Mo Maali from Patina Cigars: Smoke and Steel Podcast

Getting Mo Maali from Patina Cigars on the show was huge for us. Twenty-something episodes in, and we’re sitting down with one of the guys we actually wanted to talk to from day one. No bullshit, no corporate speak, just real conversation about what it takes to survive in the cigar industry when you’re not playing by the usual rules.

From Sultans of Smoke to Patina: How It All Started

Most people don’t know this, but Mo’s journey into the cigar business started with a podcast. Back in 2014, he and his buddy Drew launched the Sultans of Smoke, a cigar review blog with a rating system based on Arnold Schwarzenegger and Sylvester Stallone movies. Yeah, you read that right.

“Drew was always big on this stuff,” Mo told us. “I’m like, what’s a blog? And then 2015 we started the podcast and I’m like, what’s a podcast?”

Fast forward to an event in Tulsa where Drew asked James Brown of Black Label Trading Company if he’d make a cigar for their podcast. James had just opened his own factory and needed to keep his rollers busy, so he said yes. They did 100 to 150 boxes, thinking it would be easy to move 2,500 to 3,000 cigars.

It wasn’t.

“Let me tell you, it’s really hard,” Mo admitted. Most of those Sultans cigars ended up selling in Pennsylvania and Chicago. Eric still had one from ten years ago (which he chiseled out of Jim) that he saved for this episode. Talk about patience.

The Corporate Burnout That Led to Patina

Mo was done with the corporate world. Not playing that game anymore. He worked in the financial sector and realized he wasn’t wired for the politics and positioning that comes with climbing the ladder.

“I was like, I’m not playing this. I suck at it. Even now with the cigar stuff, I’m not really in any big publications. You don’t see my name all these different places. I’m just really bad at that stuff.”

Instead, Mo focused on what he actually cared about: the art of making cigars and building genuine relationships. He met broker Michael Perales, who introduced him to key people in Nicaragua. At the time, Mombacho seemed like the best opportunity because they didn’t make any other brands. Mo became their national sales manager while simultaneously building Patina.

But here’s the thing people need to understand: it can’t be a side hustle if you actually want to make it.

“If you want to actually try to make it as a brand, being a side hustle is not an option. You either are in it or you’re not. It’s really hard to do it just half-assed because it’s so competitive.”

Why “Patina” and What It Represents

The name Patina represents aging and getting better with time. It’s about how life comes at you fast, but underneath the wear and patina, you’re still the same person.

“I’m gray now, whatever. I’m still me. I’m still the same person I’ve been my whole life. I just look different.”

That philosophy runs through everything Mo does with the brand. No pretense, no trying to be something he’s not.

The Reality of Running a Small Cigar Brand

We asked Mo the question everyone wonders: what did that first run actually cost?

Six or seven grand, he thinks. Plus bands and boxes. For a guy who wasn’t sure if people would even care about his cigars, that’s a real investment. And then the money just sits there while you try to move product.

“Selling cigars, the business of cigars, is extremely difficult. The fun is in the art of it, but the business side is very, very tough.”

Since day one, it’s been something. Civil war in Nicaragua. Factory changes. Distributor changes twice. Tariffs. It never stops.

Mo gets down to Nicaragua twice a year, and when he’s there, it’s balls to the wall. House to factory, factory to house. That’s it. He’s a one-man operation besides his brokers and distributors. All the blending, all the actual cigar work comes down to him and the people in Nicaragua.

The Patina Core Line and Recent Releases

The journey started with Connecticut and Habano blends. In 2020, right when COVID hit and shops were doing pickup only, he released the Maduro. Talk about timing.

The Sumatra came in 2022, the Oro de Nicaragua in 2024, and the Red Pill just three months ago in 2025. When we asked about the name, Mo clarified it wasn’t a Matrix reference, though that was a bit of inspiration.

“On the inside of the box, you have this pill opening up and it says ‘usury is the enemy of humanity.’ That was my red pill.”

It comes from his experience in the financial sector and understanding the history of money. Heavy stuff for a cigar box, but that’s Mo.

