"The Art Of Blending Feat. Stallone Cigars." Ep 35 5/16/26

We have such a special show lined up for you featuring one of our favorite blenders, Tony Barrios of Stallone Cigars! And just for the show, we have put together an incredible raffle sampler! Learn about the history, story, and style of Stallone Cigars. Tony Barrios has a wealth of knowledge when it comes to blending cigars. 

Stallone Cigars Sampler: https://oakglentobacconist.com/product/stallone-bucephalus-raffle-7-pack-sampler/

Transcript

SPEAKER_02 0:08

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 boutique and unique premium cigars. I'm Eric, founder of Oakland Tobacconist and 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_00 0:42

I'm Mallory. While I don't ever claim cigar expertise, I've always been a foodie 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_02 1:00

Welcome to OGT Cigars Live, where conversation lights up. So thank you guys so much for joining us tonight. As you probably notice, I am flying solo. Now, I will not be flying solo the entire evening because we have a very special guest returning to the podcast. Unfortunately, tonight, Mallory was a bit under the weather. So you'll just have to deal with me. I know it's uh not as uh great to look at, but we're gonna have a great time. We're gonna have a great show and we have a great raffle. As I see, we've got comments dropping down. Thank you guys so much. I will highly encourage you, please put those comments down. If you have any questions for me or any questions for our guests this evening, please, this is the moment to do so to learn more about the cigar brand, more about the cigars that we love. Uh so drop those comments down and I will do my best to pull them up as they come up. So thank you again for joining us. I'm gonna take a few comments here uh before we really get into it, really dive into it. And just as a disclaimer, I had to play the beginning of that naysayer video because that is what I am smoking. Uh, and that is what one of the things we are featuring this evening. It is it's one of the cigars I forget every time I light it up, like how much I love it. And so we're gonna get behind that blend as well. Uh, that being said, let's hear Daniel Frazier saying, hello, everyone, had an El Mago Jaguar tonight and sitting here with some four roses to sip on. Very nice. That Jaguar, chef's kiss, another Sumatra. Beautiful, beautiful cigar. Let's see. Uh Stumptown Ryder saying, Crown Head's uh Tennessee Waltz Killer Cigar. Excellent choice. Rob Brown, hello everyone. I'm smoking Bucephalus paired with a nice cabinet. This is a phenomenal cigar and shows the genius of Tony Barrios. And that is what we're gonna get into tonight. The genius and the blending behind Stallone cigars. Uh Fraser saying, Can't wait for my samplers to get here so I can rip into uh some of those. Of course. And uh they're all shipping out. And if you picked up on a sampler, which I'll get into in a bit, you're entered into our raffle. Uh let's see here. The Faceless uh Orchestra saying, starting an evening with an Omago Alakazam pairing with a Weller Special Reserve. Very nice. Rare pairing, too. Very, very nice. Let's see here. William saying, Will uh sitting and watching while smoking a CAO speed stop. Very nice. Uh Iron Love, good to see you on. RJ, hello, Eric and Mallory. Like I said, unfortunately, Mallory is not joining us tonight. She'll be back next week. Uh saying, looking forward to an awesome show tonight in honor of Stallone Cigars. I'm smoking a naysayer along with Crystal Light Iced Tea. If uh you guys had seen the recent video, it's kind of a funny like topic. Like the cigar video we put up is do you inhale cigars? It seems like a no-brainer, uh, but it's a common question, common search question. And I had to give a shout out to RJ, uh, being our like connoisseur of pairing with iced tea. So very nice. Jason, hey Eric, OGT family smoking a naysayer while having a Negroni. Excellent, excellent. Let's see here. Getting outside in 30 with a naysayer. Looks like we're all smoking the same thing, which is great. Nick's on, no pairing yet. Waiting on dinner after dinner will light up. Uh let's see here. RJ, naysayer's still my cigar of the year. Like I said, I mean, I've smoked so many of them. I always just forget how amazing it is every time I go back and light one up. Texas Taurus is on. Good to see you. Uh, let's see. I wish I could get the sampler, just had a lot of car work done and shotguns several months. Uh, I'm sorry to hear that, Nick. I am sorry, but I know you're not without cigars, so definitely light up something special for sure. So I want to make sure this doesn't go out. Tonight we have a very special guest. We are featuring Stallone cigars, and we're featuring some of the really like more difficult, uh hard to get like cigars uh that have been dropped here and there, as well as the core line. So, if you guys are not aware, this is what we got going on tonight. This is our sampler pack. Uh, this is a great introduction into Stallone cigars, or it is a great humidor stock up because that is a little bit of everything. This was more of the one of the rare samplers we were able to pull together. This is available at OGT. When you pick up a sampler pack, you will be entered into a raffle with a ticket. If you get our double pack, you not only save more, you not only get free shipping, but you get three raffle tickets for our prizes. Now, if you notice, some of like the staple favorites of like the uh the Tostado Maduro, the Palomino, Connecticut, there's the Pony, which I have somewhat dubbed the budget unicorn, being that it's hard to find a cigar that smokes this good for the cost. I think the pony is a cigar that everyone needs to try. And then in the middle, you have the bucephalus. Now, this was a limited edition cigar that I want to talk to Tony about tonight. The process of the cigar, what makes it so special. Um, this is like no longer really available. From what I understand, we picked up the last boxes. So we had to put this in the sampler so you can try it. Of course, Naysayer is sold out, but we have it in the sampler pack. And then big time favorite, the Castaño San Andreas, known as the chocolate bar. And then that torpedo on the end is a six-year-aged Corojo from Stallone. So this is a banging sampler pack. Amazing, uh, amazing price on it, and a great way to get into Stallone cigars. So for what we're raffling tonight, we have three prizes. One is a Stallone shirt, in which I'm repping tonight. Got my Stallone shirt on. Uh, excellent shirt. So we got a Stallone shirt, a Stallone V cut, and then a Lanyard for prize one. Prize two, you get that shirt. You also get a Stallone hat, which I have to say, when it comes to swag, Stallone knows how to do it right. I love their hats, snapback hat, uh, which will be raffling off, as well as one of their lighters, and then a grand prize winner is that lighter, which is, I mean, the lighter is beautiful as well. You have the hat and then a five-pack of Stallone cigars. And this is not just any five-pack, this is a grand prize winner for multiple reasons. One is that it comes with two of the naysayer, two, it comes with two of uh what I have, the very last of this is the Castagno that has been aged, I think, at this point. I mean, I have to ask Tony, but I think it's aged on like nine years. This is an original five and a half like Robusto size. It's the cello is dark. Um, these are like non-existent, and I had two, and I was like, we got to make it something special. And then the fifth cigar is a cigar that Stallone is coming out with. We're also talking about tonight, that is an exclusive, like limited blend offered to only certain retailers, and it's not even released yet. It is so rare and limited that I haven't even smoked it yet. And we're putting it in this pack for a grand prize winner. The only way to get these prizes, make certain that you jump on our sampler as they are available tonight. Once again, a sampler will get you into a raffle. If you pick up a two-pack, you save more. Free shipping plus three entries into our raffle tonight. Guys, don't miss on this. If you smoke Stallone, you know how special this is. So, how to give the shout out to Stallone. If you want to try this eight-year, nine-year-aged castagno, two of these are in that grand prize winner, as long with uh naysayer and an unreleased cigar. So don't sleep on that. Head on over and pick that up while you can. Uh, let's see here. A few more comments. Uh, are we talking uh slice stallone? Uh Italian Stallone? No, this Stallone cigar is actually Tony's from uh from Venezuela, which we'll be talking about as well. See, uh hi Eric, Stallone cigars are awesome and the naysayer is great. I grabbed it back. Nice, very nice. Uh let's see here. Uh Eric, lounge recommendations for you. Wendell Cigars in Wendell. The owner Tucker wants to make it predominantly boutique. He just had uh S9 foot opening, oh soft opening, grand opening on May 30th. Nice. I will have to check that out. I will have to check that out. Let's see, your stone cigars are great. Uh Daniel, in a hotel room with my son's college graduation, so no cigar. Well, thank you still for jumping on tonight and being with us. Um let's see here. Okay, that being said, I don't want to rattle on too much. Once again, get in on a raffle. We're calling that at the end of the show. We're gonna have three prize winners at the end. Don't don't wait for it to be gone. And also don't wait for uh us to call a raffle without you jumping in on it. So pick up that sampler. Without further ado, please help me welcome our uh guest tonight, hanging out with us in the OGT virtual lounge, Mr. Tony Barrios of Stallone Cigars. Tony, it is good to have you back on the show.

