The #24 Cigar of the Year for 2024 is the Saga Golden Age Yamasá by De Los Reyes Cigars. Saga is a brand owned and produced by the Reyes family in the Dominican Republic. The Reyes family launched the Saga brand in 2015, and one of the first brands was a Dominican puro known as the Saga Golden Age. The Reyes family has nearly 170 years of experience in all aspects of cigar making. They built their reputation as tobacco growers and tobacco brokers in the Dominican Republic, so it made sense to go...
Dec 19, 2024•4 min•Ep. 2219
The #24 Cigar of the Year for 2024 is the Saga Golden Age Yamasá by De Los Reyes Cigars. Saga is a brand owned and produced by the Reyes family in the Dominican Republic. The Reyes family launched the Saga brand in 2015, and one of the first brands was a Dominican puro known as the Saga Golden Age. The Reyes family has nearly 170 years of experience in all aspects of cigar making. They built their reputation as tobacco growers and tobacco brokers in the Dominican Republic, so it made sense to go...
Dec 19, 2024•4 min•Ep. 2218
The #25 Cigar of the Year for 2024 is the Cavalier Genève BII Viso Jalapa Limited Release 2022. The BII Viso Jalapa was first introduced by Cavalier Genève in 2021 as the third regular production line branded with the Cavalier brand. A little over a year later, Cavalier would launch its “Limited Release” series. The Cavalier Limited Release Series consists of “one-and-done” releases derived from their core lines but in one size with what the company describes as “interesting twists.” BII Viso Ja...
Dec 18, 2024•4 min•Ep. 2217
The #25 Cigar of the Year for 2024 is the Cavalier Genève BII Viso Jalapa Limited Release 2022. The BII Viso Jalapa was first introduced by Cavalier Genève in 2021 as the third regular production line branded with the Cavalier brand. A little over a year later, Cavalier would launch its “Limited Release” series. The Cavalier Limited Release Series consists of “one-and-done” releases derived from their core lines but in one size with what the company describes as “interesting twists.” BII Viso Ja...
Dec 18, 2024•4 min•Ep. 2216
The #26 Cigar of the Year for 2024 Aladino Sumatra from JRE Tobacco Co.. JRE is the company owned by Julio Eiroa and his son Justo. Since its inception (and before), JRE that has been synonymous with authentic corojo. Julio Eiroa is largely credited with bringing authentic corojo back to the market utilizing agricultural innovations. Those innovations have not stopped and more recently through its farm the company has been at the forefront of several other innovation projects. Four years ago the...
Dec 17, 2024•4 min•Ep. 2215
The #26 Cigar of the Year for 2024 Aladino Sumatra from JRE Tobacco Co.. JRE is the company owned by Julio Eiroa and his son Justo. Since its inception (and before), JRE that has been synonymous with authentic corojo. Julio Eiroa is largely credited with bringing authentic corojo back to the market utilizing agricultural innovations. Those innovations have not stopped and more recently through its farm the company has been at the forefront of several other innovation projects. Four years ago the...
Dec 17, 2024•4 min•Ep. 2214
On Prime Time Jukebox Episode 146, we present Down the Rabbit Hole #7– our 7th installment of this series. The concept works as follows: Dave and Coop start with a familiar song and then go down the path of selecting a song inspired by that song. Each will go through ten iterations of this exercise and choose a song from the inspired previous song selected. Ultimately, we will see where this journey takes each of them. Plus we got music news, cigar news, the music pairing of the week, and the De...
Dec 17, 2024•2 hr 13 min•Ep. 2213
On Prime Time Jukebox Episode 146, we present Down the Rabbit Hole #7– our 7th installment of this series. The concept works as follows: Dave and Coop start with a familiar song and then go down the path of selecting a song inspired by that song. Each will go through ten iterations of this exercise and choose a song from the inspired previous song selected. Ultimately, we will see where this journey takes each of them. Plus we got music news, cigar news, the music pairing of the week, and the De...
