Podcasts about general cigar company

Rick Rodriguez and and Gus Martinez (formerly of General Cigar Company), founded West Tampa Tobacco Company in 2022.  They debuted the White and Black series in 2022 at the PCA trade show in Las Vegas.  In 2023, West Tampa released a limited edition cigar using a Mexican San Andres wrapper along with Nicaraguan tobacco.  The Red series is an offshoot of that cigar using the same wrapper, but different binder and filler.  This is what West Tampa says about the Red: Like its predecessors, White & Black, Red delivers a flavor bomb with enhanced body that is a perfect addition to the West Tampa line-up. From mild to full bodied, creamy to spicey, West Tampa now offers something foreveryone. Rick Rodriguez, master blender and co-owner, is especially excited about this release. “West Tampa Red gave me the opportunity to sit down with the factory and really focus on creating a blend that I enjoy.” “Normally when I blend cigars, I don't blend for what I like, I blend cigars for what my fans enjoy. Red will be a reflection of what I believe is the next piece to lay in the West Tampa puzzle, a full-bodied cigar that delivers the full flavor consumers have come to enjoy from West Tampa.” Last year, West Tampa released a lancero in the Black, White, and Red.  The lanceros come in a 7 x 40 size with an MSRP of $10.99. Specifications Wrapper: San Andres Mexican Binder: Nicaraguan Condega Filler: Nicaraguan Condega Viso, Esteli Viso, Esteli Ligero Country of Origin: Nicaragua Factory: Garmendia Cigars Vitola:  lancero Size:  7 x 40 MSRP:  $10.99 Let's Get Pairing reviewed the Red here Cigar Coop reviewed the Red Toro here Final Score:  85  

Rick Rodriguez and and Gus Martinez (formerly of General Cigar Company), founded West Tampa Tobacco Company in 2022.  They debuted the White and Black series in 2022 at the PCA trade show in Las Vegas.  In 2023, West Tampa released a limited edition cigar using a Mexican San Andres wrapper along with Nicaraguan tobacco.  The Red series is an offshoot of that cigar using the same wrapper, but different binder and filler.  This is what West Tampa says about the Red: Like its predecessors, White & Black, Red delivers a flavor bomb with enhanced body that is a perfect addition to the West Tampa line-up. From mild to full bodied, creamy to spicey, West Tampa now offers something foreveryone. Rick Rodriguez, master blender and co-owner, is especially excited about this release. “West Tampa Red gave me the opportunity to sit down with the factory and really focus on creating a blend that I enjoy.” “Normally when I blend cigars, I don't blend for what I like, I blend cigars for what my fans enjoy. Red will be a reflection of what I believe is the next piece to lay in the West Tampa puzzle, a full-bodied cigar that delivers the full flavor consumers have come to enjoy from West Tampa.” Last year, West Tampa released a lancero in the Black, White, and Red.  The lanceros come in a 7 x 40 size with an MSRP of $10.99. Specifications Wrapper: San Andres Mexican Binder: Nicaraguan Condega Filler: Nicaraguan Condega Viso, Esteli Viso, Esteli Ligero Country of Origin: Nicaragua Factory: Garmendia Cigars Vitola:  lancero Size:  7 x 40 MSRP:  $10.99 Let's Get Pairing reviewed the Red here Cigar Coop reviewed the Red Toro here Final Score:  85

On Prime Time Jukebox Episode 137, it's songs about cars. Specifically, we will talk about songs that the machines with four wheels themselves and not the act of driving. In addition, we got music news, cigar news, the music pairing of the week, and the Developing Palates Review of the Week. Plus we have a champion in Battle of the Bands. On this episode, Dave and Coop smoke CAO Flathead V660 cigar from General Cigar Company. As always, you can follow along with our Spotify Playlists: Episode 137 Playlist References Battle of the Bands 2024: The 1970s John Mayall, British Blues-Rock Legend and 2024 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Inductee, Dies at 90 Abdul ‘Duke' Fakir, Last Surviving Four Tops Member, Dies at 88 Evelyn Thomas, "High Energy" Disco Singer, Dead At 70 Developing Palates Team Cigar Review: Black Works Studio Paper Crane Corona Gorda John McTavish, July 10, 2024 

On Prime Time Jukebox Episode 137, it's songs about cars. Specifically, we will talk about songs that the machines with four wheels themselves and not the act of driving. In addition, we got music news, cigar news, the music pairing of the week, and the Developing Palates Review of the Week. Plus we have a champion in Battle of the Bands. On this episode, Dave and Coop smoke CAO Flathead V660 cigar from General Cigar Company. As always, you can follow along with our Spotify Playlists: Episode 137 Playlist References Battle of the Bands 2024: The 1970s John Mayall, British Blues-Rock Legend and 2024 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Inductee, Dies at 90 Abdul ‘Duke' Fakir, Last Surviving Four Tops Member, Dies at 88 Evelyn Thomas, "High Energy" Disco Singer, Dead At 70 Developing Palates Team Cigar Review: Black Works Studio Paper Crane Corona Gorda John McTavish, July 10, 2024 

