Cigar Rebel

Industry Discussion: Steel City Cigars

• Cigar Rebel • Season 2 • Episode 19

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You are listening to the Cigar Rebel podcast. Join the conversation as we take the time to enjoy one of life’s luxuries on this quirky journey we call life.

TODAY'S CIGAR: Bell Ringer - Steel City Cigars

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SPEAKER_02

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_08

Welcome, Cigar Rebels, to the podcast. I'm Mel. And whether you guys are lighting up on your back porch, sitting in your favorite lounge, driving home from work, or just escaping with a cigar to enjoy a little bit of peace and quiet, we are glad you're here.

SPEAKER_07

And I'm Kevin. We're coming to you live tonight from Story Cigars and Lounge with another industry discussion. And we're so thankful we've got a room full of people. Say welcome, guys. So there's a good group you guys can hear with us tonight here to support Tony Rollins and Steel City Cigar. So, Mel, I just took your lunch.

SPEAKER_08

No, you're good. Yeah, tonight we are here with Tony Rawlings of Steel City Cigars. So welcome to our podcast.

SPEAKER_07

Thanks for having me.

SPEAKER_08

Of course.

SPEAKER_07

And so tonight we're going to talk with Tony about how he got into cigars, his first cigar memories, um, why the decision in the cigar business, what made him choose Steel City Cigars and all of those fun things and some other things we're going to dig into, right, Mel?

SPEAKER_08

Right, yeah. Um, but first we're gonna go ahead and cut light and settle in. So all you rebels out there get ready.

SPEAKER_07

Yeah, and so Mel, what are we smoking tonight? And actually, before you do that, Tony, why don't you tell us about what we're smoking tonight? Okay, so we're smoking the bell ringer, so why don't you tell us about that?

SPEAKER_06

So the bell ringer is a full-body cigar, it has a Dominican and Nicaraguan filler in it, but it has a Lajero wrapper and binder. So you're gonna get all that fullness of the Lajero all the way through the cigar with a little hints of sweetness. Um, Lajero actually is a very tasty wrapper that a lot of people just put in the filler instead of on the wrapper.

SPEAKER_08

Okay, absolutely. Um, so we can go ahead and do a cold draw.

SPEAKER_07

Yeah, so the cold draw is a little tough on this because it's almost got a little bit of a closed foot, yeah, it does, which makes it a little tough. There's a little bit of airflow, but what are you guys getting on the cold draw?

SPEAKER_08

So for me, it's got some earthiness to it, a little bit of boldness, and a little bit of sweetness just on that wrapper.

SPEAKER_07

Yeah, there's a little bit of a sweet to the wrapper, and it's almost like a cacao type of sweetness. Not the bitterness of a chocolate, but that sweetness, not a milk chocolate, but like I love dark chocolate. That's kind of what I'm getting. What about you, Tony?

SPEAKER_06

Same thing. Uh a little bit of sweetness, um, some dark chocolate. I can taste the boldness, a little bit of earthiness.

SPEAKER_07

Well, let's go ahead and get this cigar lit tonight, and our lighting is brought to you by the elevated humidor.

SPEAKER_00

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SPEAKER_08

As always, thank you to our sponsors. Now that we have this lit, we've gotten to take a couple of just a few quick draws on there. How is everybody liking it? I mean, I'm sure you're probably a little biased, but you know, of course, throw your opinions out there.

SPEAKER_07

Yeah, so for me, um, I was having a conversation with Eric a little bit earlier about the uniqueness of this cigar, and I would agree there's a unique flavor on the initial few draws. I feel like there's a unique flavor on the aroma profile that um I don't know that I can pinpoint what it is, but it's just, and I think it comes from that double a harero that's in there that creates that profile. And so I've enjoyed this one. Um, this is probably my seventh one of these I've smoked since I got some from you, Tony, uh in the last month, probably.

SPEAKER_08

Yeah, yeah. I mean, I would agree with that. For me, the aroma almost at first reminded me of barnyard, but it's a little bit more smoky than that one. As in, like, you know, as in like when you smoke a brisket or something, you get that charred. It's almost like a charred barnyard on there, maybe.

SPEAKER_07

Yeah, absolutely. And I think it's one of those things where there's a nuttiness and a little bit of spice on the finish for me, um, but I've really enjoyed overall. So yeah.

SPEAKER_08

Uh so Tony, again, welcome to Cigar Rebel. We are glad to have you here with us tonight.

SPEAKER_07

Thank you for being here with us. Thank you for having me. This is great. Yeah, absolutely. So we always say every good cigar comes with a story, and tonight we really want to get into yours. We want to have a story time with the guys here at Story Cigars and Lounge. And so that's kind of the journey tonight. We want to hear your story, we want to hear the story of your cigars, and maybe we educate everybody a little bit more.

SPEAKER_08

Yeah, so we always like to kind of start at the beginning. So, can you tell us a little bit uh about how you got into cigars?

SPEAKER_06

Oh, I got into cigars, so yes, funny story. My uh, my father, he's uh famous jazz musician, so he would go on tour and come back with boxes of Cubans. His uh favorite cigar was the Epicure number two, and um one time he had to come, he had come home, switch uh suitcases, and then go back out. But he left his cigars there, and and you know, as a young kid, you you always want to do what your dad is doing. So I was very interested on what is it about these cigars that he loves so much. So, needless to say, when he left, uh came back, half of his cigars were good. But I thought I was gonna get in trouble, but he you know, he just showed me everything about cigars.

SPEAKER_08

I feel like in the cigar world, nobody is really ever gonna be mad if you have one of their cigars they left behind, especially if you enjoy it.

SPEAKER_07

Um, absolutely. So I just want to say to a bunch of people commenting, uh, Leslie, Dwayne, Alex, great to see you. A lot of stories people in there, John Bolt's on, Roper, Krista, um, Simple Man Mobile Cigars, man. Super glad to have all of y'all on the podcast tonight. We appreciate all of y'all's support, uh, especially being here for Tony and hearing the Still City stories.

SPEAKER_08

So that's great.

SPEAKER_07

You had another question for me.

SPEAKER_08

Yeah, so do you do you remember your first cigar?

SPEAKER_06

First cigar was the Epicure number two.

SPEAKER_08

Okay, yeah.

SPEAKER_06

It was the one that that I smoked half the box when we left.

SPEAKER_09

Yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_06

So Epicure number two, who makes that?

SPEAKER_07

What just for those rebels that may not yeah, One and Monterey?

SPEAKER_06

Very great cigar, if you can find one, but yeah, not in production anymore at this point.

SPEAKER_08

So, do you have any tucked away and saved? Are you ever still able to smoke that still today?

