The Stogie Guys

“Theodore King has done a yeoman’s job assembling evidence that the success of tobacco zealots has become a useful template for those who want to use health issues to control our lives. The War on Smokers and the Rise of the Nanny State is not only a story about the attack on tobacco users, but a story about how decent Americans can be frightened, perhaps duped, into accepting phony science, attacks on private property rights, and rule of law. One need not be a smoker to be alarmed by the underlying hideousness of the anti-tobacco movement.”

So writes Walter E. Williams, syndicated columnist and professor of Eeconomics at George Mason University, about Ted King’s book, The War on Smokers and the Rise of the Nanny State. King is a tobacco enthusiast and avid pipe smoker who has worked in politics for three decades in his home state of Oklahoma and in Washington, D.C. He is a writer for The Oklahoma Constitution and lives on a farm with his family, including several dogs. I recently spoke with King about his book and the ever-expanding war on smokers.

Stogie Guys: What made you decide to write The War on Smokers?

Ted King: I wrote The War on Smokers and the Rise of the Nanny State for therapy. Smoking bans are completely unjust, and they drive me NUTS! I had been going to www.smokersclub.com and thought: I can compile these stories I had read there, do my own research, and write a book about this issue. I didn’t know at the time that this would take me to England, Wales, and Ireland to further my research. That part was fun.

SG: In your book, you refer to the anti-tobacco movement as a “war on smokers,” not on smoking. Why?

TK: It is a war on smokers, not on smoking, because smokers are in the crosshairs of these anti-tobacco fanatics. These control-freak bastards want to tax the hell out of smokers, and some of them want to get smokers fired from their jobs. Some want smokers evicted from their domiciles. They even want to make smokers fill out a form for the “right” to purchase tobacco products. They want to screw smokers over. That is why I entitled the book the way I did.

SG: Who makes up the anti-tobacco movement? What drives them?

TK: The American Cancer, Heart, and Lung organizations, the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, and Pfizer, the pharmaceutical company, are behind this crusade. The American Cancer, Heart, and Lung organizations have, in my humble opinion, subordinated their efforts to cure cancer to the primary goal of stamping out the enjoyment of tobacco products. Power to control, not save lives, is what drives them.

SG: Who funds the organizations of that push these laws?

TK: The American Cancer, Heart, and Lung organizations and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and Pfizer are funding these efforts along with allies like the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids, truth.org, and federal, state, and local health departments.

SG: What was the most surprising thing you learned while writing this book?

TK: Smoking bans are just the template for more bans, like bans on fireplaces and on certain foods, etc. In other words, they give rise to a bigger and more powerful nanny state. Chapter 9 in my book documents this effort to expand bans beyond smoking.

SG: What is the single most outrageous nanny state law that you came across?

TK: The most outrageous example is that in Holland it is now against the law to smoke tobacco inside public places, even though smoking pot is legal!

SG: What is the one message that smokers most need to tell nonsmokers who are ambivalent about these issues?

TK: They are coming for nonsmokers next! And nonsmokers do not need to be in the very few places where smoking is permitted if they don’t want to be. So smokers should be left alone in what are, for all intents and purposes, the ghettos of these persecuted people. They aren’t bothering nonsmokers.

SG: What will it take for us who oppose the anti-tobacco movement to win this war?

TK: The War on Smokers and the Rise of the Nanny State teaches smokers what they can do to win this war… and it is a war. In this election year, it is especially important to know where local and state candidates stand on smoking bans. Smokers must tell those who support bans they won’t vote for them. We must become the loudest special interest group of this and future elections!

Many thanks to Mr. King for taking the time to talk to us. He wanted readers to know that cigar enthusiasts who purchase a membership to Cigar Rights of America for three years or more will receive a free autographed copy of The War on Smokers and the Rise of the Nanny State. Get your copy by joining CRA or by purchasing a copy from Amazon or Barnes & Noble.

–Patrick S

photo credit: Stogie Guys

Known in Nicaragua as “the kids of Estelí,” Andy Wood and Rafael Guillen are committed to making their mark in the rough and tumble cigar world. As with many cigar makers, there’s a family history in tobacco, but that’s about the only conventional aspect to the story of GDW Cigars.

