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Ep 97Bring Out the "Adult" Pipes | Tim Ozgener, Ozgener Family Cigars | Box Press Ep. 97

Listen for the hilarious father-son story that taught Tim Ozgener the importance of knowing your customer via adult-themed pipes! Previously, Tim owned and ran CAO with his father Cano Aret Ozgener and his sister Aylin. After a 12-year hiatus, Tim found his way back to the cigar business. Learn from the exercises that helped him pinpoint where to go next and how to design a brand like Nike does. In 2022, Tim launched Ozgener Family Cigars, which are distributed by Crowned Heads. Interview by Rob Gagner. What is Boveda? Cigar makers protect the flavor and character of their hand-rolled cigars with Boveda, that brown 2-way humidity pack that you find in a cigar box. At home, continue to use Boveda in your humidor to keep cigars well-humidified or they can be hard to light, burn to too fast or get moldy. With Boveda in your humidor, you'll enjoy full flavor from every cigar. Boveda has been keeping cigars tasting great for more than 25 years. Boveda Protects Your Premium Cigars. Guaranteed.Sign up for Boveda email updates: https://hubs.la/Q01BLsBF0Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bovedausa/ Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/bovedainc Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bovedainc/00:00 Cold open00:18 What made you launch a new cigar brand?04:37 Crowned Heads: If you ever want to get back into cigars, let us know04:53 How to build a brand like Nike 05:53 Where Christians and Muslims come together08:01 Opposing forces come together over cigars08:18 Meditate with a cigar11:55 What I learned from my father13:43 Celebration of Life or a funeral16:32 Bring out the p*rn* pipes18:54 Story behind Ozgener Family Limited Edition PI Synesthesia Cigars20:08 Starting OZ Arts Contemporary Arts Center @ozfamilycigars

Jul 20, 202327 min

Ep 96To Hell with Flavor Profiles, Just Enjoy That Cigar | Illusione's Dion Giolito | Box Press Ep. 96

Don't get mired in the flavors you're tasting in a cigar—or not tasting, for that matter. Just smoke a cigar to enjoy it, said Dion Giolito, founder of Illusione Cigars. This from the guy with an exacting palate and a rep for creative tobacco blending in cigars like the Singularé, Fume d'Amour, Ultra and Garagiste. Before making cigars, Giolito launched Fumare, a Nevada smoke shop specializing in rare and hard to find cigars. He still owns it, so when in Reno, check out Fumare for souvenir cigars. Interview by Rob Gagner. What is Boveda? Cigar makers protect the flavor and character of their hand-rolled cigars with Boveda, that brown 2-way humidity pack that you find in a cigar box. At home, continue to use Boveda in your humidor to keep cigars well-humidified or they can be hard to light, burn to too fast or get moldy. With Boveda in your humidor, you'll enjoy full flavor from every cigar. Boveda has been keeping cigars tasting great for more than 25 years. Boveda Protects Your Premium Cigars. Guaranteed.Sign up for Boveda email updates: https://hubs.la/Q01BLsBF0Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bovedausa/ Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/bovedainc Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bovedainc/00:00 Cold open01:12 What's a cigar smoker's palate?04:54 What are Criollo cigars?06:37 How a cigar is like a PB&J sandwich08:06 Does the Cigar Aficionado Top 25 of the Year matter?13:30 From selling cigars in Reno to blending cigars14:06 Tobacco has a language and you have to listen to it16:26 How golf is good for your brain25:51 As a kid, your bike is your first taste of freedom28:58 Learned business and finance from his mom30:14 What cigar are Rob and Dion smoking? 36:45 What's the hardest part about blending a cigar?40:25 Cigar flavors mimic other flavors44:32 What cigar should you try next? Check out the Epernay Illusione cigar

Jun 22, 202344 min

Ep 95This Cigar Project Was Born the Day My Father Passed Away | Jeremiah Meerapfel | Box Press Ep. 95

Get out your handkerchiefs! A cigar talk to share with your dad or other influential man in your life. In November 2003, Jeremiah Meerapfel's father Richard died suddenly of a heart attack. Richard was heralded with saving Cameroon/Central African wrapper tobacco from extinction in the early 1990s. Jeremiah and his brother Joshua carried on their father's work. In honor of their father, the Meerapfels launched a new cigar category of limited-production UberLuxury cigars. For the rest of us, if you've smoked a cigar with a Cameroon wrapper, Jeremiah has probably touched, farmed, cured, processed and shipped that tobacco. Cigar makers like Meerapfel protect the flavor and character of their hand-rolled cigars with Boveda. Boveda are those brown 2-way humidity packs that you find in cigar boxes. Cigar smokers use Boveda in humidors to make sure the cigars inside stay well-humidified or they can be hard to light, burn to too fast or get moldy. With Boveda in your humidor, you'll get better flavor from a cigar. Boveda has been keeping cigars tasting great for more than 25 years. Boveda Protects Your Premium Cigars. Guaranteed.Sign up for Boveda email updates: https://hubs.la/Q01BLsBF0Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bovedausa/ Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/bovedainc Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bovedainc/00:00 Cold open00:59 Wears the Borsalino hat worn by his father and grandfather01:50 Cameroon wrapper is the most challenging premium tobacco leaf to grow05:50 The trauma of the sudden death of a father08:04 Carrying on your father's legacy10:46 I know I could never fill my father's shoes17:34 Balancing fatherhood and family 21:19 Every day, make a difference in a positive way28:51 The first Meerapfel cigar released in 80 years30:17 The first sustainable cigar box in the world32:59 Cigars made from the oldest tobaccos34:35 Boveda integrated into UberLuxury cigar packaging40:12 "If you don't do it with passion, don't do it at all."

May 29, 202340 min

Ep 94Beginner Cigars for Newbies, Tips and Tricks | Box Press 94

How do you pick a cigar that's right for you, especially if you're new to cigar smoking? Learn the top things to know before you shop for cigars. Includes helpful questions what to say when the humidor manager asks, "May I help you." Hosted by Boveda's Nate Beck and Rob Gagner.Pick up a Boveda Humidor Bag to store those cigars you pick up at the smoke shop. A Boveda Humidor Bag makes a great first humidor, plus it's preloaded with a Boveda cigar humidity pack. Boveda preserves cigars by making sure they're well-humidified. If you don't store cigars with Boveda, cigars can be can be hard to light, burn to too fast or get moldy. Boveda has been keeping cigars tasting great for more than 25 years. Boveda Protects Premium Cigars. Guaranteed.Sign up for Boveda email updates: https://hubs.la/Q01BLsBF0Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bovedausa/ Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/bovedainc Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bovedainc/00:00 Cold open00:18 How to buy your first cigar00:41 Key flavors in cigars01:24 The foods you like are linked to cigars03:05 Best beginner cigar for under $1003:44 Focus on taste, not strength when you pick a cigar04:15 What size cigar is good for a new smoker?04:32 How to get rid of queasiness from a cigar?05:09 When do you take the band off of a cigar?06:34 How to put out a cigar07:58 Stick to major classic brands if you're new to cigars09:19 Why you need a cigar journal log book, like Big Sally's Diary, Cigar Edition12:20 #1 thing to know to smoke good cigars

May 15, 202312 min

Ep 93Who Wins? Henry Clay War Hawk vs. Montecristo Classic | Big Brother, Little Brother | Box Press 93

Instead of chasing the next best boutique cigar, why not go back to the classics? Join Boveda's Rob Ganger and Nate Beck as they compare 2 sticks from Altadis U.S.A.—Henry Clay War Hawk is up against the Montecristo Classic. What’s the difference between these two cigars? Find out in this next round of "Big Brother Versus Little Brother," the cigar showdown of a budget-friendly cigar (War Hawk) and a celebratory cigar (Montecristo Classic). How can you preserve the cigars you bring cigars home from the smoke shop? Store cigars with Boveda in your humidor. Boveda makes humidity control packs for humidors. Our best seller is Boveda 72% RH for wood humidors. When you own a humidor, you need to make sure the cigars inside stay well-humidified or they can be hard to light, burn to too fast or get moldy. With Boveda in your humidor, you'll get better flavor from a cigar. Boveda has been keeping cigars tasting great for more than 25 years. Boveda Protects Premium Cigars. Guaranteed.Sign up for Boveda email updates: https://hubs.la/Q01BLsBF0Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bovedausa/ Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/bovedainc Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bovedainc/00:00 Cold open00:29 Preview: Hidden travel gems for smokers who love cigar history05:52 Let's get on with the cigar showdown, boys: Henry Clay War Hawk vs Montecristo Classic07:16 A good cigar for SEC football fans! (War Hawk/Auburn War Eagle)08:07 Shout-out to Stogies World Class Cigars exclusive Lonsdale cigar (The cigar vacation spot in Texas for Lancero lovers!)11:38 Looking for a milder, easygoing cigar with a soft retrohale?15:35 Which cigar has bigger flavor with spice on the retrohale?16:11 What's a good cigar after a farm-to-table dinner?17:22 "What sorcery did they do to these brussels sprouts?" (If you're in Minneapolis, try The Bungalow Club! https://www.thebungalowclubmpls.com/)20:15 Time to retire to the smoking room for cigars?21:10 What cigar is good to learn how to retrohale?23:30 What's a good beginner cigar?24:46 What cigar pairs with Scotch?28:01 What cigars should you recommend to first-timers?34:12 Which cigar should you smoke next, Montecristo Classic or Henry Clay War Hawk? 35:52 Keep forgetting to buy new humidor packs? Subscribe to get replacement Boveda packs delivered right to you every 3 months at https://www.bovedainc.com

May 1, 202336 min

Ep 92Caldwell Lost & Found Cigar Showdown: Big Brother, Little Brother

What cigar punches way above its price point? Find out in this next round of "Big Brother Versus Little Brother" cigar showdown! Join Boveda's Rob Ganger and Nate Beck as they compare 4 sticks from Robert Caldwell. Lost & Found started as a line of "abandoned" cigars. Since those are now few and far between, Lost & Found now blends small-batch cigars from rare, aged tobaccos. Hence the name: Lost & Found. They should add Gone to that name because when you smoke a Lost & Found, you'd better consciously enjoy it, because you might never get it again. How can you save cigars for years and still have them taste good? When you're aging cigars long-term, store them with Boveda 65% RH in your humidor. Boveda makes humidity control packs for humidors. Our best seller is Boveda 72% RH for wood humidors. When you own a humidor, you need to make sure the cigars inside stay well-humidified or they can be hard to light, burn to too fast or get moldy. With Boveda in your humidor, you'll get better flavor from a cigar. Boveda has been keeping cigars tasting great for more than 25 years. Boveda Protects Premium Cigars. Guaranteed.Sign up for Boveda email updates: https://hubs.la/Q01BLsBF0Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bovedausa/ Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/bovedainc Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bovedainc/00:00 Cold open02:41 What the heck is 22 Minutes to Midnight cigar series?03:29 A Pepper Cream Soda cigar?07:13 Smoking 4 cigars at once—Caldwells are a great flavor combo!08:29 Are Blind Man's Bluff cigars box worthy?10:05 What should we do with Long Live the Queen Cameroon? Email Rob & Nate your cigar podcast idea to [email protected]:11 Do you like one-off or standalone cigars?15:16 Can you tell a cheap cigar from an expensive cigar?17:15 Is aged tobacco always better?29:09 Are you a cigar hoarder? 29:55 What's a cigar "mooch-a-dor"?