The 2024 Premium Cigar Association (PCA) Trade Show was historic for El Titán de Bronze. Many know El Titán de Bronze as the famed boutique factory in Little Havana, Miami. Over the years, El Titán de Bronze is well-known for producing small-batch cigars for many cigar companies. The company also has its own brands. This year, El Titán de Bronze was at the PCA Trade Show for the first time. They were there as a part of a new distribution agreement with General Cigar Company. Under this agreement, General is distributing one of their brands called Redemption. This year, an all-new Redemption cigar debuted at the 2024 PCA Trade Show. PCA 2024 Report: https://wp.me/p6h1n1-soM

The 2024 Premium Cigar Association (PCA) Trade Show was historic for El Titán de Bronze. Many know El Titán de Bronze as the famed boutique factory in Little Havana, Miami. Over the years, El Titán de Bronze is well-known for producing small-batch cigars for many cigar companies. The company also has its own brands. This year, El Titán de Bronze was at the PCA Trade Show for the first time. They were there as a part of a new distribution agreement with General Cigar Company. Under this agreement, General is distributing one of their brands called Redemption. This year, an all-new Redemption cigar debuted at the 2024 PCA Trade Show. PCA 2024 Report: https://wp.me/p6h1n1-soM

The 2024 Premium Cigar Association (PCA) Trade Show marked the first time CAO was back at the Trade Show in five years. This is because the brands of General Cigar Company were back at the Trade Show for the first time since 2019. We usually strive for a theme in our booth recaps. While the return of a staple brand like CAO could be a theme in itself, this is not the case here. CAO is known for its lifestyle brands, but it has also been known for its focus on tobacco. This year, the slogan in the both was "We go where tobacco takes" and that is definitely the case with the release of the new CAO FASA blends. As a result, the tobacco around CAO FASA was the theme of CAO at PCA 2024. PCA 2024 Report: https://wp.me/p6h1n1-smv

The #19 2023 Cigar of the Year is Weller by Cohiba 2022. The cigar comes from General Cigar Company. Over the past few years, Scandinavian Tobacco Group (STG), General's parent company, has collaborated with the Buffalo Trace Distillery. The brands from Buffalo Trace that STG has worked on include Buffalo Trace, Eagle Rare, Fireball Cinnamon, and Weller. The first collaboration between STG and Weller was the release of the Weller by Cohiba in 2021. The Weller by Cohiba aimed to provide a cigar that could complement Weller Bourbon. For those who don't follow the spirits world, Weller refers to a line of premium bourbons sold under the W.L. Weller brand. W.L. Weller stands for William Larue Weller (1825–1899). The following year, there was another release featuring an all-new blend, appropriately called the Weller by Cohiba 2022. Since then, there has also been a 2023 release. All three differ, but we'll focus on the Weller by Cohiba 2022 release. Full Details: https://wp.me/p6h1n1-r8L

The #19 2023 Cigar of the Year is Weller by Cohiba 2022. The cigar comes from General Cigar Company. Over the past few years, Scandinavian Tobacco Group (STG), General's parent company, has collaborated with the Buffalo Trace Distillery. The brands from Buffalo Trace that STG has worked on include Buffalo Trace, Eagle Rare, Fireball Cinnamon, and Weller. The first collaboration between STG and Weller was the release of the Weller by Cohiba in 2021. The Weller by Cohiba aimed to provide a cigar that could complement Weller Bourbon. For those who don't follow the spirits world, Weller refers to a line of premium bourbons sold under the W.L. Weller brand. W.L. Weller stands for William Larue Weller (1825–1899). The following year, there was another release featuring an all-new blend, appropriately called the Weller by Cohiba 2022. Since then, there has also been a 2023 release. All three differ, but we'll focus on the Weller by Cohiba 2022 release. Full Details: https://wp.me/p6h1n1-r8L

This week, #ELOsoFumarTakes welcomes John Hakim of Forged Cigar Company & General Cigar Company to sit down and tackle all things Chillin' Moose, Punch, and more. While cigars may be his job today, growing up in Northeast Pennsylvania, his path started with a tad more convention. How did he become Brand Manager to some of the most fun brands in the Forged Family of Cigars? You'll need to be there to find out.   John selected The Lucerne Foundation to spotlight his week, learn more here: https://www.luzfdn.org/   https://cigar-coop.com/2023/07/cigar-news-chillin-moose.html    

The 2023 Premium Cigar Association (PCA) Trade Show was the second one for West Tampa Cigar Company. This venture started a little over a year ago and is a company owned by General Cigar Company alumni Rick Rodriguez and Gus Martinez. The eve of the Trade Show saw West Tampa announce another General Cigar alumni, Rami Dakko, would be its new Director of Sales. This was a move that continues to strengthen West Tampa's presence in the market. On the product front, West Tampa Tobacco would go into this year's Trade Show having just shipped its third regular production line, the West Tampa Tobacco Red. Full PCA Report: https://wp.me/p6h1n1-q4z

The 2023 Premium Cigar Association (PCA) Trade Show was the second one for West Tampa Cigar Company. This venture started a little over a year ago and is a company owned by General Cigar Company alumni Rick Rodriguez and Gus Martinez. The eve of the Trade Show saw West Tampa announce another General Cigar alumni, Rami Dakko, would be its new Director of Sales. This was a move that continues to strengthen West Tampa's presence in the market. On the product front, West Tampa Tobacco would go into this year's Trade Show having just shipped its third regular production line, the West Tampa Tobacco Red. Full PCA Report: https://wp.me/p6h1n1-q4z  

