Simply Stogies

I had the opportunity to spend some time chatting with Lee Marsh of Stolen Throne Cigars. We talked about how Stolen Throne came to be and where the name "Stolen Throne" came from. Lee gives a unique perspective of the industry, its internal politics, and what it's like navigating them. We also discuss Crook of the Crown and what other projects Stolen Throne Cigars has in the works. I hope you all enjoy this chat as much as I did.  I am also pleased to announce that Simply Stogies Podcast is now part of the Creative Brain Candy media cooperative. Please check out https://creativebraincandy.com/ for other great content from our creators!  

I get to sit down with Freddy Allan, owner of the brand new Habano Cigar Lounge in Davenport, Iowa. We talk about what it takes to open a cigar lounge, the hurdles that have to be overcome, and his vision for Habano Cigar Lounge. Freddy also owns four other cigar shops in Chicago and the Chicagoland area; he brings his years of experience and knowledge to Davenport. Freddy also tells us how he became friends with Jonathan Drew of Drew Estate. When you visit Habano Cigar Lounge in Davenport, mention Simply Stogies Podcast and get 10% off your purchase!!! And check out the review of Habano Cigar Lounge Davenport; a first in our new series of lounge reviews coming to SimplyStogies.com!

Recorded at Capital Cigar Lounge (5505 S 16th St Ste 100, Lincoln, NE 68512) I sat down with the owner, Tony Goins, and the owner of Cigarz Lounge (800 Q St #104, Lincoln, NE 68508),  Stacy Williams. We also had Capital's lead bartender Kelly, and their head humidor coach, Jeff. We discussed how both lounges got their start, how Tony and Stacy started their cigar journey, and ended up discussing liquor. With so much divisiveness, partisanship, and competition today, it was refreshing to sit down with two "competing" lounge owners who are good friends. If you're in Lincoln, you do not want to miss out on either of these lounges! Have Kelly make you his old fashioned at Capital, then head over to Cigarz and have Aaron make you his!

I announce the first Patreon exclusive content from Simply Stogies Podcast called, Tales from the Lounge, is now available for Patreon supporters! To become a Patron of Simply Stogies Podcast please go to https://www.patreon.com/simplystogies and sign up to get instant access to this new bonus content! I welcome simplystogies.com Content Director and Lead Reviewer, Mike Breig, to discuss Isabela Cigar Co. and to compare our reviews of the Isabela Time Traveler 2019. Our reviews, shockingly enough, were not that far off. We were impressed with the flavor notes, transitions, and overall construction of this beautiful, limited edition cigar; we were even more impressed considering MSRP is under $10.00. Mike and I talk about Isabela's footprint in the industry, and how there are a lot of people missing out on some fantastic cigars. A big thanks to Mike for coming on and discussing his review. You can find Mike's review of the Isabela Time Traveler at the link below.   OUTSIDE LINKS: http://simplystogies.com/isabe

With the news that Drew Estate, Altadis, General Cigar Co., and Davidoff will not be exhibiting at the PCA Trade Show this year, I give an outsider's view of what appears to be going on. I discuss the lack of a shared vision between the PCA and the manufacturers, the PCA's perceived lack of direction, and reasons why the trade show must change in order to survive. I also announce a new show that is exclusive to our Patreon supporters, Tales from the Lounge, and let everyone know of the great new articles up on simplystogies.com   OUTSIDE SOURCES: https://halfwheel.com/altadis-davidoff-drew-estate-general-not-exhibiting-at-pca-2020-trade-show/370803/ https://www.cigaraficionado.com/article/major-cigar-companies-pull-out-of-pca-trade-show https://s23.a2zinc.net/clients/tmg/tpe20/Public/exhibitors.aspx?&_ga=2.164869239.955363547.1579030274-165441018.1578858608 http://simplystogies.com/2020_pca_absences/ http://simplystogies.com/projectpandatravelcase/

