Cigar Rebel

Box Worthy?

• Cigar Rebel • Season 2 • Episode 15

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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: RoMa Craft Intemperance BA XXI Treachery

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SPEAKER_08

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

SPEAKER_06

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

SPEAKER_07

And tonight, whether you are lighting up on your back porch, sitting in your favorite lounge, driving home from work, or just enjoying a cigar in the peace and quiet, we are glad you're here.

SPEAKER_04

Yep, and I'm Kevin, and we're coming to you live tonight with an episode based on a question that's been getting a lot of buzz here at Cigar Rebel lately. Um, Mel, what's our topic for tonight?

SPEAKER_07

Uh so tonight is what makes a cigar boxworthy?

SPEAKER_04

Yeah, and so Rebels, we plan on doing an episode tonight on boutique cigars versus craft cigars and a discussion around that tonight. However, this topic has come up a lot lately with us here at Cigar Rebel.

SPEAKER_07

Right. And since our episode, the duel that was a few weeks ago, uh Leslie of the Corn mentioned that her determination of a cigar's value is asking the question, is it boxworthy?

SPEAKER_04

And by the way, one of our cigars, Mel, um, from that night of the duel was actually considered boxworthy that night.

SPEAKER_07

That's true.

SPEAKER_04

But um, and so back to the top a little bit. Uh the statement from Leslie sparked a lot of conversation, and we felt it deserved a deeper conversation here tonight.

SPEAKER_07

Yes. So rebels go ahead, cut light, and settle in.

SPEAKER_04

And so, Mel, before we get too deep into the conversation, what are we smoking tonight?

SPEAKER_07

Tonight we are smoking the Intemperance BA21 Treachery by Romacraft. It is a Brazilian Arapa I can't say it now. Araparica. Araparica Maduro wrapper, Indonesian binder, and then Nicaraguan and Dominican fillers.

SPEAKER_04

And so, what are you getting on the cold draw so far?

SPEAKER_07

Um, for me, um, I've got a just a little bit of maybe like a dark earthiness in there. Um, there's almost a richness to it as well. And I'm not necessarily getting spice, but there is a little tang in there. I don't know if you're getting a spice, but I'm not necessarily getting the spice on the whole top.

SPEAKER_04

I'm getting just a little bit of that earthiness. It's not really a sweet hay or a hay. Um, there's just an earthiness there. There's also a little bit of a twang always in this cigar. I think it's the Brazilian wrapper, um, but definitely a great um cold draw. I'm excited to get it lit here in a second. Before we do that, love to say hi to a few people with us tonight. Krista is good to see you. Um, Addy as well. Then we have King's Highway is on. Always glad to see you guys. Leslie says, Hey Rebels, good to see you, Leslie. Um, Roper's on. Hello, my friends. The Dave says hello. And then Leslie says absolutely all cigar from that night is definitely box worthy. Uh love to hear that. Um, top-notch Stogie right here. Um, Tammy saying hello. Uh Roper says Hoot and Young 50 cal with a Hoot and Young 12-year bourbon, which is awesome.

SPEAKER_06

Nice.

SPEAKER_04

Uh, absolutely, I agree, Dwayne. This cigar is earthy and some oak, and so really excited about that. And so Mel, let's go ahead and get this cigar lit tonight. Which is the lighting for you tonight is brought by the elevated humidor.

SPEAKER_00

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SPEAKER_07

Getting anything off of it right off of the get-go here.

SPEAKER_04

Yeah, so I mentioned in the cold draw, I absolutely love this dark Brazilian upper. Now you've got me, I can't say it, Air Parik uh wrapper. Um, it really opens up very tangy to me. There's a nice woodiness there. Um, Dwayne, I agree um with that. Talks about the oak on that, and I would absolutely agree with that. Um, that's really what I'm getting right now. There's a little bit of a char smokiness to it, but I've only had two draws on it, so it's tough to tell.

SPEAKER_07

Same. I would I would say for that. I'm excited to get into this a little bit more as we continue on. Uh, but tonight we are talking about the moment that every cigar smoker they eventually face. You are smoking at the cigar, you are really enjoying it. Maybe you are enjoying it a lot, and then you kind of look at the box and you ask, do I buy another single? Do I buy a five-pack if they offer a five-pack, or do I just go all in and commit to the whole box?

SPEAKER_04

Yeah, and well, that's really tonight's question, right? I mean, what makes a cigar box worthy? And to be clear, we're not evaluating whether the wooden box is worth keeping, although a lot of people collect those lately and make fun things with it. That's not the conversation tonight. We're asking whether the cigar inside the box is worth owning multiples and purchased at a box quantity instead of as singles.

SPEAKER_07

Yes. Um, because really we talk about enjoying a cigar is easy and it should be easy. If it's not, then then that's a problem. But buying 20 or 25 of them really is a relationship with that cigar. Uh, singles are really for exploration, boxes are really for commitment.

SPEAKER_04

Yeah, a single says that cigar that was interesting. A box says, I want this cigar to take up permanent residence or permanent real estate in my humidor.

SPEAKER_07

Right. And that decision really should involve more than just excitement. Um, a cigar may taste excellent once, but will it always deliver consistently? Uh, does it fit your palate? And will you realistically smoke that many? Does the box offer the genuine value? And will the cigar improve with the rest? Is it scarce? And are you just reacting on the marketing?

SPEAKER_04

Yeah, and maybe the uncomfortable question here tonight, Mel, really is around do you love the cigar or do you love the idea of owning the cigar?

SPEAKER_07

Right. And I think that's really where it gets interesting.

SPEAKER_04

Yeah, because because at the end of this episode, um, this is the Roma Craft VA treachery that we talked about. We're gonna decide on this cigar, and we might talk about a few other cigars, but is this cigar box worthy for you, for me, those in the comment watching, those who are smoking along with us, we'd love to have your input because nobody wants to own a box of cigars that they regret.

SPEAKER_07

Right. And we're also not basing this just because someone has given it a high score and not because the brand called it a limited, um, and also not because the box looks good on social media. Um, the cigar has to earn it, has to earn that box status.

SPEAKER_04

Yeah, and there's a huge shout out to Leslie of the Corn for bringing this up in this conversation up among rebels over the last several weeks, back in that episode a few weeks ago called the Dole. Um, her comment around how does she value a cigar? She said her and popcorn decide is it box worthy? Right. That's their definition of value when it comes to a cigar. And so, Mel, what does boxworthy actually mean if we're gonna put a definition to it?

