Brian’s The Week In Smoke, Issue 8

Labor day just passed, and to quote a popular line from the movie Office Space, “I did nothing. I did absolutely nothing, and it was everything that I thought it could be.” As such, instead of my usual review, I dusted off a Week in smoke that has been laying dormant added a few recent smokes and some pictures, and there you have it. Enjoy.

It’s time once again for Brian’s The Week In Smoke. In case this is your …

Tour of the New and Improved Famous Smoke Shop

Can you believe there is still video from the Famous Smoke Shop Cigar Expo 2011 (Cigarnival)? For a small two day event with crowds of people, I’m very happy with what we walked away with, in terms of video. In earlier posts, and in replies to comments, I made mention of getting video footage of the new Famous Smoke Shop Store. This is the post where I feature that footage.

All I did was fire up the camera and walk …

Ask The Chief

To help us answer a question from Episode 203 of Your Questions, My Answers. We turn to Skip Martin aka Chief Hava of CroMagnon Cigars to talk about how leasing factories work. We also talk about whats new with CroMagnon as well as his take on on Jose Blanco coming out of retirement and joining Joya de Nicaragua.

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Your Questions, My Answers – Episode 203

Back again with another episode of Your Questions, My Answers. In this episode we talk about the recent news of Jose Blanco joining Joya de Nicaragua and the impact it will have. From their we banter back and forth about smoking lounge etiquette and whether bringing your own cigars is acceptable or in bad taste. We spend a little time talking about butane and if it really matters how refined the fuel is. What humidity level should you have your …

Brad Mayo of Jameson Cigar Co at Cigar Expo 2011

During the Famous Cigar Expo 2011 (Cigarnival), Mike and I caught up with Brad Mayo from Jameson Cigar Co. We had to twist Brad’s arm a bit to get him to do a video but we managed to get our way. In the short video below, Brad talks about the Santos de Miami and makes mention of a sub brand that may make its way to the market soon.

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Cigar Expo 2011 Coverage Sponsored By Xikar

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Glynn Loope of CRA Speaks with Stogie Review at Cigar Expo 2011

During the Famous Smoke Shop Cigar Expo 2011 (Cigarnival), Mike and I had the pleasure of talking with Glynn Loope, Executove Director of the Cigar Rights of America, for a few minutes. Glynn was kind enough to record a quick interview with us before we parted ways.

The video below is about three minutes long. Glynn gives us a quick overview of the current political situation with the FDA and talks a little about the CRA Organization.

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Using a Xikar Xi Cutter to Clip Your Cigar

Think back to the first time that you ever held a Xikar Xi Cutter. If you were like me, you probably picked it up and asked yourself “where are the fingers holes?” Before I could experiment and mangle my cigar, I was given a demonstration by a shop owner.

I would like to offer you that same courtesy but rather than me showing you how to operate the cutter, why don’t we bring in the man that is responsible for …

The 2011 Xikar New Product Lineup

While attending the Famous Smoke Shop Cigar Expo 2011 (Cigarnival), Mike and I had the pleasure of spending a lot of time with Kurt Van Keppel of Xikar (Sponsor of our Cigar Expo Coverage). We set out to record a handful of videos with Kurt. The first was The History of Xikar. The second video, which we have here, is the New Product Lineup for 2011. The third, which will come later, is a quick video on Properly …

Video Diary: Cigar Expo 2011 – Day 2 (Walt)

Earlier this week I posted a video diary that I put together for the Famous Smoke Shop Cigar Expo 2011 (Cigarnival). I wasn’t expecting much out of the video but we recieved a lot of positive feedback on it.

The following video is what happened on Day 2 of the Expo. Unfortunately, with this video I lost some steam and didn’t record nearly as much (I’m blaming that on trying to get time with manufacturers for interviews). The video …

W.Curtis Draper – The Next Chapter

Earlier this year the DC Location of W.Curtis Draper pretty much became a non-smoking cigar shop due to complaints from tenants (a law firm) that was situated above the shop. W.Curtis Draper had been at its 14th Street location for almost 25 years. There have been a lot of changes for my home shop this year. The smoking issue at their DC location, they added a second location in Bethesda MD and now a short move around the corner to …