America 250 - Celebration Cigars and more!

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Transcript

SPEAKER_04 0:13

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_07 0:49

And I'm Kevin, and tonight we're coming to you with something pretty big, America 250.

SPEAKER_05 0:54

250 years.

SPEAKER_07 0:56

Yep. This Saturday, July 4th, is America's birthday, and we're excited.

SPEAKER_05 1:01

Yes. I mean, anytime America has a birthday, people love to celebrate with amazing food, fireworks, and great cigars.

SPEAKER_07 1:09

And for this year, the 250th, mini cigar companies jumped on the bandwagon, and there are so many special limited edition cigars, Mel, that are America's birthday cigars, and then some that are officially trademarked America 250.

SPEAKER_05 1:26

Yeah. So tonight we're going to talk about a few of them, and we're going to talk about a few of the unique bands, some of the patriotic boxes, and bring out all the red, white, and blue. So suddenly every humidor starts looking like the Fourth of July parade.

SPEAKER_07 1:43

Yeah. And at first, when I saw all these announcements begin to roll out, I was a little meh about it, to be honest with you. But then as I begin to see some of the blends, and I've smoked a few of the cigars, there's some really great limited editions that you should get your hands on to celebrate this weekend.

SPEAKER_05 1:59

Yeah, I agree 100%. I feel the exact same way. So tonight we're going to talk about America's 250th birthday, how Americans have celebrated big milestone anniversaries before, some of our own Fourth of July memories, and then we're going to get into the celebration of cigars.

SPEAKER_07 2:17

Yeah, and we're going to talk about a handful of celebration cigars tonight. Up first is going to be United's Independence 250. Um, we're talking about Hoyas Red, White, and Blue, CAO's America 250, and many more as we get deeper into the episode.

SPEAKER_05 2:30

Right. So that is going to be a very patriotic humidor.

SPEAKER_07 2:34

Yeah, and this is a humidor that stands up when the national anthem plays Mel.

SPEAKER_05 2:38

Yeah. So Rebels, go ahead, cut light, and settle in. And tonight we are celebrating America 250.

SPEAKER_07 2:44

Absolutely. But before we get too much further, Mel, why don't you go ahead and tell us about what we're smoking tonight?

SPEAKER_05 2:48

Yeah. So tonight we wanted to do something that fits the America 250 theme. And uh we did not have all of these cigars in when the Rebel Pack went out, or we I think we did.

SPEAKER_07 3:00

I don't when the Rebel Packs went out for this month, they had not landed.

SPEAKER_05 3:04

Yes, yes. So something uh we're doing that we that we knew everybody for the Rebel Pack could have that I still think is fitting.

SPEAKER_07 3:11

Yep. Absolutely. And so we've been holding something back a little special for about a year.

SPEAKER_05 3:16

Yeah.

SPEAKER_07 3:17

For this episode. Um, something celebratory, something a little bit of a story behind it, something that you could smoke at a cookout on a porch or a lounge. I mean that um, so Mel, why don't you go ahead and tell us what we're smoking for tonight's America 250 podcast?

SPEAKER_05 3:31

Yes, so tonight we are smoking the McAuliffe Black Firecracker by United Cigars, has a San Andreas Maduro wrapper, Ecuadorian binder, and Nicaraguan filler. So I'm excited. It has probably been about a year since I've had one of these.

SPEAKER_07 3:47

Yep, we kept some aside, knowing we were gonna do this episode, and we didn't know everybody's gonna come out with the American 250 cigars. Yep. Um, and so we held on to these McAuliffe Blacks, and the great story there is McAuliffe's been making the color series so fantastically. And The Firecracker with United is the longest-running collaboration in the cigar industry. Yeah. Uh, this is 19 years. Um, this was in year 18 that they made McAuff Black. And so the fun part about it is they always come this little bitty fuse on the side, which I normally leave on when I smoke, but during the cold draw, it came off in my mouth.

SPEAKER_05 4:19

So as soon as you cut it, it just is easy to just cut it, you pull it.

SPEAKER_07 4:23

You know, um, are you getting anything on the cold draw, Mel? I know I'm getting some pronounced dry earth.

SPEAKER_05 4:29

Yeah, so to me, definitely there's some of that in there. I also get almost like a cool cocoa, or cool, like, and I say cool because it is this, it's like it's hard to explain. It's just cold.

SPEAKER_07 4:43

Like well, to me, it's it's almost that herbaly, minty mixed with cocoa.

SPEAKER_06 4:48

Yeah.

SPEAKER_07 4:49

And so definitely getting that. But let's go ahead and light this and get moving on. We got a lot to get to tonight, and so tonight's lighting is brought to you by the elevated humidor.

SPEAKER_00 5:02

Some moments deserve more than just passing by. They deserve to be celebrated. That's the philosophy behind the elevated humidor. Born from a passion for hand-rolled premium cigars, TEH blends world-class tobacco from the Dominican Republic and Nicaragua, and to cigars crafted with tradition, precision, and purpose. Whether you're marking a milestone, closing a deal, or simply taking a well-earned pause, the elevated humidor turns a simple moment into a lasting memory. With four distinct collections crafted to satisfy every ballad. There's truly something for everyone. Explore the smooth refinement of the Velvet Collection, the elevated sophistication of the elegant collection, the timeless character of the core collection, or the flavor experience of our infused collection. Visit your preferred antagonist and ask for the elevated humidor by name. If you don't find us on the shelf, our premium collections are available online through our trusted retail partner, Two Guys Cigars, bringing exceptional craftsmanship and unforgettable experiences directly to your door. The elevated humidor. Celebrate life the elevated way.

SPEAKER_05 6:22

As always, thank you to our sponsors.

SPEAKER_07 6:25

And I just said to Mel, just as we were lighting this, taking the first couple of draws, like, man, it just hits immediately. Yes. Um, there's this boldness, this really strong flash of black pepper, um, along with a just dark earth. I don't know how else to describe it. I don't want to get into too detail, but that dark earth just hits. Um, man, anything you're getting, I'm feeling in my throat.

SPEAKER_05 6:48

Yeah, I believe I agree with everything that you're saying. I definitely would not expect the firecracker to hit subtly on the first slide out. So um it came out with a pop. And it's been a year, so I'm almost smoking this fresh because I've only had one or two last year, and it's been a whole year.

SPEAKER_07 7:04

And the smoke production, I don't know if you can tell in the video here tonight, it is fantastic. I love a cigar that smoke um produces a lot of smoke. And so, I'm let's jump right into the episode tonight.