SPEAKER_07

Yeah, so I think starting with a definition is helpful. So a cigar is boxworthy when the enjoyment, the consistency, the value, and the long-term performance of the cigar combined with the quantity smoked or shared outweigh the continuing purchase of singles.

SPEAKER_04

Yeah, and when you buy singles, Mel, you just keep exploring, right? It's the opportunity to try new cigars, but when you buy the box, you're choosing reputation, you're making the decision, I'm gonna smoke more than one.

SPEAKER_07

Yeah, I mean, it really purchasing a box gives you much more of that experience with that cigar. And it also uses money and humidor space you could have used for variety.

SPEAKER_04

Yeah, and the reality is when it comes down to purchasing a box, every box purchase has an opportunity cost, positive and negative.

SPEAKER_07

Right. And that's why it's good for a cigar to not automatically always be box worthy. A cigar can be good enough to try, um, it can really be good enough to buy again. Uh, maybe you buy a five-pack or good enough for the whole box, which is what we're talking about. But those are all different levels of confidence.

SPEAKER_04

Yeah, and I love that progression. I want to go to a couple of notes here in the chat. It says, Leslie the corn says, for me, a cigar gets three strikes like baseball. I smoke the cigar. If I like it, the next time I smoke it with a glass of white wine, that allows me to focus on the flavor and nuances of the cigar. Alex says everyone has different criteria as far as making a cigar box worthy. I'd love, I'd love to hear from the group what's theirs. And Alex, that's exactly what we're trying to do tonight is not decide and give you a specific criteria, but help you build a scorecard for you to have an opportunity, right? Um, then Leslie said the third time she pairs it with the um Cabernet Savion, and the red wine enhances the confidence of the depths of the flavor of that cigar, and that's when I know this cigar is perfect, and I want a box. Right. And so Leslie's got a whole plan. Um, Roper says when I buy a box, it must be a proven favorite. I will have had it multiple times and enjoyed it each time. And again, as Mel talked about her progression just now, we want to set out a scorecard or a process, and I love the feedback we're getting already in the chat.

SPEAKER_07

I love that, and this is especially important that progression when you are still developing your palate.

SPEAKER_04

Yeah, absolutely. As a new cigar smoker, it is worth buying a box of cigars of something that you love, and then to continue exploring new cigars, new Vitolas, new wrappers, new blends, new country of origin to better understand your palate and your preference of cigar, but that doesn't mean you can't buy something early on.

SPEAKER_05

Right.

SPEAKER_04

Like an easy example for me was when I first started smoking cigars, I smoked the dreaded Fat Bottom Betty. My first box buy was a box of those because I was going in and buying two or three at a time, and uh gentleman I was meeting with named Chuck was like, Hey, why don't you just buy a box? That way you don't have to drive here in a few days. And I was like, That sounds good. I bought the box, and then the next box, maybe five or six days later, I bought another one because now that I had 10 of them at home, I smoked two that night instead of one. Yeah, as a shop, you should love that. Um, but yeah, it's all about exploring, but that doesn't mean you can't buy something you love up front, right?

SPEAKER_07

100%. Um, I'm trying to remember that reminded me, I was trying to think of what my first box of cigars ever was. It was not a fat bottom buddy box, but I'm trying to remember what it was specifically, and it's I'll think about it while we're still going through. But going back to you know, developing your palate and stuff changing, you may want to start with that mild Connecticut wrapper. Um, then you discover maybe the medium body Habano cigars, then maybe you move on towards broadleaf or Cameroon or Corojo potentially. Maybe you throw in some of those fuller Nicaraguan profiles in there. Absolutely. Um, but really buying a box of each of those too early can lock you into a cigar to determine really if it's not in your palate preference or not.

SPEAKER_04

Yeah, because the reality is the cigar may not have changed, you did. So I still had fat bottom beddies in my humidor when I moved on.

SPEAKER_05

Yeah.

SPEAKER_04

And so I eventually ended up giving those away because I couldn't really smoke and enjoy them anymore. Yeah, that didn't mean it was a bad box buy, it just meant the cigar didn't change, it's performing the same way. It's been made for a dozen or two dozen years. I changed.

SPEAKER_07

Yeah, 100%. And I think that's a great uh alternative. If you do buy a box of cigars, maybe you don't care for it, you're going through it, just keep them for your giveaways when you have friends over or something like that.

SPEAKER_05

Absolutely.

SPEAKER_07

Um, but really boxworthy means a lot more than I loved it and plan to smoke more of this cigar.

SPEAKER_04

It's so true. It really means I enjoyed this cigar well enough to want a long-term supply, or I'm going to smoke one of these every day or several a week, and it makes sense to keep a stock in my humidor at home or in my locker or wherever you keep them. And so, Mel, let's give the rebels a practical starting point. How many cigars, and Leslie talked about it already, but how many cigars should you smoke before buying a box?

SPEAKER_07

So, our recommendation is two or three.

SPEAKER_04

Absolutely. There are some exceptions to this that we'll talk about a little bit later in the episode. Um, however, in normal circumstances, you'll want to smoke a couple of the cigar on different times or different occasions before you commit to a box. You can be the same day, but the reality is so much impacts your smoking experience.

SPEAKER_07

100%. It's really influenced a lot by what you've already eaten that day, what you've drank, maybe the time of the day, what was your mood, what was your setting, what was your smoking pace, uh, your cigar's humidity, what have you smoked recently?

SPEAKER_05

Um, yeah, one so many good things.

SPEAKER_07

So many good things. We found recently when Kevin and I are relaxing and having a cigar, he smokes very slow and I smoke very fast. So just throwing that out there. So say that again. When we rediscovered recently when we're just relaxing and having a cigar, you smoke very slow and I smoke very fast.

SPEAKER_04

Absolutely. But when I'm busy, I smoke fast.

SPEAKER_07

Yeah.

SPEAKER_04

So, like if I'm working or I'm actually uh reading, I mean, I am hammering the cigar.

SPEAKER_07

But your pace can have an effect on the cigar.

SPEAKER_04

A hundred percent I often have things like this where I'm already starting to dome a little bit because or I'm smoking too fast because I'm focused. We're talking to the rebels out there, we got a live audience with us. I'm looking at my notes. But if I was just sitting here watching the soccer game like I was yesterday, you smoked two cigars in the time I smoked one, which is crazy because when you blended the ladybug, you blended the petite corona so you could smoke it in the same time I smoked a Toro.

SPEAKER_05

100%.

SPEAKER_04

So things changed. The cigar didn't, she changed. I worked on smoking slower and was successful.

