The Cigar Dojo is the world's most fun cigar community and blog. We also feature the most watched cigar show on the internet: Smoke Night LIVE.
What is the most exciting cigar brand represented by a celebrity? In this episode, the Dojo crew, joined by co-host Juan Cancel and special guest William ‘Cigar Coop' Cooper, will crown the King of the Ring—the ultimate celebrity cigar brand. In this bracket challenge, it's not just about the quality of the cigars but also the celebrity's influence and the overall positive vibe of the brand.
In this episode, we sit down with Justin Andrews, Director of New Business Development at Scandinavian Tobacco Group (STG). Justin will be joining us live in-studio from Dojo headquarters and will update us on all STG brands, including Diesel, Partagas, Room101, Alec Bradley, and more.
The term 'boutique cigar company' is often used in the cigar industry, but what does it truly mean? Does it describe the company's size, its focus on artistry, or a blend of multiple factors? Terence Reilly from Aganorsa Leaf and Nick Fusco from El Mago Cigars join the show to explore what defines a boutique cigar company.
Smoke Night LIVE – Regional Cuisine with Rafael Nodal by Cigar Dojo
Bill Ives and Juan Cancel reunite on this episode of Smoke Night LIVE. Ten years ago, Bill and Juan were Cigar Dojo members and cigar enthusiasts who decided to start a cigar brand named Cubariqueño, also known as Protocol. They quickly became one of the most popular brands on the market, paying homage to police officers worldwide. Since then, the company has undergone many changes, including Bill leaving to focus on his career in law enforcement. On this show, Juan and Bill reunite for the first time to reminisce and discuss Protocol's wild history over the past decade.
Get ready for our 3rd epic AMA (Ask Me Anything) on Smoke Night LIVE! The audience takes the wheel, firing tough, fascinating questions at the Dojo crew: Master Sensei, Juan Cancel, Kid-Producer Jordan, Scotty Braband, and Matty Hall. Best of all, submit your question(s) for a chance to win a 10-count bundle of Protocol Jane Doe cigars! Drop your most compelling questions and join the fun!
Buy, Hold, or Sell? With the annual cigar trade show behind us, it's time to evaluate how the top brands performed and whether their yearly pitches hit or missed the mark. To guide us through these assessments, we've assembled an expert panel for one of our most popular episodes: the Cigar Brand Stock Market. Join Juan Cancel, William ‘Cigar Coop' Cooper, and John ‘Cigar Surgeon' McTavish as they advise ‘investors' on which cigar brands are worthy of your investment.
Survey Says! Terence Reilly from Aganorsa Leaf joins the show to predict the results of our cigar consumer survey before we dive into the answers. How well does Terence understand the habits of premium cigar smokers? Tune in to find out! Plus, complete the survey for a chance to win a FLEX Sampler featuring 10 incredible Aganorsa Leaf cigars.
PCA 2025 First Impressions Show by Cigar Dojo
Nashville's Crowned Heads have been making waves with a flurry of announcements ahead of this year's PCA trade show, unveiling new cigars and even a refreshed logo. Miguel Schoedel, the VP of Sales, joins the show to break down all the latest updates and provide an inside look at what's happening within the Crowned Heads and OZ Family Cigars brands.
What makes Juan, “Juan?” Have you ever wondered about that? Juan Cancel is one of the most intriguing figures in the cigar industry. Before founding Protocol Cigars (also known as Cubariqueño), his life was shaped by a series of events that molded him into the man he is today. In this episode, we'll uncover the journey that crafted the one and only Juan Cancel.
Fred Rewey, formerly of Nomad Cigars and Illusione Cigars, now a partial owner of Cigar Press Magazine, joins the show to talk about… cigars. You like cigars, right? Well, we're diving into cigars and much, much more on this fun, freewheeling episode of Smoke Night LIVE.
In this episode, Cigar Dojo welcomes Oliver Nivaud, Director of Sales and Marketing at United Cigars. Join us for an in-depth conversation with Nivaud, who will be in-studio for this special interview. Oliver leads the team behind some of the most interesting cigar brands in the industry, including the Firecracker series, Atabey, Byron, Red Anchor, and the recently launched Gold Star line.