SPEAKER_03 11:17

Thank you so much, Eric. Um, I'm very proud to be here, very happy to be here with you guys and ensure a great night. Smoke tonight.

SPEAKER_02 11:26

Yes, 100%. And I have to apologize again. I'm sorry, Mallory was a bit under the weather, so she's not gonna be joining us tonight. Um, but we're still gonna have a great show and a great time hanging out and having great cigars.

SPEAKER_03 11:38

Sure, sure, sure we will.

SPEAKER_02 11:41

Now, I am as I had mentioned, I'm smoking the naysayer you blended for us at the beginning of well, we released in the beginning of January. Uh, what are you enjoying? There you go. There you go. There's a naysayer.

SPEAKER_03 11:51

I have mine saved here. I have only a few left. I mean, I just love them, you know. Um, I'm smoking right now the new cigar that is gonna be released. Uh uh exclusive, it's only exclusive for the very first accounts, brick and mortar accounts. Uh no matter if those brick and mortar have like you know, a club or interest like they like you guys, but have to be you know brick and mortar based, uh, that started with us, you know, earlier when we almost were kind of uh starting here in the US, you know.

SPEAKER_05 12:32

Yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_03 12:32

So as a loyalty, I mean, I'm gonna share this cigar that it's a very special cigar to me. I never have shared this cigar to no one to no one because it's the cigar is blended for for my palate, right? So um, and I like you know, full, full body strong cigars. It doesn't mean that I I don't enjoy, you know, for people doesn't know me, you know, I enjoy uh I enjoy a light cigar as well, but but with flavor, right? Yeah, so but this one is you know it's when I have when I when I when I have the cravings of something uh not madurable but deliver delivering powerful uh flavors and strength. So when when I do the retro of this cigar, even the wrapper is is it's not dark. So uh you know you can feel the power and the aging of this you know cigar. So I'm uh I want to I wanted to get something special back to those stores that stand with me since early the beginning here in the US. So it's gonna be very limited stores, you know. Okay, and um they're gonna uh the cigar is gonna come with uh with uh the main band of Stallone and the secondary band that is uh is the name is not available now, but you know, um it's a surprise for each store.

SPEAKER_02 13:56

Now, this is also the cigar that we have included in our grand prize winning pack, correct?

SPEAKER_03 14:03

Yes, yes, uh yes, that that's a cigar you got. Uh and the the the lucky winner of that pack or whatever, whoever gets that pack first, you know, they will enjoy something very, very different from they used to in this kind of looking cigars, you know. So yeah, this kind of uh uh prove that myth that lighter cigar colors are lighter cigars, you know, smokes, and uh and and also it's a way to how to experience a full-body cigar with uh with a low power wrapper. Okay, that I want I want to share this with you guys because you know I don't I don't think nothing nothing is good or bad to share in my experience. You know, I'm free to share my experience with with the world. Um what I'm not gonna mention is the owner of that magazine, you know. Uh when it's an owner of a magazine that advertised with them at the beginning, you know, it's not a big it's not the big one, you know, it's not the big one, it's one of the you know the middleweight magazines. So when when he tried my sign of broadleaf, he told me that the blend was so powerful for the rapper. So the blend was overpowering the rapper, and that's something that is it's it's impossible to overpower a broadleaf right wrapper.

SPEAKER_05 15:41

Right.

