Tobacco 101: Varietals & Primings

You are listening to the Cigar Rebel podcast. In this episode of Cigar Rebel  the team discusses all things tobacco. Join the conversation as we take the time to enjoy one of life’s luxuries on this quirky journey we call life.

Want to smoke along us on the show? The Rebel Pack Subscription goes includes 5 Cigars each month for $43 (including tax and shipping). Packs ship each month around the 22/23 of the month. 

By the end of this episode, the listener will:

• Understand what tobacco varietals actually are
  
  
• Know the difference between major tobacco-growing regions
  
  
• Understand why soil and minerals matter
  
  
• Recognize major cigar tobaccos by name
  
  
• Understand primings from bottom to top of the tobacco plant
  
  
• Be able to smoke more intentionally
  
  
• Stop describing cigars only as “mild, medium, or full”
  
  
• Start understanding why cigars taste and perform differently

Thanks for joining us. Don't forget to subscribe to stay up to date on all things Cigar Rebel!

Like and follow us on YouTube, Facebook and Instagram, and join the conversation on the Cigar Rebel Community on Facebook.

Transcript

SPEAKER_07 0:12

Welcome to the Cigar Rebel community, where indulgence meets authenticity. This is more than a podcast. It's a gathering place for those who savor life's luxuries with unapologetic passion. Here we celebrate the fine art of living through rich flavors, bold spirits, exquisite cigars, and unforgettable experiences.

SPEAKER_06 0:36

Welcome, Cigar Rebels, to the podcast. I'm Mel.

SPEAKER_00 0:39

And I'm Kevin. We're coming to you live tonight from Story Cigars Lounge with an episode Tobacco 101. This is another one of those educational podcasts that you rebels asked for in season two.

SPEAKER_06 0:52

Yes, so everybody uh talks about cigars like they're just flavors. So this one's chocolate, this one's pepper, this one's strong. But cigars don't start with flavor. They actually start with dirt and they start with climate. There's rainfall, minerals, seeds, sunlight, and humidity. Honestly, that's part of why most smokers never really think about it.

SPEAKER_00 1:24

Yeah, absolutely. And this sounds a whole lot like a geology class, Mel, and a whole lot less like a cigar podcast.

SPEAKER_06 1:30

Yeah, so the truth is agriculture and growing experts impact everything. So people love to watch the final wrapper being put onto the cigar, and they love watching it while proclaiming that that is the cigar. That makes it the cigar. It's how it's made.

SPEAKER_00 1:47

Yeah, absolutely. And the reality is everyone cheers for the wrapper application, but the process and the impact begins far, far earlier than when that roller sits down to apply the wrapper.

SPEAKER_06 2:01

Yes. So the cigar in your hand might have tobacco in it from four different countries, could be grown in four different types of soils and harvested from four different parts of the plant. It's all going to be blended together expertly and intentionally.

SPEAKER_00 2:19

Yeah, and now that's the part that people do not really understand or at least think about a whole lot. Most cigar smokers think cigars are simply mild, they're medium, they're full-bodied, but really that's a really small portion.

SPEAKER_06 2:35

Yes, this is the most oversimplified way uh possible to describe cigars. That's like describing music as quiet or medium loud or loud.

SPEAKER_00 2:47

Yeah, absolutely. And that's a perfect comparison because I would have never come up with that, but it's so true that we oversimplify many of these processes when we're describing cigars as a whole.

SPEAKER_06 3:01

Right. So tonight we are going to be breaking down the tobacco varietals, the growing regions, the soils, and the minerals, uh, the priming, why Nicaragua tastes different than Dominican, why one wrapper burns oily and the other one burns silky, and why the same seed can produce completely different cigars depending on where it's grown.

SPEAKER_00 3:26

Yeah, and that's so true. There are so many different applications of growing tobacco that impacts it so uniquely different. And kind of like the developing your palette series, um, this one's an important cigar topic, Mel. Um, it's really one that every cigar smoker should care about. Um, and almost creates, you know, if you were to put all this together, almost a master class in why does my tobacco taste the way it tastes? Why does it burn the way that it burns? But before we get too deep, Mel, let's go ahead and cut a cigar tonight. So, what are we smoking tonight?

SPEAKER_06 4:04

Right. So, tonight we are smoking the number two or the silver, depending on which one you want to call it, by McAuliffe Cigars. Uh, this has a San Andreas Sumatra wrapper, Nicaraguan binder, and then it is filled from uh mixed and long short fillers from McAuliffe's color series.

SPEAKER_00 4:23

Yeah, absolutely. So, Cigar Rebels out there watching live or here with us in Stories, I'm going to grab your cigar. Let's cut, let's light, let's settle in. Um, what's the cold draw like, Mel, for you?

SPEAKER_06 4:35

So I get a little bit of a little bit of mild sweetness and earthiness off of the cold draw. And I also will say I'm excited. Everyone here in our audience with us is smoking the number two. Also, everyone who's watching live or even watching on the replay, probably who gets our cigar rebel pack is smoking this with us as well. So I love that.

SPEAKER_00 4:56

Absolutely. I love smoking along. The cigar rebel pack's a great way to do that. Um, I was gonna bring it up right now. You mentioned it, I'll throw a pitch out there. If you're not a subscriber, um, it is closed for the month of June. Um, but if you subscribe in in June, you'll get that in July. And so far, the average value has been about $68, $69. It cost $43, including shipping. Uh and so it's a great deal. Um, but Mel, let's go ahead and let's light this cigar. And your lighting is brought to you by Big Sky Cigar Company.

SPEAKER_03 5:29

Back in 1905, on the Montana skies, 100 cents and factories, roll smoke butterwise. Reminers, the ranchers, light one bring now. Big sky cigar because bringing that spirit back in.

SPEAKER_02 5:47

Yellowstone River to the bold eagorn flow, Madison, the roof black foot we know.

SPEAKER_03 5:55

I mean from Nicaragua, Stan Race to the Ecuador, and every box soul helps our veterans, men with warriors and quiet waters. We lend a friend's hand. It's heritage burning and every draw. Big sky skates, Montana's pride and low.

SPEAKER_02 6:24

Big sky cigar. We're heritage full will ever draw.

SPEAKER_05 6:31

Find your real red Big Sky cigar to pop up. Ask your local tobacconist about Big Sky cigars today. If they do not carry them, shops can reach out to Brad Fraser to set up new accounts.