Apr 21, 202331 min

Ep 91The One Where Rob Is a Wedding Crasher | Nirka Reyes | Box Press Ep.91

"We don't make cigars, we make reasons to enjoy life," said Nirka Reyes, president of De Los Reyes, a cigar factory in the Dominican Republic. De Los Reyes is home to the Saga line of cigars and a portfolio of third-party brands. Nirka was also a pandemic bride who's planning a fifth anniversary reception to celebrate the big event that never was. Hear how Box Press host, Rob Gagner weasels his way on the guest list.What should be inside your humidor: good cigars and Boveda. Boveda are those brown 2-way humidity packs you put in a humidor to preserve cigars. When you own a humidor, you need to make sure the cigars inside stay well-humidified or they can be hard to light, burn to too fast or get moldy. With Boveda in your humidor, you'll get better flavor from a cigar. Boveda has been keeping cigars tasting great for more than 25 years. Perfectly aged cigars. Guaranteed.Sign up for Boveda email updates: https://hubs.la/Q01BLsBF0Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bovedausa/ Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/bovedainc Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bovedainc/00:00 Cold open03:19 Is it true that you marry someone who's like one of your parents?04:42 How do you get cigar ash out of your computer keyboard?10:50 Getting politicians together over cigars12:53 What's surprised you most about your first year of marriage?18:03 When life throws you a curve, ask yourself "What am I learning?"19:28 "Servant Leadership" is the only leadership book I recommend21:02 De Los Reyes slashed cigar production from 14 million to 2 million cigars30:59 What goes into making one good cigar32:06 Something about Karl Malone you don't know35:47 Dominican cigar makers' camaraderie37:23 How did you get your job working in cigars?42:06 We don't make cigars, we make reasons to enjoy life45:30 Cigar meme of the day: An ordinary day can become extraordinary with the right cigar48:01 Ideal cigar gift for a bookworm who loves cigars—Saga Short Tales

Apr 18, 202352 min

Ep 90Cigars for Firefighters & Us, Too | Aric Bey, Black Star Line Cigars | Box Press Ep. 90

Good burn. Great taste. Just what you'd expect from a retired Chicago firefighter turned cigar maker. Aric Bey is a model on how to pivot if early retirement derails your career. The Black boutique cigar brand founder sits down with Boveda's Rob Gagner to talk about the Black Star Line Cigars' blends. The brand name is a fist up to civil rights leader, Marcus Garvey. You might remember that Black Star Line and Epic Cigars teamed up on the Black History Month Cigar, a limited-edition scholarship cigar for Privada Cigar Club. Learn how to round out your cigar palate and pair cigars and spirits from the BIPOC cigar brand owner. About Boveda for Cigars: Boveda are those brown 2-way humidity packs you put in a humidor to preserve cigars. When you own a humidor, you need to make sure the cigars inside stay well-humidified or they can be hard to light, burn to too fast or get moldy. With Boveda in your humidor, you'll get better flavor from a cigar. Boveda has been keeping cigars tasting great for more than 25 years. Perfectly aged cigars. Guaranteed.Sign up for Boveda email updates: https://hubs.la/Q01BLsBF0Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bovedausa/ Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/bovedainc Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bovedainc/00:00 Cold open01:28 Black Star Line Cigars and Marcus Garvey, leader of the Pan-Africanism movement03:15 Retired firefighter cigar brand06:17 Everybody wants to go home—the mission of a firefighter07:05 Who are you after early retirement?11:03 Get a degree that will earn you more money17:04 Saving lives with a cigar20:58 Growing a boutique cigar brand22:39 Whiskey pairing for the Black Star Line El Milagro Corojo23:44 Pairing cigars with spirits24:10 A good gin that goes with cigars26:00 How to build your cigar palate27:48 How to taste cigar flavor better33:00 What does the number mean after a tobacco name?38:29 What Black Star Line Cigars to try

Apr 13, 202341 min

Ep 89Fuente Cigar Showdown—It's All About the Retrohale | Box Press Ep. 89

Is one cigar worth twice as much as another in the same cigar brand? It's a "Big Brother Versus Little Brother" showdown! Join Boveda's Rob Ganger and Nate Beck as they compare 2 sticks from Arturo Fuente. And hear how to correctly pronounce Boveda. About Boveda for Cigars: Boveda are those brown 2-way humidity packs you put in a humidor to preserve cigars. When you own a humidor, you need to make sure the cigars inside stay well-humidified or they can be hard to light, burn to too fast or get moldy. With Boveda in your humidor, you'll get better flavor from a cigar. Boveda has been keeping cigars tasting great for more than 25 years. Perfectly aged cigars. Guaranteed.Sign up for Boveda email updates: https://hubs.la/Q01BLsBF0Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bovedausa/ Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/bovedainc Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bovedainc/00:00 Cold open00:24 Blue Bloods star, Tom Selleck smokes Fuente Cigars02:53 Save & Subscribe on Bovedainc.com to GET 10% OFF BOVEDA + FREE SHIPPING + AUTO REPLACEMENTS03:11 How do you pronounce Boveda for cigars? (And what does Boveda mean?)08:07 Comparing price points of Don Carlos Presidente VS 85808:52 Comparing retrohales of Don Carlos Presidente VS 85810:48 Are you a cigar smoker who doesn’t like a Cameroon wrapper?12:27 Do you like a large ring gauge cigar?15:14 What sparkling water is good with cigars?

Mar 31, 202317 min

Ep 88A Suitcase with a Built-In Humidor?! | Heiko Peorz | Box Press Ep. 88

Wheels of a suitcase that can charge your devices? Luggage for a cigar smoker? Diamond detailing? A carry-on to match your lipstick color? Peek into the world of how the rich and famous travel with Heiko Poerz, the founder of bespoke luggage company HENK. For the rest of us—enjoy the affordable luxury of a HENK cigar.The first vitola was christened on a private island ringed by white sandy beaches and coral reefs, no less. Definitely a well-lived cigar life! Boveda's Rob Gagner interviewed Heiko Peorz at PCA 2022. HENK travel humidors feature Boveda to keep cigars well-humidified. About Boveda for Cigars: Perfectly aged cigars. Guaranteed. Use Boveda 2-way humidity packs in a humidor to preserve premium cigars. When you own a humidor, you need to make sure the cigars inside stay well-humidified or they can be hard to light, burn to too fast or get moldy. With Boveda in your humidor, you'll get the best flavor from every cigar. Boveda has been keeping cigars tasting great for more than 25 years. Sign up for Boveda email updates: https://hubs.la/Q01BLsBF0Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bovedausa/ Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/bovedainc Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bovedainc/00:00 Cold open03:12 Traditional tattoo inspired cigar logo08:33 How did you get started building bespoke luggage?11:33 Working with the designer of Apple Macintosh computer12:30 Everybody wants to be a CEO—but nobody is a doer13:27 You won't believe what he was doing before this15:06 Delivers his suitcases in person to the rich and famous19:34 A roller bag whose wheels charge your phone and other devices 23:16 A suitcase with an integrated cigar humidor and minibar24:26 What is the most unique request for HENK luggage?27:56 If you buy cheap, you always buy twice30:33 Compact travel humidors that carry a lot of cigars34:04 An affordable hands-free travel humidor where cigars don't bounce around37:38 Hands-free travel humidor with everything a cigar smoker needs39:09 SWAT travel humidor—the Boveda pack kept cigars fresh for 9 months!51:19 Company with clean energy and manufacturing practices

Mar 25, 202352 min

Ep 87Cigars Good for Mental Health? Cigar Writer, Nick Hammond | Box Press Ep.87

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This episode gets real—men open up about mental health, fatherhood and self-imposed expectations. So, does cigar smoking help you cope with what life throws at you? Solo, cigar time is meditative. Surrounded by friends (or soon-to-be friends at the lounge), cigars create connection that's so lacking in today's frenetic world. And what a connection was made winter camping in Northern Minnesota. (Yes, that's a thing!)! Seeking fodder for his latest book, Nick Hammond, award-winning author of Around the World in 80 Cigars – The Travels of an Epicure, journeyed with Box Press cigar podcast hosts, Rob Gagner and Nick Beck. It ended with a trip to the ER. But the rest of THAT story will be featured in Nick's sequel Around The World in 80 Cigars: There and Back Again, which is slated for publication later in 2023.About Boveda for Cigars: Perfectly aged cigars. Guaranteed. Use Boveda 2-way humidity packs in a humidor to preserve premium cigars. When you own a humidor, you need to make sure the cigars inside stay well-humidified or they can be hard to light, burn to too fast or get moldy. With Boveda in your humidor, you'll get the best flavor from every cigar. Boveda has been keeping cigars tasting great for more than 25 years. Sign up for Boveda email updates: https://hubs.la/Q01BLsBF0Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bovedausa/ Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/bovedainc Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bovedainc/Connect with Nick Hammond, visit https://www.nick-hammond.com/ Check out musician Foy Vance at https://music.apple.com/us/artist/foy-vance/68235486Episode breakdown:00:00 Cold open02:31 Winter camping in Minnesota07:29 Nick ended up in the hospital10:42 Another cigar book? Do we really need that?13:31 Audio excerpt of Around the World in 80 Cigars – The Travels of an Epicure21:01 Each cigar punctuates a memory in life21:55 How men struggle with mental health26:14 Worlds collide over musician Foy Vance34:21 How to be the best dad you can be35:34 Book recommendation: Love Does: Discover a Secretly Incredible Life in an Ordinary World by Bob Goff37:25 In life, don't just talk, just do46:57 Is there a gin that's good with cigars?50:13 Gin and cigar pairings

Mar 20, 202352 min

Ep 86The Mother Clucker & Other Flocking Good Drunk Chicken Cigars | Box Press Ep. 86

Small-batch chasers and SOTL, it's time to give a woop woop to Drunk Chicken Cigars. This woman-owned, Black-owned boutique cigar company is headquartered in the District of Columbia. Hear how business professor Dr. Desiree Sylver turned a limited-run cigar hobby into a growing cigar business. The founder and CEO sat down with Boveda's Rob Gagner at PCA.Perfectly aged cigars. Guaranteed. Use Boveda 2-way humidity packs in a humidor to preserve premium cigars. When you own a humidor, you need to make sure the cigars inside stay well-humidified or they can be hard to light, burn to too fast or get moldy. With Boveda in your humidor, you'll get the best flavor from every cigar. Boveda has been keeping cigars tasting great for more than 25 years. Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bovedausa/ Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/bovedainc Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bovedainc/Email Updates: https://hubs.la/Q01BLsBF0

Mar 13, 202348 min

Ep 85Dad Likes Me Best! 2 United Cigars Go Head-to-Head | Box Press Ep. 85

Is one cigar worth 2X the other? It's a "Big Brother Versus Little Brother" showdown! Join Boveda's Rob Ganger and Nate Beck as they compare 2 sticks from United Cigars' storied line of cigars. Boveda are those brown 2-way humidity packs you put in a humidor to preserve cigars. When you own a humidor, you need to make sure the cigars inside stay well-humidified or they can be hard to light, burn to too fast or get moldy. With Boveda in your humidor, you'll get better flavor from a cigar. Boveda has been keeping cigars tasting great for more than 25 years. Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bovedausa/ Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/bovedainc Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bovedainc/Email Updates: https://hubs.la/Q01BLsBF0

Feb 28, 202336 min

Ep 84Smoking Dissidents, You're Supporting 85 Nicaraguan Families, Including Theirs | Box Press Ep. 84

Join Boveda's Rob Ganger for a chat with Dissident Cigars. Boveda are those brown 2-way humidity packs you put in a humidor to preserve cigars. When you own a humidor, you need to make sure the cigars inside stay well-humidified or they can be hard to light, burn to too fast or get moldy. With Boveda in your humidor, you'll get better flavor from a cigar. Boveda has been keeping cigars tasting great for more than 25 years. Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bovedausa/ Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/bovedainc Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bovedainc/Email Updates: https://hubs.la/Q01BLsBF0

Feb 24, 202320 min

Ep 83Can You Taste Quality in a Cigar? | Box Press Ep. 83

Boveda are those brown 2-way humidity packs you put in a humidor to preserve cigars. When you own a humidor, you need to make sure the cigars inside stay well-humidified or they can be hard to light, burn to too fast or get moldy. With Boveda in your humidor, you'll get better flavor from a cigar. Boveda has been keeping cigars tasting great for more than 25 years. Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bovedausa/ Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/bovedainc Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bovedainc/Email Updates: https://hubs.la/Q01BLsBF000:00 Cold open04:04 See the 4 test cigars side-by-side05:15 How to tell a cheaper cigar from a more expensive stick07:45 Rating cigars, the smell test08:55 Rating cigars by how they look10:40 Rating #1 Cigar10:46 What to look for when you cut a cigar12:26 Are cigars overpriced?14:57 Rating #2 Cigar19:39 Rating #3 Cigar21:59 How to get cigar taste out of your mouth27:09 Rating #4 Cigar31:35 Do more expensive cigars stay lit longer?32:37 How do you smoke a cigar to taste the most flavors?46:10 Nate and Rob guess cigar prices48:08 BIG CIGAR REVEAL—cigar prices and cigar brands

Feb 17, 202349 min

Ep 82You'll Never Believe How This Guy Got His Start! | Serino Cigars | Box Press Ep. 82