SPEAKER_06

No, no, uh, no, I actually haven't had one in a long time. And and after smoking for so many years, I mean it's still a great cigar, but it it wasn't it it didn't become my favorite cigar. My favorite cigar, which is another cigar is hard to find, is the Mahillo Shark uh Fuente.

SPEAKER_07

Okay, my Fuente. That that was one of the questions we had a little bit because I, you know, I find it interesting how people get into cigars, both smoking their first cigar, how they were introduced was a friend or a family, right? What their first cigar was is always fascinating because there's so many variables. Like my first cigar was a fat bottom betty. Okay. Um, and I moved on quickly, but you know, I smoked probably two boxes of those. Getting into Mel's first cigar was a um Romeo and Juliet, right?

SPEAKER_08

Well, my very first cigar was actually an unbanded Connecticut that my dad gave me, but that was my first cigar. I don't know what kind it was. I don't know if he knows what kind it was. He just had a box of unbanded cigars with different blends. Um, I'm guessing it was probably a Dominican based on the good start. Based on it was very it was very mild but not sweet. So that was technically my first ever cigar. Yeah.

SPEAKER_07

No, it makes sense. So when you got into smoking cigars, you smoked your dad's cigars. Was it something that you just enjoyed right away, or was it more of like I'm doing it because he did it?

SPEAKER_06

At first, the first cigar was, you know, I'm choking, I didn't really know how you know can't inhale and all that stuff. So uh, but after I started asking uh his friends because he was on tour, which is one of his friends was like my uncle, and I you know, how do I smoke this thing? And so he showed me and I started getting the hang of it, but then I started I started picking up the notes pretty quick on what I'm smoking, which some people say it takes a long time for them to do that. Um but yeah, I fell in love with it and said it's awesome.

SPEAKER_07

Great. So you talked about your uncle kind of helping you, but was there a lounge or a person that kind of helped shape your earlier experiences? Well, like maybe beyond that, as you kind of continued your journey.

SPEAKER_06

So I got I got so deep in the cigars, I started reading about it and uh just going to random lounges. Uh, and this was in uh New Jersey at the time, and so I would go to random lounges and I started going to uh cigar festivals, uh Pro Cigar, Dominican Festival, uh the one that you have in Naragua sometimes. Um, but I was at Pro Cigar almost every year and got to meet uh a lot of the brand owners, a lot of the factory uh owners, and my palate had grew from then as everyone was passing me cigars.

SPEAKER_08

Yeah, that's awesome. So a lot of people, you know, they think of cigars, they're just about the cigar, but like for many of us, you know, it's the people, it's the room that you're in, it's the conversation, it's really getting that feeling that you're slowing down a little bit, enjoying the cigar. So I would love to hear from you what is your favorite part about the cigar culture and the experience?

SPEAKER_06

Well, um like I said, I I've uh had a chance to experience uh different types of cigars in different regions, different countries, and it's it's a different experience in different ones. Uh, but I as a whole, I like the way that you can sit down and really retrospect about life or whatever else is going on with the cigar. Um, I like the way it changes, yeah, makes you think you know, about the good things, makes you think about uh things you have to do, but it slows it down to where you can actually concentrate on what you're thinking about.

SPEAKER_07

Yeah, absolutely. And I love that experience because I think the other thing cigars do is it's the great equalizer, right? You can sit in a room like we are tonight with people from all walks of life, all backgrounds, different ethnicities, different jobs, different experiences, but we're all here to enjoy this artisanal product, this hand-rolled cigar, right? Correct. And it doesn't matter if you're smoking an open sex or you're smoking a house blend or you're smoking a bell ringer, you're just enjoying something that people put their blood, sweat, and tears to bring to the table for us to enjoy. And I think there's something unique about that.

SPEAKER_06

Yes, and and and the great thing about you know cigars is there's the perfect cigar is the one that you like the best. Yeah, it doesn't have to be stale city, it doesn't have to be Fuente or anything else. If you like it, that's the perfect cigar for you.

SPEAKER_07

Amen. Yeah, I agree with that 100%.

SPEAKER_09

Yeah.

SPEAKER_07

Um, so Roper said that the um bell ringer pairs great with the Willet Purple Top, which is a fantastic bottle. Uh Roper confirming over there. Uh but um we'd love to know if you put in the comments. Krista dropped that fat bottom betty was her first cigar. We'd love to know if you're watching live with this or if you're on the replay, go ahead and do the hashtag replay fam and let us know what your first cigar was. Because that's one of those things that we can bring up. Yours was Hoy de Monterey. Uh, Alex mentioned that his was um also a Hoy de Monterey, but his was Excalibur number one. Um, mine was fat bottom Betty and then moved from there. Uh, but again, it's what the guy offered me. You know, I didn't necessarily have a chance, but I enjoyed it, so I went and bought a box and smoked it, and I bought another box and kind of went from there.

SPEAKER_06

But even then, when I started with the with the Cubans, I started I started uh trying everything, even the flavor cigars, Cula Cuba. I used to I used to smoke those a lot, and it depended on what I was drinking at the time, you know, if it's coffee or if it's uh spirit or if it's wine.

SPEAKER_08

Do you have a favorite drink to pair with cigars? If you choose just one, I know you pair it with a lot of stuff we do as well.

SPEAKER_06

So I normally I normally pair with bourbon.

SPEAKER_08

Okay, yeah, that's up.

SPEAKER_07

I pair with bourbon unless I'm trying to pull out flavors, then I struggle because I'm so influenced by the the bourbon. Typically water or zero sugar cream soda or root beer. Yeah, yeah. Um, I love this bell ringer, this Maduro wrapper with that um cream soda is fantastic. I know you're drinking a Dr. Pepper, uh, but the cream soda feels like it cleanses my palate a little bit without influencing it on a dark cigar. Oh no, definitely. On a lighter cigar, I'm drinking water. So I want to spend time at the cigar. Let's just check in for a minute. Um, for those of you that are watching live and smoking it with this, we'd love to know your thoughts. Um, Mel, do you have any thoughts for maybe an inch in? Yeah, it's not.

SPEAKER_08

That sweetness that's on that very first couple of initial uh draws is pretty much completely gone for me at this point, just this tiny little amount in. So it's just very much there, I feel like, on the cold draw a little bit, and on um the first couple of draws once you get it lit. Um, other than that, those first flavors are still there pretty solidly, minus that that sweetness.

SPEAKER_06

And for me, and the sweetness will it'll it'll jab in there every now and then.

SPEAKER_07

Yeah, for me, that unique flavor profile on the wrapper, it's really that mouth taste is still there. Um, the cocoa sweetness has kind of gone away, and it's the pepper's lighter as well. I feel the tingle on the back of my tongue, but I don't taste it on the palate, so it's more on that finish. Um, the retro hell was interesting. Um, but yeah, no, I've enjoying it. I just want to check a little bit because I kind of want to transition a little bit.

