OGT Cigars Live Podcast

"A Proper Dose Of Blood Medicine" Ep. 30 4/4/2026

• Eric Drazin • Season 1 • Episode 30

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This or That? It's a simple enough question, or is it? Crowned Heads Blood Medicine B Positive Maduro has just been released in three new sizes! But which one is the best? What makes Blood Medicine so special? Mallory and Eric explore the world of Blood Medicine, talk about the upcoming PCA trade show, and attempt to choose the right side of this or that!

Blood Medicine B + LINK:

https://oakglentobacconist.com/product-category/crowned-heads-blood-medicine-b-positive/


SPEAKER_00

Welcome to OGT Cigars Live Podcast, your neighborhood virtual cigar lounge. Each week we share the cigar experience with the OGT Cigars community. Join Mallory and I as we explore the world of bootseat and unique premium cigars. I'm Eric, founder of Oakland Tobacchist at the OGT Cigar Society. I have a deep passion, and some might say obsession, with cigars and cigar culture. Working as an artistic theater director previously inspires me to infuse entertainment into the craft I love. Learning never stops. And I invite you to follow in our cigar journey.

SPEAKER_01

I'm Mallory. While I don't ever claim cigar expertise, I've always been a photie who's obsessed with scent and flavor. I can be counted on to provide bizarre tasting notes, such as the Home Depot Garden Center or Grandma's Basement, which always leads to good conversation. And good conversation is truly my favorite part of enjoying cigars with friends.

SPEAKER_00

Welcome to OGT Cigars Live, where conversation lights up. Hello, everybody, and welcome back to another OGT Cigars Live podcast. Mallory and I are back at it. We're super excited.

SPEAKER_02

Yeah, hello.

SPEAKER_00

It's gonna be a great show tonight. Uh, and as I see, we got some people jumping on, dropping down comments. I see Chip, I see Nick. I'm gonna pull those up. Um, but thank you for joining us uh every Thursday uh evening, as best as we can make it, uh, to then have people jump on and smoke cigars together and enjoy the time together. Yeah. So it's a special show tonight because we're gonna be highlighting Crown Head cigars. We're gonna be highlighting their newest limited cigar, and we're gonna get into the ins and outs of blood medicine.

SPEAKER_01

I'm very excited about this.

SPEAKER_00

Well, and the very interesting thing about this release is you have three different sizes, so it kind of makes you like pick and choose which is the favorite size. And on that theme, we're gonna kind of jump into it beyond just blood medicine, beyond just cigars, we are gonna ask the questions of this or that.

SPEAKER_01

Yes, make some hard decisions, hard decisions.

SPEAKER_00

So I'll hopefully uh everyone has a cigar ready to go on deck, uh, as well as some answers. Get your commenting figures ready because we're gonna need your help tonight in this episode. Yes.

SPEAKER_02

That being said, we've got some comments happen.

SPEAKER_00

We got uh Chip on saying, in honor of Crown Heads, I'm starting with a Belgian blue tonight.

SPEAKER_01

Oh, very nice.

SPEAKER_00

Excellent choice, excellent choice. Mexican San Andreas. In fact, I felt like if we're on like a topic of this or that, I think this last Belgian blue was better than the first Belgian blue. Oh, okay, but that's just me, maybe. Uh let's see here. Nick saying, made it. Sorry for being MIA. Yeah, I'm glad that you made it on. Uh, let's see here. Uh Chip is saying, wow, big crowd to start the night. Thank you guys for jumping on.

SPEAKER_02

Happy to have everybody in.

SPEAKER_00

Exactly. Uh let's see. Just found your channel, says Mr. Majorism.

SPEAKER_01

Mr. Mojo rising sun, risen sun.

SPEAKER_00

Risen sun. There we go. Well, thank you for finding our channel.

SPEAKER_01

Thanks for being here.

SPEAKER_00

Thank you for jumping on. I certainly hope you have a cigar to enjoy uh tonight as we delve into it. So pull something up. Uh let's see here. Uh Shirley is saying, I'm here in secret.

SPEAKER_02

We won't tell anybody.

SPEAKER_00

Well, regardless, I'm glad you're on. Uh RJ, hello, Eric and Mallory, smoking a Paul Stulak blue lightning. You and Curtis made it look so good Tuesday night. That is because it is so good.

SPEAKER_01

I haven't gotten to try it yet.

SPEAKER_00

I think you did try it like one of the first, first. Oh, you're right.

SPEAKER_01

Okay, okay, yes. You're right. That was quite a while ago, though. Yes.

SPEAKER_00

I am on the verge of saying out of the core line of Paul Stulak, I would say, I mean, Nuevo Comienzo is always up there for me. And the Phantasm is good, but Blue Lightning Sky might be taking the second spot. I think he did such a good job. Um, and that's another question we're going to be jumping on. So glad that you're uh dropping that down, RJ. Hope you enjoy it. Nick is saying, ordered the one you recommended in your video doing the society drop tonight. Excellent. Awesome. We it was a little bit helterskelter with our our uh scheduling in terms of the first Thursday and such. So we ended up kind of doing the bleak midwinter like society, meaning the last week.

SPEAKER_01

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00

Um, but now we're jumping into up and upcoming things, so should be good. RJ's saying, Eric, what are your thoughts on cutting your cigar with scissors? Yay or nay.

SPEAKER_01

Cigar scissors.

SPEAKER_00

Here's a this or that.

SPEAKER_01

Um guillotine or cigar scissors?

SPEAKER_00

In yeah, now again, I like these questions because they're completely preferenced. I don't feel like it's like, oh, you you failed the test if you answer a certain way. For me personally, nothing, nothing will beat the cutter that is no longer made. This is the we're not sponsored.

SPEAKER_01

This is just it is, I know.

SPEAKER_00

Uh, shout out to Shirley because she gave me this cutter. See, she got the name engraved. This is the XO by Zycar. Uh, this is the cigar that I I have like four of these cutters because I purchased them before they were stopping made. This XO cutter guillotine is my favorite cutter to use. That's why I've got four. I've got a blue, I've got the gunmetal one. You got me about seven years ago, still cut straight. I've got this one and I've got a black one.

SPEAKER_01

All right. I'm obsessed.

SPEAKER_00

Well, what are your thoughts? What's your favorite?

SPEAKER_01

I haven't tried a cigar scissors, so I'm very Maybe we're gonna have to try that. But it might be a good theme for a show. Yeah, it feels just many cigars.

SPEAKER_00

It feels like it needs practice. Okay, I don't know if I have that.

SPEAKER_01

I feel like I wouldn't, I might not have the expertise to cut it right, but I always mess mine up even with the uh cutter. I wouldn't say that. It's just the the symmetry will bug me every time.