Back in 2014, General Cigar Company would release a value priced cigar under its Foundry Cigar Company subsidiary known as Chillin' Moose. It was one of the most unorthodox names for a cigar, but it would soon become a popular offering in the company's portfolio.  Along the way, General's parent company Scandinavian Tobacco Group would sell the Foundry to Kretek International, but Chillin Mose would remain. Today Chillin' Moose it is not just a singlecigar line, but a full-fledged cigar brand. At this year's Premium Cigar Association (PCA) Trade Show, a fifth line in under the Chillin Moose umbrella was released with the Bull Moose Maduro. This would add a large ring-gauge, value-priced, Maduro offering into the portfolio. Full PCA Report: https://wp.me/p6h1n1-q1C

Back in 2014, General Cigar Company would release a value priced cigar under its Foundry Cigar Company subsidiary known as Chillin' Moose. It was one of the most unorthodox names for a cigar, but it would soon become a popular offering in the company's portfolio.  Along the way, General's parent company Scandinavian Tobacco Group would sell the Foundry to Kretek International, but Chillin Mose would remain. Today Chillin' Moose it is not just a singlecigar line, but a full-fledged cigar brand. At this year's Premium Cigar Association (PCA) Trade Show, a fifth line in under the Chillin Moose umbrella was released with the Bull Moose Maduro. This would add a large ring-gauge, value-priced, Maduro offering into the portfolio. Full PCA Report: https://wp.me/p6h1n1-q1C

Brought to you by J.C. Newman Cigar Co. - This week Matt and Nicole and joined by their good friend Matt Booth of Room101 Cigars and they hold a unique kind of pairing show for all of you - a Christmas cookie and cigar pairing to be exact! As we all navigate through the Kirkland brand "European Cookie" tin, we talk to Matt about the recent sale of Room101 cigars to General Cigar Company and what plans for the future there may be now that the company is under new ownership.   We are holding a contest: Find a holiday cookie tin and pair it with your favorite Room101 cigar, take a photo with your favorite cookie from the tin and the cigar and TAG us @SmokinTabacco on social media and one lucky winner will receive a Room101 sampler pack courtesy of Smokin Tabacco!   Don't forget to LIKE & SUBSCRIBE on YouTube, Facebook and everywhere Podcasts are available. Visit SmokinTabacco.com for more news and updates from the cigar industry!   Cutters and Lighters provided by Cigar Blondie Accessories

This week, #ELOsoFumarTakes welcomes a first time guest in Steve Abbot of General Cigar Company to sit down for our #233rdTake. Steve brings an incredible background in the Tobacco industry into his role at General. We smoke Macanudo and explore the journey of Abbot himself. Enjoy!   For this occasion, Steve and I would like to spotlight The Salvation Army Please consider donating: https://give.salvationarmyusa.org/give/164006/#!/donation/checkout?amount=Other   Macanudo Estate Reserve Flint Knoll Macanudo Inspirado Year of the Rabbit heads abroad General Expands M by Macanudo Eighth Inspirado hits shelves in U.S.   Fun Facts about William & Mary United Cigar Presidential Trivia resource: Three U.S. presidents were educated at William & Mary: Thomas Jefferson, James Monroe and John Tyler. Four if we count George Washington's surveyor's license. https://www.wm.edu/index.php   My son makes his podcast debut (00:04:45) - all he wants for Christmas is his two front teeth! "I just yanked it out" - My son  

In this episode of Deep Cuts Live with host Antoine Reid, Rick Rodriguez shares what life is like after leaving his position at General Cigar Company and the CAO cigars brand. When Rick decided it was time for a change, he and a friend decided to launch their own premium cigar brand named West Tampa Tobacco Company. Find out how they got started and the steps they took to find the right manufacturing partner to help them bring their blends to market. Rick also shares his advice to other entrepreneurs and why chasing after monetary profits is always going to lead businesses and people in the wrong direction. -- Thanks for watching! Website: https://deepcutslive.com YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/c/DEEPCUTSLIVE Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/deep_cuts_live --

One of the more anticipated new companies that were exhibiting at the 2022 Premium Cigar Association (PCA) Trade Show was West Tampa Tobacco Company. The company is a partnership between two former General Cigar Company employees, Rick Rodriguez and Gus Martinez. In particular, Rick is known for his decade as the blender and ambassador for CAO Cigars. This Spring, it was announced that Rodriguez was "retiring" from General Cigar, but it didn't take long for him to surface - this time with his own venture with West Tampa Tobacco Company. Family was a big theme for Rodriguez, as West Tampa Tobacco now allowed him to work with his daughter. While Rodriguez got accustomed to working with some for the biggest cigar factories in the world, he had an opportunity to work with the very small Garmendia Cigar Co. Factory. Rodriguez was intrigued with partnering with a factory that he could se grow and impact the families of the people who work there. From that factory come two blends - West Tampa Black and West Tampa White. PCA 2022 Report: https://wp.me/p6h1n1-nkM  