Dec 17, 2024•2 hr 13 min•Ep. 2212
The 2024 #27 Cigar of the Year is the La Aroma de Cuba Connecticut Corona from Ashton Cigars. Ashton as a company does not release a lot of new cigars, but the past few years has been a busy one for Ashton's La Aroma de Cuba brand. La Aroma de Cuba, along with San Cristobal are Ashton's Nicaraguan brands that come out of My Father Cigars. For La Aroma de Cuba, the brand has undergone packaging changes. Post-pandemic, there have also been two new brands added: Pasión and Connecticut. As the name ...
Dec 16, 2024•4 min•Ep. 2211
The 2024 #27 Cigar of the Year is the La Aroma de Cuba Connecticut Corona from Ashton Cigars. Ashton as a company does not release a lot of new cigars, but the past few years has been a busy one for Ashton's La Aroma de Cuba brand. La Aroma de Cuba, along with San Cristobal are Ashton's Nicaraguan brands that come out of My Father Cigars. For La Aroma de Cuba, the brand has undergone packaging changes. Post-pandemic, there have also been two new brands added: Pasión and Connecticut. As the name ...
Dec 16, 2024•4 min•Ep. 2210
The 2024 #28 Cigar of the Year is the Plasencia Ehtëfal. The release of the Plasencia Ehtëfal was meant to coincide with the 2022 FIFA World Cup that was taking place in Qatar in November 2022. Plasencia Cigars clarified that this was not a commemorative cigar for the World Cup but more of a celebratory cigar (Ehtëfal is the Arabic word for celebration). This limited edition release hit the market in 2022, and it was something we assessed late last year, so it falls in the qualification window o...
Dec 15, 2024•4 min•Ep. 2209
The 2024 #28 Cigar of the Year is the Plasencia Ehtëfal. The release of the Plasencia Ehtëfal was meant to coincide with the 2022 FIFA World Cup that was taking place in Qatar in November 2022. Plasencia Cigars clarified that this was not a commemorative cigar for the World Cup but more of a celebratory cigar (Ehtëfal is the Arabic word for celebration). This limited edition release hit the market in 2022, and it was something we assessed late last year, so it falls in the qualification window o...
Dec 15, 2024•4 min•Ep. 2208
The 2024 #29 Cigar of the Year is the Micallef Blue Toro. This is the second installment in Micallef’s Color Series. While Micallef Cigars has been around since 2017, the Color Series represents an important point in the evolution of Micallef as a cigar manufacturer. For the past few years, Micallef has strategically invested in procuring higher-grade tobaccos and efficiently escalating production at its factory in Estelí, Nicaragua. As a result, the company has delivered higher-quality premium ...
Dec 14, 2024•4 min•Ep. 2207
The 2024 #29 Cigar of the Year is the Micallef Blue Toro. This is the second installment in Micallef’s Color Series. While Micallef Cigars has been around since 2017, the Color Series represents an important point in the evolution of Micallef as a cigar manufacturer. For the past few years, Micallef has strategically invested in procuring higher-grade tobaccos and efficiently escalating production at its factory in Estelí, Nicaragua. As a result, the company has delivered higher-quality premium ...
Dec 14, 2024•4 min•Ep. 2206
The 2024 #30 Cigar of the Year is the Crowned Heads Mil Días Maduro Edmundo. Over the past few years, Mil Días has been a very successful blend with Crowned Heads. Mil Días has had a very successful core line and several limited releases. The name Mil Diás translates to “1,000 days.” It’s a reference to the near-three-year journey that was taken to develop the original blend. Early in 2024 came a new extension to the Mil Días line in the form of a Maduro. Mil Días Maduro is a completely differen...
