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Cigar Deals: A thing of the past?

• Cigar Rebel

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You are listening to the Cigar Rebel podcast. In this episode of Cigar Rebel we jump into the topic of Cigar Deals. Are Cigar Deals still the event superstar or a thing of the past? Join the conversation as we take the time to enjoy one of life’s luxuries on this quirky journey we call life.

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SPEAKER_01

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_03

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

SPEAKER_00

And I'm Kevin, and we're coming to you live tonight from Story Cigars and Lounge with an episode on cigar deals. Are they hot or are they dead?

SPEAKER_03

Right. So depending on the context or how the question is asked, cigar deals are dead.

SPEAKER_00

Absolutely. And really, depending on the context, Mel, as you said, and I said absolutely, but it really is the context and how you ask the question. But the reality, Rebels, is cigar deals are dead.

SPEAKER_03

So you and I have been talking about this for a while now. And when we started stories with our partners, this was one of the almost foundational guiding principles. And so here's the deal, no pun intended. Cigar deals are dead, or they're at least tired at this point.

SPEAKER_00

Yeah, absolutely. And I want to come back to that here in a few minutes, Mel. Um, but I definitely want to take a step back for just a few moments. Um, Mel, when you and I were planning, and as we were planning this episode on events and deals, I actually ran across two different articles and a podcast. And what was really interesting is I ran across those in the same number of days. So in two different days, I ran across these two different articles, and one of them stated that cigar deals are dead, and the other article stated that cigar deals are thriving and are the backbone of the industry.

SPEAKER_03

So you really couldn't find two opinions that are further apart with that. So here is a question for those of you who are listening to us live, and for those of you that are here with us tonight live in uh the lounge is have you ever bought cigars just because the deal was good, even though you didn't know if you actually even wanted them or not?

SPEAKER_00

I mean, certainly, right? Early in our cigar journal, sorry journal, I can't talk. Early in my cigar journey, I definitely ended up buying some cigars that I didn't even want. It's just I kind of got excited about. And I joke a little bit and said during that time in my humidor, there was an entire section called financial optimism.

SPEAKER_03

Yeah, I mean, I think we've all been there to be honest. You see the sign, buy three, get one free, or maybe there's a free lighter, or event-only pricing, boss, box discounts, bundle blowouts. The list goes on.

SPEAKER_00

Yeah, and when that happens, you're suddenly doing the math in a cigar shop as if you're on Shark Tank. Am I am I gonna take this deal or not?

SPEAKER_03

So tonight we're asking the question that cigar retailers, brands, and consumers are all wrestling with really right now, every day in the cigar industry, and that is the cigar deals, are they still hot or are they dead and gone?

SPEAKER_00

Yeah, and maybe a better question is is the old cigar deal dead? And if it is, what replaces it?

SPEAKER_03

Yeah, because discounts are easy, value is a lot harder. And before we get too much more into this, Rebels, we're going to cut, light, and settle in.

SPEAKER_00

Yeah, absolutely. So, Mel, why don't you go ahead and tell us what we're smoking tonight?

SPEAKER_03

Tonight we are smoking the Camacho Ecuador. It has a Ecuadorian Habano wrapper, Brazilian Matafita binder, and then Honduran and Dominican fillers.

SPEAKER_00

I'm excited to smoke this tonight. Um, for those of you smoking live with us here at Stories, we'd love to get feedback along the way. If you're smoking this with us and following along on YouTube or Facebook, we would absolutely love to get your feedback as well. Um, Mel, what are you getting on the cold draw before we light this up?

SPEAKER_03

So, my first cold draw of the cigar was really pretty excellent, honestly. Um, I had a little bit of an undertone almost of like a cool leather, almost if you could call it that. Um, a little bit of barnyard.

SPEAKER_00

Yeah, absolutely. There's a little bit of that, and almost on the aroma, and I can kind of smell as I ran up for a cold draw, there's almost a little bit of a mushroomy earthiness to it. Um, but it's almost musty, like have a mustiness to it. So I'm not really sure exactly what that's coming from, but I'm excited to get this lit. Um, in the Camacho series, honestly, this is one of the cigars that I have not smoked. I've smoked a lot of their Connecticut, a lot of their Lajero, um the Corojo. Um, I might have smoked this one, but I don't remember it. So I'm excited to light this up, jump into it, and see where it takes us. Um, but let's go ahead and get this cigar lit. So the lighting is brought to you tonight by Big Sky Cigar Company.

SPEAKER_04

Back in 1905, on the Montana skies, 100 cents and factories, roll smoke further wise. Reminders a ranchers like one and bring now. Big sky cigar because bringing that spirit back in.

SPEAKER_05

Yellowstone River to the bold big orange floor, Madison, the root black what we know. I leave from Nicaragua, Stan race to Ecuador.

SPEAKER_04

And every box so helps our veterans, men, with warriors and quiet waters. We lend a friend's hand. It's heritage burning in every draw. Big sky cigars, Montana's pride and low.

SPEAKER_05

Big Sky Cigar. We're heritage full with whatever draw.

SPEAKER_07

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

SPEAKER_03

As always, thank you to our sponsors. Now that we have this lit, we've taken one or two draws off of it. What are your thoughts?

SPEAKER_00

So the very first thought is on the palette in the retro hell, there's an intense pepper. It's not strong, it's not like it's hot like a bourbon would be, but there's just a strong pepper forward for me right away.

SPEAKER_03

Okay, so I get a little bit of pepper on the finish for me, but the initial is kind of what I got from the cold draw, a little bit of that leather. Um, it's a little earthy for me, but I am anticipating the spice is gonna pick up.

