We get the Ash Lounge Grand Opening report. Instead of the usual local spotlight we have a trivia game for prizes. The Hidden Herf becomes somewhat obvious after a few clues. Dog talk. The Brooklyn Chick drops in for a quick appearance. Local Spotlight – Lounge Trivia at Plaistow Cigar Co; Plaistow, NH Controversy Corner – Becoming the hunted.
It’s the first outdoor episode of 2023. We gather around the fire pit in Nurse Ricks back yard where the Hidden Herf is pegged right out of the gate. We review the olive oil drops and have lot of fun with some one-liners. Local Spotlight – La Farona Cigars , Ebor City, FL Controversy Corner – It’s Classified.
It’s the soft opening of the new Ash Cigar Lounge in Kingston, NH. We sit down with the owner and get the skinny on the whole story. Nurse Rick is in Orlando on vacation and calls in from Corona Cigar’s downtown location for the Florida Report. The Hidden Herf is recognized by one of the panelists and it gets a very good rating. Local Spotlight – Ash Cigar Lounge; Kingston, NH Controversy Corner – Get Woke Go Broke!...
It’s that time again for The Tobacco Shack’s “Party For The Hell Of It”. The band is on, we’re having a blast, and it’s standing room only. This episode was recorded directly after the party. We do a recap on the Route One Business Network Group event. The Hidden Herf stumps the panel but it does well in the rating. Local Spotlight – The Tobacco Shack; Rowley, MA Controversy Corner – OMG, it’s not what you think....
We’re back at the Twins 7-20-4 lounge and Michael Granito of Micallef Cigars is downstairs for a Micallef Cigar event so we rope him into joining us again. Keeping with that theme we also grab “Schweddy Balls” from the lounge. The Hidden Herf is a fantastic five dollar stick. Mustang Mike is back and launches us into some great controversies. Lot’s of laughs, plenty of fun and cigar talk. Local Spotlight – Twins Smoke Shop ; Londonderry, NH Controversy Corner – It’s a Financial Mess Part II and ...
Another first, we haven’t done an episode from the Nashua location of Castro’s before this week. Direct from the second floor lounge we have a full compliment of Hacks for the St. Patrick’s Day episode. The Hidden Herf was picked right out by one of our astute panelists. The Podcast Juice is flowing and the panel is having a good time. Local Spotlight – Castro’s Back Room; Nashua, NH Controversy Corner – It’s a Financial Mess.
Our first episode from the Boston Cigar Club is good time for the panel. We land an interview with the owner. There’s an interesting story behind this lounge. The Hidden Herf is guessed by way of a coincidence. A possible future Hack joins the festivities. Oh yeah – it’s Pat McGroin’s birthday Local Spotlight – Boston cigar Club, Charlestown, MA Controversy Corner – The Twenty Seven club.
It was five years ago this month when we did a Local Spotlight on Cigar and Lounge in Watertown, MA. It about time we got back there to record an episode. We interview the owners and they tell us about the decade’s long, and no so easy, journey to running a successful cigar lounge in the Boston metro area. The Hidden Herf is well received, although it’s not much of a secret for those who recognize the markings. Local Spotlight – Cigar and Lounge; Watertown, MA Controversy Corner – Taxes, Debt, a...
“Tony Montana” becomes a Hack. The Hidden Herf proves that size matters! How many times can we get pulled over? And other stories from the road. Local Spotlight – Touring in the Oscuro III Controversy Corner – Dinosaur Reality
It’s a Friday night in the 7-20-4 Lounge at Twins. We have a birthday with a special cigar and a hidden herf that stumps the panel. Pat The Law Student files a brief on a California proposal. Local Spotlight – Twins Smoke Shop; Londonderry, NH Controversy Corner – Trains w/Pat McGroin
Hackapalooza 5.0 is in the books, we do a brief recap of the 36 hours that followed last week’s recording. Nurse Rick is on the remote because he’s under the weather again. The Hidden Herf gives a couple of the panelists some issues. We dissect one of the Hidden Herfs to see what it’s issue was. Local Spotlight – Plaistow Cigar Co; Plaistow, NH Controversy Corner – Multiple topics; Pipeline, Balloons, Chickens and more.