SPEAKER_08

Yeah, no, I was gonna say I want to transit transition and really uh talk for a few minutes maybe about the cigar industry. Um, so how did you go from smoking cigars to working in the industry?

SPEAKER_06

So uh like I said, I started going to the festivals in uh in in Dominican Republic and start to get to know uh hey Hugo, I know that guy. Uh start to get to know you know the brand owners and everything. And I had I had the guts to ask one of them to teach me everything they could about cigars. And uh their their answer was for me to come down to the Dominican Republic once a month. Yeah, and I did that for four years. Wow, I learned everything from from seeding to fermenting to rolling to blending. I'm not I'm not the best roller, but I can roll. Yeah, I leave that to the experts. But uh, I became very good with blending, and um I didn't know at the time that he was testing me on blending and actually get getting me ready to start a brand. So uh actually one of my first cigars I passed out to someone today out here, and uh it was sitting, it was sitting in the aging room for about six years before I decided to put a label on it and put them out there. So uh when he when he had that, when he tasted that when he told me I was ready, and I said, Ready for what? Yeah, and he says, No, no, you're ready to start your own wind, yeah, and your own brand. And I said, Wow, but no, he actually, you know, pushed me into doing exactly what I really wanted to do.

SPEAKER_08

Yeah, so was that were you always wanting to do the cigar brand, or I always just wanted to be in the business.

SPEAKER_06

I didn't particularly want it to do a brand, you know, that's it's kind of scary.

SPEAKER_08

You know, I'm I'm a physical therapist by trade, so it's a big uh transition when you go from one to the other.

SPEAKER_07

Yeah, and I was telling some people earlier because we were in here talking in the lounge, and you know, uh, that most people to get in the cigar business, especially if you're gonna develop a brand, you are fairly successful in what else you put your hand to because there's time and money and a lot of waiting to recover that money. Yeah, um, you know, everything from licensing regulation to paying all these stupid tariffs and custom fees that pop up new every month lately. Uh, but you know, it's that thing that you had to find a passion, and then you have to be willing to put your money where your mouth is, correct, and then pause for a while.

SPEAKER_06

Yeah, so that's what happened. The the passion, the passion and the love of the culture overtook all fears that I had, and I went for it. And yeah, here we at Still City.

SPEAKER_09

Yeah, that's awesome.

SPEAKER_06

And I went I went a different way. Uh, most people, you know, they they come out with their brand and you know, they just try to get in into many stores as they possibly can. And I did the total opposite. I actually got into a couple of stores just to maintain uh you know uh income and interest, and then I end up buying uh factories first, and now I am now I am um getting into more stores and with more lounges.

SPEAKER_07

And no, that makes sense. And I think that slow approach is the smart approach. Um, if you run quickly, you've got to hit you gotta have a very high like in baseball, a 300 battery average will get you in the hall of fame. Yeah, in business, it'll get you bankrupt. Yeah, right? And so you've got to be hitting 800, 900 if you want to be successful, if you're just rushing, but if you slow grow it, you can take the no's and learn from them. Correct. And so I'm very proud uh to hear it, and that was one reason I wanted to work with you guys and have you on the podcast, is because hearing your story a little bit from you, but one from a good friend of ours, Jason Phil McAllister, who speaks the world of you. That is my buddy, and I'll tell you, we're I'll be home tomorrow, Jason. Yeah, and so I'll tell you, we we're sitting here tonight because of Jason continuing to put seeds and watering it to sit and talk with you and get to know you, and so uh, but that's what's great about the cigar industry, right? It's so big, it's tiny.

SPEAKER_06

Yeah, yeah. No, that's I tell people that all the time. It's so big, but everyone pretty much seems to know everything. And and I like I like when they do the festivals, like pro cigar festivals or PCA, to where you can regroup and see all those friends again and have a good time.

SPEAKER_07

Yeah, it's fun. Walk around PCA is almost uh it's like a reunion. Yeah, so we go for stories to buy, but it's hard to sometimes make appointments because you're so busy catching up, yeah. Right.

SPEAKER_09

Right, right.

SPEAKER_07

It's like I just want to go to hang out, yeah, yeah, right. Yeah, I gotta do business while I'm there, but I want to hang out. I want to jump to a bunch of comments. We caught the comment section is busy tonight. I like that. So I I love that. Uh, but I want to like Krista said, Fat bottom Betty was her first. I'm just gonna hit a few. Um for uh Conrad, it was a maker's bourbon cigar. Addie was the ladybug, and I still smoke it, which is. Amazing. Uh Hugo, as you said, um is in the house. Uh Simple Man sent in the morning with a coffee is his favorite pairing. Uh, love that for Dale. Um King from Jewish Boy, wish they were still around. What are some of the other ones? Oh, uh, Alex asked if this cigar was in the rebel pack. It is in the rebel pack this month. So we've got several people out there smoking it. And then flavor notes. Uh Roper Smokes uh said nutty woody, light spice, hints of sweetness. Um I forgot my phone, Dave cigar review. My first was Romeo and Juliet at age 16. Uh, the rebel he is out there smoking at an early age. Dwayne's is a hit of macadamia nut on the retro. Man, maybe that's that nuttiness that I was tasting, Dwayne. Love that comment. Yeah, that's a good one. I've never heard that one before, but that that nuttiness fits. Yeah. Um, and Alex uh is making the comment that he's in the medical field, um, like you are, Tony. And so he's working on a cigar brand. And so definitely uh good people out there. So thank y'all for commenting. I just want to touch on that. It said I was like 40 messages behind, so I was like, I gotta go look at it real quick.

SPEAKER_08

Oh, that's great. Um, so you know, starting your brand, going through that whole process uh during when you were starting up your brand, what was harder than you were expecting on that?

SPEAKER_06

As a boutique brand, you know, most people go to the big brand names, so it's hard for them to say, okay, well, I'm gonna bring this boutique brand in here. And um, so getting getting them to smoke the cigar, I think, was is the hardest thing because you know you go to the lounges and you I gotta give you a fist up on that.

SPEAKER_07

Yeah, it's not them buying, it's getting them to actually smoke the danger, yeah.

SPEAKER_06

Yeah, you get them to smoke it, and if you have you have a great cigar, it's gonna they're gonna eventually, but you know, they're gonna buy it. So, but it's get just getting them to smoke it. So I actually when I sit down, I actually try to light a cigar for them. I find out what their profile is, and I'll pick one out of steel sleeve line and I'll light it for them and see just get them to at least take a puff.

SPEAKER_09

Yeah, yeah, yeah. No, that's great.