SPEAKER_00

Absolutely. So just jump into a couple of comments. Hey, John Kiltman, so glad you're on. Richard, um saying, what's up, Rebels? Um, Kiltman the legend is in the house. We always love it when uh John joins us. Um Richard said he'd wrote a letter to two guys about the FOMO syndrome. Would love to hear more about that in the comments, Richard. Um, he also said he finds himself buying cigars out of fear of missing out on a new replace, a new release or limited cigar. I think we can all agree with that. And then he just talked about the Dunbarton fiddlehead last year. Um, he missed out on it, but he got a box this year. Yeah, and those things were sold out super quick, Richard. I mean, I think it was like hours before they were gone. I didn't get any, we didn't get any allocation of the shop we own. It was really just a New Hampshire area thing. Um, but I know that they sold them out super quickly. Um, Jay Cole's on, good to see you. Um, thanks for joining us. Um, so Mel, let's jump back into tonight's topic. And as you said, we're always thankful for our sponsors, Big Sky. Thank you guys so much. With that, we have some new commercials coming in a few weeks um and some change up to a handful of things that we're excited about, but always grateful for those who are willing to partner with us here at Cigar Rebel.

SPEAKER_03

Yep. So jumping back into tonight's episode, it really came out of conversations that have been happening across cigar media lounges, retail circles, and honestly, even cigar culture.

SPEAKER_00

Yeah, absolutely. And the anchor idea is very, very simple. The old cigar deal, the basic discount, the lazy promotion, the buy because it's cheaper today pitch may not hit the same way it has always hit. We had somebody right here in the live audience during the lighting say there's still some deals out there, but they're just not the same as they used to be. And they're so true, and we're gonna get into that tonight.

SPEAKER_03

Yes, and to be fair, uh for some it does. That's true, but the industry is changing.

SPEAKER_00

Yeah, and I'll give it a little bit. The deal isn't really dead, but that doesn't mean that we should lean on it alone and let it be an event, right?

SPEAKER_03

So let's go ahead and start with why cigar deals got so powerful in the first place.

SPEAKER_00

Yeah, and so that really is an easy one. Cigars are expensive enough to make people pay attention when the price begins to go up or the word deal suddenly appears.

SPEAKER_03

Exactly. Premium cigars are discretionary when you really look at it. Nobody needs a premium cigar to survive.

SPEAKER_00

Hold on. I disagree with her, I would not go that far. I need a cigar. Cigars keep me calm, they keep everybody else alive.

SPEAKER_03

To be fair, cigars really are a luxury item as much as we love them. Uh, and with any luxury hobby, the moment that prices start to climb, people start looking at the value.

SPEAKER_00

Yeah, absolutely. Value, I really like that word because value is a completely different conversation. And value when it comes to the premium cigar discussion is different.

SPEAKER_03

Yes.

SPEAKER_00

Um, the problem with the word is it is in many words, in our convoluted English language, is the definition. What do we mean by value?

SPEAKER_03

Yes. So for the sake of tonight's conversation, we are talking value as in cheaper pricing, not necessarily the quality to price comparison.

SPEAKER_00

Yeah, absolutely. And so I can live with that definition because I'm not gonna get on a soapbox tonight and I'm not gonna kick a dead horse. I'll save it for another day. But Richard brought the question forward, so I'm gonna touch a moment on it. He said, What are the rebels' thoughts on sites like Cigar Bid and other sites? So we're gonna get into that a little bit here in a little bit, Richard, but I'm absolutely gonna tell you guys something. I'm gonna drop some knowledge, as I like to say. I feel like there's these conglomerates that are buying from cigar manufacturers that are trying to dump cigars. The cigars aren't moving, they're not having good luck with, and so they're trying to blow out their inventory, which I understand. They need cash for the next cigar, the next project. But what it does is it devalues the premium cigar. And I understand as a cigar consumer, it is great to get 100 cigars for$100 or whatever the deal is of the day, but you're not always getting the value that you think you're getting, and we're gonna get into that in a little bit. I don't want to get too far ahead of this. It's a great question, and it is 100% a question every cigar smoker should be asking. What's the value? What am I getting?

SPEAKER_03

Right. So, as I said before, when the prices start to creep up in any luxury hobby, consumers start looking for more value purchases, whatever value means to them, because value also means different things to different people. Um, and that's especially true right now in the premium cigar industry.

SPEAKER_00

Yeah, absolutely. Retailers are still reporting strength, but consumers are way more price aware. Yes. And Mel, I've gotten into that thing where I say absolutely every time you talk. So I've got to work on that. I get in these habits where I say the same word over and over again. It's so frustrating to me, and I apologize to our listeners.

SPEAKER_03

Oh, no, that's okay. I mean, I don't even notice. Now I probably will let you said something like that.

SPEAKER_00

Oh, it's horrible. Anyways, as I said, retailers are still really reporting some good strengths, some good numbers. Um, but there's definitely a notice that consumers are paying way more attention to price than they were a year, two, five years ago.

SPEAKER_03

Yes, Cigar Aficionado's 2025 Cigar Insider Retail Survey found that 46.2% of surveyed realtors said that sales were up. Yeah, 30.8% were flat, and 23% said they were down. So the category is healthy, but it's not wild like the boom of 2020 to 2023 and 2024 was.

SPEAKER_00

Yeah, and we said this a while back. The cigar boom is definitely over, and the reason why this data matters is that during the boom, consumers were buying anything that hit the shelves without hesitation. There was a scarcity, there was FOMO, as Richard mentioned. New smokers came in, people stocked their humidors, they were working from home, smoking way more cigars than they normally smoke. Releases sold fast in scarcity did a lot more of the work than quality, value, or consistency.

SPEAKER_03

Yes, and now we're where we're at is the market has matured, so it's leveled off a bit, as we have seen in the retail and import numbers, and people still want cigars, but they are asking better and different questions like is it worth it? Will I smoke these? Do I trust the shop? Is this an actual deal or just a sticker trick?

SPEAKER_00

Yeah, in many ways, the market is healthier now that it's leveled out. However, when the market is healthy, when the market is leveled out the way that it is, it really requires a very different strategy. There are no more boom or runs on cigar inventory. So you've got to figure out how do I provide the best quality, the best experience, the best product for those consumers who you're trying to reach in your industry. Right. And that's true of the cigar industry, the luxury industry, the car industry, doesn't matter.

SPEAKER_03

Yep. And for a long time, cigar events were simple. You showed up, you bought your cigars, you got the deal, buy three, get one free, buy a box, get a cutter. You hung out with the reps, maybe you met the owner, uh, maybe you liked them, maybe you suddenly understood why usually they'd stay behind the table, like just little things like that.