One of the more anticipated new companies that were exhibiting at the 2022 Premium Cigar Association (PCA) Trade Show was West Tampa Tobacco Company. The company is a partnership between two former General Cigar Company employees, Rick Rodriguez and Gus Martinez. In particular, Rick is known for his decade as the blender and ambassador for CAO Cigars. This Spring, it was announced that Rodriguez was "retiring" from General Cigar, but it didn't take long for him to surface - this time with his own venture with West Tampa Tobacco Company. Family was a big theme for Rodriguez, as West Tampa Tobacco now allowed him to work with his daughter. While Rodriguez got accustomed to working with some for the biggest cigar factories in the world, he had an opportunity to work with the very small Garmendia Cigar Co. Factory. Rodriguez was intrigued with partnering with a factory that he could se grow and impact the families of the people who work there. From that factory come two blends - West Tampa Black and West Tampa White. PCA 2022 Report: https://wp.me/p6h1n1-nkM  

Coming in at #22 is the All Saints St. Francis Toro. All Saints Fine Cigars was founded by industry veteran Micky Pegg. Pegg was Vice President of Sales at CAO Cigars, and prior to that worked at Davidoff, Felipe Gregorio Cigars, and Georgetown Tobacco. Shortly after CAO was absorbed into General Cigar Company, Pegg would take a hiatus from the cigar industry, but eventually would drawn back and launch a company. That company would be All Saints Fine Cigars. The St. Francis Line would be his second line released just prior to the 2021 Premium Cigar Association Trade Show. The St. Francis is produced at Rocky Patel's TAVICUSA factory in Estelí, Nicaragua. It features a Nicaraguan binder and filler wrapped by an Ecuadorian Habano Oscuro wrapper. The Toro size which lands on the list is a 6 1/2 x 50 box-pressed vitola. The All Saints St. Francis Toro delivers a balanced medium strength, medium-bodied profile consisting of notes of coffee, cedar, citrus, pepper, baker's spice, and chocolate. If you are looking for a cigar with classic black coffee flavors that come from the natural tobacco leaves (ie. no flavoring or infusion), the All Saints St. Francis Oscuro Toro is the cigar for you. This is the first year All Saints Fine Cigars has landed on the Countdown. Of the nine cigars we have unveiled moving up the Countdown, this is the fifth one from Nicaragua in 2021. For details of the 2021 Cigar of the Year Countdown, see our 2021 criteria: https://cigar-coop.com/2021/12/announcement-criteria-for-the-2021-cigar-of-the-year-countdown.html Cigar Coop Report: https://wp.me/p6h1n1-lDp

Coming in at #22 is the All Saints St. Francis Toro. All Saints Fine Cigars was founded by industry veteran Micky Pegg. Pegg was Vice President of Sales at CAO Cigars, and prior to that worked at Davidoff, Felipe Gregorio Cigars, and Georgetown Tobacco. Shortly after CAO was absorbed into General Cigar Company, Pegg would take a hiatus from the cigar industry, but eventually would drawn back and launch a company. That company would be All Saints Fine Cigars. The St. Francis Line would be his second line released just prior to the 2021 Premium Cigar Association Trade Show. The St. Francis is produced at Rocky Patel's TAVICUSA factory in Estelí, Nicaragua. It features a Nicaraguan binder and filler wrapped by an Ecuadorian Habano Oscuro wrapper. The Toro size which lands on the list is a 6 1/2 x 50 box-pressed vitola. The All Saints St. Francis Toro delivers a balanced medium strength, medium-bodied profile consisting of notes of coffee, cedar, citrus, pepper, baker's spice, and chocolate. If you are looking for a cigar with classic black coffee flavors that come from the natural tobacco leaves (ie. no flavoring or infusion), the All Saints St. Francis Oscuro Toro is the cigar for you. This is the first year All Saints Fine Cigars has landed on the Countdown. Of the nine cigars we have unveiled moving up the Countdown, this is the fifth one from Nicaragua in 2021. For details of the 2021 Cigar of the Year Countdown, see our 2021 criteria: https://cigar-coop.com/2021/12/announcement-criteria-for-the-2021-cigar-of-the-year-countdown.html Cigar Coop Report: https://wp.me/p6h1n1-lDp

Coming in at #29 is the Warzone Box Pressed Short Churchill. In 2019, Espinosa Cigars joined forces with General Cigar Company to create a cigar known as Warzone. The cigar is one that is produced at Espinosa's La Zona factory but sold and distributed by General. The 2019 release was done in two sizes: Robusto and Toro. In 2020, General and Espinosa would unveil a new size into the line in the form of a 6 1/2 x 48 box-pressed Short Churchill. The name Warzone was inspired by the Ten Years War – a war fought in Cuba between Cuba and Spain as a part of Cuba's overall fight for independence from Spain. Espinosa Cigars is probably best known for producing Habano-wrapped blends over all-Nicaraguan tobaccos. With Warzone, the La Zona factory delivers its first major Cameroon wrapped line. The remainder of the blend utilizes a Honduran binder and Colombian and Nicaraguan fillers. The Colombian filler is something that La Zona is not known to work with either.  Adding box-pressed extensions is something Espinosa Cigars does often, and the 6 1/2 x 48 size has been one Espinosa has used on many other lines over the years. The Warzone Box Pressed Short Churchill delivers flavors of coffee bean, wood, fruit, cream, and pepper. These flavors are medium-bodied and countered by medium strength. This cigar will deliver the sweetness Cameroon is known for with enough spice to give you the Espinosa "bite." The Warzone Box Pressed Churchill is the ninth time General Cigar (the company selling the brand is what we track) has landed on the Countdown. Over the years various brands within the General portfolio landed cigars on the Countdown, but it's the first time Warzone has landed on it. It's also the sixth consecutive appearance for General Cigar on the Countdown. For details of the 2021 Cigar of the Year Countdown, see our 2021 criteria: https://cigar-coop.com/2021/12/announcement-criteria-for-the-2021-cigar-of-the-year-countdown.html Cigar Coop Report: https://wp.me/p6h1n1-lyA

