The Cigar Authority

It's a party as we are joined by the Head of Consumer Marketing for Altadis USA, Brad Winstead as we fire up a cigar from the March Care Package. We will discuss and smoke the Montecristo Nicaragua Series. We will look at the footprint of Altadis and discuss the cigars within their portfolio and perhaps get a sneak peek at what is coming this year. In the second hour the celebration continues as Barry turns 50. We will fire up the first cigar he ever gave a 100 rating to back on June 11, 2008. We will share our thoughts on the WinsteadNatural and ask, "Why does Barry rate cigars so high? And why does it bother people so much?" Rumor has it that there might be a bottle of Flor de Cana rum present. It's a rumor Barry started because it's true. The boys are drinking again so this one might fly off the rails. Hop on board the crazy train known as The Cigar Authority, the most listened to cigar podcast in the world. We will have all the usually suspects including Versus, Offer of the Day, Cigar News and a peek into the Asylum. The Cigar Authority is a member of the United Podcast Network and is recorded live in front of a studio audience at Studio 21 Podcast Cafe upstairs at Two Guys Smoke Shop in Salem, NH and as always you can find many of the cigars we discuss at http://www.2GuysCigars.com/.

Every week on The Cigar Authority we give flavor notes for the cigar we smoke. At the suggestion of a listener we present to you the great blind spice off. Can the boys tell you the name of the spice by the smell and taste of it or will they fall flat on their faces? We will light up the Rocky Patel Sungrown Maduro, and while we were supposed to be joined by the local rep who has a background in law enforcement, Barry who has some experience in the field will step in and answer some of the questions we had lined up for him. In the second hour we will light up a cigar that comes in an iconic size from Christian Eiroa. It's the size that is synonymous with the brands he has been associated with over the years. We fire up the CLE Connecticut 11/18 and share our thoughts. Tune in to the madness known as The Cigar Authority, the most listened to cigar podcast in the world. We will have all the usually suspects including Versus, Offer of the Day, Cigar News and a peek into the Asylum. The Cigar Authority is a member of the United Podcast Network and is recorded live in front of a studio audience at Studio 21 Podcast Cafe upstairs at Two Guys Smoke Shop in Salem, NH and as always you can find many of the cigars we discuss at http://www.2GuysCigars.com/.

We will be joined by Francisco Batista the Managing Director of Operations for Royal Agio in the Dominican Republic. We will look at the brands the company has to offer and find out the duties of Mr. Batista. We will light up a cigar from The Cigar Authority Care Package made in the Dominican Republic by Royal Agio, the Balmoral Anejo XO Connecticut Rothschild Massivo which measures 5 x 55. Throughout the show we will look at Cigar Pairings, no we aren’t talking about liquor to Barry’s disappointment. What will we be pairing? The only way to find out is to tune in and see what we are talking about. In the second hour, we will light up a cigar that is made in Nicaragua, but it’s not from a company based in Esteli or Jalapa. The cigar comes from the small town of Grenada, and we share our thoughts on the Patina Habano. Tune in to the madness known as The Cigar Authority, the most listened to cigar podcast in the world. We will have all the usual suspects including Versus, Offer of the Day, Cigar News and a peek into the Asylum. The Cigar Authority is a member of the United Podcast Network and is recorded live in front of a studio audience at Studio 21 Podcast Cafe upstairs at Two Guys Smoke Shop in Salem, NH and as always you can find many of the cigars we discuss at http://www.2GuysCigars.com/.

We step into the time machine this week and we look at the cigar industry and how it has changed from 1994 to 2019. We will pull out some old price lists and look at how cigar pricing has changed. We also look at prices from other industries to see if pricing has been consistent. We also look at cigars we feel are underpriced. In short, what cigars perform better than their pricing. We look at values in the cigar industry. If the first hour we fire up a cigar from David’s vault. The cigar is a 1994 Suerdieck Don Pepe Robusto that was made in Brazil featuring a Brazilian grown Sumatra wrapper. In the second hour we fire up a La Gianna Corona Maduro from The Cigar Authority care package that has been made since ’94. The Cigar Authority is a member of the United Podcast Network and is recorded live in front of a studio audience at Studio 21 Podcast Cafe upstairs at Two Guys Smoke Shop in Salem, NH and as always you can find many of the cigars we discuss at http://www.2GuysCigars.com/.

Today we start the month of February with a cigar from the care package. As we smoke the Dos Hombres Honduran Cabinet we tell you about the history of the cigar on the 2nd day of the 2nd month, which is our book makes is Dos Hombres Day! If you follow us on Social Media you noticed that we were all creating balls of pleasure for the 1st Annual Meat Ball that pitted David Garofalo, Mr. Jonathan, Ed Sullivan, Barry Stein”elli” and Steve Saka against each other to see who would have the tastiest balls. Well the results are in, and we will share with you the winner as voted on by those who attended the Meat Ball. In the second hour we will talk a little football, and I mean a little football. Because outside of Barry I don’t think we have many sports fans on the panel. We all know Jonathan likes a Tight End, but we will relay our picks for the game while smoking the La Flor Dominicana Football Special Edition 2019. The Cigar Authority is a member of the United Podcast Network and is recorded live in front of a studio audience at Studio 21 Podcast Cafe upstairs at Two Guys Smoke Shop in Salem, NH and as always you can find many of the cigars we discuss at http://www.2GuysCigars.com/.

