Welcome to episode 0.5 of the Smoke & Steel Podcast, where the ash is in the tray and the stories are in the air. This isn’t the official kickoff just yet, but rather another behind-the-scenes test run—and let me tell you, things are getting real. New gear, new energy, and a cigar shop discovery that sent me down memory lane.
Dialed-In and Mic’d Up: Podcasting Gear Is Here
I’ve been itching to say this all day: it’s official like a referee whistle. After a solid first beta test, I’m back in the hot seat—headphones on, mic in front of me, and a new level of excitement buzzing in the air.
The original recording setup (with my older Insta360 and condenser mic) had a fair amount of fan noise, but the results were surprisingly solid. With a little post-production wizardry (same plugin I use to filter wind noise on my motorcycle helmet cam) I was able to clean it up and get usable audio.
Lighting the Fire Again
Recording that first test lit a fire under me. It felt damn good to be behind the mic again, reminiscent of the old Stogie Review days. I edited that first beta episode within hours and shared it around. The feedback was encouraging, so here we are with episode 0.5 with new gear and renewed motivation.
I finally pulled the trigger on a Zoom PodTrak P4 bundle: microphones, headphones, mic stands – the whole podcasting starter pack. Delivery played games with my emotions (Amazon’s two-day shipping is more like “whenever we feel like it” these days), but the gear arrived just in time for the weekend. I ran out to Walmart for a full-size SD card and got things rolling.
Format? Freeform.
I had a quick chat with Eric at the social club about show length. My answer? I’m channeling Joe Rogan here: if it runs 30 minutes, great. If it runs 3 hours, thats fine too. Tune in, tune out – it’s all good. There’s no pressure, no script. Just real conversation.
Loyalty, Local Shops, and a Cigar Score Worth Talking About
Let’s pivot a bit. When I find “my guy” for something – be it a barber, butcher, cigar shop, I’m loyal. But when that trust gets broken, I move on. That happened with my former go-to cigar shop. Since then, I’ve been buying mostly from Cigar Page, occasionally Famous or CI, and keeping it mid-priced with smokes like Mercielago, Oliva Serie V, and AJ Fernandez New World.
But recently, a few buddies told me about a local chain called Smoke Kings. It is the kind of place that sells everything from cigars to vape gear to lottery tickets. Not your typical boutique cigar shop. But here’s the kicker, they’ve been buying out old inventory from shuttered cigar shops, and some real gems are starting to surface.
One friend found original Camachos. Another stumbled onto E.O. Brands’ original Bats. These aren’t cigars you find in the wild anymore. Well, apparently, unless you’re at a Smoke Kings.
A Treasure in Royersford
I had errands in Royersford and figured I’d check it out. Most of the store was average stuff at inflated B&M prices. But tucked away in the back was a humidor with a bunch of random boxes. One caught my eye.
It was a box of La Gloria Cubana cigars packaged with a set of dominoes. The dominoes? The kind with the metal spinner in the center that glide beautifully across the table. The price? $74 for 10 cigars and a full domino set. Nostalgia hit me hard.
Even cooler: the cigars were from 2011, back when Ernesto Perez-Carrillo was still tied to the brand. That’s not just a box of cigars-that’s a slice of cigar history. Aged smokes and a collector’s item in one shot.
Final Thoughts on Beta Test #2
So that’s episode 0.5 in the books. I tested the new gear, shared a fun cigar shop story, and laid a little groundwork for what’s to come.
The next time I hit record, there’s a good chance it won’t be just me. We’re bringing more voices to the table, and it might even get a little rowdy. Honestly? I’m here for it.
Stay tuned, light up, and let the stories roll.
