🇺🇸 Boveda Veterans Day Challenge: Smoke a cigar, give a cigar to Cigars for Warriors: https://cigarsforwarriors.org/ Boveda's Drew Emmer is joined by foodie, cigar lover, Matty Rock and Trey Boring, Senior Vice Chairman of Cigars for Warriors (CFW). This cigar talk jumps from supporting troops with cigars to $70 Cubans, Robert Burns tubos, why foodies would love cigars, and how to keep cigars fresh while you travel. CFW is a non-profit organization that sends cigar care packages filled with do...
Nov 11, 2023•27 min•Ep. 109
Cigar Journal winner of the Best Boutique Brand Nicaragua 2023: Black Label Trading Company Royalty! Since it won this major award, the small-batch limited release cigar company has been in even higher demand—and shorter supply. Just to establish the hierarchy of this Nicaraguan cigar maker: Oveja Negra (AKA black sheep) cigar brand family begets Black Works Studio and All Black Label Trading Company. The company was co-founded by the husband-and-wife team, James and Angela Brown. Boveda's Drew ...
Oct 30, 2023•16 min•Ep. 108
Joya de Nicaragua Executive President Juan Martínez talks new releases and competing with Cuban cigars with Boveda's Drew Emmer. Nicaragua is the biggest producer of handmade cigars in the world. And Joya de Nicargua has everything to do with that. Most of its cigars sales are outside of the United States, so the 55-year-old+ company knows a thing or two about going head-to-head with Cuban cigars. In countries other than the U.S., you can buy Cuban cigars, but they're expensive. Joya de Nicargua...
Oct 23, 2023•31 min•Ep. 107
Great specs make you see the world a little clearer, yes? Rafael Nodal, visionary in the world of small-batch cigars for Aging Room, says that the cigar lounge is a laboratory for democracy. How can you enjoy a great cigar with a fellow smoker who might be a little right or left for your taste? You must hone the skill of respectful communication. Listening with civility encourages those rich conversations, like this cigar talk with Boveda's Drew Emmer. Freedom to create is one reason this Cuban-...
Oct 16, 2023•17 min•Ep. 106
Travel virtually with us to learn what cigar smoking is like in the Arabian Peninsula. The Leaf Master Tobacco Trading is the largest tobacco shopping adventure within six Arab countries, which focuses on New World cigars, cigar accessories, and luxury cigar experiences. An eclectic, artsy walk-in cigar boutique awaits in Dubai. What looks like lessons in chemistry, test tubes are set up to infuse cigars with the essence of fine spirits and teas. For cigar traditionalists, the shop stocks the la...
Oct 09, 2023•30 min•Ep. 105
Cigar smoking is an art form, a lifestyle. That's why every SOTL & BOTL must don a Les Fines Lames Punch Bracelet. Ready to elevate the way you cut cigars? Pierre Jourdan & Pablo Rodet, creators of fine cigar accessories, delve into why you should invest in essential cigar tools, like the stylish LE PETITE cigar cutter. For cigar aficionados, the act of enjoying a fine cigar is about more than the smoke, it's the experience. Host: Rob Gagner What is Boveda? Cigar makers age and preserve ...
Oct 02, 2023•37 min•Ep. 104
MO KNOWS CIGARS! Look beyond Cigar Aficionado's Top 10. Patina is the best cigar you've never heard of—until now. Could Patina be the next Fuente of Padrón? Founder Mo Maali's heart and soul are in this small-batch cigar company. He wants you to be excited whenever you light a Patina. He wants Patina to be the cigar of choice when you celebrate a personal achievement or milestone. He wants you to try his new Lancero that is scheduled to launch in December 2023. (And if you still can find the lim...