When you think of cigar tobacco you think of Cuba, Dominican Republic, Honduras and Nicaragua but there is a rich history of tobacco grown for cigars right here in the United States of America. Today we explore the Connecticut River Valley with Nicholas Melillo who has his company, Foundation Cigars based in The Constitution State. We will do this with one of the newest cigars in his portfolio the Tabernacle Havana Seed CT #142. Master blender, Nicholas Melillo, worked with choice farmers in the Connecticut River Valley since 2014 to develop the Havana Seed CT #142 wrapper. The seed is extremely rare and unlike any other tobacco in the world. Due to the incredible amount of oil from the plant, it takes 3-years to undergo the fermentation process. We will light up and share our opinion of this special cigar. In the second hour we will light up a cigar from The Cigar Authority Care Package. The Eiroa CBT hails from Eiroa’s El Aladino factory in Honduras. The CBT Maduro’s wrapper, binder, and filler utilize 100% Maduro leaves harvested from the plant’s top primings. Did Christian nail the blend? Tune in as we share our opinion. We also have the usual suspects such as Versus, Offer Of The Day, Asylum, Classic 3-Way and Cigar News on the number one downloaded cigar podcast in the world. The Cigar Authority is a member of the United Podcast Network and is recorded live in front of a studio audience at Studio 21 Podcast Cafe upstairs at Two Guys Smoke Shop in Salem, NH and as always you can find many of the cigars we discuss at http://www.2GuysCigars.com/.

Dave is back from his yearly trip to the Dominican Republic. He visited some factories, met with some of the biggest cigar producers and has some stories to tell. What are the rumors, how do the crops look and he brought back a test blend from a special project. What is the story behind the cigar? We he be able to tell us? What we do is smoke this young cigar and see past the early stages of the blend and give our thoughts if it worthy of being a brand. Every week when we go to commercial break Mr. Jonathan says we have a lot of emails that we need to get to, but one thing leads to another and we usually don’t get the time to read them. This time Mr. Jonathan put his foot down and we will catch up with the questions and thoughts from you the listener in the second hour as we smoke a cigar from he care packer, Toscano Originale. We also have the usual suspects such as Versus, Offer Of The Day, Asylum, Classic 3-Way and Cigar News on the number one downloaded cigar podcast in the world. The Cigar Authority is a member of the United Podcast Network and is recorded live in front of a studio audience at Studio 21 Podcast Cafe upstairs at Two Guys Smoke Shop in Salem, NH and as always you can find many of the cigars we discuss at http://www.2GuysCigars.com/.

Today we look at one of the most debated things in the cigar industry, and that is cigar etiquette. The so-called 10 Commandments of being a good brother or sister of the leaf. The amount of emails we get on the subject is amazing, and we’ve listened to the requests to make this a yearly topic. In the first hour we light up the Perdomo Habano Bourbon Barrel Aged from the Care Package and let you know about this cigar that sees the wrapper aged inside barrels once used for bourbon. In the second hour we look at the reviews you left about The Cigar Authority. We’ve reviewed cigars, magazines, and even a movie or two. But now it’s time for us to share your brutal honesty. We do that while lighting up the cigar we named Cigar of the Year in the first hour. The Aganorsa Leaf Connecticut Robusto. The over/under on Barry referring to this as not your Grandfather’s Connecticut sits at 4.5. We also have the usual suspects such as Versus, Offer Of The Day, Asylum, Classic 3-Way and Cigar News on the number one downloaded cigar podcast in the world. The Cigar Authority is a member of the United Podcast Network and is recorded live in front of a studio audience at Studio 21 Podcast Cafe upstairs at Two Guys Smoke Shop in Salem, NH and as always you can find many of the cigars we discuss at http://www.2GuysCigars.com/.

It’s one of the most popular shows of the year, as David Garofalo sits down and lets us know the state of the cigar industry. Is there growth? What countries are producing? What are the trends? What does the future hold? We go over the stats and debate them while smoking the Hammer + Sickle Tradicion Churchill. We will then welcome to the show Erik Wentworth the Vice President of Hammer + Sickle Cigars as we discuss what 2019 will bring for the company. We will play some show and tell and discuss what is in store. We also have the usual suspects such as Versus, Offer Of The Day, Asylum, Classic 3-Way and Cigar News on the number one downloaded cigar podcast in the world. The Cigar Authority is a member of the United Podcast Network and is recorded live in front of a studio audience at Studio 21 Podcast Cafe upstairs at Two Guys Smoke Shop in Salem, NH and as always you can find many of the cigars we discuss at http://www.2GuysCigars.com/.

For the last 27 Years, David Garofalo has announced the Cigar of the Year. This year it started with 8 contenders and you the listener of The Cigar Authority. For the past month we’ve solicited your votes and on today’s show we will announce the 2018 Cigar of the Year. Did you vote for the winner? In the first hour we will smoke C.O. Jones which is made by a former Cigar of the Year winner Jochy Blanco. His La Galera won in 2016. In the second hour we fire up the cigar that has become a tradition on the show before New Years Eve. That cigar is the Perdomo Champagne from the factory that won in 1998 and 2000. We will have the usual suspects such as Versus, Offer Of The Day, Asylum, Classic 3-Way and Cigar News on the number one downloaded cigar podcast in the world. The Cigar Authority is a member of the United Podcast Network and is recorded live in front of a studio audience at Studio 21 Podcast Cafe upstairs at Two Guys Smoke Shop in Salem, NH and as always you can find many of the cigars we discuss at http://www.2GuysCigars.com/.

Twas the weekend before Christmas and the guys were on set. Wondering, who will win their little bet? Last weekend we gave you our predictions for the Cigar Aficionado Top 25, and today we will look who got the most right. Before we get to that though we will light up the Bandolero Tremendos from Selected Tobacco as we discuss how important the band is as we drink some Rum spreading the holiday cheer. In the second hour we light up the 2017 Cigar of the Year for the last time. We bid farewell to Aladino Robusto for next week we will unveil the 2018 winner. 2 hours of drinking, this one will be either delightful or frightful. We will have the usual suspects such as Versus, Offer Of The Day, Asylum, Classic 3-Way and Cigar News on the number one downloaded cigar podcast in the world. The Cigar Authority is a member of the United Podcast Network and is recorded live in front of a studio audience at Studio 21 Podcast Cafe upstairs at Two Guys Smoke Shop in Salem, NH and as always you can find many of the cigars we discuss at http://www.2GuysCigars.com/.