SPEAKER_05 7:15

So this feels like the kind of cigar that you could smoke while you're talking about history. I mean, the United American flag band, the McAuliffe on the top.

SPEAKER_07 7:25

Yeah, which is really good because tonight we're gonna try and make history fun.

SPEAKER_05 7:30

We're gonna try.

SPEAKER_07 7:31

I mean, I'm managing expectations here, okay? So if you're watching live with us right now, go ahead and jump in and let us know what you're smoking, what you're drinking tonight. If you're watching it on the replay, go and hashtag reflayflam, replay fam, and uh tell us which cigar you're smoking. Um, we'd love you to join in the conversation, even if you're listening on streaming or following it some other night on YouTube, other than tonight, here on Monday.

SPEAKER_05 7:56

Yeah. And you might notice our scenery is a little bit different. We were very blessed. We are at Creekside Cigar Lounge tonight. They are letting us use their space to shoot our podcast.

SPEAKER_07 8:06

Yeah, um, just after the podcast, there's a ladies' night event here for the Ladybug Cigar, and Mel's doing that. And so we are here at Creekside in Belton, Texas. Um, so if you're ever traveling down I-35 between Austin, near Temple, and between Dallas-Fort Worth, uh, make sure you stop in and see Val and Dwayne. Um, they've got an excellent curated humidor. Um, they've been in business for a while now. This is their new location. They've been in for a little over a year, year and a half. Um we have an episode coming up here in a couple of months where they're gonna be on with this and tell us all about the history. So we don't want to get too deep into that right now, although we want to highly encourage you to check out Creekside. Yes. Um, if you live within an hour or two, it's worth the drive. They have a beautiful patio. Um, it's really rustic and retro in here, and so fantastic location.

SPEAKER_06 8:56

Beautiful.

SPEAKER_07 8:56

We're in one of five rooms.

SPEAKER_06 8:58

Yeah, it's it's great.

SPEAKER_07 8:59

There's a whole group just a room over, having a good time, sitting around a table, and uh you can't even hear them over here. They've done a fantastic job. And one of the best things they've done is very quiet ventilation. But uh, we did an event here about a month or so ago with the elevated humidor, and it we had a lot of people in here, and there was no smoke. They've done just a fantastic job. So again, Creekside Cigar Lounge. Um, but tonight we're talking America 250. Um, and so if you are watching, we would love you to drop in the comments as we go along what your favorite Fourth of July memory is or what your favorite way to celebrate is.

SPEAKER_06 9:41

Right.

SPEAKER_07 9:42

Um, but I want to jump right into and start with the big picture, Mel. Um, and so America turns 250 on July 4th, just a few days away, and that date marks the 250 years of the signing of the Declaration of Independence.

SPEAKER_05 9:56

Right, 100%. Can't believe it.

SPEAKER_07 9:59

I know it.

SPEAKER_05 10:00

Um we'd love to know if you what what do you smoke? What's special that you smoke? Um it's crazy just to think. I kind of can't believe we're at 250 already.

SPEAKER_07 10:11

Yeah, you know, absolutely whether you're a history person or not, it's a big milestone, right? Because when you say 250 years, it almost sounds too big to picture.

SPEAKER_05 10:22

Right. And think about everything that fits in that timeline. You know, the revolution, the constitution, uh westward expansion, the civil war, industrial growth, there's been world wars, there's been civil rights. I mean, a lot cramped into that too much.

SPEAKER_07 10:39

No, each one of those is massive on its own. Yeah. And we're talking about a celebration of all those things wrapped up into one day, yeah, or really what we hope is a week-long celebration that begins tonight with smoking the McAuliffe Black Firefly.

SPEAKER_05 10:56

Yes, absolutely. And all of these don't even include our space exploration, technology advancements, the music, the food, the sports, businesses, families, communities, all of those things that have developed.

SPEAKER_07 11:11

And the explosion of cigars.

SPEAKER_05 11:12

Yeah, and definitely, definitely cigars.

SPEAKER_07 11:15

So we always bring it back to cigars for you rebels out there.

SPEAKER_05 11:19

We really do. You know, it's almost like uh the Cigar Rebel podcast is all about cigars. But cigars really do play an important part of the American story. So tobacco was tied to early colonies, and cigar making became a major industry in places like Tampa, New York, Philadelphia, and other cities as well.

SPEAKER_07 11:40

Yeah, absolutely. And then you've got the kind of remote areas that people know talks about, like here in East Texas, or we're not in East Texas at the moment, but where we live in East Texas and Maccados and up in Montana. Um, but for a long time, cigar factories were not just factories, they truly were community centers where everyone came to work, to enjoy a hobby, um, and to mingle. It was pretty social.

SPEAKER_05 12:07

Yeah, very true. Um, they were places where immigrants worked, where families really built lives, and where traditions really came together.

SPEAKER_07 12:16

Yeah, and that's Mel, Mel, that's why I truly love tonight's topic. America 250 is not just fireworks and flags. It really isn't.

SPEAKER_05 12:25

Yeah, it's a chance to really think about the story.

SPEAKER_07 12:29

Yeah, and that includes the good parts, the complicated parts, the hard parts, the proud parts, and unfortunately the tragedies that we've suffered, the tragedies that we've caused.

SPEAKER_05 12:41

Yeah, I mean, I think the real celebration, it doesn't mean pretending that everything has always been perfect.

SPEAKER_07 12:49

No country, no family, no cigar lounge, no person has a perfect story.

SPEAKER_05 12:54

Right. And that gives us milestones to uh to give us a chance to pause, really.

SPEAKER_07 13:02

Yeah, and to really take a moment and look back and reflect.

SPEAKER_05 13:06

Right, and to honor what came before.

SPEAKER_07 13:09

Yeah, and to really ask what is the future and what do we really want to build moving forward?

SPEAKER_05 13:17

Right. And I think that's one of the things that makes America 250 interesting. You know, it's not just the birthday party, it's a reflection point.

SPEAKER_07 13:26

Yeah, and the cigar provides a perfect opportunity to pause, a perfect opportunity to reflect, yeah, and just think about the past, what's going on now, which is a lot of craziness going on right now, and what the future could hold.

SPEAKER_05 13:43

Right. So I think we talk about it all the time. Cigars make you slow down, they make you sit and think and talk and even remember, and that's why I think celebrating cigars makes sense.

SPEAKER_07 13:56

Yeah, and it really forces you to attach or allows you, maybe is a better way, to attach something physical to a moment, to a memory.