SPEAKER_00

Absolutely. Um during this transition, during those events, they kind of felt special because events were rare. There weren't a lot of events, and so when someone was coming to town, they're gonna do a cut and light, you're gonna meet the rep, you're gonna meet the brand ambassador, you're gonna meet the owner, it felt really, really special. There was maybe one a quarter. Some shops only saw somebody once or twice a year, so when that came up, it was really unique. However, as I said, things have changed. Back then, people planned for it, they saved for it, they marked their calendars. Now it feels like with some shops, there's a different rep every Friday night.

SPEAKER_03

Yeah, I mean the calendar got crowded. One event turned into two, then four, then every weekend there's another flyer that's saying tonight only.

SPEAKER_00

Yeah, absolutely. And as Richard said, I like forming this conversation on value proposition. Um, most don't realize it, but every retail decision is decided by individual perception of the perceived value. That's a good tongue twister. I don't know that I could say that a lot of times. Um, Jay Cole said, yes, 100% correct. Deals like that need deals like that need, in my opinion, to go away. Um, and then he also stated that when producers have been forced into overproducing, it leads to a lot of a second-rate tobacco on the shelf. And I agree 100%. And that's really where the shift became changing, right? Because everything is special means nothing is special.

SPEAKER_03

Exactly. The math started mattering more than the moment, and that's the shift, Mel.

SPEAKER_00

Some consumers stopped chasing the brand, the story, the relationship, and started chasing the better deal. This goes back to Richard's comment just now around value. That's why tonight we started with what is the definition of value? Because perception sways that depending on the consumer. And as I just said, when everything is special, when this is the best blend we've ever made, and every new blend comes out is the best we've ever made, nothing's really great, nothing's special, nothing's new.

SPEAKER_03

Yep. And in many facets of the industry, loyalty has also gone out the window. So consumers have stopped being connected or loyal to their local shop and lounge and started really hunting the deals. So I have a problem, I have no problem with the bargain shopping. But if the only reason that someone shows up is the discount, the event does become transactional.

SPEAKER_00

Yeah, absolutely. And as you I love how you said that people stop being loyal to their local brick and mortar, they stopped being loyal to their brand, and instead they were chasing the deal. Um, and Eric put out there in the comments often I receive more value supporting local shops and building relations with the people over a great cigar versus buying cigars deals online. And I think this plays out in both the online world with cigar page, cigar bid, but also it plays out in just the overall deal that are happening at local shops, discounting, because even beyond loyalty to a brick and mortar, many cigar smokers began their journey when a buddy invited them to have a cigar or they picked up a cigar at a local shop, and a tobacconist walked them through what they would enjoy, made them feel welcomed, helped them understand and learn how to cut correctly, how to light, how to build a palette. Hey, you've been smoking this cigar, I think this is another cigar you might enjoy. Or you've been smoking fat bottom beddies for a while. Maybe you'd want to try a pretty mild Connecticut. All of those journeys happened on brick and mortar. I'd be willing to bet less than 1% of them happened online.

SPEAKER_03

Right. And to be honest, there is some good that comes from having deals so people can explore and try new things, but that will not sustain a brand or a cigar that you fell in love with.

SPEAKER_00

Yeah, absolutely. And as deals became a part of the cigar culture, it helped people explore. So a deal can introduce you to a brand that you've never smoked before, or maybe you've only smoked a couple of their cigars. You like to try the rest of their line, and those are good. Maybe there's a sampler pack, or it's buy four, get one, and you can get five different cigars and try them and enjoy them. A box discount can maybe make your daily smoke more affordable. None of those are bad things. Brand nights, buy three, get one, event-only bundles, meet the maker, those can all be special. But if it really is just a cut and light with a rep and it's all about drawing you in for the four to one, like you said, it easily becomes transactional. And Martin said up here, events are still spread out enough that it's still fun. And Martin, we're not saying that it can't be fun, but I think the deals we can't rest on the deals, we can't let the entire value proposition be the buy plus.

SPEAKER_03

Right. And so I think early on it really gave people a reason to show up. The problem today is these online retailers with their discount driven mailers or their online ads and emails that provide deals for the cigar consumer.

SPEAKER_00

Yeah. So, Mel, recently I was watching on YouTube. I watch a lot of content and documentaries. I'll watch a handful of other cigar podcasts and shows that I follow, and I'm not always current or up the Date by bounce around, but I was watching this YouTuber who was really attacking these online giants. Cigar Page was one of them, um, and Cigar Bids was another, on how these high-priced cigars are always on sale, they're always a deal, and so the argument, which I really appreciate, it was a nine-minute argument. It was long but also succinct. Like I didn't have to watch for an hour to get to the point. And so here's the point a cigar that's normally$30, that suddenly$10 for$90 is a$9 cigar, not a$30 cigar. And so the argument was are they pricing high simply so they can show the slash through it and show the cheaper price? I'm not going to call out brands, but they called out very specific brands that you could see that these companies always have. And so the question is, and the question that I would ask, and it might get us in trouble, Mel, is are these seconds, are these overruns, or are these a completely different cigar with the same band? How can it be$30 today and$9 tomorrow?

SPEAKER_03

Yeah. I mean, it's it's interesting to see. And you see these things really in every luxury industry. So it's hard to argue. And you know, you mentioned it. I I'll say we're not here to attack anyone tonight. Uh, however, I will ask everyone to support your local brick and mortar shops because they are the backbone of the industry, even if you don't, if you've never thought of it that way before.

SPEAKER_00

Yeah.

unknown

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00

Jay Cole said, same here, got to support the local lounges. If you've ever in Vegas, check out Smoke, um, amazing lounge. Uh, we love Brad. Um, Mel and I have been there and met with him. Uh, we smoked our Ladybug cigar with their um group one night. They have a cigar club that we did. And hopefully later this year, early next year, we'll be back there. And maybe our goal actually, uh, Jay, is to shoot a podcast from Smoke. We love the lounge, it's beautiful. They've done a phenomenal job there. And Brad's his name, right? As I say it. Yeah, okay. Yep. Um, getting back into the topic, brands live and die by local cigar shop relationships. Very few people wake up and decide to love cigars and immediately start shopping online to figure out what they enjoy.