SPEAKER_00

Like and and again, it's it comes to comfortability, practice, such like that. Uh, let's see here. Chris is on saying, You guys tried the boondock cigar yet? Have I tried it? I've always smoked through my entire box. Uh, that is a cigar that went extremely quick. Um, next week we're gonna focus on the PCA trade show. We're also gonna focus on an experiment that I have going on. So it's gonna be a fusion of both. Uh, but next week is the show before we take a break for the PCA. We're gonna be talking a lot about new products coming, up and coming, exciting things. And one of them is Black Label Trading's newest limited cigar they have never released before. It's gonna be debuting at the PCA show. So, on that note of like boondock and such with Black Label, more things to come next week. So I'm super excited. Uh, Mike Mitchell saying, Hello, YouTube, been smoking the bleak midwinner. They're awesome. Also enjoyed the Triforium today.

SPEAKER_01

That's a that's a good lineup.

SPEAKER_00

That is that is a combo. I had uh a lot of people in the society or at least in the the group of Oakland Tobaccanists know who Raider Dave is. I had Raider Dave reach out and his opinion thinking it's the best bleak midwinner thus far. So high praise. We've been getting high praise for it. Um, speaking of Triforium, we don't have it available in terms of singles, but we did have this special lineup just pop up. So if you're interested in Triforium or many other limited cigars that are fantastic, beautiful black labels. It's beautiful. And here's the crazy thing is majority of the time, this is industry-wise. If you pick up a five-pack of something, it's like a five percent discount. We're doing 10% off just to celebrate Black Label. But I also would be remiss to mention we're gonna jump into our cigar tonight. We're talking about crown heads, and we're also gonna get you all the comments coming as well. Um, blood medicine is the subject for tonight, and so in honor of tonight, these are going very quickly, but we have a crown heads blood medicine sampler that includes a hat as well. So you have two sizes of the blood medicine. That hat is that hat is awesome. Um, and then you have like some of the newer releases that have come out and some favorites, like the mini dozer, uh the Tennessee Waltz. And there's a choice between the two hats. You have that one, or you have an Oz family, or if you get both packs, you get both different hats. Swag meal and forth. So now as I said, put them both on at once. There we go.

SPEAKER_01

Sherlock Holmes it smoke two cigars out of either side of your mouth, it up exactly.

SPEAKER_00

Take it, take it all in, take it all in. But uh, this just released this afternoon, and as I say, they're going very quick. Normally, we don't have a lot of these due to the swag. So if you're interested in either one of these hats and this incredible lineup, make certain you head over to OGT. That is where it is right now. Uh, let's see here. We got um, let's see here. David is on saying, just lit up Bleak Moodwinner 4. Beautiful cigar. Awesome. Thank you so much. Uh, let's see here. Get the Zycar dual cutter.

SPEAKER_01

I know that Zycar has come out with a lot of new things, so we're gonna have to probably need to spend some time just looking at cutters and to refresh our our uh understanding of the the cutter.

SPEAKER_00

I agree, I agree. Uh, let's see here. Chris Silla saying so good in reference to the boondock. I agree. Um, the Lancero was really good.

SPEAKER_01

That was what I was excited about.

SPEAKER_00

Of course, the one of the most limited way it goes. Yeah, uh, let's see here. Uh, anybody can change 247 saying new subscriber. Well, thank you so much.

SPEAKER_01

Thank you.

SPEAKER_00

I think we're gonna uh we need to hit the air horn for the new subscriber.

SPEAKER_01

Uh hold on though. Is that there?

SPEAKER_00

There it is.

SPEAKER_01

I got it.

SPEAKER_00

There you go. Thank you so much for jumping on. Thank you.

SPEAKER_01

There we go.

SPEAKER_00

We're getting it's a work in progress. Did you ever disclose who made Bleak Midwinter? Uh, we usually keep that a secret. There's a there's a handful of cigars that we do that are limiteds that we do not release the name, and that is purely done on kind of like judge the cigar for what it is. Yeah, um, that cigar we had blended. Um, I can say this. I won't say who blended it, but I will say it is the same blender who did number two. But we were a bit more hands-on on that one, and I think it turned out beautiful. Um, that being said, I'm ready to have a cigar. How about you?

SPEAKER_01

I'm very ready to have a cigar.

SPEAKER_00

So, as I say, we're gonna be smoking the blood medicine. We're gonna be smoking the Robusto size. This was recently released in three. It's a six by fifty four Toro, a 5.5 by 56 uh Robusto Extra or short Toro, and then you have a five by 52 Robusto. That is what we're gonna be smoking tonight. Uh, we're gonna jump into this. Uh, let's first get a cold draw happening. Now I have smoked the Toro. I've smoked the five and a half by 56 um far more often. So I'm excited to see where this one lands amongst the others. Because I will say the five and a half by 56 is kind of the winner at this point.

SPEAKER_01

Okay.

SPEAKER_00

Very sweet cold draw, like brownies, like baked brownies sweetness. I didn't get this off of the other ones. I don't know if you get that at all.

SPEAKER_01

No, I can see that.

SPEAKER_00

That's weird. It's like the it's like the top crust of a brownie, not the inside of it.

SPEAKER_01

Oh, there's kind of the earthy. Yeah, like the like the crusty part in the corner of a brownie, the good part. That oh, that's a good this or that.

SPEAKER_00

There we go. We're gonna jump into it. So let's get this lit up and uh jump into Blood Medicine. Today's cigar is brought to you by the OGT Cigar Society membership. Enjoy a five-pack of premium custom cigars each month at an undeniable price. Join the community and smoke with us on the Oakland Tobacconist YouTube channel as we delve into the rich experience of boutique and craft cigars. You can find out all about the subscription and a whole host of amazing blends by following us on social media. Look for us at Oakland Tobacconist or OGT Cigars. Okay, so I uh usually use a single flame. I chose the uh lighter that was triple flame, so I got mine lit up much quicker than Mallory's.

SPEAKER_01

You would have got it lit up quicker either way.

SPEAKER_00

This size, the Robusto. If you are one who leans towards peppery spicy, the Robusto is the size to go to. This one to me has a lot more pepper than the other sizes do.

SPEAKER_01

I can taste the pepper. There's also a hit of like dark, dark chocolate. I can see that.

SPEAKER_00

I can see that.

SPEAKER_01

Like the 70-80% dark chocolate. Yes. That is uh, yeah, that's what I'm getting.

SPEAKER_00

Yes, very interesting. Definitely more aggressive than the other sizes. There's something about that five and a half by 56. I like the body, the smoke texture, but it just it feels like you're in a cigar. Yes, this one is far more aggressive. This is like wake up like slapping you in the face.

SPEAKER_01

It's perfect for nine o'clock at night.

SPEAKER_00

It is, it is, it is a way to wake up. Uh, let's see here. Uh, James uh is saying, I wonder how these compare to La Imperiosa. That's my favorite stick of their line. La Imperiosa is also up for there for me. I would say blood medicine historically has always been my favorite limited release from Crown Heads. Okay. They do a lot. Like this year's Mini Dozer, which is in that sampler pack, is so good. It's so unassuming. Um, it's that cigar right there on the right, that little small, like fat by on the end there. Um, mini dozer is that's my favorite Warres so far, but that's a limited. They do like mule kick once a year, they do Las Calaveras, but blood medicine tends to be my favorite. Um, I would say for La Imperiosa, that is a box-worthy cigar for me. I would also say blood medicine is the same.

