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The State of Smokes is Strong · Sips, Suds, & Smokes

• 0:00
  > Speaker A>It on the next episode of Sip Suds and Smokes.
• 0:03
  > Speaker B>On this online edition of sip Suds and Smokes, we're talking about the state of smokes.
• 0:09
  > Speaker B>Going to cover some topics that were boiling around during season eleven. So we have always have a lot of interesting conversation about kind of the state of some of the industries that we actually cover here on sip suds and smokes and the cigar. Our area has been a very lively industry for something that's been fairly steady for a long period of time.
• 0:32
  > Speaker B>There's still an awful lot that's going on.
• 0:34
  > Speaker B>And part of what was happening is that they were just lumping in everything, um, into one giant category of flavored tobacco. So we're all smoking something interesting tonight. I thought I'd take the time for us to just talk about the sticks that are in our hand.
• 0:53
  > Speaker A>We will be right back after this breakup.
• 1:17
  > Speaker A>Brought to you almost live from the dude in the basement studios. Why? Because that's where the good stuff is. It sits, suds and smokes with your smoke and host the good old boy.
• 1:51
  > Speaker A>Hey man, got a light? It's time for smokes.
• 1:56
  > Speaker B>Hey, welcome to this interesting online edition of Sipsuds and Smokes. Uh, this is our state of smokes.
• 2:04
  > Speaker C>The state of smokes.
• 2:05
  > Speaker B>So I just thought we always have a lot of interesting conversation about kind of the state of some of the industries that we actually cover here on sipside and smokes. And the cigar area has been a very lively industry for something that's been fairly steady for a long period of time.
• 2:25
  > Speaker B>There's still an awful lot that's going on.
• 2:28
  > Speaker B>And um, so I thought I'd actually lead off our discussion here with this bell ringer, Bellwether, uh, agreement that the PCA has struck with the FDA this year. So, um, this is, ah, an ongoing measure, um, of, I don't even think it was litigation. I think it was just a matter of legislative, regulatory language that kind of was moving in from the FDA, big words.
• 2:54
  > Speaker B>And part of what was happening is that they were just lumping in everything, um, into one giant category of flavored tobacco. Um, and this was directly an offset of a lot of vape pens. I'm not going to mention any particular brands because I don't want to get sued by them.
• 3:13
  > Speaker B>Um, but they rhyme with mool.
• 3:16
  > Speaker B>Um, uh, part of they were really getting a lot of pressure, as they should, with abuse by miners, with a lot of these products that were being introduced into uh, a lot of these products. And so the way they just attacked it and said ban all flavors, including premium scars. In fact, everybody's going to have to pay a huge tax on all of this on top of whatever you're paying now. So premium cigar smokers were actually going to pay for the sins of something that they weren't even consuming at all.
• 3:52
  > Speaker D>Yeah. So 2016 is when it first got introduced and uh, the first original document I know was like 400 pages. And the big thing was the fact that, yes, the vape stuff, and they had never really gone after that type of tobacco as far as regulations. Now as we know, like we talk about on this show, premium cigars have so much more to do with heritage and flavor and complexity, and it's not this fix.
• 4:22
  > Speaker B>Premium cigars were here for 70 years before the vape pen was even for sure. But it's like, I think we had a problem with what you've been doing for the last 70 years. I'm like, really?
• 4:33
  > Speaker D>Right, uh, well, and it's like, there's the conversation of, well, what's in it? Well, it's tobacco. It is literally tobacco. Some of it's aged and fermented longer, some's not. Um, but something I find very interesting. I actually had this conversation once with a guy who turned out to be a, ah, attorney in DC for, he sues big, ah, cigarette companies and he's like a lobbyist and all that stuff.
• 4:58
  > Speaker D>And we were talking about it, which, it's cool because I was able to have a conversation with him about cigars and open his perspective up. But we were talking and he was like, yeah, I know for a fact all the FDA people that they brought in to handle that originally were all the people who handled Big Pharma. So it's like, of course you have these people who are used to regulating this drug and this thing and this pill and all that who are like, well, what is this? And what's in it? And it's just great that over time we've been able to come to the resolution with them of like a premium cigar is qualified as this. It is hand rolled, it is purely tobacco, it is these things.
• 5:35
  > Speaker D>Um, now I will say we still have dangers with flavored tobacco and that can affect our industry just as much. And I still think there's an importance in differentiating between machine made flavors and then regular flavored cigars because still regular flavored infused cigars, the processes are still done in such a natural way and they're still supported by so many of the other brands that help hold up this industry and help support this industry. And so it's like one of the big acid.
• 6:10
  > Speaker E>Cuba.
• 6:11
  > Speaker D>Cuba was number four sold cigar in a row in America for like five years. Shame, I know, but I like to tell people, it's like starbucks coffee. You have cream and coffee and sugar, and there's lines out the door, but.
• 6:25
  > Speaker E>The taste is subjective in the.
• 6:28
  > Speaker E>I. I just have to grit my teeth when I'm at a shop and I'm watching these people buy handfuls of these flavored cigars, and I'm just like, man, I really hope one day that you get your training wheels off. Yeah.
• 6:40
  > Speaker C>But I mean, I would much rather somebody come into an actual tobacco retailer. Oh, sure, right. A premium cigar shop, walk around, interact with the person that's hanging out there that day, right.
• 6:52
  > Speaker C>And running the shop and ask those questions.
• 6:56
  > Speaker C>Because I would much rather see somebody grab a handful of fat bottom Betty's or grab a handful of javas or acids than stop by their local gas station, pick up 99 cent white owls. Because, uh, I think that as far as this conversation goes, those are the things that you're really looking to regulate, right?
• 7:21
  > Speaker E>Things that short filler stuff.
• 7:22
  > Speaker C>Processed and overly processed, if you will. Right. I think there's still a level of, um, complexity and a level of care that goes into making some of these flavored cigars. Right. And as the industry and the world turns, we want to be approachable to the people that are new to the cigar industry and wanting to get new into the cigar world. It's not all the time that something that I think is going to be smooth and easy and approachable is going to be something that is palatable to someone that wants to kind of see what that's about. Right. So it's the same way, uh, I draw the lines to the whiskey or the beverage industry, right. We've all had that instance where we're drinking some type of flavored whiskey, flavored vodka. Right? Like, uh, Mike's got a preference here as far as the vodka goes.
• 8:25
  > Speaker B>Well, I think that that is my observation about what's going on, is that the slippery slope that this is introducing within the regulatory community, because if you really start thinking about other things that could be on this slope would be going after the same target audience.
• 8:45
  > Speaker B>Hey, uh, they start with, and you have to look at the pattern that they're going after things that actually end up being targeted, marketed to miners in the US. And so when you look at other things that fall in that category, why are they not going after flavored hard seltzers? Why are they not going after flavored whiskey. Why are they not going after.
• 9:12
  > Speaker E>I'm um, sure, just give it time.