Sep 25, 2023•29 min•Ep. 103
In Spanish with English captions. Who's buying up all those premium cigars in Mexico? Learn why humidity and cigars is so important, especially in a country like Mexico where climates go from beach to desert in this southern-most North American country. Preventing humidity fluctuations protects a cigar's flavor. Boveda's Dan Murphy talks cigars and Mexico with Bernardo Andrés, Director General of Vitolas del Mundo, which manages brands exclusively in Mexico, such as Rocky Patel, Alec Bradley, Ol...
Sep 18, 2023•16 min•Ep. 102
Cigars are the equalizer that bring people together. Lord knows we need more of that right now. Smoke Big, created by Kareem Fort, is an independent film about the Black cigar culture in LA. Kareem captures short stories about cigar experiences to shine a realistic light on cigars in the Black community. Two of Boveda's founders, CEO Sean Knutsen and SVP Tim Swail were interviewed for the film. They explain how to protect the flavor and character of cigars by storing them at the proper humidity ...
Aug 30, 2023•11 min•Ep. 101
100th Box Press episode! Cigar revolutionaries! Arturo Fuente CEO, Carlito Fuente Jr. & Boveda founders Sean Knutsen & Tim Swail talk premium cigar care and why humidity has everything to do with it. OpusX creator, Carlito is one of the most respected figures in the industry. This third generation cigar maker was an early adopter of Boveda and its 2-way humidity control that protects premium cigars. His company supports the Cigar Family Charitable Foundation, which gives children in the ...
Aug 28, 2023•19 min•Ep. 100
Stay tuned for the big take down! Rocky Patel got way more than he bargained for while debuting his new cigars, Conviction and Dark Star to Boveda's founders, Sean Knutsen and Tim Swail and company sensei, Drew Emmer. Rocky explains why he uses Boveda to preserve the flavor and character of his cigars. Just to clarify, Boveda was indeed developed in Minnesota, the land of sky blue water, but here's what the 2-way humidity pack actually contains: Purified water, natural salts and odorless food gr...
Aug 22, 2023•6 min•Ep. 99
Winner, winner, chicken dinner. In a Premium Cigar Retailers Association auction, Nico Sanders was victorious in earning a guest role on Boveda's cigar podcast, Box Press. "Sharing cigars with people and learning more about them and their experiences is the greatest thing," the long-time cigar smoker told hosts Nate Beck and Rob Gagner. Nico, a lover of anything Fuente, heads up Community Housing Associates, Inc. Making homelessness brief is the group's goal. CHA has developed, managed, or lease...
Aug 07, 2023•44 min•Ep. 98
Listen for the hilarious father-son story that taught Tim Ozgener the importance of knowing your customer via adult-themed pipes! Previously, Tim owned and ran CAO with his father Cano Aret Ozgener and his sister Aylin. After a 12-year hiatus, Tim found his way back to the cigar business. Learn from the exercises that helped him pinpoint where to go next and how to design a brand like Nike does. In 2022, Tim launched Ozgener Family Cigars, which are distributed by Crowned Heads. Interview by Rob...
Jul 20, 2023•27 min•Ep. 97
Don't get mired in the flavors you're tasting in a cigar—or not tasting, for that matter. Just smoke a cigar to enjoy it, said Dion Giolito, founder of Illusione Cigars. This from the guy with an exacting palate and a rep for creative tobacco blending in cigars like the Singularé, Fume d'Amour, Ultra and Garagiste. Before making cigars, Giolito launched Fumare, a Nevada smoke shop specializing in rare and hard to find cigars. He still owns it, so when in Reno, check out Fumare for souvenir cigar...
Jun 22, 2023•45 min•Ep. 96
Get out your handkerchiefs! A cigar talk to share with your dad or other influential man in your life. In November 2003, Jeremiah Meerapfel's father Richard died suddenly of a heart attack. Richard was heralded with saving Cameroon/Central African wrapper tobacco from extinction in the early 1990s. Jeremiah and his brother Joshua carried on their father's work. In honor of their father, the Meerapfels launched a new cigar category of limited-production UberLuxury cigars. For the rest of us, if y...