The pair met in Oregon when Rafael was attending college on a scholarship. They later worked to put together a farm and factory in Nicaragua, only to be crippled by Hurricane Felix in 2007. They persevered, and their Reserva Miraflor has lately received several positive online reviews and comments.

Intrigued by their story, I exchanged several emails with Andy and Rafael to get some details about their company.

“It’s definitely a family operation,“ Rafael says, listing off the brothers and sister involved, as well as Andy, the sales manager who is “like my brother.” They all took a risk, sinking their money as well as their economic futures into the project. They recognize the difficulties, but refuse to be cowed.

“We still have the same determination in our work because we know that even if the economy goes down, if the product is really good, as the Reserva Miraflor, people will buy,” Rafael says. “Because we are small, and we are not producing a lot of cigars, we have 11 people making cigars: five of then rolling, five bunching, and one selecting the wrapper and binder. But we hope to grow and give more people jobs in the near future.”

For Andy, the significance of marketing and how difficult it can be to get their cigars in people’s hands has been an eye-opener: “Our products are great, but unless people pick them up…no one will know.” Right now, he’s focused on getting their website up and running. The cigars are also at some shops, which you can find by searching for Reserva Miraflor. (You’ll also likely find the firm referred to as Guillen Cigars.)

The name Reserva Miraflor, incidentally, came from a nearby park known for its beauty and diversity. The cigar is a Nicaraguan puro blended to be a medium- to full-bodied, flavorful smoke. They’re also producing a line known as Goviado and have done a few private labels.

I chanced across the Reserva Miraflor at a local shop and wrote about it in a Quick Smoke this summer. You’d have to be pretty hard-hearted not to pull for a small operation like this. They may lack some of the experience and big-money backing of others, but I can’t imagine any operation could best GDW on enthusiasm.

I, for one, hope they find great success.

–George E

photo credit: Stogie Guys

Since their debut in 2003, Tatuaje cigars have been highly acclaimed. Created by Pete Johnson, then buyer for the exclusive Grand Havana Room in Beverly Hills, Tatuaje was named the most in-demand cigar of 2009 by Cigar Aficionado.

These days, Johnson has expanded his cigar line, and in addition to several Tatuaje blends, he now produces Cabaiguan, La Riqueza, Ambos Mundos, and El Triunfador. He recently spoke with StogieGuys.com about his foray into cigars, the challenges of bringing his cigars to market, what he would do if he had access to Cuban tobacco, and much more:

Stogie Guys: When did you first start smoking cigars? At what point did you know you wanted to make your own cigars?

Pete Johnson: My first, a Hav-a-Tampa at the age of 13, doesn’t really count. I didn’t continue with cigar smoking because I didn’t think that was a good tasting cigar. I had another cigar at the age of 20 and thought it was good, but it was another year before I wanted to explore the cigar world. So right around 1991, the father of the guitar player in my band was a cigar smoker and in 1994 he wanted to invest in me to create a cigar—something I wanted to do but never had the money or the nerve. I went to the DR in 1995 to ask the few people I knew to make the brand. No go. The cigar business was nuts and those people didn’t have the time to make anything original for me. So I waited.

SG: What was the greatest challenge in starting up your manufacturing operation?

PJ: Well, I don’t manufacture anything. I design and create new brands and have a great manufacturer for all my products. I can tell you that to start a new operation, you need money, tobacco, patience, and more money.

SG: What’s your favorite Tatuaje cigar? What are your favorite non-Tatuaje cigars?

PJ:  Just in the original Tatuaje, I would have to say the Havana Cazadores. I have so many brands now and so many line extensions, it is hard to pick just one favorite. I guess the best answer is, depends on my mood and the time of the day. Outside my brand, I tend to smoke a lot of Pepin Garcia-made products and some La Flor Dominicana. I still do smoke a lot of Cuban cigars.

SG:  Two questions we like to ask: First, what is your favorite beverage to pair with a cigar? Second, in your own humidor, do you generally store cigars with the cellophane on or off?