• 9:14
  > Speaker B>Other flavored products that are going targeted after that same demographic.
• 9:20
  > Speaker E>Yeah, that's in the 90s. That's why they got rid of like smoking Joe Camel.
• 9:25
  > Speaker C>Well I think the other thing is too, is especially in the spirit industry, a lot of those marketing companies have some pretty firm lines about what they're able to do from a marketing perspective to promote the product. Where I don't see the same kind of guidelines in the cigar world.
• 9:42
  > Speaker C>Right. Um, it's still kind of the wild west is from a marketing perspective, especially with a lot of the smaller companies and kind of how they brand it. There's some brands that are out there, I guess they're technically retailers that have some white label products made, but very much so tiptoe on the lines of the things that they like and identify with, whether it be cartoons, comic books, right. These kind of more playful, kind of juvenile ideas that they're kind of tossing out there wholeheartedly as like their brand. Um, now the product may not be something that's approachable to somebody that's not of age, but at the same time, and I think you brought it up about the Havana cigars in a separate conversation, but even in Canada, there's that static brown wrapper that goes over the actual cigar band so that it's not uh, appeasing to anyone.
• 10:43
  > Speaker E>It was so strange for me to walk into a humidor in Canada and see the boxes. I knew the boxes, I knew what they were. But every cigar, in every box, no matter the manufacturer has a brown band with white letters over it that says what the cigar is. And it's over top of the colored, nice decadent bands on them. Um.
• 11:07
  > Speaker B>Interesting.
• 11:09
  > Speaker E>It's like walking into the doctor's office of cigars.
• 11:12
  > Speaker C>It's the most canadian thing ever. It's like, I'm sorry that this is attractive.
• 11:16
  > Speaker E>Yeah, it's so weird.
• 11:22
  > Speaker E>One of the things that this brings to my mind in this conversation is the factories.
• 11:28
  > Speaker E>So not only if the regulations become harder on the flavored cigars and try to push them out of the game, you got to think about the factories that that affects the communities that build and manufacture these cigars, that that affects. So now we're not only dealing with uh, a ah, smoking demographic, you're now dealing with livelihood of families and people and entire towns.
• 11:55
  > Speaker B>One other observation I have about this, and it's a well established pattern from regulators that if you can define it and you can stick a label on it, you can tax it. And how many things have we seen where that happens time and time again, where they go through a pattern of it's in a very broad category and then uh, to the point of describing it in a distinctive way. And that leads to somebody walking up going, I know who you are, I know what that is.
• 12:26
  > Speaker B>And I can draw that up in a piece of legislation of saying you're going to pay more money for that now, uh, because they have a way of distinctly identifying it. And so I think that's the flip side of what the PCA has done here. I think that it's serving their need right now to exclude themselves out of the proposed regulatory language.
• 12:48
  > Speaker B>But the flip side of the equation is that the folks at the TTB are licking their lips going, oh, so we can tax premium cigars different than the way we do other cigars because it has now been defined. That's the flip side.
• 13:03
  > Speaker E>Yeah. What the guys at PCA are doing, Tod and them are really stepping out and really just headstrong, forefronting this legislation. And I think it's really great what they're doing with the PCA and the crA.
• 13:17
  > Speaker E>And uh, man, hats off to you guys for all the hard work you guys put into that. That is bravo. And when we're in your corner, buddies, then we got you.
• 13:26
  > Speaker B>Well, let's move on.
• 13:28
  > Speaker A>I wish to register a complete.
• 13:31
  > Speaker B>I do. Yes. So the topic I wanted to talk about was the availability of, uh, cuban cigars on a global basis. So I did a lot of international.
• 13:39
  > Speaker E>Real ones or fake ones?
• 13:41
  > Speaker B>Well, do you really know the difference? Uh, I would say at this point.
• 13:45
  > Speaker E>Uh, another episode coming.
• 13:47
  > Speaker B>Yeah, always. Um, and a very hot topic, always, when somebody asks us, what do you think of this cuban? I think it's fake. Really? Dude, I paid an ungodly amount of money for this. It's supposed to be real. Um, so, um, I guess the thing that I really observed as I was traveling all through Europe for a few months is the net effect that uh, it's having on cuban cigar distribution. So, um, I actually went to Spain very much with the mindset of, I knew that that was ground zero. To be able to pick up really great cuban cigars. That is traditionally the number one distribution country for Cuba. And yet the amount of cuban cigars that were available, there was just a paltry amount of things that were available. And even with that, the retail prices were almost three times what they were, average.
• 14:44
  > Speaker E>That's how they were in Canada.
• 14:46
  > Speaker B>I could not believe that, um, some sticks that I had smoked just even ten years ago were three times the price. It was just unbelievable.
• 14:56
  > Speaker B>Um, but speaking of fakes, the cohibas were everywhere.
• 15:01
  > Speaker B>And, uh, even as I traveled to other countries, I noticed, uh, how often I would pick one up and say, wow, that is not real, right? Um, as much as they have worked hard to try and thwart counterfeiting elements with putting holograms on the boxes, putting black light ink all over the, uh, boxes, over the wrapper, even sometimes on the cigars themselves, just how pervasive it is. So the one thing that I learned out of all, I was like, okay, so if the Cubans are not here, where did they go?
• 15:43
  > Speaker B>And surprise, surprise, China, right, is the market number one market, is the number one market for cuban sticks.
• 15:53
  > Speaker C>So we met a couple of guys at PCA, odly enough, um, that manufacture high end humidors.
• 16:00
  > Speaker E>Ike and Henry. Henry.
• 16:02
  > Speaker C>And they were absolutely talking about this, how China only buys local tobacco, right? So local Chinese blended cigars and then Cubans. It's literally like the only two types of premium cigar that you can purchase in China. Uh, what was funny for me is.
• 16:26
  > Speaker E>That being the case, they were only smoking.
• 16:31
  > Speaker C>Think, uh, I may have misspoke, but I think Davidoff is one of the ones, uh, that they'll let pass into the chinese public, right? Obviously that's heavily regulated by the government there on what they're allowed to import from that perspective. Um, but the other part of that is too, is, um, the agricultural standpoint for cuban produced tobacco has also taken a big hit, um, specifically in the last year, uh, because hurricanes, right? And so they're trying to rebuild a lot of these places, um, and who knows how much tobacco was lost there.
• 17:12
  > Speaker C>Also, it's not a lot of state.
• 17:14
  > Speaker B>Money to go back and reinvest in a lot of those markets that they lost their number one customers when a lot of those farms were created.
• 17:23
  > Speaker B>Um, I've got to believe that at the end of the day, China has not only displaced what they've lost to the USA, but they've probably tripled or quadrupled the amount of know in the chinese market would be my guess. I don't really know the exact numbers, but that would probably know how I think it went, right?