SPEAKER_05 14:06

Yeah, you remember who you were with, you remember uh where you were, maybe what you were smoking, and the memories of that moment and the cigar are they're truly interweaved, Mel.

SPEAKER_07 14:18

And they really interweave as a good cigar, good people, and moments, and that's the perfect recipe for memories.

SPEAKER_05 14:27

Yeah, you're very philosophical tonight.

SPEAKER_07 14:29

Well, it happens when I have a great cigar lit. Um, and we absolutely love McCaliff and all the guys over there, Al and Jason Fields, Dan, the whole team. Um, and they knocked out of the park with this cigar. We've only had a few draws, and I'm loving it. It's been about a year since I've smoked it as well, maybe 10 months. Um, but let's get right back to the topic. As we said, America 250, the birthday celebration is coming up in just a few days, but this is not the first big national birthday party.

SPEAKER_05 14:59

Right. And this is really where it gets fun because America has celebrated these milestone anniversaries in very different ways.

SPEAKER_07 15:08

Yeah, so let's start with 100 years or the centennial.

SPEAKER_05 15:12

Yeah, so we start in there is great. Philadelphia hosted the Centennial Exposition in 1876, and this was America really trying to show the world what it had become. So it was the world's fair. It celebrated the 100th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence, and it was also about industry, invention, manufacturing, and also national identity.

SPEAKER_07 15:37

Yeah, in real milk, what happened for all you rebels out there that don't know, this was really a look at what we can build moment for America. Right. And what better place to choose than Philadelphia to show that off?

SPEAKER_05 15:49

Right. And that matters because the country was only about a decade removed from the Civil War.

SPEAKER_07 15:56

As we're preparing these notes, I had to look that up three different places to make sure I read it on the internet right.

SPEAKER_05 16:01

Yeah.

SPEAKER_07 16:02

Because a decade just doesn't sound that long when you look back at it.

SPEAKER_05 16:06

Yeah, 100%. It's crazy to think about. Um, and it's the huge events and that changes the history, the lives, families, and communities that are so close together.

SPEAKER_07 16:18

Yeah, and because of that, the hundredth birthday party wasn't simply a celebration, it was a statement.

SPEAKER_05 16:23

Right. It was a true rebuilding moment.

SPEAKER_07 16:26

We're still here and we're coming.

SPEAKER_05 16:28

Yes, we're moving forward.

SPEAKER_07 16:30

Yeah, and now the 150th anniversary in 1926 is interesting.

SPEAKER_06 16:35

Right. Very interesting.

SPEAKER_07 16:37

It's interesting because Philadelphia tried to do it again, and they did the set, and I'm gonna read it because it's brutal to say, um, the Sescoa Centennial, and I think I butchered that, even I wrote the pronouncements out in my notes. Yeah, uh, it's a fun word to say.

SPEAKER_05 16:55

Uh, it's not, so I'm not gonna even try. But the 1926 celebration was also in Philadelphia, but it didn't have the same success as the 1876.

SPEAKER_07 17:08

Not at all. The 150 celebration struggled with weather, with planning, with finances, with attendance, and the public just wasn't that interested.

SPEAKER_05 17:17

Yeah, yeah. Sometimes you can plan the big event, you have the decorations, you have the idea, and then it rains.

SPEAKER_07 17:25

Yeah, honestly, it feels relatable.

SPEAKER_05 17:27

Yeah, we've done some of that. 100% the economic struggles and rebuilding of America in the 1920s following World War I created the perfect scenario for what variety dubbed America's greatest flop that lost more than 20 million dollars in three months.

SPEAKER_07 17:47

And that 20 million dollars is a lot more than 20 million dollars. I mean, it was significant 20 million. Not that 20 million is small change, but 20 million for their time was billions, right? Or maybe hundreds of millions.

SPEAKER_06 18:00

Yeah.

SPEAKER_07 18:00

Um, so the 150th is a good reminder that national celebrations are not always automatic, right? Which is kind of why this year feels different.

SPEAKER_05 18:09

Yeah, exactly. And then we got we get to the 1976, which was the bicentennial.

SPEAKER_07 18:16

Barely missed it.

unknown 18:17

Yeah.

SPEAKER_05 18:18

And that was red, white, and blue, everything. So you had fire hydrants that were painted like flags, special quarters, uh parades, uh tall ships, fireworks, and bicentennial logos were everywhere. Probably much like the 250 logos are everywhere right now, at least here in Texas.

SPEAKER_07 18:37

And I feel like even if you weren't alive then, you've seen something in your grandparents' house with the bicentennial logo on it.

SPEAKER_05 18:44

Yeah, probably.

SPEAKER_07 18:45

And then we have a couple things in our house, and neither one of us were alive.

SPEAKER_05 18:48

Yeah, it could be a plate or a coin, maybe a mug.

SPEAKER_07 18:52

Um, here in Texas, the bicentennial belt buckles was a huge thing. Yeah, you saw it for years afterwards.

SPEAKER_05 18:58

Yeah, I think the bicentennial really hit differently because America was also coming out of a difficult period in that time as well. There was Vietnam, there was Watergate, there was a lot of distrust and a lot of tension.

SPEAKER_07 19:14

Yeah, and I know we've been watching the um Apple series for all mankind, and I think some of the reasons I love that right now, because we're coming up on the America 250, and it's not a history, it's kind of a history if history was different. Yeah, but all those things they show snippets of was from that time period. Yeah, that 1970s period leading up to the bicentennial. Um, and so it's just kind of fun to watch. Yeah, um, moving forward to the 200th birthday or the bicentennial, the 200th birthday really gave people a chance to gather around something shared well.

SPEAKER_05 19:46

Yes, that's really the pattern with anniversaries, is they are never just about the past.

SPEAKER_07 19:52

Yeah, they always reveal something about the moment that America is in.

SPEAKER_05 19:57

Right. 1876 was about rebuilding, improving industrial strength. 1926 was about trying to re keep recreate that past glory, and 1976 was about unity, nostalgia, and the national identity after a really rough stretch. Yeah, and in 2026, well, that's the big question I think everybody's waiting for. What is America 250 going to feel like?

SPEAKER_07 20:22

Yeah, and I think it's a great question. I think it's why cigars and this topic go together very well and is so interesting because cigars are not just products, they're little time capsules, yeah, and it feels like you said the America 250 all over Texas, we've seen it all over, they're everywhere. So it feels like in a season of kind of disconnection, yeah, there's a lot of unity around celebrating America's here. And I think the World Cup came at a perfect time. Yeah, I agree. Because we're hearing lots of positives from all those who are visiting here about how great America is and how different it is than their media portray.