When it comes to fighting for Cigar Rights there is one manufacturer who stands out. Rocky Patel tirelessly travels to Washington to fight with politicians for your right to enjoy a premium cigar. It's a right we as adults should be allowed. But how did the bans start? Today we look at the history while we fire up a cigar from the Care Package; Rocky Patel San Andreas 2016 In the second hour we try our hand at predicting what Cigar Aficionado will name as their best cigar of 2018. Will the guys be able to see into the future or will they swing and miss? Tune in while they debate this topic and smoke the limited production Aladino Corona Reserva. We will have the usual suspects such as Versus, Offer Of The Day, Asylum, Classic 3-Way and Cigar News on the number one downloaded cigar podcast in the world. The Cigar Authority is a member of the United Podcast Network and is recorded live in front of a studio audience at Studio 21 Podcast Cafe upstairs at Two Guys Smoke Shop in Salem, NH and as always you can find many of the cigars we discuss at http://www.2GuysCigars.com/.

The Cigar Authority is the longest current cigar podcast on the internet today. 9 Years in and we’ve asked the listeners for some show ideas and today’s show is one of them. Almost 2 months ago Mr. Jonathan read the email suggestion and quickly went off on how bad of an idea it was. Well, that was enough for us to use the idea. Today we will share some of the movies we enjoy and what we feel is the right cigar to pair with them. During the course of the show we will light up two cigars with the first from The Cigar Authority Care Package being the La Aurora ADN Dominicano, better known as La Aurora DNA. In the second hour we will light up the King’s Treasure from the Contender’s Pack. We will have the usual suspects such as Versus, Offer Of The Day, Asylum, Classic 3-Way and Cigar News on the number one downloaded cigar podcast in the world. The Cigar Authority is a member of the United Podcast Network and is recorded live in front of a studio audience at Studio 21 Podcast Cafe upstairs at Two Guys Smoke Shop in Salem, NH and as always you can find many of the cigars we discuss at http://www.2GuysCigars.com/.

Today we welcome the Great Grandson of the most recognized cigar smoker ever who also happened to be the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom and led Britain to Victory in the 2nd World War. We’re talking about Winston Churchill as we welcome Randolph Churchill. We look back on the life of Sir Winston Churchill who was born on November 30, 1874 as we light the cigar and size that features his name. We will have the usual suspects such as Versus, Offer Of The Day, Asylum, Classic 3-Way and Cigar News on the number one downloaded cigar podcast in the world. The Cigar Authority is a member of the United Podcast Network and is recorded live in front of a studio audience at Studio 21 Podcast Cafe upstairs at Two Guys Smoke Shop in Salem, NH and as always you can find many of the cigars we discuss at http://www.2GuysCigars.com/.

Since 1992 David Garofalo has named cigar of the year, and it always starts with the Contenders. It’s the only Cigar of the Year that counts because it is voted on by you the consumer. We will unveil the 8 cigars that make up the 2018 Contender on today’s episode of the number listened to cigar podcast, The Cigar Authority. This week we smoke two cigars from the Care Package with the first being the 2016 Cigar of the Year, La Galera Connecticut with the second cigar being the the 2015 winner in Recluse Amadeus Habano. We will have the usual suspects such as Versus, Offer Of The Day, Asylum, Classic 3-Way and Cigar News on the number one downloaded cigar podcast in the world. The Cigar Authority is a member of the United Podcast Network and is recorded live in front of a studio audience at Studio 21 Podcast Cafe upstairs at Two Guys Smoke Shop in Salem, NH and as always you can find many of the cigars we discuss at http://www.2GuysCigars.com/.

This week we welcome the big man to the show. We all know the story of how he left NASA to start a cigar brand. Today, Omar de Frias will join us to let us know about everything Fratello include the new Inverso and the Bianco which was part of the Cigar Authority Care Package. Mr. Jonathan returns from his trip where he was literally Dancing with Men. We will catch up with him and find out how he had his heart broken. Plus if you listened to the show last week you might have heard some secrets about him, this week we have incriminating evidence in the form of photographs. We will have the usual suspects such as Versus, Offer Of The Day, Asylum, Classic 3-Way and Cigar News on the number one downloaded cigar podcast in the world. The Cigar Authority is a member of the United Podcast Network and is recorded live in front of a studio audience at Studio 21 Podcast Cafe upstairs at Two Guys Smoke Shop in Salem, NH and as always you can find many of the cigars we discuss at http://www.2GuysCigars.com/.

It’s another week at The Cigar Authority, but it’s one of our favorite episodes as Mr. Jonathan is off dancing with men (no joke!). We welcome to the show two special guests, the first being from Kristoff Cigars, John Fazzi the local New England sales representative. We will smoke the Kristoff Connecticut Corona and talk the 2019 Firecracker with him. Also along for the ride is Sammy B, the brother of Mr. Jonathan and the contractor responsible for building the United Podcas Network set at Studio 21 Podcast Cafe. We will talk about Mr. Jonathan behind his back, and it’s guaranteed to be a lot of fun. How does Sammy feel, that his brother is off in North Carolina dancing cheek to cheek. In the second hour we will light up the 7 • 20 • 4 WK Series from Kurt Kendall and share our thoughts on this cigar that is named for his son who passed away. We will have the usual suspects such as Versus, Offer Of The Day, Asylum, Classic 3-Way and Cigar News on the number one downloaded cigar podcast in the world. The Cigar Authority is a member of the United Podcast Network and is recorded live in front of a studio audience at Studio 21 Podcast Cafe upstairs at Two Guys Smoke Shop in Salem, NH and as always you can find many of the cigars we discuss at http://www.2GuysCigars.com/.

We got a couple of road warriors with us this week. One is in the cigar business and loves comedy, and the other is in the comedy business and loves cigars. Ray Warren from Drew Estates Cigars and Robert Kelly – stand-up comedian and podcaster with his highly successful show called “YOU KNOW WHAT DUDE?” join us live in studio. We light up a couple of cigars this week in a rare show with no Care Package cigars. In the first hour we will light up Liga Privada T52 Robusto and in the second hour we light up a cigar that has shown up on Dave's social media feed lately, Via Havana Corojo El Morro. We will have the usual suspects such as Versus, Offer Of The Day, Asylum, Classic 3-Way and Cigar News on the number one downloaded cigar podcast in the world. The Cigar Authority is a member of the United Podcast Network and is recorded live in front of a studio audience at Studio 21 Podcast Cafe upstairs at Two Guys Smoke Shop in Salem, NH and as always you can find many of the cigars we discuss at http://www.2GuysCigars.com/.