Dec 13, 2024•4 min•Ep. 2205
The 2024 #30 Cigar of the Year is the Crowned Heads Mil Días Maduro Edmundo. Over the past few years, Mil Días has been a very successful blend with Crowned Heads. Mil Días has had a very successful core line and several limited releases. The name Mil Diás translates to “1,000 days.” It’s a reference to the near-three-year journey that was taken to develop the original blend. Early in 2024 came a new extension to the Mil Días line in the form of a Maduro. Mil Días Maduro is a completely differen...
Dec 13, 2024•4 min•Ep. 2204
On Prime Time Episode 326, Lou Cross, owner and founder of Lure Cigars makes his debut on our show. Lure Cigars is a unique story that pays homage to his father. The brand incorporates Cross’ father’s love of fishing, cigars through a theme of “tackle and tobacco”. We will also have our FSG Beef, Alec Bradley Live True, Espinosa, and Dunbarton Tobacco & Trust Industry Deliberation segment.
Dec 13, 2024•2 hr 3 min•Ep. 2203
On Prime Time Episode 326, Lou Cross, owner and founder of Lure Cigars makes his debut on our show. Lure Cigars is a unique story that pays homage to his father. The brand incorporates Cross’ father’s love of fishing, cigars through a theme of “tackle and tobacco”. We will also have our FSG Beef, Alec Bradley Live True, Espinosa, and Dunbarton Tobacco & Trust Industry Deliberation segment.
Dec 13, 2024•2 hr 3 min•Ep. 2202
For Prime Time Special Edition 169, we present our annual CA Top 25 Pre-Game Show for 2024. Next week the CA Top 25 for 2024 list will be revealed. The results of this list will either make some in the cigar industry’s hopes and dreams come true, and it will shatter the hopes and dreams of the others. We’ve assembled members of the Cigar Coop Coalition team and are joined by guest panelists John McTavish of Developing Palates and Hector Alfonso of Espinosa Cigars. Our approach is unique, and pro...
Dec 11, 2024•3 hr 7 min•Ep. 2201
For Prime Time Special Edition 169, we present our annual CA Top 25 Pre-Game Show for 2024. Next week the CA Top 25 for 2024 list will be revealed. The results of this list will either make some in the cigar industry’s hopes and dreams come true, and it will shatter the hopes and dreams of the others. We’ve assembled members of the Cigar Coop Coalition team and are joined by guest panelists John McTavish of Developing Palates and Hector Alfonso of Espinosa Cigars. Our approach is unique, and pro...
Dec 11, 2024•3 hr 7 min•Ep. 2200
On the Smoking Syndicate Roundtable 17, the Cigar Coop Coalition tackles the Macanudo Emissary España Robusto. Emissary represents a new pillar in the Macanudo brand. It’s meant to be a more premium pillar revolving around a theme of European sophistication. It’s not just the look; the Emissary incorporates European tobacco into the blend. Emissary España represents the first line released under the Macanudo Emissary pillar. España is Spanish for Spain, and the Emissary España incorporates Spani...
Dec 04, 2024•1 hr 7 min•Ep. 2199
On the Smoking Syndicate Roundtable 17, the Cigar Coop Coalition tackles the Macanudo Emissary España Robusto. Emissary represents a new pillar in the Macanudo brand. It’s meant to be a more premium pillar revolving around a theme of European sophistication. It’s not just the look; the Emissary incorporates European tobacco into the blend. Emissary España represents the first line released under the Macanudo Emissary pillar. España is Spanish for Spain, and the Emissary España incorporates Spani...
Dec 04, 2024•1 hr 7 min•Ep. 2198
After talking about it for many months, tonight on Prime Time Jukebox Episode 145 we present our Neil Diamond show. Selling over 130 million records, Neil Diamond is one of the titans of the industry. Tonight we recap his career and present some of our favorite tunes. Plus we got music news, cigar news, the music pairing of the week, and the Developing Palates Review of the Week For this episode, Dave smokes the Alec Bradley Black Market Filthy Ghooligan and Coop smokes the Devil in Disguise, a ...