SPEAKER_03

Right.

SPEAKER_00

No one meets other cigar enthusiasts shopping at a dot com. They meet them in the cigar shop. They may watch a podcast like this, and we love that many of you guys chat, and we love when the chat's full of conversation, but the reality is most relationships are built sitting in a leather chair in a cigar shop, talking life.

SPEAKER_03

Yes, and this is where it can get kind of tricky. So shops must have these deal nights to compete in some ways, and a deal might get someone through the door once, but it does not automatically make them a loyal follower of that lounge and do all their shopping there.

SPEAKER_00

Yeah, that's so true. Deals became big when there were no events or experiences within the industry to build upon. The deals created event energy, and people show up early and often with their wallets ready, but it did not create loyalty. It didn't then, and I think it's created a culture where there's a lot less shop loyalty. I think if you go back 10, 15 years ago, man, if this was your cigar shop, that's where you bought every cigar. Um, that's where you came and built friendships. And again, we're not trying to harp on those that are trying to find a good deal because sometimes there's a good deal.

SPEAKER_03

Yep, 100%. And that's really the exact reason for tonight's episode is it's still enough to draw a crowd. I personally believe the deal didn't die necessarily, it's just stopped enough.

SPEAKER_00

Yeah, so Mel, why would you say the cigar deal isn't powerful enough anymore?

SPEAKER_03

Honestly, because I think consumers are smarter. Uh, because deals are available online and we do not want to run down that rabbit hole more than we have.

SPEAKER_00

Yeah, I could agree with that. Um, the old cut and light, it kind of feels tired.

SPEAKER_03

Yeah. And deal fatigue is also real, whether people want to believe that or not. If it's once a week or even once a month, it can begin to feel like a sales pitch rather than an event or an experience.

SPEAKER_00

Yeah, every inbox is full of the last chance, the final hours, the biggest sale, the one day only.

SPEAKER_03

Right. And when every day is the biggest sale ever, nobody actually believes you. It's the same as if everything is special, nothing is.

SPEAKER_00

Exactly. Uh, Richard said, Rebels, I'm going to see you and buy your cigars in June because you have helped me grow my cigar knowledge and understanding of your products as well as others. Hey, we appreciate that, Richard. We're excited to see you um here in about 18 days. I know. It's getting close.

SPEAKER_03

Yes. Uh, so going back to our old model or the old model, not necessarily our old model, but uh that was discount the cigar, make the sale, and move on.

SPEAKER_00

Yeah, so cigar culture has really shifted toward experience, events, lounges, education, community, and that's really where the deeper value is. Um, Richard asked, Rebels or as cigar producers, are you looking to reach a profit on each cigar given the investment you put into it? So that's a great question, Richard. So the answer is as a company, we have to be profitable in order to continue to produce cigars. As we price our cigars, we take a very reasonable approach, but our biggest focus is we want to be in the black. We can't be in the red too long, um, but we do we've reinvested much of what we made back into more tobacco, back into our factory, back into our farm, better packaging. Um, and to have the ability to travel around and do these events and provide a great service at a re and keep our cigars between nine and thirteen dollars, which in today's market, I'm not trying to brag, has been a pretty good feat for a craft cigar company that doesn't have the powerhouse of production or manufacturing behind us. But that's where this experience becomes such a bigger deal, Mel, right, is being able to really provide experience as value.

SPEAKER_03

Yep, 100%. And that's why the idea that deals are dead lands, so events have to offer more than just discounts at this point. If the only reason that someone is coming to your event is to save$4, you don't really have an event, you just have a coupon with chairs.

SPEAKER_00

I like that line because they're not going to be coming back, so yeah, they're they're not coming back for that, right? Um, retailers, honestly, guys, all you rebels out there, they're operating in a tougher cost environment than they ever have. Um, I even believe the environment we operate in today is harder than the environment when the cigar boom of the 90s faded away. We were not in the industry, so I can't say that from experience. It's simply as we um work with other cigar people that have been around and we learnt from people that have been in the game longer than we have. Um, give you a quick example ahead of PCA this year, um, manufacturers were saying promotional pricing might remain for the show. However, price increases were still coming with tariffs and wholesale cost eventually getting baked into the retail price.

SPEAKER_03

Right. As others in the industry have reported that they saw some manufacturer price increases in Q1 and also early April, only to offer the discounts at the show.

SPEAKER_00

Yeah, and it's basically this a$10 cigar on Monday now has a price of$12. And then we go to PCA and we get to buy it on sale for$10. The same price it was Monday.

SPEAKER_03

Yes. Oh, nope, go for it. Go for it. Let's say the PCA deal is a$10 cigar. Grab the discounts here and then pass them on to your customers.

SPEAKER_00

Yeah, and so it was a$10 cigar. They increased the price to$12, and then we're on the show floor, like, oh, everything's$2 off. So we really are still buying it at the same price as we were before, and that's a market retailers are having to struggle with. Now, not everybody did that, but we saw several on the show floor this year that we had bought the cigar a few days earlier, a few weeks earlier, and their sell price was the same price or a little bit more than we just paid for it. Because they all, a lot of them did a charge change going into the show.

SPEAKER_03

Yes. And really, in the end, if retailers are squeezed and consumers are price sensitive, the constant discounting becomes dangerous.

SPEAKER_00

Yeah, absolutely. Because somebody pays for that discount. I mean, Richard talked about supermarkets have loss leaders to get people in the door. Um, I definitely agree with that, Richard. And in the cigar industry, we're looking at how do we make money on all of our cigars. However, when we're going out and doing events, when we're doing experiences, we give away a lot of cigars. Um, we donate cigars to a lot of charity events that we're working with, or we do them at a discounted price for them. And then when we're at shops, you know, you have the buy for get one, you're losing money on that cigar, but it's kind of baked in because you do have to price your cigars. But we do price our cigars based on price, not necessarily on how we get the best discount down the road.

SPEAKER_03

Right.

SPEAKER_00

And that's what gets really tricky. As we said, somebody always pays for the discount.

SPEAKER_03

And it becomes a race to the bottom. And there have been PCA shows or times that manufacturers are simply just giving it away, and that is when things are bad. We did not see that across the board, but there were there were a couple.