• 17:45
  > Speaker D>So I am nowhere near a cuban expert at all. But I do remember reading some article this year about there was something that was done too, where they talking about the pricing. And I know that they had some way that they changed their pricing structure, um, to where it is now supposed. And I don't know, with taxing of different countries, but they're supposed to be like, same MSRP, no matter the country. If you're in Spain or you're in Canada or you're in, like you're supposed to be.
• 18:16
  > Speaker D>From my understanding, the way that they were creating it is they wanted everything to be the same cost. So obviously, that's going to go to the higher end of where a country would carry mean everywhere. I've been hearing about these influx of prices and these influx of then, and it's crazy because years ago I went to Cuba, and it's also bizarre, because. Are there any cuban cigars in Cuba? Not really. There's not many there to mean. Most of the stuff you're looking for and want. Yeah, it gets shipped out. There's no point in keeping it in that country because nobody can afford it.
• 18:54
  > Speaker B>Well, uh, the other observation I had on that walkabout was, um, the interesting displacement that vape is having against several different categories, uh, both cigarettes as well as premium cigars. And so you would walk into these cigar shops, and not only do they not have the Cubans, but in general, they would not even have hardly any cigars. I mean, there were several shops that I walked into. It was like they had five token boxes of cigars, and the rest of their inventory were all vape pins, or they, uh. Uh. Uh, cigarettes.
• 19:34
  > Speaker E>Yeah, that reminds me of the time I went to Ireland and went to a very well known pipe manufacturer in Dublin, and they had a humidor in the basement for cigars, and it was a very small humidor, probably, I don't know, six foot by six foot squared space, not very. You could fit two people in it. And the Cubans that they had for sale in there, it was just a travesty. There was mold on some of them, and it was just growing real weird, and it didn't look appealing at all, so I didn't buy any while I was there. But, uh, it just made me think about different industries and how they treat different things.
• 20:20
  > Speaker E>They were a pipe forward place, so their pipes are out of this world. Freaking phenomenal.
• 20:26
  > Speaker E>But the way that they act about cigars, it's funny to me.
• 20:31
  > Speaker B>So that's a good transition point. Uh, and my resident expert sitting beside me here, how is tch going to displace all of this?
• 20:40
  > Speaker E>I have no idea, because I see.
• 20:43
  > Speaker B>It really coming hard and fast because you have tremendous investment in the cannabis industry, both in the US and Canada alone. The amount of money that is flowing, um, in legalized, uh, operations for cannabis based products is huge. And the thing is, is that going to displace people that would normally have consumed premium cigars as well?
• 21:11
  > Speaker E>I don't think it will displace anything.
• 21:13
  > Speaker B>A very different demographic.
• 21:15
  > Speaker E>I think there are a lot of cigar smokers that also smoke cannabis.
• 21:20
  > Speaker E>And, uh, I mean, there's a good think about, uh, um, thor with Cigar Press magazine. He also is a cannabis enthusiast, so he was working on a cannabis magazine as well. And it's crazy. He's like, it's just how they juxtapose together, because a lot of people in the industry also partake in cannabis, and I haven't found anyone that goes one way or the other. They usually go both.
• 21:53
  > Speaker B>I think you're going to produce the first, uh, self help video on, uh, how to smoke dab.
• 21:58
  > Speaker E>Yeah, that will be a sip suds.
• 22:00
  > Speaker D>And smoke, ah, exclusive.
• 22:03
  > Speaker D>That conversation is really similar to like, oh, we've got this incredible new whiskey or this thing. As far as alcohol goes, will that take president over cigar? It's like, well, why? A lot of people, I think, are finding the marriage of the two, or it's not necessarily a thing, uh, that would overtake it, because it still doesn't require the time and enjoyment that people would get out of an actual cigar.
• 22:32
  > Speaker C>Just to, ah, definitely piggyback off that.
• 22:35
  > Speaker C>It's the Seltzer industry in the alcoholic beverage industry. Right.
• 22:42
  > Speaker C>I don't know what that chuckle meant, necessarily, but everybody that makes some type of beverage, whether it be hard liquor or not, has a seltzer. Right. Because that's the hot ticket item. Right. And I think that that's kind of the same conversation that we're having.
• 22:59
  > Speaker B>I saw a lot of brewers going, I don't want to be, uh, the world's best brewer. I want to make money, and I want to go where the flow is.
• 23:06
  > Speaker C>No, 100%.
• 23:07
  > Speaker B>Very interesting choices.
• 23:08
  > Speaker C>And I think that that conversation follows along the same lines of cannabis and THC. Right.
• 23:14
  > Speaker C>It's one of those things that's been around on the fringes of legality for such a long time, and now that there's an opportunity for it to be legal, it's all of a sudden got this kind of buzz, if you will. Right.
• 23:29
  > Speaker B>Um, so I think six more states in the US move to legalize marijuana, uh, in different forms. No.
• 23:38
  > Speaker B>Um, but several more, uh, have legalized it for medical marijuana, and I think two more added it for recreational.
• 23:46
  > Speaker B>Right? Yeah.
• 23:48
  > Speaker E>So, two things. So the Seltzer movement, I think, is a good window into where the alcohol industry is moving, like the beer industry, the lower ABV industry is moving towards seltzer.
• 24:06
  > Speaker B>I think that sucks.
• 24:07
  > Speaker E>I think it sucks. I feel like, and this isn't probably the thoughts and views of opinions of sips and smoke. This is my opinion. I think that the more seltzers you get, the more lower age demographic of alcohol consumers. You're hitting and you're hitting a lot of consumers that don't like beer and they don't like hard alcohol, but they'll drink la Croix like it's going out of style.
• 24:36
  > Speaker C>And abv is not as low there.
• 24:39
  > Speaker B>As you ton of vodka to it at the same time.
• 24:41
  > Speaker C>Well, but what I'm saying is even then, a classic seltzer, four and a half, 5%. But they're even making, like, I dare call it high gravity, but I don't know a better term currently, but high seltzer content. Yeah, 100%. Right. Like an 8% malt liquor beverage. Right. Uh, um.
• 25:01
  > Speaker E>In my opinion, it's just ridiculous because I hate bubble water. I can't do it.
• 25:06
  > Speaker C>But if it comes in a juice.
• 25:07
  > Speaker E>I can't do it, man. I'll rock. The juice packs.
• 25:10
  > Speaker E>The adult capri suns. I'm, um, game big machine shout out. We love it.
• 25:15
  > Speaker D>Cigar and a topo chico. That's the one.
• 25:17
  > Speaker C>Amen, brother.
• 25:18
  > Speaker E>Can't do it. So it's two.
• 25:21
  > Speaker E>The second thing I want to talk about is the cannabis. So when we talk about the cannabis industry and what the effects it will have on the cigar industry, I think that the effects that it will have on the cigar industry is that the lobbyists and the legislatures will be too busy, for lack of a better term, with their heads up their asses with the cannabis industry, that they're going to even forget things about the cigar, and it's going to fall to the wayside.