SPEAKER_01

Okay, so they're neck and neck for you.

SPEAKER_00

This, yeah, this is such a good it does have a lot of pepper on the retro. It does, and I love it.

SPEAKER_01

I'm usually on the fence about pepper, it really depends. But I I think that Cocoa Note is really balancing it for me. Helps even it out. Yeah, enjoying it.

SPEAKER_00

That makes sense. And so to help along with like which size should I try? We also put in a 15-pack, five of each size. Um, that was out of request from someone, um, because it's a really cool way to be like, I don't know which one I should go with. Uh, let's see here. Onions 1.1 is saying, good evening. It's David from North Carolina. Bleak midwinter is incredible.

SPEAKER_01

So glad to be a good idea. Thank you so much.

SPEAKER_00

Yes.

SPEAKER_01

Thanks for joining in tonight.

SPEAKER_00

Definitely. Thank you so much. All right. So when we have a new release like this happen, it's one of my as a cigar nerd, one of my like prerogatives to be like, which is my favorite out of the sizes? Because I don't want to just smoke any size and be like, oh, I just smoked the cigar. I want to investigate. And so it led me to a side of like this or that. And I think we had been talking about that. And so I think it's time to jump into a bit of this or that.

SPEAKER_01

We need to work on our synchronizing. We'll try again.

SPEAKER_00

This or that. This or that. We're gonna be at uh asking questions to ourselves, but also to you, because we want to know the answer. This is like again, a free way to get like information on what the market and what our consumers like.

SPEAKER_01

And also just to learn about people as people for sure, exactly to better serve you.

SPEAKER_00

Yeah, it's it's always an interesting way to jump into it. And this is not just cigar questions, this is personal preference.

SPEAKER_01

Oh, yeah, there's all it's all over the board. So let me have free reign here.

SPEAKER_00

So I wrote down so Mallory's got a bunch of rapid fire, which I as much as they're rapid fire, I have a distinct feeling that we're still gonna get lost in the the clouds of today. Probably because that's what we like to do, is we like to talk and hash it out as people in a virtual cigar lounge. Um, but I also have a small amount of cigar questions, and I think we should alternate in the beginning between both of them.

SPEAKER_01

All right.

SPEAKER_00

Not too long ago, we uh did a blood medicine uh show video here that was released, I think October, November, and that was the first like Maduro version of this. Now, for anyone who has tried blood medicine, the original, not be positive Maduro, but the original Habano, uh, that one's also incredible. So I have a question. If you have tried that one and if you have tried this one, blood medicine or blood medicine be positive Maduro, do you prefer this or do you prefer that? Which do you prefer? Drop that down in the comments. If you have smoked both, which is your favorite out of the two? Um for me, I'm gonna have to say be positive is the winner. And that's not based on oh, it's just all around is a better cigar. I think it is such a good cigar and so different than a lot of other Maduros out there. It's Nicaraguan Corojo, but we've talked about the cigar before, and it has like this medicinal vegetal aspect. The fact that this Robusto is so incredibly different than even the Toro. Yeah, like the experiences vary so much. I really appreciate that as a cigar intuition.

SPEAKER_01

That's just like that variance with a variety, yeah. Yeah, yeah, that totally makes sense.

SPEAKER_00

What is your thoughts?

SPEAKER_01

I'm gonna go with the be positive too. Okay, I think. Yeah, it looks like we have a couple comments.

SPEAKER_00

Yeah, we got a couple comments, we'll pull that up as well. Um, let's see here. Chip is saying be positive Maduro. Okay, makes sense. He's a Maduro smoker like myself. Uh, enjoys that. Uh, Nick is saying, OG, since haven't smoked the new one yet. What? Haven't smoked the new one yet. Okay, well, it's in the mail, Nick. Uh, shout out to uh Nick, he had just picked up the five by 56. Uh, it is in the mail. Can't wait to hear what you think. Onions 1.1 is saying be positive by far.

SPEAKER_01

Okay, so there you go.

SPEAKER_00

Jason is taking it, but and Jason is saying hello, Mallory.

SPEAKER_01

Hello, Jason.

SPEAKER_00

Good to have you on, Jason. We're we're in the middle of lighting up Be Positive Maduro and asking the questions of this or that. He is watching from Cambria. Oh, okay. Very nice. Very nice. Very nice. Um, okay, and lastly, on that, I'll I'll narrow it down to two sizes because I don't want to go to three. Not so long ago, about two nights ago, we smoked the five and a half by 56. Now we're smoking the Robusto. So these two are somewhat fresh in the mind. Do you prefer the 56 or the Robusto?

SPEAKER_01

I think I actually like this.

SPEAKER_00

The Robusto?

SPEAKER_01

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00

And I'm surprised since it has more of a kick and more pepper to it.

SPEAKER_01

Right, right. But I I feel like it's just making a strong, a stronger impression on me, I think is what it is. But I yeah, I mean, I liked I liked the other one as well. But I think maybe this one. Okay, yeah.

SPEAKER_00

I I personally this one is more, I would say, classically to my palette.

SPEAKER_02

Uh-huh.

SPEAKER_00

But the five by 56 has this like inviting experience to it that I don't get from a lot of other cigars. So I would have to lean towards that again, the unique experience of it. Okay. And it's such a big ring gauge, but it works so well. So for that, I will give it that. Uh, let's see here. Chip is saying the 56 for him. Okay. And James is saying, I gotta get the five of 56. You you do. And I I think it's no secret by now, especially with the recent cigars that we released. I'm a big fan of the 5.5 length.

SPEAKER_01

Uh-huh.

SPEAKER_00

Bleak midwinter, uh, the year of the uh the naysayer, both are in that size. I think it's just it's a perfect, like not all the way for Toro, but more smoking experience than a Robusto. Okay. I love it. Okay, so that's our first this or that question for cigars. What do you got for me on the other ones?

SPEAKER_01

All right, so oh, okay. Um, bacon or sausage.

SPEAKER_00

All right. Now, is this any time of day or for breakfast?

SPEAKER_01

We're we're not specifying. We have to do it more rapidly.

SPEAKER_00

Oh man, that okay. Let's say we're not talking about like bratwursts or no, I think we're talking about traditionally bacon or sausage. Bacon. I think that is bacon for you.

SPEAKER_01

Bacon.

SPEAKER_00

RJ bacon.

SPEAKER_01

So we got an outlier, sausage.

SPEAKER_00

James is saying sausage. All right, we got bacon for Nick. I mean, it's kind of see crispy bacon more specifically.

SPEAKER_01

Important clarification. Yes.

SPEAKER_00

Okay, we got David bacon. Yeah, I it's kind of a no-brainer. A lot of people are gonna do that.

SPEAKER_01

Okay, most of the time it is bacon. I will say, if you go to those places that has like little sausage patties, it's not bad. Those are not bad, especially the little spicy.

SPEAKER_00

Now, either it's the flavor of the reason why the the the old proverb is everything is better with bacon, or there's an innuendo of why they don't refer to that in the other one.

SPEAKER_01

Alright.

SPEAKER_00

Uh, what's your next rapid fire question?

