130?
American dollars.
Yes, American dollars, the least
expensive option of the two
lighters, are praised at roughly
$40,000.
SD DuPont pays tribute to Notre
Dame Bronze, lighter and pen,
both pieces of price at 16,950.
A pen, a pen and lighter combo,
though they're eight, $16,000
separate.
Sorry.
And they also I've.
Used that at the gym.
They did a collaboration.
With my pen.
Casablanca, The fashion brown
funded by Sharif Tajir.
Why are you stressing about
losing your pen?
It's a $16,000 pen.
What is this like the Liv
series?
Apparently those are from see
299 to 1800 dollars.
Oh, those are reasonable.
So we've come out with the
Hustler cigars, Hustler
lighters.
It's the limited editions.
Oh.
Perfect.
Limited edition here, so that
comes in four colors.
Tell them how much it is.
They're $500 each.
It's a steal here.
You can get all four for $1800.
Oh, a disc 10% off.
I love it.
Those are beautiful.
So those are nice.
Those are the Hustler lighters
that we're putting on.
You know what's great about
those?
Yes, they.
Last forever.
And they're refillable.
Right.
Yes, yes, and it's soft flame.
Not that.
Not that obscene torch stuff
that burns everything.
If you lose one you you could
send us a letter and.
We'll replace it for only two.
$100 for a deal.
So yeah, we'll give you a deal.
When we can get back to you.
Yes, when we can get back to
you.
Yeah, when we respond.
Yeah, and finally, limited
edition.
Why Panda Domino debuted at the
PCA 2024 White Panda New Line
that debuted at the 2023 added
its first limited edition at the
2024 PCA convention trade show.
It's called the White Panda
Domino and it's a 6 by 52 Toro
that uses a modified blend from
the original.
The Domino uses an Ecuadorian
Connecticut wrapper, 2 binders
and a Brazilian out of Paraca
and the other Mexican San
Andreas and an all Nicaraguan
filler.
The regular production white
panda uses Ecuadorian Carojo,
98, a double binder of Brazilian
blah blah blah.
The white panda Domino, which
produced at the Luciano Cigar
factory, priced at $16.10 per
cigar and offered in boxes of 18
cigars.
Production was initially being
limited to just 300 boxes, which
were available only to retailers
who attended the 2020 or PCA
convented trade show in late
March and ordered the cigar
there.
However, the company said that
those retailers may be able to
reorder once more the which
would increase the number of
cigars produced.
The first patch of cigars is
supposed to ship at the end of
April.
White Pandas creation by Linux
LANXU Panda Yan, who worked with
Luciano Morales to create a
cigar line after he spent more
than a year as an intern.
Allegedly, while Luciano calls
all his employees so he doesn't
have to pay them at all, Yan now
serves as a brand ambassador for
the time now that Luciano has
declared he owns the cigar
brand.
Oh my.
God got a shot of the week,
Michael.
Do I have a shop of the week?
Yeah, you were going to start
the you know having a shop of
the week you said last week and
a thing I.
Did say that.
When do you leave for Nicaragua?
Is it next week?
Couple weeks.
Yeah.
Couple of weeks or next week.
It's not the same thing.
Do we have one more show before
you leave?
Oh, OK.
Is that the farewell?
Yes, we'll do something special
for your trip to Nicaragua.
Oh really?
Yes.
We'll try to work something out
where we can do one while you're
gone.
We'll do one whether you're on
it or not, but we'll try to do
it with you.
Would be the optimal choice.
We don't want the people not to
have a show.
Yeah, I agree.
Well is are you able to use your
phone or no?
Yeah.
Yeah, they have electricity
there.
Yeah, it's amazing.
Well, I remember there's two
different ringtones or whatever.
Wi-Fi, you got a.
Wi-Fi or Wi-Fi.
They have Wi-Fi at the factory.
Yeah.
Because it would be factory time
when we did the thing while
you're learning to roll.
Oh, maybe that would be nice.
Skippy's yelling at you.
That's wrong.
That's wrong.
OK.
Anytime you want a couple of the
shop of the week?
Smoke and sip.
Oh, you know, I was going to
pick that.
One, Yeah.
Smoke and sip.
Is it fluorescent, Missouri?
Oh, that's not the there's
there's also a smoke and sip
chat that bought cigars.
They're in Tampa.
No, this is smoke and sip.
I know that's the reason.
I was just saying, I was
thinking the other one and
listen to the week.
Mike, did anybody come up to you
at the event and go, hey, I love
the podcast or maybe I love the
podcast you guys do down there
in Florida.
I did not have that.
What's happened?
Did the hat fit?
The hat fit you?
Took that.
You took a hat?
Yeah, to the event.
For someone special, they.
Already had the hat.
They already had that.
Oh, so it worked out well.
Did you bring it back?
It's.
In the trunk, listen to the
week's Dan Stanley.
The fucking guy drove 2 hours to
hang out.
Damn.
Stanley and he knows what's
going on.
So what's what's amazing is I
haven't talked to him for a
while since like Christmas.
He's still up to date, so.
Well, we do this little thing
once a week where we say who
you've beat up and who you've
got in a fight with and made you
angry, but.
That's my point.
He listens every week.
He's my guy.
Oh, I got you.
All right.
We got to give this away.
OK.
So 15 people entered the
contest.
Yeah, I can't look up
subscribers.
We have 2672 subscribers.
No, I'm not going through that,
Palmer.
So these are people that you
didn't comment.
They went and because we told
them they had to go over and
comment on the Instagram, OK, so
15 people did. 15 gentlemen, I'm
guessing it is.
So I have.
They have to be 21 or older,
They have to live in the.
Continental United States and
blah blah.
So I don't know that from this
because I have their Instagram
handles.
We'll have to love the contact.
So I have #1 through 15.
You have no idea who one is or
who 15 is or who the other ones
are.
So you pick a #21 and 15, I will
open the paper and we will say
the name.
I'm going lucky 13.
Wells, So that's Steven Wells.
Oh, perfect.
Perfect.
Congratulations, Steven Wells,
we will.
Steven Wells, we will get this
off to you.
You can put it in your office at
the car dealership.
Boom.
We're going to send it to the
wrong address.
Oh, do we do that with?
We have done that 10, yeah.
You might want to e-mail me and
verify.
The no I have the I have the
address.
I got the right address.
I'm the one who's going to be
doing it, so send it to me.
I still can't get the No, I
don't.
I don't need that.
Still don't have the A speaker?
Oh.
No, no, I got two of the
interviews.
We need to get the Justin one
and dub in the thing like, no,
you be him, I'll be him and you
be you.
We'll play it and we'll do just
a mini.
We won't do the whole interview.
All right.
There's a bit episode, 328
cigars or podcast.
Mikey's got to go.
He's got football, Football.
All.
Right.
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Show Notes
Episode 328
Join us on this special episode of the Cigar Hustlers Podcast as we bring you exclusive interviews with two legends in the cigar industry. First up, we sit down with Nick Melillo of Foundation Cigar Company to discuss the recent rebranding of one of his iconic cigar lines and his exciting move to a new cigar factory. Nick shares insights into his creative process and what enthusiasts can expect from Foundation in the future. Later in the episode, we dive into a captivating conversation with Matt Booth from Room 101 Cigars as he recounts his recent trip to Japan. Matt takes us on a journey through the vibrant culture of Japan and shares how it inspired his craft and vision for Room 101 Cigars. And as always, our News Director, BDP Palmer, brings you the latest updates and insights from the cigar industry, keeping you informed and entertained. Tune in for all this and more on the Cigar Hustlers Podcast!⸻