You gotta hear this story to believe it. Great factoid to share at the cigar lounge—"hey, did you know that the founder of Serino Cigars started in..." Listen and find out! Who's On this Box Press Cigar Podcast:Patriarch Tony Serino (founder) and his son, Carson (vice president and creative director) of Serino Cigars, a small batch cigar maker and private label cigar manufacturer. Interviewed by cigar podcast host, Rob Gagner at PCA 22, International Cigar Trade Show in Las Vegas, baby.Listen to great life lessons from one cigar smoker to another: 00:00 Cold open00:24 How well do you know me? Tony versus Carson Serino!14:52 Who runs Serino Cigars?17:42 Who manufactures cigars for big cigar companies?18:37 What's a private label cigar?20:02 Serino, the makers of cigars for other people's brands—the goal is getting cigars out to more people in the world26:11 How many cigars does the Serino cigar brand make a year?29:43 Getting into the cigar business as a hobby37:50 I might as well tell you the whole story of opening the first video franchise store in the U.S.46:02 Imagine if the dad videotaping your youth hockey games was the Blockbuster Video guy?49:42 Well, cigars is a big thing right now...59:01 Treat people the way you want to be treated.59:56 There's good camaraderie in the premium cigar industryBoveda are those brown 2-way humidity packs you put in a humidor to preserve cigars. When you own a humidor, you need to make sure the cigars inside stay well-humidified or they can be hard to light, burn to too fast or get moldy. With Boveda in your humidor, you'll get better flavor from a cigar. Boveda has been keeping cigars tasting great for more than 25 years. Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bovedausa/ Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/bovedainc Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bovedainc/

Feb 10, 20231h 4m

Ep 8110 Million Cigars for the Troops?! Let's Do This, People! | Box Press Ep. 81

Challenge accepted! https://cigarsforwarriors.org/donate/ Boveda's Rob Ganger challenges cigar lovers to donate 10 million cigars by 2027, to the non-profit organization, Cigars for Warriors. CFW sends cigar care packages filled with donated cigars and cigar accessories to troops who are in active war zones. Each care package is protected by Boveda, the brown 2-way humidity packs you put in a humidor to preserve cigars. Rob is joined by Trey Boring, Senior Vice Chairman of CFW and Boveda's CEO, Sean Knutsen, and EVP, Tim Swail. Boveda has been a founding corporate sponsor to CFW since the organization launched in 2012. When you own a humidor, you need to make sure the cigars inside stay well-humidified or they can be hard to light, burn to too fast or get moldy. With Boveda in your humidor, you'll get better flavor from a cigar. Boveda has been keeping cigars tasting great for more than 25 years. Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bovedausa/ Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/bovedainc Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bovedainc/Email Updates: https://hubs.la/Q01BLsBF0

Jan 16, 202325 min

Ep 80How Cigar is Made Affects How a Cigar Tastes | Box Press Shorts Ep. 80

The holy trinity of a cigar is its filler, binder and wrapper. All parts of a cigar work together to create handmade art that cigar smokers love. Hear how master blenders combine tobacco and techniques to make premium cigars taste so good. Guest: Altadis Cigars’ National Education Manager and Smoke Tester, Travis Pappenheim Boveda Box Hosts: Rob Gagner and Nate Beck More with cigar smokers, Travis, Rob and Nate here: 1. What contributes to cigar flavors and tastes?? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cErxW... 2. How Cigar Flavor Stimulates Memory https://youtu.be/ZgY7PtTlMu43. How to Taste Cigars—Using What's in Your House! https://youtu.be/_Tzvh_XcasQ4. Should You Smell Your Cigar? https://youtu.be/hflfQBLokXQ5. Going to a Cigar Lounge—What to Talk About https://youtu.be/AZFmCPlNF48Learning How to Taste Cigars at a Higher Level https://youtu.be/qTmd4tzi_x4Cigar talk highlights:00:00 Cold open00:03 How much of a cigar’s flavor comes from its the wrapper?00:58 How do master blenders pick what tobacco to use in a cigar?03:32 There’s a tobacco stem in my cigar—here’s why04:06 What’s an entubado cigar and why you need to try one!Just getting into cigars? When you pick up cigars from a tobacco shop, grab some Boveda cigar humidity packs. They protect cigars until you’re ready to smoke them. Boveda works automatically to maintain humidity to keep cigars fresh, so they won’t dry out or get too damp. https://store.bovedainc.com/collections/boveda-for-tobaccoWebsite: https://store.bovedainc.com/collectio... Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bovedausa/ Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/bovedainc Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bovedainc/

Jan 9, 20235 min

Ep 79Going to a Cigar Lounge—What to Talk About | Box Press Shorts Ep. 79

If you love cigars, please don't be intimidated by your local cigar lounge. Many cigar shops also feature conversation spots where you can light up your purchase and chat with other patrons. Some questions to break the ice with cigar smokers: What are you smoking? Would you buy that cigar again? What cigar would you recommend I try next?Guest: Altadis Cigars’ National Education Manager and Smoke Tester, Travis Pappenheim Boveda Box Hosts: Rob Gagner and Nate Beck What Are You Tasting in a Cigar? https://vimeo.com/776275750How Cigar Flavor Stimulates Memory https://vimeo.com/778566812How to Taste Cigars—Using What's in Your House! https://vimeo.com/778566962Should You Smell Your Cigar? https://vimeo.com/778567231/0c2533fd4bLearning How to Taste Cigars at a Higher Level https://vimeo.com/740951214Cigar talk highlights:00:00 Cold open00:06 How to feel comfortable at a cigar lounge 00:39 Cigar smokers love talking to other cigar smokers01:05 Talk to someone new at the cigar lounge01:43 What not to say at a cigar lounge02:03 Questions to ask cigar buddiesWebsite: https://www.bovedainc.com/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bovedausa/ Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/bovedainc Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bovedainc/

Jan 2, 20233 min

Ep 78Should You Smell Your Cigar? | Box Press Shorts Ep. 78

The nose knows! Learn why people smell cigar smoke. Hear how smoking experts judge the aroma of a cigar. Try this new cigar smoking technique to appreciate your next smoke even more.Guest: Altadis Cigars’ National Education Manager and Smoke Tester, Travis Pappenheim Boveda Box Hosts: Rob Gagner and Nate Beck More with cigar smokers, Travis, Rob and Nate here: What Are You Tasting in a Cigar?https://vimeo.com/776275750How Cigar Flavor Stimulates Memory https://vimeo.com/778566812How to Taste Cigars—Using What's in Your House! https://vimeo.com/778566962Learning How to Taste Cigars at a Higher Level https://vimeo.com/740951214Cigar talk highlights:00:00 Cold open00:03 Cigar lounge conversations you’ll probably never hear00:25 Your cigar palate isn’t the same as the guy next to you 01:38 Learn a technique for smelling cigar smoke02:58 When and when not to waft cigar smoke Website: https://www.bovedainc.com/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bovedausa/ Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/bovedainc Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bovedainc/

Dec 23, 20224 min

Ep 77How to Taste Cigars—Using What's in Your House! | Box Press Shorts Ep. 77

A real-life cigar experiment you SHOULD try at home! See for yourself why tasting cigars involves both your sense of smell and your taste buds. Create your own palate training kit using everyday items from your pantry, spice rack, mudroom, humidor, etc. Learn how to use those sense stimulators to identify and define a cigar’s flavor. Hear how professional smoke testers develop flavor notes for premium cigars. You can train yourself to taste cigars like an expert!  Guest: Altadis Cigars’ National Education Manager and Smoke Tester, Travis Pappenheim Boveda Box Hosts: Rob Gagner and Nate Beck More with cigar smokers, Travis, Rob and Nate here: What Are You Tasting in a Cigar? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cErxW... How Cigar Flavor Stimulates Memory https://youtu.be/ZgY7PtTlMu4Learning How to Taste Cigars at a Higher Level https://youtu.be/qTmd4tzi_x4Cigar talk highlights:00:00 Cold open00:26 Develop your palate for a premium cigar—get a hold of the cigar manufacturer’s tasting notes to know what you’re smoking 02:20 How to make a cigar flavor testing kit03:30 How to humidify cedar spills for a palate testing kit—use a Boveda 69% RH in a Tupperware®container 03:34 What techniques professional smoke testers use to train their cigar palates?04:28 Rob uses coffee to learn how to identify a cigar’s flavor profile04:40 The 15-second cigar tasting technique: - 3 count smell of aroma- 3 count draw in- 3 count hold in your mouth- 3 count release of smoke- 3 count smell aroma again08:25 Be patient—you might not develop a cigar palate quickly08:50 Nate uses Spanish cedar to learn how to identify a cigar’s flavor profile13:18 What’s a really good cigar for a first-time smoker or a celebration, like a wedding or bachelor party?Why use Boveda a cigar humidor? Keeping cigars fresh by storing with them Boveda preserves the flavors you taste in tobacco. The cigar packs are so easy to use. Just slip Boveda into a humidor and the packs do all the work. There's nothing to refill or manage. Boveda works automatically to protect cigars. Shop Boveda here: https://store.bovedainc.com/collections/boveda-for-tobaccoLearn more about refining your taste buds for cigars: Pick Your Cigar Palate Apart! https://youtu.be/TOF-KS-O1QY What Makes a Cigar Taste Good?https://youtu.be/1RYXtKHUwgM?t=88 Website: https://www.bovedainc.com/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bovedausa/ Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/bovedainc Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bovedainc/

Dec 19, 202215 min

Ep 76How Cigar Flavor Stimulates Memory | Box Press Shorts Ep. 76

Want to get better at identifying the flavors of a cigar? (And we're not talking flavor infused cigars.) You can learn how to build associations between your senses and what you’re tasting in premium tobacco. Join these cigar aficionados for a smoke as they reveal cigar flavors, how that flavor changes throughout a premium handmade cigar and how the tobacco leaves origins dictate what you taste. Guest: Altadis Cigars’ National Education Manager, Travis PappenheimBoveda Box Hosts: Rob Gagner and Nate BeckMore with cigar smokers, Travis, Rob and Nate here: What Are You Tasting in a Cigar? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cErxW...00:00 Cold open00:34 What am I tasting in a cigar? Black coffee? Dark chocolate? Leather? Rose?01:19 Wine tasting versus cigar tasting01:44 Does smell trigger memories?03:07 The connection between flavors and aromas in cigars04:25 How can cigars be spicy?06:46 What flavors are you picking up in a cigar? (The unique cigar rolled with tobacco from 5 different countries—Dominican Republic, Nicaragua, Ecuador, Indonesia and Colombia.) Why use Boveda in a cigar humidor?Keeping cigars fresh by storing with them Boveda preserves the flavors you taste in tobacco. The cigar packs are so easy to use. Just slip Boveda into a humidor and the packs do all the work. There's nothing to refill or manage. Boveda works automatically to protect cigars. Shop Boveda for cigars here: https://store.bovedainc.com/collectio...Learn more about refining your taste buds for cigars:Pick Your Cigar Palate Apart!https://youtu.be/TOF-KS-O1QYBetter Understand Your Cigar Tasting Palatehttps://youtu.be/W-L976OtGlEWhat Makes a Cigar Taste Good?https://youtu.be/1RYXtKHUwgM?t=88Website: https://www.bovedainc.com/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bovedausa/ Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/bovedainc Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bovedainc/

Dec 12, 20228 min

Ep 75What Are You Tasting in a Cigar? | Box Press Shorts Ep. 75

Cigar smokers wanna know what the best cigar flavors are. Even if you smoke the #1 cigar, you might never experience its full flavor if you smoke a cigar too fast, judge a cigar when you first light it or try to set the record for the biggest ash. You might be surprised to hear the way you smoke cigars may impact their flavors. Correct these 3 mistakes cigar smokers make and your next cigar might taste a whole lot better. Pro Cigar Tip: a well-humidified cigar always tastes better. Store cigars with Boveda in a humidor to get the best flavor out of every cigar.Guest: Altadis Cigars’ National Education Manager, Travis Pappenheim Boveda Box Hosts: Rob Gagner and Nate BeckWebsite: https://www.bovedainc.com/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bovedausa/ Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/bovedainc Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bovedainc/ 00:00 Cold open02:19 Are you puffing on a cigar too fast?02:40 Does tobacco really have flavors?03:51 How long should you hold cigar smoke in your mouth?03:57 What it means if the ember of a cigar is this color04:07 Why a big cigar ash is bad (Our apologies to Sir Mixalot!)04:25 How to correctly draw on a cigar06:09 Are you smoking a bad cigar? (How long until a cigar's flavor kicks in.)07:24 Where’s the most flavor in a cigar—what a lit cigar is trying to tell you. Boveda are 2-way humidity packs you put in a humidor to preserve cigars. If you store cigars in a wood humidor, have you seasoned your humidor lately? The easy way to season a wood humidor is using the Boveda Humidor Starter Kits. Check out the easy-to-use kits here: https://store.bovedainc.com/collections/boveda-for-tobacco/starter-kitHow many Boveda do I need for a humidor? Find out here: https://boveda-humidor-calculator.bovedainc.com/