SPEAKER_03 15:41

If you smoke the broadleaf by itself, it's it's more it's stronger than any anything else, you know. Right. So sometimes you know what I want to share is people the worst if when when people think they know when they don't really know, it doesn't matter what you do, you know. If you're if you're just enjoying cigars and you know a lot, that's great, you know. But if you are owner of a magazine and you pretend to know better because you you do the magazine, you don't know anything about blending, you know. Right. Uh magazines, you know, they do the job of you know advertising. That's great, you know, great job. But um, that was exactly uh the point for this cigar. So if that guy smoked this cigar, I don't know what he would say. It's the funny part for me, you know. But um, I'm I just want you, you guys, you know, to try how a very powerful blend can be enjoyed not only in a Maduro uh wrapper, right?

SPEAKER_02 16:50

Now, are you disclosing at all any of the the tobaccos you're using, the wrapper, the binder, the filler, or is that all a close secret?

SPEAKER_03 16:59

It's it's gonna be on unclassify uh uh uh classify. I'm I'm not gonna disclose what I use here. What I'm gonna let you guys that is I have a combination between five and eight-year-old tobaccos, you know, in the blend. Um uh and uh I didn't use like uh nine or nine or ten-year-old tobaccos, which I have or still have, uh, because the power of those were a little bit down, you know, for this blend that I wanted to have, you know. Um the the idea is not to knock you off, you know, it's not gonna knock, you know, an experienced smoker is not gonna knock it off. But when you do the retro, you will feel a full satisfying way of expression of this rapper, you know. Yeah, you see, it's a very light rapper. Most of people know what it is, you know. When yeah, I'm sure you know what it is, yeah. But um the way this cigar smoke is is fantastic, it's something different, and uh and I create this plan to enjoy myself. Uh something different in this rapper, right? Yeah, so um I want I wanted you know, my main goal is to share with those accounts that are you know that have been loyal to me just one time, you know, uh limited deal. Not because I want to put the label limited, it's because the tobaccos that I use for this cigar, you know, I I just have you know that many left. So it's gonna work uh under each store is gonna request how many cigars they want just one time, and that's all they can get, you know. Okay, so it's it's it's a it's a one-time deal only because I don't have enough of this tobacco to replicate the blend. I mean, I will have it, but maybe in four or five years from now, you know, again, because uh not every crop tastes the same, and you know, I I I taste every single leaf as you know, uh, of you know, when I'm creating a blend or or recreating a blend, you know, those single uh leaves have to taste exactly in the profile. What I'm in a profile is a bunch of things things together, which is strength, flavor, burn ratio, you know, everything. So uh it's uh I've been enjoying, you know, this is the last one that I have. You know, I just sent you know a couple cigars to each uh uh cigar store, uh, and um and I already blended, you know, they're already uh aged for uh a year and a half. So okay. Uh I find out this is the right moment to to share. The good thing is these cigars are me are are are made to enjoy right away. So you don't have to extra aging, you know, people don't have to go and put in the rehibitor and rest for anything. The only way you you want to if you want to do that, you know, speaking to the customers is like if you feel it's too strong for your palate, you know, you might be aging a little bit, but it's sure it's something that is um I'm I'm gonna I have had you know a lot of great uh feedbacks from from the store owners that I ship this cigar that I'm you know mentioning again. It's only few stores across the US only. And um they told me, like, hey, what do you you have to put this in a regular ramp production? I I wish I could, you know, but yeah, this it's not possible in in in bigger scale because the tobaccos that I use are very hard to get, you know, and they from the fields that I and the parts that I took uh use these tobaccos, those crops are not the same every year, they vary a lot from year to year, right? Yeah, so that's a reason why it's gonna be something uh you know exclusive or limited, you know, not because I just want you and put a label, you know me, you know. Yes, yes.

SPEAKER_02 21:19

Well, and and I kind of want to talk about that a little bit. Um, we got a few comments here. I also want to pull up. Uh, one, Jason saying Tony has to be one of the most down-to-earth person people in the business. Thank you, brother. Followed by Tony dropping truth bombs. Um, anyone who smoked uh Tony Barriosa's cigars, Stalone cigars, knows the quality in your blends. Uh because that is something I mean, people talk a lot about boutique cigars and what makes a boutique cigar and what makes them really cool. I think one of the big aspects is a direct line of communication, whether it's consumer or retailer to the makers. And anyone who spent time with you or have tried your cigars can. sense the honesty in the blends as well as the honesty in you. And I think that's always something that is is massive and needs to be in cigars. When you're talking about let's say a limited like you are now, it's not a it's not a like false limited of like, well, we could have done a bunch, but we're going to drop a little bit to keep that like intensity going. A lot of the blends we've done with you we've even used that you've been gracious enough to be like uh we're going to use a five year age uh like wrapper on this or we're going to use a five year age tobacco that we have we don't have a lot of it we can use it on this project and that's what I really think sets you apart from a lot of other companies out there the honesty and the integrity and the quality of the cigars that you put out thank you so much Eric I appreciate your words and and yeah well you know when you speak from your heart um number one you don't have to fake nothing number two people see behind your words you know because because when I speak about cigars about tobacco I I'm not I'm I don't have any discourse discourse in my mind to a story to tell to the people you know I'm just letting out what I feel and what I've done with the all the passion of my heart you know right no 100% and like I said that that translates in the the blends as well uh now I want to kind of get into Stallone cigars uh and what makes this year really interesting and special with this limited cigar but we do have a few questions here and two separate people kind of asked the same question uh first iron love saying war horse series question mark followed by Rob Brown saying Tony when is the Nelson coming out yeah the Nelson is coming out by the end of this year as a second war horse installment okay it doesn't have nothing to do with this project okay so it's two separate projects yeah um coming out now with that war horse series the first one that was released uh is actually in our sampler the bucephalus that one in the middle um and that how did that blend come about that blend uh was very very special that blend um uh we use uh seven year old tobaccos uh but we age the cigar after roll for two years so you you're gonna be smoking nine year olds almost ten year old tobacco because for since I released that blend to this time you have the last I think the last few boxes you have them you know yeah yeah there's a box so that cigar has you know in total aging in in 10 years between the the the the tobacco itself aging and then the the cigar after rolled so and aging is not it's not the the main point you know the main point is what kind of tobaccos that I use that can taste that different with that aging on.