SPEAKER_01

Uh spring or fall.

SPEAKER_00

Spring or fall. Ooh, now that we've like, we're we've we've seen an East Coast fall. We've seen a West Coast fall. Interesting. What do you guys think? What is better? Springtime or the fall? Which is your which is your choice? Or me? I think the fall.

SPEAKER_01

My guess is that with uh all these cigar smokers, it's gonna be fall because they have the thing for brown leaves.

SPEAKER_00

There you go. That's good. That's good. What what what is your answer?

SPEAKER_01

Oh no, we got a lot of spring. I think fall still. I do like spring a lot, though.

SPEAKER_00

Okay. Uh let's see here. We got uh fall for RJ. Oh, we missed one comment here. James saying, I order British sausage in a place in New York. Once you have those, you don't go back. Oh, interesting. Gotta look into that. Uh Chip, spring.

SPEAKER_01

Oh, we gotta do it.

SPEAKER_00

James, spring, Jason, fall. Uh let's see here. Winter from Nick.

SPEAKER_01

Nick did a different thing. Winter is coming.

SPEAKER_00

Uh James saying I hate leaves. Okay. Spring. James.

SPEAKER_01

Uh I gotta write a snare.

SPEAKER_00

And fall football season. You want to know what it is for me? I probably would have said spring, and I honestly think it's prettier here in North Carolina for spring than it is fall.

SPEAKER_02

Yes.

SPEAKER_00

But honestly, once we hit the end of August, it's like from that point until New Year's, it's my favorite time in cigars.

SPEAKER_02

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00

So I'm like, it's it's gotta be fun.

SPEAKER_02

Okay.

SPEAKER_00

It's gotta be fine.

SPEAKER_02

All right, those are good reasons.

SPEAKER_00

Okay, here is a uh here is a cigar consumer question that has probably plagued every cigar lounge uh in lounge talk. And that is kind of what you were talking about earlier. What is better? A soft flame or a torch to light your cigar? Now, soft flame can be zippo, bic lighter, uh it can be uh matches, or do you prefer a butane torch? What do if you had the option? And you're guaranteed, let's let's not even talk about like outside because it's hard to light a cigar with soft flame outside. Let's say you're indoors and you're in the lounge. What do you prefer?

SPEAKER_01

A torch.

SPEAKER_00

A torch?

SPEAKER_01

Torch. And why is that? Job done.

SPEAKER_00

It's true.

SPEAKER_01

I'm impatient.

SPEAKER_00

It has I'm an impatient woman. It has precision. I'm gonna go torch as well. Um, I don't like to not know the like unpredictability of a soft flame, and it might scar the wrapper, especially if you're smoking something lighter. I prefer a torch. Uh let's see here.

SPEAKER_01

Oh, we got a lot.

SPEAKER_00

RJ is saying torch. There we go. Chip is saying soft flame. Okay, kind of more old school. Uh let's see here. Uh, no, three flame torch um or matches.

SPEAKER_01

Oh, so like either side of the spectrum. Okay, okay.

SPEAKER_00

Okay. Uh let's see here. Torch for uh Shirley, soft flame for onions, uh torch for quick, but soft for nice. Okay, okay. Torch is faster, 100%.

SPEAKER_01

I agree with Jason.

SPEAKER_00

David is saying I prefer a torch because soft flame is harder to control.

SPEAKER_01

I also agree with that. I think that I am notorious for scarring the wrapper.

SPEAKER_00

I think, yeah, like you said, it's the unpredictability. Now, here's what I find really funny. I'm sure all of you guys have been in this situation. I know I have, I know you have when you watch the shop in the past. You had that guy that comes in that's like a purist and like wants to light it the perfect gentleman way. So he'll pull out a cedar spill and be like, I'm gonna light it, light the cedar spill, and then I'm gonna light that with a cigar, get that cedar going, the cedar forward. It's funny. I've always thought, like, oh, maybe that's what like real contours do.

SPEAKER_02

Uh-huh.

SPEAKER_00

Then come to find out, I heard from a very reputable source that is not a good way to light your cigar. Really? Because little do people know that cedar spills and small sheets of cedar carry carcinogens that you don't want to be breathing in when you light up the cigar.

SPEAKER_01

Okay. Wow.

SPEAKER_00

And I'm like, you know, I just find that interesting because everyone's like, No, this is the pure way.

SPEAKER_01

Well, I mean, the carcinogens might be part of the appeal.

SPEAKER_00

Maybe living dangerously, living life on the edge. Okay, what other this or that you have?

SPEAKER_01

All right. Oh, we got a couple more here, though.

SPEAKER_00

Oh, let's see here. Uh, single flame torch is better for outside. Okay, yes. James is saying, I like wooden matches or a torch because sort uh sort of spreads everywhere for me. I swear I can taste the lighter fluid. I can definitely when it comes to like a zippo lighter, uh-huh. It's it's too heavy. Uh, ash from cedar is messy inside. Yes, Mike. Mike gets it. He works inside of a lounge.

SPEAKER_01

All right, we're gonna do a couple more apple fire. Okay. Uh, alligators or sharks.

SPEAKER_00

Alligators are sharks. We're gonna try to make this as quick as possible. Alligators are sharks. This is a no-brainer. What do you think I'm gonna say?

SPEAKER_01

I know what you're gonna say. You're gonna say alligators. You love alligators.

SPEAKER_00

Yeah, if I could, I don't live in Florida, but if I could, I would try to have a pet alligator. That'd be so cool. What do you go?

SPEAKER_01

But I would not love it. Um alligators are cuter than sharks.

SPEAKER_00

Sharks are a little more small, they're just not as grumpy, they're always smiling. So alligators for sure. Uh, let's see here. RJ, alligators. Um, surely saying no more cedar plank salmon.

SPEAKER_01

Oh, I wonder if this is different.

SPEAKER_00

It's different because a spill, a cedar spill is so thin and the way it's it's prepped, it's not like all cedar wood. James sharks, sharks, uh let's see, gator for Nick Sharks. Okay, so that's uh two sharks and two gators. All right, someone break the tie on the comments. All right, last chance, break the tie.

SPEAKER_01

Who wins?

SPEAKER_00

Who's gonna win in the shark alligator battle? I don't know. We're down to last last moments. Uh oh, I didn't even read Jason's all the he's saying sharks because it tastes better. Grills. There you go. All right, Nick. Next rapid fire.

SPEAKER_01

All right. Uh tacos or burgers.

SPEAKER_00

Oh, wait. Sorry, we got okay.

SPEAKER_01

Oh, we have a lot more.

SPEAKER_00

James's Gator Shark. Uh we got Gator uh from Chip, and we got uh Gator, they have legs and could potentially walk them.

SPEAKER_01

That's true. A gator on a leash. Yes. This is a lot more applications, both water and land. You can't take your shark for a walk down the street. All right, we've already got an answer to my question, but it was burgers or tacos.

SPEAKER_00

Okay, burgers or tacos.

SPEAKER_01

We've got two now.

SPEAKER_00

Is this a this or that? Like if you choose one, then you can't have the other.