• 25:48
  > Speaker B>Well, uh, hopefully you're enjoying our discussion we're having about the state of smoke. So, know, we're all smoking something interesting tonight. I thought know, take the time for us to just talk about the sticks that are in our hand.
• 26:00
  > Speaker B>Benjamin, what are you smoking tonight?
• 26:02
  > Speaker C>Yeah, so, uh, I'm actually smoking one of my top three.
• 26:04
  > Speaker C>Uh, this is going to be the, uh, cavalier inner circle.
• 26:08
  > Speaker E>Um, it's the first edition.
• 26:10
  > Speaker C>Yeah, first edition.
• 26:11
  > Speaker E>That's my favorite.
• 26:14
  > Speaker C>I think you still get them, right?
• 26:17
  > Speaker D>Yeah, they're still out.
• 26:18
  > Speaker C>Your local tobaccoinist, regular production.
• 26:21
  > Speaker C>Yeah. Uh, this thing is great, man. So, um, I was thinking, uh, and putting my thoughts together about what I was going to bring and smoke here. This evening, and I brought a couple of options, but this is definitely one of those. I wanted something.
• 26:35
  > Speaker C>This is oddly, um, enough for me today. This is my first smoke of the day. So I wanted something that was a little bit more mild and meek. Uh, and I think that this one does it beautifully.
• 26:46
  > Speaker C>Right. Like, that full flavor profile is there. Uh, but it's not super, uh, strength. Heavy. Right. It's probably, like, medium strength. Uh, and this thing is on the edge of spicy. Right.
• 27:00
  > Speaker C>Like, maybe some more subtle baking spice, as opposed to, like, pepper, um, or any of those kind of abrasive spices. Uh, it's got some nice, kind of cool, Woody kind of hickory notes to it. Um, and just, for me, is just a smooth draw. It comes in, like, a bellicosa size.
• 27:23
  > Speaker C>Um, so you get to kind of play a little bit there, uh, with how the draw works. But the draw is actually a little bit tighter on this one. Uh, but the smoke production is incredible.
• 27:35
  > Speaker C>Uh, and these things burn beautifully.
• 27:37
  > Speaker C>I do not recall a time currently where I've had any burn issues. I don't recall a time where I've had to touch up a cavalier.
• 27:47
  > Speaker E>Yeah, I've smoked a bunch of them, and I have not had a bad one.
• 27:51
  > Speaker C>Mike kind of talked about this earlier, uh, on another episode, but that, um, you get down to the nub, and you go, oh, man.
• 27:59
  > Speaker B>Crap.
• 28:00
  > Speaker C>I can't believe it. There's got to be one. M know, burning your lips on this.
• 28:05
  > Speaker B>Should have picked the church.
• 28:06
  > Speaker C>Yeah, right?
• 28:08
  > Speaker E>Grab the roach clip.
• 28:09
  > Speaker B>Yeah. What's your rating on that stick?
• 28:11
  > Speaker C>This is a three for me.
• 28:12
  > Speaker B>Oh, wow. Cool.
• 28:13
  > Speaker E>I'll second that three.
• 28:16
  > Speaker B>Barger, what are you smoking tonight, and why'd you bring it?
• 28:19
  > Speaker E>Uh, well, I'm smoking a foundation.
• 28:21
  > Speaker E>Matepe. Matepa.
• 28:24
  > Speaker D>Matapa.
• 28:24
  > Speaker E>Matapa. See, languages is hard for me. Um, and I think it's the churchill size. I'm smoking seven. The double corona? Yeah. Um, it's decent. I just picked it up today, and I had a little bit of construction issue with it. Um, probably within my first two thirds of it kind of got to where it wouldn't draw, so I had to keep working at it. But that could have been humidification. I don't think it was quality, because I really haven't had a bad quality from foundation.
• 28:55
  > Speaker B>Are you saying there's part of your truck ain't humidified?
• 28:57
  > Speaker E>Yeah, just the dashboard. It's getting chilly out there. Uh, but, yeah, foundation is making some really quality products right now, and I'm stoked to see what's coming out from them. And they just released a couple of really good cigars, which I haven't got to try yet. We're waiting.
• 29:14
  > Speaker B>Yeah, we want to really cover, I think it's the aristocrat series.
• 29:17
  > Speaker E>Yeah. The really expensive series that I can't quite afford yet. So if you all want to send me some, go ahead and send them on and we'll get them on the show.
• 29:26
  > Speaker B>Yeah, we'd like to not talk about it, hypothetically.
• 29:29
  > Speaker E>Um, yeah, as far as this goes, I was in the humidor before I came here, actually, and, uh, I picked up three or four cigars, and I kind of had a crap day at work today and just in my head all day. And I was like, you know what? I need a cigar that I can smoke a long time on and I don't have to think about. And so I saw this. The banding was great. The construction looks great. Overall, it's a very appealing cigar. So I splurged and. Got it.
• 29:56
  > Speaker E>I'll give it a three.
• 30:01
  > Speaker B>Cool.
• 30:02
  > Speaker B>Uh, so the, uh, stick that I brought tonight was, uh, from Nova. Uh, uh, this was a pca release.
• 30:11
  > Speaker B>Yes. The Trappist one g is the stick that I decided to enjoy tonight.
• 30:17
  > Speaker B>Um, this is an interesting brand. It's a female, uh, CEO. Um, if I mispronounce her name, I'm sorry. It's, uh, Lenore, uh, obser.
• 30:32
  > Speaker E>Ah, she was very sweet at the PCO.
• 30:33
  > Speaker B>She was. I enjoyed the conversation. I'm sorry if I mispronounced your, um. You know, this is part of the Trappist one system itself. And, um, there are several different ones. There's another one that is like the five burrows that they had. Uh, another interesting stick, very different than this one. Um, the, uh, makeup of this cigar is. I'm looking it up here. I knew I would get it wrong.
• 30:59
  > Speaker B>Um, it's from, ah, terranova cigar factory in Santiago, Dominican Republic. So this is a Dr. Stick. And I'm getting to the filler binder at one point in time.
• 31:12
  > Speaker B>So I know that the, uh, wrapper is a beautiful habano 2000 obscura wrapper.
• 31:18
  > Speaker B>Um, kind of interesting.
• 31:22
  > Speaker B>I think I was expecting something a bit more abrasive, um, from just what I had read about this previously, and it wasn't. It was really quite well balanced. Um, I had some interesting, uh, construction issues. The ash on this was just, like, flaking all over the place. And I've been smoking it very consistently. I'm not a huffer and puffer to overstoke the tobacco itself, but that was the only thing that I noticed from a construction perspective, um, I really like this wrapper a lot.
• 31:59
  > Speaker B>This would be a one and done for me. I probably would not go back to this stick, but I'm glad I enjoyed it tonight.
• 32:05
  > Speaker B>Um, I think from our one to five scale, this is a solid three for me as well.
• 32:11
  > Speaker B>Nate, what'd you bring tonight?