The five-year anniversary actually released in the sixth year. The Oro Lancero came out as an LE at PCA 24. Mo’s not great with timelines, and he knows it. We busted his balls about it the whole episode.

The COVID Boom That Never Came (And Why That’s Good)

Here’s something wild: Mo never saw the COVID cigar boom that other brands experienced. Those first few months were brutal for a relatively unknown brand when people couldn’t browse humidors in person.

But looking back, he calls it “the greatest thing that ever happened to Patina.”

Why? Because a lot of that growth wasn’t organic or sustainable.

“There was a lot of growth that was not real. It’s like taking steroids. Yeah, the muscle’s there, but like if you get off of it, then what?”

Because Patina never had that artificial inflation, Mo always had a realistic view of where he stood and what he needed to do. Now that things have slowed down industry-wide over the last few years, he’s in a better position than brands that got too big for their britches during the boom.

Pricing Philosophy and Staying Competitive

Mo was brutally honest about pricing. As a brand like Patina, you’re never going to be the cheapest cigar. He doesn’t have his own factory or grow his own tobacco, so his cost structure is completely different from vertically integrated operations.

But he’s also not greedy.

“You don’t have to make every single penny to make a living. I’m not an extravagant person. I don’t live extravagantly. So I try to structure my pricing to be fair but also allow me to make a little bit of money.”

For the first five years of Patina, he never raised prices despite internal cost increases year after year. He just ate it. Even now, his prices are competitive compared to the quality and materials he’s using.

“The materials that I use in my cigars are used in cigars that are much more expensive than mine.”

The Cigar Page Situation Nobody Saw Coming

We’re all big Cigar Page guys for buying cigars, so when we saw Patina show up on there, we figured we’d ask about working with mega retailers who do deep discounts.

Mo’s response?

“I never sold to Cigar Page.”

Wait, what?

Turns out they have ways of getting your product if they want it. It’s a double-edged sword. On one hand, it opens your cigars to people who might not have tried them otherwise. On the other, it can mess with relationships with your core brick and mortar customers.

Mo hasn’t done anything about it yet, but that conversation is coming. It’s the reality of the industry that consumers don’t always see.

Finding the Right Retail Partners

Unlike some brands that will take any account, Mo has a different approach. He does a maximum order, not a minimum.

“I want you to order enough that you take the brand seriously on your shelf and you respect your investment in it, but I don’t want it to sit on your shelf too long where you start cursing me out.”

He looks for retailers that want to give the brand an honest shot. Do you vibe with the culture of the shop? Could you see yourself hanging out there? Those are the partnerships that matter.

For smaller brands like Patina or Avowed (Dave West was another recent guest), you need active employees and engaged ownership. You need people going into the humidor, introducing cigars, making recommendations. If you’re just put on a shelf, it’s really hard to survive.

“It’s not about the name of the retailer you’re in. It’s how good that retailer is for you.”

Collaborations and What’s Coming Next

Mo’s been doing collaborations with Viso Horny Cigars. They released the Vertigris. Coming up is Leprechaun Dust, a Candela blend inspired by the Chicago tradition of dyeing the river green.

The benchmark for that blend? RoMa Craft Cromagnon Fomorian. Mo wanted the Candela as a cool factor without the overwhelming Candela flavor that can make some of these cigars taste like you’re smoking in a cow pasture.

They’ve got another collaboration in the works, but the blend isn’t approved yet.

What Mo Smokes When He’s Not Smoking Patina

Mo’s a cigar nerd at heart. He wants to try what other people are smoking, especially from people whose palates he respects. When Pete Johnson (Tatuaje), Steve Saka (Dunbarton Tobacco & Trust), Skip Martin (RoMa Craft), Nick Melillo (Foundation), or James Brown (Black Label) releases something new, he wants to try it.

His favorite from his own line? The Sumatra, though it’s basically tied with the Red Pill. But he goes more by sizes than blends. Sumatra Robusto, Maduro Double Toro, Connecticut Toro, Habano Toro, Oro de Nicaragua Toro Extra. The Lancero gets a lot of love from customers, but Mo’s not a huge Lancero guy himself.

When he’s on the road with his brokers, he smokes what they carry. It’s part of staying connected to the broader industry and understanding what’s out there.