SPEAKER_00

Yeah, and as you said, the constant deal, the retailer squeeze, the consumer price hunt, it hits somewhere.

SPEAKER_03

Right. It might be in the retailer margin.

SPEAKER_00

Yeah, and I gotta jump in here real quick because we've heard a few shops recently are closing or they're dumping their inventory because times are hard. Um, I've personally met with two different cigar shops over the last month and a half talking strategy around how to keep their pricing, how to keep people, how to draw people in because they're feeling the squeeze, as every American and every business is with tariffs, with gas pricing, with the economy operating the way that it is right now, with the war in Iran, and we're not trying to get political, we're just saying there's a cultural environment right now where it's tough to focus on the luxury item. I've also bought inventory from a couple of shops in the last six months that needed cash flow because we brought them in, but they needed to offload cigars. Right? We got a great deal today on some cigars that we sell a lot of at Stories because somebody needs to dump inventory and we're getting a great deal that we'll be able to pass on. That won't be a deal, it won't be$10.99 now, bought for nine. It'll be, hey, we've got 12 boxes at$9.

SPEAKER_03

Right. Yeah, I mean, it's it's tough out there, especially right now. And so going back to our list, uh, when deals are constant, it really hits either the retailer margin, it's gonna hit the staff experience, the event quality, the brand perception, and or it could also impact the level of customer trust that you have.

SPEAKER_00

Absolutely. And that last one really matters the consumer's trust. If a cigar is always on sale, people start wondering if the regular price was ever real or if it's just a marketing gimmick.

SPEAKER_03

And that's the a department store problem, right?

SPEAKER_00

Nobody wants premium cigars to feel like mattress pricing.

SPEAKER_03

Yeah, you can get it today only or until tomorrow.

SPEAKER_00

Right, it's brutal. Go ahead and pour salt in the wounds, Mel. Like there are some shops that we see, and there's some manufacturers that we've seen recently that I've seen better gimmicks from mattress salesmen here in East Texas, and it feels very similar. It's like the scene on TV,$9.99, but today it's 40% over. You see it on social media all the time on as seen on TV stuff. You can buy it now for a whole lot less. I don't want that to become the cigar industry, I don't want it to be just another sales proposition.

SPEAKER_03

Yeah, 100%. I think the old deal starts or feels tired because it's too often disconnected from the experience. So a discount without the story is just a subtraction. So, like you're saying, it becomes just about the sale. It's not about the experience, it's not about the connection, it's not about the cigar.

SPEAKER_00

Yeah, but now let's take the deal and let's attach it to some education, some cigar 101, some community involvement, maybe a pairing. Maybe we're gonna sell this new cigar that's brand new to the market at a small discount. Or, hey, we've carried this line of brand X. Now we're gonna carry a different line from Brand X, and we're gonna do a little bit of a deal to help you discover their a different part of their line, or maybe there's some hospitality. Hey, tonight we're gonna have people walking around and pouring wine and cleaning ashtrays. It really begins to feel connected, and that's very different.

SPEAKER_03

Yeah, now we are talking about value, experience, memories, things that connect people in the cigar industry to other cigar aficionados and stuff like that. I could go on about that forever.

SPEAKER_00

Yeah, and so we're not sitting here pretending that cigar people do not enjoy saving money. We absolutely all love saving money, right? Richard said I really made the change to buying boxes of two guys because I realized I was paying to have the price of a box when I bought a bag of singles. Absolutely. Um, Richard, it's one of the things that I think they've done a great job of getting their consumers, especially those who don't live in the Salem, New Hampshire area, to buy boxes, and they've done a phenomenal job of that. Um, it's one of the reasons when our cigars started selling, and we're very blessed that those guys put our cigars online, they have singles as well as boxes for sale, and that was one of Ed's biggest things was we need boxes to sell because we sell a lot of boxes because people are either traveling in to buy or they're having us ship them, and it's so much easier. It's another way when you have somebody that's a local cigar shop that does also sell online and they're selling and they're doing free shipping. Buy two boxes, get free shipping. That's not a deal, that's a good incentive to buy another box, and that's a little different, right? And so, as I said, we're not pretending cigar people don't enjoy saving money, right? People love free things, the buy for, get one still has a draw to it, right? And I've said it for years the best tasting cigars are the free ones, right?

SPEAKER_03

Yeah, a couple of uh arguments in the uh live audience, some saying free is good, another saying that that he's thrown some free ones away. So uh it's like I said, it's different perspectives, different opinions. Um but yeah, but uh so now I want to talk a little bit about events and experiences, but I think we need to spend just a few more minutes on what is going to make a good deal.

SPEAKER_00

All right, Mel. So a good cigar deal has at least one of four things attached to it. Number one, real savings on something you already wanted. If you already love the cigar and now there's a box deal, that's a real value.

SPEAKER_03

That's not impulse, that's just smart stocking. Number two is going to be the low-risk discovery. So samplers can be a great, great when they are curated thoughtfully.

SPEAKER_00

Absolutely. And if not a sampler, the ability to mix and match on a brand you've never smoked or you've not smoked a lot of their line previously, that becomes a really good deal and a great opportunity.

SPEAKER_03

Yes. The number three is going to be the event-only access. So sometimes the value is not necessarily the discount, it's access. So brands or stores have exclusives that are being sold for that event specifically, it can become a really good deal.

SPEAKER_00

Absolutely. An added experience that is connected to the deal, a food pairing, a drink pairing, education on the brand, or that specific blend can really begin where the deal begins to make sense because it's connected to something and it's not simply transactional.

SPEAKER_03

Right. And this really lines up with the broader retail reality. Uh, Cigar Inspector's 2025 year in review noted that strong retailers use limited releases and headline moments to bring people in, but the best ones used trust and guidance to keep standard lines moving as well.

SPEAKER_00

Yeah, and we're hearing that from retailers as well as manufacturers. We had a conversation with a couple of different manufacturers on the PCA floor just a few weeks ago. They were talking about this core line process. Many brands are really releasing these limited editions or these LEs at a very high rate, and it's actually beginning to dilute their core line a little bit because no one wants to buy their core line because they're so anticipating the next LE.