Dec 5, 20228 min

Ep 74Synesthesia and What It Taught Me With Cigars | Luciano Meirelles | Box Press Ep. 74

Imagine “hearing” colors, “feeling” sounds and “tasting” shapes. That’s what synesthetes like Luciano Meirelles, president and CEO of Luciano Cigars, experience. Learn how Luciano's synesthesia has helped him identify nuances of different tobaccos, categorize them and blend them to create some of cigar smokers' favorite premium cigars, including Luciano The Dreamer, Pichardo Clásico and The Sergeant. Host of Box Press, Rob Gagner and Luciano smoke the Fiat Lux Intuition in this interview at Boveda headquarters west of Minneapolis. According to Scientific America, synesthesia is an anomalous blending of the senses in which the stimulation of one modality simultaneously produces sensation in a different modality. In other words, synesthetes experience something through a sense that manifests itself as something entirely different e.g. a taste = some shape. For Luciano, he has an eidetic memory (Sheldon Cooper, anyone?) of tobacco flavors that help him pinpoint which tobacco will blend well together. Highlights from this cigar podcast:00:00 Cold open01:02 What is the origin story of the Fiat Lux cigar?05:56 Living to work or working to live?07:32 Synesthesia—the disease that helps him memorize flavors12:02 Why the other 99% of synesthesia is a pain in the ass14:22 Becoming stronger from what you think is your weakest part15:52 Whatever is in your hands, just do your best17:42 Valuing knowledge more than being right29:12 A master blender isn't a title you give yourself33:58 Cigar Culture Blend No.3 by Adrian Acosta35:06 Talking Ometepe tobacco and growing tobacco in Esteli, Contigo and Pueblo Nuevo41:51 What do cigar smokers think of Maduro?44:51 What salt has to do with your cigar palate51:05 Maybe cigar smokers need to do a salt lick like you do before drinking tequila59:46 Where can you get Boveda for a humidor?Website: https://www.bovedainc.com/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bovedausa/ Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/bovedainc Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bovedainc/ Keeping cigars fresh by storing with them Boveda preserves the flavors you taste in tobacco. The cigar packs are so easy to use. Just slip Boveda into a humidor and the packs do all the work. There's nothing to refill or manage. Boveda works automatically to protect cigars. Shop Boveda for cigars here: https://store.bovedainc.com/collectio...Learn more about refining your cigar palate:Pick Your Cigar Palate Apart!https://youtu.be/TOF-KS-O1QYBetter Understand Your Cigar Tasting Palatehttps://youtu.be/W-L976OtGlEWhat Makes a Cigar Taste Good?https://youtu.be/1RYXtKHUwgM?t=88More about synesthesia: Synesthesia and What It Has Taught Me | Melissa McCracken | TEDxUNChttps://youtu.be/kvPd3wH21z8What Is It Like To Have Synesthesia?https://youtu.be/ZVC3E16FCrk

Nov 14, 20221h 0m

Ep 73Cigars and Steaks with Fratello's Omar de Frias | Box Press Ep. 73

Don't ever wash a cast iron skillet! Learn how to cook a New York strip the right way, Omar’s way. Founder of Fratello Cigars, Omar de Frias defines medium rare, reveals what food NOT to pair with cigars and recommends what cigar to smoke after a steak dinner. Recorded at Boveda HQ in Minnesota with Box Press host, Rob Gagner. Minneapolis is home to the Juicy Lucy, a burger stuffed with molten melted cheese. Omar is intrigued to feature a Juicy Lucy on an upcoming episode of his YouTube cigar podcast, Imperfect Pairings. Website: https://www.bovedainc.com/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bovedausa/ Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/bovedainc Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bovedainc/ Highlights include:00:00 Cold open05:34 Trading the NBA for an MBA06:54 Managing a $5 billion budget for 10% of the world's science09:27 Working with two of the oldest cigar factories10:09 What are you? The United Nations of cigars?10:32 You don't choose your parents or your nickname12:40 Top 3 Fratello Cigars to try14:36 What cigar to offer after a steak dinner?15:43 What's a good celebratory cigar from Fratello?17:39 How are cigars and golf clubs similar?18:55 Omar de Frias's guilty pleasure23:09 How the COVID pandemic changed the cigar industry25:04 Ice fishing with Omar de Frias?30:39 Best steakhouse in Washington D.C.31:18 Know you stove, know your cast iron skillet, know your cuts of meat36:07 How to cook a steak the right way, according to Omar de Frias40:36 Cigar hotbeds of the U.S.43:12 Why you don't see Pedrón, Fuente or Oliva launching cigars left and right48:30 Getting a job in the cigar industry58:30 What cigar pairs with a Juicy Lucy? You heard about seasoning a cast iron skillet, now find out why you must season a wood humidor before you put cigars inside. Check out the Boveda Humidor Starter Kits. Learn how to set up a humidor for cigars so they age well, stay fresh and taste great. Innovators in 2-way humidity control for cigars, Boveda makes humidity packs for humidors, travel cigar humidor bags and more. Shop Boveda here: https://store.bovedainc.com/collections/boveda-for-tobaccoSo much more to know about your cigar hobby: Unboxing the Fratello Navetta Inverso Cigar with Omar de Friashttps://youtu.be/009BsNe05jA?t=88Latest episode of Omar de Frias’s Imperfect Pairings Podcasthttps://www.youtube.com/playlist?list...How to Season a Humidor in 1 Easy Step https://youtu.be/OhYqighERdU?t=85 I Need a Good Cigar for Under $20https://youtu.be/pSWHA9C-FrABest Halloween Cigarshttps://youtu.be/moLwbAZGMt8?t=24

Oct 31, 20221h 1m

Ep 72Who's the P-I-G Champion? Caldwell vs. Gagner | Miami Box Press Ep. 72

Basketball and cigars! It’s Miami vs. Minneapolis. 6' 6" vs. 5' 10". Home-court vs. on-the-road. Watch who comes out on top in the legendary basketball shooting game, P-I-G as Boveda’s Rob Gagner takes on Caldwell Cigar Company Founder, Robert Caldwell. Recorded in Miami at the cigar maker’s home.Who makes the roundball shots that the other can’t match? Who’s penalized by getting a letter? Who reveals TMI? Cigar fans, find out which boy is a P.I.G. Pig. (And why you should never fly with Robert Caldwell.)Website: https://www.bovedainc.com/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bovedausa/ Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/bovedainc Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bovedainc/

Oct 26, 20226 min

Ep 711 Thing You Don't Know About Cigar Making Feat. Robert Caldwell | Miami Box Press Ep. 71

Secrets behind making cigars revealed! Join us on the lanai at Robert Caldwell’s private home for a real talk with the founder of Caldwell Cigar Company. Hear from the character behind Blind Man’s Bluff, Long Live the King and Anastasia cigars. Recorded in Miami with Boveda’s cigar podcast host Rob Gagner.Launched in 2014, the brand creates sticks using well-aged rare tobaccos. In the industry, Robert is known for collaborating with other cigar makers to blend tobacco for small-batch lines, including Lost & Found. The cigar talk with Robert Caldwell continues! Tune into Box Press to catch Rob and Robert playing PIG on the cigar maker’s home basketball half-court. Website: https://www.bovedainc.com/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bovedausa/ Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/bovedaincInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/bovedainc/ Hear where Robert Caldwell gets his shirts and other pressing cigar intel: 00:00 Cold open 00:50 Top 3 vacation destinations 02:58 Top places to live if you can work from home06:41 You know you’re from Miami if you know what "Shiny Shit" Syndrome is09:27 Book recommendation: Sixty Miles of Border: An American Lawman Battles Drugs on the Mexican Border by Terry Kirkpatrick 12:00 Are traditional cigar brands passé? Do today's cigar smokers only crave boutique or brand new cigars? 16:11 Are you a pointless consumer? 24:04 Why do you smoke cigars? 26:35 How do you get cigar smell out of a car? 28:56 What's on Robert Caldwell's playlist? 30:34 What are Lost & Found cigars? 33:33 Try eating black licorice while you smoke a cigar 36:25 What’s the one thing most cigar smokers don’t know about cigar making? 39:39 How soon can you smoke a freshly rolled cigar? 40:42 What's the worst thing about the cigar industry? 41:55 What's the best thing about cigars?Boveda is your wingman for all things cigar. Learn how to maintain a humidor, how to keep cigars fresh, how to season a humidor, how to store cigars and more. To get great taste out of cigars, keep Boveda cigar packs in your humidor. Innovators in 2-way humidity control for cigars, Boveda makes Humidor Starter Kits, travel cigar humidor bags and one-step hygrometer calibration kits, too. Shop Boveda here: https://store.bovedainc.com/collectio...More on saving cigars and powering a humidor:How to Season a Humidor in 1 Easy Step https://youtu.be/OhYqighERdU?t=85Can you use humidity beads along with Boveda in your humidor? https://youtu.be/BNfehREpEYMCandy Crush Cigars! Pairing Cigars With Halloween Treatshttps://youtu.be/4uzsI_n5t6k?t=84How to Reduce Harshness and Bitterness in your Cigarshttps://youtu.be/o-3fJRkeMnMWho are they listening to? Ash, a French-Egyptian multi-instrumentalist, live artist and producer famous for evocative live sessions in far flung locations.https://www.youtube.com/c/Ashmusicoff...

Oct 4, 202246 min

Ep 70Can a Cheap Cigar Be a Good Cigar? Feat. Ernesto Padilla | Miami Box Press Ep. 70

Best explanation of a tobacco plant on the web! This cigar talk proves you don't have to spend a lot on a cigar to get a great smoke. Fuma cigars are made by repurposing the tobacco that's leftover after producing premium cigars. Hear how Ernesto Padilla (pronounced Pah-dee-yah) selects the best of what's left to craft Padilla fumas. Ernesto and Boveda's Rob Gagner discuss how blending tobacco for cigars is like grinding meat for hamburger. Are cigars on In-N-Out Burger's secret menu?Like any good sit-down in a smoking lounge, the conversation roams—from The Cold War and the Cuban Revolution to botany and the tobacco strength. Recorded in cigar mecca, Miami, Florida.Website: https://www.bovedainc.com/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bovedausa/ Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/bovedainc Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bovedainc/To get great taste out of expensive and budget cigars, keep Boveda cigar packs in your humidor. Innovators in 2-way humidity control for cigars, Boveda makes Humidor Starter Kits, travel cigar humidor bags, one-step hygrometer calibration kits, humidor seasoning and more.Shop Boveda here: https://store.bovedainc.com

Sep 19, 20221h 6m

Ep 69What Would My Dad Do? Feat. Perdomo Cigars | Miami Box Press Ep. 69

Box Press is a cigar podcast where talking about the cigars is secondary, says host Rob Gagner. Instead cigar smokers learn about the personalities and the people behind popular cigar brands. Today have a cigar with President and CEO Nick Perdomo Jr. and his son Nicholas Perdomo III, who is National Director of Sales.They delve into running a family-owned business, working with your dad and farming tobacco as a vertically integrated cigar manufacturer. Filmed on location at Perdomo Cigars headquarters in Miami, Florida. Tour Perdomo Cigars with Nick Perdomo Jr. and Boveda's Rob Gagner! The cigar fun continues, watch https://youtu.be/JeHzuQbwj9A Website: https://www.bovedainc.com/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bovedausa/ Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/bovedainc Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bovedainc/Perdomo Cigars agricultural and manufacturing facilities are in Estelí, Nicaragua. The Perdomo family controls every process, from agricultural operations in the fertile valleys of the Estelí, Condega, and the famed Jalapa regions in Nicaragua to a distribution center in Miami, Florida. And the Perdomos have accomplished it by remaining debt-free. Highlights from this interview with the makers of 10th Anniversary Champagne cigars, Nick’s Sticks and 10 more cigar brands include:00:00 Cold open07:46 Fathers and sons working together10:50 Do you trust getting cigar recommendations from a younger cigar smoker? 15:26 Why you should have a second child16:30 What’s the hardest part about cigar making?18:58 When tobacco grows, it sounds like a bowl of Rice Krispies® cereal 20:15 What’s the most important aspect about growing tobacco?24:14 The first thing to check if you want to farm tobacco27:14 The truth about blending tobacco for cigars 41:47 Is a cigar rolling event really a dog and pony show?44:23 Do ring gauges affect the flavor of a cigar?53:48 The son influences the father: the inception of Perdomo Humidified Travel Bags58:25 Employ the best people who are smarter than you areTo get great taste out of Perdomo cigars, keep Boveda cigar packs in your humidor. Innovators in 2-way humidity control for cigars, Boveda makes Humidor Starter Kits, travel cigar humidor bags, one-step hygrometer calibration kits, humidor seasoning and more.