SPEAKER_07

The the worst part is uh when they're like, hey, just leave them, I'll smoke them in a few days. Yeah, you know, and the here's the problem. So we own the brand, as many of the rebels out there know the elevated humidor, and then as a part of our partnership here at Stories, people drop off cigars for us to smoke, and I don't meaningfully do this, but it's a week or two weeks because it gets put in my locker, I get busy, yeah, and so I'm always like, hey, if you can find time to drop by, smoke one with one of our tobaccoists, smoke one with somebody else that's here. Uh, get somebody else that I trust their opinion, or if you can be around when Mel or I are here, yeah, or set an appointment.

SPEAKER_08

Like that's always if you can set an appointment, you know we'll be here.

SPEAKER_07

Right. But our thing is if you're gonna be here, I'm gonna smoke a cigar with you, and as long as it doesn't suck, I'm gonna make it work. Yeah, yeah, yeah. You know, yeah, like because I want to value it, and we may make one order and people aren't on it, and we have to move on, right? But I feel like cigar brands, especially the boutique and smaller brands, deserve a chance. Get it in people's hands, yeah.

SPEAKER_06

And if they're asking for it, we'll bring it back in. I mean, a lot of people are gonna be mad at me when I say it, but I think I think us boutique brands are driving the industry now. So I think we have we're bringing something new and new combinations of tobacco, new flavors.

SPEAKER_07

So we've had a concept to do, and I'm glad you bring that up, because about going who should get the focus, small or large brands. And in my opinion, like you, and people are gonna be mad at me, and I'm okay at that as well. I think boutique brands and smaller, what I would go beyond boutique, because I hate the term boutique, because 90% of the boutiques on the market are owned by five of the legacy brands. It's the craft group like you that are involved in the tobacco selection, the fermentation, the rolling, the quality control, the band design. You may not be fully vertically vertically integrated, but you're involved in the entire process. That's who I think is creating some of the best cigars in the world.

SPEAKER_06

I agree, I agree. And you know, I I like it when uh big brands they actually give kudos to the smaller brands, yeah. And they and they and they enjoy them.

SPEAKER_08

I mean, yeah, yeah, no, I agree.

SPEAKER_07

And I I don't blame them, but I I think they're doing what they can do to drive their business, correct? So this is no shade thrown at the larger brands, no shade. I smoke a lot of them and I enjoy it without them moving them exactly, yeah.

SPEAKER_08

No, I agree with that. Um, so kind of going back and talking about you a little bit, in a few minutes, we want to hear all about your line of cigars. Okay, um, but for the purpose of this next question, we're just looking for the name of this one, but in your line, which one is your favorite? If you could only choose one, which is hard, you could do maybe maybe two because when someone asks me to choose a favorite in ours, I can never choose just one.

SPEAKER_06

Yeah wow. Um, I would have to say because it was one of my first, and it it was the one that kind of pushed me, put me on the map was the hill district. Okay, awesome.

SPEAKER_07

I've not smoked that one, the hill district, so I'm excited to smoke that one.

SPEAKER_06

So, yeah, it's a box press, uh, it's an Indonesian Sumatra uh wrapper, uh a lap of binder and Dominican Grogan filler.

SPEAKER_08

And that was the Hill District, right? Just uh just so everybody in our live audience.

SPEAKER_06

And the hill district is named after a little city in Pittsburgh.

SPEAKER_07

Okay, so I'm gonna twist the conversation a little bit here for a minute, Tony. Um, outside of your cigars, what are two or three cigars that you enjoy smoking regularly? Uh McAuliffe, definitely. It's hard, it's hard to go wrong. I smoke a lot of McAuliffe.

SPEAKER_06

Definitely McAuliffe. Uh Tatawahe. Okay. You know what? I like everything, but McAuliffe is probably one of my go-to. Tatawahe is probably my second. And foundation, tabernacle. I love I love that cigar.

SPEAKER_08

Yeah, that's great.

SPEAKER_07

Yeah, no, all those are all great cigars. Tatawahi is not on my top list. I've smoked several. Um, we have some we have some of the monsters coming in, which are a great release that they do, right? Right. Um, but yeah, love foundation, just about everything he produces is fantastic. Yeah, that's a great job.

SPEAKER_08

Yeah, I agree with that. Um, we talked about, you know, bourbon's your favorite thing to pair with cigars. Do you ever pair coffee with your cigars? Yeah, it's a great pairing.

SPEAKER_06

For some reason the copy always have end up with bourbon in it.

unknown

Oops.

SPEAKER_07

That's hilarious. Uh, so I have another question, but I want to pause for a second because we uh I kind of put together the notes and I realize as I'm skimming through them, there's one big question I didn't really ask. And so uh tell us why Steel City Cigars. You live in Texas. Uh I I you've hinted at Pittsburgh, New Jersey, so I have a feeling I know the story, but let's share with the rebels out there you worked in DR. Hey, it's time to start a brand. I did the hard work. Now you're gonna come with a name and a why.

SPEAKER_06

So I uh born and raised in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and I just wanted to. It's a it's a blue-collar, hard work in town, and I just felt I put so much hard work in getting this brand together, blending these cigars, that that name represented me perfectly, and hopefully I'm representing the city. Awesome.

SPEAKER_07

Well, I love that I'm a Pittsburgh Steelers fan. That's true, uh, to the chagrin of many people here. But uh, I love the Steelers. I'm just hoping Rogers can pull it through for us this year.

unknown

Me too.

SPEAKER_07

I'm waiting to see. I want to see the younger guys, yeah. I agree. All right, so back to cigars. We have a barbecue and cigar event coming up here in September. Uh, do you ever enjoy cigars with the meal? And what do you like to pair on both the food side as well as what's the your go-to cigar?

SPEAKER_06

Man, so food side, barbecue far as uh brisket. I I like a real heavy, meaty cigar. You know, I normally I normally go with the Macauli black, something like that. Um, and then when I'm eating rib, something kind of sweet, looking like a sweet sauce to it. Yeah, there's a cigar that I've I've rolled for a guy's uh his name is uh David Skelton. He um he runs the Texas Cigar Road Show. So his cigar is called the Roadshow, yeah, and his cigar has a natural sweetness all the way through that it pair it just pairs very well.

SPEAKER_07

Yeah, that's awesome. Yeah, that's great. Yeah, I I love a meal with a cigar. There is nothing like that experience to have a bite, take a couple of draws, another bite.

SPEAKER_06

Um, so have you ever been to a saga restaurant in Dominican in Santiago? Have not. Oh man, so you can they have a great tomahawk there, okay, and you can smoke your cigar and eat at the same time.

SPEAKER_08

Yeah, that's awesome. So circling back, you gave us kind of your favorite in the line. You told us a little bit about it. Um, but really, why is that cigar your favorite?