May 29, 2023•41 min•Ep. 95
How do you pick a cigar that's right for you, especially if you're new to cigar smoking? Learn the top things to know before you shop for cigars. Includes helpful questions what to say when the humidor manager asks, "May I help you." Hosted by Boveda's Nate Beck and Rob Gagner. Pick up a Boveda Humidor Bag to store those cigars you pick up at the smoke shop. A Boveda Humidor Bag makes a great first humidor, plus it's preloaded with a Boveda cigar humidity pack. Boveda preserves cigars by making ...
May 15, 2023•13 min•Ep. 94
Instead of chasing the next best boutique cigar, why not go back to the classics? Join Boveda's Rob Ganger and Nate Beck as they compare 2 sticks from Altadis U.S.A.—Henry Clay War Hawk is up against the Montecristo Classic. What’s the difference between these two cigars? Find out in this next round of "Big Brother Versus Little Brother," the cigar showdown of a budget-friendly cigar (War Hawk) and a celebratory cigar (Montecristo Classic). How can you preserve the cigars you bring cigars home f...
May 01, 2023•37 min•Ep. 93
What cigar punches way above its price point? Find out in this next round of "Big Brother Versus Little Brother" cigar showdown! Join Boveda's Rob Ganger and Nate Beck as they compare 4 sticks from Robert Caldwell. Lost & Found started as a line of "abandoned" cigars. Since those are now few and far between, Lost & Found now blends small-batch cigars from rare, aged tobaccos. Hence the name: Lost & Found. They should add Gone to that name because when you smoke a Lost & Found, yo...
Apr 21, 2023•32 min•Ep. 92
"We don't make cigars, we make reasons to enjoy life," said Nirka Reyes, president of De Los Reyes, a cigar factory in the Dominican Republic. De Los Reyes is home to the Saga line of cigars and a portfolio of third-party brands. Nirka was also a pandemic bride who's planning a fifth anniversary reception to celebrate the big event that never was. Hear how Box Press host, Rob Gagner weasels his way on the guest list. What should be inside your humidor: good cigars and Boveda. Boveda are those br...
Apr 18, 2023•53 min•Ep. 91
Good burn. Great taste. Just what you'd expect from a retired Chicago firefighter turned cigar maker. Aric Bey is a model on how to pivot if early retirement derails your career. The Black boutique cigar brand founder sits down with Boveda's Rob Gagner to talk about the Black Star Line Cigars' blends. The brand name is a fist up to civil rights leader, Marcus Garvey. You might remember that Black Star Line and Epic Cigars teamed up on the Black History Month Cigar, a limited-edition scholarship ...
Apr 13, 2023•41 min•Ep. 90
Is one cigar worth twice as much as another in the same cigar brand? It's a "Big Brother Versus Little Brother" showdown! Join Boveda's Rob Ganger and Nate Beck as they compare 2 sticks from Arturo Fuente. And hear how to correctly pronounce Boveda. About Boveda for Cigars: Boveda are those brown 2-way humidity packs you put in a humidor to preserve cigars. When you own a humidor, you need to make sure the cigars inside stay well-humidified or they can be hard to light, burn to too fast or get m...
Mar 31, 2023•18 min•Ep. 89
Wheels of a suitcase that can charge your devices? Luggage for a cigar smoker? Diamond detailing? A carry-on to match your lipstick color? Peek into the world of how the rich and famous travel with Heiko Poerz, the founder of bespoke luggage company HENK. For the rest of us—enjoy the affordable luxury of a HENK cigar.The first vitola was christened on a private island ringed by white sandy beaches and coral reefs, no less. Definitely a well-lived cigar life! Boveda's Rob Gagner interviewed Heiko...
Mar 25, 2023•52 min•Ep. 88
This episode gets real—men open up about mental health, fatherhood and self-imposed expectations. So, does cigar smoking help you cope with what life throws at you? Solo, cigar time is meditative. Surrounded by friends (or soon-to-be friends at the lounge), cigars create connection that's so lacking in today's frenetic world. And what a connection was made winter camping in Northern Minnesota. (Yes, that's a thing!)! Seeking fodder for his latest book, Nick Hammond, award-winning author of Aroun...