Sep 5, 20221h 10m

Ep 68Touring Perdomo Cigars with Nick Perdomo Jr. | Miami Box Press Ep. 68

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Join Boveda's Rob Gagner on a tour of Perdomo Cigars with the President and CEO of Perdomo Cigars, Nick Perdomo Jr.Learn about Rob's passion for Perdomo's Champagne 10th Anniversary Cigar, the secret behind why this Connecticut shade wrapped cigar is so creamy and how Nick Perdomo executes comparative tastings at Perdomo.Tune into Box Press in two weeks to catch Rob's cigar talk with Nick Perdomo Jr. and his son Nicholas Perdomo, III where they discuss all things Perdomo!Website: https://www.bovedainc.com/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bovedausa/ Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/bovedainc Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bovedainc/Highlights from the Perdomo Tour:00:00 Cold open00:50 Great Perdomo cigar for bachelor parties and weddings01:15 The best-selling Perdomo cigar that put his kids through college 03:40 Does the color of the wrapper tell you what a cigar will taste like?04:19 Does a light wrapper mean a cigar will be mild?06:16 Does the strength of a cigar mean how much nicotine is in the tobacco? 06:40 First trip to a cigar shop? How to pick a cigar that won’t make you sick07:24 The Perdomo cigar you might have a hard time finding at your smoke shop07:55 Pairing a Perdomo with Aberlour A’bunadh Scotch09:02 There’s no bad cigar09:37 Why you should never fully retire: Aristides Garcia, head of fermentation 12:08 Hiring your momCatch More Cigar Talk from Boveda's Rob Gagner:Get in the Zone, Modern Cigar Smokers (feat. Light ‘Em Up Lounge)https://youtu.be/uzRLY3Ok_twBetter Understand Your Cigar Tasting Palate (Feat. Klaas Kelner)https://youtu.be/W-L976OtGlEBlindfold Me, Light My Cigar and Make Me Do What?! https://youtu.be/ZbuaKVQ6gA4

Aug 24, 202214 min

Ep 67Part 2: Legacy, Boveda 25th Anniversary | Box Press EP. 67

"We gotta put our pants back on. We'll be down there in a minute." Business start-up tip: even if you're already in your pjs, you get dressed when Carlos Fuente, Jr. invites you to a late-night dinner to talk packaging cigars exclusively with your new two-way humidity control. 2022 marks Boveda’s 25th anniversary! Learn how the award-winning innovation for humidors and cigar packaging came to be from Sean Knutsen, CEO and Tim Swail, EVP of Sales with Box Press host Rob Gagner. Website: https://www.bovedainc.com/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bovedausa/ Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/bovedainc Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bovedainc/ Rolls-Royce, Ichiro Suzuki and Boeing are just a few big names who've used Boveda for its moisture protection. Listen to the highlights:00:43 Carlito just called, put your pants back on04:29 Fuente's exclusive deal with Boveda08:43 Visiting the Fuente factory and estate—Opus A10:47 Boveda Sean Knutsen’s best cigar moment11:25 Be prepared for nausea when you tour a cigar factory 14:18 Boveda revolutionized the cigar industry18:25 How to work your way into a cigar trade show20:09 Using an RV for guerrilla marketing 22:37 Apple started in a garage, Boveda began in a house in St. Paul 23:47 Smart tactics to get into an industry trade show25:36 Boveda revolutionizes humidor seasoning and cigar storage 28:52 Why did Boveda change its name from Humidipak?30:48 The world’s first two-way humidity control for desktop humidors 30:53 How do you pronounce Boveda?31:57 How to properly store and age cigars at home32:06 3 steps to protect cigars with Boveda35:04 To enjoy the dynamic character of tobacco, care for cigars properly36:20 Rolls-Royce Phantom humidor and Boveda37:44 Subzero wine cellar humidor and Boveda38:12 MLB baseballs and Boveda40:56 Ichiro Suzuki and Boveda41:48 MREs, alligator eggs, airplane parts and car components and Boveda

Aug 8, 202245 min

Ep 66Part 1: Legacy, Boveda 25th Anniversary | Box Press 66

2022 marks Boveda’s 25th anniversary! Learn how the award-winning innovation for humidors and cigar packaging came to be. This cigar podcast is a combo of “How It’s Made” and “The Food That Built America” with Sean Knutsen, CEO, Tim Swail, EVP of Sales and Box Press host Rob Gagner. Website: https://www.bovedainc.com/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bovedausa/ Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/bovedainc Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bovedainc/ How did Boveda get started? Here are the highlights:00:00 Cold open03:04 Boveda radio driveway moment 09:10 Wanna come over for cigars and dinner?09:56 Where did the idea of portable humidor humidity control come from?10:27 See the original prototype of the first cigar pack12:03 Before Boveda, most cigar smokers had to smoke cigars the day they were purchased14:05 “Hey, do you guys want to go into business with me?” 15:08 Who invented Boveda? 15:18 Boveda Trivia: What does frosting have to do with Boveda?15:51 See how Boveda packs are made16:49 Boveda Trivia: What does packaged meat have to do with cigar humidification?19:00 Boveda pitches Carlos Fuente Jr. 22:19 How to taste more flavors from a cigar23:05 If this is just a humidifier, I want nothing to do with this.30:38 Standing on a Boveda pack to prove its durability to Carlos Fuente Jr.33:25 Carlos Fuente joins forces with Boveda 34:00 Invention of Boveda led to the evolution of cigar sampler packs 36:30 What high humidity can do to a cigar overnight38:27 Inside Opus X packing room38:32 Why Boveda makes different RHs for different cigars43:47 Waiting for Carlos Fuente Becoming the global leader in any category doesn’t happen overnight. Becoming the global leader in a category that didn’t even exist is even harder. But that’s what Boveda did and continues to do since 1997. Today, millions of 2-way humidity control packets are shipped out each year around the world to protect premium cigars, regulate the environment of guitars, save the terpenes in cannabis, prevent brown sugar from clumping and solve other humidity problems in packaging. To get great taste out of cigars, keep Boveda cigar packs in your humidor. Innovators in 2-way humidity control for cigars, Boveda makes Humidor Starter Kits, travel cigar humidor bags, one-step hygrometer calibration kits, humidor seasoning and more.Shop Boveda here: https://store.bovedainc.com/collectio...Check Out More of Boveda Cigar Exclusives:What Is Boveda?https://youtu.be/-BkvLxlh2xQHow to Season a Humidor in 1 Easy Stephttps://youtu.be/OhYqighERdU?t=88Using the Wipe Down Method to Season Your Humidor - Good Or Bad?https://youtu.be/SBPa1rhXU_c

Jul 25, 202245 min

Ep 65Dirt Bikes! Waterfall Jumps! Cigars! Summer Book Picks! Henderson Ventura | Miami Box Press Ep. 65

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Ease into your own leather recliner and grab a smoke with Boveda’s Rob Gagner and AdVentura Cigars’ Henderson Ventura. This cigar talk meanders as many do at a smoke lounge delving into hobbies, hammocks, never-will-I-evers, book recommendations for guys and your mom’s cooking. Filmed on location at The Terrible Cigar Club, South Miami’s largest outdoor terrace and indoor cigar lounge and public cigar shop, which also features an online monthly cigar subscription.Henderson hails from a tobacco family. For two decades, his father William Ventura worked for Davidoff. In 2007, William launched his own business, Tabacalera William Ventura. Henderson is the general manager of this family cigar business. In addition to the AdVentura cigar brand, which Henderson Ventura created with Marcel Knobel, the factory also produces premium long fillers for many other boutique D.R. brands, including Caldwell Cigars and La Barba.Website: https://www.bovedainc.com/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bovedausa/ Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/bovedainc Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bovedainc/ Why smoke alone when you can enjoy a cigar podcast? Amaze the guys at the tobacco shop with some tobacco trivia, including: • 00:00 Cold open• 02:57 Can you hear tobacco plants growing?• 05:15 How often is tobacco harvested?• 05:34 How long does it take cigar tobacco to grow?• 08:31 Origin of boutique Dominican cigars• 09:30 Boutique cigars Nicaraguan versus Dominican Republic• 10:33 Why is cigar tobacco fermented?• 17:52 The stories behind AdVentura cigars: The Royal Returns, The Navigator, The Explorer, The Conqueror, etc. • 22:20 How long should you age premium cigars?• 26:59 Dirt bikes!• 33:00 Waterfall diving!• 34:46 Sharks!• 38:24 Henderson’s book pick: The Richest Man in Babylon by George S. Clason• 38:43 Rob’s summer book pick: Shadow Divers: The True Adventure of Two Americans Who RIsked Everything to Solve One of the Last Mysteries of World War II by Robert Kurson• 46:40 Always ready for mom’s home-cooked Dominican meal • 49:33 New venture—growing tobacco on a coffee farm in the mountains• 53:24 Protecting cigars by shipping them with Boveda cigar packs When you age premium cigars, do it at a slightly lower RH with Boveda 65% RH humidity packs. Boveda RH are available in four RH, so you can customize a humidor’s moisture level to your cigars, your climate. The easy way to season a wood humidor is using the Boveda Humidor Starter Kits. Boveda 2-way humidity control has been helping cigar lovers get the most enjoyment and flavor from premium cigars since 1997.Shop Boveda here: https://store.bovedainc.com/collectio...Still got a third to smoke? Check out these over Boveda cigar videos:Should Cigars Be Aged?https://youtu.be/CF_4eQhuuRkFrom Pro Soccer player to Working with Cigars!https://youtu.be/QOQP4-tTJ7oI Need a Good Cigar for Under $20https://youtu.be/pSWHA9C-FrA...