SPEAKER_06 6:45

As always, thank you to our sponsors. Now that we have our cigars lit, we were talking a little bit um as we were lighting with people here tonight with us, and uh, we did get some people say they were getting some of that sweet or sweet hay. Uh, someone had said they got a little bit of nut in there. Yeah, absolutely.

SPEAKER_00 7:03

Nuttiness in this first couple of draws, definitely that uh nuttiness, a little bit of that sweet hay you still pick up. Um, this is a unique cigar because it changes so much. I've smoked from multiple different bundles. Um, we'll get into that here in a little bit, but definitely so far, it's definitely smoking um very, very well um in just the first couple of draws. Um, before we get too far, uh Richard could see you tonight. He says, Hey Rebels, Stogie Bros said, What's up, Rebels? Good to see you guys. Um, Leslie of the corn. And then Leslie says, I've smoked quite a few of the number two. My only issue with it is the concept of calling it number two doesn't give justice from a marketing perspective. Um, this is a phenomenal smoke. Um, I agree, Leslie. I I think the only reasoning for the number two is it's really the second to the tobacco because it's filler is from all of the color series, as Mel said a minute ago. And so I think that's where the concept comes from. Um, the band is a beautiful silver. That's why I typically call it the silver. Um, Dwayne says, Good evening, Rebels breaking out our Rebel pack. What a great selection this month. Looking forward to hearing information on this episode. Um, and then Stogie Rose saying, strongly agree. Um, so Mel, let's jump right back into the episode.

SPEAKER_06 8:21

All right. So, this episode, it might be one of our episodes that has the most notes ever for one of our podcasts.

SPEAKER_00 8:28

Yeah, no truer words have been spoken, to be honest with you. Um, the Develop Your Palette series was fairly extensive in content, um, but it was really about 10 pages of notes that we haven't talked about, um, that really created uh an episode four and an episode five, and then probably another 20 pages of notes just as reference material. And we'll work our way around to that at some point. But this tobacco episode was huge, right?

SPEAKER_06 8:59

And those notes really build and get deeper in the same topics or items as you help people along uh the journey, and these notes are gonna be different from that.

SPEAKER_00 9:12

Yeah, so those notes kind of built in layers, so it's really the same topic over and over again. But for tonight's episode, we ended up with 50 pages of notes, and I didn't even cover four topics that I felt truly relevant to the discussion. Um, that we're gonna have to find time at some point of the next year or so to get to those topics, if not this year.

SPEAKER_06 9:34

Right. So, what a lot of people don't realize is the depth of knowledge, expertise, and generational wisdom that goes into producing the amazing tobacco that's utilized in the cigar industry.

SPEAKER_00 9:51

Yeah, absolutely. As we begin to outline notes to prepare for the conversation side on varietals and primings, um, it really became clear that we needed to cover a few things first in order to truly understand the depth because there's the farming and all these things that typical cigar rollers want to know about the manufacturer. Uh, as we've gotten deeper into this, I want to know about the farm. I want to know about the tobacco, I want to know about the soil. That's the impact.

SPEAKER_06 10:18

Right. We didn't want to just simply cover the uh varietals and the primings, but we also wanted to help all of you rebels out there understand them. And so, with that being said, uh, we are never going to get to all of the information.

SPEAKER_00 10:35

Yeah, not tonight for sure. Um, but we will cover it eventually. And we have a question for you rebels watching live here a little bit later in the podcast that'll give us a little bit of direction. But for tonight, let's start simple, and that is let's define what is a tobacco varietal, because people often hear the words corojo, criojo, habano, and half the time they just nod their head male like they understand because they know that's this cigar, but they don't really know what it means.

SPEAKER_06 11:07

That is true. People understand what it is in theory, but they don't really understand what the difference is. So a varietal is basically the genetic family of the tobacco plant. So you can think of it like wine grapes. Uh, Cabernet is going to be different from a Pinot Noir because the genetics are different. Tobacco works the exact same way.

SPEAKER_00 11:34

Yeah, different seeds produce different things, right?

SPEAKER_06 11:38

Different flavors, different textures, different combustion qualities, different nicotine levels, and different aromas.

SPEAKER_00 11:47

So Corojo isn't just a marketing word.

SPEAKER_06 11:50

No, not originally. Uh Corojo was actually developed in Cuba as a wrapper seed. So it became famous because it was produced this bold, spicy, rich Cuban profile.

SPEAKER_00 12:05

Yeah, and so as it built out that profile, the unlikeliness or the devastation happened when disease issues begin to impact tobacco in Cuba. Seeds begin to spread out across Central America into the Dominican Republic, Nicaragua, Honduras, and several other places. And Mel, that's really where this gets interesting.

SPEAKER_06 12:30

Right. The same seed that is grown in different soil and climate becomes a different experience. So it's like the same DNA, but a different personality.

SPEAKER_00 12:41

Yeah, and so a Habano seed that's grown in Nicaragua is going to have a very different taste profile than one grown in Ecuador.

SPEAKER_06 12:51

Because now you are adding the volcanic soil, the humidity, sunlight exposure, mineral content, and then the elevation. And all of that is going to change the tobacco.

SPEAKER_00 13:03

Yeah. So, Mel, a little bit earlier, you defined or compared tobacco to the grapes that are utilized in wine. And it's such a great comparison because when it comes to cigars, tobacco is genetics plus environment.

SPEAKER_06 13:20

100%. And honestly, this is where cigar smokers should start thinking more like coffee drinkers, whiskey drinkers, or even wine connoisseurs, because terroir is real, which is a French word.

SPEAKER_00 13:34

Yeah, so when you talk about terroir, why don't you explain that for us today?

SPEAKER_06 13:37

So it's pronounced tarroir, or I think I got that pretty close. I even Googled it to make sure I was trying to do it justice. It's a French term describing a sense of place. So it's imported to agricultural products, most famously wine, by the specific environment conditions. It combines soil compos composition, the climate, uh topography, and human practices to create the unique non-replicable flavors in coffee, chocolate, tea, and tobacco. So not just grapes. Uh now, cigar guys sometimes romanticize this a little bit too much.

SPEAKER_00 14:18

Yeah, I would agree because the problem with cigar guys, enthusiasts, hobbyists, which is probably true for car guys, it's probably true for tobacco guys or for hunters or for fishing, it's a guy problem. We like to get dramatic. I caught the fish that was this big, you know, this big, and then the next time it was this big and it was two pounds, the next time it was four pounds. Every time I tell the story, but we over-romanticize, we over-dramatize, especially terroi when it comes to tobacco.