Mar 20, 2023•53 min•Ep. 87
Small-batch chasers and SOTL, it's time to give a woop woop to Drunk Chicken Cigars. This woman-owned, Black-owned boutique cigar company is headquartered in the District of Columbia. Hear how business professor Dr. Desiree Sylver turned a limited-run cigar hobby into a growing cigar business. The founder and CEO sat down with Boveda's Rob Gagner at PCA. Perfectly aged cigars. Guaranteed. Use Boveda 2-way humidity packs in a humidor to preserve premium cigars. When you own a humidor, you need to...
Mar 13, 2023•48 min•Ep. 86
Is one cigar worth 2X the other? It's a "Big Brother Versus Little Brother" showdown! Join Boveda's Rob Ganger and Nate Beck as they compare 2 sticks from United Cigars' storied line of cigars. Boveda are those brown 2-way humidity packs you put in a humidor to preserve cigars. When you own a humidor, you need to make sure the cigars inside stay well-humidified or they can be hard to light, burn to too fast or get moldy. With Boveda in your humidor, you'll get better flavor from a cigar. Boveda ...
Feb 28, 2023•37 min•Ep. 85
Join Boveda's Rob Ganger for a chat with Dissident Cigars. Boveda are those brown 2-way humidity packs you put in a humidor to preserve cigars. When you own a humidor, you need to make sure the cigars inside stay well-humidified or they can be hard to light, burn to too fast or get moldy. With Boveda in your humidor, you'll get better flavor from a cigar. Boveda has been keeping cigars tasting great for more than 25 years. Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bovedausa/ Twitter: https://www.twitte...
Feb 24, 2023•21 min•Ep. 84
Boveda are those brown 2-way humidity packs you put in a humidor to preserve cigars. When you own a humidor, you need to make sure the cigars inside stay well-humidified or they can be hard to light, burn to too fast or get moldy. With Boveda in your humidor, you'll get better flavor from a cigar. Boveda has been keeping cigars tasting great for more than 25 years. Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bovedausa/ Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/bovedainc Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/boveda...
Feb 17, 2023•49 min•Ep. 83
You gotta hear this story to believe it. Great factoid to share at the cigar lounge—"hey, did you know that the founder of Serino Cigars started in..." Listen and find out! Who's On this Box Press Cigar Podcast: Patriarch Tony Serino (founder) and his son, Carson (vice president and creative director) of Serino Cigars, a small batch cigar maker and private label cigar manufacturer. Interviewed by cigar podcast host, Rob Gagner at PCA 22, International Cigar Trade Show in Las Vegas, baby. Listen ...
Feb 10, 2023•1 hr 4 min•Ep. 82
Challenge accepted! https://cigarsforwarriors.org/donate/ Boveda's Rob Ganger challenges cigar lovers to donate 10 million cigars by 2027, to the non-profit organization, Cigars for Warriors. CFW sends cigar care packages filled with donated cigars and cigar accessories to troops who are in active war zones. Each care package is protected by Boveda, the brown 2-way humidity packs you put in a humidor to preserve cigars. Rob is joined by Trey Boring, Senior Vice Chairman of CFW and Boveda's CEO, ...
Jan 16, 2023•25 min•Ep. 81
The holy trinity of a cigar is its filler, binder and wrapper. All parts of a cigar work together to create handmade art that cigar smokers love. Hear how master blenders combine tobacco and techniques to make premium cigars taste so good. Guest: Altadis Cigars’ National Education Manager and Smoke Tester, Travis Pappenheim Boveda Box Hosts: Rob Gagner and Nate Beck More with cigar smokers, Travis, Rob and Nate here: 1. What contributes to cigar flavors and tastes?? https://www.youtube.com/watch...
Jan 09, 2023•5 min•Ep. 80