SPEAKER_05 21:05

100%, yeah, 100%. Um, and looking at cigars and everything, it's something that you can put in the humidor and you can say this was from America's 250th. We talk a lot about for me personally, I generally do not save cigars, saving these for a year is pretty rare for me, but we had the vision and the we put them in the back of the humidor and left them. Uh so I'm loving that we did that, that we're smoking it tonight. And the question again, it becomes do you smoke it now or do you save it? Of course, now we are smoking these now.

SPEAKER_07 21:40

And the funny thing about saving it was um I was just thankful we didn't have we had enough for the rebel packs because that would have been an issue. Yeah. We would have had the change, we have just done a different firecracker.

SPEAKER_06 21:50

But yeah.

SPEAKER_07 21:51

Um, so with these American To Fiddle cigars, our recommendations take a picture, save the band, but you smoke it now. Yeah. That would be my recommendation. Don't hold on to it too long. Smoke it now. Just keep the band. Yeah. Throw it somewhere safe. Put it on top of your humidor so you can look at it occasionally and remember America 250.

SPEAKER_05 22:11

Yes, I think cigar people love to say they are saving for a special occasion, but then they never smoke it.

SPEAKER_07 22:18

Yeah, absolutely. Um, it's really called humidor archaeology. They discover it months or sometimes years later at the back of the humidor, at the bottom of the humidor, in a tuppador they set aside and they try and remember things about it, why they bought it, where they got it. And then it begins to connect with memories a little bit. But if you smoked it and you find the band, there's a lot more connection.

SPEAKER_05 22:43

Yeah. So, rebels, definitely let us know in the comments. Do you smoke it now or do you prefer to save it for a special day?

SPEAKER_07 22:51

And be honest with this, it's okay.

SPEAKER_05 22:53

There's no right or wrong answer. I think it's just, I don't know if there's anyone who's in the middle. Like, very rarely, like I said, we chose to save these specifically for today and for the Rebel packs.

SPEAKER_07 23:03

Yeah.

SPEAKER_05 23:03

But that's very rare for me.

SPEAKER_07 23:05

And for us as well. I've got maybe the first um Amazon basin I ever got. And I have a um LFD and illusion bull. And honestly, I put them in there to smoke like a week later because we were having some guys over, and one of the guys brought both of them, and I kind of forgot they're there. I know they're there. I see them all the time. I'm like, ah, they're aging. I'll smoke it at some point. Um, but I'm typically I bought it now, I'm gonna smoke it now for sure. Um, because my question is when it gets to that point, do you even remember why you bought it?

SPEAKER_05 23:40

Right, yeah. I mean, if you're saving it for five years or whatever, I don't know that I could remember back that far for any cigar I've had for that long.

SPEAKER_07 23:50

No, me either, not at all. Um, is there anything that you've saved? You think?

SPEAKER_05 23:55

So I think I have an Amazon base in 2024. And I think I might have a 2023 as well.

SPEAKER_07 24:02

I know a cigar that you have. We've had for over two years, and you all keep saying, I'm gonna get to it, and it sits in your green Claro humidor.

SPEAKER_05 24:11

That's what I'm saying. I don't know what it is. You probably know my inventory better than me.

SPEAKER_07 24:15

It's a 2024 Oktoberfest by Casada.

SPEAKER_05 24:18

Oh yeah, I thought we smoked those.

SPEAKER_07 24:20

There's a 24 in there, and so when we had 25s of the shop, I went ahead and grabbed one. I threw it in there with it, so at some point you can smoke them. Um, and then I threw a 26 in there as well. So I think we I think you have a 24, a 25, and a 26 in there. Um, so at some point we have to break those out and smoke them.

SPEAKER_05 24:37

Yes, I do when I I do do that, I do try to like smoke them all kind of together so I can really taste the differences between the years if there are any. But like I said, and like you pointed out, forget about it. Like, um, so we have love to know your guys' thoughts on that as well, if you're the same or different, or if you have someone in your life that keeps track of your cigars that you have aging in your humidor for you. Um, but we have more to come, including the favorite 4th of July memories and the America 250 cigars we're excited about here at Cigar Rebel after the short break.

SPEAKER_01 25:10

We fell in love with cigars not because of the flavors or smoking experience or perceived status, 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 happen to be the one and only cigar retail store and lounge in downtown Loving. 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 with the storyteller. Over the years, we have seen some of the best stories told over cigars, and thus how new friendships are made, our passion shared, encouragement, and so much more. The impact storytelling has on the human connection is why we decided to name our store and lounge our stories. Because behind every good cigar in conversation is an even better story.

SPEAKER_02 26:20

Reminders around big sky cigar is ringing that spirit back in the Yellowstone River to the bold big orange hole. Madison, the root life, but we know I leave from Nicaragua, San Race to Ecuador And every box helps our veterans, man. With warriors and quiet waters, we lend a friend's hand. It's heritage burning in every draw. Big sky skates, Montana's pride and law.

SPEAKER_03 27:07

Big Sky Cigar. We're heritage full with ever draw. Find your rear red big sky cigar to pop.

SPEAKER_05 27:18

As always, thank you to our sponsors. Let's go ahead and take a look at our upcoming shows.

SPEAKER_07 27:25

I was short on the thing. I was there to think about the cigar notes.

SPEAKER_05 27:28

I saw you thinking about it in your head.

SPEAKER_07 27:31

So coming up next week, we're excited about July 6th is Cigar School. I can't talk tonight. Cigar School 101, how to cut and light the right way. We're going to be smoking the Paladin Connecticut by Hooton Young.

SPEAKER_05 27:43

July 13th, we are doing mobile cigar lounges, and this will be a discussion with Simple Man Mobile Cigars. And we'll be smoking the LSA by the Elevated Humidor.

SPEAKER_07 27:52

I'm excited to have Dell and Delaya on, and uh they're excited to smoke LSA, so that makes me excited.

SPEAKER_06 27:58

You too.

SPEAKER_07 27:59

On the 20th, we have boutique and craft cigars. Um, is there a difference? And we're gonna be smoking a non-boutique cigar in Temperance, Treachery by Roman Kraft.

SPEAKER_05 28:09

And July 27th, we're doing the gathering place, which is cigars, friendship, and the third place. And on that, we will be smoking the CAO Flathead Speed Shop.