SPEAKER_06 14:53

Right. And not every pepper note is the sole of volcanic earth, but soil does absolutely change the leaf thickness, the nutrient density, the combustion, the texture, the oil production, and the almighty ash. So that all changes the cigar.

SPEAKER_00 15:15

Yeah, absolutely. Uh, and just to be clear, before we even light a cigar, we're already talking farm science. Before the color sort on the tobacco is done, before it's laid out to blend, all of these things have huge impact.

SPEAKER_06 15:35

Yes, and that is why to truly understand tobacco, you must discuss all of how this tobacco grows to really understand all of the nuances.

SPEAKER_00 15:49

Yeah, absolutely. And so there's this long ash contest going on, Mel, with the McAuliffe too. So um, I'm going to wait a little while tonight. I've got a pretty good ash. Let's see if I can get it long uh before I wear it, but I may end up ashing it beforehand. But uh, if you guys are out there watching um and you're smoking a McAuliff number two, or you get an opportunity to get them, they are doing a long ass contest. You just go out to their website, you can sign up. Um, there's a lot of great things out there for it. Um, Richard asked if he had heard anything about the tobacco that Prodomos used in their father's son's new line. He said he's gonna be in studio Saturday. Um, I've heard a little bit about it, Richard. I have not studied a whole lot for it. I do know there's some different unique tobaccos being used, um, but I don't have a lot of detail on that. Um, to be honest, I just don't want to jump off into a topic and guess.

SPEAKER_06 16:46

Right.

SPEAKER_00 16:47

Uh but Mel, all of these different things we're talking about, and you talked about the nuances of tobacco. Uh, it really brings us to the growing regions. And before we can get into varietals and primings, we've talked a little bit about the growing regions and then maybe the soils, because those play such an important part for us to understand the other, right? So uh let's kick it off with Mexico um tonight.

SPEAKER_06 17:16

Yeah, so starting uh with Mexico, because Mexican tobacco has become insanely important over the last decade, yeah.

SPEAKER_00 17:26

And prior to that, Mexican tobacco grown, um really Mexican grown tobacco or Mexican puro cigars was not very well received in the cigar world. That is really all changed, it has completely changed over the last seven to ten years, right?

SPEAKER_06 17:50

Especially with San Andreas. So San Andreas sits in this volcanic region and it has that dark, mineral-rich soil, and then that soil produces thick, oily, dense tobacco leaves. So that's why San Andreas wrappers tend to have earthiness, uh, cocoa, dark sweetness, pepper, and richness.

SPEAKER_00 18:14

Yeah, and if you smoke San Andreas tobacco, you feel San Andreas wrappers. There's a filth, a feeling to it. It's toothy, it's hardy, it's oily.

SPEAKER_06 18:28

Exactly. They are gonna feel heavier, oilier, almost chewy sometimes. And that is the mineral-rich volcanic soil that creates the dense tobacco structure, and that is why San Andreas became famous for Maduro wrappers.

SPEAKER_00 18:46

Absolutely. And recently I've heard a few cigar reviewers and bloggers really call San Andreas wrappers um a flavor profile that tastes dark and rich. And I would agree with that. There's a richness to it, there's a darkness to it, and that, especially in the Maduro, there's just a depth.

SPEAKER_06 19:06

And there's actual agricultural reasoning behind that. That's richness that starts in the soil. So, next region we're going to move into is Brazil.

SPEAKER_00 19:17

All right, so Brazilian tobacco is one that people don't really talk enough about right now.

SPEAKER_06 19:21

Yeah, not enough at all. So Brazil produces some of the most unique tobacco in the industry. So that's going to be Madafina, Mada Norte, and Arapirica. Arapurica. Arapirica, yeah.

SPEAKER_00 19:36

Araparica. It's Brazilian tobacco tends to really have this natural dark sweetness. Um, we use um Brazilian Metafina in a couple of our limited edition cigars. Um, and you get flavors out of it. It's like darker spiced rum. You get a molasses, a very rich earth, almost a loamy type of dirt. Um, you get a baker's cocoa or a baker's chocolate that really defines Brazilian tobacco, especially Metafina.

SPEAKER_06 20:06

Right. Brazilian tobacco, it always feels luxurious to me. Uh, and Brazil's tropical growing climate creates a lot of humidity and dense leaf development, especially in the regions like Matafina.

SPEAKER_00 20:22

Yeah, and the leaves are always very bright, not necessarily in color, but they're they're just bright and striking when entering the curing barn. And additionally, the leaves really leave fermentation beautifully. Um, and it's really why the Brazilian wrappers, the leaves that are used for wrappers, can be very velvety, they're hardy, they're easy to work with.

SPEAKER_06 20:48

Right. Uh, so up next is gonna be Costa Rica, and Costa Rica isn't one of the giant powerhouse regions, but it does produce some very flavorful and very balanced tobacco.

SPEAKER_00 21:03

Yeah, and there's really starting to be some really great cigars being manufactured in the region as well that have a really unique flavor profile and some really great notes.

SPEAKER_06 21:13

Yes, it's really it's due to higher elevations, good rainfall, and then a balanced climate. So the tobacco often comes across smoother and more refined.

SPEAKER_00 21:26

Yeah, and so there's this natural sweetness smell that comes from Costa Rican tobacco. Um, for you rebels out there, if you've had some, we'd love to hear back if you've had any Costa Rican cigars. Um, they're more rounded tobacco profiles, it's not as edgy or as sharp. Um, and before because of that, we're actually working with a factory down there that has taken some of our blends that are Dominican and Nicaraguan, but we're using that same, if you want to call it recipe, but with Costa Rican tobacco in order. To kind of blend those out to see what it would look like. We've had samples, we've been smoking, um, some kind of small fun project we're working on. But it really is interesting, it really changes and smooths out some of those sharper notes.

SPEAKER_06 22:17

Right. So they have been really interesting to try and smoke, like you said. Um, I've enjoyed each of them, but they are definitely different than what we would normally be smoking.

SPEAKER_00 22:28

Yeah, and so let's move on into some of the more common growing regions that people probably think of when they think of cigars. And so let's jump right into Honduras.

SPEAKER_06 22:38

So Honduras is growing into one of the most underrated tobacco countries in the world. Um, over the past five to ten years, the tobacco has really matured and the farms are producing substantially better leaves.

SPEAKER_00 22:56

Yeah, I agree with that completely. Um, over the last five years or so, Honduran tobacco no longer has a strong dirt or heavy earth profile to me when it comes to tobacco. They've really had enough growing seasons and refined it really well.