SPEAKER_07

Yeah, and I worked on smoking quicker, apparently, and and was able to do that. But a great cigar doesn't, I mean, it may have arrived really during that perfect moment, and that doesn't necessarily mean you need 25 of them.

SPEAKER_04

Yeah, absolutely. Because there's always the vacation cigar effect. Um, before you move on with Celtic saying here in the UK, you need to try at least two before commitment. Great to see you on tonight. Um, smoke it easy. Um, the problem I see with the boxworthy cigars is when you have several and you establish a large collection, you tend to forget about them, and your palette changes, and you end up giving them away. See, and Alex, I I do agree that that's a problem, but I think it's actually an opportunity to help share. Um, but I understand uh it costs a lot of money to pick those up. And so, Mel, as I was saying before I went to comments, there's always the vacation cigar effect, which wildly impacts the experience.

SPEAKER_07

Yeah, hopefully everyone's been there, but you know, you're sitting near the water, the weather's perfect, uh, nobody's emailing you, uh, there's no work. Almost any decent cigar has the advantage at that moment.

SPEAKER_04

Right, and it really does impact the overall, right? Yep, you smoke it on vacation, you buy a box, you get home, you light it again, and it just does not hit the same way. For those of you that are wine drinkers, you've probably experienced this. You've been out to a winery, or you've been to a shop, or you've gone to a wine event, and there's this wine that is spectacular. You buy a bunch of bottles and people get it home, or they go to Europe and they drink wine and they bring it home, and they're like, it is just not the same. Right. I think we have the same experience when it comes to a cigar.

SPEAKER_07

Right. And that's why really the context matters. Smoking the cigar uh two or three different days really helps separate that cigar from the moment.

SPEAKER_04

Yeah, and you know, because the issue is you want to really be mindful of smoking across those cigars, right? Right. You you really got to be thinking about what you should you be thinking about? How should I be planning if this cigar is box worthy or not? And so, Mel, what should we be thinking about?

SPEAKER_07

So, really, just you know, keep it simple. We're big fans of keeping things easy. Uh, just ask yourself some simple questions. You know, did you enjoy the flavor each time? Was the draw reliable? Uh, did it burn reasonably well? Did the strength fit your profile and what you enjoy? Did you finish it comfortably? Did you want another one afterward? Uh, did you think about it later? Did you think about it again the next day? Those are some easy things to ask yourself.

SPEAKER_04

Yeah, and some cigars are enjoyable while you're smoking them. Others stay in your mind, or you begin to kind of crave them or think about them.

SPEAKER_07

Right. And the ones you continue thinking about um are stronger box candidates than the ones that maybe you've had once and don't remember.

SPEAKER_04

Yeah, so the three-cigar rule is this if you smoke two or three on different days or occasions and love the cigar on the second or third, it might be box worthy.

SPEAKER_07

Right. The first major box worthy standard is consistency because you are not just buying one cigar, you are buying a repeated experience.

SPEAKER_04

Yeah, and handmade cigars will always have some natural variation in them. No matter what anybody says, they're still a handmade product.

SPEAKER_07

Yeah, they are premium cigars, they are agricultural, and so you might get one that doesn't live up to the mark because it is handmade.

SPEAKER_04

Yeah, because leaves vary, rolling vary slightly, humidity and transportation affect performance male, and all of those things happen. So if you're thinking about buying a box of cigars for the rebels out there, what would make you hesitate?

SPEAKER_07

Uh, I think if three cigars give you three dramatically different experiences, so one is going to be excellent, maybe one is plugged or has a really hard draw, burns hot, and tastes unbalanced. Um, that doesn't necessarily mean that the blend is bad, but it does mean that you probably need some more information before you're buying a box.

SPEAKER_04

Yeah, absolutely. And Dave in the comments says, I like to choose different biotolas of the same cigar to see how they compare. Um, Alex kind of agreed with him and talked about also choosing a different cutting style. Yeah. And that's something we do as well. Try it with a straight cut, a V cut, a punch. Um, all of those are great. Different variations on the cigar. Because when you're smoking a cigar, and even if they perform differently, which is why we say two or three, if you smoke one and it's great, you smoke the second one and have an issue, you might want to have a third one just to see because how the cigars were stored can have an impact. Um, maybe one was damaged, maybe one was a fresh shipment and a little bit of rest. Um, and those can all impact that. Did you buy it from the same humidor? Did you have them in your humidor? All of those things matter.

SPEAKER_07

Right. Yeah, and you and I don't necessarily subscribe to the cigar has to rest before you smoke it and you enjoy it. Um, but some people are gonna say that's controversial. And there are some times that the cigar does need to rest, depending on the shipping conditions, but we don't believe that's every single cigar every time.

SPEAKER_04

Yeah, because the reality is consistency kind of has two different sides.

SPEAKER_06

Yes, right?

SPEAKER_04

Manufacturing consistency and personal consistency. Why don't you explain personal consistency to us?

SPEAKER_07

So do you consistently enjoy the cigar? A well-made cigar can perform perfectly every time and still really not hold your interest.

SPEAKER_04

Yeah, the interesting thing about that, Mel, I think, is that reliable, consistent, a great burn every time doesn't mean that it's exciting for you. Yeah, it doesn't mean that it holds your attention, it simply means the quality of construction and performance, that and your enjoyment, two separate things.

SPEAKER_07

Yeah, I mean that's really true. I think the cigar has to deliver that consistent performance and also the consistent desire.

SPEAKER_04

Yeah, and here's another uncomfortable truth for you rebels out there. A cigar can be excellent and phenomenal and still not be box worthy for you for many reasons.

SPEAKER_07

Yeah. Quality and uh personal fit for your palate are not necessarily the same thing. You may respect the blend, you may enjoy the cigar that you're smoking, you can appreciate the tobacco, recognize that craftsmanship, and you still don't want 20 of them.

SPEAKER_04

Yeah, because some cigars are impressive experiences. You smoke one, you're glad that you tried it, right? But you might revisit it again sometime soon. That does not mean you need a box or two in your humidor.

SPEAKER_07

Right. A box-worthy cigar is going to actually fit your palate. So there are a few uh important questions you can ask if you're struggling. And that could be, you know, again, go back to the strength. Is it appropriate for me and what I enjoy to smoke? Do I enjoy those core flavors? Um, did the finish really remain pleasant? Is it balanced? Is it complex enough uh that it remains interesting throughout the smoke? Uh is it simple enough to become dependable? And does it leave me wanting another one?