SPEAKER_07 28:20

Yep, and we're excited about that. All of those cigars are in your cigar rebel pack. If you haven't picked yours up yet, you can grab it at the Elevated Cubidors website. Um, click on cigars and go down and subscribe. Those do get shipped out about the 20th to the 23rd of every month so that you have the cigars, five cigars every single month for $43 delivered directly to your door. Tax and shipping is included. So it's a great deal. Uh, this month's pack was $58, which brought our overall down. We're now at our average uh so far is $69.50 for those packs. So we feel like it's a great deal. Um, Mel, what are you getting on the flavor notes of the cigar at this point?

SPEAKER_05 29:00

So the pepper for me has dialed back a little bit from that initial light.

SPEAKER_07 29:06

There is a little still on the tongue.

SPEAKER_05 29:07

There's a little, I was gonna say there's a little tingle just on the side of my lips.

SPEAKER_07 29:11

Um I agree with the top of my tongue, but there's this soury dough bread roasted nuts kind of just savoriness that's there.

SPEAKER_05 29:20

And I will say I thought I would have smoked through a lot more of it already by this point because you know the firecrackers aren't super huge, but I've still got probably more than half left.

SPEAKER_07 29:32

So yeah, it's smoking good, smoke production is good. Um, the ash has held fantastic. I've only ash because I don't want to wear it or in somebody else's lounge. Yeah, um, but let's jump right back in. Oh, I did want to make one comment um because I was thinking about when you said on the retro, which is odd for me, there's a little bit of a coco, which I typically don't pick up on a retro. Yeah, and so I don't know if it's really on the finish. So I'm gonna that's what I was looking in the space thinking about.

SPEAKER_05 29:58

Yeah.

SPEAKER_07 29:58

So, but let's jump back into the episode.

SPEAKER_05 29:59

Yes. So we want to go ahead and shift uh from national history now to personal history.

SPEAKER_07 30:06

Yeah, because the reality is that's where holidays live, right now.

SPEAKER_05 30:11

Right. We remember the big American story, but I also feel like we remember the bar the backyard story, yeah.

SPEAKER_07 30:17

The cookout story, the sparkler story, the going to the fireworks, the cooler full of drinks story. Yeah, that's what we remember.

SPEAKER_05 30:26

Yeah. What do you remember the most about Fourth of July as a kid?

SPEAKER_07 30:31

Yeah, so for me, it it's the smells, and I know that sounds really silly, but the grill was going, there was always burgers and hot dogs. Um, growing up, my mom's three sisters, we all got together. There would be between 30 and 100 of us because it'd be we have a huge family, and then there'd be friends of different family members that come. And so it was really a great time, and then at some point in the evening, a firecracker war broke out where we would light black cats and throw them at each other, um, or we'd use um Roman candles and shoot them. And and probably my favorite memory, uh, I threw a handful of firecrackers lit, and it went down the back of my brother's shirt and it caught his shirt on fire. And I was laughing so hard, I lit, I was holding the firecracker in my left hand, I lit it with my dad's lighter, and then I was laughing. I so I threw the lighter at him. Oh wow, and held the firecracker and it went off. And but all of that comes together because it's still the smells, though, because then you have that gunpowder-shy smell in the air. I don't know. How about you?

SPEAKER_05 31:40

So growing up in Oregon, uh I always think of it as it was a very outgoing holiday. Like we always had people over, we went to someone's house um every year. I don't remember what channel, but on the TV they would do like a marathon of the Twilight Zone. And so that was like reserved viewing all day. That was just on, you couldn't change the channel. Um, and this was Bonanza. Bonanza. I don't know if we got that channel. We might not have had that old westerns all day. Now you can get them on like DVD or stream them or whatever. Um, but yeah, we would always do kind of a big firework. Everybody would bring fireworks, and if you were very careful, you could go and light one with an adult. We we didn't hold any fireworks or throw them at anybody, but we were stupid.

SPEAKER_07 32:29

But it was different times back then.

SPEAKER_05 32:31

But I do love the smells, like the smell of fireworks after they're lit, like blowing out a candle, like it just smells very nostalgic to me.

SPEAKER_07 32:40

Yeah, and it was, it was like I said, it was very different times back then.

SPEAKER_05 32:44

Right. And the the fireworks always just felt so huge.

SPEAKER_07 32:47

Yeah, and even they were just neighborhood fireworks as a kid, it felt like the sky was exploding.

SPEAKER_05 32:54

Right. And those memories, they matter.

SPEAKER_07 32:57

I mean, they shape how you celebrate in a way as an adult, I feel like they really do, because when we talk about America 250, it's easy to make it huge and to make it official. Washington, D.C., Philadelphia, big events, historical speeches.

SPEAKER_05 33:11

Right. But for the most part, celebration really happens at home. It's gonna be with family, with friends, with food, with music. Maybe you have fireworks, maybe you have cigars.

SPEAKER_07 33:23

As a kid, Fourth of July was sparklers. As an adult, it's a lawn chair and a cigar in hoping that nobody asks me to do anything.

SPEAKER_05 33:32

Right. That's that's the dream. You know, Fourth of July in my head is always a laid-back holiday.

SPEAKER_07 33:39

Absolutely. And celebration cigars truly fit into that, and that's why they become part of the memory.

SPEAKER_05 33:45

100%. Uh, you uh will remember smoking the American 250 on July 4th, 2026, whether you're by yourself or with a friend, um, or if you have an independence 250 firecracker while the fireworks are starting, you'll remember that.

SPEAKER_07 34:02

And there's also the Hoyo Red, Rot, and Blue at a lounge event that's a great uh memory maker. Um, sitting around some people having good conversation, right, and smoking a one and done cigar.

SPEAKER_05 34:14

Yeah, I mean, you really make a memory sharing a cigar with someone who doesn't usually smoke cigars, but they wanted to share in the moment.

SPEAKER_07 34:23

Yeah, and that's really what cigars do well is they mark time.

SPEAKER_05 34:26

Yes, birthdays, weddings, anniversaries, promotions, new babies, retirements, holidays.

SPEAKER_07 34:34

And America 250 Mel qualifies.

SPEAKER_05 34:37

Yes, I agree. So, um, all right, Rebels, we're gonna go ahead now and get to cigars. So these are the American 250 celebration cigars.

SPEAKER_07 34:47

And this is where the humidor begins to get a little patriotic.

SPEAKER_05 34:50

Right. We're going to go ahead and walk through some of those 250 celebration cigars, and we're going to talk about what makes them interesting.

SPEAKER_07 34:58

Yeah, and this is not a formal review, it's more like a celebration guide. Um, Mel and I have smoked all of these up to this point, other than the Hoya. We've not had our hands on that one yet. Yep. Um, so we're gonna talk about them and let you give us feedback on what you thought.