SPEAKER_06 23:13

Yeah, so like the Dominican and Nicaragua, people are starting to find tobacco region of Honduras that they really love.

SPEAKER_00 23:23

Yeah, and so there's different regions there, right? So they're finding those.

SPEAKER_06 23:26

They get really stereotyped as earthy and strong, but that's really kind of like saying that all bourbon tastes the same.

SPEAKER_00 23:34

Yeah, we have a bunch of different bourbon profiles because people have different palettes, different um flavor profiles, notes they like. Um, Honduran tobacco for a long time was really pigeonholed into a very small kind of concept or thought that it was really just dirt and earth. Um, but the Talanga and Copan, um, they don't smoke relatively alike at all. They're completely different. And one reason Honduran tobacco develops its rustic reputation historically was because of fermentation styles, older blending traditions, heavier primings based on the soil, stronger sun exposure, and longer sun exposure. But modern Honduran tobacco, over the last five to ten years, you've really been seeing it come strong from Hamonstrand area, um, more refined of coupon um production that's a lot more refined and more elegant. Um, and it's become some. I can't talk tonight, I'm losing my voice, but significantly more nuanced. The evolution has honestly been one of the most interesting now. I've been enjoying watching it because seven, eight years ago I hated Hunter and tobacco, and now there's a handful of cigars I love with that tobacco in it.

SPEAKER_06 24:57

Yes, and I think this is also why you're seeing more production come from Camacho, Rocky Patel, Punch, Alec Bradley, and Aladino that are coming from these regions.

SPEAKER_00 25:10

Yeah, and those are the guys that are coming in refinement, they've brought new world modernization to that rustic area of the world. And it's really one of the most misunderstood cigar countries, in my personal opinion. Um, the major growing regions inside Honduras provide very different personalities, and there's really three main areas. Um, we had mentioned all of them Hamanstra, Valley, Talonga, and Copan. Um, each region has a different elevation, different rainfall, different soil compositions, temperature swings, and different variances of cloudiness and overcast, which creates different sun profiles.

SPEAKER_06 25:55

And all of that is going to change the tobacco. The Hamashrin Valley, which is often considered one of the most premium growing regions in Honduras, a lot of cigar people are going to describe it as cleaner, more refined, and more elegant. Uh, the older school Honduran tobacco, yeah, really, and this region has helped reshape the image of Honduras from rough and rustic to more complex and premium.

SPEAKER_00 26:27

Yeah, and complex and premium is a great way to say that. Um, there's some great tobacco and there's some phenomenal manufacturing happening in Honduras, which is why I think it's really not talked about enough and reviewed at. Um, but I want to talk soil and climate for just a moment. Um, in Honduras, there's mineral-rich valley soil, there's really great drainage, um, significant sunlight in Hamasra. Um, there's warm growing conditions, and it's very balanced rainfall. Um, the valley geography really helps strong but controlled leaf development.

SPEAKER_06 27:05

Right. And those flavor profiles, those are going to be cedar, black pepper, roasted nuts, leather, dry earth, and baking spice. And then sometimes you'll also get some cocoa, maybe some mineral sharpness, and there's going to be some subtle sweetness in there as well.

SPEAKER_00 27:24

Yeah, when we're talking about homosterone tobacco, you really have this feeling that it's structured, that it's dense, that it's well balanced, and it's very smooth for Honduran tobacco, especially compared to the other growing regions. There's cleaner transitions, and it's why many what I would call modern Honduran cigars lean heavily into that region for growing.

SPEAKER_06 27:50

Right. Yeah, now let's go ahead and move into the Talagan region. Talonga. I'm bad at saying some of these words.

SPEAKER_00 27:58

I had to look them up. I mean, because normally I just pronounce them the way that I think they're pronounced until someone corrects me, but I did look these up to make sure because I it's Talonga.

SPEAKER_06 28:08

And so sometimes I will say it how I think it's said, and then I might hear someone else say it and they say it differently.

SPEAKER_00 28:13

Yeah, because every time I see it, I immediately want to think to Pinga from Boy Meets World, uh, showing my age here. I don't know why, but uh, but it's Talonga.

SPEAKER_06 28:23

And so the Talonga tobacco tends to lean more old school Honduran. So this is really what you're gonna get. You're gonna get heavier earth, uh, rustic spice, maybe a more raw strength, and then there's going to be a darker body, so it can feel more aggressive and also untamed.

SPEAKER_00 28:44

Yeah, and so the lower the lower elevation in this area creates a very different growing zone. Um, the dense soil, though, really helps it out. Um, there's a higher heat exposure here than in the Hamasteran Valley. Um, the growing conditions are not as good. So um some farmers have described it as a more rugged area, and that environment creates a heavier, hardier tobacco because it has to survive.

SPEAKER_06 29:14

Right. And the flavor profiles are also going to be different there. You're going to get more dark earth, black coffee, uh charred wood, pepper, dry cocoa, some mineral bitterness, and some less common notes are going to be maybe smoky mesquite or dark spice, maybe some campfire character in there.

SPEAKER_00 29:38

Yeah, and it often feels almost those taste profiles. You can almost pull it up in the smoke texture in the feel of the tobacco because it's gritty, it's thick, it's chewy, it's rustic. Um, that's where I think that mineral bitterness comes from, that smoky mesquite, and even that campfire character you mentioned, all that plays into the texture and smoke quality as well.

SPEAKER_06 30:07

Right. Um, and so finally the last region. So for the Copan region, and this is going to have balanced Honduran complexity. So Copan is one of the most historically important cigar region in Honduras. It's often considered the most balanced and approachable Honduran profile. So there are a lot of premium Honduran factories that operate near Copan.

SPEAKER_00 30:35

Yeah, and the region has really manufacturers in growing, which is really great for being able to monitor the tobacco. Um, it's got really great valley growing conditions, um, rich organic soil. It's a moderate elevation, so it fits right between the two. Um, it's got a way more controlled and balanced environment. Um, and this really creates a more consistent and smoother tobacco development. And again, the manufacturers being nearby naturally brings it into the factory.

SPEAKER_06 31:10

Yeah. And so for this, if you're wondering what kind of flavor profiles this could include, this is going to be more cedar, earth, cinnamon, sweet spice, toasted nuts, maybe some soft leather in there. Uh, less common, but you occasionally can get hints of those floral notes, maybe some sudden, subtle sweetness and a creamier texture.