SPEAKER_03 25:06

And on top of that I use in that blend uh North Macedonian tobacco which is very rare nobody has used that tobacco as far as I know in a cigar blend.

SPEAKER_02 25:17

You know they they could use you know different uh uh variation of it but you know this the specific seed and the specific part and and form that I get this tobacco they they don't they don't sell it to make cigars you know they sell it to make pipes uh but that cigar doesn't doesn't taste like a pipe but has a little hint you know like maybe uh five to ten percent if you're very perceptible if you have experience with pipes you can notice but if not you're gonna you're gonna have some sweet mellow round flavor you know lingering in the background yeah um it's it's one of my favorite blends so far you know uh I I ran it out for myself as well I think I have like one or two cigars left that I'm okay um I'm you know well you know saving for uh whatever you know I don't I don't save cigar for a special occasion I save cigar for my special day which is when I feel like smoking that cigar it you know it doesn't have to be a birthday day it doesn't have nothing because all all that we have is the present moment you know yes we don't know how how how much are we gonna leave how much uh you know we hope we have a a great long life but you we don't know so um that being said i i don't I don't save cigars for special occasions i i say them for when when i want you know those cigars to be smoked you know even you know special cigars that have been you know gift to me by other big cigars makers in the market that are very expensive very hard to get sometimes i just peel it off and write it because i feel that moment i want to enjoy it you know so and i'll be when people surround me like hey you're gonna like that cigar just like that now you know you're not gonna say for a special occasion and say no because you know my special occasion now yeah you know yeah 100 i feel like like flavoring this cigar right now i want to be smoking right now you know well that is such a thing and i feel like a lot of people don't talk about that as well is that when it comes to a certain flavor of a cigar or like if you're really in the mood for a certain blend and you're like well i think i'm gonna save it i'm gonna try something else but if you have that in the back of your mind i feel like you're not gonna do this the alternative cigar justice because you wanted something so much and then you're like oh well i have this instead i'm gonna save it for later and sometimes the right time is just to smoke it when you have the time you can give it that attention yep and and and i don't uh i don't i don't blame it nobody for doing it because everybody you know they have their own uh decisions and and i i deeply respect them you know for example for example if if there's somebody that cannot afford you know very rare cigars and they have like they daily smoke and they want to say that for something special special occasion i'm completely fine with that you know uh what what i don't feel is you know if you have the possibility to get whatever cigars you want and and save those cigars for a special occasion when when when you you when you can have plenty of them you know uh it's it's kind of you know because you don't know you know like like I told you before you know that we don't know uh what the future is gonna come you know for for example I have uh two tooth that were pull off because uh I I crunch my teeth when I sleep I don't know how broke grind grind your teeth grind yeah yeah yeah so two two tooth broke was broken oh and I didn't I didn't notice you know until I start having some pain I went to the dentist and they have to took the the the tooth off and then I have to wait like four months without smoking just you know from yeah and and that's like you know uh things can happen you know and then you you're not able to smoke the cigars that that you're saving you know so that's that's the only point you know but but I'm perfectly fine for the people that want to save cigars for special occasions you know it's not it's just sharing you know how how I feel about uh spatial cigars no 100 100 jason's saying speaking of like on the rare and limited stuff Jason's saying glad I picked up the sampler thank you Jason uh and yeah if you're watching uh don't that sampler because not only is it have a great portfolio from Stallone but some really good hidden gems in there and then also some of the prizes we're raffling off as well uh don't miss out on it uh RJ is saying uh always enjoy this kind of these kind of shows I really like getting to know the owners and blenders of the companies I love the two support it feels more personal when I get to hear their stories awesome job Tony um thank you so much yeah thank you RJ I mean I think that's a big part of it too is is learning the appreciation and the story behind the brands the cigars um it really just for me is always enriched the experience and that's what we've always kind of tried to to do as well uh let's see here uh creeping says good evening tony which factory are your cigars coming out of and which countries do they generally buy tobaccos from well factories in esteli uh it's exactly in the heart of esteli two blocks away down from oliva company okay and uh we source tobacco from uh different you know uh big people in the industry like for example we get all the corojo seeds coro 99 corojo 2012 from agonorsa from eduardo fernandez you know he's he's for in my my humble opinion he's the best corojo yeah farmer or producer whatever you want to say you know farmer is is kind of small world for him you know he's uh uh a big guy in the industry great guy big because tobacco production in Nicaragua yeah regardless the quality of the tobacco leaf in corojo seed that he produces is kind is is is out of this world you know so that's that's the Corojo that I use for all my blends and that's my favorite seed so across the entire portfolio you get you know I use corojo in all my blends but in different ratios and different parts different farms and different seeds you know corojo 99 or 2012.