In this episode, our guest is Sandy Cobas, the owner and operator of El Titan de Bronze, the famed cigar factory in Miami. El Titan de Bronze stands out as a rare gem, being one of the last cigar factories still operating in the United States. Sandy and her team craft some of the finest cigars in the world, producing for renowned brands like Cohiba, Drew Estate, Warped, La Palina, and many others. In 2024, their Redemption cigar earned the #16 spot on The Dojo's Cigar of the Year list, and Sandy herself was honored as our Person of the Year.
The Great Smoke (Renaissance Fair Edition) is just a few of weeks away, and it's no secret that it has become one of the premier cigar events in the world. Abe Dababneh, the mastermind behind this unique event, joins the show to discuss what's in store for this year and more.
A new Perdomo cigar is set to hit stores in May. That's right, folks—it's the Perdomo Legacy, a tribute to Nick Perdomo Jr., created by his son Nicholas. Nicholas will join the show to share all the details about this exciting new release on this episode of Smoke Night LIVE.
It all comes down to this! Sunday's big game between Kansas City and Philadelphia is just hours away, but the party starts now. Camacho's Jack Heyer and William “Cigar Coop” Cooper join the show to break down the matchup and discuss the ultimate game-day lineup (e.g. best snacks, smokes, and drinks for the occasion). Kick off Super Weekend with Smoke Night LIVE and enter to win HUGE prizes from Camacho!
Let's get ready to rumble! It's time for one of the most highly anticipated episodes of the year, where we pit four of the top Cigar-of-the-Year lists against each other in a no-holds-barred battle royale. The best part? The viewing audience decides the outcome! Last year's champion, Cigar Snob Magazine, returns to defend its crown against Cigar Press, How Bout That Cigar, and Smokin' Tobacco. Which year-end list will reign supreme? Tune in to find out!
What's the right cigar for a wedding? A funeral? Or even a Star Wars cosplay convention? We'll answer these questions and many more on this week's episode of Smoke Night LIVE! Juan Cancel and Nick Libretti join the show to help us break down why certain cigars are better suited for specific occasions. Don't miss this engaging discussion about pairing the perfect cigar with life's most memorable moments.
And the winners are in! It's time to reveal the recipients of our Cigar of the Year awards. Who will take home the honors for Best Under-the-Radar, Value-Priced Cigar, Best Packaging, Person of the Year, and Brand of the Year? We will also discuss our selections for the Top 20 Cigars of 2024. Stay tuned to find out!
Smoke Night LIVE – Round Table Rants by Cigar Dojo
Believe it or not, 2024 is winding down. As we prepare to welcome the new year, it's time to rewind and review the biggest and most significant stories of the past year. Joining the show for a round-table discussion are Juan Cancel, Fred Rewey, and John “Cigar Surgeon” McTavish. Together, they'll dive into topics from the cigar industry, as well as highlights from movies, television, music, sports, and more!
Good tidings we bring to you and your kin! Have you been a good girl or boy this year? Santa—or in this case, Michael Herklots—is making his list and checking it twice. Join us for the annual Christmas episode of Smoke Night LIVE, featuring Ferio Tego's Michael Herklots. It's a festive night of fun, laughter, and cigars you won't want to miss!
It feels like just yesterday that Rick Rodriguez launched West Tampa Tobacco Co., debuting releases like the White, Black, Red, and Attic Series. Yet, nearly three years have passed, and Rick has exciting new plans for fans of the brand. Tune in to this week's episode to catch up with Rick and discover what's new at West Tampa Tobacco Co.
This week on Smoke Night LIVE, Juan Cancel takes the reins as host while Master Sensei is away. Joining him is none other than the esoteric Matt Booth of Room101 Cigars. Together, they'll kick off the holiday season with a fun-filled show that's sure to be “Juan” to remember!
Smoke Night LIVE – Side Dish Bracket Challenge by Cigar Dojo
Smoke, Stash, or Trash returns for its exciting eighth edition, featuring special guest Fred Rewey from Cigar Press Magazine. The concept is simple but the choices are tough: Fred is presented with three premium cigars, and he must decide which one to smoke, which to stash for later, and which to trash. Watch as Fred is placed in the hot seat and faces the challenge of making near-impossible decisions with some of the finest cigars in the world. You won't want to miss the drama and excitement as he navigates these tough calls!