Dec 03, 2024•1 hr 55 min•Ep. 2197
After talking about it for many months, tonight on Prime Time Jukebox Episode 145 we present our Neil Diamond show. Selling over 130 million records, Neil Diamond is one of the titans of the industry. Tonight we recap his career and present some of our favorite tunes. Plus we got music news, cigar news, the music pairing of the week, and the Developing Palates Review of the Week For this episode, Dave smokes the Alec Bradley Black Market Filthy Ghooligan and Coop smokes the Devil in Disguise, a ...
Dec 03, 2024•1 hr 55 min•Ep. 2196
On the Smoking Syndicate Roundtable 16, the Cigar Coop Coalition tackles the Room101 Johnny Tobacconaut Toro. Tonight’s show will be a special one in that we are raising funds for Operation Airdrop to help our fiends impacted by Hurricane/Tropical Storm Helene in Western North Carolina. Also scheduled to appear is Matt Booth of Scandinavian Tobacco Group (STG) and founder of the Room101 brand. This will also be Take 307 of El Oso Fumar Takes. Room 101 reintroduced the Johnny Tobacconaut at the 2...
Nov 29, 2024•1 hr 39 min•Ep. 2195
On the Smoking Syndicate Roundtable 16, the Cigar Coop Coalition tackles the Room101 Johnny Tobacconaut Toro. Tonight’s show will be a special one in that we are raising funds for Operation Airdrop to help our fiends impacted by Hurricane/Tropical Storm Helene in Western North Carolina. Also scheduled to appear is Matt Booth of Scandinavian Tobacco Group (STG) and founder of the Room101 brand. This will also be Take 307 of El Oso Fumar Takes. Room 101 reintroduced the Johnny Tobacconaut at the 2...
Nov 29, 2024•1 hr 39 min•Ep. 2194
On Episode 144 of Prime Time Jukebox, we present Christmas and Holiday Music 2024. This is an annual tradition going back to the Cigar Jukebox days. To ring in the festivities, we are proud to welcome Fred Rewey now of Cigar Press as our special guest. Plus we got music news, cigar news, the music pairing of the week, and the Developing Palates Review of the Week For this episode, Fred smokes the Illusione Ultra while Dave smokes the Tatuaje Black. Coop was not in a place to smoke. As always, yo...
Nov 29, 2024•1 hr 41 min•Ep. 2193
On Episode 144 of Prime Time Jukebox, we present Christmas and Holiday Music 2024. This is an annual tradition going back to the Cigar Jukebox days. To ring in the festivities, we are proud to welcome Fred Rewey now of Cigar Press as our special guest. Plus we got music news, cigar news, the music pairing of the week, and the Developing Palates Review of the Week For this episode, Fred smokes the Illusione Ultra while Dave smokes the Tatuaje Black. Coop was not in a place to smoke. As always, yo...
Nov 29, 2024•1 hr 41 min•Ep. 2192
Tonight on Prime Time Special Edition 168 we present The Stories Behind Cigars. On this episode Bear and Coop peel the onion and look at some cigar brands and lines that have a great story or theme behind them. They also tackle the stories they haven’t been sold on. Finally, they look at some stories yet to be told in a cigar. Plus, we have our U.S. History segment, Tabacalera USA Great Things are Happening Here, and Espinosa This Day in Sports History segments. References Kurt Vonnegut’s Lost B...
Nov 27, 2024•3 hr 19 min•Ep. 2191
Tonight on Prime Time Special Edition 168 we present The Stories Behind Cigars. On this episode Bear and Coop peel the onion and look at some cigar brands and lines that have a great story or theme behind them. They also tackle the stories they haven’t been sold on. Finally, they look at some stories yet to be told in a cigar. Plus, we have our U.S. History segment, Tabacalera USA Great Things are Happening Here, and Espinosa This Day in Sports History segments. References Kurt Vonnegut’s Lost B...
Nov 27, 2024•3 hr 19 min•Ep. 2190