SPEAKER_03

The next new thing. Um, and while other manufacturers are questioning why shops are not focused on their core line as their premium or LE are getting more attention.

SPEAKER_00

Yeah, and we recently talked to one manufacturer specifically that told us that shops who move their core line do substantially better with their LE volume.

SPEAKER_03

And the problem is the brands that are releasing limited editions multiple times a year or annual releases are creating buzz, and people in the shop keep asking for it after it's gone, or just when's the next new one coming out.

SPEAKER_00

And those same people, as I said before, are really holding tight on picking up the core line as they know the LE is coming, but in the end, that sometimes hurts the shop because you've got to buy so much of the core line so you can get the LE. Um, and I'll use this as an example because they're really great to us, and I don't feel like it's negative or disparaging to them. But Roma Craft is a line where you've got to buy and keep their core line and you get a better allocation to some of their premium lines, as they call it. And I that makes sense, right? But some of these cigar companies have such a high level of the core line that unless you're in a bigger city or do a ton of online sales out of your shop, it's very difficult to hit the volume to get to the premium cigars or the annual releases, to the point that you're just stocking up inventory and you're not actually selling it simply so you can sell five or ten boxes of the LE because that's what every customer walking in the door is asking for.

SPEAKER_03

Right. And this all brings us back to that cigar deal. So we are seeing a lot of brands doing cotton lights or retailers doing cigar deals to try and move the company's core line so they have enough cigars moved through the shop in order to get their allocation of the limited editions.

SPEAKER_00

Yeah, absolutely. And I would venture to say that the best cigar deal, if we're getting back to deals, is a tobacconist pointing you in the direction of something new that is similarly priced or lower than what is in your normal rotation. Right?

SPEAKER_03

Yeah. So, no matter how the deal is structured, the best deal is always on a cigar that you know you are going to enjoy, or at least you're going to enjoy exploring.

SPEAKER_00

Yeah, and that's why lounges and local tobacconists matter. Because in the same line of thinking, a$14 cigar you enjoy is substantially better value than a$7 cigar you regret.

SPEAKER_03

Yeah, I mean that's 100% true. So we have more to come on cigar deals, cigar events, and also experiences. But first, let's take a quick break.

SPEAKER_06

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

SPEAKER_00

Yeah, we're excited about the shows that are coming up. We have moved a couple around for the developing your palette to get it a little later into July. We had done three pretty close together. And here in a little bit of feedback, we wanted to space that out a little bit. And so we've made a couple of quick changes. If you follow along and notice a difference from last week, but next week on May 18th, I'm really excited about this one. Tobacco 101, premium cigar tobacco varietals and primings.

SPEAKER_03

And we'll be smoking the McAuliffe number two on that one.

SPEAKER_00

We will be smoking the McAuliffe number two.

SPEAKER_03

May 25th, we are doing coffee and cigars, which is one of the most perfect pairings, in my opinion, you can have in the cigar world. And with that, we will be smoking the Ladybug by the Elevated Humidor. Yep.

SPEAKER_00

On June 1st, we're gonna have an industry conversation on what's next in the cigar industry. And we're gonna be smoking the Gold Star by United Cigars. So with that, you might be able to guess one of the few people that might be our guest that night.

SPEAKER_03

June 8th, we are doing 2026 new releases, and these are going to be cigars worth watching. On that one, we will be smoking The Lady Marmalade by the Elevated Humidor.

SPEAKER_00

And I'm excited because that's a new cigar that's not out yet and doesn't come out until July. So those with the cigar rebel pack will get to smoke it a handful of weeks early before it's available for retailers to buy and before shipping goes out. But really excited about all of those events coming up. Also, just want to throw it out there. We've been talking about it on June 15th is the duel. Um, we have two individuals that are gonna join us live right here at Stories where we are smoking um the cigars, and we have two people that are gonna be joining us virtually, Leslie and um Jay Duane Korn. And all six of us are gonna be smoking a$13 cigar and a$30 cigar. And by the end of the night, we are going to choose a winner. And that I don't know, I don't know what's gonna look like yet. I have opinions, but I think it's gonna be great, and we're excited for that event that's coming up. And then Richard talked about it earlier. Mel, tell us about Ladies' Night on June 2nd.

SPEAKER_03

So June 2nd, we are doing a ladies' night with uh two guys' cigars in Salem, New Hampshire. We will be uh kicking off the day at really four o'clock to do the Ash Hole slash Ash Heels podcast, and then after that, we will be hosting a ladies' night, which we will do some cigar rolling. We're gonna smoke the ladybug, and you can see on there the tickets are ten dollars for the ladies and twenty dollars for the gentlemen.

SPEAKER_00

So if you rebels out there live anywhere near New Hampshire, we would love to see you. If you have friends in the area, please share. And um, you can find this information on the Elevated Humidor, on Cigar Rebel, you can find it at Two Guys Smoke Shop online as well as on all of our social media. We would love to see you and meet you there. Um, so it's going to be great. And then uh Richard said, bring some of those cigars to New Hampshire, please. Um, and so we definitely will be bringing some. And I'm not sure exactly which ones he means, but if he he can, Richard, if you can clarify in the comments, we'll make sure we get some for you. So now let's check on the cigar. We got probably 15 more minutes of content, but let's go ahead and check in where we're at with the Camacho Ecuador.

SPEAKER_03

Yeah, so I'm in the last third, and it's stayed pretty um constant for me throughout. I haven't gotten a lot of different flavors or really a lot of different transitions in there. Um, during our break, we had someone say when you were talking about that musty smell that he would compare it maybe to a damp moss, I think was your feedback or a wet moss.

SPEAKER_00

And there's almost in the second third, um, there was almost a little bit of a transition for me that almost came a little florally. Now on the retro hell, there's still the pepper, there's still that mustiness, but on the palate, there's almost a little bit more of a floraliness to it, which I don't know that I would um describe. You're a little further along than I am. That's happened a lot lately, which is odd.

SPEAKER_03

I'm smoking quicker than you these days.

