Welcome back to another edition of Smoke and Steel! Episode 027 brought together some familiar faces and a couple new ones as we explored the natural cigar smoking progression for beginners, debated the merits of coffee pairings, and broke down the Cigar Aficionado Top 25 list. Whether you’re just getting into premium cigars or you’ve been smoking for years, this episode has something for everyone.

What We’re Smoking Tonight

We kicked things off the way we always do by going around the room to see what everyone brought to the table. Here’s what was in rotation:

• La Flor Dominicana Air Bender
• Tabernacle Double Corona
• Nica Rustica
• RoMa Craft
• Patina Anniversary
• Crowned Heads Belgian Blue

The Belgian Blue generated some interest right off the bat. Walt mentioned he was expecting it to be super full-bodied based on what Kyle had said during the Christmas episode, but found it sitting more in the medium to full range. Not a bad thing, just different than anticipated.

The Gris Gris Makes an Appearance

We also broke out the Gris Gris from LA Cigar Collective, a cigar we’ve talked about before on the show. For those unfamiliar, this is an exclusive blend you can only get from LA Cigar Collective down in Louisiana. They’ve been great friends of the podcast and we’ve had both Kyle and Big Rob on the show multiple times.

The Gris Gris is a Dominican Made Cigar. It’s not an expensive stick either. You can grab a bundle of ten for about 99 bucks with free shipping. At roughly ten bucks a stick, it’s a solid value smoke that punches above its weight class.

Shipping Woes and Online Orders

The conversation naturally drifted to the joys of ordering cigars online and dealing with the US Postal Service. Let’s just say the holidays don’t make things any easier. One of our orders took three weeks to arrive after getting caught up in Kansas.

The good news? When cigars finally arrive from places like LA Cigar Collective, they’re well packaged. Everything was wrapped in bubble wrap and the cigars themselves were in great shape despite their extended journey. The key is letting them acclimate in your humidor for at least a week or two, especially if they’ve been bouncing around in cold weather.

We also got into some damaged cigars and the frustration of having wrappers crack during cutting. Temperature shock is real, folks. If you’re ordering from across the country during winter months, give those sticks time to rest before you light up.

Coffee and Cigars: A Match Made in Heaven?

One of the more interesting discussions this episode centered on coffee. Not everyone’s a coffee drinker, but for those of us who are, there’s something about pairing it with a good cigar that just works.

The conversation started when we roasted Eric for his Starbucks order that was basically everything except actual coffee. Syrups, flavors, the works. The only thing missing was glitter. Meanwhile, the rest of us tend to keep it simple with black coffee or maybe a splash of milk.

Here’s the thing about coffee and cigars: it’s almost universal. Hot coffee pairs well with just about any cigar you throw at it. Some of us are coffee snobs who only drink locally roasted whole bean, while others are perfectly happy with K-Cups from Costco. The Kirkland Pacific Bold got some love during this discussion.

Cold coffee is a different story. Some guys can do iced coffee, others can’t stand it. But when it comes to a hot cup of joe and a cigar on the commute to work? That’s a combination that’s saved many lives on the Schuylkill Expressway.

Interestingly, tea can work well with milder cigars too. A nice cup of tea paired with a Connecticut wrapper is surprisingly good, though most of us default to bourbon if we’re drinking anything other than water with our cigars.

Steve Saka’s Advice on Cigar Smoking Progression for Beginners

This was one of the meatier segments of the episode. We’d been watching the Rocky Mountain Cigar Show where Steve Saka was a guest, and someone from the audience asked him for advice for new cigar smokers.

Saka’s response was spot on and mirrors what a lot of us have experienced. The typical cigar smoking progression for beginners looks something like this:

Stage 1: The Mild Start
Most people begin with Connecticut wrappers and milder cigars. Think Ashton Connecticut or similar approachable smokes.

Stage 2: The Full-Bodied Rush
After getting comfortable, there’s usually a sharp ramp up to full-flavored, strong cigars. New smokers want to taste everything and often gravitate toward the boldest options they can find.