• 32:13
  > Speaker D>So I happen to bring the same thing that barger's smoking. Ah, but a different size.
• 32:19
  > Speaker D>Um, so, yeah, the Matapa from foundation. It's their newest line, regular production. It's a sumatra wrapper with a Connecticut broadleaf binder and then nicaraguan fillers. Uh, this cigar also comes in, uh, claro or maduro. Uh, I think you're smoking the too, Mike.
• 32:38
  > Speaker E>Yeah, yeah.
• 32:39
  > Speaker D>So I'm smoking the Maduro, and I've had a couple of these, and I've really come to love this cigar.
• 32:45
  > Speaker D>Um, it's got a lot of rich characteristic to it, and I just get a lot of flavor that I don't get from a lot of other things off this cigar. So I've come to really like them so far, and it's up there for me and my upcoming favorites. Uh, it's still a little too new to know, but I've really enjoyed this one.
• 33:10
  > Speaker B>Uh, what's your rating on that stick?
• 33:11
  > Speaker D>Uh, we're going out of five, right? I put it at a four right now to five.
• 33:15
  > Speaker B>All right.
• 33:20
  > Speaker B>I don't know if we're going to stick with that, with our ongoing sound, uh, clip for four.
• 33:25
  > Speaker E>But, hey, we're up in the ratings to five, so I'm happy.
• 33:28
  > Speaker B>Yeah. So I did manage to find the wrapper and filler for my stick from nova. Again, this was the Trappist one, g, uh, distro among you. It's ecuadorian habano 2000 escrow wrapper.
• 33:39
  > Speaker B>It's a dominican, uh, binder and a Pennsylvania broadleaf filler. So that's an interesting combo. I think that's probably what tamed this. Uh, I guess I was thinking this is a Dr. Stick. It's going to be a spice bomb. And it wasn't at all so interesting combo. Um, well, I thought that was, uh, interesting. All the sticks that we decided to bring tonight, we need to talk to each other in, um, know you guys wanted the humidor. I went to the bag.
• 34:09
  > Speaker C>Yeah, I think Mike and Nate actually did some colluding, know, no collusion.
• 34:15
  > Speaker E>There's no collusion.
• 34:18
  > Speaker B>So, uh, I thought that we would, uh, talk about some other things that kind of know our attention from an industry perspective, barger.
• 34:27
  > Speaker E>I mean, I'm all in, um, on, um, my new cutter. Um, I can't say enough about it. There's a local guy here that makes, uh, knives, and he's just started out making cigar knives now.
• 34:41
  > Speaker B>Cutter, weapon.
• 34:42
  > Speaker E>Yeah. Cutter, weapon. And it is sharp.
• 34:45
  > Speaker C>Don't toss it to your friend. Hand it to them gingerly.
• 34:48
  > Speaker B>That's a safety tip, boys and girls.
• 34:50
  > Speaker E>Yeah. His company is xi knives.
• 34:54
  > Speaker E>Um, roman numeral 13.
• 34:58
  > Speaker E>So 13 knives.
• 35:00
  > Speaker B>Okay.
• 35:01
  > Speaker E>Um, his name is Robert Corner. He's a great dude.
• 35:04
  > Speaker E>We actually used to live together. When I first moved to town, I had a house with a bunch of dudes, and he was one of them. And we've just been friends, and he was a pipe guy for the longest time.
• 35:14
  > Speaker B>Does he know how to load a dab pipe?
• 35:16
  > Speaker E>Uh, no, but I'll teach him. I'll teach him how, um, feel the video coming on. That's right. I almost was going to say I'm smoking a dab when you ask me what I'm smoking.
• 35:27
  > Speaker C>Nice.
• 35:29
  > Speaker E>This is a local grilled dab. It's real nice. It's real mellow. It's got the terpenes.
• 35:35
  > Speaker E>Uh, yeah. But anyway, I've got one of his, um, template, uh, cigar cutters from his first run of them, whatever, um, you call them. I can't think of the name right now, but.
• 35:52
  > Speaker C>Prototype.
• 35:52
  > Speaker E>Yeah, prototype. Thank you. That's the word. Yeah. Words are hard today, Benjamin, um, actually has one of the bulldogs, and one of the ones that you have is also one of the prototypes.
• 36:01
  > Speaker D>Hey, and don't leave me out.
• 36:03
  > Speaker E>And Nate's got one.
• 36:03
  > Speaker D>You don't even know what I have. What do you have? The first ever left handed model he made.
• 36:09
  > Speaker E>Let's see it. Pull it out.
• 36:10
  > Speaker D>It's at my.
• 36:12
  > Speaker E>Wow. Wow.
• 36:15
  > Speaker E>Yeah. It's wink, wink at my.
• 36:20
  > Speaker E>Yeah. Anyway, and it's just been awesome.
• 36:23
  > Speaker E>Um, it's more heavier than most knife cigar cutters that you would think.
• 36:28
  > Speaker E>You actually feel like you have a knife in your hand.
• 36:30
  > Speaker B>It's a very unique, uh, cutting instrument, and I think that's what kind of stuck out to me was. It's just not like anything else that you would normally use. And, um, I would say the one tip for that particular cutter is make sure it is sharp, otherwise it is going to tear your wrapper. Um, and I've noticed there was a few spots on my particular knife that had become dull.
• 36:59
  > Speaker B>And he sharpened it up, and boom, it was right back.
• 37:02
  > Speaker E>Yeah, he warranties all of his products, so if it gets dull. You ship it to him, and he'll sharpen it and send it back to you. It's fantastic. I've, uh, got nothing but great things to say about it, but this year, I got it early. Early this year, like January.
• 37:19
  > Speaker B>I really thought the topic you were going to pounce on is nobody brought out a brand new petite Lancero.
• 37:24
  > Speaker E>Yeah, well, we were talking about that earlier.
• 37:27
  > Speaker C>There's only so many skinny monsters you can smoke.
• 37:30
  > Speaker E>I'll smoke them all, Pete. Just send me a box of every petite lancero. Um, and I'll be happy with that.
• 37:35
  > Speaker B>Seriously, when was the last time you saw a new petite lancero? Everybody always does a robusto in a toro size.
• 37:41
  > Speaker C>That elusione habano comes in a petite lancero, doesn't it?
• 37:44
  > Speaker E>It does.
• 37:45
  > Speaker D>Hey, it's not a petite lancero. But that girl's gun gold is a great lancero.
• 37:49
  > Speaker E>That is a great lancero. That from Caldwell? Yeah, man, that thing's awesome. Caldwell's making lanceros, and I'm, um, here for it. It doesn't have to be a petite lancero. Full lancero. Let's go. I'm down.
• 38:01
  > Speaker B>Benjamin, any other topics capture your attention?
• 38:04
  > Speaker C>So I've been on more of, um, uh, an homage to the best lighting method and technique for cigars. Yeah, whatever, dude.
• 38:18
  > Speaker E>Trademark.