SPEAKER_04

Yeah, and that's an interesting question at the end. Does it leave me wanting another one? And kind of thinking about that, it often makes me wonder how often we think about the cigars we're smoking, what we enjoy. Are we chasing the marketing? Are we chasing the brand? And so it's just an interesting question to me. Um, something I don't have in our notes to explore, but maybe we need to explore that one more in another conversation, Mel. Um, but kind of getting back to the notes, another thought for you rebels out there is I truly believe a cigar does not have to be complicated or complex, or the most phenomenal cigar you've ever smoked in order for you to consider it box worthy.

SPEAKER_07

Yeah, and I think that's really that's an important thought on there, uh, because a daily driver cigar may not transform every 15 minutes, and it may deliver the cedar, the nuts, maybe some cream, baking spice consistently in from the beginning all the way to the end. If you love that profile, the reliability, maybe that's more important than those dramatic transitions.

SPEAKER_04

Yeah, you know, and I look at it in the many ways that people look at bourbon or they look at wine, is that complexity is not the only variable or the only definition of quality when it comes to a cigar, in the same way it's not the same as when it comes to a bourbon or a wine. Some people like a very complex cigar that has a lot of complexity that all stays the same throughout. Some people like a cigar that has a lot of complexity that changes often. Both can be phenomenal. Yeah, sometimes it can actually create more work for it to be super complex, or it can create more work in your mind for it to be transitioning a lot. And for some people, that removes the relaxation, which I think is one of the primary keys to enjoying a cigar. Where other people like a one-note, and so they're fine with a Churchill or a Gordo that's just consistent from the time you light it. Others would say that cigar is boring. Um, going back to Alex's comment earlier, that box worthy is a little different for every person.

SPEAKER_07

Right, that's correct.

SPEAKER_04

Because complexity is not the only form of quality.

SPEAKER_07

That is true. I mean, the balance is gonna matter, the texture matters, uh, the aroma is gonna matter, and how that cigar makes you feel matters probably the most.

SPEAKER_04

Absolutely, because if there's a cigar that you don't have to think about, you know how it performs, you don't have to worry about it. You're wanting to wind down, you're wanting to simply relax and enjoy something that you already know that cigar can be box worthy, even though it's not super complex or doesn't require you to spend a lot of focus on it.

SPEAKER_07

Right. Yep, I agree with that. Uh so we have more to come on what makes a cigar box worthy, but first we're gonna take a quick break.

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 thrown to be the one and only cigar retail store and lounge in downtown Lovecraft. 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, compassion shared, encouragement here, and so much more. The impact storytelling has on the human connection is why we've decided to name our store and lounge the stories. Because behind every good cigar and conversation is an even better story.

SPEAKER_03

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SPEAKER_02

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

SPEAKER_07

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

SPEAKER_04

Yeah, we got a lot of great shows coming up. Um, next Monday night. Um, we'll be live back here at Stories, and we're doing the gathering place, Cigars, Friendships, and the third place. And we're gonna be smoking the CAO Flathead Speed Shot Speed Shop 6x60. I'm excited for that episode.

SPEAKER_07

Yeah, me too. Uh, kicking off August on the third, we are doing cigar recommendations, recommending cigars for every level of smoker. And on that uh episode, we will be smoking the McAuliffe White.

SPEAKER_04

Following week is Misunderstood Dark Cigars, our dark cigars stronger, and we're gonna be smoking the Montosa Maduro.

SPEAKER_07

Yes, on August 17th, we're going to be having another industrial discussion. We're gonna be doing Steel City cigars with Tony Rawlings, and we are still deciding on which cigar we're gonna be doing with that one.

SPEAKER_04

Yeah, so Tony's gonna be live with us here at Stories that night, and we're gonna do a fun event that night. Um, we're hoping to have a larger live audience. We're gonna do a little bit of a cut and light, we're gonna sell some cigars. We're launching Steel City Cigars at Story Cigars and Lounge that night, and then recording the podcast here live for him to tell us all about Steel City, why he got into cigars, why he launched the brand. And honestly, he's in the Dallas area. Um, and Still City really refers to Pittsburgh. Yeah, and so we're gonna talk about why he has a Pittsburgh cigar brand based out of Texas. There's a whole story to it, so we're excited to have him on to hear that story um and smoke with all you guys live. And we will have that determination by Wednesday because he shipped us two different cigars. We're gonna be smoking them the next couple of days because they're gonna go out in the cigar rubble pack by the end of the week so that everybody has them for their August cigar rebel pack because those will be shipping out a little bit later this week. Yeah, so going to a couple of comments real quick. Um, we saw a couple people. Um, Roper said that he wants cigars to pair well with bourbon, root beer and coffee. I agree. I'm drinking a root beer tonight as well as some water. Um, love bourbon with it. Coffee is always a big hitter. Um, Dave, um, comedy leans toward flavor, strength, and performance. One that makes um me comfortable to be box worthy. Um, Alex said his criteria is all over the place, and definitely love that and agree with that. Juan says a cigar has to really wow me in order to grab a box, and that is if at some place I grab the cigar and always love that. And then Leslie said, speaking of McAuliffe, have y'all had the little a from McAuliffe? It's the 4x46. Absolutely love that cigar. Uh, agree 100%, it is box worthy. The little a Churchill is also fantastic. Um, we have actually some of those in the humidor to be released soon. So before we jump back into the topic, really want to ask you guys to drop in the comments if you're watching live. And of course, if you're on replay, always feel free to drop hashtag replayfam and let us know a cigar that you think is box worthy. We would love to have we got a handful of people uh live. We've got about 20 people watching and streaming here. I don't know how many are on Facebook, uh, but we would love to see you name a cigar that you think is box worthy as we continue this conversation. Before we jump in, Mel, let's check in on the Romacraft and Temperance BA treachery. What are your thoughts?

SPEAKER_07

So I'm probably about halfway through. Um, for me, the flavors kind of from that first third have just deepened a little bit.

SPEAKER_04

Um yeah, there's definitely a hickory-ish, smoky wood. Um, I grilled um some steaks using hickory wood today um over a fire, and this reminds me of that. Um, I was didn't say that early on because I wanted to make sure I wasn't influenced by that, but smoking it on the retro hell, I definitely get that deep woody flavor.

SPEAKER_07

Yeah, and I was smoking one of those, one of our cigar rebel first releases that we ever did, and it definitely had some spice to it. And so I waited for that to kind of clear out. And I'm not picking up a ton of spice on this. I don't know if you are, but I get very, very little.