Hackapalooza 5.0 is in full swing, we report on the first 30 hours. With twelve panelists the Hidden Herf is “smokers choice” to save on time. The Current Events segment should be called “Fun with the Reverend”. The episode goes in multiple directions and we get into a bit of a laughing fit towards the end. Local Spotlight – New Tobacco Village; Whitehall, PA Controversy Corner – Relaxed health regulations for pilots.
We take the Oscuro III limo south to Chuck’s for another episode with a full compliment of Hacks. There’s an initiation of our third new member in as many weeks. The Hidden Herf is hit or miss with the panel but still does not get any outstanding ratings. The banter is all over the map for this one, everything from electric cars to Big Papi. Local Spotlight – Chuck’s Commune Controversy Corner – It’s eggstremely difficult to find good chicken feed.
Hanging out at Plaistow Cigar on a Saturday Afternoon with a full compliment of Hacks we initiate a new Hack. The Mailbag is full and the Hidden Herf is hit or miss with the panel. The Reverend gets himself into hot water a couple times. Controversy Corner goes in a different direction, four or five topics are submitted by the panelists and we pick one as the winner. Local Spotlight – The Cigar Den; New Brunswick, NJ Controversy Corner – Multiple Choice...
We sit down with Eric “Killer” Kilbane of Castro’s Back Room Cigar Shops. Eric pulls out a few cigar selections from the vault for us to sample, most have been aging for approximately 20 years. It’s a cast of eleven with non-stop laughs. We have been anticipating this episode for over a month and the shop is packed on a Sunday evening for the show. We initiate another new Hack. Gringo Stah is in town with the Florida Report. Local Spotlight – Castro’s Back Room; Manchester, NH Controversy Corner...
Another year passes and we find ourselves handing out another set of awards for some of the best things of the past year. We pull in a couple of lounge regulars (Mike & Steve) to add color commentary. If this wasn’t the awards show we could have call it the medical episode or the boobies episode. The Hidden Herf is an accidental repeat and oddly enough receives a similar rating to the previous. Local Spotlight – El Toro; Hudson, NH Controversy Corner – A Magnificent Controversy after 5 years...
It’s New Year’s Eve at the (undisclosed location) Lancero Lounge, with the Hacks extended cigar family. Four (or five) of the wives join the panel for a special episode where we get the ladies’ perspective on the Cigar Family concept. Plenty of laughs, cigars, and even some reflection points as we start 2023. The Hidden Herf is another winner setting the bar for the rest of the year. Local Spotlight – The Lancero Lounge Controversy Corner – Beating them at their own cheating game...
It’s the Tobacco Shack Holiday Party 2022. The lounge is jammed and the band is playing when we arrive, but we are recording after hours so it’s quieted down. We have a laid-back episode with a few gifts and a decent Hidden Herf. It’s just what the doctor ordered with the kind of day we were all having. Local Spotlight – The Tobacco Shack; Rowley, MA Controversy Corner – Random “Magnificent” Selections
We’re at Two Guys Smoke Shop in Seabrook NH for the annual Christmas Party where we run into former NFL Player and radio / TV commentator Steve DeOssie . If you like football and cigars this is the episode for you! Mr. Bojimbles is back and he pegs the Hidden Herf right out of the gate. Local Spotlight – Two Guys Smoke Shop; Seabrook, NH Controversy Corner – Jones vs. Zappe...
It’s like three episodes in one. We attend the Molon Labe Cigars, Spirits and Coffee event at Plaistow Cigar . André from Live Free Distillery joins us for the first segment. Steve from Molon Labe Cigars takes the second segment and tells us about the Cigars and the Coffee from New Hampshire Coffee Roasters. The ladies, Ann and Megan, take over for the third segment. Local Spotlight – Molon Labe at Plaistow Cigar Co; Plaistow, NH Controversy Corner – Pearl Harbor...
After recording #246 a few Hacks head up to the Federal Cigar 100th Anniversary event with Rocky Patel , where he is releasing the DBS and Edge 20th Anniversary . A few cocktails and a couple cigars latter it last call and Rocky says “Let’s do a podcast right now!” So we find ourselves literally in “ The After Hours Lounge in the back room of the best cigar shop east of just west of this very location ” doing an impromptu interview with Rocky Patel. This is over an hour of Rocky telling us his p...