PJ: I like orange soda or Cuban coffee with a cigar. If you haven’t tried orange soda, you are missing out. Cellophane is an odd one, I do both. If the cigar came in cello I leave it that way and I don’t put cello on any non-cello cigars. I did a ton of experimenting when I was younger and ruined many great cigars that I took out of cello.

SG: What are your thoughts on Cuban cigars being produced today? If Cuba opened up today and you could use Cuban leaf to make a new line, would you make a Cuban puro, or would you blend it with non-Cuban tobacco?

PJ: Some Cuban cigars are still wonderful, but I think they are hit and miss at times. I like some of the regional and limited products, but I think where you see more problems is in the regular production cigars. I know if Cuba opened up, I would start with a blend before making a puro. There are growers out there that in my opinion grow and process better leaf than Cuba and I would wait for those people to work some of that land before I would make a puro. A puro, for sure, eventually because the soil and climate in Cuba are so perfect, but now the tobacco processing is crude.

SG: If someone is new to your cigars, which vitola and which blend would you recommend as the best cigar to introduce them to Tatuaje?

PJ: I usually guide people to a robusto or a corona gorda size in any of the lines so a good starter is the Havana VI Noble or the Havana VI Hermoso. Not to strong and not to mild. If they like those, they are going to like many others in the Tatuaje portfolio.

SG: What’s one thing about your cigars that would surprise even the biggest Tatuaje fan?

PJ: I don’t know if this is a OMG one, but when I was a kid I used to repair baseball gloves for a job. Okay ,that’s a boring one. Take two: I know my way around a sewing machine.

Many thanks to Pete for taking the time to answer our questions. For more information, visit the Tatuaje website or follow him on Twitter @TatuajeCigars.

–Patrick S

photo credit: Stogie Guys

We’ve all read those awestruck reports about a couple of aging cigar industry giants sitting down to swap smokes and stories. Well, the other evening, two self-described “little guys” in the business got together to do much the same. They had a ball and so did everyone else in attendance.

Frank Herrera (left) handed out samples of his just-released 1608 La Caridad del Cobre cigars at Arnold Serafin’s (right) small shop on the main tourist strip in Tarpon Springs, Florida. Herrera’s boxes nestled on a table near Serafin’s own brand—Serafin de Cuba—rolled right there.

It was a hastily arranged affair, but one that says a lot about the determination of cigar lovers who want to make their mark despite perilous economic times and harsh anti-smoking laws.

The two men met last month at the IPCPR Trade Show in New Orleans where Herrera introduced his cigars. When Serafin learned that Herrera, a Miami lawyer, would be in Tampa for his fulltime job, he convinced him to join him in nearby Tarpon Springs. Serafin invited customers, ordered pizza, poured drinks, and helped set up a domino game.

“I like to help the ‘little guy,’” Serafin said. “Because I’m a ‘little guy,’ too.”

Rolled by Cuban Crafters in Miami and named after the saint whose legend began around 1608 and continues to unite Cubans, the cigars are something of a hobby for Herrera. “I don’t play golf. I don’t have a boat,” he said. He does, however, spend a lot of time on cigars, including legal work representing firms in trademark disputes with Cuba. (You can learn more about this at his blog, Cigar Law.)

Herrera’s cigars are expertly constructed, memorable smokes. He hopes to have a maduro out before long. And he’s working to expand the number of shops that carry La Caridad del Cobre. When we met, he was planning an event at Our Cigar Bar, a Diamond Crown Lounge shop in Orange Beach, Alabama.

Serafin traces his Cuban cigar heritage back for generations. His father helps in the shop and rolls some small sticks. They’re especially popular with tourists looking for a quick smoke as they stroll the street lined with Greek shops and restaurants.

Serafin’s primary torcedor, who rolled in Cuba before coming to the U.S., turns out several hundred cigars a week, working at the shop on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays, as well as at the many private events where they appear. Serafin buys tobacco from the Oliva Tobacco Co. in Tampa and works to produce a relatively mild, tasty, and smooth blend at a reasonable price.

With his shop approaching its second anniversary, Serafin clearly enjoys his work. He loves meeting customers, wants them to try his cigars and to tell him honestly what they think. In addition to Serafin de Cuba, Serafin’s comfortable shop features some mainline brands and quite a few other boutique cigars. His online business continues to grow, he said, as more snowbirds order after returning North.

