On this episode, we're taking things back to the era of the wild west… which is when I started working on the Diesel Desert Walker with Justin Andrews. This project has been a LONG time in the making. But like a well protected stage coach, these cigars have finally arrived! Tonight, we're discussing the newest Diesel Cigar, which has been expertly tailored for the portion of the cigar world that loves bold, dark, powerful Broadleaf blends!

In order to produce excellent cigars, cigar makers need a few things. Excellent soil, lot of sun, well cultivated seeds, and expertly fermented leaf. It’s in the fermentation that cigar leaf is carefully baked to perfection. During this episode, we’ll be discussing no only the timeless tradition of pilon fermentation, but also the cigar, Oliva’s La Fermentada, that has come out of this carefully monitored process. Join in-studio guest, Oliva Nick, and myself to dive deep into crafting this new blend.

cue the suspenseful music It’s coming. It’s almost here, and I’m not sure any of us are ready for it! Just as the cigar loving world is putting up their #cigartents, cigar makers have been working to complete some of the most exciting projects of the year! Everything from Dunbartons to Deadwoods to Daily Editions are currently working their way out into the wild! Tonight, we’ll be looking into some of the projects that are going to be exploding over just the next 7 days!

For aficionados everywhere, cigars are a very seasonal event. In the Spring, there are cigars that are trusted to bring in the new season. Then there are cigars that make a sunny summer day at the beach somehow sunnier. But in the Winter, things are a bit different. When the sun starts going down earlier and earlier and temperatures start to drop, what cigars do cigar lovers trust? Which cigars are perfect pairings with frosty temps? And what considerations do aficionados take to make ultra frigid temperatures bearable? During this episode, we’ll discuss the tip and tricks of the trade for cigars during the cold months.

There are people who THINK they know something about cigars, and then there are people who realize they don’t know JACK about cigars! When an aficionado encounters the cigar world (and I’m not talking about the nerds in a cigar lounge), they learn about a whole new world of premium cigar knowledge. The way things are done in the fields, in the farms, in the family warehouse are something different altogether! Tonight, we’re diving into the industry insider world of cigars with cigar veteran Jack Heyer. He’s got a very unique and comprehensive look behind the curtains of the cigar world. He will be our in-studio guest to answer cigar questions and comments from the crowd.

Steve Saka is just about the only person who is able to just pop up on the comments on an episode of Cigars Daily LIVE and de-rail the whole show. And certainly not for no reason. His contribution to the cigar making world has been just about the most notable of anyone we can think of. Saka’s catalog of Dunbarton blends have taken the cigar world by force. Not only are his blends considered by many to be some of the most carefully balanced and complex, but Steve also agonizes about using only the best quality leaf available. Tonight, Steve will be our in-studio guest where he will be answering comments in true Saka fashion.

Alec Bradley’s lucky green Black Market Filthy Hooligan is one of the most anticipated limited edition releases each year. The Candela green and dark Habano Barber Pole produces a medium strength profile that cigar lovers annually look forward to pairing with the festivities of St. Patrick’s Day. This year, Alec Bradley is doubling down with a brand new limited edition Halloween blend called that Filthy Ghooligan! The cigar features an Ecuador Habano and U.S.A Connecticut Broadleaf Barber Pole wrapper. During this episode, we’ll be peeling back the blend to see if this is going to be a new tradition for aficionados, or just another novelty.

For a Cigar Aficionado, the palate is the palette on which every premium blend paints an experience to remember. It's the reason that so many cigar lovers talk about developing their palates. But if someone is getting into cigars, how exactly would they go about growing a palate that can even sense many of the nuances of all the various carefully crafted premium cigar blends? During this episode, we will be discussing just that. There are lots of ways to master the palate, and we'll be discussing all of them.