Congratulations to Chris Hansen, Gary Mehrl, and Caleb McReynolds on winning the Pupperdor.com contest. A big "thank you" to Pupperdor.com for supporting Simply Stogies Podcast and sponsoring such a great giveaway!  I had the opportunity to sit down and chat with @thecigarmadame (Coco Maria) an avid aficionada, cigar enthusiast, great Sister of the Leaf, and Instagram influencer. We discussed her cigar journey, how a woman's experience in the cigar community differs from most men's, and how in some ways it's exactly the same. We talk about social media, if glamor models smoke cigars, and The Cigar Madame brand! I had a blast getting to spend a bit of time with The Cigar Madame and hope that you do, too. To book The Cigar Madame for events or to contact her for product and business promotion, please visit https://chocolateandcigars.com/ To follow The Cigar Madame on Instagram please search @thecigarmadame or click here Visit The Cigar Madame's Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/thecigarmadame

During an AMA/Virtual Cut&Light for SimplyStogies.club with Pete Johnson of Tatuaje Cigars, I get an opportunity to have a three hour conversation with Pete. We talk about everything from his cigar journey starting in a strip club, to how he looks at the FDA's overregulation, and everything in between. Pete was generous with his time and was more than happy to answer my questions, as well as the questions from the members of SimplyStogies.club. Thank you, Pete! It was a blast! I hope you enjoy it as much as we did.

Jon Huber from Crowned Heads cigars joins James and some of the members from simplystogies.club for an AMA. Jon discusses his cigar journey, how he got started in the business, and where he sees the future of the business. Jon also talks about what inspires him and finding the reason for cigars to exist. We briefly discuss the FDA, it's impact on the industry, and what that looks like from an artists' point of view. He also tells us how his latest collaboration with Drew Estate, La Coalicion, came to be.  Immediately following the podcast interview, the members of simplystogies.club had the opportunity to interact with Jon in the AMA portion of the virtual cut&light. To become a member of simplystogies.club email me at info@simplystogies.com or DM me on Instagram @simplystogiespodcast or DM @simplystogies    Thank you again to Jon Huber for joining us. It was a fascinating and fun chat!

I sit down with Jeremy Casdagli of Casdagli Cigars, formerly Bespoke Cigars, live from the Clayton in Chicago, Illinois. Jeremy and I discuss his cigar journey, how and why he started Casdagli Cigars, the name change from Bespoke to Casdagli, his family history and how that has influenced him, how he reacts to bad reviews and so much more!  Plus, I mention how to save 10% by using coupon code simplystogies at Small Batch Cigars. For a limited time, when you use that code to purchase Casdagli Cigars, you will be entered into a raffle for a Casdagli cutter by Xikar!! Details in the episode! LINKS: https://casdaglicigars.com/ https://bespokecigar.com/  

James begins this episode with several big announcements! James announces interviews with Jeremy Casdagli of Casdagli Cigars and Pete Johnson of Tatuaje Cigars. He also announces a contest with pupperdor.com. Details and rules of the contest are found in this episode! Thank you to Pupperdor.com for sponsoring this contest. Have you ever wondered why there are so many different cigar accessories out there? How do you find what you need? What do you need? Do they make a difference in how your cigars smoke or taste? James gives you his take as his journey brings him to "the hobby within the hobby," cigar accessories.

I get the opportunity to sit down and chat with Nick Melillo, master blender, and founder of Foundation Cigars for a SimplyStogies.club AMA/Virtual Cut & Light via Zoom Meeting. We had a fantastic conversation about Nick's cigar journey, how he got started, what he's learned, and where he's going. We discussed a slew of topics that ranged from the various cigar lines at Foundation, to Nick's approach to blending cigar, Nick's love of history, and the dreaded FDA. It was a fantastic chat that I hope you enjoy as much as I did. I am thankful for Nick being so generous with his time and sharing his passion with us.  There was a SimplyStogies.club members only live Q&A immediately following the podcast that is only available to SimplyStogies.club members. To become a member of SimplyStogies.club please email me at info@simplystogies.com 

I am pleased to announce the launch of simplystogies.com! I'd like to thank all the hard work put it in by the team (Timothy Allen, Mike Brieg, Wonho Frank Lee, Troy Kelso, and Stephanie Hattan) in order to get the website off the ground!!! Please, check out simplystogies.com and let us know what you think via social media. I discuss the recent Simply Stogies Mega Herf at Casa de Montecristo in Countryside, IL. It was a fantastic time and I'd like to thank everyone who was able to make it. I use this as a springboard to discuss what a healthy cigar community, online or otherwise, should look like. Remember to be good to each other out there and stay smokey!