Coming in at #29 is the Warzone Box Pressed Short Churchill. In 2019, Espinosa Cigars joined forces with General Cigar Company to create a cigar known as Warzone. The cigar is one that is produced at Espinosa's La Zona factory but sold and distributed by General. The 2019 release was done in two sizes: Robusto and Toro. In 2020, General and Espinosa would unveil a new size into the line in the form of a 6 1/2 x 48 box-pressed Short Churchill. The name Warzone was inspired by the Ten Years War – a war fought in Cuba between Cuba and Spain as a part of Cuba's overall fight for independence from Spain. Espinosa Cigars is probably best known for producing Habano-wrapped blends over all-Nicaraguan tobaccos. With Warzone, the La Zona factory delivers its first major Cameroon wrapped line. The remainder of the blend utilizes a Honduran binder and Colombian and Nicaraguan fillers. The Colombian filler is something that La Zona is not known to work with either.  Adding box-pressed extensions is something Espinosa Cigars does often, and the 6 1/2 x 48 size has been one Espinosa has used on many other lines over the years. The Warzone Box Pressed Short Churchill delivers flavors of coffee bean, wood, fruit, cream, and pepper. These flavors are medium-bodied and countered by medium strength. This cigar will deliver the sweetness Cameroon is known for with enough spice to give you the Espinosa "bite." The Warzone Box Pressed Churchill is the ninth time General Cigar (the company selling the brand is what we track) has landed on the Countdown. Over the years various brands within the General portfolio landed cigars on the Countdown, but it's the first time Warzone has landed on it. It's also the sixth consecutive appearance for General Cigar on the Countdown. For details of the 2021 Cigar of the Year Countdown, see our 2021 criteria: https://cigar-coop.com/2021/12/announcement-criteria-for-the-2021-cigar-of-the-year-countdown.html Cigar Coop Report: https://wp.me/p6h1n1-lyA

This week, #ELOsoFumarTakes welcomes Laurel Tilley of General Cigar Company and herald Brand Ambassador for Macanudo Cigars for our #138thTake. Macanudo is arguably the most popular cigar in the world. So, what's the challenge? Tilley and her team aren't thinking about today, they are shaping tomorrow by making Macanudo, despite its popularity - COOL AGAIN. So, grab your cup of tea (you read that right) and strap in for what will be an incredible take!  In the second half of the show, we open the door for a candid conversation about women in the industry.  Laurel certainly isn't the first woman in the industry, nor will she be the last, but it's about time we have this discussion on our show.  This may sound serious, but we have a lot of fun along the way.  Enjoy!   http://macanudo.com/ http://macanudo.com/cigars/macanudo-inspirado-palladium/  http://macanudo.com/m/bourbon http://macanudo.com/cigars/macanudo-inspirado-green/    Follow Laurel and Macanudo on Instagram here: @macanudo_laurel @macanudocigars   Candid Conversation about Women in the industry (1:28:00)   To the #ELOsoFumarTakes community, I have decided to take part in a survey that is aimed at capturing the influence of our podcast, in addition to other Cigar Industry media. I ask you, humbly, to take a few minutes and take part in this survey. Two major points: 1) No personal info will be asked for or given by you2) THE GOAL: to see what, if any, influence and impact Cigar Media has on the way you, the consumer, views and takes part in this industry we love. It would honor me to hear and see your thoughts. Thank you in advance. Click here: https://tcu.co1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_1X1Pg1Jgp813LRr

Tonight we continue our look at the personalities behind General Cigar as we welcome Rick Rodriguez of CAO Cigars. Rick has a dual role at CAO as he is both the blender and ambassador for the brand. Rick’s had a unique story on how he moved into this role at General Cigar and tonight we will learn about it – as well as catch up on the happenings at CAO. We will also look at what makes Rick “Live True” and in our Deliberation Segment, we will take a look at Cigar of the Month (COTM) clubs.

Tonight we continue our look at the personalities behind General Cigar as we welcome Rick Rodriguez of CAO Cigars. Rick has a dual role at CAO as he is both the blender and ambassador for the brand. Rick’s had a unique story on how he moved into this role at General Cigar and tonight we will learn about it – as well as catch up on the happenings at CAO. We will also look at what makes Rick “Live True” and in our Deliberation Segment, we will take a look at Cigar of the Month (COTM) clubs.