It’s been a crazy week in New Hampshire as the Urban Artists & Cigar Collective known as URNY launched Back2Back at Two Guys Smoke Shop Nashua, NH. The event began Thursday as the 2ESAE and SKI treated the façade as a giant canvas. We will catch up with them on the show and talk about their art and relationship with Davidoff Cigars. We will light up two cigars from the launch, the first being the 5 x 50 Back2Back Connecticut and follow it up in the second hour with the 6 x 60 Nicaragua Back2Back. We will have the usual suspects such as Versus, Offer Of The Day, Asylum, Classic 3-Way and Cigar News on the number one downloaded cigar podcast in the world. The Cigar Authority is a member of the United Podcast Network and is recorded live in front of a studio audience at Studio 21 Podcast Cafe upstairs at Two Guys Smoke Shop in Salem, NH and as always you can find many of the cigars we discuss at http://www.2GuysCigars.com/.

This week we welcome Rafael Nodal from Aging Room & Altadis USA who joined forces 17 months ago. We will look at how this strategic alliance has worked out so far as well as discuss the inspiration for Puro Cepa. It is the first cigar this week and from The Cigar Authority care package. In the second hour we light up the Aging Room Quattro Connecticut plus we catch up on the mail bags which has spiraled out of control. We will have the usual suspects such as Versus, Offer Of The Day, Asylum, Classic 3-Way and Cigar News on the number one downloaded cigar podcast in the world. The Cigar Authority is a member of the United Podcast Network and is recorded live in front of a studio audience at Studio 21 Podcast Cafe upstairs at Two Guys Smoke Shop in Salem, NH and as always you can find many of the cigars we discuss at http://www.2GuysCigars.com/.

David Garofalo has a long history with Drew Estate a history that dates back to their beginnings as he hosted one of their first ever events at Two Guys Smoke Shop. Today we welcome Fabien Ziegler to the show as we find out whats new and exciting from Drew Estate. The man known as Dirty Fabien will join us for the full two hours as we light up the Undercrown Maduro in the first hour, a cigar that is part of the care package. In the second hour we light up the Two Guys Smoke Shop exclusive Acid Amigos as well as let you know about a special promotion running until November 3rd. We will have the usual suspects such as Versus, Offer Of The Day, Asylum, Classic 3-Way and Cigar News on the number one downloaded cigar podcast in the world. The Cigar Authority is a member of the United Podcast Network and is recorded live in front of a studio audience at Studio 21 Podcast Cafe upstairs at Two Guys Smoke Shop in Salem, NH and as always you can find many of the cigars we discuss at http://www.2GuysCigars.com/.

It’s one of the most popular shows we do each year. It is also one of the most controversial shows we do. We will look into rumors, behind the scenes rumblings, and use our knowledge and connections to discuss the possible mergers and acquisitions in this 2018 edition of the conspiracy show. In the first hour we light up the JFR Lunatic Short Titan which is part of the Cigar Authority Care Package. It doesn’t stop there as we double dip this week and in the second hour we fire up the Aladino Maduro Robusto. We will have the usual suspects such as Versus, Offer Of The Day, Asylum, Classic 3-Way and Cigar News on the number one downloaded cigar podcast in the world. The Cigar Authority is a member of the United Podcast Network and is recorded live in front of a studio audience at Studio 21 Podcast Cafe upstairs at Two Guys Smoke Shop in Salem, NH and as always you can find many of the cigars we discuss at http://www.2GuysCigars.com/.

You’ve heard us talk about it over the last couple of weeks, and today we welcome Jason Land to the show where we pair cigars with guitars. How does a cigar note sound on a guitar? Jason will tell us, or better yet play it for us as we celebrate the one year anniversary of Studio 21 Podcast Cafe. In the first hour we light up the Connecticut version of the La Galera Shorts and in the second hour we smoke a cigar from The Cigar Authority care package called Studio 21. We will have the usual suspects such as Versus, Offer Of The Day, Asylum, Classic 3-Way and Cigar News on the number one downloaded cigar podcast in the world. The Cigar Authority is a member of the United Podcast Network and is recorded live in front of a studio audience at Studio 21 Podcast Cafe upstairs at Two Guys Smoke Shop in Salem, NH and as always you can find many of the cigars we discuss at http://www.2GuysCigars.com/.

Our friends at Cigar Journal blessed us with a four page article where they called us the best show about nothing. Today we will try to live up to that as we do away with show notes. We had no meetings about what would be discussed and we have no idea what we will smoke. Can we really talk about nothing for two hours. Will this be an epic disaster or a load of laughs. We will have the usual suspects such as Versus, Offer Of The Day, Asylum, Classic 3-Way and Cigar News on the number one downloaded cigar podcast in the world. The Cigar Authority is a member of the United Podcast Network and is recorded live in front of a studio audience at Studio 21 Podcast Cafe upstairs at Two Guys Smoke Shop in Salem, NH and as always you can find many of the cigars we discuss at http://www.2GuysCigars.com/.

This week The Cigar Authority welcomes Scott Weeks of Recluse Cigars to the show. Scott Weeks describes his cigars as a mini-vacation. We will interview Scott Weeks as we smoke the Recluse Los Cabos. At the bottom of the hour we will recap the 33rd Anniversary dinner. It was an epic (or is it epique?) night attended by 500 guests with representation by 17 brands. We gave away over 400 prizes including a Smokey & The Bandit Trans Am. In the second hour, we light the Aganorsa Signature Selection. It’s limited to just 500 boxes per size and we will share with you if these are worthy to track down. We will also tel you why you need to run out and find the Cigar Journal magazine Nick Perdomo and his son on the cover (Hint: It’s on page 108). We also have the usual suspects such as Versus, Offer Of The Day, Asylum, Classic 3-Way and Cigar News on the number one downloaded cigar podcast in the world. The Cigar Authority is a member of the United Podcast Network and is recorded live in front of a studio audience at Studio 21 Podcast Cafe upstairs at Two Guys Smoke Shop in Salem, NH and as always you can find many of the cigars we discuss at http://www.2GuysCigars.com/.