Jul 12, 202255 min

Ep 64In Search Of Willy Herrera’s Test Blends! | Miami Box Press Ep. 64

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It’s like a 12-minute immersive experience in a cigar escape room! Join us as we search for unicorns, never-released samples and private blends in Willy Herrera’s cigar stash. Willy is one big dude—literally and figuratively—in premium cigars. The master blender for Drew Estate combines tobaccos to maintain consistency among legacy lines and to create new releases for the cult cigar brand. His authentic Cuban influence led to the creation of the eponymous Herrera Estelí lines, which include a Habano, Norteño and Brazilian Maduro.The Herrera Estelí Miami is crafted by "Level 9" rollers from Cuba at El Titán de Bronze Cigars, which is the oldest remaining Fabrica in Miami’s Little Havana. His family-owned cigar factory is where Willy learned the craft of premium cigars.Filmed on location in at El Titán de Bronze with Boveda’s host Rob Gagner.Find the missing cigars and solve tobacco mysteries, listen to these highlights: • 00:00 Cold open• 00:24 Cigar lovers visit Miami’s Little Haven• 02:03 Playing Hot-and-Cold Cigar Guessing Game • 03:40 Is it plume or cigar mold?• 04:47 What is cigar plume? • 05:13 What cigars get tobacco beetles? • 06:46 Learning tobacco at the family cigar factory • 08:43 Looking for a good Habano cigar?• 09:24 Is Indonesian flavorful tobacco?• 10:06 What's a great lawn mowing cigar to pick in Little Haven?To get great taste out of cigars, keep Boveda cigar packs in your humidor. Innovators in 2-way humidity control for tobacco, Boveda also makes Humidor Starter Kits, travel cigar humidor bags, one-step hygrometer calibration kits and other award-winning cigar accessories.Shop Boveda here: https://store.bovedainc.com/collections/boveda-for-tobaccoKeep On Listening to Learn More About Cigars :In the Tobacco Fields with Willy Herrerahttps://youtu.be/2-el7mY06csThe Best Cigar Brands Don’t Follow Trends—Drew Estatehttps://youtu.be/Tplzkx6DZ2oShould You Rotate Your Cigars in Your Humidor? | #AskBovedahttps://youtu.be/hFG5w_6-rOA

Jun 28, 202211 min

Ep 63Want a Cigar that Won't Give You Ashtray Mouth? | HVC Cigars | Miami Box Press Ep. 63

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How do you judge a cigar? Focus on a cigar’s flavor, balance, construction and clean finish suggests HVC founder Reinier Lorenzo. A cigar with a clean finish won’t leave you with a weird taste in your mouth afterward—what smokers call ashtray mouth. Native Cuban Reiner founded the small-batch cigar house HVC in 2011, as a homage to hand-made cigars in Havana. “To me, Cubans, when they are right, when you have a really good Cuban cigar, there’s nothing that you can compare with. So now in Nicaragua, we at HVC, we want to replicate that.” Filmed on location at HVC headquarters in Doral, Florida with Boveda’s Rob Gagner. Snow, cows and how to start your own boutique cigar company: 00:00 Cold open03:05 Blending cigar tobacco is like creating a recipe03:19 Look for flavor over strength when choosing a cigar03:48 What cigars does HVC make?05:56 A Cuban moves to Wisconsin10:33 From Wisconsin to Nicaragua and AGANORSA 12:55 Why rolling a cigar at home is never as good as the premiums 14:14 Starting a business? Observe like an entrepreneur 16:53 What was the first broadleaf wrapper AGANORSA cigar?20:55 Why you can’t create a cigar from just one tobacco farm23:20 Look for flavor, balance, construction and clean finish in a cigar23:29 No more cigar ashtray mouth!30:28 How losing his dad at an early age affects a man36:37 As a small business owner, you have to keep going after a failure 40:11 Giving up the security of a job to start your own company46:41 Best advice for launching a family business47:19 Best response when someone says no to a sales pitch53:29 Is it better to smoke a cigar alone or with friends?54:41 Cigars vs. cigarettes—no comparisonTo get great taste out of cigars, keep Boveda in your humidor. Using Boveda packs makes storing premium cigars easy. Makers of 2-way cigar humidification, Boveda also makes seasoning packs for wood humidors, travel cigar humidor bags and one-step hygrometer calibration kits. Looking for a gift for a cigar smoker, dad or other important guy in your life? Check out the Boveda Humidor Starter Kit and other cigar care accessories. Shop Boveda here: https://store.bovedainc.com/collections/boveda-for-tobaccoCheck Out More of Boveda Cigar Exclusives:A Cuban Cigar Collection | What's in Your Humidor? HVC, Reinier Lorenzohttps://youtu.be/eF6c-3BjfeMWhen the U.S. Rolled More Cigars Than Cuba (Feat. Big Sky) https://youtu.be/tEBjL44vXF0The Man Who Taught Me All I Know About Cigars (Feat. Crux Cigars) https://youtu.be/T8rUALdjkO4Talking Family & Matilde's Origin Story w/ Enrique Seijas (feat. Matilde Cigars) https://youtu.be/n2OjLXbbAsI

Jun 13, 202256 min

Ep 62A Cuban Cigar Collection | HVC, Reinier Lorenzo | Miami Box Press Ep. 62

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Take a trip to Cuba in less than five minutes with HVC founder Reinier Lorenzo. See first editions, Cigar Aficionado top cigar of the year and more as Reinier opens up his personal humidor to Box Press host Rob Gagner.Reiner founded the small-batch cigar house HVC in 2011, as a homage to hand-made cigars from Cuba’s capital city, Havana. Filmed on location in Miami, Florida. Full interview with HVC Reiner Lorenzo is coming soon. Cigar lovers, subscribe to the Boveda Box Press channel, so you don’t miss it! What’s in his humidor along with Boveda?00:00 Cold open00:56 What’s the most flavorful Cuban cigar on the market?01:21 What is Rob Gagner’s favorite Cuban cigar? 01:49 Is it true that this cigar has no aftertaste?02:30 What is Reinier Lorenzo’s favorite Cuban cigar?02:54 What’s a good Cuban cigar with morning coffee?03:14 Is there a stick in his Cuban cigar collection that he WON’T smoke? 04:02 3,000 archival Cuban cigar bands!Which Boveda to Use to Store Cuban Cigars:If you smoke Cubans or other cigars with oily wrappers, you can customize the moisture in your humidor with Boveda. Cigars like these do best at a slightly lower relative humidity with Boveda 65% RH. (65% RH is great for aging premium cigars, too.) Before you add cigars to a new wood humidor, always season it first with the Boveda Humidor Starter Kit, a great Father’s Day gift for cigar smokers.Shop Boveda for cigars here: https://store.bovedainc.com/collectio...Check Out More of Boveda Cigar Exclusives:Is This a Cuban Cigar?https://youtu.be/wsHXwyrxxAgHow To Spot A FAKE Cuban Cigar!https://youtu.be/qiD5qFgSpqc?t=87 Busting 4 Myths About Cuban Cigarshttps://youtu.be/A2zRZEjeZfU

May 31, 20224 min

Ep 61Sledgehammer Break-In – 25,000 Stolen Cigars = Casa Cuevas La Mandarria | Ep. 61

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A true crime cigar story! Thieving jacka$$es sledgehammer their way into the back of a humidor and make off with $150,000 worth of limited-edition cigars BEFORE the owner had a chance to insure his new warehouse. His next move after installing high-tech security? Craft a new boutique cigar called La Mandarria, which translates to THE SLEDGEHAMMER. Hear the backstory from Casa Cuevas Cigars’ Luis Cuevas Jr. and Alec Cuevas. In 2022, the Dominican cigar company rereleased the cigar blends that disappeared in the 2019 theft as the Flaco Habano and Flaco Maduro. The father and son duo smoke 7 x 43 Flacos with the Box Press host Rob Gagner. Shot on location at Miami’s Empire Social Lounge. Take a moment to enjoy South Florida’s cigar lifestyle—relax and listen to good stories over good cigars with good company. When you head to Miami for cigars, stop in at Empire Social Lounge and tell them Boveda sent you: https://empiresociallounge.com/.Highlights from this cigar podcast include: 00:00 Cold open01:50 Father figure picks George Michael. 04:00 What kind of steak is churrascos?06:21 If Guy Fieri has a bad hair day, I'm having a bad hair life, right? 13:28 Ramen, it’s more than just a college staple. Learn the best place to get real ramen in Miami.14:13 Are boneless chicken wings even a thing? 18:23 Were they caught? The great cigar heist of 2019.20:07 Discontinued stolen cigar line is relaunched as Casa Cuevas Flaco. 21:54 Lesson learned: number mastercases of inventory to deter theft. 22:28 Sledgehammer cigar is a positive outcome from a night of crime. 25:23 Shaggy foot cigar vs closed foot cigar. Discuss.27:08 How the pandemic’s mini cigar boom is different from the 1990s cigar boom. 29:20 Casa Cuevas reveals brand launch backstory exclusive to Boveda! 31:38 How big of a hit does inventory theft make on a company’s financials?46:19 Every one of their blends is hand-written by Luis Cuevas Sr. 52:05 Transitioning into the family cigar business after college. 1:02:03 HORROR STORY! Low RH makes cigars blow up!Premium cigar makers protect the flavor and consistency of tobacco by packaging cigars with Boveda. Cigar smokers use Boveda in humidors to continue to preserve and age their cigars. Before you add cigars to a new wood humidor, always season it first with the Boveda Humidor Starter Kit, a great Father’s Day gift for cigar smokers.Shop Boveda for cigars here: https://store.bovedainc.com/collectio...Check Out More of Boveda Cigar Exclusives:A Father, A Son and Cigars! (Feat. Litto and Tony Gomez, LFD)https://youtu.be/65oJtyaVi4cFor Long-term Success in the Family Biz, Look to Daughters (Feat. Raquel Quesada)https://youtu.be/ZtI3XGCHi1QTalking Family & Matilde's Origin Story (Feat. Enrique Seijas, Matilde Cigars)https://youtu.be/n2OjLXbbAsI

May 18, 20221h 8m

Ep 60Guy Fieri Cigar & A Nicaraguan Circus (feat. Jack Toraño) | Miami Box Press Ep. 60

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The first stop on the Miami cigar scene! Boveda’s Miami cigar tour features acrobats, a new celebrity cigar, stink bugs and other spine-tingling tales from cigar legend Jack Toraño. Espinosa Cigar’s brand ambassador gives host Rob Gagner a Knuckle Sandwich, the new Guy Fieri cigar. Hear how the Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives star launched his stick. Private jet to Puerto Rico. Mongo release party. Cadre of chefs. BAM!Shot on location at Miami’s Empire Social Lounge. Take a moment to enjoy South Florida’s cigar lifestyle—relax and listen to good stories over good cigars with good company. When you head to Miami for cigars, stop in at Empire Social Lounge and tell them Boveda sent you: https://empiresociallounge.com.Highlights from this cigar podcast include: 00:00 Cold open02:25 New cigar trend? Celebrities endorsing cigars again?05:06 When it comes to cigars, is Guy Fieri the real deal?10:23 The ’70s and ’80s were not a good time for cigars—discuss11:15 Oddest mixed tape ever—Niteflyte, Average White Band, The Rolling Stones and Survivor?!11:32 Remember "Real Men of Genius"? “Real Men of Genius” Mr. Way too Much Cologne Wearer https://youtu.be/ik6QzSgrqZ412:47 Stogiebird’s Sam Leccia and a traveling act of little people in Nicaragua 17:15 Jonathan Drew and Nick Melillo take a cigar national sales meeting to the circus 18:34 Blending Sam Leccia’s Luchador Cigar26:24 DJing on NYE in the Viagra Triangle27:45 What makes a good DJ?33:42 "You bought a brand called Toraño Family Cigars and there's no family."35:25 It’s always easier to find a job when you have a job 37:58 Severed from a company on Ugly Christmas Sweater Day41:14 John joined Espinosa. General and Espinosa Cigars joined forces to release Warzone. Warzone was named Cigar Aficionado #13 Cigar of the Year for 2000!45:07 Watch for 5 new releases from Espinosa Cigars46:18 Who are the biggest partiers in the cigar biz? Premium cigar makers protect the flavor and consistency of tobacco by packaging cigars with Boveda. Cigar smokers use Boveda in humidors to continue to preserve and age their cigars. Before you add cigars to a new wood humidor, always season it first with the Boveda Humidor Stater Kit. Shop Boveda for cigars here: https://store.bovedainc.com/collectio...Check Out More of Boveda Cigar Exclusives:NBA Legend Karl Malone Talks Long-time Cigar Passion and New Brand https://youtu.be/60WJ-ybYJpE“Craft” Cigars is a Physical Manifestation of an Emotional Connectionhttps://youtu.be/nY_nkP5X3lYTraveling With Cigars?! You NEED To See This 👀https://youtu.be/3jJqfdLsQGU?t=84

May 2, 202249 min

HOT! HOT! HOT! Miami Cigar Tour | Box Press

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Coming to you from the U.S. hot bed of cigars, Miami, Florida! Catch the new Box Press series as Boveda's Rob Gagner goes deep with Miami cigar legends, including:• Nick Perdomo, Jr. and son Nick III, Perdomo Cigars• Henderson Ventura, Ventura Cigar Company• Robert Caldwell, Caldwell Cigar Co. • Reinier Lorenzo, HVC• Jack Toraño, Espinosa Cigars• Ernesto Padilla, Padilla Cigars• Luis Cuevas Jr. and his son Alec, Casa Cuevas CigarsMiami's a lit locale for cigar lovers. Plan a trip for sticks with your smoking buddies to visit Miami's cigar lounges and take a tobacco factory tour. Remember to pack Boveda Humidor Bags to safely transport souvenir cigars home from vacations. Boveda preserves the oils and sugars in the tobacco until you're ready to smoke Miami's best cigars. Stock up on Boveda Humidor Bags here: https://store.bovedainc.com/collectio...Shop Boveda for cigars here: https://store.bovedainc.com/collectio....Website: https://www.bovedainc.com/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bovedausa/ Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/bovedainc Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bovedainc/