Tonight we continue our look at the people behind General Cigar Company as we welcome Steve Abbot, Senior Brand Manager. Steve has responsibilities for both the Macanudo and La Gloria Cubana brands and we will dive into each of these with Steve, plus get to know a little more about Steve and his role in the industry. Steve also has some interests outside the cigar industry and we will touch on that as well. In our Deliberation Segment, we will do some post-game on last week’s Virtual Trade Show and give you our scorecard on how the various companies are doing this summer.

Tonight we continue our look at the people behind General Cigar Company as we welcome Steve Abbot, Senior Brand Manager. Steve has responsibilities for both the Macanudo and La Gloria Cubana brands and we will dive into each of these with Steve, plus get to know a little more about Steve and his role in the industry. Steve also has some interests outside the cigar industry and we will touch on that as well. In our Deliberation Segment, we will do some post-game on last week’s Virtual Trade Show and give you our scorecard on how the various companies are doing this summer.

On Episode 147, we continue to meet the people behind General Cigar Company, and tonight we’re honored to welcome Ed Lahmann, who manages the Honduran brands under General Cigar. Ed’s the Senior brand manager of two brands that are staples in the cigar world – Punch and Hoyo de Monterrey. We’ll discuss the history and the direction of these brands. Plus we will discuss bourbons in our Live True segment, and Aaron and Coop have a couple of deliberations to wrap up the show. References Stogie Press “Must Try” Series – Nicaraguan Cigars How Bout That Cigar LIVE - Industry Hive Mind

On Episode 147, we continue to meet the people behind General Cigar Company, and tonight we’re honored to welcome Ed Lahmann, who manages the Honduran brands under General Cigar. Ed’s the Senior brand manager of two brands that are staples in the cigar world – Punch and Hoyo de Monterrey. We’ll discuss the history and the direction of these brands. Plus we will discuss bourbons in our Live True segment, and Aaron and Coop have a couple of deliberations to wrap up the show. References Stogie Press “Must Try” Series – Nicaraguan Cigars How Bout That Cigar LIVE - Industry Hive Mind

Tonight, we are proud to welcome Laurel Tilley from General Cigar Company. Laurel’s the brand ambassador for one of the largest cigar brands in the world, Macanudo. We’ll talk about the whole story of Macanudo as well as the latest happenings in the brand. Also our Live True segment will cover soft drinks and in our Deliberation Segment we will discuss a controversial cigar review that was published this past week.

Tonight, we are proud to welcome Laurel Tilley from General Cigar Company. Laurel’s the brand ambassador for one of the largest cigar brands in the world, Macanudo. We’ll talk about the whole story of Macanudo as well as the latest happenings in the brand. Also our Live True segment will cover soft drinks and in our Deliberation Segment we will discuss a controversial cigar review that was published this past week.

For Prime Time Episode 135, we welcome Sean Williams, the brand ambassador of General Cigars’ Cohiba brand. Sean is a long-time industry veteran, founding a company called Primer Mundo Cigars before coming to General Cigar in 2017. We’ll look at Sean’s journey on how he got to General, and we will talk about what’s happening at Cohiba. References The Tobacconist: Your Own “Top 25” List Is More Valuable than Theirs, PCA - The Magazine

For Prime Time Episode 135, we welcome Sean Williams, the brand ambassador of General Cigars’ Cohiba brand. Sean is a long-time industry veteran, founding a company called Primer Mundo Cigars before coming to General Cigar in 2017. We’ll look at Sean’s journey on how he got to General, and we will talk about what’s happening at Cohiba. References The Tobacconist: Your Own “Top 25” List Is More Valuable than Theirs, PCA - The Magazine  

On Special Edition #72, Justin Andrews of General Cigar Company is our special guest. Over the past few years, Justin has been involved in some key projects over at General Cigar including the growth of the Diesel brand and the War Zone collaboration. We’ll talk with Justin about these projects and a whole lot more.

On Special Edition #72, Justin Andrews of General Cigar Company is our special guest. Over the past few years, Justin has been involved in some key projects over at General Cigar including the growth of the Diesel brand and the War Zone collaboration. We’ll talk with Justin about these projects and a whole lot more.

This week on #ELOsoFumarTakes we welcome in Justin Andrews of General Cigar Company and the Brand Ambassador for Diesel Cigars. Manufactured by AJ Fernandez, Diesel Cigars gained notoriety at one of the best catalog brands out there. Under Andrews, the brand has ventured into and made a statement to Brick & Mortars: "We're here to stay!" The duo of Andrews and Fernandez has been big for Diesel, as it has established itself as one of General's most dynamic brands. We find out the challenges of changing how a brand is perceived to this unique tandem to Justin's story. It's all here on #Take84. Enjoy!

On Episode 96, Justin Andrews, Senior Brand Manager at General Cigar is our special guest! Justin’s involved with one of the most exciting projects at General, Diesel – and he is working with the one and only A.J. Fernandez. We’ll catch up with him and talk plenty of tobacco.  In our Alec Bradley Live True segment, we will talk a little baseball with Justin. Finally, Justin, Aaron and Coop will hit a variety of industry topics in our Deliberation Segment.