It’s hard not to get caught up in the enthusiasm of these young generation cigar makers. And they reward you with a fine smoking experience.

–George E

photo credit: Stogie Guys

Few cigar merchants have generated more long-range interest in an unopened shop than Heather Waibel Haddad. For those who follow cigar blogs, podcasts, and boards, Heather is a friendly and familiar voice who has been pursuing her cigar dream for a few years. From her early anti-tax efforts in California to an online cigar operation in Texas, she recently took the next step with her Fumée Cigar Lounge in Cedar Park right outside Austin.

Nearly a year ago, we caught up with Heather for a lengthy cigar insider interview. Now that her shop is up and running, we thought you might like to know a little bit about what looks like a great place to enjoy a good cigar any time you’re in the Lone Star capital.

Stogie Guys: How are you getting the word out in the area that you are open and ready for business?

Heather Waibel Haddad: We are trying lots of things, from flyers in the neighborhood behind our store to more creative things like Meetup.com to join groups and invite them to have their meetings at our lounge. As a result, we’ve organized a bike night with a large group here in Austin. We’re also doing some traditional print ads, and have partnered with a local cigar group to have a poker night here.

SG: Since Austin’s a major university town, are you making any special efforts to reach younger smokers?

HWH: We are not, for two reasons. The first is that we are pretty far from the university. I’d say 40 minutes in traffic. The second is that we tried that strategy once. I did a cigar seminar for a fraternity and they snickered every time I said the words “long,” “big,” or “hard,” so I decided never to do that again.

SG: Another hallmark of Austin is live music. Do you have plans to try to tap into that scene to draw customers?

HWH: We are looking into having some acoustic stuff on special occasions, like our New Year’s Eve party. But our space is only 2,000 sq. ft. and a lot of hard surfaces; anything that requires an amp would just be too much. I’m thinking guitar, piano, maybe even strings, would work here.

SG: Looking at the photos on your website, the shop looks like a terrific place to enjoy a smoke. What about the Fumée Cigar Lounge sets it apart from other shops in the Austin area?

HWH: The primary thing is that we have a large lounge. There are four main competitors here in Austin. Two of them have only a couple of chairs, and the other two are very expensive private lounges. Our lounge is open to the public. We are also the only cigar shop in all of the Austin area that serves beverages. We are selling espresso, whole leaf teas, and non-alcoholic drinks until we get our liquor license.

SG: Is the shop going to affect your online sales operation, or will you do both?

HWH: It’s a mutually beneficial relationship. The shop has really helped our online store because we have a lot more inventory now. As a result we’re seeing more activity online, and that’s paying the bills for the retail store right now.

Many thanks to Heather for taking the time to give us the update.

–George E

photo credit: Stogie Guys

Talk to Dr. Paul Garmirian and his son, Kevork, for any length of time and one thing becomes abundantly clear: They have as much passion for PG Cigars as they do contempt for the industry’s pervasive gimmickry.

The PG philosophy, after all, isn’t about publicity stunts, bikini-clad models,  creative marketing schemes, or the next big thing. It’s about blending finely tuned cigars to meet the most discriminating of palates. In fact, the Garmirians shared with us how, during the height of the cigar boom, they refused to sell a stash of prized Dominican leaves at a significant profit because they were patiently aging them to perfection. This is one example of the sacrifice that must be made to create cigars that look, taste, and feel like pre-Castro Cubans.

As we learned how Paul—a cigar traditionalist and pioneer ever since he wrote The Gourmet Guide to Cigars in 1990—emphasizes excellence over higher income and accelerated growth, we were reminded of a July commentary written by George E. The article calls for the industry to address the vital underlying issues of quality and consistency instead of rushing flashy duds to market. It struck a note with those of us who would like to see manufacturers focus on doing one thing right instead of a lot of new things halfass. Reading it today, we realize it was a sin for us not to mention PG Cigars—but now we know better.

From their humble yet exquisite headquarters in McLean, Virigina, Kevork and Paul were nice enough to impart their wisdom and share their passion. The following was taped after they closed their shop on one chilly November evening:

Many thanks to Kevork and Paul for their time, generosity, and willingness to participate in StogieGuys.com’s first Cigar Insider video. We encourage you to check out the list of authorized PG retailers on their website and explore their many wonderful cigars.