SPEAKER_05 35:17

Yeah, so we're we want to know, we're gonna talk about the story. Like, what is it? What kind of cigar smoker might enjoy it, and where does it really fit in the celebration?

SPEAKER_07 35:27

Yeah, and we're starting with the Independence 250 Firecracker by United Cigars. Um, this is the best firecracker that's been put out to date. This McAuliffe Black is a very close second.

SPEAKER_05 35:39

I would agree with that. Uh, the United Independence 250 Firecracker, it really is exceptional, and it is probably my favorite in this long line of collaborations. Um, we were very fortunate to smoke it before they released it, and my expectations for it were in the mid to medium high range, and it just totally blew those away.

SPEAKER_07 36:03

Yeah, and for most of the firecrackers, I smoked one or two to try them. Um, but I've had four, yeah, and I've got two set aside, one for Mel and I for 4th of July. Um, this is a limited edition short format cigar that's tied to America's 250 anniversary. Right, it uses the firecracker format, which is known, as we talked about at the beginning of the episode, for this little fuse um that's on it that comes out of United Cigars.

SPEAKER_05 36:33

Right. And I think it's one of those cigars that it looks fun before you really even light it. And that really matters for a holiday cigar. And the firecracker is a three and a half by 50 size, so it's also a shorter smoke, which really makes sense for 4th of July because you're at a cookout, you don't necessarily have two hours.

SPEAKER_07 36:53

Maybe you're gonna smoke it between food and fireworks, or maybe you have two rounds of fireworks, like when we were kids, we would do one big grouping of small ones, then we do bigger ones. This is a good one to light up in between, right? Not sitting over the fireworks.

SPEAKER_05 37:07

Right. You might only have 35 minutes, like you said, between doing all those different cookout things you're doing, or pretending to listen to someone's story, their lake story, their fourth of July story, the time they blew their pinky off, who knows? And you know, making sure that nobody lights firework fireworks near the patio furniture.

SPEAKER_07 37:29

Yeah, absolutely. It's the cigar that you want to grab when you want to be festive and manageable time, right?

SPEAKER_05 37:36

Right. And the blend includes the Mexican Habano wrapper, Dominican binder, and Dominican and Nicaragua Lajero fillers.

SPEAKER_07 37:44

So let me tell you, this cigar is strong, however, it's incredibly smooth and very, very enjoyable. Probably not the cigar to share with someone for their first time.

SPEAKER_05 37:54

Right.

SPEAKER_07 37:55

Get them something else and you enjoy it.

SPEAKER_05 37:57

Yes, it is not going to be the mildest cigar, probably for the day out there, but it does feel like the cigar for someone who wants that bold, fun, patriotic short smoke, and who honestly can tell the story about why you like it because it is a very unique look. So someone who is not a cigar smoker that sees it's gonna be like, whoa, what is that?

SPEAKER_07 38:20

Absolutely. It's perfect for fireworks time, it is perfect for 4th of July.

SPEAKER_05 38:24

Yes. So we're gonna move on to our second cigar now, which is the Hoya Red, White, and Blue. And this one's interesting because it's Hoya de Nicaragua celebrating America's 250th.

SPEAKER_07 38:37

Yeah, a Nicaraguan company making a cigar specifically for the American market in the American celebration, which says something about cigars globally, Bill.

SPEAKER_05 38:47

Yeah, it does. Uh, the cigars connect countries. So tobacco from one place, factories in another, smokers are somewhere else.

SPEAKER_07 38:56

In America being one of the largest, if not the largest, major premium cigar market in the world, this fits.

SPEAKER_05 39:03

Right. So the Hoya Red, white, and blue is a limited edition release for the US market. It's a 6x52 Toro with Ecuadorian Habano wrapper and a Nicaraguan binder and fillers from Esteli and Jalapa.

SPEAKER_07 39:18

Yeah, and Hoya knows how to make cigars with flavor and balance. And the red, white, and blue is the perfect American 250 name.

SPEAKER_06 39:26

Right.

SPEAKER_07 39:27

It feels like a cigar for someone who wants a full-size celebratory smoke, but not necessarily a novelty cigar. And so, Mel, let's go ahead and go to CAO's America 250.

SPEAKER_05 39:38

Yeah, so the CAO already has um America in the name. And so the CAO American 250, it is a limited uh edition version of the CAO American concept, and that makes this one stand out. Um, is that it's made entirely with US grown tobaccos.

SPEAKER_07 39:59

Yeah, which I loved. I love the all-American concept, and I've smoked two of them, and they've been phenomenal. Um, it really uses American tobacco throughout, including a great broadleaf that you really get. It uses Connecticut shade and the barber pole. Um, and so it's got a fantastic look as taste well.

SPEAKER_05 40:18

And I would say this is probably one of my favorite cigars from CAO for me personally. Agreed. Um, I don't know if you just said you're in agreement with that, but for me personally, it was great. It has those tasting notes listed around like dark chocolate, the leather, natural sweetness, and it's really, I would say, in between a medium to a full.

SPEAKER_07 40:37

Yeah, and it really is more of an after-dinner American 250 cigar. I wouldn't start with this one after a good meal. It's bold, it's strong.

SPEAKER_05 40:47

Yeah.

SPEAKER_07 40:47

Um, it really is a great cigar.

SPEAKER_05 40:49

I think it would be perfect to pair with like an ice of bourbon or with an after-dinner espresso, or maybe if you're doing a cup of coffee or a special Fourth of July dessert.

SPEAKER_07 41:02

Yeah, I could agree with that. Um, a dark chocolate dessert would go great with it.

SPEAKER_05 41:07

Yeah.

SPEAKER_07 41:07

Um, and the all-American tobacco angle is the story and makes it especially fitting. Um, and it's really hard to beat that one thematically, right?

SPEAKER_05 41:16

Yeah, I agree. A cigar that is celebrating America with American grown tobacco. I mean, that's hard to hard to not spelt that out right there.

SPEAKER_07 41:26

So, next we want to talk about Angel Cuesta, which is by Cuesta Ray, it's connected to the JC Newman America 250 program. And this is really where Tampa enters the chat.

SPEAKER_05 41:38

Right. And JC Newman is such an important name in the American cigar industry. And El El Relo in Tampa, it's not just a factory, it's really a landmark.

SPEAKER_07 41:53

Yeah, El Relo is just such a fantastic factoring experience. The Angel Cuesta brand has deep roots going back all the way to Angel Madrid Cuesta, um, one of the founders of Cuesta Ray, and there's this old world elegance that's kind of wrapped into the name.