SPEAKER_01

We're not reading. We're not doing would you rather? We're just saying which is the best.

SPEAKER_00

I think you're gonna go tacos.

SPEAKER_01

Yes, yeah.

SPEAKER_00

Um I I am also gonna go tacos. Tacos, I mean, I have more burgers often, but tacos. RJ saying tacos, Mike saying tacos. Uh let's see your chip, burgers, James tacos. But can we pick a kind?

SPEAKER_01

Please do.

SPEAKER_00

Yes, elaborate. What is better?

SPEAKER_01

What is the best taco? Uh on what day? Any day.

SPEAKER_00

Yeah, any day. Let's see here. Burrilla tacos.

SPEAKER_01

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00

Okay. There we go. It's California. So I'm saying street tacos.

SPEAKER_01

Yes.

SPEAKER_00

Taco burger. Yeah, I mean, maybe not taco burger. Now in North Carolina, it's like our burger is better out there.

SPEAKER_01

We found a good taco, Jared.

SPEAKER_00

That is true. That is true. Okay, I have a cigar question uh for you. This is one that also plagues all cigar smokers. And this one's a bit more difficult. If you have a cigar that is malfunctioning, which would you rather choose? A tight draw to smoke through, or it has to constantly be relit. Which are you gonna go with?

SPEAKER_01

Would you rather deal with more of a would you rather than uh this or that?

SPEAKER_00

But which do you choose? Do you choose this, which is the tighter draw, or that, which is the constantly relit. Constantly relighting.

SPEAKER_01

I hate a tight draw.

SPEAKER_00

I'm gonna go there with you as well. Okay, tight draw is if it's tight and you try everything you can do about it, it not only is disappointing, it makes me mad.

SPEAKER_01

Yes, I've seen it.

SPEAKER_00

Yes, and I even to the point I just chuck cigars in the ashtray. So I'm like, I just cannot deal with the tight passion and fervor, but if but I feel with like even though relighting is cumbersome, at the same time, if you're getting enough smoke output, you're getting enough flavor, it's like, okay, I can still deal with this.

SPEAKER_01

Sometimes it's fun because then like we were talking about this. The torch lighters are fun, it's fun. I don't mind.

SPEAKER_00

Okay, so yes, I think everyone's answering in the anthem of the traditional cigar smoker. Relit. Relit relit. Relit. I think I think it's just there's something inherent. Like if you guys have smoked a cigar with a tight draw, it just it just so bad. Uh Mike, relit throw away tight draw. Life's too short. 100%. I feel like that's like the subtext to like life's too short to smoke bad cigars. Yeah. That are tight. Yes. Uh, let's see here. Relit for sure. Tight draw always ends up burning up the middle for me, and smoke tastes awful.

SPEAKER_01

Yeah, and I have the problem too where I think it's me, like I haven't lit it enough. So then I'll like make myself dizzy, like puffing on it, like a pipe or something. Yes, and it's just not a great thing. It's not it's not a great thing. I've seen that, I've seen that.

SPEAKER_00

Yeah, okay. What's it what's a disorder?

SPEAKER_01

All right, this is a more complicated one for you. Dinner with Stephen King or dinner with Steven Spielberg, the battle of the Stevens. Pick a Stephen. Oh quick, pick a Stephen.

SPEAKER_00

Stephen King. Okay, Stephen King. All right, uh, yeah, I would just like to know, like I honestly, the reason I would choose Stephen King more so is because I feel like I have more accessible and relevant questions regarding the industry of writing than I do with movies.

SPEAKER_01

Okay, that's fair.

SPEAKER_00

There's an easier like way to navigate. Like, how do you become published? How do you do these things? Uh, what are you doing? What are you choosing? I mean, if you go that route, you have to be like, so those dinosaurs, like you'll miss that. So, what are you doing?

SPEAKER_01

I think Spielberg.

SPEAKER_00

I figured. I figured. I think I'm more of the king buff. Let's see here. Uh, James is saying king, RJ is saying king, chip is saying Spielberg, and Nick Spielberg King is mentor.

SPEAKER_01

That was secretly, maybe a little bit by reason, also.

SPEAKER_00

There you go. Jason Spielberg. Uh, let's see here. Uh, James say started writing thanks to him. Awesome. There you go. Also, Spielberg looked a lot like my uncle.

SPEAKER_01

Oh, very cool.

SPEAKER_00

There you go. Steven Segal.

SPEAKER_01

Throw in a different Steven.

SPEAKER_00

That's a different Steve. I choose Steve Hurley in Oakland, California.

SPEAKER_01

That is the best.

SPEAKER_00

Great Steve. Um, do you happen to know Steve's uh Stephen King's biggest fear? Does anyone know his biggest fear? He said this actually in an interview, and I thought it was interesting. I thought it was good.

SPEAKER_01

I don't know. Out of all the things that he has created, and I can't remember.

SPEAKER_00

His biggest fear, as he said in a uh interview, was the loss of one of his children. And the truth was that's why pet cemetery is so difficult to get through. Yes. There you go. Nick saying, Maine. I mean, he he loves to talk about it. Uh, let's have another one real quick.

SPEAKER_01

All right, ancient Egypt or ancient Rome.

SPEAKER_00

Is there uh neither?

SPEAKER_01

You just gotta pick a civilization, Eric.

SPEAKER_00

Uh I find Egypt a little more interesting.

SPEAKER_01

Okay.

SPEAKER_00

What about you? Egypt.

SPEAKER_01

A little bit.

SPEAKER_00

Yeah, I figured. I figured. I I I'm interested to see this way, uh, the way this one goes. Egypt or Rome? Uh let's see here. RJ, Rome. All right, uh, James, Egypt. But I'd pick Greece over both. Me too. Me too.

SPEAKER_01

But that's why I didn't put Greece in because I wanted it to be a trickier question.

SPEAKER_00

Chip, Rome. Mike, Rome, better food.

SPEAKER_01

That's true. I hadn't thought about that.

SPEAKER_00

What if you were going to either Egypt or Rome? Where would you want to go? No, that's a different I know the answer on that one. Uh, let's see here. Corey, Egypt is too dry, so Rome. All right, Jason, I like Caesar's Palace.

SPEAKER_01

So Egypt.

SPEAKER_00

There we go. Oof. I'd like being uh there, but Egypt takes it most alien and pyramids. There you go. There you go.

SPEAKER_01

Both alien, yes. All right, okay.

SPEAKER_00

There you go. Okay, uh, we've also got some news to cover. Before we do that, I want to do one more. Would you rather in terms of cigars? Um, this one I think is interesting. We try to in the society explore a lot of different blends and different versions of how you put these combinations of tobaccos together. Do you prefer, on average, do you choose Habano wrapper on a cigar or Sumatra wrapper on a cigar? This or that?

SPEAKER_01

Sumatra.

SPEAKER_00

Sumatra for you? I'm also gonna go Sumatra.

SPEAKER_01

Really?

SPEAKER_00

And here's why.

SPEAKER_01

There's I don't that seems like a newer answer for you.