Héctor and Jack are back! That's right—Héctor J. Alfonso Sr. and Jack Toraño from Espinosa Premium Cigars join the show as La Zona Palooza quickly approaches. We'll dive into what's in store for this year's event and also discuss the latest release—the Knuckle Sandwich Strike Force—exploring what it takes to bring a new cigar like this to life.
Smoke Night LIVE – Honest Abe Ranks Halloween Candy by Cigar Dojo
You're at a friend's house, the toilet is clogged, and there's no plunger. What do you do? Or, you're at a group dinner, and everyone is splitting the bill evenly, but you ordered much less. What do you do? Aganorsa Leaf's Terence Reilly joins the show to help us navigate this and other awkward life dilemmas. Plus, we'll be giving away some amazing prizes from Aganorsa Leaf (entry details at CigarDojo.com). Don't miss out—tune in and join the fun!
It's a special year for Warped Cigars, as they celebrate their 10th anniversary—an occasion marked by some exciting new releases. But that's not the only news. Kyle Gellis joins the show to discuss the anniversary blends, as well as the launch of the new Gellis Family Cigars brand and the recently announced ‘Piece Unique' release.
Aric Bey, owner and operator of Black Star Line Cigars, joins us in the studio to discuss the brand-new limited edition Yasuke, the latest collaboration between BSL and Cigar Dojo. We'll dive into the creative process behind this legendary project and explore everything else happening with Aric and Black Star Line.
Smoke Night LIVE – The World According to Johnny Smokes by Cigar Dojo
Smoke, Stash, or Trash returns for its exciting sixth edition, featuring special guest Randy Griggs from Flavor Odyssey. The concept is simple but the choices are tough: Randy is presented with three premium cigars, and he must decide which one to smoke, which to stash for later, and which to trash. Watch as Randy takes the hot seat and faces the challenge of making near-impossible decisions with some of the finest cigars in the world. You won't want to miss the drama and excitement as he navigates these tough calls!
The Cigar Brand Fantasy Draft is back, and we've assembled a star-studded panel of guests who will go head-to-head to draft the ultimate lineup of cigar brands. Winning the fourth edition of this competition will require expert strategy, and this year's contestants are: Robby Ras, William “Cigar Coop” Cooper, Aaron Loomis, and John McTavish (aka the Cigar Surgeon). The best part? The viewing audience will decide the winner, so be sure to tune in and cast your vote!
Another year has gone by, and Smoke Night LIVE host, Master Sensei, is celebrating another birthday! How do we mark this special occasion, you ask? By giving away some tasty cigars! That's right, folks – we're giving away one premium cigar for every year Sensei has been on this wild ride of life. So, one lucky winner will walk away with 59 premium cigars just for tuning in live to this episode. Prize pack includes cigars from: Aganorsa Leaf, Espinosa, Alec Bradley, J.C. Newman, Hoya de Monterrey, Partagas, Drew Estate, Micallef, Oliva, Asylum, Macanudo, and more.
Jonathan Carney, the former Vice President of Sales for La Flor Dominicana, joins Smoke Night LIVE to make a major announcement. Earlier this summer, Carney surprised many by leaving his position at LFD, sparking widespread speculation about his next move. In this episode, he reveals all the details about his new role.
On this special Thursday night edition of Smoke Night LIVE, we're broadcasting live from Dojo Studios as we welcome a cavalcade of stars to the show. That's right—it's the annual Dochella Festival, and we'll be joined by a plethora of cigar industry personalities, including Steve Saka, Pedro Gomez, Jack Torano, Eddy Guerra, Terence Reilly, Tom Lazuka, Aric Bey, Fred Rewey, Bradley Rubin, Justin Andrews, and more!
Casey Haugen from CRUX Cigars is back in the studio, and this time, he means business! We'll catch up on the latest happenings with the CRUX brand, plus we've got some “Who? What? Where?” trivia lined up. Two lucky viewers will walk away with amazing prizes, courtesy of CRUX Cigars. But remember, you can't win if you don't tune in!