SPEAKER_06

Well, that's that was the first, that was actually the first cigar that I put in production.

SPEAKER_08

Um, is that the one that you blended and had sitting for so long? Okay, okay. So the first one you put in production.

SPEAKER_06

And uh it's a different cigar. So the Hill District is a very artsy city where uh you have uh painters, you have musicians, and they all come to the city. That's where it's almost like New York, that's where they go to make in the city. Okay, so there's all types of nice nightclubs and art galleries there. So that cigar kind of reminds me of all that creativity, uh differ it's a different flavor, it's different taste on that cigar, and it just reminds me of the Hill District and place where I like to I like to listen to live music. Like I said, my dad's a jazz drummer, so especially jazz.

SPEAKER_07

Yeah, there is nothing like live music, and there's nothing like good jazz with a cigar. Yeah. Um, Mel and I love to go to jazz places when we travel, we love to go into dueling piano, and so the best time is when we can find somewhere we can do that and smoke a cigar. Yeah, and so when we're in Vegas, we've been there quite a bit over the last few years. There used to be a uh dueling piano and jazz bar in Paris Hotel.

SPEAKER_09

Yes.

SPEAKER_07

And uh we would go in there and you could smoke a cigar as long as you bought a drink. And so we'd find the back corner and we'd smoke four or five cigars and listen to jazz, yeah, and they'd intermingle, and there's nothing like it, like it's just the perfect area.

SPEAKER_06

And and that's what um and that's what I thought uh a couple years or maybe a year or two ago. Me and my dad actually we've been going on tour, so I bring his jazz band with me when I do my cigar events, and you know, it's you know, New York style jazz, and he brings his band. We have cigars and just have a good old time. Yeah, we need to do that here one time.

SPEAKER_07

No, that'd be amazing.

SPEAKER_08

That's awesome.

SPEAKER_07

So we do an anniversary party once a year. Maybe maybe that's a good music.

SPEAKER_08

Yeah, maybe set up. No, those are, I mean, I'm I'm loving all the conversation. We are gonna take just a quick break, but when we come back, we're going to talk more with you, Tony, and also more about Steel City cigars.

SPEAKER_01

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 are built 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 of the war with the storyteller. Over the years, we have seen some of the best stories told over cigars, and thus new friendships are made, compassion shared, encouragement, and so much more. The impact storytelling has on the human connection is why we decided to name our store and lounge for the stories. Because behind every good cigar in conversation is an even better story.

SPEAKER_04

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SPEAKER_03

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SPEAKER_08

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

SPEAKER_07

Yeah, so coming up on August 24th next Monday is a shift is coming. The industry is changing, and we're smoking the Lady Jade by the Elevated Humidor.

SPEAKER_08

Yes, on August 31st, we are doing our pairing season series 101. We'll be doing some different snacks there, and we'll be smoking the Veil Mutiny by HDA.

SPEAKER_07

Um, and then the following week is Flavor Notes series on creamy cigars. And this is a new series based on you, Rebels, questions and asking us to do these 101 style series. And we're going to be smoking the Velvet Gold by the Elevated Humidor.

SPEAKER_08

Right. And then September 14th is Daily Smoke, and that's what makes a great everyday cigar. And on that one, we will be smoking the Rose of Sharon by Southern Draw.

SPEAKER_07

Absolutely. And so if you're watching for the first time tonight, we'd ask you to go ahead and go down there and click that subscribe button. You can also follow us on Facebook or Instagram or other socials at Cigar Rebel. Also on YouTube, you can always click that notify button, which will let you know about 72 hours and about four hours before we go live. It'll either text you or email depending on your choice. But we would love to have you follow along with this journey with us. Before we get back to the conversation with Tony, let's go ahead and check it on the cigar. We're well into the second third of the cigar. Um, Mel, what are you getting? Um, those in the comments, we'd love to know what you're getting on the cigar. So, what do you think, Mel?

SPEAKER_08

Yeah, so I'm still getting a little bit of those hints of cocoa in there. Um, there's a little hint of sweetness, not from the initial light where it felt like it was on the wrapper, but now it feels more like it's just a part of those flavor notes.

SPEAKER_07

Yeah, absolutely. I'm getting an earthiness that's really picked up a lot. Um, almost a sweet hay versus a sweet chocolate early on. Um, there's still hints of that cocoa or cacao that's there. Um, and then there's a little bit of a breadiness that's kind of on the mouthfill and the retro held. So I've enjoying that.

SPEAKER_08

Yeah, we've gotten a couple comments from people saying that they're getting some breadiness notes to it as well.

SPEAKER_07

So yeah, somebody actually just said uh pumper nickel. Um that's what it is. Wow.

SPEAKER_08

Um, so yeah, definitely something people say some rye in there. So no, that's great.

SPEAKER_07

Pump pupper nickel bread with honey in the second third. I love that. Yeah, so definitely getting some good flavors. Tony, what are you getting?

SPEAKER_06

I know this is your cigar, you're a little biased, but uh yeah, but most of these guys are are hitting it right on the spot. I'm getting uh pretty much the same thing.

SPEAKER_08

Yeah, that's great. Awesome.

SPEAKER_07

Got some good people with good palettes.

SPEAKER_08

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_07

So Krista said some warm buttered bread, which I love that. And so we try not to get into the crazy flavor profiles, you know, like it's the key lime pie. Yeah, it's like it's the bubblegum wrapper that you left in the back of your car and then it got stuck to the bottom of your shoe, yeah, and you've licked it, that's what it tastes like. You know, I know there's some guys that do that, and we make fun of a good friend that has some really crazy uh reviews, but uh he's spot on most of the time because once he says it, it's imprinted and you taste it, right? Yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_06

I don't know if it's is it do you want to taste it or it's really there?

SPEAKER_08

Exactly. Exactly. Absolutely. Uh so before the break, you were telling us, you know, how you got into the cigar business. Um, is there any more details you want to uh give us on how Steel City Cigars developed or uh how it kind of is where maybe even where it's going, the company that it's that it is today?

SPEAKER_06

Well, yeah, like I said, I uh I end up buying the factories and uh I just love being creative. I like I told you earlier, Kevin, I I'm addicted to blending. I have maybe 69 blends in my in my aging room right now, so I can come out with a blend every year. You know, so I'm constantly just trying to think of different ways to be first of all, to be different, and secondly, to push out a quality premium cigar. Yeah, I like I like to see people enjoy not only just my cigars, but cigars, period.