Returning to the scene of the Flat Earth episode, we’re back in Plaistow for the Dunbarton Tobacco & Trust Event. Joined by the local Dunbarton rep Brian, we have a lot of laughs and smoke a fine Hidden Herf. The Duster makes an appearance and the Reverend explains Double-D Marie. Local Spotlight – Dunbarton Tobacco & Trust at Plaistow Cigar Co; Plaistow, NH Controversy Corner – NFL Magnetism...
The Hacks make the long drive out to Keene, NH on Black Friday to check out a new cigar bar called The Diplomat . We are joined by special guests “AKA Fred”, The Cigar Queen, and Josh for a run-down of the cigar scene in the southwestern corner of New Hampshire. The Hidden Herf turns out to be a surprise for the entire panel. The Reverend has Olivia on the mind. Local Spotlight – The Diplomat Cigar Lounge; Keene, NH Controversy Corner – No Politics allowed in a cigar lounge....
It’s been five years of the Cigar Hacks and we celebrate by inviting representatives from the six other local cigar podcasts to join us for this special occasion. We discuss cigar podcasting, some of our collective history, how the shows are all different but oddly connected, and as usual we go in a few unexpected directions. We smoke a pair of very good cigars, one each from Two Guys and Twins Smoke Shops. We get a little back story on the cigars as well. Dave and Barry from The Cigar Authority...
Direct from the Veterans Day event at The Tobacco Shack sponsored by Rocky Patel Cigars , we improvise and set up on the side patio because it’s standing room only inside! Mike The Cop, our local Rocky Patel rep, talks with us about the brand. This week’s Panel of Hacks are lucky to have the first take on a new cigar release that won’t hit the stores for a couple weeks, it’s great! Local Spotlight – The Tobacco Shack; Rowley, MA Controversy Corner – 2022 Midterm Results...
Direct from another live lounge recording we are joined by Bugsy of Pura Soul Cigars and Elie of Elie’s Smoking Lounge . The news section covers some interesting topics including the current international listener statistics and NH cigar bar licensing. The Hidden Herf is another surprise for the panel. Local Spotlight – Elie’s Smoking lounge; Nashua, NH Controversy Corner – Money makes the world go ’round – not flat!...
We dive into one of the latest releases from Forged Cigars with our local rep and special guest Jim Price. The Hidden Herf receives a good rating from the panel. Then in the second half we have a spirited debate on the merits of the shape of the earth. There’s no shortage of bad jokes and one liners to keep you entertained through the two hour journey that is this episode. Local Spotlight – Plaistow Cigar; Plaistow, NH Controversy Corner – Flat vs. Spherical Earth...
Back from the Poconos and Wedding Palooza we find ourselves at El Toro in Hudson, NH with the newlyweds, who just happened to be in the area. Early in the week Nurse Rick ran into Michael Granito, the Micallef Cigar North East Rep, and Michael joins us before heading back to Long Island. We learn about the Micallef Cigars back story. There’s a full house this week and it all goes off the rails with the mail bag. The Hidden Herf get a great rating. There are plenty of laughs, lounge reviews, and ...
As we prepare to head to The Poconos for the wedding weekend, we record this episode earlier in the week than usual. The man of the hour calls in, but we also have a surprise caller with great timing. Two hack couples prepare to tie their knots. It’s the kind of event you smoke a cigar at so let’s dig in to the preparations. The Hidden Herf receives good reviews and the two Ricks nail it early on. Local Spotlight – Castro’s Back Room; Manchester, NH Controversy Corner – Legalization of the other...
Direct from the Lions Club cigar event at the Saddle Up Saloon in Kingston, NH we help raise funds for a resident in need. We have some extra guests and new panelists that join in the fun. The Hidden Herf gets widely mixed reviews and stumps the panel. Event sponsors included Molon Labe Cigars and Plaistow Cigar Co. Local Spotlight – The Saddle Up Saloon; Kingston, NH Controversy Corner – The free thinking scientist; acceleration of the truth...