On Episode 96, Justin Andrews, Senior Brand Manager at General Cigar is our special guest! Justin’s involved with one of the most exciting projects at General, Diesel – and he is working with the one and only A.J. Fernandez. We’ll catch up with him and talk plenty of tobacco.  In our Alec Bradley Live True segment, we will talk a little baseball with Justin. Finally, Justin, Aaron and Coop will hit a variety of industry topics in our Deliberation Segment.

Jack Torano is a well-known personality in the premium cigar industry, being one of the only members of the famed Toraño family remaining in the industry after General Cigar Company acquired the brands of Torano Family Cigars in 2014. Nick Goss is the Director of Sales at Espinosa. Espinosa Cigars is a premium cigar company committed to creating cigars of superior quality. Our goal is to offer our customers, the right cigar for every moment, for every occasion and for every mood. Full Show Notes: https://stogiegeeks.com/299 Visit http://www.stogiegeeks.com for all the latest episodes! Like us on Facebook @stogiegeeks! Follow us on Twitter @StogieGeeks!

Jack Torano is a well-known personality in the premium cigar industry, being one of the only members of the famed Toraño family remaining in the industry after General Cigar Company acquired the brands of Torano Family Cigars in 2014. Nick Goss is the Director of Sales at Espinosa. Espinosa Cigars is a premium cigar company committed to creating cigars of superior quality. Our goal is to offer our customers, the right cigar for every moment, for every occasion and for every mood. Full Show Notes: https://stogiegeeks.com/299 Follow us on Twitter: @stogiegeeks Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/stogiegeeks Instagram:  https://instagram.com/stogiegeeks

Inspired by the luxuriously exotic beauty of Indonesia’s rare Macassar ebony wood, General Cigar Company’s team of Dominican masters have created another in a line of superbly crafted smokes. Be sure to check out this review and many more at: https://m.cigarsnearme.com/blog

This week, Paul and Joe Hollywood interview Justin Andrews, Senior Brand Manager at General Cigar Company! Paul and Joe will then round out the show with the Stogies of the Week, and more on this episode of the Stogie Geeks show! Full Show Notes: http://wiki.stogiegeeks.com/index.php?title=Episode_279   Visit http://www.stogiegeeks.com for all the latest episodes!

While at ProCigar, Tripp and Denis were given a new Partagas from General Cigar Company, but they don't have any of the blend details, even the name of the cigar. Grab a cigar and a drink, have a seat, and find out what Tripp and Denis think of the upcoming mystery Partagas!

Recorded LIVE at Cigar Cellar in Coral Gables. Jack Toraño is the ambassador for the Toraño brand at General Cigar Company. We sit down with Jack to talk about the Toraño family legacy in the cigar industry going back 100+ years! Jack also gives us an update on the IPCPR trade show and some of the cool new sticks hitting your favorite boutique soon. We talk Miami, cigar industry blues and blessings and even have a special call in from author and friend of the podcast, Ted Kluck. We'd like to thank Rhea at Cigar Cellar and Lounge for hosting the event! Check out Cigar Cellar at cigarcellarmiami.com You can find more info about El Lector at exiledlector.com

Tripp interviews Steve Abbott, brand manager of Macanudo for General Cigar Company. Steve talks about the Macanudo Orange, White, and Black lines.

Tripp talks to Justin Andrews about the Diesel Grind, the most full bodied and full flavoured cigar in the General Cigar Company portfolio specifically for Brick & Mortar stores. It features a Habano wrapper and a three region blend for the fillers. 

Tripp talks with Ed Lahmann about the Hoyo de Monterrey La Amistad Silver. It's a collaboration between General Cigar Company and AJ Fernandez, first started with the La Amistad Gold in 2016. 

Justin Andrews is the Brand Manager for Foundry Tobacco Company, a subsidiary of General Cigar Company. Prior to joining Foundry, Justin served as Vice President for Lou Rodriguez Cigars. Subscribe to our YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/user/stogiegeek Follow us on Twitter: @stogiegeeks Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/stogiegeeks Instagram:  https://instagram.com/stogiegeeks

In this week's edition of Stogie Geeks News, Paul and Will discuss Sam Leccia's departure from General Cigar Company.