SPEAKER_07

No, I would agree. It's like there's nothing better than that, right? Um, and I love getting feedback on how people are enjoying construction, because good good or bad, if you're a blender, good or bad, it is good criticism. Yeah, I mean, yeah, even if they don't like it, yeah. I tell people all the time, I'm like, hey, negative feedback is good feedback, correct? Good feedback is great, and great is exceptional, right? You know, you but you've got to have the bad feedback because we blended nine cigars before the first one was smokable, and we thought we could bring it to the market. Yeah, yeah, because the other eight were bad. Yeah, but without somebody being honest, right, we weren't gonna get better, right?

SPEAKER_06

Yeah, no, you're exactly right. Um, and actually, I think I'm I'm blending some of the best cigars that I've blended now. And you know, when I was focused on, yeah, I gotta blend a great cigar blending right now. I'm I'm just letting flow and you know, coming out with great ideas, uh like I like I split decision is something different that no one's doing in the industry that I thought was different and turned out to be a great smoke. So that's awesome. I mean we get to be different.

SPEAKER_08

We get asked all the time is the stuff that you're blending now better than the stuff you blended when we very first started? Yeah, and the answer to that mostly I would say is yes, because we have time to explore, we have time to experiment, uh we grow in what we're doing.

SPEAKER_07

And then we've worked with some other master blenders that are way beyond us, yeah, and you spend a day or two with them and you get better.

SPEAKER_06

Yeah, and and I smoke, I smoke a lot of other cigars. I I smoke Steel City a lot, but most people would probably think because I'm a brand owner, I smoke my cigar all the time, every day. I don't. I I smoke a lot of different brands, so and just that way keep me on my toes on what's out there, what the blends of people are coming up with, keep them, it gets me interested.

SPEAKER_07

Yeah, I probably smoke one of ours a day in five or six of other brands in a day. Yeah, and sometimes I'll smoke something. I mean, this reminds me of something of ours. Let me go grab ours and I'll end up having both lit and be like, hey, what's similar, what's not?

SPEAKER_06

Yeah, because if you if you keep continue smoking the same cigar, your your palate actually shrinks. Yeah, and you don't get to experience the other brands that's out there, the other blends.

SPEAKER_07

Yeah, absolutely. So before we kicked off the podcast tonight, we had a little bit of a kickoff event here at Stories for Your Cigars. Yeah. Um, great turnout, too. Great turnout. So we got a crowd in here, a good opportunity to really interact with some of our cigar smokers, our members. Um, are there any thoughts you want to share on maybe the kickoff here or events in general? Like, what do you enjoy about doing events?

SPEAKER_06

Uh I I enjoy watching people smoke my cigars. Uh I like I like hearing the feedback that they give. Um, I like when they get excited about smoking my cigars or at the end of the event when hey, when are you coming back? I got and most of all, uh meeting new people, starting new relationships. That's what this is all about. Yeah, absolutely.

SPEAKER_08

Yeah, and so Kevin and I, we've smoked several of the cigars, you know, in your portfolio. And tonight we had the five different cigars being shared at the kickoff event. And you told us a little bit about Hill District. So if there's anything you want to add to that now, feel free. And a caveat question if you're like, well, I've already talked enough about that one. Is what is that this is that the cigar you would recommend to someone who is trying your brand for the very first time? They're only going to get one. Is that what you would recommend to them? Yes, I believe that'd be one of them. Yes. Yeah, no, that's great.

SPEAKER_07

Yeah, so maybe a follow-up. You've talked about that. We talked about uh the bell ringer when we kicked off Lotte. So tell us about Criminole the Creme.

SPEAKER_06

Man, that's a that's a great cigar. It's actually one of my favorites, too. Um, I wanted a cigar that had the creaminess, the smokiness kind of reminds you of like an old world uh Cuban cigar. So what we did with that cigar is we uh we actually burnt that the actual tobacco leaf before we rolled it, so we can get that smokiness, that creaminess, and then we rolled it and uh let it sit. And it turned out to be a pretty good cigar, very creamy. Yeah, that was one of my favorites. Um a lot of people in the beginning when I first released it, a lot of people actually look past it because it's called creme de la creme. So some people thought it was like a flavored cigar or something like that. But when people actually smoked it, it's it's actually one of my biggest sellers.

SPEAKER_07

So I've smoked four or five of those. Um, it's what I was smoking before the show tonight. Yeah, um, and so yeah, I think that's a great cigar. Um, I've not smoked all of yours, I've smoked several. Uh, you've given us some samples, and I shared it with different people because I'm a big believer in let's get multiple people's feedback, right? Right. Um, but I really do like the creme de l'icrum. Yes, it's been a very enjoyable cigar. Tell us about the blend.

SPEAKER_06

Just uh it's uh it's a Dominican Habana wrapper. Okay, um, it has uh Save Cente binder, has Dominican Nicaragua filler, which uh I'll give you a couple of it has uh Carillo 99, it has uh it has piloto cabana in there, and it has jalapa, and the others I gotta yeah, yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_07

Pilato is one of my favorites. Yeah, it's amazing. When uh and tonight's about you, but it's fun to interact with. We were in the DR and doing a tasting, and they blinded us on a bunch of different tobaccos. Um, sometimes when we're blending, we'll have them pull different tobaccos and just number them one through five. Yeah, um, and they were all blown away. There's like, okay, that's this one's acrylike, this one's Pilato. They're like, and like really, like, how'd you know that? And I was like, there's just a distinct flavor on 99. I can't get, but 98, uh-huh, there's just a spice to it. And Pilato, uh, we use in several of our cigars, particularly the ladybug, the Bell blended, and I just love the profile and the aroma. It's the aroma of that is to me, it's that might be why I like crime de la creme, is there's that Palato in there that just it's feels like comfort food. It does, right? You know, it's like eating a big bowl of macaroni and cheese, like it's just comfort.

SPEAKER_08

Yeah, yeah. So why don't you uh tell uh all the rebels out there a little bit about the yinzer?

SPEAKER_06

The yenzer. So in Pittsburgh, we say yen's guys instead of you guys. So the yinzer, so we call each other yenzers. So the yenzer was uh is a San Andres uh wrapper. It also has Dominican and Nicaraguan filler, and uh it was one of it was just something I wanted, I needed to make uh a mouse cigar. And I didn't I don't really smoke mouth cigars, so it was one of the hardest cigars for me to blend. But I uh what I did is I field test, I made I made the blend and I field tested it. I made about 50 boxes and started passing them out to people. And the Yenzer was another one that when it hit the Pittsburgh scene, it just went crazy just because of the name. But when people actually smoked it, it was a great Lancero cigar. And a lot of people, unfortunately, a lot of people don't like Lanceros because they're not getting the uh bang for their buck, but uh Lanceros are a very flavorful cigar that way. You get get to taste everything that that you're looking.

SPEAKER_07

Yeah, yeah, and I love the new Lancero because the the wrapper has such a higher impact on a cigar. That and Coronas are like where I want to be.