Smoke, Stash, or Trash is back for a fifth edition, this time with special guest Juan Cancel from Protocol Cigars. The concept is simple: we present Juan with three cigar options and he must decide which one he wants to smoke, which one he will stash for later, and which one he will trash. Tune in to see Juan in the hot seat as he is forced to make difficult choices with some of the greatest premium cigars on earth.
This week on Smoke Night LIVE, Enrique Seijas will join us at Dojo studios for an in-depth interview. Enrique, the co-owner of Matilde Cigars, is also the son of the renowned blender José Seijas. He will be in-studio to discuss the challenges of running a burgeoning boutique cigar brand that has received high praise from Cigar Dojo.
The Alpha Dog is back! This week, the Dojo announced the upcoming Knuckle Sandwich STRIKE FORCE, a collaboration between Cigar Dojo, Smoke Inn, Guy Fieri, and Espinosa Premium Cigars. Erik Espinosa joins the show to discuss the project as well as everything else that's going on at Espinosa Premium Cigars.
It's debate season, and on this episode of Smoke Night LIVE, we have a heavyweight title fight! In one corner, weighing in at 215 lbs and standing 6'6″ tall, is Terence Reilly of Aganorsa Leaf. In the other corner, weighing in at 224 lbs and standing 6'2″ tall, is Fred Rewey, who is fighting independently. It's a “point-counterpoint” style debate on some of the most important topics facing our society, such as pineapple on pizza, the societal value of the Star Wars franchise, and much, much more. May the best fighter win.
So, you think you're smart, eh? Tune into this episode of Smoke Night LIVE for a chance to win some amazing prizes from J.C. Newman. We are giving away one 25-count box of El Baton Belicoso, one 25-count box of Brickhouse Mighty Maduro (6¼” × 60), and one 20-count box of Diamond Crown Maximus Robustos. Do your best to be the first to correctly answer the trivia for your chance to win!
It's the return of the one of the most popular episodes of Smoke Night LIVE: Cigar Brand Stock Market. We have assembled an expert panel of some of your favorite cigar media personalities and ask them if they would Buy, Hold, or Sell stock in 20 premium cigar brands based on their current buzz in the market. Make sure to tune in to see how your favorite brands are performing.
This week on Smoke Night LIVE, Reinier Lorenzo of HVC joins the show to discuss his new cigar releases and how things are going with his new factory in Estelí. We will also ask Reinier to help us (remotely) make the world's best mojito. What's the over/under timeframe until Reinier loses his voice? You'll have to tune in to find out.
There is a lot going on over at Alec Bradley headquarters these days, most notably the release of Safe Keepings, an exciting new blend that originates from the Alec Bradley founder's secret blend book. This week on Smoke Night LIVE, Bradley Rubin joins the show to share the story behind this new release.
What is the best soda? Regardless of whether you call it “pop” or “soda,” the age-old debate is which one is the best and which ones fall flat. Abe Dababneh, Juan Cancel, Alex Tavella, and William “Cigar Coop” Cooper join the show for a no-holds-barred debate to crown the king of pop!
The 13th Annual Cigarebecue is this Sunday, May 26th, featuring amazing prizes from the fine folks at Camacho. On this episode of Smoke Night LIVE, we get the ball rolling with pitmaster Randy Griggs as we discuss how we will be celebrating this year's event. We will also be giving away a great prize on this episode to one lucky winner, so make sure to tune in and participate!
Outside of your cutter and lighter, what other cigar accessories should be in your possession? On this episode, we round up some of the most interesting and unique cigar accessories and ask our expert panel: should you buy or not buy??? William “Cigar Coop” Cooper and Aaron Loomis join the show and help us determine the value of these cigar-related items.
Smoke, Stash, or Trash is back for a fourth edition, this time with special guest Tim Swanson from Cigars Daily. The concept is simple: we present our guest with three cigar options and he must decide which one he wants to smoke, which one he will stash for later, and which one he will trash. Tune in to see Tim squirm like a fish as he is forced to make difficult choices with some of the greatest premium cigars on earth.