SPEAKER_04

I'm not getting much spice. I've got a little bit of a leathery kind of texture in my mouth, um, a little bit of black pepper because my tongue is tingling. I don't get the flavor, but black pepper notes kind of do that for me sometimes that are a citrus. Yeah, um, I would say this is it's not hitting me in the same way. Um, but there is on the retro hell and on the finish, which this has a pretty long finish, um, there's a sweetness, but it's deep, like a molasses or a syrupy kind of deepness to me. But it's just hints there. So um let's go ahead and jump right back into the conversation around is a cigar or what makes a cigar box worthy. Um how do you know if a cigar, Mel and I'm curious your thoughts, how do you know if a cigar will stay interesting across an entire box?

SPEAKER_07

That's difficult to know completely beforehand, I feel like ultimately. Um, but you can really you can look for that repeat appeal after finishing the cigar. You can ask, you know, would I want another one tomorrow? Would I still choose it next week? Um, can I fit it into different situations?

SPEAKER_04

Yeah, you know, absolutely. So there are times that a cigar can be excellent but exhausting.

SPEAKER_07

Right. A strong, sweet, rich, or intensely flavored cigar may be enjoyable occasionally uh without becoming that regular rotation of your cigar.

SPEAKER_04

Yeah, and this may be a controversial statement that I'm about to say because a lot of people would disagree with me, but I feel that way with Padron. Uh I love Padrone, the um 1964, the um excellent cigar, the 2000s series, but I feel like I've got to pay attention while smoking it. Like it really impacts me. And so if I'm sitting down to relax, that's not a cigar that I'm gonna unwind to. Right. Um, because there's a complexity to it, I don't smoke it often. Now a lob to that, uh a toss, I don't know, a caveat, I don't know what the right word is. But when we smoked the Padron Ruby Red, the one that was made for two guys, yeah, that was a completely different experience. It was very unlike the other Padrones I'd had. Definitely Padron cigar, you can tell it was there, but that is a cigar I've smoked on several occasions that's just like I'm home. Yeah, it's kind of like the quick cheesy example. When you're sitting at home, Mel and I can be sitting there, we're both doing two different things, but it just feels peaceful to be sitting next to her. We're not even talking, it just feels right. I felt like the Padron Ruby Red was that way, it just felt peaceful.

SPEAKER_05

Yeah.

SPEAKER_04

So I've gone way off script, so we'll get back on notes here, and then we're gonna jump to some uh comments on their cigar boxes here in a minute.

SPEAKER_07

Yeah. So box worthy cigars, they usually have one of two qualities. They are either going to be versatile to enjoy regularly, or they're gonna be distinct enough that you know you want that experience repeatedly on different occasions.

SPEAKER_04

Yeah, that's a great comment. Uh wanting to have it more often is something that definitely makes a box worthy cigar. Um, let's talk about the economics of buying a box versus singles.

SPEAKER_07

Yeah, so boxes often are going to offer that lower cost per cigar than buying the same number as singles.

SPEAKER_04

Yeah, and as a cigar smoker, you need to do the math. Take the singles price, multiply it by the box count, then compare the total with the box price, which may be lower because many shops and manufacturers offer a lower box price. Also, you have to consider what your loyalty points might be if your shop offers that.

SPEAKER_07

Yeah. Then there's gonna be the promotions if there's any being offered. There's gonna be retailer discounts on launches or maybe at special events, and there could be included accessories in there, maybe if you buy a box. And so that's gonna help determine too if you really want that box or not.

SPEAKER_04

Absolutely. So we're gonna talk about box size here in a second. Let's jump to some of these comments on boxes. Dwayne says loves the ladybug.

SPEAKER_05

Me too.

SPEAKER_04

Um, yeah, Mel does absolutely one of our best-selling cigars. So thank you. Uh Dave said, what'd you say?

SPEAKER_07

I said that's another best seller. Another bestseller.

SPEAKER_04

Uh Dave said, Elevated humidor house blend Maduro Corona. I'm telling you, that cigar is amazing. Uh, cigar shops that don't actually ask us for that cigar is missing out because the three cigar shops that do sell it can't keep it in stock. Neither can we for them. It's the only cigar we struggle keeping up the uh demand for.

SPEAKER_05

Yep.

SPEAKER_04

Um, Roper says the M81 Black and Robusto and McAuliffe Red Robusto are for sure box worthy. Um, the Roper hits real nice as well. That's a new stories exclusive cigar. Um Leslie said once again the elevated humidor ladybug as well as the one from the night the blind review are both box worthy. Um for Dwayne and I, the Grofflo La Familia Maduro and Sun Grown, I would agree with that. I have a box of that Maduro at home. Um, Duane echoes the M81. Uh Dwayne said he is getting some hints of Kumin. Maybe that's that I said black pepper, but that that cumin hits, you know. Uh Rock Patel Sapphire is box worthy too. I love that you say that, Leslie. I've actually not had it yet. Um, we have it on order for our shop, but we're just not seeing it yet. Um, Addy says the McAuliffe Silver, the number two, is box worthy. Um then Leslie said, Girl, we can't keep in stock at her shop. Um, most McAuliffe's are box worthy for me, especially the white and purple. Most elevated humidor as well. A new one for me is the races, um, or actually that's probably the Rojas Quiet Morning. Yes. That that's there. Um, said she's smoking it right now, which is awesome. Um, Kelsey says last box I bought was the Oscar Leaf Maduro Toro. That's another great cigar. Um, tried a single just because of the leaf novelty, expect to be total marketing, but it was really great. Um, lots of good comments running through here. Dave said Liga Provada number nine. Tammy says the limited edition duality, the McAuliffe Silver, West Tampa White, RomaCraft Whiskey Rebellion, Perdomo, Legacy Maduro, JFR Titan, Connecticut. Man, y'all got some great boxworthy cigars. McAuliffe Green, uh New World, the Perdomo 12 gear are all boxworthy. Absolutely love that. Um, Eric said the um boxworthy Romacraft Morian and Southern Draw Morning Glory. Um, my father, Florida and Tillis come to mind. Absolutely. The great thing about Eric saying that, Mel, is all three of those are shipping this week to us. So uh they'll be boxworthy buys, Eric, for you here in a couple of days. Um, Celtics have an amazing um leaf um rep, and so love the leave. And then finally, um, Kevin, we sold four boxes of the sapphire in less than a week, which is spectacular for that. So we could go on. There's more comments. I skipped several, but we got to get back to the topic tonight so we don't run out of time. Um, so Mel, right before we went to comments, I asked you about box sizes. Let's dive into that. Tell us a little bit about box sizes.