SPEAKER_06

Well, that's that's where I'm at most of the time. Yeah, I I'm a true medium smoker, I I like full bodies, and then and I and I do now frequent with the uh the Malder blends, but lanceros and coronas and petite coronas, you get me a hello, yeah.

SPEAKER_07

I agree a hundred percent. So Steel Curtain, I know that's a newer one of your cigars, so uh it I'm hoping it's a reference to the best football team in the world. And so tell us about Steel Curtain.

SPEAKER_06

So Steel Curtain was a cigar. Um one of uh my home lounge that I go to, they wanted uh, you know, the the guys there, they wanted a bigger ring gauge from Steel City. Uh they wanted something on the the line of the bell ringer with the full bodiness. And uh, you know, I try to give I try to give people what they want. Um, so it is a quadruple a hero wrapper, but it's it's still smokes pretty smooth, it's not real punchy, but it's heavy, and you'll know you'll know that you that you're smoking something full body.

SPEAKER_07

And I love that. I love that you're giving people what they want. Um, we have a new cigar coming out here in a few weeks called Velvet Gold. Um, and it's a full-bodied Connecticut. Nice. Um, and so everybody's everybody says after they smoke it, the finish, they'd say it's a four, but while you're smoking it, it's a seven. Yeah, so you feel it while you're smoking it, but it's got a quick finish. Yeah, um, and we've been working on a Connecticut for four years. Yeah, that's Connecticut's are very hard to blend. Yeah, and so we finally found a couple of really good uh Nicaraguan grown outside of Estelle, Candega, um, that would really bring off that Ecuadorian Connecticut. Oh, so you put Kendega in it, and so yeah, it's got an Estely binder with jalapa candega fillers. Wow, that I should bounce off the wrapper, yeah. And so, but it's that idea of this is what people are asking for, and you know, to your point with the steel curtain, it's trying to blend something that people want, and people don't understand, and it leads into kind of the next question of how much labor goes into getting that profile right, right? Well, I mean, like, talk about when we were in VR last time blending. How many uh little cigars, paralleltoes did we smoke before we kind of whittled it now? About 50?

SPEAKER_08

It was a lot. Um, probably I would say 50 is probably about right.

SPEAKER_07

Like the blending process, like smoking of the blending process. Yeah, so I love to blend. Yeah, I'm with you. I my my problem is we can't grow fast enough for me to blend. Yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_09

Yeah.

SPEAKER_06

Only thing I don't like if I'm if I'm blending a full-body cigar like uh steel curve, because normally I wake up early in the morning, eight, eight, I think, seven, eight o'clock, all I'm gonna have is either some water or some coffee before I start blending. So I don't haven't eaten anything. Yeah, so you're smoking about, and you're not smoking four cigars, but you're smoking about 30, 40 plus cigars. So by the end of the blending, you're like, oh my god.

SPEAKER_07

It blows your power. Yeah, so for me, I know this sounds really silly. It's a trick that I've picked up is I'll have a glass of fiber powder.

SPEAKER_09

Really?

SPEAKER_07

Yeah, and mix it in because it doesn't have a lot of flavor after it, you know, but it gets it to where if I'm smoking something heavier in the morning, it's not gonna hit me. Yeah, it kind of levels out your bloodstream a little bit. Yeah, that still curtain is rough. Yeah, I could see that.

SPEAKER_08

Yeah, I could see 100%. I feel like the blending process, some of the ones, like there's been a few that we've had the vision for, or there's been a couple I've been like, this is the vision, yeah. And those are the ones I feel like for me are the hardest because it's you blend and you blend, and it's it's not there, it's not that, it's not that, and you're kind of like, maybe this isn't attainable, and then all of a sudden one day you get there and it's like amazing.

SPEAKER_06

Yeah, no, I've had some blends where I was on the fence with it and I put it, I put it in a age room, and like we said earlier, sometimes a cigar just needs to sit for a while, and I brought it back out, and it's actually pretty good. Yeah, so it's actually one of one of my cigars that I sell, and that's and that's the bean green.

SPEAKER_08

Yeah, that's great. That's great. That's awesome.

SPEAKER_07

So we've talked a lot about the blending process and pretty in the line. Um, and Mel brought up when you have a vision that's harder versus sometimes you're blending and like, hey, we want to try these tobaccos, and you come up with something really good that you're not really trying, you're just experimenting a little bit. So when you get into the blending process, is there an inspiration or motivation that really goes, hey, I need to start this next project, or is it more just experimenting and you find great things?

SPEAKER_06

Um when I when I start the blend, I've actually I actually think of a name of what the cigar is going to be first, okay, and then try to feel what that what that name means to me. Yeah, and then I try to put the flavors to that name or what I want it to taste like. Yeah, so that's that's that's how I actually start. And you know, you always have your flavor notes that you that you always base yourself with, either if it's cocoa or if it's uh nuttiness, creaminess, or whatever.

SPEAKER_08

Yeah, it's great, it's great. Um, so before we it is 100%. I mean, we get on a on a talk start talking about blending, yeah. And we actually had to kind of we still talk about it, but we don't talk about it as much because, like you said, we we're we're we're good on our our blends for right now, although we're already thinking of new things, but yeah.

SPEAKER_07

I mean, I we we've got two test cigars being rolled right now in Nicaragua that we'll get in in a couple of weeks for a cigar that's coming out next year. That yeah, I had an idea, I had a name.

SPEAKER_09

Uh-huh.

SPEAKER_07

It popped in my mind. I was driving down the road one day, I was smoking one of our cigars, and uh we're releasing later this year Lady Marmalade. Okay. Um, Mel had the idea for the name. I designed the band and then we started blending. But I'm driving down the road, I was smoking one because I smoke one of those a month until we're ready to release, just make sure. And uh this new, I'm not gonna share the name yet, but it came to me. A band came to me, so I actually pulled her side of the road, grabbed my laptop, designed a quick band. Right. Just it's not what it needs to be, but just so I didn't forget the the elements. Uh, and then I called Marlin and said, Hey, I need to blend the cigar. I need these tobaccos in it because it's tobacco we've worked with. So I I didn't blend it myself. I'm like, hey, these are the thoughts. I want you to put these three cigars together, send me the cigars and some tobacco. So if it's not it, I can play, but I want to have the tobacco that you're gonna be using, yeah. All right, so I can adjust the the tobacco in there. Uh, but it just if I don't pause, we could have a lot of cigars.

SPEAKER_08

Well, that's I mean, the other thing that's crazy about blending is sometimes you might be like, I've I've got I'm gonna pause. I'm not and you get those ideas, and it's like, all right, I gotta run with that. I mean, that was really with Lady Marmalade coming out in November. Yeah, I thought about that two in it, two and a half years ago two years ago.