Stage 3: The Taper Back
As experience grows, most smokers taper back to medium-bodied cigars. They’ve learned that strength doesn’t always equal flavor.

Stage 4: The Sweet Spot
Eventually, you land in a place where you’re smoking across the spectrum. Medium-bodied cigars become your base, but you’ll reach for mild or full depending on the occasion.

One of Saka’s key pieces of advice? Don’t overbuy. When you’re new to cigars, your palate is going to change. That bundle of JR Alternatives you thought was amazing? In two or three years, you’ll either give it away or let it age forever because you’ve moved on to better things.

We all laughed at how accurate this was. Most of us have been there, buying bundles of stuff that seemed great at the time only to realize later how mediocre it actually was.

The Wrapper Color Myth

Here’s something that comes up all the time with new smokers: they see a dark Maduro wrapper and automatically assume it’s a strong cigar. Not true. They see a lighter wrapper and think it’s mild. Also not true.

The strength of a cigar comes from the filler and binder, not the wrapper color. You can have a dark wrapper on a mild cigar and a light wrapper on something that’ll knock you on your ass. We’ve seen young guys come into cigar shops, grab a Liga Privada or an LFD with a lighter wrapper, and assume it’s weak because it doesn’t look dark. Big mistake.

If you’ve only been smoking cigars for a week, you probably shouldn’t be reaching for something on a five-point strength scale. Start easy and work your way up, or you’re going to turn green and swear off cigars forever.

Cigar Aficionado Top 25 for 2024

The Cigar Aficionado Top 25 list had just dropped, so we spent some time breaking it down.

The number one cigar was the Padrón 60th Anniversary, which comes in around $90 a stick. Number two was also close to $100. We joked that the cost of the top two cigars exceeded the rest of the list combined.

Some surprises on the list included the Macanudo Emissary at #12. Macanudo has traditionally been known for ultra-mild options (Golf Course Cigars for the Occasional Smoker), so seeing them rank that high with what appears to be a bolder blend was interesting. Turns out the Emissary features rare French tobacco.

We were also surprised not to see the My Father Blue Blue on the list at all, and La Aurora making an appearance was unexpected since you don’t hear much about them these days.

Morning Cigars and Daily Routines

The conversation turned to when people smoke during the day. Some of us used to have a cigar every morning on the commute to work with a cup of coffee. Usually something mild like a Connecticut to start the day.

Others are strictly evening smokers now. Work schedules change, routines shift, and before you know it you’re only lighting up after dinner around 7:30 or 8:00pm.

One thing we all agreed on: having a strong cigar on an empty stomach at 5:00 in the morning is a gamble. Some guys can handle it no problem. Others need food first or they’ll pay the price. Milder cigars are generally safer for morning smokes when you haven’t eaten yet.

The nicotine from cigars doesn’t really keep most of us up at night either.

New Cigar Lounges and Mobile Setups

We got an update from Eddie who visited Smokers Abbey in East Nashville. Great little lounge on the east side of town with a members area, lockers, a full bar, and a solid selection. He was smoking a Las Mareas, which is a leftover Crown Heads product that is only available at Smokers Abbey while they last).

Here’s the cool part: these cigars were lost in a warehouse for six years before being rediscovered. Crown Heads offered them exclusively to Smokers Abbey, and when they’re gone, they’re gone. Eddie said it was a damn good cigar.

We also talked about the trend of mobile cigar lounges. Smokies recently wrapped a Van as a mobile cigar station, and there’s a guy in South Carolina who converted an old Greyhound bus into a rolling humidor with seating, tables, TVs, and an awning for outdoor seating. Takes it to golf courses, weddings, and private events. Smart business model.

Share This Episode With Your Friends

If you enjoyed this episode and want to support the show, the best thing you can do is share it with your buddies who enjoy cigars. Send them the link, tell them about the Steve Saka discussion on cigar smoking progression for beginners, or just let them know we spent 20 minutes debating whether Eric’s coffee order was too fancy.

And if you’re looking to stock up your humidor, check out our affiliate links for Cigar Page and JR Cigars.

Until next time, keep the ash on and the burn even. Catch you on the next episode of Smoke and Steel.