SPEAKER_03 31:52

Yeah regarding the criollos 98 i i get them from aj fernandez i think he's the best producing creole uh in in nicaragua you know his criollos have that different you know accent that i love to blend even though i'm not a heavy creol lean forward guy you know okay yeah i'm more like towards corojo and regarding the habano seeds i get them from the olivitas which is what the original oliva former you know uh owners of the brand they are the best you know that they have great tobacco as well i use all the Habano 2000 from them and um and we have a small farm that we start uh growing tobacco uh last year no okay no no before like two two years ago so those crop will be you know available in the future uh for for different blends uh because I'm not gonna change the the blends that I already have with the tobacco that already work you know and then there are you know very small spots in Nicaragua uh where I source tobacco that are small farms that are you know hard to get you know but the kind of boutique farmers that they they love the tobacco plants and they live between the plants and they they they get great great great great tobaccos that I use you know for special you know editions something you know special that I I use for the uh bicepalous for example and outside Nicaragua you know we get you know uh from Ecuador wrapper we get uh the Connecticut shade and the broadleaf from Connecticut here in the US which is which are the best you know uh yeah uh I mean in their in their kind you know there's there's no better Connecticut than Connecticut tobacco if you if you smoke Connecticut seeds you know broadleaf seeds planted in Pennsylvania is it's gonna be more kind of pepper bum which I don't like too much uh or or if you smoke a broadleaf planted in Honduras that's a different animal completely different game you know uh so I I try to stick stick to to to those uh I mean kind of seeds and soils uh and we got the the Brazilian Corojo which is Corojo 99 seed planted in Brazil in Brazil uh from my cousin you know we already have uh past seven years yeah of you know seven no more it's not like nine years now you know planting that tobacco seed in Brazil uh is very very unique the the Alasan uh corojo that has that that wrapper so that's why that that cigar doesn't taste like any other corojos right you know and and me being a corojo fan i i i look for something outside the box you know to to bring on a special and unique flavor that that can be uh identified with with with our brand you know uh and for corojo lovers you know everybody likes that cigars the one that you have in the pack the nine year old yeah you know that's that's a that's a jam right there because that cigar with that many aging it's like you're smoking exactly those flavors you're gonna pull out there with nine years on on on on that cigar is like you go and take a uh a time travel to the past like 30 years ago and you smoke a great great Cuban cigar so yeah we put this cigar I was actually going through like some of our vault that we have here at OGT and we put the cigar inside our sampler because uh we're literally down to the final like uh amount of this torpedo now originally when you created this was this a part of the like cowboy series launch or was this like a one-off like what this torpedo size in particular is pretty unique because the other cowboy series like of the Corojo doesn't currently have this Vitola so what brought about this size this cigar as it is well uh the shape and the size of this cigar you know uh when I when I created the the brand was back in 2014 I was not in the US market so and the South American market and some you know european market and some Arabic countries and you know in different parts of the world people love shape cigars you know like perfectoes torpedoes so I make a lot a lot of those cigars but when I start here in the US I realize that the market here in the US is not too much on on those kind of shapes you know like like Perfectos like torpedoes so what I did is I increased the production of robustos and toros in the Corojo and I just kept aging you know the torpedoes until until I um almost went out and then you know I produce again and and I'm waiting for them to to age but it's it's it's like 80% of those torpedoes are sell to the you know non-US market because the reason that I told you before you know yeah yeah very very special and we came across it uh I think in November last year we put it to our variety club just as a different experience it's it's got still the power and like the cinnamon spiciness to it but it's also got the sweet smoothness um overall because we we talk a lot about aging cigars what do you feel like like aging does to a rolled cigar like post-rolled aging what do you feel like the process imparts into the cigar experience well that that's a very complex question because there's many factor involved for example yeah the wrapper you know if you have a uh a light wrapper like this one and you you over you you age it too much for me is not gonna deliver the flavors that I I'm used to get from this wrapper you know yeah but if you're we're talking about uh an abano a corojo or or a more thicker wrapper you know like the Maduros San Andres Maduro Broadleaf you know the aging falls perfect under those blends and the feelers you know this the strength of of the cigar is very important for taking in consideration the aging if you age a very mild cigar for very long you know you're gonna lose almost all the flavor you know yeah so that that's it's kind of a mixed question but I think uh you know I got it uh answered you know in in the way that I I I like to age some type of cigars yeah and some type of cigar I don't like to age in you know too much anyways uh all all of Salori cigars are being aged at least 12 to 24 months before packing and and shipping okay all of them you know even even the the Palomino which is the you know the lightest one the in the cowboy series but um uh you know those cigars that that have the extra aging uh for example the the the Avano the Alasan Avano I never expect that cigar to evolve as well as as it did with almost nine years you know uh when I smoked that cigar it it was in incredible it's very similar to uh an old cohiba you know kind of and the corojo is very similar to a very old powder gas you know I'm talking about 30 years ago you know when when I used to I I smoked tons and tons of boxes of Cuban cigars uh when I was you know 30 years younger uh and and and I have those flavors like in my my in my head very clearly you know that I I could never never um enjoy it again you know unfortunately yeah because you know cuba cuba has a a different you know uh it's a whole thing we involving the political situation that that took took the cigar factories and you know and changed everything but right uh I I grown uh I was growing up smoking lots of Cuban cigars so I know I know a lot about those kind of flavors and and I even have my my my my small factories in Venezuela by then you know I I used to smoke them a lot uh as a point of comparison as well of padrons you know and and all those great cigars that are out there you know but um I'm I'm a firm believer you know that when you're a true smoker you you don't pay too much attention of if a brand was very good 30 years ago you you can buy it again you smoke it but you can feel if the cigar is not pleasing you you know yeah yeah so that's a very interesting point you know for the uh young cigar smokers audiences I mean not young in age you know younger in the hobby or right when the cigar yeah some sometimes I I I met people all over you know my life that that they think a cigar that has a a ban on is it's like a machine it's it's it's gonna be the same every time and that's impossible. So a cigar can only if you're a good cigar maker you keep up you know the quality you always shows with the same quality.

SPEAKER_02 42:00

If you're an extraordinary cigar maker you can increase the quality you know if you want to over the lever you know like like is is my my my point of making cigars is over the lever like people is going to pay less for the experience they get you know yes yeah no 100% and and it it is difficult because it's a duality of like it's a handmade product so you have that factor at the same time trying to find the consistency on every cigar that is going to be at least consistent in your portfolio and stuff it's a challenge it yes 100% uh let's see here uh creeping wants to know will midnight ride ever return that was that was blended for us a couple years ago voted cigar of the year when it came out uh it's still one of my absolute favorite blends uh who knows use use a Nicaraguan broadleaf wrapper very very special same dimensions as naysayer um that cigar is kind of a legend in in OGT for sure I got my naysayer here he also says Tony which size is your favorite to smoke do you have like a favorite Vitola favorite size yeah I mean uh I love Tauros I love Tauros like six by fifty six by fifty twos you know I love them uh I love a corona gorda a lot when when you get when I got a great wrapper uh in good feeler you know I love a corona gorda maybe uh uh uh five and three quarters by 46 by 44 you know aroundish you know that you know uh I love that Vituola a lot you know and I I I haven't released any in the market because they're in the US they are kind of uh a little slow you know to sell you know because here in the US it's more like Tauros number one then rebuke

SPEAKER_03 44:00

And then Gordos, and then the rest. So it's something I have in my head for a future different collection. Like not the Cowboys series gonna be named a different series with very different presentation. And I'm gonna release all those Vitolas that are not very commercial.