SPEAKER_00

Um, but definitely wanting to really enjoy the cigar, and there's almost something there, and Mel, you might have said this a minute ago, and I apologize if you did. Um, but I get a little bit of almost like a mild sweetness. I'm not sure what I would describe it. Um, if I was thinking through um what it reminds me of, and again, palette, remember, it reminds me of a buttered crust for like a banana pudding, which would be a graham cracker or a breadiness, depending on how you make it. I've had different versions of it, but it's just there. There's just that light sweetness, and it's not it's not graham cracker flavor, but just that sweetness you get that's just real faint. But I don't know, it's good, I'm enjoying it. Um, like I said, this is one of the first times I might have smoked it eight, nine, ten months ago, but not since then for sure. Yeah, but I'm really enjoying this cigar. Um, but we probably should get back to the topic so we can get through everything tonight.

SPEAKER_03

Yeah, so now I kind of want us to take a little bit of a different angle for a few minutes, and that's gonna be how lounges and retailers can offer offer value without discounting everything.

SPEAKER_00

Yeah, so if the old deal is tired, we ask the question what replaces it?

SPEAKER_03

And that would be experience.

SPEAKER_00

Okay, experiences. So experiences help create a better value overall. Mel, what are some experiences that can really create a better value for the cigar community that retailers or cigar clubs could do?

SPEAKER_03

So the first one could be educational nights. So instead of the buy three, get one, you could do a wrapper comparison night. Maybe you do a Nicaraguan versus Dominican tasting. Uh, there's a strength versus flavor workshop. Uh, there's the cigar and coffee pairing, and then there's the how to retrohale without crying if you don't normally retrohale your cigar.

SPEAKER_00

So I would attend that last one uh because retrohaling is a struggle for me. I have a nasal thing that I can't really retrohale well. Um, I've always known I've had it, but I work at it. And I get a little bit of smoke, but not a lot. Um, another one that you could really do is curated flights. Three cigars with a theme.

SPEAKER_03

Yes, and that doesn't and shouldn't be random, it should be curated. So three medium-bodied cigars that are going to show the difference of the wrapper influence. Uh, you get all the time people disagree heavily on how much the wrapper impacts the flavor of the cigar. So that one is always fun to do. Or you could do something three under the radar cigars that deserve attention.

SPEAKER_00

Yeah, and another one you could do is the same cigar in three different vitolas, and how does that change the smoking experience?

SPEAKER_02

Yes.

SPEAKER_00

Which is something you could do. Yes. Um, education and curated nights truly provide the consumer, provide customers experience and really begin to build trust with their local brick and mortar.

SPEAKER_03

And we've done cigar school at our lounge and other lounges that have topics that range from cigar 101 to cigar 202, uh cutting and lighting. We've done tobacco 101 all the way through uh tasting kits with uh the binder, the wrapper, and then the cigar.

SPEAKER_00

Yeah, absolutely. Um, and one of the things I want to touch on a couple things. So John was excited about the event. Um, Richard said he's heard it was almost sold out, which is amazing. Um, we definitely want to sell it out because Dave wasn't sure if it'd sell out or not because it's a ladies' night, so we're hoping it sells out um and does well. Um, Eric said he's smoking the Almago Texas limited edition tonight paired with the good bourbon. Definitely enjoying. Um looking forward to trying that Camacho. That Almago League of Texas is a great cigar. If you haven't had them, there's a handful left at Stories. There's a few left around the Dallas Fort Worth area, but they're pretty close to being gone forever.

SPEAKER_02

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00

And so that's one of those limited editions. Going back to Cigar School, um, Cigar School at any level truly creates trust, experience, and memories. Um, and the next idea is a night focused on brand storytelling rather than simply buy five get one.

SPEAKER_03

Right. So you can bring in a rep or a brand ambassador, the owner, or a blender, and really give the event a story because people always remember the stories longer than they're gonna remember the discounts.

SPEAKER_00

Yeah, and if the story connects with the cigar, the cell feels natural. You know what the best cigar events have in common, Mel?

SPEAKER_03

That people remember the experience more than the discount.

SPEAKER_00

Exactly. I know you just said it, but I I wanted to make sure we're on the same page. Nobody goes home and says, Man, that extra 7% off changed my life.

SPEAKER_03

But they always remember the conversation with the blender, the pairing maybe that surprised them, the lounge that was packed with energy, uh, maybe the cigar that they tried that was outside of their comfort zone, or they swore up and down they did not like, and then they tried it there in a different environment, and they were just blown away.

SPEAKER_00

Yeah, and that's where events are truly evolving. The strongest events are now experience driven. There's pairing nights, educational nights, tastings, lounge takeovers, live podcast recordings, rolling demonstrations, vertical tasting of the same blend, as I said, different wrappers, different sizes. All of those things bring memories and connect them to the cigar.

SPEAKER_03

And even the simple things matter. So good music, good seating, the pace of the event, the atmosphere, and probably one of the most important things is the conversation.

SPEAKER_00

Yeah, a great event should really feel like a night worth leaving the house for.

SPEAKER_03

And I did not agree with that more because sometimes I don't want to leave the house.

SPEAKER_02

That's true.

SPEAKER_03

But everyone's busy, life is hectic, and I think we need to provide moments that people want to experience again, so they come to the next one. And people remember the moments, they remember their first premium cigar, right? Their first lounge.

SPEAKER_00

Yeah, absolutely. The great first great conversation they remember, um, the first event that felt bigger than a sales table. Yeah, I mean, all of those are great. Um, and honestly, the best events make you forget that you came for the deal in the first place, and that's the magic.

SPEAKER_03

You loved the experience, and you leave with cigars, but above all that, you remember the experience.

SPEAKER_00

Yeah, and another way for shops to win in the age of deals is to remember what people smoke, right? Yeah, like when someone comes in, you invite them to the right event, or a cigar lands in the humidor that you know they love, and so you text them and go, hey, this is here. Um, and those are the things that really bring cigar value, even though there may not be a dollar amount attached to it, it's a different kind of value. It makes shops, lounges, and tobacconists matter.

SPEAKER_03

Right. And that's the future of cigar deals, not necessarily cheaper, but a better experience and more memorable.

SPEAKER_00

Yeah, absolutely. So we're a little over on time, but with that said, Mel, I want to talk for just a moment before we run out of time tonight. How consumers should shop deals in 2026?