Apr 25, 20220 min

Ep 59Is This a Cuban Cigar? (feat. Lampert Cigars)| Box Press Ep. 59

Unicorn chasers, this one’s for you! Think you’re missing out not smoking Cuban cigars? Get your hands on these new small-batch sticks from Lampert, which were mistaken for premium Cubans by cigar lovers around the world. Blended by current GM of Mombacho Cigars, SOTL Indiana Ortez, these fine cigars sold out at 2021 PCA in Las Vegas. With the last cigar box in the house, Founder Dr. Stefan Lampert joined Boveda’s Rob Gagner for a short Robusto. Highlights from this European cigar podcast include: 00:00 Cold open01:42 How to retrohale a cigar03:24 Who blends Lampert’s boutique cigars?05:03 Do smaller cigars get the better tobacco leaves?09:32 How many lawyers does it take to make a cigar?10:37 Where can you buy Lampert Cigars in the United States?12:45 Blending cigars with construction and environmental law16:51 Does Lampert Cigars have a Connecticut wrapper? 17:08 Cigar smokers around the world taste test Lampert Cigars21:00 Do Europeans prefer Cuban cigars? 28:35 What cigar is reminiscent of the saltiness of an ocean breeze? 29:37 Customizing your own cigar with Lampert31:28 Pairing premium rum with premium cigarsEuropean cigar smokers having a tough time locating Cuban cigars because of supply chain delays should substitute a Cuban for a Lampert Cigar, which is available at these tobacco shops: https://lampertcigars.com/retailers/. In the United States, learn more about Lampert Cigars here: https://www.smallbatchcigar.com/lampert . Looking to customize a premium cigar? Check out Lampert’s My Cigar Lab at https://lampertcigars.com/my-cigar-lab/.Premium cigar makers protect the flavor and consistency of tobacco by packaging cigars with Boveda. Cigar smokers use Boveda in humidors to continue to preserve and age their cigars. Before you add cigars to a new wood humidor, always season it first with the Boveda Humidor Starter Kit. Shop Boveda for cigars here: https://store.bovedainc.com/collections/boveda-for-tobaccoCheck Out More of Boveda Cigar Exclusives:How To Spot A FAKE Cuban Cigar!https://youtu.be/qiD5qFgSpqc?t=87Indiana Ortez & Sisters In Smoke TAKEOVERhttps://youtu.be/upeWliTGpDk?t=87Busting 4 Myths About Cuban Cigarshttps://youtu.be/A2zRZEjeZfU

Mar 8, 202236 min

Ep 58Get in the Zone, Modern Cigar Smokers (feat. Light ‘Em Up Lounge) | Box Press Ep. 58

Are you overwhelmed when you visit a tobacco shop’s humidor? Approach the tobacconist to help you find the perfect cigar for you. Next, learn how to use all of your senses to enhance your smoking experience. Boveda’s Rob Gagner was shocked by what can influence your opinion of a cigar. Amaze your cigar buddies with tips from sensory expert Reinhard Phorec, host of cigar podcast, Light ‘Em Up Lounge. Recorded at 2021 PCA in Las Vegas.Learn how to enjoy cigars better in this cigar podcast: 00:00 Cold open05:21 Why retailers should break from the script when you’re at the register09:48 What cigar shops can learn from the hospitality industry23:39 A professional cigar taste tester shares how to fully taste cigars 29:59 Try this cigar parlor game with your smoking buddies31:33 How a local tobacconist can get you out of a cigar rut35:09 How to present sticks in a cigar shop to help buyers37:49 Top 3 ways to enhance your next cigar40:18 Changes you should make today to your smoking lounge that make cigar lovers want to stayLight ‘Em Up Lounge was chosen by Cigar Journal as the Best Virtual Cigar Lounge in 2021. Fellow cigar lounge visitors will tell you—to protect the flavor and consistency of cigars store them with Boveda. Boveda, makes 2-way humidity control for cigars, easy wood humidor seasoning, humidor bags and Humidor Starter Kits to condition new wood humidors before adding cigars. Shop Boveda for cigars here: https://store.bovedainc.com/collectio...Check Out More of Boveda Cigar Exclusives:How a Color Inspired an Amazing Cigar (Feat. Erik Espinosa)https://youtu.be/cwKgMjGWDE0Better Understand Your Cigar Tasting Palate (Feat. Klaas Kelner) https://youtu.be/W-L976OtGlEHow The HECK Do You Smoke This Thing?! (Feat. Kafie Culebra Cigar) https://youtu.be/8m22Mj_6zmE?t=98

Feb 21, 202247 min

Ep 57Ike Taylor Goes From NFL® to All Pro (feat. 1OFAHKINE Cigar)

Steelers fans, light up an Ike Taylor cigar! Before retiring in 2015, Ike won two Super Bowl® rings during his 12-year career with Pittsburgh. Now the former NFL® player has launched a premium cigar called 1OFAHKINE (pronounced one of a kind). Working with black-owned cigar brand, Howard G Cigars, Ike sampled 40 different tobaccos to develop the blend, which is in the All Pro Series. Ike and boutique cigar company founder Howard Gumbs joined Boveda’s Rob Gagner at 2021 PCA in Las Vegas. Cigar podcast highlights include:  (2:28) Shout out to Corona Cigars on Sand Lake!(3:22) The cigar man who knows his bacon(4:40) What new cigar smokers need to know before they visit a cigar shop(5:49) Life after the NFL® (8:48) What young Ike Taylor learned from hanging out in cigar lounges(9:18) Why Ike Taylor partnered with Howard G Cigars(10:40) Working with tobacco is like raising a kid(11:05) Origin story of the BIPOC cigar company Howard G(11:25) The late cigar legend and pianist Avo Uvezian mentored Howard Gumbs (14:03) Ever think about going into the cigar business? Joining forces with American Caribbean Cigars’ Alex Menendez (15:48) Creating Howard G lines—premium cigars at a good price point(25:18) How did the Howard G Black Moses cigar get its name?(31:05) During the pandemic, Ike Taylor became Uncle Ike to neighborhood kids (34:06) What was Ike Taylor’s first job?(36:25) Running your own business—lessons learned from building a Champ burger at Checkers (39:24) Where to find the 1OFAHKINE Ike Taylor cigar (40:09) Check out the Howard G Leon Searcy cigar in the All Pro Series, too Visit https://www.howardgcigars.com/ to learn about all the Howard G cigar lines, including the 1OFAHKINE, Leon Searcy, Black Moses and Magic Stick. Try them all with a Howard G cigar sampler pack.Make humidor care and humidifying cigars easy with Boveda. Boveda, makes 2-way humidity control to protect cigars, season wood humidors and condition new humidors with the new Humidor Starter Kits. Shop Boveda for cigars here: https://store.bovedainc.com/collections/boveda-for-tobaccoCheck Out More of Boveda Cigar Exclusives:Ready for the Mexican Cigar Revolution? (feat. Casa 1910)https://youtu.be/sZxZfBX_xUY?t=9In the Tobacco Fields with Willy Herrera (Drew Estate's Master Blender)https://youtu.be/2-el7mY06csHow the Mistress of Golf Lured Him to Cigars, Chris Moore, Carolina Bluehttps://youtu.be/PZzOjzKbc9sNBA Legend Karl Malone Talks Long-time Cigar Passionhttps://youtu.be/60WJ-ybYJpE

Feb 7, 202242 min

Ep 56A Lawyer, Judge, Cop and Convict Walk Into a Cigar Lounge... (feat. Warfighter) | Box Press Ep. 56

Got a NFW cigar story to share? This proves that in-store herfing leads to unexpected mash-ups and good couch for a cigar podcast! Hear the whole cigar lounge tale and more as Warfighter Tobacco Company’s Jon Simons and Scott Jansen join Boveda’s Rob Gagner at 2021 PCA in Las Vegas. Highlights from this armed forces cigar podcast include:  (2:28) What Warfighter cigars are they smoking?(5:07) Why do cigar smokers taste wild flavors in cigars?(6:06) What’s a trifecta cigar smoking experience?(7:12) THE BEST COMEBACK TO WHAT’S YOUR FAVORITE CIGAR?!(8:34) How did Warfighter Tobacco Company get started?(12:55) How service members crowdsourced Warfighter into tobacco shops(16:44) Why is the Warfighter cigar called Garrison?(17:48) What’s the difference between Warfighter’s Garrison and Field cigars?(18:58) What do Warfighter Tobacco’s calibers mean?(19:59) What’s Warfighter’s Minutemen cigar like?(20:45) Good name for a pandemic cigar—The Dumpster Fire!(28:30) THE BEST CIGAR SHOP STORY EVER!(40:08) How to smoke a cigar fast without it overheating(43:04) Jon’s sniper story(47:11) Little known fact about grenades Hear how crowdsourcing helped launch this veteran-owned cigar brand, while supporting local brick-and-mortar tobacco shops. Service members and first responders gave cigar retailers an order: CARRY THESE MILITARY-THEMED CIGARS! Online, Warfighter sells camouflage travel humidors, cigar ruck cases and airtight Pelican cases, which are all preloaded with Boveda to protect the boutique cigars inside. Warfighter also protects its premium cigars by packaging with Boveda. You too can protect the flavor and consistency of cigars like Warfighter’s Field and Garrison blends with Boveda. Boveda, makes 2-way humidity control for cigars, easy wood humidor seasoning, humidor bags and Humidor Starter Kits to condition new wood humidors before adding cigars. Shop Boveda for cigars here: https://store.bovedainc.com/collections/boveda-for-tobaccoRead more about Warfighter Tobacco Company here: https://www.warfightertobacco.com/Check Out More of Boveda Cigar Exclusives:How to Slow Smoke a Cigar from the U.S. Cigar Smoking ChampionThis Cigar Saved My Life—Cigars for Warriorshttps://youtu.be/e_IhwUlPk08How Herf Groups Are Putting the Boom Back in Cigarshttps://youtu.be/oLzm2kgy6tk

Jan 24, 202254 min

Ep 55It’s Not About Volume Now, It’s About Quality, Says Abe Flores, PDR | Box Press Ep. 55

When the world throws you a curve, lean into mentors, then pivot. For this elite boutique cigar maker, that meant revitalizing the c brand. Abe Flores has embraced the roots of the D.R.’s cigar lineage; simplified his tobacco blends; halved the number of cigars his Tamboril factory produces; and picked up business advice from cigar legends. Talking to Boveda’s Rob Gagner at 2021 PCA in Las Vegas, the cigar entrepreneur shares what’s next as PDR nears its 20th anniversary.This cigar podcast’s highlights include:  (6:31) Best place to buy Cuban cigars in Europe(8:13) What cigars you should try if you go to Cuba(10:50) How COVID affected the cigar industry(12:33) How smoking cigars influences what you do now for fun (15:05) What to watch out for before investing in a vacation property if you’re a cigar smoker(17:20) You can rent Abe Flores’s apartment in the D.R. on Airbnb!(17:29) Dating advice for cigar aficionados—find a mate who likes cigars (or at least, doesn’t mind them)(20:31) What Abe Flores learned from master blender Henke Kelner(23:02) What changes to make to stay in business post-pandemic(25:26) Remember the Tinder Box? (Did you know Abe Flores coded for the cigar retailer?!)(30:44) Why Abe Flores almost shut down PDR(31:37) What Abe Flores learned from Tabacalera Palma CEO Jochy Blanco(32:25) Selling cigars beyond the United States—you can buy PDR cigars in China(34:09) Finding mentors and listening to their business advicePDR protects its premium cigars by packaging with Boveda. You too can preserve the flavor and consistency of cigars like PDR’s 10th Anniversary with Boveda. Boveda, makes 2-way humidity control for cigars, easy wood humidor seasoning, humidor bags and Humidor Starter Kits to condition new wood humidors before adding cigars. Shop Boveda for cigars here: https://store.bovedainc.com/collections/boveda-for-tobaccoFor More Information About PDR Cigars, Visit: https://www.pdrcigars.com/Check Out More of Boveda Cigar Exclusives:For My Humidor | Jochy Blancohttps://youtu.be/Kw7VZ-0JA2kHow to Better Understand Your Cigar Tasting Palate https://youtu.be/W-L976OtGlEHow to Spot A FAKE Cuban Cigarhttps://youtu.be/qiD5qFgSpqc?t=87 