SPEAKER_05 44:19

Okay.

SPEAKER_03 44:19

But um, but are the Vitolas with some Vitolas that I enjoy a lot. Like, for example, the the true uh Churchill, which is seven by 47. Yeah, because you see a lot of companies naming Churchills 7 by 50, 7 by 52. That's not a Churchill, right? That's a double double uh uh uh they they call it double corona, corona double, some yeah, yeah, okay. Yeah, so it's you know the the truth churchill is seven by 47, and and it's a it's a very gray, gray vitola to smoke. Uh when you have the right wrapper and when you have the right filler uh uh I love that's those kind of vitolas. Yeah I'm I'm a little I'm I'm a little away from the gordos. Uh doesn't mean that I you know I we make gordos and gordos are very, very one of the top sellers, you know, here in the US, but I like like let uh kind of smaller ring gauges, you know. Yeah, like that.

SPEAKER_02 45:23

No, 100%. Um Rob is saying that aged Corojo is great. I'm more than halfway through my box. I remember he picked up a box when we had it available.

SPEAKER_03 45:32

Um thank you, Robert.

SPEAKER_02 45:33

Yeah, it's enjoyed great stuff. I personally, out of like the stuff that we've done with you, um, this the dimensions on this, like I said, same as Midnight Ride. It's a five and a half by 54 box press. I feel like I really enjoy it because you get that really like strong punch of flavor up front. You're there's not much warm-up time. It's a box press, I'm kind of partial to box press, but also a little bit longer of a smoking experience than let's say a five by fifty Robusto.

SPEAKER_03 46:02

Um, yes, yes. I love that vitola, by the way. Like the the five and a half by 54 in a strong cigar. I mean, it's it's one of the my absolute favorites, you know. It's it's it's it's great. For example, if I made that cigar in seven inches long, it's not gonna perform the same, you know, it's gonna feel right way, way less intense the flavors that we we were looking for intensity when we talk about this cigar, this project. So and and thank you again for trusting me because I was not able to send you this the samples. Uh remember in this cigar. Yeah, so you trust me blind, and I and I I I I'm very, very uh uh grateful that that you trusted, you know, because it's it's very hard, you know. I understand from your point of view because you you are a very knowledgeable cigar guy, and you want to taste what is coming to offer to your client. So that's why people are more and more, you know, following you, getting more in your club. I have had you know very great, great reviews about about your club, about about you, about your wife. And you know, you guys are doing amazing, amazing things to the cigar community, which is trying to find the best cigars and share them with completely honesty, you know. You guys are not after the buck, you guys are after the experience, after the customer, after the relationships, you know, and that's what for me cigar is about.

SPEAKER_02 47:45

Yeah, no, I mean, and thank you. I appreciate it. It's uh I will say that you are like one of the few only blenders that we have that type of like, I know it's gonna be amazing once we talk. This is what we're looking for, this is what we're after. Um, and having it come in blind like that. It's uh it is a a trust situation through the relationship that we've built. And I was thinking about it, I think what are we? We were on year five, I think, with having Stallone at OGT. Um I I still remember uh going to PCA the first time, or maybe it was TPE, I think it was TPE.

SPEAKER_03 48:20

No, we met at TPE 21, 21.

SPEAKER_02 48:23

And we we met at the booth, we got the samples, and the rest of the show, I was like, I don't really want to smoke anything else but Stallone cigars, so I just kept going back to it, back to it, and I was like, this is something really, really special. Um, and I say it all the time that like Stallone cigars is the brand that smokes way above its price point. Um, and I don't want to say it too much because I don't ever want the prices to raise, but I will say that you have one of the like most honest, like fair pricing for the quality of the blends out there.

SPEAKER_03 48:52

Yeah, I mean I'm I'm I'm I'm fighting against a lot of things that have changed lately in the last two years because I don't want to increase the prices, you know. Yeah, uh my goal is to keep the price as fair as possible for the people, you know. And and if I have to increase the price maybe next year or the other year, it's gonna be you know not much. It's only to be able to cover you know some things, but you know, in in some cigars in some blends, trust me that I'm not making a dime because no idea it's hard to get that quality tobacco and age those tobaccos for long, costs you a lot of money to have that money stopped there and waiting, you know. But as I told you before, you know, uh this is the passion of my life, and I'm not I'm not doing this for money, you know. If I wanted money, I will be doing something else, something different, like like you know, oh reselling tobacco, just farming tobacco, you know, buy and sell, you know, buy containers, ferment it and sell it. That's an easy way to make a lot of money, and and you don't have any risk. I mean, you have risk about the tobacco, but you don't have the risk of launching a brand, which is a very hard thing to do because people have to recognize the brand, people have to trust you, you know. Um, you know, I'm I'm still, you know, there's some places that people don't know my brand, you know, in in the US. And uh, and you know, I have to go to the filter, you know, the that they have to to try the cigars and they have to, I mean, they always have a point of comparison in their head, and and the and the bands have a lot of weights for a lot of people, you know, because when they don't know a particular band, they're always gonna be, you know, a little cautious, you know, and I understand them because there's thousands of new brands launching and uh people that is not with tobacco background, and that's a completely disaster because you know this is a game that you have to know everything from seed to smoke to be able to produce a good cigar.