SPEAKER_00 31:35

Yeah, so Leslie said no worries on pronunciation. I had to watch several reviews to learn how to pronounce the new my father Lella Todd, and I don't know how to pronounce it. Um, but then she said clearly her education on pronunciation didn't do anything for her correct spelling abilities, uh, which I had to laugh and throw out there. Leslie, love having you on the podcast with us tonight. Um, back to Copan tobacco, it really often feels a lot smoother, it's more layered and complex. Um, it's more refined than um Tolonga, um, but not homostrich.

SPEAKER_06 32:10

Right. And I think so overall, Honduran tobacco feels less polished than Dominican tobacco at times, but it is incredibly flavorful.

SPEAKER_00 32:22

Yeah, and like I said, I've come to really enjoy that tobacco in the region as a whole, right? Um, but we do need to move on, so let's jump right into the Dominican Republic, Mel.

SPEAKER_06 32:35

Right. So the Dominican Republic has several tobacco growing regions, however, most farms are concentrated in the Yaka Valley in the heart of Sabao Valley, and it's situated in the north-central part of the island. So this region is going to boast a rich, well-drained soil as well as a cooler climate than the rest of the island.

SPEAKER_00 33:00

And I'm gonna jump in there because that's where we were the last time. Our farm is in that region, and it was a beautiful 90-degree winter day. Yeah, and everybody was talking about how great it was in winter, and they're so thankful for cooler temperatures. So I'm not sure how this is cooler than other parts of the country, uh, but it was hot.

SPEAKER_06 33:21

Yeah, it was definitely warm. Um, the region is home to many tobacco producing areas, all of which have a specific uh to pop topographical and climatic features.

SPEAKER_00 33:35

Yeah, and it is a beautiful area. If you ever get a chance just to drive across the country, it's fairly safe. Hire a driver, it's amazing. Um, when we talk about these regions in the Dominican Republic, the conditions which are unique to each region make it possible to produce tobacco with a variety of flavor profiles simply by growing it in different regions and utilizing those mineral contents. Um, the Dominican tobacco can be misunderstood because people often describe it as simply smooth, creamy, or mild, but that's really incomplete, Mel.

SPEAKER_06 34:12

Dominican tobacco can absolutely be rich, spicy, earthy. You can have complexity in there, and it can provide a lot of strength and boldness.

SPEAKER_00 34:24

Yeah, and it's really where Nicaragua often leads into brute intensity, in my opinion. Dominican really leans into aroma, it leans into elegance, combustion quality, transitions, it's refined and more of a refinement when it comes to the smoking qualities of tobacco.

SPEAKER_06 34:45

Right. It's often more nuanced and it does require the right blend to provide the strength and complexity. Absolutely. And that's really because of the climate and that soil are going to create thinner, smoother leaves with an elegant combustion.

SPEAKER_00 35:04

And the DR really became incredibly important after disease began to spread and impact Cuba and Cuban seed at such a level that there was the migration, because a lot of Cuban heritage and heritage seeds really made their way beautifully into the DR. And because the growing conditions are so similar. But let's move on from the Dominican and start talking about Nicaragua because it's a whole different region with different complexities.

SPEAKER_06 35:36

I agree 100%. Nicaragua changed the premium cigar industry. So with the primary growing regions being Estely, Jalapa, Condega, and Anatepe. So each of these regions produce different styles.

SPEAKER_00 35:52

Yeah, so Esteli, dense volcanic soil, shrink, spice, and bold body.

SPEAKER_06 36:01

Jalapa is gonna have a higher elevation, it's gonna have a sweeter aroma and a smoother texture.

SPEAKER_00 36:08

That's my favorite area of Nicaraguan tobacco, probably second by candega.

SPEAKER_06 36:14

Yes, candega is gonna balance between the two with mild spice, you're gonna have some woodiness, some sweet earth, and candega brings a more moderate strength profile to the table.

SPEAKER_00 36:26

Yeah, and Amatempe is one you're starting to hear more and more about. That's the fourth and final growing region. Um, it's really grown on a volcanic island of the same name in Lake Nicaragua. It's cultivated in this nutrient-rich, dense soil, black volcanic soil. The tobacco is bold, it's earthy, but it has this natural sweetness that it picks up from the soil and the dirt, which makes it very unique to the other growing regions. Um, but each of these really have a different flavor profile. Although you have some of the same notes there, they're expressed differently, if you might say that. I don't know exactly how to put that, but they definitely you might get a little cedar, a little pepper from each of them, but you get it differently.

SPEAKER_06 37:18

Right, 100%. And so when you're talking about Nicaraguan tobacco, you have to talk about the volcanic soil, kind of as you mentioned a second ago. The volcanic soil there is massive, and it really does tend to produce nutrient-dense tobacco. It has produced thicker leaves, it's going to produce heavier oils, a stronger combustion character. And that's why Nicaraguan cigars often feel richer, they're going to feel spicier, fuller, and bolder.

SPEAKER_00 37:54

Yeah, absolutely. So let's jump to a comment real quick, Mel, if you want to read um this one real quick from Dwayne.

SPEAKER_06 38:00

Uh, how is the tobacco affected by the seasonal hurricanes with excess salt water being pushed on shore in tropical climates? Does that explain some inconsistencies in cigars made by the same factory?

SPEAKER_00 38:13

Yeah, and so I think we can jump into this a little bit, Mel, from our knowledge, and I'm not going to say we're the experts or gurus on this. We work with great farmers that have been farming for generations. Um, but a lot of the water in that region, um, when it the saltiness gets in the soil, I definitely think that's why you have such a salt profile on so many cigars. Um, however, that has been happening for centuries. Those islands have been getting hit by salt water and hurricanes and tropical storms for decades. Really, the decades cigars have been around, right? Yeah. Um, maybe a little over a century or two from that growing region, if you want to call it that. Um, so I don't know that it has that big of an impact. I think the consistencies, Dwayne, that you see for the same cigar made by the same factory is over the last several years, much like we've seen in the United States and other parts of the world, there is a shift, generational shift in workforce. Um, there's also a generational shift in um rollers moving between factories. Um, you have one team that's traditionally rolling these cigars and another team that's rolling these, or maybe it's groups of teams really for the bigger, bigger brands, but one cigar gets more popular, so they shift what they're rolling. I think that happens. The other thing is these are handmade cigars, and then the other piece that no one wants to really talk about, and Mel, you can talk about this a little bit if you want, but the variance from vintage to vintage or growing season to growing season of tobacco.

SPEAKER_06 39:58

Yeah, no, I I agree with that 100%. Um, it's like anything, you're gonna have so many different potential things that are going to affect that growing season, which is going to affect the tobacco.