SPEAKER_05 42:10

Yes, and Angel Cuesta cigars, they are handmade in the American room at JC Newman's El Relo factory in Tampa, and that's kind of where the setting really matters.

SPEAKER_07 42:23

Absolutely. If we're talking America 250, there's something uniquely powerful about a cigar that's handmade in an American factory in a historic city like Tampa.

SPEAKER_05 42:34

Right. Uh Yabor City, cigar factories, rollers from around the world with Cuba, Spanish, and Italian influences.

SPEAKER_07 42:42

Yeah, and that truly is American history. And that's the part I love. America gets history is not, or American cigar history isn't just one thing. Right. It's all these things, it's layered.

SPEAKER_05 42:56

Absolutely. Angel Cuesta feels like a cigar for someone um who likes heritage. It's gonna be elegant, it's gonna be refined. Um, something you smoke when you are wanting the cigar to feel connected to the tradition.

SPEAKER_07 43:13

Yeah, and the perfect follow-up cigar to that is the American 250 by JC Newman, right? The American. It's also made by JC Newman in Tampa at Elberlo.

SPEAKER_05 43:24

Yeah. And the American line is already unique because it uses American-grown tobacco and it's handmade in the United States. And also the American 250 continues that idea as a commemorative cigar for the 250th anniversary.

SPEAKER_07 43:43

Right. And the story here really helps the selling point, right? With premium cigars, we talk so much about Nicaragua, Dominican, Honduras, Ecuador, and Mexico.

SPEAKER_05 43:56

However, it's all important. But the American reminds people that the premium cigar making also has a US story. It's not just the past, it is happening right now.

SPEAKER_07 44:10

Yeah, and if you wanted one true American 250 time capsule cigar, the JC Newman, the American 250 is a strong candidate, right? Buy a box and smoke one each 4th of July until they're gone and really have an experience.

SPEAKER_05 44:25

Right, right. So everything about it points back to the theme: the American factory, the American tobacco, um, the American anniversary.

SPEAKER_07 44:34

It is perfect storytelling for a cigar.

SPEAKER_05 44:37

Yes. So now I want to switch gears and talk a little bit about the Leroy Neiman President's birthday release from JC Newman. And this one's a little different.

SPEAKER_07 44:46

Yeah, and this is truly a Leroy Neiman collector's edition. It's connected to art, it's connected to American culture, and a very specific historical moment.

SPEAKER_05 44:58

Right. The 2026 release features Neiman's The President's Birthday, which captures Marilyn Monroe singing to President John F. Kennedy at Madison Square Garden in 1962. So that is a very American pop culture moment. I don't know if it matters really what year you were born. You at least have heard about that.

SPEAKER_07 45:22

Yeah, there's politics, there's celebrity, there's art, there's New York, the Kennedy era.

SPEAKER_05 45:28

Yeah, all really in one image.

SPEAKER_07 45:29

And Leroy Neeman himself was a cigar-smoking American artist, which makes the cigar connection even better, Mel.

SPEAKER_05 45:37

Yes. This release also supports arts education through the Leroy Neeman and Janet Byrne Neeman Foundation collaboration.

SPEAKER_07 45:46

The cigar is really for it's really less Fourth of July cookout material, and it's more of American culture time capsule. Right. It really, this could be the perfect cigar lounge event. However, only 750 boxes were made, so they're a little hard to find. We're very blessed to get a box of them and have them. It's more of a backyard evening cigar with buddies. Yeah. It's a let's sit down, light this up, and let's talk history while we enjoy it. Yeah. But I don't need a crowd.

SPEAKER_05 46:22

Right. No, and I think that's a great way to say it. This is definitely going to be for the collector. It's going to be for the art lover, maybe the history lover, uh, the person who likes the cigar that's got a story behind it.

SPEAKER_07 46:36

Yeah, and honestly, it's one of the fun things about the America 250 cigars is they don't all celebrate or hit the same way.

SPEAKER_05 46:43

Right. Some are going to celebrate independence, some are celebrating American tobacco, some are celebrating the cigar manufacturing, and then some are celebrating art and culture.

SPEAKER_07 46:53

And that gives you rebels some selection, some choice in how you want to celebrate with a fine cigar on the 4th of July.

SPEAKER_05 47:00

Right. So I want to make this practical for all of you rebels out there, and that is how to choose your America 250 cigar. If you have not chose one already, I would get them soon because my guess is they will be sold out after this week.

SPEAKER_08 47:14

Absolutely.

SPEAKER_05 47:14

But if a rebel walks into the lounge and says, I want an American 250 cigar, how do they choose which one they want?

SPEAKER_07 47:21

Yeah, and the first question is are you smoking it now or are you saving it?

SPEAKER_05 47:26

Right. Because if you're smoking it at a cookout, the firecracker or CAO makes sense. But if you want a full cigar for the evening, the Hoyo red, white, and blue could also be a great fit.

SPEAKER_07 47:39

Yeah, and if you want something bolder, all American and history tied to it, then all three of the JC Newman cigars truly make sense.

SPEAKER_05 47:47

Right. And Tampa is heritage and excellence look at the Questa Way Questa Ray.

SPEAKER_07 47:54

My speaking is rubbed off to you.

SPEAKER_05 47:56

And if you want the full American made story, the American 250 is really hard to ignore. So true. That's absolutely true. That's you know, if you want art, culture, collector appeal, then the LeRoy Neiman release is a really interesting choice.

SPEAKER_07 48:12

Absolutely. So the second question is what kind of smoker are you?

SPEAKER_05 48:16

Yes. Do you want mild, medium, or full? Do you like sweet, earthy, spicy, creamy, maybe bold?

SPEAKER_07 48:24

And then there's a selection in all of those. The American smokes way lighter. The Quest Aray smokes pretty light. Um, it's strong, but it's longer and it has an easy, and then that CAO and the firecrackers are definitely on that bold and spicy side, right? Right. So then comes the third question: what is the moment?

SPEAKER_05 48:42

Right. And that matters too because a parade cigar is going to be different from an after dinner cigar.

SPEAKER_07 48:49

A golf course cigar smokes differently than a fireworks cigar.

SPEAKER_05 48:53

Yes, and a lounge event cigar is going to be different from a quiet porch cigar.

SPEAKER_07 48:59

And the best thing that you have is the America 250 and the different selections that have put out give you an opportunity to honestly build a pretty great sampler.