SPEAKER_00

I feel like in the past, I've always found Sumatra to be so interesting. When done right, Habano is fantastic, especially like a Maduro version. But I will also say Habano cigars, a lot of them Dominican-based, Honduran-based, also hold the record for me when I sample through as some of the most boring non-Kinnecticate, non-Candela cigars I've ever smoked.

SPEAKER_01

Oh, okay. So you're saying that it's just the ratio of potential for learning. Whereas Sumatra is always going to be interesting to you.

SPEAKER_00

Yes, I mean you have the the Stallone Habano, Alazan, incredible cigar. But that is not always the common thing for me. And I think that's a palette preference for sure. That's why I put that down. All right. Let's see here. James is saying Habano, uh, RJ, Sumatra. Uh here, Mike, San Andreas. Mike is just out there to throw the monkey wrench. Uh, James saying love pepper. Yes, and he's got a good point. If you do Sumatra correctly, in my opinion, like blue lightning sky, Sumatra just is so good. Uh, what was the doctor's orders? That was a San Andreas Maduro. The original doctor's orders, if that's what you're talking about, that was a Sumatra. So there you go. Uh, let's see here. Michael is saying Habano all day. Jason's saying Habano. And I mean, again, both are very versatile. Um, I think I've just been scarred in terms of sampling things that are just like, man, this is a boring cigar.

SPEAKER_01

That's fair.

SPEAKER_00

So, okay, guys, really quick, we have a little bit. Oh, one more comment here. Mexican San Andreas all the way.

SPEAKER_01

That's funny because I actually on here I had later on I said Connecticut Broadleaf or Mexican San Andreas.

SPEAKER_00

That's funny. I have the exact same question.

SPEAKER_01

Are you serious?

SPEAKER_00

I think we're gonna need to answer that. All right, so we're on the heels of that San Andreas Maduro, Mexican San Andreas, or Connecticut Broadleaf Maduro. Which is your favorite to go? I definitely have one. I've always had a first love for this one. What do you think it is? Think about the cigars I enjoyed in the beginning, before even the shop.

SPEAKER_01

It's Connecticut Broadleaf.

SPEAKER_00

It is. It is.

SPEAKER_01

I think it's Connecticut. Tabernacle. But then you talk about San Andreas so much that it's like and you choose it a lot.

SPEAKER_00

So that was where I was like, is it the old favorite or the just when Connecticut Broadleaf, when Nick Melillo or Steve Saka does something with Connecticut Broadleaf, it's so hard to beat.

SPEAKER_01

Oh, good. We've got a lot of what about you? Probably San Andreas.

SPEAKER_00

San Andreas? Okay. Okay. So let's see here. I knew Chip was gonna call say Broadleaf because we have both had the had that conversation. Uh Nick is on the San Andreas train. David, Connecticut Broadleaf. Uh Marion Navarro.

SPEAKER_01

Mario Navarro.

SPEAKER_00

Oh, there you go. Mario Navarro is saying Broadleaf, uh, onions, Mexican. Michael, I got five blood medicine coming on Saturday. That's what y'all have final thoughts. That's what we're talking about tonight. Yes. Um, we both said it in the beginning of the show. This Maduro version or the original, we both chose Maduro. Yeah. It's just such an interesting, complex cigar. I love it. Gotta go with Connecticut Broadleaf, RJ Broadleaf, Jason Broadleaf. I think it's a broadleaf winner.

SPEAKER_02

All right.

SPEAKER_00

Okay, so we we'll be right back with more of those, but we have some interesting uh news on the horizon. So let's jump into that. There are thousands of podcasts dedicated to world, national, and even local news. But the best part about sitting at your favorite local lounge is asking that friend what's new with you this week, or what are you smoking? And that's exactly what we want to know. Drop in the comments something notable that happened to you this week. A promotion of work, a cool vacation, or even that new burger joint you tried. We want to know. Get your commenting figures and put it down now. Okay, so it's kind of an umbrella for news, and as a disclaimer, for this show and more and next show, it's gonna be PCA topic things.

SPEAKER_02

Oh PCA.

SPEAKER_00

That's the buzz in the in the industry right now. So we're gonna talk about two products uh or two companies that is gonna be showing these things at PCA, but we're not really getting into all of that until next week. That's where we're gonna go to a deeper dive and we're gonna kind of do an overview of like what we're looking forward to, and also want to know like what you guys have heard. What are you looking forward to? That sort of thing. But I thought this was both interesting. First and foremost, take a look at this. Now we have Plasencia Cigars, which everyone is very familiar with. This is Plasencia's newest branding, they have rebranded their entire situation. And I gotta tell you, I don't know what I think about this.

SPEAKER_01

Really?

SPEAKER_00

I don't think I like it as much as the original.

SPEAKER_01

Really? And I kind of dig it.

SPEAKER_00

Okay, and and I it does seem more of a Mallory type of like uh like it's cleaner, it's more classic. So tell me, what do you like about this here?

SPEAKER_01

Um it is, it's just very clean. I like the kind of like implication of a leaf. Um, I yeah, I like that motif.

SPEAKER_00

Do you like the green color?

SPEAKER_01

I do, I actually do. I mean, I think it I think when I think of all the things they have existing, I feel like that green color is gonna go really well with a lot of the stuff they already have.

SPEAKER_00

I I think so too. I don't know what I think about the font. Here's the original.

SPEAKER_01

Um you love a blocky font, bud.

SPEAKER_00

I do, teaching a blocky, blocky font, but also the emblem of the Placentia capital P when it's on a cigar, it just it's it's sharp. It's clean to it's sharp. I don't care for the font as much, but I like that emblem. They're changing it out for that. Now, part of their reasoning is that we have a tobacco leaf, but you'll notice the shape that tobacco leaf is in, it's in a hexagon. They're the only one in the industry that creates a six-to-hexagon shape, and they believe it's like the shape of like perfection, basically.

SPEAKER_02

Like it's a thing about honey bees, honey.

SPEAKER_00

Yeah, exactly. That's it's it's the shape of nature, it's the shape of all those things. So it's smart. I'm curious to see how this is going to translate to their labels and boxes.

SPEAKER_01

That's a big change for sure. Anytime you do a branding change that big, it's gonna be, I would imagine, huge. But um, oh, let's see what else.

SPEAKER_00

So here James is saying looks like a budget stick label. I mean, and it could be that it's just against a white background, but James, I understand exactly what you're saying. It's just it's kind of it doesn't it doesn't to me seem like it holds as much weight of heritage that the other one did. Yeah, but again, maybe it's gonna look really awesome in gold foil.

SPEAKER_01

I was gonna say the jury's out until the gold foil. So isn't that the way with everything?

SPEAKER_00

Let's see here. Uh Nick is saying dollar leaf cigars. Mike's saying looks like a tree tobacco plant, but yeah, I get it.

SPEAKER_01

And also, like there's a family tree element to it, I imagine what would be kind of, you know, I guess I could see that. Yes.

SPEAKER_00

Okay, so RJ, we're gonna come right back to this question because I want to give it time. So as soon as we're done with that, we're gonna go right back to your this or that. So love it. Thank you for dropping that. The new logo reminds me of a hotel chain logo.