This episode, I welcome Joe from SimplyStogies.club. Joe has been smoking Cuban cigars for 20yrs and is an expert on the subject. I get his expert opinion on the moral and ethical issues of purchasing Cuban cigars, how to spot fakes, the implications of a free market Cuba, and much much more. This discussion, much like my cigar journey, is filled with twists and turns. If you have questions about Cuban cigars, Joe has answers!

I return to my journey and how I came to know the famous Cuban cigar. The Cuban cigar has mystery, romanticism, and maybe a bit of a taboo air that surrounds it. Is the Cuban cigar hype? What issues surround the Cuban cigar for someone living in America? Can you easily get your hands on an authentic Cuban cigar? I recall how my journey first crossed paths with this famous stogie.  

I recall how I was gifted with something completely unexpected by a great BOTL before jumping into Facebook cracking down on the buying/selling/trading/private transactions of cigars. As I discuss Facebook's shift in policy, I land on Netflix cutting down on scenes that portray tobacco use. This underscores the need to support groups like the Cigar Rights of America. If you haven't joined them yet, please consider doing so. I then give you my experience and full review of Boveda's foray into hygrometers, the Boveda Butler.    OUTSIDE LINKS: https://www.patreon.com/simplystogies https://www.cigarrights.org/

I give my impressions and review of Sheepdog Humidors Bullet Torch and of the Padron 2000 Natural. Before I dive into those reviews, I put out the call to those who would like to join the Simply Stogies team! I'm looking for writers interested in reviewing products and cigars, writing about the latest news around the cigar industry, or imparting their knowledge to others. If that's you, send an email to james@simplystogies.com.   Outside links: https://sheepdoghumidors.com/ https://www.instagram.com/sheepdog_humidors/

I discuss my recent visits to several cigar lounges and B&Ms around my area, what to look for when choosing a B&M, and the importance of supporting your local B&M. I also discuss the do's and don'ts when visiting a cigar lounge, and share some of my most embarrassing cigar lounge moments. If you have do or don't or funny anecdote you'd like to share, please email me at simplystogiespodcast@gmail.com    OUTSIDE RESOURCES: https://www.theclayton.com/ http://casademontecristo-chicago.com/ http://habanocigarloungehg.com/ https://www.habanocigarstinleypark.com/ https://leafbrotherscigars.com/des-moines-cigar-lounge/

I sit down with Global Ambassador for Casdagli Cigars, Vlada Stojanov. I join Vlad at The Clayton in downtown Chicago, where we discuss the name change from Bespoke to Casdagli, the Casdagli lines of cigars, what the future holds for Casdagli, and I pick the brain of a sommelier on how to develop your palate. It's a fantastic conversation with a genuine BOTL who has a ton of knowledge. I hope you enjoy the interview. Link to Vlad's Flavor Wheel: https://drive.google.com/folderview?id=0B0H8PlYeLC2-V2dRbVp4dWRYTDA I also congratulate CigarandThings from Instagram for winning the one-of-a-kind Simply Stogies ashtray.  I thank my first Patreon supporters Stephanie Hattan and Chris Jones! Thank you!!! To support Simply Stogies podcast, please follow this link:  https://www.patreon.com/simplystogies I have a new email address: To contact the show directly, please email me at simplystogiespodcast@gmail.com OUTSIDE RESOURCES: https://www.theclayton.com/  https://bespokecigar.com/  

I interview a moderator for SimplyStogies.club and a cigar reviewer at Burn1.net, Mike. Mike walks us through his process of reviewing a cigar: from the pre-cut ritual, to the cut and light, to writing his review. Thank you to Mike for taking the time, on his birthday, to sit down and give us some insight on what goes in to reviewing a cigar.  You can find more of Mike's reviews at https://burn1.net/

For this episode, James goes on location to the Walker Homestead in Iowa City, Iowa to interview a couple of the founding members of the Eastern Iowa Cigar Appreciation Society. Keith Chiavetta and Doug Wagner sit down with James to discuss what it means to be a local cigar club, what it means to interact with the community, and how to give back.  To join or follow the EICAS: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/EIowaCigars/ Twitter: @CigarCR Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/groups/12208387/ Or you can contact Keith Chiavetta on Linkedin directly: https://www.linkedin.com/in/keithchiavetta/