This week Bob and Dale discuss the latest in the cigar industry, including Michael Herklots moving from Davidoff to Nat Sherman, Sam Leccia returning to the premium cigar business, Guillermo León Herbert becoming the independent owner of La Aurora, and Vanderburgh Humidors being selected by the Indianapolis Speedway to build its limited edition cigar humidor. The Cigar of the Week is the Punch Upper Cut. The cigar featured on the "What's My Band?" blind smoke test is the Licenciados Toro. Check out the live show! Go to http://www.cigarmedia.tv/live/ where the show is broadcast live most Friday evenings at 9 PM EST. Do you have a Herf Line Review? Call and leave a cigar review on the herf line and receive a DogWatch Cigar Radio patch! You can reach the Herfline at 321-594-4373 - or cigar.radio on Skype. You can also send written reviews to theshow@cigarmedia.tv. Cigar of the Week - Punch Upper Cut by General Cigar. The history of General Cigar began in 1848 when Ferdinand Cullman immigrated to the US from Germany. His grandson made one of the greatest contributions to the cigar world: the Connecticut Shade wrapper. In 1960, Cullman Brothers bought General Cigar Company and became the largest manufacturer and marketer of premium cigars with impressive brands. In 1997, General Cigar acquired Villazon, the maker of such iconic brands as Punch, Hoyo de Monterrey, and Excalibur. Later, General Cigar assumed responsibility for marketing and selling El Credito, whose brands include La Gloria Cubana and El Rico Habano. In 1999, General Cigar sold its mass market business to Swedish Match in order to concentrate strictly on premium brands. In 2000, Swedish Match assumed majority control of General through a stock purchase from Edgar Cullman and family members. Other important brands have been acquired recently, including Helix, Don Tomas and Astral in 2004. Their factory in Santiago, Dominican Republic is run by General Cigar Dominicana, a subsidiary of General Cigar Co., which began processing tobacco in 1975, and started producing cigars in 1978. The Punch Upper Cut was released in October 2009. Handmade in Honduras with its filler and binder tobaccos grown in Ometepe, Nicaragua, this cigar is perfectly finished with an attractive dark and oily Ecuador Sumatra wrapper. Each cigar has a footband complete with the image of Ometepe and its twin volcanoes Toro | Length: 6.62 | Ring: 54 Grand Corona | Length: 6 | Ring: 45 Robusto | Length: 5.25 | Ring: 50 Dark Side - - No Dark Side this week. What else have you been smokin' Dale? Man o’ War Salomone El Credito Perridos Bolivar Belicoso Fino Cohiba Siglo VI What else have you been smokin' Bob? PDR 1878 Cubano Especial Seleccion RL 2000 - Wrapper is Lancaster, Pa leaf; binder is the Criollo 98 from the Dominican Republic; and the filler is Nicaraguan and Dominican Republic. Medium bodied but full of great flavors of aged tobacco; slightly sweet with a salty sensation on the tip of the tongue. A mind melting experience that will cleanse the body of stress and free the mind. Tatuaje Especiale - Great opening pepper that mellows into a sweet spicy joy punctuated with leather and mocha. Size: 7.5 x 38 (Especiales/Lancero) Wrapper: Nicaragua Corojo 99 Binder: Nicaragua Filler: Nicaragua Strength: Medium Black Pearl Morada - Doug Woods has survived more ups and downs and pure crashes than perhaps anyone in the cigar business. In 2008 the Morado Torpedo was named Best Cigar of the Year, although the title came with an asterisk, “That you can't find and never heard of.” We first interviewed Doug way back at the 2006 IPCPR, before he was famous. Doug has one of the most extensive and beautiful collections of cigar art to be found anywhere and he uses that art on his cigars. The Robusto that I smoked had sweet chocolate, coffee and fruity elements in the flavor that finished with a distinctly herbal twist. A well constructed cigar with outstanding draw and flavor. A keeper and yes I would buy one again IF I could find someplace that carries them. Doug Wood states: "We wish we had enough of this tobacco to produce several years' worth of our new Black Pearl Morado (Purple) premium cigar but, its featured Cameroon wrapper is in shorter supply than we expected, so we can only offer limited supplies of Morado in three shapes: Robusto (4.75" x 52) Toro (6" x 50), and Torpedo (6.25" x 52)." What's My Band? - this week's Unbanded Cigar is the Licenciados Toro 6 1/2 x 50. May Palio Cutter Contest Winner: Tim Delaney, a proud member of our military, won the Classic Black Palio Cutter. Enter the June contest now to win a Carbon Fiber Palio Cutter. Check out the show at http://www.cigarmedia.tv/live/ where the show is broadcast live most Friday evenings at 9 PM EST. Do you have a Herf Line Review? If you call and leave a cigar review on the herf line and it is played on the show, you will receive a DogWatch Cigar Radio patch! You can reach the Herfline at 321-594-4373 - or cigar.radio on Skype. You can also send email to theshow@cigarmedia.tv. Origin of the term HERF: From Cigar Craig, http://cigarcraig.wordpress.com/2009/09/29/the-origin-of-the-word-herf/ Do you have a suggestion for the unbanded cigar of the week? Every week Bob and Dale include an “unbanded cigar” segment in their show in which they smoke a cigar without any markings and give their honest opinions. Bob then opens a sealed envelope and discovers the cigar’s name and manufacturer. If you have suggestions for the "What's My Band?" segment, please send them to liz@cigarmedia.tv. Thanks to Michael Howe for bumpers and special effects in this show. Music provided by the Figurados from their new album, "Lesson Two," and The Surfonics. Please visit our sponsors and let them know you heard about them from DogWatch! Black Dog Coffee: http://www.blackdogcoffee.net/ Cigar Tourism: http://cigartourism.com/ Esencia Cigars: http://www.esenciacigar.com/ Friends of Habanos Cigar Forum: http://www.friendsofhabanos.com/forum/index.php La Palina: http://www.lapalinacigars.com/ La Tradicion Cubana: http://www.tradicion.com/ Miami Cigar and Company: http://www.miamicigarandcompany.com/ Monte Pascoal Cigars: http://www.montepascoalcigars.com Palio Cigar Cutters:http://paliocutters.com/ Primer Mundo Cigars: http://www.primermundocigars.com Vanderburgh Humidors: www.vanderburghhumidors.com