Cigar Coop Prime Time Show

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 company released a cigar utilizing a Honduran-grown Cameroon seed wrapper. In 2023, JRE struck again - this time delivering a Honduran-grown Sumatra seed wrapper. It would be this leaf that would be used on the Aladino Sumatra. Full Details: https://wp.me/p6h1n1-uet

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 Developing Palates Review of the Week In this episode, we smoke Dunbarton Tobacco & Trust’s #GFY Lanceros.  Coop smokes the #5 while Dave smokes the Candela. As always, you can follow along with our Spotify Playlists: Episode 146 Playlist References Cigar Jukebox Top 50 Cigar Coop: 2024 Cigar of the Year Countdown Cigar Prop: Dunbarton Tobacco & Trust #GFY Lancero Sampler Blind Review  Dolly Parton Launches Open Casting Call For Her ‘Dolly: An Original Musical’ Broadway Show NPR: The 50 Best Albums Of 2024 NPR

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 indicates, the La Aroma de Cuba Connecticut features a Connecticut shade wrapper. Full Details: https://wp.me/p6h1n1-uen

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 on the Cigar Coop Countdown for 2024. Coming in at $65.00, it was Plasencia's most expensive cigar at the time it was released. Full Details: https://wp.me/p6h1n1-u9N

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 releases at an aggressive price point. Full Details: https://wp.me/p6h1n1-u9K

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 different blend than the original Mil Dias Habano release. Full Details: https://wp.me/p6h1n1-u9x

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.

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 probably the most accurate any in the industry. It’s also one of our most controversial shows, but as always we will deliver with the utmost respect.` The powerpoint presentation from last year is coming back – with updates! We invite and encourage you to tune in live and weigh in on your precautions. Plus, we have our U.S. History segment, Tabacalera USA Great Things are Happening Here, and Espinosa This Day in Sports History segments. References 82nd Annual Santa Train Stops for Hurricane Survivors Before Giving 15 Ton

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 Spanish tobacco into the blend.

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 cigar for Johnny Smokes Uncut. As always, you can follow along with our Spotify Playlists: Episode 145  Playlist References Drake Claims Universal Music and Spotify ‘Artificially Inflated’ Kendrick Lamar’s Numbers for ‘Not Like Us’ Diss Track Powstanie Cigars to Release Catastrophic Failure

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 2023 PCA trade show in  Las Vegas, NV.  It had been off the market since 2015 when Room101 left Davidoff for distribution, but was released again in a limited quantity in 2022 for Luxury Cigar Club.  Now, with Room101 under Forged Cigars, the Johnny Tobacconaut has made its triumphant return to retailers nationwide.

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, you can follow along with our Spotify Playlists: Episode 144  Playlist References Band Aid: Do they Know It's Christmas? (2024 Ultimate Mix) Pitchfork Grammys Section

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 Board Game Finally Published After 70 Years–It Turned Out to be ‘Deep and Very Fun’ This College Student Sportscaster May Be Blind, But He Sees Every Play (LISTEN)

On Episode 324, Luciano Meirelles of Luciano Cigars returns to the Prime Time Show. There have been a lot of changes and exciting partnerships around Luciano Cigars, and tonight we will catch up on these happenings with the man himself, Luciano. We will also have our FSG Beef, Alec Bradley Live True, and Espinosa This Day in Sports History segments. Our Dunbarton Tobacco & Trust Industry Deliberation segment will cover Mike Tyson.

On Episode 143, it’s our Five Year Anniversary Show for Prime Time Jukebox. We will reflect on an incredible five years and then turn our attention to musical themes around the number five. Dave and Coop come up with some unique playlists based on the number five. 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 Oliva Serie V 135th Anniversary Edición Limitada  while Coop smokes the Jaime Garcia Reserva Especial Gordo Extra. As always, you can follow along with our Spotify Playlists: Episode 143 Playlist References 2025 Grammy Nominations Announced Quincy Jones, Grammy-Winning Producer for Michael Jackson and Film Composer, Dies at 91 José Seijas Passes Away Developing Palates: Team Cigar Review: Alec Bradley Black Market Filthy Ghooligan 

Tonight on Prime Time Episode 323, its Media Panel #19. This time joining us will be John McTavish of Developing Palates, Tripp Waldrop from Let’s Get Pairing and Matt Tye of How Bout That Cigar. We will have a vast array of topics for the panel tonight including PCA, cigar media topics, limited editions, and the cigar graveyard. Also we will feature our Alec Bradley Live True, FSG Beef Segment, Altadis USA Ties that Bind, Espinosa This Day in Sports History, and our Dunbarton Tobacco & Trust Industry Deliberation Segment.

Tonight on Prime Time Special Edition 167 we present the 2024 Non Political Election Night Show. This is an annual tradition on Special Edition where we smoke cigars and follow the election returns.  We ask you leave your politics at the door and join us. Plus, we have our U.S. History segment, Tabacalera USA Great Things are Happening Here, and Espinosa This Day in Sports History segments. Important Information The chat will be open tonight for Prime Time Special Edition 167, but political comments/attacks etc. will not be permitted under any circumstances. As such, our panel discussions on the show will keep to that mantra. Note, we will be removing comments if these rules are violated and potentially remove offenders from the show. No warnings will be issued. Our audience has been great at abiding by this in the past and its greatly appreciated.  Thank you in advance for your understanding and cooperation.

On Episode 322, An Phan the Director of Drew Estate’s Brand Management returns to the Prime Time Show. We will not only catch up on the latest happenings of Drew Estate, but also get insights into Drew Estate as a cigar and lifestyle brand. We will also have our FSG Beef, Alec Bradley Live True, and Espinosa This Day in Sports History segments. Our Dunbarton Tobacco & Trust Industry Deliberation segment will cover packaging.

On Prime Time Special Edition 166, we present The War Room. The War Room is a concept where we propose trades between cigar companies. This includes brands, personnel, and other assets. In the end Coop and Bear will act as agents proposing these trades. There will be a little element of strategy along the way as well. Plus, we have our Vintage Rock-A-Feller Cigar Group U.S. History segment, Tabacalera USA Great Things are Happening Here, and Espinosa This Day in Sports History segments. Bear and I will recap and analyze the recent Cigar Journal award winners in our closing segment. References Man is Creating 1,500-Mile Trail Across Texas for Hikers, Bikers and Horses, Investing $10,000 to Get it Done Concert yields $24 Million in Hurricane Relief

On Prime Time Episode 321, it’s our first Tasting Experience show and we welcome back Vlad Stojanov of Somm Cigars. Tonight we will smoke the Somm Rioja, and it's named for the famed wine region of Spain. We will smoke the Robusto and Toro sizes. This won’t be cigar review, but we will look at the tasting profile of this blend in the two different sizes We will also have our FSG Beef, Alec Bradley Live True, and Espinosa This Day in Sports History segments. Our Dunbarton Tobacco & Trust Industry Deliberation segment cover the certifying blends.