• 38:19
  > Speaker C>Yeah, trademark. That all you want to, but I'm pretty sure somebody's done that before.
• 38:22
  > Speaker B>Needs more ink.
• 38:24
  > Speaker D>Putting your torch as close as you possibly can.
• 38:27
  > Speaker C>I've been using the stovetop, honestly, just, like, lighting it straight from the eye of the stove. And this is. I'm kidding, obviously.
• 38:36
  > Speaker C>Um, but I've actually had.
• 38:38
  > Speaker E>With your hash.
• 38:38
  > Speaker C>Yeah, 100%. Uh, and the knife hits. Right, right.
• 38:44
  > Speaker C>Um, but I've recently been down a rabbit hole on, uh, lighting techniques and preferred lighting methods and stuff like that.
• 38:52
  > Speaker C>Right. Because, uh, the way that I was taught, uh, was to toast, but then also to try as hard as you possibly can to never come in contact directly with flame to tobacco. Um, and there's a couple of ways to.
• 39:07
  > Speaker D>I'm just going to say the toast.
• 39:09
  > Speaker C>Is a sham, and I think so, too.
• 39:13
  > Speaker D>I'm going to tell you you're charring your tobacco, bro, if you toast it with some form of soft flame or cedar, sure. But it's like I tell people.
• 39:25
  > Speaker B>Only thing I remember, bring the heat, not the flame.
• 39:27
  > Speaker D>Right. Chemistry class. Blue flame is hottest. So, I mean, you're putting that torch as hot as you can to your most precious, prized flavor cigar that you want to smoke, but you're not putting.
• 39:38
  > Speaker E>That part of the flame. I'm not.
• 39:39
  > Speaker D>Yeah, but what I'm saying is the heat you get, the amount of heat you get off a torch, you can be two to three inches off of it. But if you actually have any sort of the blue flame hitting your cigar, well, for sure, I would say that.
• 39:53
  > Speaker E>You'Re going to chart, uh, thermodynamic territory there.
• 39:57
  > Speaker D>What?
• 39:58
  > Speaker E>Yeah, thermodynamics, man. Heat and how things expand and how things, uh. What?
• 40:06
  > Speaker B>Barger, are you allowed to use those big words?
• 40:10
  > Speaker D>Sorry, that was a little bit of.
• 40:12
  > Speaker E>Shock, I'm pretty sure.
• 40:13
  > Speaker C>Fellas, check your operating benzomatic propane torch.
• 40:19
  > Speaker E>The ink on my nose for you.
• 40:22
  > Speaker C>But, yeah, um, what I'll find myself normally doing is if I'm in an atmosphere where I need the windproof resistance of a torch, like, if I'm smoking outside or something like that, then that's where I'll use it.
• 40:40
  > Speaker C>But if I'm indoors now, you'll probably find me with a match. Probably find me with a piece of cedar. Right. And going like you were saying, they like full combustion.
• 40:48
  > Speaker C>I've even seen, um, I worked at a cigar bar for a little time, and the art of lighting a cigar for someone was, uh, something that I wasn't necessarily privy to previous to that, because I'd always kind of done that for myself. But, like, bringing the cigar to the point of it being smokable from the first puff, uh, I think, is something that's super cool and not necessarily, like, stoking that fire to get it lit. Um, and so I've been practicing that method recently and have gone from a triple flame, super awesome torch down to probably, like, a single flame, a soft flame, if I can absolutely get that into the mix, is my preferred method of lighting currently. And going to having that cigar kind of fully lit before I take the first puff has been very enjoyable.
• 41:44
  > Speaker C>So going ahead and kind of getting the end of it cherry red, you get that nice symmetrical burn, uh, across the entire foot of the cigar. Uh, and then starting your smoking experience from there has been, uh, a turning point for me.
• 42:01
  > Speaker C>Dare I bring up, like, the neck pour out of a bottle. Right.
• 42:03
  > Speaker C>But this is something for me that actually makes a difference. Uh, wait just a second.
• 42:10
  > Speaker B>I wish to register a complete.
• 42:13
  > Speaker B>Yes. Do not use the words neck pour.
• 42:17
  > Speaker C>I just want to make sure we're on the same page there.
• 42:20
  > Speaker C>Right. Um, yeah, it's one of those things, um, where just kind of being introduced to this group of gentlemen here and really diving into something over the last six or eight months, uh, and taking it from a hobby to more of a passion, has, uh, gotten my fire started, if you will, about some different aspects of, um, cigar manufacturing, the business as a whole, and then the levels that there are of that enjoyment. Um, um, this is my hard opinion on soft topic, but, uh, the way you light a cigar matters, right? Quit torturing the piss out of them. Right? Quit trying to look cool and almost burning your eyebrows off with that super cool seven burner zey car you just bought.
• 43:13
  > Speaker E>Yeah.
• 43:14
  > Speaker C>Right?
• 43:14
  > Speaker E>Strike a match. I use a single flame butane.
• 43:18
  > Speaker D>Well, and the thing I tell people is, like, I love accessories. I love lighters. I have all different kinds, uh, just because I like collecting things. But the reality is, there is a butane ban in Nicaragua. You cannot import in cans of butane. And I will tell you, all of your favorite blenders and cigar manufacturers are all lighting their cigars with bics. Every last one of them is testing their blends, lighting it with a bick.
• 43:51
  > Speaker B>I did not know.
• 43:52
  > Speaker D>No, that is the big thing down there. Is everybody, every manufacturer, I've talked to so many of them back in the day, thinking, oh, do you use this lighter? And I learned real quick that they're literally like, yeah, it's whatever one's in my pocket.
• 44:07
  > Speaker D>But I actually love that in a sense of when they're making the cigar, it's not even about the, uh.
• 44:13
  > Speaker D>Did you use this thing or this simplistic, just like. No, we just let it and smoked it.
• 44:18
  > Speaker E>Yeah. Uh, but see, to piggyback what you were saying, I understand charring the end of the cigar is not good for the cigar. It changes the flavor of the cigar, and it also makes it burn hotter and burn funny and wonky and all those types of things that we complain about. But I think when you toast a correct way, and, uh, when I toast a cigar, the flame never touches the cigar. It's just heat. And then the heat gets to the end of it until it starts to turn red, and then I'll cut. And once I've cut, then. Now I'm not pushing butane through my cigar, and I'm not pushing all that gas that's expanding and changing the construction and flavor of my cigar. So now, um, I'm actually getting to taste all the flavors of the tobacco together instead of a charred in.
• 45:09
  > Speaker B>Yeah, everybody in Nicaragua is going, you're overthinking about.
• 45:14
  > Speaker D>I just want to think about this, though.
• 45:17
  > Speaker D>The term toast, like toast bread, to me, who doesn't love toast? I love toast. But at the aspect jam, um, that's not what I'm trying to have happen to the end of my, you know, I'm trying to get it as cool as I possibly can.
• 45:36
  > Speaker E>Sure.