The Cigar Nerd and the Brick and Mortar

We brought up a conversation Mo had with Dave West about how the brick and mortar lost the cigar nerd after COVID. Mo thinks lounges haven’t quite gotten the nerd back yet, but it’s not all on the lounges.

“The consumer has just changed. I think the way people consume cigars has changed. A lot of people would rather smoke in solitude or with a couple friends and sit on their phone and on their Discord.” [A little Plug for the Stogie Review Discord]

We used to joke before COVID that you’d call all your friends to go have a cigar so you could all sit on your phones and text the people that weren’t there.

But one thing’s for sure: you won’t bring the cigar nerd back by not having what they want on your shelves.

Industry Legends and Relationships That Matter

Mo gives credit where credit is due. James Brown didn’t have to make those first Sultans cigars. Michael Perales helped introduce him to the right people. Gus Kura, who runs tobacco for Oliva Tobacco (which owns the Knoxa factory where Patina is made), is an unsung hero.

“Without him, I don’t know where things would be.”

Steve Saka gave Mo advice that stuck with him. He spent a week with him in Nicaragua and called him a fascinating guy with great stories. Mo’s relationships with people like Dave West and the whole crew from Cigar Noise go back years.

The running theme? Mo values genuine connections over industry politics. If people like dealing with you, it makes things easier. If you’re a prick, it just makes things harder.

Arnold Schwarzenegger, Bourbon Dipping, and Ginger Ale Crimes

We had to ask: how does Mo feel about people dipping their cigars in bourbon or whiskey like Arnold Schwarzenegger does?

His take? Cigars are meant to be enjoyed. If that’s what it takes for you to enjoy the cigar, knock yourself out.

Personally, he wants to taste the tobacco. You could argue the only time you truly taste the cigar is with water or maybe coffee. Anytime you introduce a competing, overpowering flavor, you lose some of the essence.

He’s even conscious of what he eats before smoking. He told us about having chimi churri at lunch in Nicaragua and losing half a day of productivity because his taste buds were destroyed.

Now, pouring ginger ale in 18-year-old Jameson? That’s a different story. Mo’s a pacifist, but the rest of us had thoughts. Let’s just say our Philly crew isn’t quite as forgiving on that one.

The Reality Check: Why This Matters

Here’s why this conversation mattered and why you should watch the full episode. Mo Maali from Patina Cigars represents what a lot of us want to see more of in this industry: someone who cares more about making great cigars and genuine relationships than playing games.

He’s not chasing magazine covers. He’s not trying to be the biggest brand out there. He’s making six figures worth of cigars a year, keeping prices fair, and showing up for the retailers and smokers who actually support him.

In an industry where everyone’s trying to be the next big thing, Mo’s just trying to be Mo. And honestly, that’s refreshing as hell.

Our Takeaway

After twenty-something episodes, getting guys like Mo and Dave West on the show validates what we’re doing. We’re not looking for the biggest names or the slickest salesmen. We want the guys who’d be sitting here with us smoking whether the cameras were on or not.

Mo delivered exactly that. Real talk about real challenges. No corporate spin, no pretending everything’s perfect. Just honest conversation about what it takes to build something authentic in a tough industry.

He even turned the tables on us and asked what he could do better for Patina. That’s the kind of humility you don’t always get from brand owners.

Watch the Full Episode

This post only scratches the surface. We talked about everything from cheese steaks to Italian beef, from the financial sector to tariffs, from factory visits to the changing landscape of cigar consumption. Mo shared stories we can’t do justice to in text.

You need to hear him talk about realizing a blend that worked perfect in Nicaragua tastes completely different back in the States. The passion in his voice when he discusses working with Gus. The way he navigates tough questions without bullshit.

Do yourself a favor and watch the whole episode. Share it with your buddies who appreciate good cigars and real conversation.

And if you haven’t tried Patina yet, what are you waiting for? Grab some and see what we’ve been talking about all this time.

The Sumatra Robusto is calling your name. The Red Pill if you want something that’ll make you think. Hell, track down a Sultan’s Smoke if you can find one and smoke a piece of history.

Just don’t wait another ten years like Eric did.