SPEAKER_03

All right, Rebel. So let's bring this all home. And so the first rule is going to be don't confuse the discount with value. The deal is only a deal if you already want the cigar or you want to try the brand.

SPEAKER_00

Absolutely. And that's the cigar deal test, right?

unknown

Yes.

SPEAKER_00

Is it worth buying? Do I want it? Will it help me discover?

SPEAKER_03

Right. So before you buy, you can ask yourself five questions. Number one is would I buy this without the discount? Number two is do I trust the retailer? Number three is is this cigar, yeah, is it a cigar I know or a cigar that I am curious about?

SPEAKER_00

Come on, that's good.

SPEAKER_03

Am I buying enough to enjoy or too much to regret? And the fifth one is this saving me money or just making me spend earlier.

SPEAKER_00

Yeah, absolutely. And the last one hurts, right? Because we should have left that one on the table, right? So I'll tell a story. We were in in New Hampshire last year. Mel was on the Ash Hills last summer, and while we were there, they released the two guys anniversary Padron Ruby Red. It's a two guys exclusive deal, it was like$1,500 a box. And I want to support them, it was exciting. So I picked up a box plus a few extras. I brought it back. I had a cigar night at my house, and actually, we ended up having it real graphics at our buddy's Chris's business. And we opened that box and we shared them with a few people, and then on a couple of special nights, that was one of those things where it wasn't necessarily the deal, but it was that exclusive to that retailer. And I happened to be there the day they released them. I probably wouldn't have ordered them online, I probably wouldn't have gone out of my way, but we were there and it made it feel kind of fun. Um, we smoked it while they were talking about it on the podcast when they were releasing it. Mel was on the other show, and so that kind of creates this thing where the lounge created an experience, and even though it wasn't on sale, I felt like I got a deal.

SPEAKER_03

Right, 100%. I think you also in that you want to watch the difference between a good cigar and a good price point.

SPEAKER_00

Absolutely.

SPEAKER_03

Sometimes a cigar is inexpensive because it's a great value, other times it's inexpensive because nobody wants it and they need to move it, and that's where a trusted shop also matters uh because they can really tell you the difference.

SPEAKER_00

Yeah, and so it comes back to this, and I'm gonna ask you a question a second, Mel, but before I do that, at Stories, occasionally we put cigars up at the cash register and it's called the$7 cigar. And it is a thing where it's not because we're trying to get rid of it, but it's because there's only been two or three left in the box, and for whatever reason, cigar shoppers don't want to grab the last one, two or three. They're like, Oh, I'm gonna leave that in case somebody else loves it. But we need shelf space, so we'll put it out and do it just to seven dollars, doesn't matter if it's a nine dollar cigar or a twenty-dollar cigar, when it goes in that box, it's seven dollars. And we don't do it often, but we do it occasionally, and there's maybe seven to ten different cigars in there when we do it, and that's a good deal, right? But if suddenly everything, a particular cigar, all the cigars are 20% off, sometimes that's we're trying to get rid of it, and it may not mean that it's a bad cigar, but we are trying to move it, right? And so it brings us back to the question: are cigar deals dead?

SPEAKER_03

No, but I would ask you the question is are lazy cigar deals dying?

SPEAKER_00

They're dead, they're gone because the next era of cigar value should be better than a discount, and shops who are relying on experience on cigar deals only are already losing.

SPEAKER_03

I would agree with that. It should be better curation, better events, better education, better community, and the most important thing is offering a better smoking experience.

SPEAKER_00

Absolutely. There you have it, Rebels. The cigar deal isn't dead, but it should be the add-on and not the event.

SPEAKER_03

Cigars are about experience, emotion, memories, moments, and the enjoyment of life's luxuries, as I said earlier, because cigars, premium cigars, are luxuries.

SPEAKER_00

Yeah, absolutely. So, Mel, what are your final thoughts on this Camacho Ecuador?

SPEAKER_03

Well, I'm almost done with it. I mean, it's been a great cigar. I did not get a ton of pepper throughout. Um, could have been what I had for dinner, or just uh I smoked a couple other stronger cigars today uh while I was working. Uh, but the flavors definitely stayed pretty true for me throughout. I'm almost like I said, I'm just about have a little bit left in it. Yeah, the flavors maybe are a little bit more concentrated towards the end. I am picking up a little bit more of like you had mentioned, the zest in there on one side of my tongue more than the rest of my mouth.

SPEAKER_00

Yeah, on the retro hell, I'm getting a little bit of a nuttiness and a little bit of that peppery making a presence. Um there's uh that mustiness to me in this final third, I'm just kind of getting into has had a slow transition, maybe more to a coffee bitterness than a mustiness, maybe. I don't know if anybody else is getting that. Um, but I wouldn't say there's been significant transitions in this cigar. I think it's just as we're getting toward the end, it's a little hotter, and sometimes that changes a little bit. Um, it's a complex cigar because there's several different flavors. I've not been able to just pinpoint, um, but it wasn't heavy with transitions. But um, you know, it's a great cigar. I'd smoke it again. Um, glad that we smoked it tonight. And so um really enjoy that.

SPEAKER_03

Yeah, me too. Well, thank you everyone for joining us today. If you liked this episode, please leave us a review, share with your cigar friends, and hit us up with any topics you would love for us to dive into future episodes.

SPEAKER_00

If you're watching this live or streaming on the replay, we would love for you to go ahead and hashtag replayfam and let us know what you're smoking along or what you thought about the episode. If you are not a follower yet, please go down and click that subscribe button down at the bottom. You can also click notify me on YouTube, or you can follow us on all of our social media accounts at Cigar Rebel to follow along with this journey of premium cigars. Because I'm telling you, Mel, I enjoy life's luxuries and cigars are just one of them. Um, I love food and good drinks as well. Um, but we would love to have you follow along with that journey. Next week, we have a great episode for you, Rebels. Um, join us next Monday night for Tobacco 101. But for tonight, that's our show.

SPEAKER_03

Yes, thank you guys all for tuning in. We will see you Monday at 7 p.m. Central Time. Until then, keep your cigars lit, your ash long, your pallet curious.

SPEAKER_00

Good night, Rebels.