SPEAKER_01

I could see that. Okay, that that that could be a potential drawback.

SPEAKER_00

Uh, Nick is saying, yeah, we'll have to see the new label out in the wild for sure. For sure. Uh Chip is saying the OG is better. Mike, thumbs down, James. I mean, if it's embossed and silver and gold, then maybe, but the P in the circle is iconic. That that was the thing. Like, yeah, every Plasencia label, they have that at the top, and then they have that third band at the top that is just the Plasencia golden P going on. I'm like, I just it's interesting. It's an interesting take. So this is really big news, especially we saw Agonorsa rebrand, we saw Crownheads rebrand, which I think was really smart. Um, Placencia is the, to my knowledge, the biggest worldwide tobacco supplier. Now, Nicaragua holds the record for the biggest Nicaragua. I mean, sorry, Agonorsa holds the record for the most uh Nicaraguan tobacco, but they across Honduras, across Nicaraguan. So they're a huge deal in this, they're a huge player, and so to have a rebrand, it's just it's really interesting to me.

SPEAKER_01

Yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_00

But you're right, we gotta see what it looks like.

SPEAKER_01

Yeah, gotta see it in the gold foil, and then we'll know for sure. This next it seems like the jury so far is saying not as much, not as classy, not so much.

SPEAKER_00

Yeah, now this next thing I thought was a joke when I saw this picture. This is a real thing, and again, we we will not lambass brands, but I am interested to to pull the room on opinions, not about this brand, but their packaging. This comes from German engineered cigars. They have taken to release their new cigar, which is pronounced Akut, in a pill-formed cylinder-sealed, like vacuum-sealed display. Literally, like from the pharmacy. Like that's where they tailored it from.

SPEAKER_01

That seems like it would be a pain to open.

SPEAKER_00

Now, I had to pull up uh what I was reading about it because there's kind of like an explanation that I was reading. The company says we look at other industries for optimal solutions and learn from them. A pharmaceutical blister is the optimal packaging for protecting an individual cigar, sealed, portable, no humidor required. The package isn't uh insert, is the most effective format of delivering product information. As German engineered cigars, we recognize that it works well and will transfer in the cigar industry to create a new exciting experience.

SPEAKER_01

Thank you to Half-Wheel for clearing that up for us. Uh here's the thing.

SPEAKER_00

I I suppose we should look up what a coot means or translates to. I but I would say, like, this is a very tongue-in-cheek way to like deliver blood medicine. Like if you're doing a cigar that way.

SPEAKER_01

Yeah, I was thinking it's interesting that we're smoking a cigar that's called blood medicine while we're looking at a cigar that's packaged like medicine.

SPEAKER_00

I I don't like it.

SPEAKER_01

I don't know because I think it also sort of reminds me of like nicotine gum or something. Yes, you know, which has weird associations for you know, cigar smoking or you know, um yes.

SPEAKER_00

I would also say what seems like it's such a weird choice is that so much about cigar smoking, cigar making, the craft cigars is tradition, heritage, the soil, the handmade element of it, the like this is made by human hands from start to finish.

SPEAKER_01

So that like very clinical packaging is a a big risk, I would say. It is. I feel like it takes a lot of the charm out of because even like the not necessarily imperfections, but the complexities of each individual cigar gives you that sense that it is like each one is kind of one of its own, it's its own thing, it's like completely unique, like a fingerprint. So I don't know.

SPEAKER_00

It's interesting. Let's see here. Chip is saying, what's next? A padron rebrand uh without the hammer. Oh, for Placency. That would I don't see that ever happening.

SPEAKER_01

I feel like our chairs would just like fall over, like the parents in North.

SPEAKER_00

Yes. Yes, and yeah, yeah. I don't see that ever ever happening. Let's see, uh RJ's saying, nah, too hard to open.

SPEAKER_01

I agree.

SPEAKER_00

You could scar like you could be trying to punch into it and ruin your cigar.

SPEAKER_01

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00

That's a good point, Shirley.

SPEAKER_01

That is a good point.

SPEAKER_00

Birth control pack. That that these are the images that it conjures up. I'm not gonna lie. Yeah, uh, is it a theme or is it legit? No, no, it's legit. This is like this is like innovation, considered innovation. James is saying, uh, I've had a hard enough time getting tape off of bundles.

SPEAKER_01

Right.

SPEAKER_00

Yes.

SPEAKER_01

Right.

SPEAKER_00

Yes. Mike is wondering, can you tear off one at a time?

SPEAKER_01

If there was some perforation, I guess I could see that because I would hate walking around with a half a packet of cigars. And they're all just like empty. Is there perforation between the individual cigars or do you have your empty cigar like I assume containers going along with you?

SPEAKER_00

I assume there is. But if there is, the question I would have is then you're just walking around with a plastic tubo instead of the real thing.

SPEAKER_01

That's true. And like the tubos look cool.

SPEAKER_00

Yeah. No yeah they're they're classic they're classy. They definitely protect cigar and they're also like a form of art.

SPEAKER_01

I just want to know what that meaning was like. I know it was entirely in German so I I was still I wouldn't understand but I just want to like be a fly on the wall for that. I'd be interesting. Because again it's like it it would I think the only way it would work is with like a fair amount of humor like right you gotta name the cigar something you know what I mean like it's like I doctor's orders. Yeah yeah if you if you were if you were making it like a joke I feel like I could get behind it but if it's like this is innovation I am annoyed actually.

SPEAKER_00

Yeah. James is saying makes it look too clinical.

SPEAKER_01

Yeah 100% clinical sterile RJ say won't look good in a humidor.

SPEAKER_00

I think the concept though is that now you don't have to have it in a humidor. It's like sealed so much that it will last in terms of humidity that's like the thought behind it. I don't know. Let's hear Mike says sometimes cigars are birth control. There you go uh Shirley saying can you imagine a senior citizen trying to get there into that uh let's see here Chip saying are those even hand rolled I believe they are but it also almost makes it look like it's not and again removing such a crucial element about right enjoyment of cigars. I don't know it's weird uh looks like a pack of batteries. Yes yes so that is a few of the things that are happening in the world of cigars. Like I said next Thursday we are going to be explaining some of the products that we're really excited about from some of the new releases from the brands and I got to tell you there's some really good ones we've already started to like plan out okay what's our execution of how it's going to be um I want to go back a bit to uh let's see here RJ had a with this or that and then is a lighter question this or that SD DuPont uh Defy X Defi Xtreme or Zygar Tactical Lighter price aside I'm gonna go with DuPont okay the reason I say DuPont is because I have not had good luck with Zycar lighters.

SPEAKER_02

Okay.

SPEAKER_00

Zycar has some of the best cutters in my opinions I really like their cutters their lighters need help. Okay so even price aside S2 DuPont you at least have like the the classic ping of the lighter that's like classy and if someone's like here you can have one of these I'm gonna choose the DuPont all right what about you sounds good to me I feel like I'm not familiar enough with those two lighters to make an informed choice. The biggest drawback about a DuPont lighter I feel like is you have to use DuPont lighter fluid or butane I should say that's kind of a drawback. But at least if you use that it will work there you go um okay so what do you got in terms of rapid fire?