SPEAKER_07

So, box sizes are interesting to me because depending on the box size, can also impact your decision on if you're going to buy a box. There are so many different box sizes that come in 10. You can have 12, you can have 20, 21, 24. Uh, sometimes maybe they do come in a box, maybe sometimes they come in a bundle. Um, when we redid all of our own marketing for the elevator or all of our boxes and everything for the elevated humidor, at first we went to 10 count boxes and then 20 count bundles for lounges to refill or for people to buy the 20 count bundle. And for me, it was very quick. Couple weeks in, I actually did not like that. I wanted all of our stuff to be the same. So we moved to just 10 count bundles, 10 count boxes.

SPEAKER_04

Um, yeah, it absolutely just make it easy, right? It's an easy box buy, it's an easy bundle buy um for customers, for shops. It's easy for them to do the math, no matter what the cigar is. And our limited editions were still in 25 count bundles.

SPEAKER_05

Yeah.

SPEAKER_04

And we move those um back down to the 10 count. Yeah, an example for this, and I'm not Trying to throw them under the bus or say anything. It's simply because we're smoking a Romacraft tonight. Is Roma Craft's a tough one because we just worked on an order for Roma Craft on getting some things ordered and then talking about kind of our plan for the rest of the year. Um, I know it's July, but we try and plan out with Roma Craft through the end of the year. We kind of have a conversation twice a year for them. Looking at the order sheet, they've got 10 count, 12 count, 24 count, and 50 count boxes, and then their bundles of those boxes don't match the bundle size. So if it's a 10-count box, it's a 20-count bundle. If it's a 12-count, then it's an 18-count bundle. If it's you know, so it's like there's no way to go, I need this amount. Yeah, you've got to literally look at each one. And as a customer and consumer walking in, like, man, I love this cigar. Last time I bought it, I got the 12-count box for Minocraft. So why don't you go ahead and give me a box? But then it's 24.

SPEAKER_05

Yeah.

SPEAKER_04

And it's double the amount they thought they were spending, and you're having that conversation at the cash register.

SPEAKER_05

Yeah.

SPEAKER_04

And so it's interesting, and it's not a negative. I understand why they do it different sizes by toll as projects.

SPEAKER_07

Yeah.

SPEAKER_04

But man, I love those cigar companies that it's one size, period.

SPEAKER_07

Well, and I'd love to know as the cigar consumer, the person who's out there buying the boxes for your house, does it vary based on how big the box count is? Are you more likely to buy a box if it comes with 25 or more because you know that you're going to smoke through all those? Or do you prefer a safer commitment maybe to a box of 10 if you're gonna buy a box? Just uh that's uh interesting. Does that impact your decision to buy the box? How big the box is?

SPEAKER_04

Yeah, and Leslie says that personally prefers boxes that are even numbers since she has to share a popcorn. Uh and uh Dwayne says I divide between them by two for couples who share.

SPEAKER_07

So 25 is probably out for you then.

SPEAKER_04

Yeah, absolutely. 25 is not working for them. So um let me give a little simple example of an actual experience I had standing in our humidor just a few days ago. Um so I talked about fat bottom beddies earlier from Deadwood. They come in 10 count boxes um for fat bottom betty. Uh a single cigar is a $12 cigar, so a box of 10 is $120. There was a guy coming in, I happened to be in the humidor that day, um, and he was looking at getting two or three. He's I'm gonna go ahead and get four because I might smoke a couple at home. And he goes, as he was getting ready to leave, uh our um tobacconist was already out at the register helping somebody else, and he goes, Um, I said, Mark, I went and check you out, and he goes, Well, I might be back in in a couple of days to get some more. I said, Well, hey, if you're gonna get some more, and I'm not trying to upsell you at all, but if you buy a 10-count box, it's $108, which is actually like buying nine, get one free, because we offer a 10% discount on all boxes. Yeah, and so he was like, Man, that's great. He went in and grabbed it, grabbed the box, headed out, and it was a great experience. So it's not always like it's an upsell, sometimes it's about helping your customers, helping you rebels have a better buying experience because everyone wants to save money, right? And everybody likes free.

SPEAKER_07

Yeah, 100%. That box discount, it can improve the value of a correct decision like that for that gentleman. Um, but it can't necessarily correct the wrong decision. So if you bought the whole thing and you end up not liking them, it doesn't matter that you have the extra one for free. You're not gonna smoke it.

SPEAKER_04

Yeah, absolutely. And the goal is not to own the most cigars, the goal is to own cigars you're excited to smoke or share with friends.

SPEAKER_07

Yeah, yeah. I mean, we we've covered a lot tonight, and you know, that includes kind of the value proposition around buying a box when you smoke several of the same cigar frequently. Um, but I want to run down for the rebels, everyone out there, the reasons maybe or the criteria in our minds that make the cigar worthy of a box.

SPEAKER_04

Yeah, absolutely. So Alex mentioned um somebody said that he should come out with a couples box, and Gawain said he's agree. Um, and Alex is like, hmm, he's thinking about it. So, one of the things that's interesting about that, not our idea of a couples box, but similar. We have 10 count boxes, uh, with one exception. We have a cigar coming out that's gonna be a 12-count box. So we have a box coming out that's gonna be a 12-count box. Yes, um, and that box is gonna be the velvet collection, and so it's gonna have four velvet smooth, four velvet gold, and four velvet spice.

SPEAKER_05

Yep.

SPEAKER_04

So our thought on that was that you would have a couple to share with somebody else. So there's kind of our couple's box coming out here in the conversation. So we actually have three different blends in that box. As I was talking, Alex's comment, two different blends came up. Um, but let's jump into this criteria in our mind that makes a cigar box worthy. Um, I think that's a great plan, and why don't you get us started on that?

SPEAKER_07

So, first is gonna be that consistency of the experience that we've talked about. Uh, you're gonna buy a box when you know the cigar is going to deliver that repeatable satisfaction. You know, you've smoked it multiple times and you'd enjoyed it. Uh, the blend is gonna perform consistently across for the experiences, it's gonna fit your palate. Again, that is important. The strength, the flavor, the burn, the aroma, all those things are working together for you.

SPEAKER_05

Great points.

SPEAKER_07

And it's gonna be a cigar that you are reaching for without thinking, of whether you want to think through it while you're smoking, or maybe whether you're working. Um, if you can smoke three on different days and love all three, then that is going to be boxworthy.

SPEAKER_04

Yeah, consistency is so important when it comes to a cigar.

SPEAKER_07

It is having something that you consistently can go to and love, that's really important if you smoke cigars daily.