SPEAKER_02 51:09

No, a hundred percent. Now, uh, we got a few more comments I want to pull up, but very quickly, as a reminder, uh, in less than 10 minutes, we are gonna be calling our raffle. If you want to win one of these prizes, as well as our grand prize, two of the naysayer, two of the castanio aged about nine years, and then also the cigar that Tony is smoking that's not even been released to any consumer yet. Uh, get in in our raffle right now. So jump on the raffle uh sampler. You're gonna get amazing gems like that aged Corojo, the Naysayer, which I'm smoking, the Bucephalus, which is the last of it, and as well as a whole host of other amazing Stallonia cigars. So we're calling that very soon. Don't miss out on it. Jump on it so that we can get that, uh, get your name in there. Um, but a few comments I want to pull up here. Uh Rob is saying, Tony, I smoke more of your cigars than any other brand, and your bucephalus may be my all-time favorite cigar.

SPEAKER_03 52:03

Thank you so much, brother. Thank you so much. The cigar has been, you know, bringing you know a lot of um grand experience for me because I have had you know very a lot of good feedbacks from all over the people that have had them, you know. Even I have, you know, in I was at an event in Oklahoma like uh three months ago, and uh a customer shows up to the shop and and he wanted to meet me, and you know, he was a great guy, and when we have a great conversation, and he he told the store owner how many boxes of bicep you have here, and I think he has like six or seven, and he bought them all, like and he he told me this is my favorite cigar. I mean, uh, I can't and me and my brother, so he he bought the six boxes or seven to share with his brother half of half. Okay, and uh, and and I have had you know, you know, people in California as well that is you know they're kind of craving that you know to bring the bosephos back, but it's like I told you, it's it's a cigar that I cannot make, you know, uh in a mass production. So yeah, um that's that's part of the journey, you know. Great cigars are coming in the future, and Stallone cigars on that um maybe, you know, maybe are not gonna be better than the bicephalus for some people, but maybe for other people that are gonna be better option. You know, you know, every palette is different. But but uh the the only promise I make you guys is is as whatever I put my band on, I try to have a great, great quality stick. And if it's something limited, it's something that is really, you know, uh that can't cut my my my palate, my brain, my my emotions, you know, show showcase through the cigar experience when when somebody smoke it, you know.

SPEAKER_02 54:03

Yes, no, a hundred percent. Um, and on that, RJ is saying much respect to you, Tony, for trying to keep the price down for customers, regardless of the price. If you put out an awesome cigar, I'm supporting that company.

SPEAKER_03 54:16

Thank you so much. Thank you so much.

SPEAKER_02 54:19

Well, and I think too, there are also some really good companies out there that I enjoy, but it's specifically like oh, out of the whole portfolio, I really like these three. Um, Stallone cigars, there's a reason why we carry the whole portfolio, and that is because of the amazing like experience they all offer, whether it's something like the pony or the Mustang, which is really affordable, or something like Bucephalus, which has a a bit more premium price to it. Um they all have just a complete amazing experience to them. And we've believed in the brand since bringing them in, and we just we love to see the new projects coming. Um, and this you had said for American market, this is sixth or seventh year.

SPEAKER_03 55:00

Uh and if the brands starting in 2019 in the US, okay, which is crazy.

SPEAKER_02 55:07

I mean, it's it's got a little bit of a tie-in for us. We we launched OGT in 2019 as well, so yeah, yeah, it's really cool.

SPEAKER_03 55:15

Yeah, cool, yeah, yeah. Yeah, so we have uh yeah, this is oh now in May, yeah. I launched it in 2019 on May. So we're we're we're in seven years right now in the US market.

SPEAKER_02 55:28

Okay, awesome. And with uh the new project with Nelson coming out, are you gonna make like a full series of war horse? Where does that stand right now for you?

SPEAKER_03 55:41

Yeah, the the war horse is gonna it's gonna have uh four uh installments. The first one the Bosephilo, the second is the Nelson, which is the uh George Washington uh horse war horse. That one is coming by the end of the year, close to December. Uh, and then next year uh is is the other war horse coming, and then the other years of the war horse coming, you know. So it's gonna be one per year. So we already have one, so there's three more years. Uh sorry, two more years in plus this year uh new war horse.

SPEAKER_02 56:19

Okay. Now, what what are some of the biggest challenges that you face when you you have your core line, you have your main uh lineup, but then adding in like limiteds and stuff like that, what are some of the bigger challenges you face by trying to pull those projects off?

SPEAKER_03 56:34

I mean, to be 100% honest, what I don't feel comfortable is when I put an expensive cigar out there, okay. Like for example, the bosephilus is an expensive cigar.

SPEAKER_02 56:49

But at for Stallone cigars, it is. Sorry, I said for Stallone cigars, it is. I mean, you you're not putting out $150 a year.

SPEAKER_03 56:58

Yeah, for us. I'm I'm speaking in my point of view. It's it's it's an expensive cigar for for a customer, but you know, it's a cigar that if you go in that price range, it is is it's hard to. I mean, you you can find great cigars in that that price, but it's something different and unique, you know. So uh the challenge is that I'm is is is that you know, keeping the price as as low as possible, you know, uh because I'm I I use some top share, top shelf tobaccos, very well aged. The bicephalos was the all the tobacco was aged in ROM cask, and the cigar itself what was aged in ROM cask barrel as well. When you ate cigar in ROM cast barrel, that's a nightmare because you have to control barrel by barrel. You know, I put I put up a sensor in each barrel, and you know, and then notifications to my team in the factory to go and and and and and check the humidity, and every six months take all the cigars out, check them, and then put it back again in different order, so all the cigars have that kind of woody taste, like you know, from the barrel. So some people think that when you age tobacco in in in X-rum barrel cast, it's gonna taste like rum. No. The only way a cigar can taste like rum if you infuse it, you know. So if you smoke a cigar that tastes like rum, that cigar is an infused cigar. It's not because it was aging a barrel. Because you know, what I did the most in Venezuela before coming here is age tobacco in barrel cases, in X rum barrel case. It's what I did most. And I did most because I I love the flavor of the woodiness that it you know gets from the oak, you know, it's very different, you know. And um, and aging aging the tobacco is a challenge because in uh in a barrel you only can fit, you know, only half of a of a of a of a pile of tobacco, half of a uh uh uh bale. So sorry. So you have to have two barrels for each bale of tobacco. So you have to have a lot of you know barrels and you have to control the humidity inside them because we seal them, you know. Uh what is an advantage in Venezuela is that the weather in the in the farm, and one of the tobacco farms that that I have there, the weather is perfect, the humidity is very constant through all through the year. Okay, so that that helps a lot because the environment helps a lot. But in Nicaragua, it's not the same. Nicaragua is a little bit drier because it's a little bit more elevated, uh, and and you know, it represents a challenge to age tobacco in in Rom cask in in Nicaragua. But you know, uh we have done it because I have the experience with the Rom cask barrel, aging tobaccos, you know, uh being able to replicate that thing in Nicaragua, but not not as as big or as extensive that I used to do it in Venezuela.