SPEAKER_01

Okay I'm trying to go through this I want to see if I can go fast um chucks or vans okay fans all the way all right should we just keep going go fast?

SPEAKER_00

Uh sure we go a few and then we'll do uh we'll do a cigar one dolphins or horses dolphins okay never horses what about you Wednesdays or Thursdays Thursdays okay I like Thursdays too I don't know why um we got a few uh on that RJ saying chucks over that all right uh Mario's saying bic lighter all day Jason is saying vans rj saying Thursday good choice Thursdays are better Thursday fans because on Thursday evenings the OGT Cigar podcast has to be there you go it all better on Thursday we got a couple Thursdays there we go Thursday Thursday because we're enjoying Thursday right now Thursday's great all right uh give you any more yeah one more marks brothers or Abbott and Costello Abbott and Costello I know you can say that for any for anyone who watches old black and white comedy and if you're familiar with both the Marx Brothers and Abbott and Costello what's gonna win over those two? What are you gonna choose? Okay so I have one that this is also a cigar question because we talk about this on almost every episode okay about okay now you've experienced the cigar um what are you gonna do with it um actually okay chip I just saw your comment that's actually one of my upcoming questions um let's see here RJ Abbott and Costello well done Jason Marks brothers I mean I love the March Brothers but Costello and Abbott is gonna win what what are you what is your choice marks brothers yeah it's more it's higher brow humor perhaps uh let's see here uh button loo for James uh onions saying three stooges well that that's a good one too that's a good one too um so the question I have is if you're gonna have a cigar more often than not are you gonna choose coffee to pair or a spirit to pair I put that on there too there you go same wavelength there you go coffee or a spirit coffee coffee for me as well I'm a huge bourbon fan but some of the best experiences I've ever had with pairing has been coffee. We still need to do our pairing episode I want to do some wild stuff with cigars and see what's the most unexpected so pairing and I was waiting for jet uh Jason to drop his comment he says whiskey I also think that Jason in uh with what conversations we've had if you want to bridge the two espresso martini might scratch that itch there you go so there you go RJ iced tea okay over those two okay I see a lot of iced tea notes or tea notes on lots of the cigars we've been trying lately so I always think I should try this with some tea yeah out here it's sweet tea yeah uh let's see here uh Nick coffee uh James coffee I don't drink I drink coffee all day there you go Mike coffee RJ I don't drink either okay so there comes the iced tea for sure uh in the morning coffee and evening spirit I would say it's a reverse for me in the morning spirit in the no uh no yeah no makes sense it's a great great uh transition there black coffee extra strong yes yes definitely after a few coffees you still get to drive home that's a hundred percent that's true yes Jason I agree Eric a good espresso is great so we're coming down to the end here but I do want to get to the one that Chip had said because I think this one is interesting especially since we do a lot of both in the society are you gonna choose a traditional parejo a round cigar or box press like this or that box press or a parejo I think a parejo because while I enjoy a box press I am really picky about what kind I like.

SPEAKER_01

If it's too flat of a rectangle with crispy edges I don't enjoy it.

SPEAKER_00

Okay I like a soft box press that's closer to a square okay um and so with that no kick cat bar yeah I don't love a kick cat bar um so yeah okay and then I didn't know what you're gonna be box press all day and I used to be anti-box press but box press for sure uh let's see here Shirley box press yes chip box press all day James is saying parejo okay uh Nick box press RJ is saying round Mario is saying parejo uh onions box press feels great in the hand I believe so as well uh Jason we don't need to answer that question no tombstone or wide herb uh mike saying I better believe rollers make the I believe better rollers make the parejo I suppose I just I the feel is right with a box press the draw tends to be right the power seems to be right I don't know there's just a lot of things but that's not to say I don't like round cigars that's just my preference I'd say um very quickly let's highlight a picture in the uh the OGT Cigar Society's Facebook group people post in there all day if you're not a part of the Facebook group if you go on Facebook search us up OGT Cigar Society this is a great community where people say throughout the week what they're enjoying what they're smoking their thoughts on the blends that come through and so this one comes from Bill Lebeau which is a really cool lineup that's a great one and I really like uh what it says in his comments um which I will pull up for there I mean he's got he's got all of the cigars there he's got the the clowns he's got uh the new blood medicine but he wrote my beautiful wife surprised me with a thank you gift for remodeling the bathroom ahead of schedule I'm ready for another project now for this kind of reward stay smoky um but what a killer lineup and we were just talking about coffee pairings that Agonorsa Connecticut the two oh that is a beautiful cigar with coffee lovely great great pairing and also snazzy looking sticker there too yeah uh let's see here James saying box press with a slight rounded ends are nice like a candy bar okay yeah I like the rounded I don't like the crispy James is saying Roma craft does it well uh Mike Mitchell is going to agree 100% because he's all in on Roma craft me too and Jay's saying very nice picture yes so I highly encourage you if you have the opportunity join the Facebook group post let us know what you're enjoying what you're smoking people like Nick RJ um Mike I see people post all the day the time uh whether you want to tag us on Instagram or also in the group it's just really cool to bounce things out out uh with each other let's see here um good for him he can come over and do my bathroom are you going to get him a cigar pack if you're gonna he's gonna do that or uh there you go so as we kind of wind down to the end uh what are your final thoughts blood medicine um be positive Maduro Robusto do you feel like it is continued in the peppery note do you feel like it has I think it's mellowed a little bit I would say so still the I by far the most aggressive size vitola out of the three by far. But yeah that 5.556 is I think the one that really takes the cake for me. Rifia Jason's saying happy Easter all OGT family to you as well Narj says I play I have plenty of cigars. So um next week next Thursday on the show we are going to do a uh kind of highlight of awesome things coming for the PCA trade show all the PCA stuff exactly and I also will encourage you at that time if you do any of your own research or if you hear about products coming out I would like to know what do you think sounds exciting or might be something OGT cigars should bring into the humidor. I would love to hear that we want to know your feedback. At that crowdsourcing yes exactly crowdsourcing um and then the following Thursday so two weeks from now we actually will not be having a show because we will be in Orleans yes are you excited to go back to New Orleans oh very excited it's great food. Hopefully we have great weather like last year yeah it was we'll see perfect we'll see uh let's see here final comments here James is saying happy Easter all gonna go order those five by five five sixes well thank you so much check them out they're incredible thank you so much for joining us tonight Mike Romacraft is awesome black label trading company is quickly becoming my favorite though that's a wise good choice I see why I see why let's see don't forget Cigars and Cinema next Tuesday yes we are on Cigars and Cinema next Tuesday then Thursday night for PCA and then after that we're off to New Orleans all right thank you guys so much for joining us for a show of Blood Medicine and this or that uh and uh check out blood medicine also while you have the opportunity check out the sampler packs that are available like I said they're going quick not many available due to the limited nature of the swag included get you a hat exactly and choose this hat or that or both or both yeah get the two bag get both everyone have a uh great week thanks for jumping on with us tonight and we'll see you next time on OGT Cigars live podcast