SPEAKER_04

Yeah, that's a great point. So the second criteria is the aging potential. Some cigars transform dramatically over time, and a box lets you experience the evolution. You buy them and smoke a couple, then a couple more, three or four months later, and then three or four months later, maybe a year later. Um, it's always a fun experiment. Signs a cigar is really age-worthy, is high quality fermentation. Um, it's already got a great, rich, smooth, complex smoke. It's got a strong backbone, um, a great Nicaraguan or Dominican Lajero. It's a complex blend that will maybe mellow or deepen over time, and aging it will tell because you don't really know. Is it going to deepen or is it going to get a little milder? Um, maybe there's a slight harshness or a bitterness to it. Sometimes aging that will kind of help that you enjoyed it when you're smoking it, but you might enjoy it even more with that transition.

SPEAKER_07

Right.

SPEAKER_04

You want to have a cellar, like a line cellar, but instead you want to have a humidor that's just for aging cigars, so you can kind of experiment and see what happens to it over time. Um, a box becomes a long-term investment in flavor, especially if you're gonna age it and you want to try and do that.

SPEAKER_07

Right. And so third is gonna be the limited production or that scarcity factor that we mentioned earlier. Uh, scarcity is gonna be one of those biggest drivers of box purchases. Um, so you're gonna buy a box if it's a limited edition, uh, if it's a seasonal or one of those annual releases. If the brand is going to be boutique or craft, they're gonna probably have smaller production lines of that cigar. Uh, the blend maybe uses that rare tobacco. So it's not as easy for them to get to produce all the time. Um, you know, it's not gonna be around long and you're gonna regret not having more later. Uh, you can buy the box now. And we talk about a lot, you know, the box buys if you're smoking them every day, right? But also I think that looking at you know, the third, this third tier, something to consider is it is important to buy a box if you love that cigar and you don't want to smoke it every day, but you want to have it when you want to have it.

SPEAKER_04

Yeah, and that's really probably the reason I buy boxes more than any other personally. Um, I buy my daily cigar and those that I love um that I like to smoke all the time. I buy those by the box. Um, I'll buy those frequently. However, the cigars that I love purchasing by the box more than anything is those rare finds, limits and editions, and and that makes it fun.

SPEAKER_07

Yeah, I mean, we purchased three big boxes uh in a matter of days last fall for this very reason of the scarcity and the limited edition, and that was the Padron Ruby Red, and then the Perdomo limited edition for two guys cigars 40th anniversary. And we did not buy enough. Like if those were we were still able to get a box of those, I would buy another box of each of those today.

SPEAKER_04

Yeah, absolutely. And that you know, those weren't cheap buys. I mean, that Ruby Red box was fourteen hundred dollars a box, and I think we bought two of them, and uh they're gone. Yeah, I mean, I was not interested in saving them, I was interested in smoking them, and then we shared them with some people. Yep. Um, and that absolutely became a big deal. And then a couple of months later, we bought the Atabay two guys fourth anniversary that had the Attabay and Atabay Black, and that was a kind of a funny story because I told Mel I wasn't gonna buy them. We had a lot of expenses that month, so I went ahead and bought one. Mel bought one for our anniversary for me. So we ended up with two boxes of those, which were great.

SPEAKER_06

And we still smoked them all, so don't we? We did.

SPEAKER_04

I mean, again, we shared some, we smoked some. I think we're down to a couple of each of those cigars left. That's the only ones we have. We do have a few of those perdomos left. I noticed in our humidor, not a lot, but a lot of things.

SPEAKER_07

And that's when uh I love when I hear people are like, Oh, I get cigars for so and so, or I love to get so-and-so a gift. I want it on the record. I do try to buy you cigars, but most of the time, if I'm trying to keep it a secret, you buy it for yourself anyway.

SPEAKER_04

So, like in those scenarios, this kind of fits into your limited edition criteria or third criteria, is one of the reasons we were excited about buying those cigars is I knew they were going to be spectacular because who they were made for and who was producing them. But some of that was around supporting an amazing company and team that we have a lot of belief in and a lot of value, and that has been good to us. Yeah, and we want to support them. Sometimes buying a cigar that's rare or limited is as much around supporting that company as much as it is around the cigar. Yeah, 100%. Because if you know the cigar is gonna perform well either way, it's easy to support the company. Right. So, Mel, why don't you get into the fourth criteria, which is the price advantage?

SPEAKER_07

Right. So that fourth number on there is going to be, like you just said, the price advantage. And this is gonna be for those who are wanting to save money potentially. These boxes are always going to almost offer better economics. So the box discount, you're probably gonna get five to 20% depending on where you're buying it from. Um, there could be some freebies involved, you know, like swag or cutters or lighters, like we mentioned earlier. It's going to lower the cost of the cigar in probably 99% of all cases. Yeah. And there's going to be that better resale or trade value if you're a collector of cigars. Absolutely. And if you already plan to smoke 10 to 12 of them, the box really is going to pay for itself.

SPEAKER_04

Yeah, right out the gate, right? Um, the fifth one is emotional or ritual value. Cigars are emotional objects, not just consumables. I know we burn them, we light them on fire, but a cigar becomes box worthy when it does one of a few things. One is it marks a moment, a wedding, a birth, a promotion, some kind of celebration. It becomes your signature smoke. I know a few guys that if you're gonna sit down and smoke a cigar with them, they're gonna be smoking this cigar. Yeah, that's what they smoke. It's tied to a memory or a person, maybe someone who's passed away or a great friend who loved the cigar. We have a good friend who buys a bottle of bourbon once a year because that friend who's passed away bought them that bourbon once as a gift. And so now every year they buy that bottle and have a pour um around the time of his passing. I think cigars can be done the same way. You want to share it with friends. One of the things I did recently is we bought several of the McGalleth um Gordos, um, and then just a couple of weeks before that, we bought some of the Perdomo Legacy father and son to share with a few friends. We couldn't get a lot of them. By the time we had access to them, we could buy maybe nine total, and so we not nine boxes, nine cigars, and so we bought those to share with a couple people, um, and that all becomes a reason, the emotional attachment to buying a box.

SPEAKER_07

Yeah, 100%.

SPEAKER_04

So um, yeah, so side note to that, that wasn't just as I'm saying that made me think cigars are as much about belonging as they are about smoking.

SPEAKER_07

Yeah, no, that's a great point. I mean, it's it's really true. Um, I'm gonna go ahead and move into number six, which is going to be mentioned a little bit earlier, but either that brand loyalty or that craft appreciation. So if you believe in that brand's uh craftsmanship, their story, you're gonna buy a box. So uh, you know, examples of that are, you know, you could be, you could know the blender maybe, or you support the craft boutique makers that are making that cigar. You love the brand or the aging room philosophy that they use. Uh, you want to support those small producers of that cigar, and those box purchases are going to be votes of confidence in if you're buying that box of cigar for them.