SPEAKER_00 40:14

Yeah, and it's like a new tobacco that we started growing up just over two years ago at the farm that we're a part of, and we weren't involved when it started was this new tobacco by the International Tobacco Association called O211. It's Connecticut broadleaf seed grown in the Dominican Republic. At the first crop was completely lost to mold because it was getting the seed used to, so the seeds were salvaged, but the leaves were not. So then those seeds were replanted, and now the first harvest was when we were there last time, and man, this leaf was beautiful. Yep. Uh, the second harvest was harvested just about 35 to 45 days ago, so it's in fermentation. Um, and and just coming out of curing into fermentation, and those leaves are a little different. The other thing, Dwayne, that we've got to talk about with agriculture or agronomy is that seed is considered seed until it's grown eight, seven or eight, depending on the type of product and who you talk to, growing. So once I've uh grown this plant, taken its seed and grown it again, and I've done that eight times, now that seed is no longer original, it's now hybrid to that soil, hybrid to that area. The beautiful thing about tobacco is a tobacco plant, each plant will produce thousands of seeds. And so there's an opportunity to keep that vintage going, but those things change. Hope that helped answer a little bit of your question, Dwayne. Uh, let's get back to the topic, Mel. Um, a few years ago, as I began to get into cigars at a much deeper level, cigar smokers that we hung out with, you either loved or hated Nicaraguan tobacco. As the farming, the processing, the manufacturing has become more refined, more sophisticated, and overall improved. The cigar industry has fallen in love with Nicaraguan tobacco. It has become the gold standard.

SPEAKER_06 42:29

Yeah, I would agree with that. Um, years ago, when we were getting into the cigar journey, if you remember, I actually did not like Nicaraguan tobacco, and I steered clear of cigars that were Nicaraguan with a few, very few exceptions. And now I really enjoy it. And I think just speaking from like you're saying, I think a lot of cigar smokers end up loving Nicaraguan cigars, and many enthusiast palettes uh gravitate towards the intensity.

SPEAKER_00 42:59

Yeah, and I really loved Dominican cigars at the beginning of our journey. A lot of our cigars are Dominican because I still love and have a passion for Dominican tobacco. Um, however, I didn't like you. I didn't like Nicaraguan tobacco much. I steered clear of it a lot, not in Honduran. Um, but over the as my palette has developed and as the growing and manufacturing, in my opinion, has gotten substantially better. Um, and that's no offense to anybody who was there, there were great manufacturers there for the last decade or so, but the smaller factories have gotten better. Right. The tobacco has gotten better.

SPEAKER_01 43:37

Right.

SPEAKER_00 43:38

Um, and my palettes become more refined, the tobacco's become more refined. Like I said, people are falling in love with it.

SPEAKER_06 43:46

Right. So moving forward, I want to talk about the United States as a growing region. Um, now the US has two major growing areas that dominate. The conversation, and that's going to be Connecticut and Florida.

SPEAKER_00 44:04

Yeah, and there's there's a couple of other growing areas that we don't talk a lot about, but I think they're need to be mentioned briefly. Um, one is Pennsylvania, which is really still in the Connecticut Valley, um, and then there's Kentucky, which grows a lot of tobacco that's used for pipe tobacco, and it grows a lot of tobacco that's used for fire cure tobacco for cigars such as Toscano, um, or the Kentucky Fire Cure by Drew Estates.

SPEAKER_06 44:29

And Connecticut Shade, everyone you know that's pretty famous worldwide. Uh, the tobacco is used mostly for wrapper leaf and um are grown under shade cloth. And the shade cloth is there to reduce the sunlight producing um thinner, silkier leaves.

SPEAKER_00 44:50

Yeah, it's why Connecticut shade feels smooth, it feels creamy, it's mild, it's elegant. Um, it can sometimes have a little bit of a bitterness at the end of the cigar with heat, um, but well blended that you don't have that much as you did again, five or ten years ago.

SPEAKER_06 45:07

Right. And now Connecticut broadleaf is going to be the opposite. The broadleaf is going to grow in the direct sunlight, and that is going to produce thicker leaves, darker, deeper color, um, and it's going to have a higher concentration of oils, and that's where you're going to get that sweetness, the richness, uh, the espresso, maybe the dark earth.

SPEAKER_00 45:32

Yeah, and broadleaf really feels thick, it feels deep, it feels a little rugged and chunky at times. Um, it's really the perfect winter or cold weather cigar because of that, Bill.

SPEAKER_06 45:46

Yes. Uh, and then I want to talk a little bit about Florida Sun Grown. So that that is really trying to revive American premium tobacco identity. So, Florida Sun Grown, usually it is called FSG. That is one of the most interesting modern developments in premium cigars because it represents something the cigar industry almost lost completely.

SPEAKER_00 46:12

Yeah, it's a high-end premium cigar tobacco that's grown in Florida soil, right? Um, and for a long time, most cigar smokers didn't really think Florida could realistically compete with Nicaragua, with DR, Honduras, or Ecuador. Um, but I truly believe FSG has already changed and continues to change the conversation.

SPEAKER_06 46:37

I would agree. Florida Sun Grown is premium cigar tobacco in Florida using Cuban seed varietals, American grown um experimentation, and Florida's unique climate and soil conditions. The sun-grown part really matters. And it's unlike Connecticut shade tobacco, FSG, it grows under the full sunlight.

SPEAKER_00 47:03

Yeah, and that really creates this thicker leaf structure, the more oils, stronger combustion, deep flavor concentrations or complexity. Um, and you might have a cigar that doesn't change a whole lot with it, but it's so complex it doesn't need to.

SPEAKER_06 47:19

Right.

SPEAKER_00 47:20

Um, and because Florida humidity is so high, the tobacco often develops deeper, um kind of deeper, maybe is the wrong word. Maybe it's develops differently because it's such a dry soil, even though it's humid outside, which makes it very unique. It's hard to describe. Um, but it creates this flavor profile that's honestly difficult to compare directly to the other regions. Um, it sits somewhere between um classic American tobacco grown in the Connecticut Valley. Sometimes it's got a little bit of a hint of that Nicaraguan spice, and it's just at you right away. But its aromas are very smooth and defined, much like the DRs.

SPEAKER_06 48:05

Right. And if you have ever smoked a Florida sun grown, you might get some flavor notes that maybe included some earth and wood. Maybe there was some natural sweetness in there, maybe a sweet hay or a molasses, uh baking spice or cinnamon, and then maybe even some soft black pepper.