This week The Cigar Authority welcomes comedian Tony V to show for some jokes and smokes. He’s a Boston area based funny man who has been in some movies and commercials. We will light up the Davidoff Nicaragua Robusto from the Care Package in the first hour. Dave will also read an email and ask if humor can go to far as Barry has felt the wrath of a listener who has called for his job. In the second hour, Tony V will stay with us as we light up an epic cigar, the Byron Epique Poema as we discuss one of his first television gigs, a commercial for luggage company and look at some of the funniest comedians past and present. We also have the usual suspects such as Versus, Offer Of The Day, Asylum, Classic 3-Way and Cigar News on the number one downloaded cigar podcast in the world. The Cigar Authority is a member of the United Podcast Network and is recorded live in front of a studio audience at Studio 21 Podcast Cafe upstairs at Two Guys Smoke Shop in Salem, NH and as always you can find many of the cigars we discuss at http://www.2GuysCigars.com/.

It's Labor Day weekend and the boys discuss what they have planned for the weekend as they fire up a Diamond Crown No. 4 from The Cigar Authority Care Package. At the bottom of the hour, Brad Jarvis the New England sales representative for JC Newman/Diamond Crown/Arturo Fuente joins us live on the show as we discuss humidors and why Diamond Crown humidors are different. In the second hour of the show we fire up a cigar that should be shipping to retailers soon, the E.P. Carrillo INCH Ringmaster. We also have the usual suspects such as Versus, Offer Of The Day, Asylum, Classic 3-Way and Cigar News on the number one downloaded cigar podcast in the world. The Cigar Authority is a member of the United Podcast Network and is recorded live in front of a studio audience at Studio 21 Podcast Cafe upstairs at Two Guys Smoke Shop in Salem, NH and as always you can find many of the cigars we discuss at http://www.2GuysCigars.com/.

This week on The Cigar Authority we double up on cigars from the care package as Dave called an audible for last week's show. So in the first hour we will light up the United Natural Churchill while we look into what you can do with your old cigar boxes. There are some interesting things out, and we might even have a little show and tell for our YouTube audience. In the second hour we will light up the Avo Syncro, which was the cigar we were originally scheduled to smoke on the show. As we do it, we will take a look at some of the early contenders for Cigar of the Year and ask the question if they will be worthy to be a final contender. We also have the usual suspects such as Versus, Offer Of The Day, Asylum, Classic 3-Way and Cigar News on the number one downloaded cigar podcast in the world. The Cigar Authority is a member of the United Podcast Network and is recorded live in front of a studio audience at Studio 21 Podcast Cafe upstairs at Two Guys Smoke Shop in Salem, NH and as always you can find many of the cigars we discuss at http://www.2GuysCigars.com/.

50 Years ago Davidoff Cigars was born and we fire up the Davidoff 50 Year Diademas Finas in celebration of the Golden Anniversary of the original boutique cigar. We will go through the timeline of this storied company and take a look at other boutique cigars that have made it. In the second hour we fire up a cigar from the current king of boutique cigar companies. Back in 2016 RoMaCraft Cigars made the Firecracker and this year the company released once again for Two Guys Smoke Shop. We’ll light up the 2018 edition and let you know how fast they sold out and how they compared. We also have the usual suspects such as Versus, Offer Of The Day, Asylum, Classic 3-Way and Cigar News on the number one downloaded cigar podcast in the world. The Cigar Authority is a member of the United Podcast Network and is recorded live in front of a studio audience at Studio 21 Podcast Cafe upstairs at Two Guys Smoke Shop in Salem, NH and as always you can find many of the cigars we discuss at http://www.2GuysCigars.com/.

This week we are a man down with Barry on vacation, but we will be joined by him in spirit as we smoke a cigar that could be named for him in Big Boy. It’s part of The Cigar Authority care package and we will let you know our thoughts. In the second hour, we will light up something special so join us for all the shenanigans on the number one cigar podcast in the world. We also have the usual suspects such as Versus, Offer Of The Day, Asylum, Classic 3-Way and Cigar News on the number one downloaded cigar podcast in the world. The Cigar Authority is a member of the United Podcast Network and is recorded live in front of a studio audience at Studio 21 Podcast Cafe upstairs at Two Guys Smoke Shop in Salem, NH and as always you can find many of the cigars we discuss at http://www.2GuysCigars.com/.

This week we take a trip to Italy, in spirit as we welcome Michael Cappellini the Brand Ambassador from Toscano Cigars. He’ll tell us about the oldest cigar company in Italy and how his own family history has ties to the Italian company. We’ll light up the Toscano Classico in the first hour and pair it with a nice Espresso as we share our thoughts as the members of the care package smoke it along with us. In the second hour, we will look the bombshell statement from Altria and the reactions from the statement. It hit the internet with a Vengeance, and we will light up an old cigar that is new again, The Kristoff Vengeance as we share our thoughts. We also have the usual suspects such as Versus, Offer Of The Day, Asylum, Classic 3-Way and Cigar News on the number one downloaded cigar podcast in the world. The Cigar Authority is a member of the United Podcast Network and is recorded live in front of a studio audience at Studio 21 Podcast Cafe upstairs at Two Guys Smoke Shop in Salem, NH and as always you can find many of the cigars we discuss at http://www.2GuysCigars.com/.