SPEAKER_04

Yeah, the seventh one here is collector value. Some boxes are worthy because the box itself is valuable, unique artwork, high quality or unique construction, limited edition packaging, boxes that are really a beautiful display piece or a humidor, like the Atabays recent release, that leather covered box, which is really a humidor. Um, boxes that truly appreciate and value. Collectors buy boxes to store and hold on to the entire box, sometimes so they can show it off, sometimes so they can enjoy the cigar, sometimes so they can sell it later.

SPEAKER_07

Yeah. Right. And number eighth is gonna be the humidor strategy. So a box is going to be worth buying when it fits into your humidor philosophy. So maybe it's you want that you have that daily driver cigar that you have every day, no matter what happens. Uh, maybe it's that special occasion cigar like we had talked about. Maybe you're smoking one a year or one a month, or if there's a special celebration. Uh, maybe you want something for when you have guests that come over. Maybe it's something that would be approachable for someone who's having their first cigar, or maybe it's a yearly grouply gathering, could be any of those things. Uh, you want that craft showcase section, and you want consistency in your rotation of cigars that you're smoking. Yeah, so boxes are going to structure in your humidor.

SPEAKER_04

Yeah, they absolutely bring a great structure or create a great structure if you have a lot of different options sitting on the deck, cigar shops closed, whatever that might be.

SPEAKER_05

Yeah.

SPEAKER_04

But Rebels, there you have it. There's the criteria that we kind of fill out and create a scorecard, if you will. Um, that's really our guide to the question is this cigar box worthy? Yeah, we've actually created a multiple multiple answer quiz that you can use to kind of answer the question do I want to buy this box of cigars? If you'd like a copy of that mail, it's really easy. All they gotta do is shoot us an email at support at the elevated humidor.com and we'll send it over to you. Yeah, it's a quick and easy PDF, one page. Um, you score it super quick. If you geek out like us, it's a great thing to look at and go, hey, yeah, this cigar is box worthy or not. But that's kind of where we're at with is this cigar box worthy?

SPEAKER_07

Yeah, and don't be scared to buy the box. I know we talk about all these things, like should you buy a box, you know, look at these things if maybe that could be a way to show you if you need to buy a box or not. But I have constant people who are afraid of the commitment, but they'll come in and they're afraid to commit to the box, but they come in and they'll buy three of the same cigar a week for six months, and it's like multiple times a week. You could have just bought at that time a box plus at that point. So just don't be afraid to commit to the box.

SPEAKER_04

So, Mel, let's talk about our final thoughts on this cigar. I'm in the final third of the Romacraft Intemperance BA treachery. Uh, that sweetness or kind of a molassy molasses type of richness is still there on the finish for me. Um, on the retro hell, there's still a little bit of that pepper or citrusy notes. I haven't quite and the hickory is still there, very rich and earthy for me. What about you?

SPEAKER_07

Yeah, I would say I agree with that. Um, I think the finish for me is definitely it is holding on even longer than when we were talking about it when we were about halfway through. And I've only smoked two of these, so this is only my second one ever. Yeah, uh, and I don't remember this on the first one, but on this one, because I'm paying attention, the draw has changed as I've gotten into this last third. It's much more airy for me. I don't know if it's the same for you, but for me, it the draw has changed completely from when I lit it.

SPEAKER_04

Yeah, the draw has changed completely. It was a little bit of a hard draw, and then it kind of opened up in the second third, and this last third's almost too airy for me.

SPEAKER_05

Yep, that's where I'm at.

SPEAKER_04

Every draw is hitting the back of my throat every time because I'm still trying to take those draws like I was early on. Yeah, and because we're talking to the rebels out there, I'm watching comments, looking at notes. I'm I should have adjusted my draw and didn't. Yeah, um, but overall, it's a great cigar. So here's the deal: based on our criteria, Mel, is this box box worthy to you? Would you buy a box of this and smoke it? It's a box of 24. You smoke two.

SPEAKER_07

As a box of 24, I don't know that I personally would buy a box.

SPEAKER_04

Okay. I'm glad that you said that because I probably would not buy a box. However, there's a reason why. When it comes to Roma Craft, I enjoy them, but I have I smoke them occasionally. It's not something that's in my normal daily rotation, like the Neanderthal's in your daily rotation. You would buy a box of Neanderthal.

SPEAKER_06

I would, and especially if I was choosing between the two.

SPEAKER_04

I have bought a box of Baca. I've bought a box of Femorian on this. Those are cigars in their line I like a little bit better. However, I know people that love the cigar, it's a limited edition, it only comes out once a year. Um, it's in their regular production, but it doesn't come out, it's not always available. And so I know people that buy a box of this. Just because it's not in my box buy doesn't mean it's not in others.

SPEAKER_05

Right.

SPEAKER_04

Um, that's the beauty of the criteria. We have a lot of different blends, even within the same company. We rattled off two or three other Roma crafts that we would box buy. So this isn't a we wouldn't buy Roma Craft by the box. It's we might not buy this cigar. This is my fourth of this cigar. I smoked a couple because I knew we were gonna have this on the episode tonight. I wanted to share it with our Rebel Pack um subscribers so that they could get an option to smoke it if they hadn't. Yep, because it's worth trying if you like RomaCraft, especially if you like their more Maduro. Um, I personally love the EC, which is their Connecticut line, and would definitely um buy more of that. Yeah, so that's kind of our thoughts on the cigar. That's our thoughts in the box buy. Lots of great comments talking about the episode being informative and a great topic. Um, and so we really appreciate you guys joining us tonight.

SPEAKER_07

Yeah, thank you guys so much for joining us tonight. If you liked this episode, please leave us a review, share with your cigar friends, and hit us up for any topics you want us to cover on future episodes.

SPEAKER_04

Yeah, and if you're watching this or listening on a replay, drop us a comment at hashtag re hashtag replay fam. Let us know you're smoking. Let us know what cigar you think is box worthy. And as always, you can follow us on social media at Cigar Rebel. And if you haven't yet, go ahead and click that subscribe button or click on notify me there on YouTube so it lets you know when the next episode is coming because we come every Monday night at 7 p.m. Central Time. Next week we have a great episode, as we mentioned other earlier, gathering place, our cigar shops, the last third place. But for tonight, that's our show.

SPEAKER_07

Yeah, thank you guys so much for tuning in. We will see you next Monday at 7 p.m. Central Time. Until then, keep your cigar lit, your ash long, and your palate curious.

SPEAKER_04

Good night, Rebels.