SPEAKER_01 48:23

Yeah.

SPEAKER_06 48:24

So there are some that also say that it can have some herbal notes as well, and include a sharpness or a minerally brightness.

SPEAKER_00 48:33

I love that minerally brightness.

SPEAKER_06 48:35

So add that to your list of uh flavors there.

SPEAKER_00 48:38

It all of this is in part because FSG is so unique and different in its climate. Um, and it all of those things really make it very different, and there's some really great things being created with it. There's some great collaborations between Drew Estates and Corona Cigar Company. Um, you'll find this tobacco in the 20-acre farm as well as FSG cigars. Um, and to be honest, they're doing a really great job with it.

SPEAKER_06 49:10

Right. Yeah, I agree with all that. So, with that, we have more to come after the break as we dive into soil varietals and primings, and we'll be right back.

SPEAKER_04 49:22

We fell in love with cigars not because of the flavors or smoking experience or perceived steps, but because it allows barriers to fall between other humans and build deeper connections. For that reason, we've been super intentional to curate a space where people can find community and enjoyment with others, and cigars just happen to be the way we're doing it. For that reason, we are thrilled to be the one and only cigar retail store and lounge in downtown Loughlin. A good story is one of the most powerful tools used to connect with another human. Sharing stories fades out differences and highlights similarities found in the details or with the storyteller. Over the years, we have seen some of the best stories told over cigars and thus, new friendships are made, passions shared, encouragement giving, and so much more. The impact storytelling has on the human connection is why we've decided to name our store and lounge stories. Because behind every good cigar and conversation is an even better story.

SPEAKER_06 50:24

As always, thank you to your spot, our sponsors.

SPEAKER_00 50:32

Yep, absolutely. Sorry, live audience been a little uh rowdy for us for a second. Uh yeah, thank you to our sponsors. Let's go ahead and jump into upcoming episodes. Um, next week we have coffee and cigars. We're gonna be smoking the ladybug by the elevator humidor, um, and we're gonna be talking about perfect pairings.

SPEAKER_06 50:51

June 1st, we have industry conversations. What's next in the cigar industry? And we will be smoking the gold star by United Cigars.

SPEAKER_00 50:59

And I'm really excited about that night. Um, we're actually gonna have Oliver Naveau with United Cigars with us on the podcast. It's gonna be a great night to sit down with him and talk all things united and what's really coming up. Um, the very following week on June 8th, we have 2026 new releases, cigars worth watching. Um, and we talked a little bit about that on the PCA, but we didn't episode, but we didn't really get to dive into it. And we're gonna dive into 10 or 12 cigars that really are worth watching, smoking and getting feedback this year. And we're gonna be smoking a release that's not out yet, uh, the Lady Marmalade by the Elevated Humidor.

SPEAKER_06 51:35

And on June 15th, we will be doing the dual, so a 13 versus a $28 cigar showdown, and we will be doing two blinded cigars on that one.

SPEAKER_00 51:44

Yeah, and so we're really excited about that. We're gonna be smoking blinded with a panel of four guests that are with us, two live and two virtually. Um, we're excited to have Leslie and Dwayne both with us that night, and so it's gonna be uh a really great night. So lots of great things coming up, also uh coming up just in really a few days at this point on June 2nd in Salem, New Hampshire. Mel, why don't you tell us about Ladies' Night?

SPEAKER_06 52:09

Yeah, so we are doing a ladies' night there. We will be featuring the ladybug doing some live cigar rolling. Um, I'm really excited about it. We're gonna do the ash holes slash ash heels podcast before that. Tickets for the ladies are $10, and for the gentlemen, it is $20. So hopefully, if you're in that area, feel free to buy a ticket, come see us, come have a good time.

SPEAKER_00 52:32

Yeah, and if you're watching with us live tonight, listening on the replay, listening where you stream your podcast, do us a huge favor. Go out to the elevated humidor or cigar rebel, go out to two guys cigars Facebook social media on Instagram, share that. Let's get this booked up. We want to see a full house that night. There's gonna be some giveaways, lots of fun things, a little bit of trivia. Um, the kilt man's gonna be there bartending for us, so it's gonna be an all-out event. We're really excited to be there. Um, with that in mind, if this is your first time watching, go ahead and click that subscribe button down at the bottom so you can stay up to date on all things going on. Cigar Rebel, you can always find us on social media, Instagram, Facebook, at Cigar Rebel. And so we would love for you to be along for the journey. Um, new podcasts are gonna be populated out on YouTube the next couple of days, so you can click um notify me and it'll let you know when we're going live. So, Mel, on that note, I've smoked a lot of this cigar more than I thought I would. What are your notes so far here in this first and second, third, really third third at this point?

SPEAKER_06 53:40

So, I will say almost every number two that I have smoked, they've not all been exactly the same. They've had some different flavor profiles in there, which I think you know was the ultimate goal. This was the first one I got that when I was about halfway through, I just got this very, it was a very heavy saltiness, and it was brief. It was probably only two or three draws, but my whole mouth just filled with this saltiness, and I I enjoy a salty cigar, so I actually that was a kind of a nice surprise. Um, I don't know if anyone else has gotten any saltiness out of this. I generally don't. This is the first time I've definitely gotten one with that magnitude for sure.

SPEAKER_00 54:26

Yeah, and so I've not picked up the salting on this one, I've had multiple. The the problem with this cigar is not really a problem, but the problem is I get so many flavors, almost every draw can be a little different at times. Yeah, and so you don't pick up what's really stood out with me on this one, and I've not really had it stand out as much before, is there's been a really creamy nuttiness. Um, not a peanut butter, but maybe more like an almond butter type of creaminess that just has that nuttiness to it, right? And maybe you're picking that up as salt. I'm picking that, you know, because that's kind of a salty flavor, um, but it's unique. So, Mel, I want to get back to the topic and go deeper into the dirt conversation, but I do want to pose a question for those live with us tonight, for those live watching right now on YouTube or Facebook, we'd love your feedback. Uh, so get your keyboards ready. Um, we're 55 minutes in, and my guess is we have 55 to an hour and a half's worth of content left. Um, I want to talk soils. We can do that in probably 10, 15 minutes. Um, but then we're just gonna break for tonight and come back to varietals and primings. The topic of the show we haven't even gotten to, but you have to know these other things to get into it. Do we want to bump next week's um topic out a few weeks and jump right into keep going with tobacco next week, or do we want to go to coffee and cigars next week and then jump to tobacco, call it 102, um, in about four weeks. So if you would put that in the comments for us tonight, guys, we would love that. We would love your feedback. Um, but let's start the conversation with soil so we can get through that tonight, so we can have growing regions and soil right there.