SPEAKER_07

Mel spent 18 months blending the Lady Book. She did it by herself, she wanted to blend her own cigar. Um, it's well, our probably our most popular cigar, at least one of them, but um super popular, petite corona, okay, um, medium to full-bodied Havano, um, and very good. And we had the launch party for it. And halfway through the launch party, she's like, I said I was done blending, especially by myself, but there's a cigar lady marmalade we're coming out with.

SPEAKER_08

Yeah, I was like, we're we're starting that. And I think we did start blending for that a week or so later.

SPEAKER_06

We did none of them were it, you know.

SPEAKER_08

We did 20 of them, and none of them were it, so it's just uh it's really yeah.

SPEAKER_07

We finally moved on, or like we've got to move on. Yeah, and then we came back to it.

SPEAKER_06

I mean, still city started out this time last year, started out with four blends. Yeah, now I got I got 19 faces.

SPEAKER_07

It's like yeah, all right. So we've only got a handful more minutes here. Um, I want to throw some out there. Mel, I'm gonna take your next section for a second. For a second, I can't talk. Uh, for any of you rebels out there watching live or here in our live audience, if you want to drop it in the comments, if you have a question for Tony that you would like him to answer, we're gonna pick two or three. So if yours doesn't get chosen, please don't get your feelings hurt. But if you have a question, drop it in the comments. We'll get to them here in a minute. But while you're doing that, we're gonna do some rapid fire questions. Uh just to let people get to know you a little bit better. Okay. So one or two word answers. Okay. All right, so Mel, you kick us off.

SPEAKER_08

All right, so first one is gonna be morning or evening cigar.

SPEAKER_06

All day.

SPEAKER_08

All right, I mean, we could we could go with that. That's not, I mean.

SPEAKER_07

So straight V or punch on the cut. I like it straight.

SPEAKER_08

Okay. Um what's your favorite food?

SPEAKER_06

Uh Maryland Blue Crab. All right. What was that? Marilyn Bluegray. All right.

SPEAKER_07

Maryland Blue Crab. Alright. So best advice to someone new to cigars never stop blending.

SPEAKER_06

Just keep trying and don't let don't let uh don't let the uh the slowness stop. Because it will pick up and you'll wish that it would be slow.

SPEAKER_09

Yeah.

SPEAKER_06

So keep on keep on blending if you want, if that's what you want to do, and keep your passion. Keep your passion.

SPEAKER_08

Yeah, that's a great advice. Um that's very true.

SPEAKER_07

What is the favorite event that you have done at Still City Cigars? Favorite event.

SPEAKER_06

Uh now I don't have a favorite, but I'll tell you my smart answer. My favorite thing, my favorite thing is that I'm actually uh doing things with my father. So with so I'll bring my band, bring his band with me while we're doing the mix, and that's and that's like that that is one of the greatest things for me. That's awesome.

SPEAKER_08

Yeah, that's great. Absolutely.

SPEAKER_07

So, questions we have here. If see if we got any out there. Uh, one of the questions will stories be um stocking still city cigars. The answer to that is yes. Uh, we didn't get any other questions, so you're doing a good job covering some things tonight, Tony. Right. Uh but um no, so we have a question, yes, sir.

SPEAKER_05

I'm a barbecue, competition barbecue smoker. Hardly ever smoke barbecue without smoking a cigar with it. What do you suggest?

SPEAKER_07

So I'm gonna ask the question so our live audience that's not in the house can hear. No, you're great. I'm just gonna repeat the question. So his question was he is a competition barbecue smoker and he loves to smoke a cigar while he's doing that. What does he recommend? What is he asking? What does Tony recommend for him to smoke while doing it?

SPEAKER_06

Oh man, so smoke. It it depends on what you're depends on what you're what you're cooking. Depends on what you're cooking. Texas, but okay, we'll get right grab you a nice Maduro cigar, medium, medium plus, and let it go.

SPEAKER_05

Yeah.

SPEAKER_07

All right, so there is so much more that we can talk about tonight. We can circle back and dig in, um, but unfortunately, time is running out tonight or running short. And so, um, Mel and all of you smoking the bell ringer with us, what's your final thoughts on this cigar? We've got lots of great feedback in the comments.

SPEAKER_08

Yeah, so uh for me, I've got that uh still a little bit of lingering sweetness in there, um, some mild spice. Um a little bit of maybe toasted wood or something in there as we transition.

SPEAKER_07

Like with most cigars, it heat heating up at the end a little bit. Um, I'm feeling that heat and it's extenuating the pepperness on my tongue and on my lips, which I wasn't getting before. It's always been there on the retro, but it wasn't really there. And I told you earlier, there's a little sting on the back, but now there's a constant sting, which to me is that it's not the white pepper, it's more of that black pepper or that um Krista likes to describe it as that jalapeno lingering. This isn't that flavor, just that sting. Correct. Um, I always call that it tastes like more, uh, because as long as I'm eating the hot sauce, it doesn't burn, but when I stop, I feel it. Yeah, and that's what I'm getting on this cigar. Uh, the really has dropped off the chocoliness, has gone away, the hay has gone away. There's just this strong peppery earthiness. And again, yeah, I'm down to maybe an inch and a half left of the cigar. So um definitely a good. Uh, somebody in the comments said they great it in the 90s. Um, great smoke, love the um sneaky spice, wants to try with coffee, two thumbs up. Um, really enjoyed the cigar and the story behind Still City. Tony was an excellent guest. So uh thank you. Great feedback from those uh across the country. We've had lots of comments, not just here. Uh, we've got about 30 people from around the country watching. So beautiful.

SPEAKER_08

Yeah. Well, I mean, we really appreciate you joining us tonight, Tony. Um, all of you rebels out there, thank you guys for joining us tonight. If you liked this episode, please leave us a review, share with your cigar friends, and hit us up with any topics you'd like us to dive into in future episodes.

SPEAKER_07

Yeah, and if you're watching or listening on the replay, go ahead and drop a comment, hashtag replayflam, click the notify button on YouTube to be notified of any upcoming shows. And as always, you can find us on any streaming platform, Spotify, Amazon, Apple, Music. We would love for you to click subscribe and follow along this crazy journey that we're doing here at Cigar Rebel. Um, next week we have a great episode for you, Rebels, on Monday night at 7 p.m. Um, a shift is coming, the industry is changing, and we're gonna dive into that. But for tonight, this has been our show with a great guest, Tony Rollins and Dill City Cigars. Um, appreciate you guys.

SPEAKER_08

Yes, thank you again so much for joining us, and thank you to all of our viewers for tuning in. We will see you next Monday at 7 p.m. Central Time. Until then, keep your cigar lit, your ash wong, and your palate curious.

SPEAKER_07

Good night, Rebels.