SPEAKER_05 49:08

Excuse me, that would be fun. You could have one short cigar, you could have a medium celebration cigar, maybe a full-bodied cigar, American-made heritage cigar, and a collector cigar. I'm just going through in my head all our lists of stuff we've got.

SPEAKER_07 49:24

And so the reality is for you rebels out there, it might make a pretty dangerous shopping list.

SPEAKER_05 49:28

Yeah, so we apologize to your wallets, but I mean it's it's what I mean. When is it gonna it's never gonna be the 250th again?

SPEAKER_07 49:36

So yeah, so drop in the comments for us tonight which cigar you're gonna be choosing for America 250. And if it's not one of these, we still want to know. Right. But if it is one of these, we would love to know why you selected it, where you're gonna be smoking it, and what memories or moments you're hoping to create, right? Right. So go ahead and drop that in the comments. And again, as I always say, if you're watching on replay, we would love for you to drop hashtag replay fam in the comments, either here on YouTube, Facebook, or anywhere you stream your podcasts.

SPEAKER_05 50:06

Right. So now let's ask the question what makes a cigar celebration worthy?

SPEAKER_07 50:13

What makes a cigar celebration worthy? That's a great question, Mel. Yeah. Um, I know it doesn't always have to be rare. Sometimes people think a celebration cigar has to be expensive, right?

SPEAKER_05 50:26

But it really doesn't, it doesn't have to be a celebration cigar, it needs to match the moment that you are looking to celebrate.

SPEAKER_07 50:34

Yeah, and that's it. It just has to match the moment.

SPEAKER_05 50:38

Yeah, and sometimes that does mean it is rare, sometimes it could be more meaningful, and sometimes that just means that it's easy to share.

SPEAKER_07 50:46

For America 250, I do think the story matters a little bit more than usual. Yeah, and I would agree with that because this isn't just a birthday or some random Friday night or Saturday night.

SPEAKER_05 50:58

Right. This really is a celebration of a national milestone.

SPEAKER_07 51:03

A cigar with American tobacco, American manufacturing, patriotic packaging, or a connection to American culture truly carries a little bit more weight for you rebels out there.

SPEAKER_05 51:14

Right. And the best celebration cigar is still the one that you enjoy. So ideally, this the cigar should do three things: it should fit the moment, it should fit your palate, and it should create the memory.

SPEAKER_07 51:28

All right. Let's get some final thoughts on America 250 before we wrap up here.

SPEAKER_05 51:35

Right. So I would say America 250, it is more than just a date, it is a chance to look back at the 250 years of history.

SPEAKER_07 51:47

It's to remember how Americans have celebrated before, yeah, and how we can become united right now.

SPEAKER_05 51:55

Right.

SPEAKER_07 51:56

And that fits as we're smoking United Cigars McAuliffe Black.

SPEAKER_05 52:00

Yep. So you've got the centennial in 1876, the I don't I don't even get the Cisq the Sisquit Centennial in 1926.

SPEAKER_07 52:10

150 years.

SPEAKER_05 52:11

Yeah, and then the bicentennial in 1976.

SPEAKER_07 52:15

And yeah, I almost wanted to say it again. I can't, yeah, I can't say it.

SPEAKER_06 52:20

Yeah.

SPEAKER_07 52:21

Um, it is one of those scenarios where America 250 gives us the chance to reflect, to celebrate, to gather, and maybe light something special, right? And celebrate all the unity and all the great things we have in this great country, cigars being one of them.

SPEAKER_05 52:37

Yeah, and the cigars definitely they show up, and it gives you a chance to light up something special this 4th of July.

SPEAKER_07 52:46

So to run through them quick again, United with the Independence 250 Firecracker, Hoya de Nicaragua with the red, white, and blue, CAO with the America 250, JC Newman with the American 250 and its American 250 program, Cuesta Reyes Heritage Classic, um, Angel Cuesta 250, and the Leero Neiman President's Birthday. It's a great collector cigar. What a lot of celebration available for you cigar smokers. Um, but it's what I like is that each one of those cigars, Mel, truly tells a different story and why they're creating it.

SPEAKER_05 53:24

Yeah, I agree. It's got heritage, craftsmanship, the American tobacco, American manufacturing. It's got the art, the culture, the memory, history in there.

SPEAKER_07 53:35

Absolutely. And that's what cigars do when they're at their best. They become more than tobacco, they become markers of time and creators of moments.

SPEAKER_05 53:46

Right. And July 4th, 2026 is one of those dates worth marking.

SPEAKER_07 53:52

And any thoughts, final thoughts on the cigar? I can barely hold it. Um, I've been a little distracted trying to move it around so that I don't burn my fingers. Yes, it's fantastic.

SPEAKER_05 54:03

Great cigar. Uh, it actually picked up a little bit, the pepper pitched back up for me in this last third compared to the um half point mark. And I mean, I'm enjoying it. It's not hitting me in it's bold, but it is not making me feel like I need to go take a nap um in the seat in the couch behind us. Take a quick power nap.

SPEAKER_07 54:23

Absolutely. And so we are gonna wrap up here in a second. We've got an event starting in just about 15 or 20 minutes. Um, you might have heard some guys celebrating back behind us. Um, but that's what happens when you shoot live in a cigar lounge and you don't get to control the environment a little bit. But we want to thank you guys for joining us tonight for America's 250s celebration cigars and more. Um, we did not get too many of the comments tonight as we're trying to get through so we can have this event that's coming up. But thank you guys for joining us tonight. We hope to see you back next Monday.

SPEAKER_05 54:54

Yes. If you liked this episode, please leave us a review, share with your fellow cigar lovers, and hit us up with any topics you'd like us to cover or dive into on future episodes.

SPEAKER_07 55:04

And if you're watching this on replay on YouTube, Facebook, or anywhere you stream your podcast, go ahead and leave us a comment, comment with hash pack hashtag replay fam. I burned my fingers. I was doing that. Um, and let us know what you are smoking and what you plan to smoke this Saturday for America 250. Yes. Next week we have a great episode, as we mentioned earlier, Cigar 101, cutting and lighting the right way. We're gonna be smoking that Hooton Young cigar. We're gonna be live back in our studio with a live audience, and we hope to see you there. But for tonight, that's our show.

SPEAKER_05 55:37

Yes, so we will see you next Monday at 7 p.m. Central Time. And until then, thank you guys for tuning in. And don't forget to subscribe, leave us a review, and especially this weekend as you are celebrating, keep your cigar lit, your ash long, and your palate curious.

SPEAKER_07 55:54

Good night, Rebels.