There were a lot of new cigars and line extensions for national distribution at the 2018 IPCPR show in Las Vegas and we had hoped to get to them last week and discuss what Dave bought that will be coming to his stores soon. We never got to them, but it makes for another show so here we go and we will let you know what to expect in the coming weeks and months. We will also discuss food and what Dave enjoyed while in Las Vegas and he will tell us about the new project he just started that ties into food. So much for the diet, but the show must go on or in this case the shows must go on. In the first hour we will light up the Aganorsa Connecticut which is one of the new products we will have on our shelves in the near future and we will share our thoughts with you and let you know why it made the cut. In the second hour we will light up a cigar from the care package that might of had you scratching your head. I thought Dave was crazy until I lit one up and we hope you feel the same way as we light up the Villager Kiel Brazil. We also have the usual suspects such as Versus, Offer Of The Day, Asylum, Classic 3-Way and Cigar News on the number one downloaded cigar podcast in the world. The Cigar Authority is a member of the United Podcast Network and is recorded live in front of a studio audience at Studio 21 Podcast Cafe upstairs at Two Guys Smoke Shop in Salem, NH and as always you can find many of the cigars we discuss at http://www.2GuysCigars.com/.

Dave has a flown back from Las Vegas and boy are his arms tired! We will catch up on everything IPCPR with two guests. In the first hour we will be joined by John McTavish from Developing Palates who wears two hats. One for media and the other as a retailer from Canada. Dave and John will share their thoughts as we smoke the 22N / 83W from the July care package. In the second hour we welcome Jeff Borysiewicz from Corona Cigar and grower of tobacco in Florida. We will light up the Florida Sun Grown which is made at Drew Estate and find out why Jeff has decided to grow tobacco along his thoughts on IPCPR. We also have the usual suspects such as Versus, Offer Of The Day, Asylum, Classic 3-Way and Cigar News on the number one downloaded cigar podcast in the world. The Cigar Authority is a member of the United Podcast Network and is recorded live in front of a studio audience at Studio 21 Podcast Cafe upstairs at Two Guys Smoke Shop in Salem, NH and as always you can find many of the cigars we discuss at http://www.2GuysCigars.com/.

With David Garofalo in Las Vegas at IPCPR, Mr. Jonathan puts on his lab coat for a series of experiments. The first one is a continuation of #StrengthGate as he just can’t let it go. Today he looks at the size of the cigar and the temperature it burns at. Does smaller mean hotter? In the second hour we will discuss the best way to smoke in your car. It’s an argument between many couples, but today we will share with you the best way to limit the amount of smoke in the car. It’s something Barry & Mr. Jonathan might actually agree on. Oh yeah, there will be some cigars smoked as well. In the first hour we will light up the Camacho Liberty Series Throwback 2005 and in the second hour we will light up the Oliva O Toro from the July Care Package. We also have the usual suspects such as Versus, Offer Of The Day, Asylum, Classic 3-Way and Cigar News on the number one downloaded cigar podcast in the world. The Cigar Authority is a member of the United Podcast Network and is recorded live in front of a studio audience at Studio 21 Podcast Cafe upstairs at Two Guys Smoke Shop in Salem, NH and as always you can find many of the cigars we discuss at http://www.2GuysCigars.com/.

The Cigar Authority welcomes to the show Klaaus Pieter Kelner from Davidoff cigars. If that name sounds familiar to you, he is the son of Henke Kelner. We will catch up with him as we light up the Davidoff 702 Series Special R and see what is expected from Davidoff as they celebrate their 50th Year. At the bottom of the hour we will begin our preview of the 2018 IPCPR Trade show as we look at the layout of the show and the what to expect. Who will be there and who is not going? In the second hour we will light up the Berlin Wall Box Press from Hammer + Sickle Cigars and look at some of the cigars that are expected to get national distribution this year. Additionally we will look at the guest speakers expected and find out who Dave will be spending his nights with in Las Vegas. The answer might surprise you. We also have the usual suspects such as Versus, Offer Of The Day, Asylum, Classic 3-Way and Cigar News on the number one downloaded cigar podcast in the world. The Cigar Authority is a member of the United Podcast Network and is recorded live in front of a studio audience at Studio 21 Podcast Cafe upstairs at Two Guys Smoke Shop in Salem, NH and as always you can find many of the cigars we discuss at http://www.2GuysCigars.com/.

Half the year is almost over and Ed Sullivan returns from his vacation to Portugal. We will catch up with him in the first half hour as we enjoy a Diamond Crown Maximus. At the bottom of the hour we will be joined on set by Eric Newman from JC Newman as we find out if we can save Ybor City. We talk with Eric about his many trips to Washington DC and the halls of the US Senate and how you can help save Cigar City. We also get a look at the trouble in Nicaragua from the eyes of their factory. At the top of the hour we fire up a Brick House cigar as we talk about IPCPR and what it will mean for JC Newman and Arturo Fuente. What cigars will see National Releases and what do those cigars have to do with the family legacy of JC Newman. We also have the usual suspects such as Versus, Offer Of The Day, Asylum, Classic 3-Way and Cigar News on the number one downloaded cigar podcast in the world. The Cigar Authority is a member of the United Podcast Network and is recorded live in front of a studio audience at Studio 21 Podcast Cafe upstairs at Two Guys Smoke Shop in Salem, NH and as always you can find many of the cigars we discuss at http://www.2GuysCigars.com/.

It’s one of the most anticipated Limited Edition releases every summer. As Independence Day inches closer, we unveil the Mi Querida Firecracker which goes on sale at 2GuysCigars.com on June 25th, 2018. To celebrate the great unveil we welcome Steve Saka to show. But first we will light up the ongoing release Corojo Firecracker as we look at the history of the Firecracker. How did it start, and who had made them in the past. At 12:30 we will welcome Steve Saka to the desk and light up the Mi Querida Firecracker as we talk to him about the Firecracker and how he approached the project. We will also find out what Dunbarton Tobacco & Trust has planned for IPCPR and how the situation in Nicaragua might change those plans. We also have the usual suspects such as Versus, Offer Of The Day, Asylum, Classic 3-Way and Cigar News on the number one downloaded cigar podcast in the world. The Cigar Authority is a member of the United Podcast Network and is recorded live in front of a studio audience at Studio 21 Podcast Cafe upstairs at Two Guys Smoke Shop in Salem, NH and as always you can find many of the cigars we discuss at http://www.2GuysCigars.com/.