SPEAKER_06 56:24

All right. So if you are thinking that talking about the soil sounds boring, uh, I'm here to tell you that the soil literally shapes the cigar. So the soil is going to impact has drainage, nutrient absorption, leaf thickness, water retention, root stress, and mineral density. So all of that is going to change the tobacco structure.

SPEAKER_00 56:51

Absolutely. So I've got to go to Leslie's comment. She says, It's my understanding that with the number two, the flavors nuances could change with each bundle. Have y'all smoked enough? We have. We've smoked cigars from four different bundles. Um, I've smoked probably 10 different ones between those four bundles, and really do get those flavor changes um within there, but I get a lot of flavor within each one. Um, I smoked one the other day that tasted a whole lot like purple the entire smoke. Um, this one doesn't taste like a purple at all. Right. And so um, Mel, what you're talking about with soil is that volcanic soil isn't just a marketing tactic, much like Corojo isn't just a marketing word.

SPEAKER_06 57:38

No, so volcanic soil is legitimately important. So the volcanic regions they often are going to produce mineral-rich earth with excellent drainage, and that stress forces tobacco plants to work harder, so that can produce denser leaves, it can produce more oils and a stronger structure.

SPEAKER_00 58:02

Yeah, and the structure and the stress from the drainage really creates or develops complexity. Too much water, weak tobacco, poor drainage, poor combustion, bad mineral balance, weak structure. All of it's important.

SPEAKER_06 58:17

Right. Each of these components are going to establish flavor, complexity, aroma, and combustion properties. So flavor does not just magically appear after rolling.

SPEAKER_00 58:30

Yeah, that's why when people cheer for the wrapper roller and go, man, they're really making a cigar, they've left out all these important things for the farming, the curing, the fermentation in the blend, the filler, the binder, because flavor truly begins underground. Flavor truly begins before the seed is planted.

SPEAKER_01 58:55

Right.

SPEAKER_00 58:56

Um, expert farmers properly adjust soil complexities by adding organic material, nutrients, balancing the pH, managing nitrogen content. Um, because tobacco is extremely sensitive when you're talking about a refined process. It does grow naturally. We drove by houses that just grew in the yard last time we're in DR. But to get the refined, rounded flavors we love, it's sensitive and takes work.

SPEAKER_06 59:29

Yes, cigar tobacco, it's basically high maintenance agriculture and agronomy at its best. So the terror matters, the nutrients, the water, the amount of natural composition of the soil, all of that matters a lot.

SPEAKER_00 59:49

Yeah, and different soil types absolutely change texture, burn, aroma, body, oil content. And I don't want to over-romanticize it, but it matters.

SPEAKER_06 1:00:01

Yes, when it comes to tobacco, it all matters the region, the ground conditions, such as drainage, the rain volume, uh, soil, mineral contents. Does it have sun or does it have shade? So for tonight, we are going to kind of wrap up here, like you had mentioned, and we will go dive deeper into this topic on our next tobacco, either 101 B E or Yeah, absolutely.

SPEAKER_00 1:00:28

So we'll go, and it looks like in the comments people are saying bump, and we'll definitely absolutely jump into that. Um, we'll get into varietals, we'll get into the primings, we'll talk a little bit um about water just briefly. Um, but yeah, definitely in upcoming episodes, we'll cover both of those topics um when it comes to great tobacco.

SPEAKER_06 1:00:52

Right. And I think we need to take those notes on water and curing, fermentation, and even the more detailed notes on flavors found in wrappers and in fillers.

SPEAKER_00 1:01:04

Yeah, absolutely. So Leslie said, Kevin, how does the number two compare to the 660, in your opinion? Um, I think both of them smoke very summerly, Leslie. Um, Mel, have you smoked the 660 yet? I can't remember. I I've had mostly the Toro. I've only smoked two of the 660. Um, I got them at PCA. Um, Lauren gave me one and then Jason gave me one. So I smoked both of those. It smokes very, very summarily, in my opinion, yet a little differently. The one thing with the 660 that I would say is the ash doesn't hold as well. Yeah, it still holds very well for a mixed-filled cigar, but not as structured as the Toro, in my opinion. Um, but the flavors, again, are all over the place. And much like uh Dave said here, it's like a single barrel in bourbon. It is so true. Every batch is so unique. Um, so Mel, I've kind of transitioned back to this cigar we were smoking as we're standing up for the podcast, um, but I smoked mine down to the nub. What is your final thoughts on the cigar? I found it to be smooth throughout with lots of complexity.

SPEAKER_06 1:02:20

Yeah, smooth throughout, obviously, you know, based on my saltiness comment, lots of different complexity, different flavor notes going on there. Um, this last third had reminders of me of maybe smoking the blue. That kind of gave me that little bit of that nuance in there. Um, but again, it's hard to pin down exact flavor notes, I think, because it could be so different.

SPEAKER_00 1:02:43

Yeah, and the McAuliffe number two or the silver really falls in line with the majority of McAuliffe's color series. It's reliable, it draws well, it smokes great, the price point makes it a phenomenal yard or garage stick or the in and out of the deck.

SPEAKER_01 1:03:02

Yep.

SPEAKER_00 1:03:02

Um, it's spectacular. Um, but I really think that's the definition, Mill. What's next?

SPEAKER_06 1:03:08

Yeah, so that's our show for tonight. Thank you guys all for joining us today. If you liked this episode, please leave us a review, share with your cigar friends, and hit us up for any topics you would like for us to dive into in the future episodes.

SPEAKER_00 1:03:22

Yep, and if you're listening or watching on the replay, we'd love it if you'd go ahead and do hash pike replay fam. Let us know what you're smoking, what you thought about the episode, or as Mel said, any episode ideas that you might have. Next week for you rebels, we have a great episode um coming up. We're gonna be at our DFW base on Monday night. It'll be showing live um on YouTube here at Stories, um, but we'll be at that base just for a few days. So we're gonna do the podcast from there. Um, and it looks like we're gonna go in the tobacco and bump coffee and cigars based on the feedback. Um, but for tonight, as you said, that's our show.

SPEAKER_06 1:03:57

Yeah, thank you guys for tuning in. Don't forget to subscribe and leave us a comment. Um, we will see you next Monday at 7 p.m. Central Time. And until then, keep your cigar lit. You're ash long and your palate curious.

SPEAKER_00 1:04:11

Good night, Rebels.