• 45:38
  > Speaker C>Now we talking temperature cool or we talking, huh?
• 45:46
  > Speaker C>They call me Nader salad.
• 45:47
  > Speaker E>That's right.
• 45:48
  > Speaker B>Nate, uh, any other topics you wanted to talk about, about state of smokes?
• 45:52
  > Speaker D>Yeah, honestly, just briefly, I would just say it's very interesting, the pricing this year, um, especially from a retail standpoint, um, cigars are costing more than they ever have. Brands that have never sold cigars over a certain amount are now.
• 46:10
  > Speaker D>Um, and I do think, though, that we're seeing that across the board with everything in our world these days, and there is massive inflation everywhere. And I will say it's definitely a little long overdue in the cigar industry. There's a lot of companies that really tried to keep their prices at a solid point for a long time. But it is interesting seeing people put out $20 cigars that you would never expect. Uh, and then seeing the$20 cigars put out $50 cigars, and you're just like, what is going on?
• 46:41
  > Speaker D>But I also will say that more people are willing to pay for the quality these days, and I don't have as many people who I see complaining about these price changes.
• 46:51
  > Speaker B>Well, I have, uh, one more question to throw out to close this out, uh, on our state of smokes.
• 46:57
  > Speaker B>Um, so if I could grant you any wish, uh, that you would see in the cigar industry for, uh, the next year, what would that be?
• 47:10
  > Speaker E>M good question.
• 47:12
  > Speaker B>Hang on a second.
• 47:15
  > Speaker E>To all of us or tonight?
• 47:16
  > Speaker B>Everybody. Yeah.
• 47:17
  > Speaker D>Well, I would just truly say, first.
• 47:19
  > Speaker E>Off, more petite lanceros.
• 47:21
  > Speaker D>Right. And this is something that people don't think about, but from a manufacturing standpoint, that companies would focus less on putting out new product, but being able to maintain the product that they have. And that is a big issue these days, even since COVID and everything is actually being able to just maintain the cigars that you said you're going to be able to make all the time. And so I think that if we can be able to keep in stuff versus these new things that may not stick around because of. We just need to get something on the shelves.
• 47:56
  > Speaker B>Yeah, the humidors are getting, um, pretty complicated to navigate. And, um, I guess the vast majority of humidors that I've walked into, you have three or four huge brands that take up a lot of space, and then you have one wall that is representing basically all the rest.
• 48:17
  > Speaker B>And I don't know that that's really helping the consumer in a self guided way, walk through the humidor. I think that there inserts the opportunity for you to turn to the person in the store and go, hey, um, I'm lost in here. Um, help me out. And I know that Nate's going to say, well, tell me what you like or you don't like, and let's walk around, talk about two or three things, and you're not really trying to sell specifically through that. And a lot of people, I find in the retail setting, they truly want to act as a bit more of a small yay in helping people just navigate through that humidor and not upsell somebody going, well, maybe you get one of these loose, uh, uh, cigars. And how about a $50 coffin box?
• 49:04
  > Speaker E>That's something that I've noticed in the last ten years in the cigar world, too, is you've taken the people that, uh, are just pushing cigars, and we've kind of weeded them out in the brick and mortar industry, and now we've got people that care about the industry and what they're actually selling, and so they're becoming less of pushers of cigars that we don't like, that they sell for cheap and make lots of money on, and actually pushing quality and educating folks. And I think that's when you find a tobacco store, a, uh, tobacco nest that you can trust and rely on, then you've started to find gold.
• 49:48
  > Speaker B>Anybody else got an answer to the question, what's your big wish?
• 49:51
  > Speaker C>Well, I mean, this may be like, uh, the millennial in me kind of leaking out a little bit, but I'd like to see a larger, um, digital presence from the manufacturers themselves. Right.
• 50:05
  > Speaker C>And I think that I've kind of noticed this, um, going through this introduction to citizens.
• 50:11
  > Speaker B>Did you say more cigar babes? I think you just said more cigar babes.
• 50:16
  > Speaker C>Um, well, no, just like a presence of an actual home landing page for your cigar brand. Um, I think a lot of them do a very mediocre job of having that type of representation, but trying to dive into these blends and find, um, a little bit more of that inspiration and just a consistent lineup of blends and kind of what's coming next are very hit or miss for me. Now, you'll find media outlets that have had some type of conversation, and you can take the accuracy of that information as you will. Right. Uh, I think that we do our due diligence here and try to get it as much correct information as we possibly can.
• 51:07
  > Speaker B>You are not worthy yet.
• 51:09
  > Speaker C>Yeah, no fair. Um, but there's not a lot of cigar manufacturer websites out there where they have an up to date lineup on what they're producing. Right. Kind of like what's coming now, how we got started, where this inspiration comes from.
• 51:28
  > Speaker C>And I think it's probably more on the smaller brand side of it. Right. Because you're going to find most of your major brands out there, but there are some really cool smaller, but I would consider well known brands, um, that could have a better, just kind of like, uh, digital footprint, um, for the average consumer to get some of that kind of baseline knowledge and get that intimate feel for why they exist, um, outside of a second hand opinion, I.
• 52:05
  > Speaker E>Think that the reason, and this is just my opinion, I think the reason that we don't see more of a presence in that aspect is because the digital age is moving forward and the cigar industry is trying to stay consistent.
• 52:20
  > Speaker D>Well, I would say that there's an aspect, too, of, honestly, people just not knowing how to adapt with it. Because I think it depends on each company.
• 52:32
  > Speaker D>Some companies you have that are still being ran by marketing teams of people who've worked for that company for 20 years.
• 52:40
  > Speaker B>I did this when Nixon was president. It worked then, going to work now.
• 52:44
  > Speaker D>Right. Well, and I'll just say from a standpoint, I know several cigar websites where to me, they'll release a new cigar, and then the next year they'll release a new cigar, and then they'll release a new cigar. And then you go to their website four years later and you realize that the cigar from four years ago isn't even on the website.
• 53:05
  > Speaker E>Right.
• 53:06
  > Speaker D>And I just can think of ones where I've seen cigars that aren't even in production anymore. Uh, and that's where I think totally to your point, because I get what you're saying. I knew where you were going not to cut you off. But I do think there's an aspect of it is a little naive in the sense of not knowing if we had this even while we've been doing this.
• 53:30
  > Speaker D>I pulled up foundation's website. They have everything they put out, every size, everything. But they're a younger, newer company. Uh, some of these older companies, it's just like you have to work too hard to find out even where the cigar was rolled that you're smoking if you don't know. And so it is really hard to grasp that from a company to know what this company is about.
• 53:55
  > Speaker B>What's your big wish there, barger?
• 53:56
  > Speaker E>Um, honestly, I want to see more chats episodes with some of these manufacturers that we got. Um, I've really enjoyed the couple I've done and trying to transition into the video format.
• 54:10
  > Speaker E>So that's one of my big wishes, is to help move into that, to help people understand the heart and the passion behind what they're producing instead of just pumping out cigars.