As you may know by now Eric Hanson from Hammer + Sickle passed away this week. Today, The Cigar Authority will be joined by Hammer + Sickle Nation Sales Manager Erik Wentworth as we reflect on our very close friend. We’ll do this while smoking a Hammer + Sickle Hermitage in the first hour and a Moscow City that was limited to just 1,000 boxes of which Dave was personally gifted a sign box. With FDA Regulations in place and creeping ever closer we will look at a post made on Social Media by a well-known cigar maker. We will discuss this and ask the question if the bigger guys wants to bring a stop to the smaller family owned companies. We also have the usual suspects such as Versus, Offer Of The Day, Asylum, Classic 3-Way and Cigar News on the number one downloaded cigar podcast in the world. The Cigar Authority is a member of the United Podcast Network and is recorded live in front of a studio audience at Studio 21 Podcast Cafe upstairs at Two Guys Smoke Shop in Salem, NH and as always you can find many of the cigars we discuss at http://www.2GuysCigars.com/.

He once worked for the company that distributed Royal Agio in the USA but went his separate way. Shortly there after he wound up with Royal Agio who now handles their own sales and distribution. Zev Kaminetsky fills us in on this company as we smoke the Balmoral from the June Care Package. In the second hour we announce the return of a Subculture Cigar from Drew Estate that is meant to be shared with an amigo. We will have all the details as we light up the cigar and tell you all about as we recap Dave’s Mom’s birthday and catch up on viewer mail. We also have the usual suspects such as Versus, Offer Of The Day, Asylum, Classic 3-Way and Cigar News on the number one downloaded cigar podcast in the world. The Cigar Authority is a member of the United Podcast Network and is recorded live in front of a studio audience at Studio 21 Podcast Cafe upstairs at Two Guys Smoke Shop in Salem, NH and as always you can find many of the cigars we discuss at http://www.2GuysCigars.com/.

Last week the boys flew solo and Dave will chime in on their performance. He will also recap what he was doing in Florida. David Garofalo was he there for Urban Beach Week or was there another reason.. Tune in to hear about Dave partying it up in South Beach. In the first hour we will light the first cigar of the June Cigar Authority Care Package. It’s the Oliveros Gran Retorno from Rafael Nodal’s Boutique Blends. We will give you our thoughts as Barry gives us the Cigar News and takes us for a peek inside the Asylum. In the second hour we welcome Travis Lord from Cigars for Warriors to the show. We discuss how the FDA has effected their mission to send cigars to troops stationed around the world. We will also let you know how you can help to provide a little slice of home and relaxation for the men and women of the armed forces. The Cigar Authority is a member of the United Podcast Network and is recorded live in front of a studio audience at Studio 21 Podcast Cafe upstairs at Two Guys Smoke Shop in Salem, NH and as always you can find many of the cigars we discuss at http://www.2GuysCigars.com/.

This week The Cigar Authority looks at the science of cigar strength versus the size of the cigar. It’s been a hot topic on the show lately with Barry & David thinking smaller equals stronger. Mr. Jonathan has strongly disagreed and with David Garofalo in Miami he takes over the hosting and tells us why he is right. But is he? #StrengthGate is here! In the first hour we will light up the Neanderthal SGP which is part of The Cigar Authority Care Package and we will give you our thoughts as we teach you how to fix a cigar lighters. It’s not as difficult as you may think, so get a small screwdriver and your broken lighter and we will tell you how to get it working again. In the second hour we will light up the Kristoff Criollo. We also have Cigar News, a trip into the Asylum and the return of the Classic 3 Way on the number one listened to Cigar Podcast in the world. The Cigar Authority is a member of the United Podcast Network and is recorded live in front of a studio audience at Studio 21 Podcast Cafe upstairs at Two Guys Smoke Shop in Salem, NH and as always you can find many of the cigars we discuss at http://www.2GuysCigars.com/.

This week The Cigar Authority welcomes Christian Eiroa the owner of CLE Cigars. We will catch up with the man who caught lightning in bottle not only once, but twice. Why did he come back to the industry after he got out? What’s new and exciting in the world of CLE? Tune in to find out this and more! In the first hour we will light up a cigar from CLE and in the second hour we will fire up La Gianna Havana, a cigar that is named after David’s daughter and part of The Cigar Authority care package. We will also discuss games that are associated with cigar smoking, as well as share some games we’ve invented over the years. We also have Cigar News, a trip into the Asylum and the return of the Classic 3 Way on the number one listened to Cigar Podcast in the world. The Cigar Authority is a member of the United Podcast Network and is recorded live in front of a studio audience at Studio 21 Podcast Cafe upstairs at Two Guys Smoke Shop in Salem, NH and as always you can find many of the cigars we discuss at http://www.2GuysCigars.com/.

This week The Cigar Authority welcomes two guests to the show. First we are joined by Glynn Loope from the Cigar Rights of America as he gives us a two year update on the FDA Deeming Regulations. Where do we stand? What can we expect? Is there a light at the end of the tunnel? During the first hour we will be smoking the Jose Dominguez Maduro from The Cigar Authority Care Package. In the second hour we will light up a treat that Dave brought back from the Tobacconist Association of America meetings in the Dominican Republic as we sit down with local La Flor Dominicana Sales Representative Stephen Poirier. We’ll give you a sneak peak at the LFD TAA 50th as we catch up on all things LFD. We also have Cigar News, a trip into the Asylum and the return of the Classic 3 Way on the number one listened to Cigar Podcast in the world. The Cigar Authority is a member of the United Podcast Network and is recorded live in front of a studio audience at Studio 21 Podcast Cafe upstairs at Two Guys Smoke Shop in Salem, NH and as always you can find many of the cigars we discuss at http://www.2GuysCigars.com/.