–Patrick A & Patrick S

photo credit: Stogie Guys

Eddie Ortega founded United Tobacco in 2003 with Erik Espinoza. Also known as EO Brands, the company has created some of our very favorite blends including the 601 Serie Red, 601 Serie Blue, 601 Serie Green, and Cubao. In this latest edition of our Cigar Insider series, Eddie tells Stogie Guys about his start in the industry, his partnership with legendary cigar-maker Don Pepin Garcia, his favorite cigars and drinks, and much more.

Stogie Guys: When did you first start smoking cigars? How did you get into the industry?

Eddie Ortega: I started smoking casually in my late 20s when was married to one of the daughters of Rolando Reyes Sr. Back then, I wasn’t an avid smoker and had little knowledge about the industry. During that time Rolando made Aliados, an awesome cigar, and I fell in love with it. I had a successful computer business in New Jersey but, in 1990, I sold it and moved down to Miami. While working as director of MIS for a company in Miami, my ex-father in law asked me to come work with him, so I did. By this time, it was Puros Indios partly due to legal problems with the Aliados name.

SG: These days you’re probably best known for your collaborations with Don “Pepin” Garcia, particularly the 601 line. Can you tell our readers a little about the cigars you made before those, and the history of EO Brands?

EO: Well, we’ve had kind of a rocky”start in the cigar industry. We initially started out as distributors, but our goal was to one day make and distribute only our own brands. We’ve been kind of fortunate and unfortunate with each new project we’ve launched with the exception of our current brands.

Don’t know if you’ve heard or know about our first brand, “Series X.” This brand was made for us by Oliva. We had great success.

For our next project, we decided to contact Rocky Patel. We had Rocky make two brands for us, REO and VIBE, for the first two years from introduction, we also had great success with these two brands. Unfortunately for us, the consistency of the cigars slowed down the sales at the retail level to such an extent that we decided to make it only in limited production and to a limited number of resellers.

SG: We’ve written about your new Cubao line fairly extensively on StogieGuys.com (and reviewed it very favorably), but can you tell me a little about the Mi Barrio cigar you just released?

EO: We wanted to do something unique with a Habano wrapper Pepin had picked up awhile ago. Gorgeous, but very limited in quantity. We also have a great friend who happens to be an artist, Edin Gutierrez, and not too long ago he had painted some scenes depicting some of the Cuban culture. Being that they compliment each other, we decided to introduce Mi Barrio as a limited edition release by combining this great Habano wrapper and the beautiful scenes depicted by Edin in his paintings.

SG:How is Pepin to work with? Any insight into how he continues to create hit after hit?

EO: Pepin and his family are great, not just as business associates, but also as personal friends. How does he do it? Easy: by being meticulous at what he does best. It’s actually very easy to make one good cigar. The trick is to make millions of cigars while maintaining perfect construction and consistency.

SG: I’ve read you’re partnering with Rocky Patel on a project. Care to reveal any details?

EO: I can’t. He is actually lending me the Aston Martin for the weekend, but asked me to please not tell Nimish or Nish.

SG: Two questions I like to ask everyone: First, what is your favorite beverage to pair with a cigar? Second, in your own humidor, do you generally store cigars with the cellophane on or off?

EO: Tawny Australian Ports, actually. I love ports period. Always, no cellophane.

SG: Do you smoke Cuban cigars with any regularity? What do you think about Cuban cigars being made these days?

EO: Nope, I don’t. Don’t think much of them or the current quality.

SG: Besides your own cigars, what are some of your favorites?

EO: Wow, many. Every time I’m in a store, I always try something new, but I do have certain favorites. I’ll just mention some of the ones I smoke the most. Rocky’s Vintage and Summer Release, Ashton Cabinet series, Alec Bradley Tempus, Pepin’s Cuban Classic line, Pete’s Cabaiguan, and many others.

Many thanks to Eddie Ortega for taking the time to talk to us. For more on EO Brands be sure to visit UnitedTobacco.com.

–Patrick S

photo credit: Stogie Guys