• 54:22
  > Speaker E>And me telling you about cigars, I want to know more about you as a person and I think that that will help brands grow and that will help the digital age. It will help them come about, be more of the face.
• 54:36
  > Speaker E>So that's my wish.
• 54:40
  > Speaker B>Uh, so I've had enough time to actually think about answering my own question and I would say at the top, uh, of my list of big wish would be a better adoption of being able to enjoy cigars in a lot more settings. I just really feel like that echo of smoking being banned, uh, through cigarette smoke, that long, dull echo is lasted way too long from my perspective. And I really feel like there are a lot of, uh, on premise, um, locations that are missing the opportunity to carve out some space as a dedicated cigar lounge. And, um, I think it's part of, uh, at least the culture of enjoying these products along with other food or beverage products at the same time that I feel like is being missed.
• 55:34
  > Speaker E>So what was interesting to me in my trip to Canada recently, you're not allowed to smoke in a cigar shop.
• 55:42
  > Speaker B>Wow. Ah, that's interesting.
• 55:44
  > Speaker E>You have to be 30ft.
• 55:46
  > Speaker B>Do you have to sing, uh, the canadian national anthem before you can light up?
• 55:52
  > Speaker E>That's right. That's only in Quebec.
• 55:56
  > Speaker E>Um, but it's interesting because I went there and me and my wife went to the cigar shop and I was like, yeah, I'm going to sit down here and enjoy a cigar and meet some locals and hang out like I do when I travel in the US, when I travel, I go to cigar shops that I've never been to and I was like pulling out a cigar, he's like, you can't smoke in here. I was like, what?
• 56:17
  > Speaker B>I think it's just know, feeling like a, um, um, I mean, if we did that with wine or with whiskey and said, hey, they can only drink these things over there in the corner, frankly, go out on the street, right? Everybody would be up in arms. But yet the approach that we take towards, uh, the enjoyment of cigars, I think the big thing to me that's changed is the filtration, um, and air handling systems have improved so greatly that it's like, I'm sorry, man, for the amount of money that you would have to invest to turn, I don't know, maybe, uh, 600 sqft into a cigar lounge.
• 56:55
  > Speaker B>It's not really that, um, huge amount of money.
• 56:58
  > Speaker E>Right.
• 56:58
  > Speaker B>And I think you would wind up having not just, um, people come in and smoke. I think you would gain a loyal following of people that would actually come and enjoy that space, along with the food or beverage products that you may be serving in that establishment. At the same time, not to even.
• 57:14
  > Speaker C>Dive deeper into that, but the responsibility of most cigar smokers versus your normal bar patron are night and day. Right. I feel like hanging out at the local cigar lounge or someplace that is kind of cigar focused, you're going to run into more people that are there for the camaraderie and the enjoyment of a, uh, smoke a nice glass of whiskey, a nice glass or bottle of wine to share among friends and well spent time, as opposed to getting wasted and firing up a stogie. You know what I mean?
• 58:01
  > Speaker B>If somebody's going to come in and smoke a $20 stick, they're going to spend another $50 on food or beverage in that same least. They're not going to come in, enjoy two cigarettes and one beer, and leave.
• 58:13
  > Speaker C>Right.
• 58:13
  > Speaker B>These are people that. They're there for a good hour.
• 58:16
  > Speaker B>They're going to linger, and it's an experience. It's not just. Yeah, I really feel like there's just a missing opportunity there. And I'm not talking about, you know, um, having a full, you know, open smoking situation. Look, I respect, you know, the lifestyle choices of other people. I'm not talking about we're there to impose our will and our experience on other people. Um, I'm not talking about something that broad, but I just think that there's a missing opportunity for a lot of places. I enjoy a lot of the cigar lounges that I've been to, but I don't know, there's just, like, a huge gulf of opportunity. I feel like that's being missed.
• 59:00
  > Speaker E>Especially in Canada.
• 59:01
  > Speaker B>Yeah, especially in Canada.
• 59:02
  > Speaker E>Come on, Trudeau.
• 59:03
  > Speaker B>Yeah, do something.
• 59:04
  > Speaker E>Right.
• 59:05
  > Speaker B>Well, hopefully you've enjoyed our discussion here on the state of smokes and, uh, some of the topics.
• 59:10
  > Speaker B>We actually talk like this a lot more than you would imagine. And I'm also happy that we actually captured, uh, some of these conversations that we've had here to share with all of your listeners. So hopefully, you've enjoyed the discussion. Hey, we'd really love to know what you think about some of these topics, so feel free to drop, uh, two or 3oz a dab mail it off here to.
• 59:32
  > Speaker E>That's right.
• 59:33
  > Speaker B>I'm sorry I did that. Right.
• 59:34
  > Speaker E>Attention. Good old boy barger.
• 59:35
  > Speaker B>Yeah. Research and development and air quotes. Well, I want to thank, uh, my co host for joining us for this discussion. Good old boy barger.
• 59:45
  > Speaker B>Thanks.
• 59:45
  > Speaker E>Hey, man, thanks. And keep, uh, on smoking whatever it is you smoke.
• 59:49
  > Speaker B>Yeah. Benjamin, always great to, uh, hear your, uh, contributions to our conversation.
• 59:53
  > Speaker C>Yeah, glad to be here. And smug them if you got them.
• 59:57
  > Speaker B>Nate, thanks for always joining us and bringing a great perspective.
• 1:00:00
  > Speaker D>Keep it toasty.
• 1:00:01
  > Speaker B>I knew he was going to say something like that.
• 1:00:04
  > Speaker B>Hey, this is good old boy. Mike. Thanks for joining us here on this episode of Sips and Smokes. Check out some of our other episodes that are available to you. I'm going to ask you to keep on sipping. Yeehaw.
• 1:00:17
  > Speaker F>We hope you enjoyed this episode. If you're listening to us online, do yourself a favor and tap. Just tap it in the subscribe button.
• 1:00:26
  > Speaker D>Give it a little tappy.
• 1:00:28
  > Speaker B>Tap, tap, tap a room.
• 1:00:29
  > Speaker F>The easiest way to listen to our show is to ask Siri, Alexa, Google, Uncle Larry, or whoever it is that talks to you on your phone. Play podcast, sipsuds and smokes. We love your feedback and you can reach us at info@sipsudsandsmokes.com our tasting notes flow out on Twitter and Instagram with our handle at sipsudsandsmokes, and our Facebook page is always buzzing with lots of news. You'll also be able to interact with the thousands, millions, millions of other fans on those social media platforms. Do us a favor. Take the time to rate this episode. If you're listening to us online, that's a big help to us, and we get to see your feedback as well. Come back, join us for another episode, and keep on sipping.
• 1:01:27
  > Speaker A>This has been a one tan hand production of sip suds and smokes, a program devoted to the appreciation of some of the finer slices of life. From the dude in the basement studios, your host, the good old boys, will see you all next.