Cigar Hacks

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 … Continue reading "Episode 282: Any Excuse for a Party – Local Spotlight: The Tobacco Shack; Rowley, MA"

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 … Continue reading "Episode 281: Mo Money w/Micallef Cigars – Local Spotlight: Twins Smoke Shop; Londonderry, NH"

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 … Continue reading "Episode 280: St Paddy’s Day! – Local Spotlight: Castro’s Back Room; Nashua, NH"

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 – … Continue reading "Episode 279: Be Patient, the Belly Dancer is Coming! – Local Spotlight: Boston cigar Club, Charlestown, MA"

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 … Continue reading "Episode 278: It’s Not Easy – Local Spotlight: Cigar and Lounge; Watertown, MA"

“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 … Continue reading "Episode 275: Rooster Booster – Local Spotlight: Plaistow Cigar Co; Plaistow, NH"

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 … Continue reading "Episode 274: Hackapalooza 5.0 – Local Spotlight: New Tobacco Village; Whitehall, PA"

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 … Continue reading "Episode 273: South on the North Shore – Local Spotlight: Chuck’s Commune"

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 … Continue reading "Episode 272: Saturday Afternoon at Plaistow Cigar – Local Spotlight: The Cigar Den; New Brunswick, NJ"

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 … Continue reading "Episode 271: Vintage Cigar Night – Local Spotlight: Castro’s Back Room; Manchester, NH"

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 … Continue reading "Episode 270: The 2022 Hackie Awards Special – Local Spotlight: El Toro; Hudson, NH"

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 … Continue reading "Episode 269: The Wives’ Special – A Cigar Family New Year – Local Spotlight: The Lancero Lounge"

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 … Continue reading "Episode 268: A Shack Holiday Party – Local Spotlight: The Tobacco Shack; Rowley, MA"

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. … Continue reading "Episode 267: Football Christmas w/Steve DeOssie – Local Spotlight: Two Guys Smoke Shop; Seabrook, NH"

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, … Continue reading "Episode 266: Triple Threat, Are You Man Enough – Local Spotlight: Molon Labe at Plaistow Cigar Co; Plaistow, NH"

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 … Continue reading "Episode 265: Rocky Patel Interview Special – Local Spotlight: Federal Cigar’s Slow Burn Lounge; Portsmouth, NH"

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 … Continue reading "Episode 264: Mainstream Matty & Pat McGroin – Local Spotlight: DT&T at Plaistow Cigar Co; Plaistow, NH"

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 … Continue reading "Episode 263: Olivia! – Local Spotlight: The Diplomat Cigar Lounge; Keene, NH"