Jan 10, 202246 min

Ep 54So What? Now What for All Saints Cigars (Micky Pegg) | Box Press Ep. 54

So what if a kid gets kicked out of kindergarten and fourth grade and tenth grade? He can still succeed—and even earn a master’s degree and make the big bucks in financial services! It’s about what you learn from setbacks that counts. Micky Pegg’s gone from Capitol Hill to tobacco sales to mutual funds, then back to cigars again. In 2018, this professional chameleon and certified tobacco sommelier launched the boutique cigar brand, All Saints Cigars. Listen to this cigar talk with Boveda’s Rob Gagner as he and All Saints founder share the boxworthy Habano Dedicación at 2021 PCA in Las Vegas.This cigar podcast’s highlights include:  (1:50) Discovering that your great-great-grandfather ran a legendary tobacco shop (3:07) Delivering cigars to senators while they conferenced with POTUS(4:30) Selling cigars, then managing Georgetown Tobacco(7:55 ) Blending All Saints Cigars(8:31) Accidental cigar run that became All Saints’s Solamente(11.09) Trademarking St. Francis for a cigar release(12:49) Bringing to light steps in cigar making that nobody else talks about(15:19) Studying international leadership with Volvo and Ikea(21:13) Blending tobacco for the entire life of the cigar(21:37) Transitioning flavors within a cigar(33:01) Growing vegetables on tobacco farms to  gauge the terroir of the soil(39:53) Honoring mentors, naming All Saints cigars(42:59) Training fine dining servers how to present cigars to increase a table’s check(48:50) Leaving CAO(52:59) So what? Now what?Protect the flavor and condition of your big-name brands and boutique cigars, like All Saints with Boveda. Boveda, makes 2-way humidity control for cigars, easy seasoning for wood humidors, humidor bags and Humidor Starter Kits to condition new wood humidors before adding cigars. Shop Boveda for cigars here: https://store.bovedainc.com/collections/boveda-for-tobaccoFor more information about All Saints Cigars, visit: https://www.allsaintscigars.com/cigars/Check Out More of Boveda Cigar Exclusives:What Makes a Cigar Full Bodied (Feat. Pete Johnson and Jon Huber)https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RbId1YUsGmsIn the Tobacco Fields with Willy Herrera (Drew Estate's Master Blender)https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2-el7mY06cs&t=211sAre Cuban Cigars Really Stronger?https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u264JVfwYKA

Dec 27, 202159 min

Ep 53Imposters and Secrets of The Freemason Cigar, Hiram & Solomon | Box Press Ep. 53

National treasure? More like an international treasure! Hiram & Solomon is sold worldwide as the official cigar representing Freemasons. Hear Masonic theories debunked, Freemasonary history revealed and fake cigar ops foiled. What’s the “Da Vinci Code” on the cigar brand founded by Masonic Brother, Fouad Kashouty? Find out with Boveda’s Rob Gagner from Fouad and his wife, Romy for a smoke at 2021 PCA in Las Vegas. You don’t have to be a Mason to buy Hiram & Solomon Cigars, which include Enter Apprentice, Fellow Craft, Shriner, Traveling Man, Veiled Prophet, Grand Architect and Master Mason. Curamus is the latest cigar release in the Hiram & Solomon Grand Master cigar line. Hiram & Solomon protects its premium cigars by packaging with Boveda. You can protect your cigars just like cigars makers. Preserve your passion with Boveda, makers of 2-way humidity control for cigars, easy seasoning for wood humidors, humidor bags and the NEW Humidor Starter Kits. Shop Boveda for cigars here: https://store.bovedainc.com/collections/boveda-for-tobacco

Dec 13, 202151 min

Ep 52Why in the Hell is the Vice Principal Selling Cigars? (feat. Steve Zengel) | Box Press Ep. 52

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He’s been a coach, a teacher, a vice principal, a financial advisor and a Jersey Shore cigar shop owner. So with a doctoral diploma on the wall, why is Steve Zengel running a cigar company for a living? Um, because it’s awesome. Hear the whole twisty-turny origin of Los Caidos from its founder who sat down with Boveda’s Rob Gagner at 2021 PCA in Las Vegas. And learn how neither sleet, nor rain, nor gloom of night stopped Steve’s motorcycle ride across the U.S. for the Life of a Ride Time, a non-profit organization for fallen first responders. (And why Steve will stick to regional rides from now on!)For Steve, a cigar is more than just a smoke, it’s a connection to a fallen friend who was a financial advisor and victim of the terrorist attack at the World Trade Center on September 11, 2001. Los Caidos translates to the fallen. Currently, $1 from every Los Caidos cigar sold goes to support family members of first responders. Cigar smokers can choose either Los Caidos Blue for a fallen police officer or Los Caidos Red for a fallen firefighter. The Nicaraguan cigars are crafted at Tabacos Valle de Jalapa S.A. (TABSA), which was chosen factory of the year twice by cigar blog, halfwheel.Los Caidos protects its premium cigars by packaging with Boveda. You can protect your cigars just like cigars makers. Preserve your passion with Boveda, makers of 2-way humidity control for cigars, easy seasoning for wood humidors, humidor bags and one-step hygrometer calibration kits. Shop Boveda for cigars here: https://store.bovedainc.com/collections/boveda-for-tobaccoFor more information about upcoming rides, visit: https://lifeofaridetime.org/Check Out More of Boveda Cigar Exclusives:Why Are Cigars So Popular Among Active Military?https://youtu.be/esSPKWYZIJIThe Best Cigar Brands Don’t Follow Trends (feat. Drew Estate) https://youtu.be/Tplzkx6DZ2oDoes The Cigar Binder Affect Taste? (Feat. Luxury Cigar Club) https://youtu.be/xvDzAoqjynU?t=87

Nov 26, 20211h 8m

Ep 51For Long-term Success in the Family Biz, Look to Daughters (Feat. Raquel Quesada) | Box Press Ep. 51

When you share a cigar, you open up to each other. It’s no different for Raquel Quesada who  grew up in a cigar dynasty. She revealed some never-told stories to Boveda’s Rob Gagner over Quesada 1974 cigars at 2021 PCA in Las Vegas. Raquel talked openly about childhood hijinks; the least favorite training rotation of cigar operations; secret grows on the Quesada tobacco farm; and blending swaps she pulled on her dad, Manuel "Manolo" Quesada. As president and owner of the family-owned cigar factory, Manolo raised two strong daughters to succeed in the C-suite boy’s club of premium cigars. Highlights of the cigar conversation with Quesada include: Shaking her booty to Dance VXN (1:07)Tweaking tobacco blends in dad’s cigar recipe (13:52)Coloring a box of cigars for consistency (16:07)Making your mark to get what you paid for (18:47)Studying and working at a tobacco shop in Boston—a tropical girl in the snow (21:20)Playing well with competitors strengthens the Dominican cigar industry (27:41)Jamming in a band with Nirka Reyes, Abe Flores, Litto Gomez and “Henke” Kelner (30:21)Being kids on a tobacco farm—Quesada exclusive (31:44)Putting the Quesada name on a cigar for the first time with the Quesada 35th anniversary blend (38:16)Hatching crazy ideas to expand the cigar brand—origin story of the of Quesada Oktoberfest (41:51)How Raquel Quesada is similar to Manolo Quesada (46:44)How Raquel Quesada is different than her dad (47:47)Growing wrapper for an upcoming cigar release—Quesada exclusive (1:00:15)  Quesada Cigars protects its premium cigars by packaging with Boveda. You can protect your cigars just like cigars makers. Preserve your passion with Boveda, makers of 2-way humidity control for cigars, easy seasoning for wood humidors, humidor bags and one-step hygrometer calibration kits. Shop Boveda for cigars here: https://store.bovedainc.com/collections/boveda-for-tobaccoQuesada Cigars is a family-owned Dominican cigar operation. Its best known brands are Quesada, Casa Magna, Heisenberg and Fonseca cigars. Learn more about Quesada Cigars http://quesadacigars.com/Check Out More of Boveda Cigar Exclusives:For My Humidor | Manuel Quesada (patriarch of Quesada Cigars)https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JR8Gkx47YQQ&t=10sHow Ferio Tego Cigars are Like Your Favorite Song (Feat. Michael Herklots) | Box Press Ep. 49https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SYX2VJeHTjIHow to set up a new wood humidor with the Boveda Humidor Starter Kit https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sub3mPJo1Tg&t=1s

Nov 12, 20211h 2m

Ep 50And the Winner Is? U.S. Finals 2021 Cigar Smoking World Championship | Box Press Ep.50

Tunneling. Band burning. Puffing too soon. Puffing too late. One by one, a cigar smoking err takes them down. See who’ll represent the U.S. at the world event of the Cigar Smoking World Championship (CSWC). Will it be a BOTL or SOTL?Coined the Slowest Race on Earth, this international competition is all about “slow smoking” cigars. Pick up smoking strategies as Box Press Podcast Host Rob Gagner talks to cigar smoking competitors at BURN by Rocky Patel in Pittsburgh, PA.In 2021, 13 qualifying rounds were held at smoke clubs and lounges across the U.S. There were qualifying events in more than 30 countries. The winner from each country attended the grand finale in Split, Croatia, in September 2021.A well-humified cigar burns more slowly and evenly. Extend your own smoking experience by storing cigars in your humidor with Boveda, a global partner of CSWC. Boveda, is the maker of 2-way humidity control for cigars, easy seasoning for wood humidors, humidor bags and one-step hygrometer calibration kits.Shop for Boveda here.Who Moves On? Cigar Smoking World Championship 2021 U.S. Semifinals | Box Press Ep.48https://youtu.be/pTo7A_XIw8QSlow and Low—Cigar Smoking World ChampionshipsWatch BOTL Versus SOTL, Rob Gagner Competes Against Ben Wills https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bPYyQsJ8yOcDo YOU Have What It Takes To Be A Cigar Smoking World Champion?! Find out how to compete in CSWC from Founder and CEO Marko Bilic and Boveda’s Benny Patock https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FB4sB84MUrU&t=2sLearn more about CSWC here.

Oct 29, 202115 min

Ep 49How Ferio Tego Cigars are Like Your Favorite Song (Feat. Michael Herklots) | Box Press Ep. 49

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Ferio Tego is like a greatest hits album for cigar lovers. All your favorites, less of the “something new we’re working on and we hope you like it” smokes. Learn why there’s room in your humidor for oldies-but-goodies and hot-new-hits. Ferio Tego’s Herklots joined Boveda’s Rob Gagner at 2021 PCA in Las Vegas for this episode of Box Press, the cigar lifestyle podcast. Metropolitan and Timeless cigars are alive today because of Herklots and his business partner Brendon Scott. When the now-defunct Nat Sherman International closed, the two former employees started a cigar company with saved legacy brands and cigar accessories and two new blends, Elegancia and Generoso.Highlights of the cigar conversation with Herklots include: 6:00 Getting a job at a tobacco shop to pay for his cigar hobby 8:01 Succeeding at work is doing more than your job13:30 Wearing a guayabera and Panama hat while standing in the middle of a tobacco field smelling green leaves is not him 15:50 Comparing wine to cigars 19.50 Learning how to blend a cigar22:28 Blending the Quesada 35th25:31 Smoking unfermented tobacco in a cigar47:29 Growing popularity of “meme” cigars1:01:13 Listening to a favorite song is like smoking a legacy cigar You can protect your cigars just like cigars makers. Preserve your passion with Boveda, makers of 2-way humidity control for cigars, easy seasoning for wood humidors, humidor bags and one-step hygrometer calibration kits. Shop Boveda for cigars here: https://store.bovedainc.com/collections/boveda-for-tobaccoLearn more about Ferio Tego Cigars at https://www.feriotego.com/How to Properly Cut a Cigarhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S2tim4FS2VA&t=229sA conversation with the son of Davidoff's Master Blender (feat. Klaas Kelner) | Box Press Ep. 18 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m35N6fV_6Vg&t=3sFor My Humidor | Manuel Quesada (patriarch of Quesada Cigars)https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JR8Gkx47YQQ&t=10s

Oct 18, 20211h 4m