It’s Cinco de Mayo and you know what that means? The boys are drinking, and since Dave was doing Tequila shots at the TAA in the Dominican Republic with the likes of Carlito Fuente, Rocky Patel and Jorge Padron he can slum it with the likes of Mr. Jonathan, Barry Stein and Ed Sullivan. It’s also a cigar show, so we will talk a lot about that this week as we recap the week in La Romana as we talk exclusive releases, rumors and all the stories that we are allowed to share. In the first hour we will smoke the first cigar from the May Care Package, the La Galera Maduro before following it up in the second hour with the pre-release of the E.P. Carrillo TAA Exclusive 2018. We also have Cigar News, a trip into the Asylum and the Classic 3 Way on the number one listened to Cigar Podcast in the world. The Cigar Authority is a member of the United Podcast Network and is recorded live in front of a studio audience at Studio 21 Podcast Cafe upstairs at Two Guys Smoke Shop in Salem, NH and as always you can find many of the cigars we discuss at http://www.2GuysCigars.com/.

Last week we teased the Jorge Padron interview, but this week we have it for you. The sit down which took place on April 19th at Two Guys Smoke Shop in New Hampshire featured a very candid and often funny Jorge Padron. It is something you do not what to miss! In the first hour we will be lighting up a Perdomo 20th Anniversary Connecticut and in the second hour we will light up Yellow Jacket, both of which were part of the April Care Package. We also have Cigar News, a trip into the Asylum and the Classic 3 Way on the number one listened to Cigar Podcast in the world. The Cigar Authority is a member of the United Podcast Network and is recorded live in front of a studio audience at Studio 21 Podcast Cafe upstairs at Two Guys Smoke Shop in Salem, NH and as always you can find many of the cigars we discuss at http://www.2GuysCigars.com/.

This week on The Cigar Authority we’re talking about the Nicaraguan cigar boom and we explore why Nicaragua is beating the Dominican Republic and all others for cigar production and cigar exports. It’s a changing industry, and we explore why this change is happening. In the first hour we fire up a cigar from the care package in the Gilberto Oliva Reserva Blanc, its rolled in Nicaragua and features a Ecuador Connecticut wrapper. In the second hour we we’ll fire up one of the best $5 cigars on the market, the Padron Delicias. We also have Cigar News, a trip into the Asylum and the Classic 3 Way on the number one listened to Cigar Podcast in the world. The Cigar Authority is a member of the United Podcast Network and is recorded live in front of a studio audience at Studio 21 Podcast Cafe upstairs at Two Guys Smoke Shop in Salem, NH and as always you can find many of the cigars we discuss at http://www.2GuysCigars.com/.

In 1941 Mount Rushmore was created honoring four presidents. Today, we debate who would be on the Mount Rushmore of cigars if it was built today. Things are guaranteed to get heated as we are sure to have different opinions. As we debate this topic we will fire up a cigar from Casa Fernandez that is a collaboration with Warped Cigars. The Guardian of the Farm is part of the April Cigar Authority Care Package and we will share our thoughts on this cigar. In the second hour we light up a cigar that goes hand in hand with the topic of today, Rushmore. We also have Cigar News, a trip into the Asylum and the Classic 3 Way on the number one listened to Cigar Podcast in the world. The Cigar Authority is a member of the United Podcast Network and is recorded live in front of a studio audience at Studio 21 Podcast Cafe upstairs at Two Guys Smoke Shop in Salem, NH and as always you can find many of the cigars we discuss at http://www.2GuysCigars.com/.

This week we welcome Justo Eiroa from JRE Tobacco to the show for the first time. You may recall he was scheduled to be on the show once before, but with a Hurricane about to hit Miami he flew back to the city to be with his family and we admire that almost as much as the cigars. This week we will light up the Aladino Maduro which will get it’s word-wide release on The Cigar Authority. It’s about in four sizes, three of which are box pressed. The lone traditional round format is the Lancero. Which size will we smoke on the show? Tune in to find out as we share our thoughts. In the second hour we light up an event only cigar that can be obtained only at JRE Tobacco events. We will share the blend info, and give our thoughts on this rare stick. We also have Cigar News, a trip into the Asylum and the Classic 3 Way on the number one listened to Cigar Podcast in the world. The Cigar Authority is a member of the United Podcast Network and is recorded live in front of a studio audience at Studio 21 Podcast Cafe upstairs at Two Guys Smoke Shop in Salem, NH and as always you can find many of the cigars we discuss at http://www.2GuysCigars.com/.

It’s been 8 crazy years since David Garofalo decided to start podcasting. But how did The Cigar Authority actually come into existence? We will look back at the history and the madness of The Cigar Authority and let you know why we refer to it as the Catalina Wine Mixer. We will look at some stats, and have a couple of gifts for you our faithful listeners and surprisingly there are quite a few of you. We will light up a couple of cigars with Anniversary in their name. The first being the Davidoff 702 Series Aniversario No. 3 and the second being the Padron 1964 Anniversary A. We also have Cigar News, a trip into the Asylum and the Classic 3 Way on the number one listened to Cigar Podcast in the world. The Cigar Authority is a member of the United Podcast Network and is recorded live in front of a studio audience at Studio 21 Podcast Cafe upstairs at Two Guys Smoke Shop in Salem, NH and as always you can find many of the cigars we discuss at http://www.2GuysCigars.com/.

It’s been a crazy week in the cigar world that began with Rocky Patel standing up for the cigar industry this week in a great interview where he campaigned against the draconian FDA regulations. We will discuss the interview that can be seen at http://video.foxnews.com/v/5754532530001/?#sp=show-clips We will light of a cigar from the son of Henke Kelner in the first hour of the show and discuss cigars in a variety of price points up to $20. In the second hour we will light up the cigar Barry gave a 100 rating to, Atabey Spiritus. Did he get it right? While we smoke it we will look at cigars over $20 and look at the latest issue of Cigar Journal magazine. We also have Cigar News, a trip into the Asylum and the Classic 3 Way on the number one listened to Cigar Podcast in the world. The Cigar Authority is a member of the United Podcast Network and is recorded live in front of a studio audience at Studio 21 Podcast Cafe upstairs at Two Guys Smoke Shop in Salem, NH and as always you can find many of the cigars we discuss at http://www.2GuysCigars.com/.