SPEAKER_02 1:00:26

Okay, okay, nice, cool. Well, as a bit of wrap-up, we got uh Derek saying, just purchased, never have tried this brand, so I'm really looking forward to smoking them. Really enjoying this live stream with Tony. Well, thank you so much, man.

SPEAKER_01 1:00:39

Thank you, brother.

SPEAKER_02 1:00:40

I really appreciate it. Uh, you will not be disappointed. Um, and I was thinking about it through those years. We've done the first like kind of exclusive we did with you, as I understand it, was the Anniversary. No, no, was the Silver Blaze that we did. Then we did the Aniversario, which became Cigar of the Year, and then we did Midnight Ride, which became Cigar of the Year, and then we did Bleak Midwinter 3 the following year, and then we did Year of the Naysayer. Um, all of which have just kind of gone down in history. I still get to this day, even though it's been like three or four years, people are like, Do you have any more silver blaze? And I'm like, I I'm sorry, I don't. It's an amazing cigar, but yeah, I don't have it.

SPEAKER_03 1:01:20

Yeah, no, that's a that's a great cigar. I mean, when I smoked that cigar, when I created blend and smoked that cigar, I say this is something, something else. You know, uh, I didn't have enough tobacco to replicate that that that blend to be commercial under my umbrella. So I think it was a great thing to put in in the best hands that is you guys, OGT.

SPEAKER_02 1:01:46

No, I I appreciate it. It was amazing. Uh, and then Christopher saying, just got my order in also. Well, thank you guys so much. Um, thank you. Enjoy. Uh, I think it is time to call this raffle. So, once again, we have an amazing lineup. We're gonna call a prize number three first. So, this is gonna be a uh Stallone uh shirt as well as a lanyard and a V-cutter. Um, just let make sure that if you're called out and you're getting a shirt, uh, either message us, uh send us a message on Facebook, Instagram, whichever in terms of shirt size, so we can send that to you um so that you don't miss out on that. So, that being said, here is our uh raffle here, and we're gonna go ahead and call our first prize for the lanyard, the cutter, and the shirt. That is going to Mr. Daniel Frazier. Daniel Frazier, thank you so much. We'll send that. Daniel, make certain that you uh let me know shirt size so that we uh don't get that wrong. So we got that. Um okay, for prize number two, this is gonna be for uh hat and shirt and lighter. We've got wow, well, it pays off to get uh gets multiple entries. Daniel Fraser is getting that as well. So there you go. Okay, and final prize. This is for the five-pack of cigars as well as hat and swag. This is for the really limited lineup. Oh my goodness. I we've never had this happen before. Wow, Daniel, you really made out on this one. My goodness, that is nuts. So Daniel legitimately got three entries in and just won all three prizes. No way, that is insane. Uh yeah, he's just dropping down the comment.

SPEAKER_03 1:03:40

You have to play a lottery, man.

SPEAKER_02 1:03:42

That that is nuts. That is insane. So, yeah, I mean, as the system works, we put everything into a random Google generator, and then we enter however many entries you get. So for every time it lands on something, we remove that entry. So if you have three entries, like Daniel or Rob or such like that, we remove one of those once you win, so you're down to two. That's nuts that you got all three. Insane. Insane. You just made OGT history.

SPEAKER_03 1:04:08

Yeah, actually, mathematically mathematically speaking, is is is very hard. Impossible.

SPEAKER_02 1:04:16

Yeah, Chandler's saying, Daniel, you need to get on a plane and head to Vegas.

SPEAKER_03 1:04:20

Yeah, that's what I'm talking about and play the lolli. Nuts.

SPEAKER_02 1:04:25

Okay, so this is what I'm gonna do. Uh, I'm gonna I'm gonna put together an extra prize. Um, right here, we've got prize number two. Uh, I'm gonna replicate that prize since Daniel won all of them. Now, just everyone is safe because Daniel won all three prizes. He's got no more entries. We're gonna go one more time just to give someone else an extra prize here. And so uh final winner is also gonna get a shirt and a hat and a cutter, and this goes to Mr. James Pine. There you go, James Pine. Congratulations. We got four, we got multiple winners now. Uh well, thank you guys so much for jumping on tonight. For those who picked up that sampler, I can't tell you how uh awesome that pack is with amazing stuff. Smoke that bucephalus, smoke that naysayer, that aged corojo, as well as the rest of Stallone cigars. You guys will not be disappointed. Insanely good stuff. So, Tony, thank you so much for taking the time and hanging out with us and uh letting us in on the upcoming projects coming up. We're super excited.

SPEAKER_03 1:05:27

Thank you so much, guys, for having me. Um you know, uh, like always, you know, always have a blast with you guys and with all the OGT followers, you know. Uh, and congratulations for having such a great, you know, uh way to share this passion with the people.

SPEAKER_02 1:05:43

A hundred percent, a hundred percent. We look forward to what's coming in the future with the Nelson and this new cigar, and of course, OGT will be posting about it. We're just as excited. So, when that gets released, we'll be dropping it. We can't wait for it. So awesome, everyone. Have a great night. Thanks for joining us on the OG T Live and uh we'll see you next Thursday.